GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



Decembee, 1917 



greater demand and higher price of honey, 

 it did not pay them to rear queens at a 

 dollar each; and as things are at present no 

 one can rear queens at that price with 

 profit unless he is equipped, and gives his 

 special attention to that branch of the 

 business. No queen-breeder sliould try to 

 rear queens at a price so low that he can- 

 not furnish the ^ery best. I do not mean 

 by this that it will be possible to have every 

 queen turn cRit perfect; but I feel sure 

 that any reputable breeder will replace any 

 imperfect queen when he is convinced of 

 the fact that she is defective. 



Binghamton, N. Y. C. W. Phelps. 



RAINSTORMS MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO SHIP 

 ON SPECIFIED DAYS. 



Dunng the past season the demand for 

 queens and for bees in packages was enor- 

 mous. This was caused, I believe, by the 

 very severe winter losses in the northern 

 states and tlie greatly advanced price of 

 all grades of honey. As a breeder and 

 sliipper of bees and queens exclusively for 

 several years past, I will endeavor to ex- 

 plain some of the local conditions occurring, 

 which may not be fully understood by 

 northern customers. 



During April, and very rarely May, we 

 have rainstorms lasting from a day to 

 several days, which makes it quite impos- 

 sible to guarantee shipments on previously 

 arranged dates. This, of course, is a hard- 

 ship on the customer in the North, who per- 

 haps drives several miles expecting his 

 shipment on a certain train, only to be 

 disappointed by its non-arrivaL The breed- 

 er also is inconvenienced for he is put back 

 on this as well as other orders. 



The practice of shipping bees in the 

 spring in light sci'een cages with no comb 

 is now a fully established success, since it 

 is safe from the transmission of disease. 

 Some states have already passed laws .al- 

 lowing bees to be shipped in no otliei- way. 



My ad^^ce to the buyer is to be sure and 

 not order liis bees to arrive too early. When 

 the bees start to whiten the combs along the 

 top-bars it is a good time to have the park- 

 ages arrive. This time can be determined 

 in advance by keeping a record of several 

 seasons; or if in a new locality, some local 

 beekeeper can nearly always supply this 

 information. 



If one already has bees and can give each 

 package one or more drawn combs (one 

 with honey and a little brood is best), tlr?n 

 fill in with full sheets of foundation, theie 

 is little chance for failure with package 

 bees in April, May, and June. If put on 

 foundation only, they should he fed f(u- a 

 few days. When ordering b es some U ;i ■ 



in advance it is best to state, as nearly as 

 possible, the time delivery is desired. This 

 i^ives the breeder a chance to hold tliis date 

 open for that special order. 



San Jose, Cal. J. E. Wing. 



THOSE AWFUL CHANGES OF TEMPErATURE. 



For bee-raising and queen-rearing, this 

 past season has been the most unfavorable 

 one I have ever experienced. Alt ho I have 

 been able to fill almost all of my orders, 

 one man claims he could have used 100 or 

 200 more if he could have obtaiu'ed them 

 earlier. The rest of the ordors have been 

 filled, but with some delay and occasional 

 complaints. However, so far as I know, 

 all difficulties with my customers have been 

 righted. 



My main ti'ouble for this season was 

 sudden changes of temperature whicli 

 raised havoc with queen-reai ing. When 

 the weather would warm up and I could get 

 a fine lot of cells started, a change of tem- 

 perature would occur, ard the cells that 

 were ready to hatch would have to be cut 

 out and placed in nuclei where they often 

 died in the cells. On the other hand, if a 

 warm day or night followed the cell-cutting, 

 and giving to nuclei, there resulted just as 

 fine queens as could be found. This year 

 the pound-package business has been the 

 heaviest I have ever had ; but I filled all 

 orders except two. On account of the 

 sudden changes of temperature, the fall 

 flow was almost a total failure. 



Jellico, Tenn. Curd Walker. 



DISCONTINUES SELLING BEES BY THE POUND. 



Tliis was the poorest season I ever passed 

 thru in my life — at least since I was in 

 business for myself; yet I know all queen- 

 breeders had the same troubles. Well, I 

 am getting on my feet again, and am al- 

 ready laying my plans for the coming year. 



In general I am planning a policy of re- 

 trenchment. I expect to sell very few bees, 

 if any, by the frame or pound, and I shall 

 do very little advertising, having decided 

 to increase my number of colonies ir.s:e:id. 



Point Pleasant, Pa. H. W. Fulmer. 



[The foregoing articles together witli 

 lliose published in the last number show 

 something of the real problems that the 

 queen-breeder has been having to meet this 

 past season. It is to be hoped that such a 

 combination of conditions may not occur 

 again — the increased demand for bees and 

 queens and the unusually bad weather condi- 

 tions. In all probability the demand will 

 be just as keen next season. Here's hoju' g 

 ihi' wenhei- niav be ideal. — Ed.1 



