October, 1021 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



in a tight pile, place ;ui empty super on top 

 and in it place a shallow dish containing an 

 ounce of carbon bisulphide if there are li\e 

 supers in the pile, ami two ounces if there 

 are ten supers in the pile. Place a tight 

 cover oil top and leave several liours or over 

 night. 



Bee Koom in Basement with Furnace. 

 Question. — How can wo fix our bee room in the 

 basement adjacent to the furnace room so it will 

 not be too warm for the bees ? Mae McFarlane. 

 Minnesota. 



Answer. — There is not much danger of the 

 cellar becoming too warm from the furnace 

 room if the furnace is properly installed; 

 but it may become too warm during mild 

 weather if much of tlie outside is exposed 

 above ground, permitting outside tempera- 

 ture greatly to influence the cellar tempera- 

 ture. By banking up the outer walls with 

 earth or with straw this can be largely 

 overcome. 



Saving Bees Taken from Bee-Tree. 

 Question. — How can I save the bees taken from 

 a bee-tree that is cut as late as October? 



Virginia. Miss L. de Bruijn. 



Answer. — You can save these bees by hiv- 

 ing them on combs of honey if you have 

 them. If you do not have them but have 

 empty combs, you can hive the bees on the 

 empty combs and then feed them enough 

 for Avinter. They will need 20 to 30 pounds 

 of thick sugar syrup or honey. It would be 

 difficult to save the bees without combs, 

 though this could no doubt be done in your 

 locality even this late by giving them 

 frames of foundation and feeding them 

 warm syrup. 



Confining Bees in Hives During Winter. 

 Question. — Last winter I fixed my colonies in 

 the attic with a wire screen over tlie entrances 

 inside for ventilation but closed from out of doors. 

 In December they became quite restless and the 

 dead bees nearly closed the entrance. What was 

 the cause of their restlessness ? A. W. Stone. 

 Michigan. 



Answer. — The bees were restless because 

 tliey Avere imprisoned within the hive. The 

 entrance cannot safely be closed in this 

 way during the winter even when the bees 

 do not fly, because as soon as they discover 

 that they cannot escape from the hive they 

 become greatly excited and soon die in great 

 numbers from exhaustion. It is necessary 

 to leave a small opening at tlie entrance dur- 

 ing the winter. 



Wintering Weak Colony Over Strong One. 

 Question. — What is the best method of winter- 

 ing a weak colony over a strong one, if such a 

 method will work >. F. B. Lambert. 



West Virginia. 



Answer. — While you might be able to do 

 this in your locality by placing a wire eloth 

 betAveen, it AA'ill be better to winter the two 

 colonies separately. The Aveak colony should 

 haA^e the combs that are not occupied taken 

 out and the space filled Avith chaff division- 

 boards or by a tight-fitting diAision-board 

 with packing back of it. To jjlace the Avenk 

 colony over the strong one would rob the 

 strong eolonv of too much heat. 



Imports and Exports of Honey for United States. 



Question. — I'leuse inf(H-m me, if jiossiblc, as to 

 the amount of honey that was imported and ex- 

 ported for the United States last year. 



Tennessee. Hamilton Steele. 



Answer.— According to the figures secured 

 through the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic 

 Commerce, the total amount of honey export- 

 ed from the United States during the calen- 

 dar year 1921 Avas 1,880,511 pounds. The 

 amount of honey imported from foreign 

 countries during the same period was 1,95'ii, 

 312 pounds. The amount of honey shipped 

 to the continent from Porto Kico and Hawaii 

 Avas 2,507,224 pounds, thus making a total of 

 nearly four and one-Iialf million pounds 

 brought into continental United States. 



During the fiscal year ending June 3(1, 

 1922, the amount of Jioney exported was 

 2,400,922 pounds. The amount imported dur- 

 ing the same period was 2,556,540 pounds. 

 In addition to this 2,494,353 pounds were 

 shipped to the continent from Porto Eico 

 and HaAvaii, making a total of more than 

 five million pounds brought into continental 

 United States. 



Virulence of Spores in American Foul Brood. 

 Question. — I have some extracted honey several 

 years old that was taken from a colony having 

 foul brood, some of it being granulated. Should I 

 use this in any way to feed my bees for winter? 

 Ohio. A. C. Arnold. 



Answer.— It Avill not be safe for you to 

 feed the honey that Avas stored by the col- 

 ony having American foul brood even 

 though the honey is several years old. Amer- 

 ican foul brood spores retain their virulence 

 for many years. It Avill be much better for 

 you to feed sugar syrup for winter instead 

 of this honey. You can feed this honey to 

 the bees next spring by diluting it Avith an 

 equal quantity of water and boiling in a 

 closed vessel for a half hour to render it 

 sterile. 



Killing Bees of Diseased Colonies. 

 Question. I find a few colonies badly infected 

 with American foul brood this fall. I would like 

 to kill the bees by the most humane method and 

 clean up. What shall I use? 



Indiana. Chas. E. Caldwell. 



AnsAver. — You can kill the bees by setting 

 the hive (without bottom) over burning sul 

 phur in a shallow pit in the ground or hv 

 closing the entrance of the hive, then pour- 

 ing in a cupful of gasoline at the top evenly 

 distributed over the tops of the frames 

 and then closing down the cover tightly. If 

 sulphur is used, a shovelful of live coals 

 should be placed in the bottom of the pit 

 and the sulphur thrown on the gloAving coals. 

 Feeding Corn Syrup for Winter. 

 Question. — Would it be safe to feed corn syniji 

 (Karo) for the bees to winter on? 



Kansas. M. C. Rathbun. 



Answer. — Corn syrup Avould not be fit for 

 winter food for the bees even if you could 

 induce them to take it, Avhich is- doubtful. 

 Even a small amount of this syrup mixed 

 with sugar syrup Avould be fatal to the colo- 

 nies in the North Avhere the bees cannol 

 liaA-e frequent flights. 



