Dbckmber, 1920 



GLEANINGS IN BEE C U L T U i; !•: 



741 



FROM NORTH, EAST, WEST AND SOUTH 



have to take their share of losses with others 

 and feel just as cheerful as possible while 

 doing so. 



In looking over Gleanings for November, 

 one cannot help but come to the conclusion 

 that two queens are in a hive and tolerated 

 there for some time, much oftencr than wf 

 have been led to believe. About the middle 

 of October of this year, while a helper and 

 myself were examining a yard to see how 

 well the colonies were provided with stores, 

 I happened to lift out the center comb from 

 the brood-nest of a bright Italian colony. 

 The queen in spring had been marked as 

 "failing." She was closely clipped, and so 

 was readily seen on the comb at any time, 

 as she was a very yellow Italian, As I lifted 

 the comb from the brood-nest I was amazed 

 to see two Italian queens within two inches 

 of each other on the comb, paying no atten- 

 tion to each other but seemingly both of 

 them engaged in egg-laying, as they had a 

 patch of brood in all stages, late as it was 

 in the season. They had full wings, show- 

 ing that both were young, and while both 

 were smart and active, one was about a 

 third larger than the other. In superseding 

 the old queen, two queens or more had been 

 raised, and for some reason at least two of 

 them were allowed to remain in the hive till 

 middle October. They were left alone and 

 the hive marked for future reference, and, 

 if spared till next spring, I shall be looking 

 forward with interest to see if there are two 

 queens still on duty. In the fall of 1918 I 

 united two colonies that had American foul 

 brood, shaking the bees from the two hives 

 together late in the season and starving 

 them for a time, and feeding up later. Not- 

 withstanding all the rough usage at such un- 

 seasonable times, both queens were alive in 

 the colony quite late in the next spring. So, 

 as already intimated, it looks as if we will 

 have to change some of our set rules along 

 the line of bees' having but one queen 

 always. 



Fiuin present indications, there will be a 

 big crowd at the annual meeting of the 

 Ontario Beekeepers' Association. Of course, 

 the attendance at this meeting is always 

 large as compared with many other associa- 

 tions of a like nature. This year the meeting 

 is later than usual, and many farmer bee- 

 keepers will be able to attend, as the farm 

 work will be over and at the same time they 

 can attend the winter fair which immediate- 

 ly follows the beekeepers' meeting. Many 

 young, enthusiastic beekeepers will be there, 

 for even if honey is a bit cheaper never has 

 there been a time when so many seem to be 

 intereste<l in the business. Early as it is for 

 planning next year's work, we have had sev- 

 eral applications from young men wishing to 

 work with us another year. 



Sugar has been tobogganing here in Can- 



ada during the last few days at a pace pre- 

 viously set by our friands across the line. 

 A drop of $3.00 or more in 10 days is fast 

 work, and wholesale prices here are now 

 from $13.00 to $15.00 a hundred, with more 

 "drop" in sight. Just how this will affect 

 the honey market remains to be seen, but I 

 do not believe the same ratio of decrease 

 will show up in honey — but this is only my 

 opinion. J. L. Byer. 



Markham, Ont. 



» « « 



In Northern California J,\^^^ ^^ *!^« 



October is- 

 sue of Gleanings that the forecast was but 

 half a crop of honey for our section this 

 season, and belated reports from various 

 districts have borne out the prediction. As 

 a matter of fact, it is doubtful whether half 

 a crop was actuallj' produced. There have 

 been several 500 and 1000 colony beekeepers 

 that did not average 20 pounds to the col- 

 ony. What northern and central California 

 need more than anything else is a wet win- 

 ter. We need also (and this is a factor 

 which we can control) a regular clean-up in 

 American foul brood. This disease is gaining 

 a firm foothold in various places and is a 

 most serious problem everywhere bees are 

 kept. The prevalence of American foul 

 brood this season was to be expected, as it 

 is always found in an aggravated form fol- 

 lowing a year of scanty honey production. 

 Next spring is the time to get after it and 

 make as thoro a clean-up as possible. It is 

 to be hoped that our inspectors will drive 

 home the importance of a thoro and early 

 clean-up, and that everyone of our readers 

 will not only keep a keen watch for symp- 

 toms early in the spring, but also attempt to 

 get others to do likewise. If any infected 

 colonies are found, treat them early. Do not 

 wait until May, but do it in March and 

 April; there will be crops from colonies so 

 treated. Not only this, but the possibility 

 of infected colonies' being robbed out will 

 also be minimized. 



Modesto, Calif. M. C. Kichter. 



* * * 



In Pacific Northwest.— ^.!,« ^ ^^^ 



will go into 

 winter quarters in fine shape, and there 

 seems to be a disposition among beekeepers 

 towards some winter protection. In other 

 words, they seem to realize that it pays to 

 keep bees better. 



Weather very fine and bees flying daily 

 in the warm part of the day. No change to 

 speak of in tlie honey market, except that 

 honey is selling well and many have sold 

 their entire crop. One good beekeeper with 

 a crop of seven tons has sold on the public 

 market at 35c per pound net. Just as soon 

 as the entire crop is sold out, he and his 

 family go south for the winter. 



Portland, Ore. E. J. Ladd. 



