1881 



GLEAKIXG^ IK BEE CULTUEE. 



fl 



In regard to this same subject of artificial 

 fertilization. I remark that now, nearly everj^ 

 apiarist of 50 hives or more, has at least one 

 imported queen. In regard to this remark, 

 friend D. writes:— 



I can not agree here. I have had three daughters 

 of imported queens from as many breeders, and 

 none of them commenced with the stock I had taken 

 pains to breed for honey. With the majority of 

 apiarists, probably, your remarks are correct; bvit 

 we have a few breeders whose queens are far ahead 

 of a promiscuous Importation from Italy,— at least, 

 such is my opinion. Five hundred dollars would not 

 hire me to breed all my queens from an imported 

 mother, and let my present stock go down. 



If better honey-gatherers can be obtained 

 by going elsewhere rather than Italy, by all 

 nieans let us have them. As friend D. now 

 offers queens for sale, we can give his stock 

 a very thorough test the coming season. 



ARTIFICIAL S WARMING. 



In the plan I have given, where one can 

 provide a laying queen during the swarming 

 season. I have advised simply moving a hive 

 away and putting a new hive in its place, 

 witli the queen caged over the frames ; and 

 if the colony gets weak before tSie new bees 

 hatch out, giving a frame of brood ; or, in 

 tlie absence of a laying queen, giving them a 

 comb containing eggs only, from which to 

 rear a queen. Friend D. makes the follow- 

 ing objections to the plan: — 



You know my views on old bees as queen-nurses, 

 and I think the same holds good here, und that this 

 is almost the poorest plan given for making swarms. 

 I know that they will bring lots of honey, for that is 

 the instinct of old bees. If you had said, give this 

 frame of brood when the swarm was made, I should 

 ha.re scarcely any objection. 



In view of the above, I have altered my 

 instructions a little ; but I supposed it was to 

 be understood, that where a queen was to be 

 reared, I did not expect much of a colony 

 until she commenced to lay ; and I have then 

 given directions to build tlie colony up full 

 with combs of hatching brood. As a matter 

 of economy, I would not make any colony a 

 full one until they have a laying queen, 'in 

 moving old stocks in swarming time, I have 

 always found plenty of young bees in the 

 new hive, of Avhat I should consider just the 

 best age for queen-rearing, — those, for in- 

 stance, just bringing in their first loads of 

 pollen. 



HOW TO REAR QUEENS. 



The first-hatched queen will destroy all remaining 

 queen-cells, providing it is not in the height of a 

 tlow of honey. If it is, our experience is, they will 

 swarm instead. For my ^■iews on this, see A. B. J. 

 for Oct., 1880— Doolittle's article. 



The reference to the article on queen-rear- 

 ing is, I presume, in regard to friend U.'s 

 l)Osition that queens reared under the swarm- 

 ing impulse, are better than those reared iii 

 the manner I have given. If this were the 

 case, should not apiaries managed on the 

 natural-swarming principle, produce superi- 

 or queens? There are plenty who have fol- 

 lowed the latter plan all their lives, but I do 

 not learn they have more honey to sell, than 

 those who have made their swarms and 

 reared their queens according to the meth- 



ods I have given. It seems to me, friend D. 

 and our good friend Prof. Cook too have 

 been a little thoughtless in tlieir condemna- 

 tion of all queeuvS sold for a dollar, as ii' they 

 were necessarily inferior on that account, — 

 especially after the great numbers of great 

 yields that have been reported from the prog- 

 eny of ({ueeiis that were purchased for a dol- 

 lar, and in tlie hands of A 15 C scholars at 

 that, ])iitit is possible tli;it tViose reared from 

 natural swarming will be better yet, other 

 things being the same ; and let "us by all 

 means, give the matter a fair test. If friend 

 I), can supi)ly the demand for such, even at 

 $8.00 each, we shall very soon have plenty of 

 reports from them. 



BASS WOOD. 



In a period of 13 years, I have never known bass- 

 wood to fall to yield honey,— the very shortest sea- 

 son yielding 4 days, and the longest 20. 1 place bass- 

 wood at the head of all honey-producing trees or 

 plants as to yield. From it I once obtained Oti lbs. iti 

 3 daj'S, from one hive. 



In speaking of our cut of the basswood. 

 friend D. says:— 



This is a picture of which you mn.v well be proud; 

 for a better picture to convey to the mind just what 

 basswood is, was never executed. 

 BEES. 



BEES, HOW TflEY GROW. 



You do not mention water as being mixed ^vlth 

 the honey and pollen for food. If water is not mixed 

 with this food, why is it so eagerly sought in spring 

 and summer, and not at all in warm days in October 

 and November? Now, I claim that many things 

 point to water being one element in this food. 

 BUCKWHEAT. 



We have given up placing any dependence on 

 buckwheat for honey. It has yielded honey only 5 

 times in 13 years, so that any was stored. See our 

 report for 1880. 



CANDIED HONEY. 



SEALED COMB HONEY IN A CANDIED STATE. 



Sealed hoTiey seldom candies in the hive as you 

 say; but I never, to my recollection, had sealed hon- 

 ey away from the bees over winter without its can- 

 dying. 



SCALDING. 



How about changing the flavor as soon as honey is 

 scalded? Our experience is, that honey that has 

 been heated hot enough to scald is spoiled, or near- 

 ly so, in flavor. 



CLOVER. 



RED CLOVER FOR HONEiY. 



If I understand yini correctly here, you and I do 

 not agree at all. I never pulled the blossoms from a 

 head of red clover yet, but that there was honey in 

 them. But I have frequently found the corolla so 

 long the bee could not touch the honey, I think 

 there is nothing in the world that secretes as much 

 honey, year after year, as red clover; still, it is of 

 little use except to the bumble-bee. 



In our locality, the red clover certainly 

 contains no lioiiey, perceptibly, some sea^ 

 sons. I am ahvays in the habit of plucking 

 the heads and sucking out the nectar, when- 

 ever I find them in bloom; and when>iver 

 I can squeeze out cpiite large gloliules, I al- 

 ways, so far as I can recollect, find the bees 

 gathering honey. 



