1905 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



1301 



kioking and more completely filled sections by 

 the use of fences ?" 



"My experience says there is no perceivable 

 difference, taking an average of colonies and 

 an average of seasons, and with the same use 

 of foundation in all the sections." 



"That seems strange, for I had certainly 

 thought that these perforations would help 

 matters much." 



"I know it would seem so, but facts are 

 stubborn things, which will often stand secure 

 after theory fails. But if there was any thing 

 in these fences and perforated separators 

 above the old-time solid separators, the Bet- 

 singer invention of using wire cloth of a 

 quarter-inch size would be far better than 

 any of the others ; for with this the bees can 

 go and come, as well as the heat, in any and 

 all directions, nearly, if not quite, as well as 

 it would where no separators are used. Still, 

 with a careful test of the whole, with supers 

 of each, and the different separators of the 

 different inventions mixed in the same supers, 

 together with the old solid plain tin separators 

 which first came into being, I have failed to 

 find any thing in favor of either, after years 

 of experimenting; therefore I conclude that 

 it makes no difference which are used." 



"Then you would advise me to use the old 

 plain tin separators, would you?" 



"No, not necessarily that. If the most of 

 my supers were fitted with these, and they 

 v/ere as cheap as any to me, I should prefer 

 them, so as to have all my supers as nearly 

 alike as might be. Tf I had the fences, or 

 wire-cloth separators in general use, and they 

 were as cheap for me to make more from, or 

 fit new hives with, then I would use them, 

 a:-, there is an advantage in having all the fix- 

 tures in the apiary as nearly alike as pos- 

 sible." 



"But are you sure that the bees will make 

 a.? nice-looking sections of honey with the 

 plain tin separators as they will with the 

 fences or wire-cloth separators?" 



"My experience tells me that the season 

 and the different strains of bees have all to do 

 with this, if I may except the way and amount 

 of foundation used. Fill the section full of 

 foundation ; and with a good season and a 

 strain of bees that way inclined there will be 

 nc holes left next to the wood of the sections 

 — no, not even in the corners. But with only 

 starters in the sections, a poor season, or a 

 strain of bees that are not given to close 

 filling, and you will get sections with more or 

 less holes along the wood, and especially in 

 the corners, no matter what kind of separa- 

 tors are used. In fact, I find that, all other 

 things being equal, the matter of separators 

 plays no part in this matter; and I have had 

 thousands and thousands of as perfect sec- 

 tions filled and finished when using the old 

 plain tin separators as have been any of those 

 pictured in the bee papers to show that per- 

 fect sections could be gotten with a different 

 separator." 



"Well, I must be g'^ing now. as I am in- 

 vited out to Thanksgiving dinner." 



^^kfi^^^ 



How do you like our Christmas cover, 

 showing red clover in natural colors? 



"if 1 COULD START ANEW IN BEE-KEEPING, 

 WHAT APPLIANCES WOULD I ADOPT? " 



During the coming year there will be a se- 

 ries of answers from prominent bee-keepers in 

 various parts of the United States in reply to 

 the question, '" If I were to start anew, what 

 style of hive, frames, supers, and appliances 

 would I adopt? ' These men who, by the 

 way, have made a success of bees will repre- 

 sent every section of the country and every 

 style of hive and frame. They are built on 

 the broad-gauge order, and are not afraid to 

 express their convictions. This will be one 

 of the most \aluable series of articles we have 

 ever published. The list of writers will be 

 announced later. In addition to this series 

 there will be some special articles discussing 

 various vital questions connected with our in- 

 dustry. 



A HARD FALL ON WINTER STORES. 



Reports from over the country indicate 

 that this has been a rather severe fall on the 

 winter's stores. Bees that were fed up and 

 well supplied three months ago are short just 

 at the time of going into winter quarters. 

 The warm weather of the early fall induced 

 brood-rearing, and this was followed by cold 

 weather. Both conditions caused an extra 

 consumption of stores. Colonies that are 

 are short may be fed in the cellar with a 

 pepper-box feeder. Outdoor bees should be 

 given big chunks of queen-cage candy. For 

 winter feeding this is prepared by mixing a 

 good grade of extracted honey and the best 

 pulverized (not confectioners') sugar into a 

 good stiff dough. Lay this on top of the 

 frames right over the cluster ; tuck it in 

 warm with carpeting or some other equally 

 good packing material. Most hives would 

 require the putting-on of an extra super in 

 ordf-r to accommodate this lump of candy. 

 In this case put the quilt over the cluster and 

 the candy, then fill the super level full of 

 packing material. 



the result of the LAST NATIONAL ELEC- 

 TION OF OFFICERS. 



The result of the last National election 

 was as follows: President, C. P. Dadant ; 

 vice-president, George E. Hilton ; secretary, 

 W. Z. Hutchinson ; general manager, N. E. 

 France ; directors. Mr. F. Wilcox, C. A. 

 Hatch and E. R. Root. 



I declined to accept the office of director 

 some two years ago, not because I was dis- 



