1905 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



33 



the oil here is sold in five-gallon cans; and, 

 when empty, we can get them for 10c ts. 

 each, good as new, hundreds of them. 



Payette Valley Bee Co. 

 Payette, Ida., Dec. 5. 



[Second-hand kerosene-cans have been 

 cleaned with strong lye or a solution of caus- 

 tic potash. The cleaning mixture should be 

 boiling hot when poured into the can. The 

 cans should be shaken violently, emptied out, 

 and then rinsed thoroughly with boiling hot 

 water. We never had any experience our- 

 selves, and therefore feel a little hesitation 

 about recommending second-hand kerosene- 

 cans. Some of our subscribers have tried 

 them to their sorrow. It seems to be very 

 difficult to remove the kerosene odor; as 

 honey is very susceptible to foreign odors, 

 the least trace of kerosene taste or smell 

 practically ruins it for the market, especial- 

 ly if it be fine table honey. After the cans 

 are washed out they should be left out in the 

 sun unstoppered as long as possible before 

 filling them again with honey, for the pur- 

 pose of letting any kerosene odors that may 

 be in the cans escape. 



I think one of our subscribers recommend- 

 ed washing-soda; but whether using soda, 

 caustic potash, or strong lye, one should re- 

 member that after a certain number have 

 been washed it is advisable to make an en- 

 tirely new solution, for the reason that the 

 washing mixture will become impregnated 

 very strongly with kerosene, making a sort 

 of soap. —Ed.] 



PAINT FOR hives — WHAT COLOR TO USE. 



Part of my hives are painted white and 

 part light blue. I am going to paint them 

 again. Will it make any difference if I 

 paint them all white? Will it embarrass 

 the bees any in finding their own hives if I 

 change the color of them at this time of the 

 year? James Parker, Sr. 



Wabuska, Nev., Dec. 8, 1904. 



[It will make no practical difference if you 

 paint all your hives white, even though 

 some of them may now be blue. While 

 there can be no question but that bees rec- 

 ognize color to a very great extent, yet the 

 individual surroundings of a hive would 

 probably be sufficient to enable each bee to 

 recognize its hive, even if the color did 

 change. —Ed.] 



DOES THE USE OF THE PERFORATED ZINC 



HONEY-BOARD REDUCE THE AMOUMT OF 



HONEY STORED? 



Can we get as much honey if we use the 

 honey-board on the brood-hive all the time? 

 Corona, Cal., Nov. 21. L. Newton. 



[By "honey-board" I presume you mean 

 perforated' zinc. No; there is no proof as 

 yet that the use of this device in any way 

 curtails the amount of surplus honey. Why 

 should it? True, it puts up a slight obstruc- 

 tion; but with the number of perforations 



through which the bees can pass, they ought 

 to store as much with the board on as with- 

 out.— Ed.] 



INFORMATION WANTED BY THE EDITOR OF 

 ST. NICHOLAS. 



For some time I have been endeavoring to 

 advance the claims of honey-bees as an edu- 

 cational ("Nature Study") topic. It seems 

 to me that they are more available, more in- 

 teresting, and more practical for the school- 

 room, and for teachers and pupils outside of 

 the schoolroom, than certain other branches 

 of entomology that have been more talked 

 about and studied by teachers and pupils. 



I desire to obtain information of experi- 

 ences with bees by teachers who have kept 

 bees especially from the "Nature Study" 

 standpoint. Also will young people under 

 eighteen years of age who have personally 

 cared for bees please write me of their ex- 

 periences? 



Any suggestions from veteran bee-keep- 

 ers for interesting teachers and pupils in 

 bees will be much appreciated. 



Edward F. Bigelow, 

 Lecturer at Teachers' Institutes, and "Na- 

 ture and Science " Editor of the St. Nicho- 

 las Magazine. 



Stamford, Conn. 



[Those in position to furnish the desired 

 information will correspond with Mr. Bige- 

 low direct. — Ed.] 



FAILURE TO CURE; WHAT'S THE TROUBLE? 



I have had foul brood among my bees for 

 four years. I can't cure it, except for the 

 time being, by any process. 



Wm. H. Harlow. 



Mt. Vernon, 111., Nov. 18. 



[If you followed the McEvoy method care- 

 fully the disease ought not to reappear. It 

 is my opinion that in administering the treat- 

 ment you failed to disinfect the smokers and 

 tools, and possibly your own person. Unless 

 the treatment is thorough, every thing dis- 

 infected, the disease is quite liable to reap- 

 pear. In some cases it may be advisable, 

 after giving the treatment, or, rather, be- 

 fore giving it, to burn out the inside of the 

 old hive by holding it momentarily over a 

 bonfire. This will thoroughly disinfect it so 

 that the hive can be given back without any 

 fear of its infecting the bees. In your case 

 1 would advise scorching out all the hives as 

 an additional precaution. — Ed.] 



NOISES ABOVE A BEE-CELLAR. 



What is your opinion as to the sound of an 

 organ? How will it affect the bees winter- 

 ing in the cellar under it, only one-inch floor 

 between? J. Bailey. 



Bracebridge, Ont., Dec. 6. 



[Noises above winter repositories do little 

 or no harm. The organ would not interfere 

 in the least. — Ed.] 



