778 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



December, 1922 



FROM THE FIELD OF EXPERIENCE 



"April 26 — Clipped queen. Colony O. K. 

 "June 2 — ^ Swarmed. Queen-cells and 

 brood to stand No. 51. 



"July 15 — Extracted 48 pounds. 

 "October 2— Extracted 30 pounds; 78 

 pounds surplus for year. 



' ' October 15 — Colony weighed 76 pounds. ' ' 

 "If they had weighed less than 75 

 pounds, I would have fed them till they 

 weighed 75, ' ' Miss Scott explained. 



When a colony swarms, the hive, with 

 queen-cells and brood in it, is taken away, 

 and the swarm is hived in a new hive at 

 the old location. Thus, the old queen is still 

 "doing business at the old stand." This 

 plan of moving the old hive to a new 

 stand gives the field bees to the swarm, 

 and reduces the colony enough so that there 

 are no after-swarms. If the colony is still 

 too strong, the bees are shaken from a few 

 frames into the new hive. The old queen 

 is with the swarm, and, to keep records 

 straight, her number is taken from the old 

 hive and put on the new one at the old 

 stand. Thus, the old queen keeps her colony 

 number. 



This plan of reducing the strength of the 

 old colony is a big step toward swarm con- 

 trol — such a big step, in fact, that there is 

 practically no trouble on this score. As an 

 added precaution, however, every queen is 

 clipped in the spring; the first year the left 

 wing, next j^ear the right wing, and the 

 next year both wings. Miss Scott does not 

 believe that a queen exhausts herself in one 

 year, and therefore doesn 't requeen every 

 year. One colony, with a two-year-old 

 queen, was the best in the apiary in 1920. 

 The same was true in 1915 and 1916. As 

 far as requeening goes, the bees themselves 

 are allowed to do most of it. "They Avill do 

 it when they get ready," says Mrs. Scott. 

 "They usually keep a queen two years; 

 sometimes three. 



"When we want to increase the number 

 of colonies, we make the increase from our 

 best queens; hence the need of records. It 

 is just as important for a beekeeper to keep 

 records as for a dairyman to keep records." 

 ' ' But I am afraid of stings, ' ' says a timid 

 one. "How can I protect myself?" Miss 

 Scott's answer is to "wear overalls or union- 

 alls. Also, wear a good bee-veil. A black 

 veil is easier on the eyes than a white one." 

 Getting the swarm into a hive is no end 

 of a job for the beginner. Miss Scott's 

 method is simply to let the swarm hive it- 

 self. The queen is clipped, so when she 

 comes out with the swarm she can not fly 

 and will crawl around on the grass or weeds. 

 The swarm in the meantime will settle, per- 

 haps on a peach tree. This gives a chance 

 to put the queen in a mailing cage, and the 

 cage is put in a shady place until needed. 

 The old hive is set aside and a new one, 

 fully equipped, is put in its place. Tlie 



swarm, missing the queen, comes back to 

 the hive (the new hive), and the queen 

 when released goes in with them. Then the 

 old hive is moved to a new location. What 

 could be simpler — to the one who knows 

 howV E. A. Kirkpatrick. 



Narberth, Pa. 



HONEY PRODUCERS' LEAGUE 



Notes and Announcements Concerning the Ameri- 

 can American Honey Producers' League 



The officers of the League are planning to 

 cater to those who are anxious for a "regu- 

 lar old-fashioned beekeepers ' talk-f est and 

 good time," as well as the business men 

 who make up the principal membership, at 

 the St. Louis meeting on February 6, 7 and 

 8. The Hotel Statler has been designated as 

 headquarters, and all meetings, including 

 the annual banquet, will be held there. 

 Those who wish to take rooms in the same 

 hotel are requested to make reservations at 

 as early a date as possible, as St. Louis is 

 filled with guests during February. Numer- 

 ous hotels and boarding houses at moderate 

 rates are also available in the general vicin- 

 ity. 



.Honey sales may be stimulated by offer- 

 ing a recipe book as a premium to each pur- 

 chaser. The best thing of this kind ever 

 issued is the one recently published by the 

 American Honey Producers' League — 21 

 pages on the keeping of honey, and its use 

 in bread, cakes and candy-making. Honey 

 producers should put this into the hands of 

 every purchaser. 



Order from S. B. Fracker, Secretary of 

 the American Honey Producers' League, 

 Capitol Annex, Madison, W^isconsin. The 

 booklet can be secured at the following 

 rates, postage extra, shipping weight about 

 six pounds for each 100 copies: 20 copies, 

 $1.25; 100 copies, $4.50; 1000 copies,$33.00. 

 Ten per cent discount is allowed to affiliated 

 members of the League. The name and ad- 

 dress of the purchaser will be printed on 

 the booklet without additional charge in 

 the case of orders for 200 or more copies. 



The League Bulletin, official publication 

 of the American Honey Producers' League, 

 is now being mailed each month to the affili- 

 ated members of that crganization. It is 

 sent out from the secretary's office, Ameri- 

 can Honey Producers' League, Capitol An- 

 nex, Madison, Wisconsin. 



According to the November number, affili- 

 ation with the League carries with it the 

 following privileges: 1. Free subscription to 

 the League Bulletin which may be expected 

 monthly from now on. Marketing reports 

 are to be included after this issue. 2. Ten 

 per cent discount on copies of "Honey, How 

 and When to Use It," a recipe booklet for 



