120 



THE AMERICAN APICULTURIST. 



[We sent these questions to Mr. 

 Hedden for answers but as he was 

 absent from liome they were returned. 

 They will probably be answered next 

 month. — Ed.] 



ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS IN AUG. NO. 

 BY LINDA FLORA. 



1. I ncA-er count on getting much 

 surplus honey after the 10th of Aug., 

 except there be a large crop of saw 

 palmetto berries (as there is this year) 

 when the season closes about Dec. 31. 

 We have quiie a flow from the middle 

 of Sept. until the second week in Nov., 

 but do not always consider it advisable 

 to take it from the hive; rather take 

 out all the summer huney to give room 

 for it. 



2. When the last flow is over I leave 

 it right where it is, both in brood 

 chamber and top sections and there it 

 remains until the middle of May, unless 

 I am compelled to take it out to make 

 room for more. 



3. I re-queen whenever I find one 

 failing. 



4. I do not intend to let more than 

 four or five weeks pass at any time of 

 the year without a look at each colony. 

 Bees can be handled here at any time 

 and so are liable to get out of shape at 

 any time. 



5. They should always have enough* 

 honey the 10th of Aug. to carry them 

 through the winter. 



6. Here the proper condition is, hive 

 on its summer stand, entrance con- 

 tracted, top section on, both sections 

 full of combs with at least twenty 

 pounds of honey in them and evei'y- 

 thing snug and tight. 



G. I want as many young bees as I 

 can get without stimulative feeding. 

 As bees fly nearly every day more or 

 less, the old i-esidents wear themselves 

 out in a short time; but as brood rais- 

 ing seldom ceases entirely, the colony 

 commences to gather about the middle 

 of Jan. strong in numbers. 



8. If I get a crop of dark honey dur- 

 ing the season 1 use it for winter 

 stores. I never feed sugar except there 

 be a drought in April and I an> out of 

 dark honey. All things considered, 

 the dark honey is cheaper than sugar 

 with me. If I were north 1 think I 

 should prefer sugar. 



9. I see that they have enough to 

 carry them through the first week in 

 Aug., and then take out or let remain 

 as the fall crop proves more or less 

 abundant. 



10. Never winter in any other way 

 than on snnnner stands and run no risk 

 by leaving them there. 

 Florida, Aug. 9, 1883. 



LETTEE BOX. 



Christiansbtirg, Ky., Sept. 4, 1883. 

 Friend Locke : I have now received 

 four numbers of the Apicultnrist, and 

 they are enough to insure your success 

 in the future. There is a severe drought 

 prevailing here now, and the prospects 

 of getting the usual fall supply of stores 

 for wintering our bees without feeding, 

 are not very flattering at this writing. 

 We do not despair yet; rain may come 

 in time to help the cause some, other- 

 wise we shall have to feed to some 

 extent to make up the deficiency. 



G. W. Dkmaree. 



Dear Sir : The answers to questions 

 sent me by Mr. J. H. Chase, in regard 

 to a proper cellar in which to winter 

 bees, will be delayed until next month 

 on account of ill health. 



L. C. Root. 



Stratford, Out., Aug. 16, 1883. 

 Dear Sir: The honey crop about 

 here is enormous. Good beekeepers 

 Avill be able to report more than 100 

 pounds per colony. All the honey was 

 made last year after this time and the 

 conditions for a good fall flow are 

 nearly similar. There is apparently 

 no let up in the white clover yet. It 

 is still blooming away and liicely to 

 continue so for some time. 1 like the 

 apiculturist exceedingly. The bound 

 volume will be very useful, more so to 

 my mind than the regular text books, 

 as the magazines always contain the 

 freshest thoughts of the masters of 

 the business. Yours fraternally, 



C. W. Young. 



Pine riains, N. Y., Sept. 10, 1883. 

 Dkar Sir: We had a heavy frost 

 Sept. 5, and a very heavy one Sept. 9. 

 Everything is frozen. Tlie fall has 

 been very unfavorable, only two days 

 since the middle of July that the bees 

 have brought in any surplus honey. 

 Respectfully yours. 



G. H. KNICKEKBOCKlClt. 



