294 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



April, 19i7 



HEADS OF GRAIN 



POMjQg D I FFERENT FI E L DS 



extract from a given number of pounds of 

 comb — say how much comb in pounds in a 

 ten-frame hive, and how much wax should 

 one get? E. A. Clement. 



Willoughby, Ohio, Feb. 15. 



A. 1. We usually figure that the best time 

 for transferring is early in the spring, along 

 about fruit bloom. At that time there is 

 very little honey in the hive, comparatively; 

 the colony is not strong, and the whole oper- 

 ation of transferring can be performed much 

 more easily then than at any other time. 



If the Heddon short method of transfer- 

 ring is used the bees can be nearly all shaken 

 out and hived on frames of foundation. The 

 transferring can then be carried on at any 

 time. 



2. The amount of wax that can be obtain- 

 ed from old combs varies somewhat. From 

 ten Langstroth frames one would get all the 

 way from 2 to 3i<^ lbs. of wax. 



Extracted-Honey On page 128, February 

 Colonies Winter issue, Mr. Foster says 



the Best that comb-honey colo- 



nies are usually in bet- 

 ter condition for winter. Now, I find it the 

 other way. Comb - honey colonies usually 

 crowd the queen in the last part of summer 

 so there is not an oversupply of young bees 

 to winter. At least they can't come up to 

 extracting colonies with young bees. I find 

 that the colonies run for extracted honey 

 winter the best, and are usually stronger in 

 the spring. 



Perhaps Mr. Foster means that the ex- 

 tracting colonies have a better supply of 

 honey. Well, the beekeeper can regulate 

 that. I always winter in two-story hives, 

 and the upper stories are mostly solid honey, 

 with some be^ow to carry up in the spring. 

 The bees usually winter in the upper stories, 

 and have their brood-nest there in the spring. 



Brush, Colo. Daniel Danielson. 



Qi= 



.CtP: 



A New Era The year just closed 



for Beekeeping has marked a new era 



in Oregon for this section. The 



honey crop being some- 

 what better than in former years, the bee- 

 men began discussing things which resulted 

 in an association being formed under the 

 name of " Umatilla Valley Beekeepers," in- 

 cluding all honey-producers of the valley. 

 Five officers were elected — three for three 

 years and two for one year. 



A bill was drafted and presented to the 

 state legislature, asking state aid in control- 

 ling foul brood, etc. 



Mutual benefit in buying supplies and mar- 

 keting honey are objects of the association. 



In former years honey production here has 



been little considered; but now quite a num- 

 ber are going at it in dead earnest; and, if 

 conditions are favorable, 1917 will note a 

 large honey production for this valley. We 

 produce a fine article of alfalfa, sweet clo- 

 ver, and sage. 



At the meeting an inventory showed 3000 

 colonies for the district, which will be more 

 than doubled this year. 



The past season developed our first foul 

 brood, Mr. J. M. Thorn having to shake 100 

 colonies in July, which proved successful, 

 and an average of 100 pounds extracted for 

 the season after the treatment. 



Hermiston, Ore. 



Q{= 



Drip-board Meth- iTo provide my bees 



od of Giving jjwith water without 



Bees Water tthe chance of losing 



any by drowning, I 

 use the contrivance shown in the illustra- 

 tion. It is simply a keg held between four 

 posts, with an unplaned board leading up to 

 it. The keg is provided with a faucet which" 

 is opened only far enough for a constant 



Device for watering bees. 



drip to fall on the rough board, across which 

 I nail some flat strips, while two other thin 

 strips are nailed to the sides to prevent the 

 water running off. 



I regulate the drip to the need of the bees. 

 When no brood-rearing is going on to any 

 great extent a drop of water every twenty 



