THE A3IERICAN APICULTURIST. 



121 



colony, the top story of whose hive is 

 as deep as the bottom ? 



5. After sections have been j^iven, 

 can one brood-chaml)er be worked to 

 advantage in the way of increase of 

 bees? 



ANSWERS BY J. E. POND, JR. 



1. It will depend entirely upon cir- 

 cumstances ; no rule can be given. In 

 early spring I examine each colony 

 and put things into shape. Ordinarily, 

 two more examinations will be ample 

 for a weak colony, but one is, a-* a rule, 

 needed for a strong stock. During the 

 honey flow I examine often enough to 

 assure myself that no queens can be 

 reared "on the sly." 



2. For years I used but nine and 

 spaced them wide apart. Last season 

 I found that all the advantages claimed 

 for reversing frames could be gained 

 by using ten frames spaced a little less 

 than three-eighths of an inch apart, 

 the comb being shaved down to exactly 

 seven-eighths of an inch in width and 

 a dummy being inserted in the outside 

 of the hive to take the space left by 

 the small distance used between frames. 

 The queen, I found, would deposit 

 eggs close up to top bars and the honey 

 would all go up stairs. The principle 

 is that the queens will not lay in store 

 combs but will iu regular brood and 

 do. 



3. I fill in the space completely with 

 division-boards and thus no place is 

 left to build in. 



4. In such a locality I should run 

 for extracted honey entirely. No one 

 can tell how many boxes would be filled. 

 If I were bound to run for comb honey 

 I should put on a full set and see what 

 would be done. This answer must 

 necessarily be "all guess work." 



5. I do not understand this ques- 

 tion; it is impossible to work for both 

 increase of bees and a large crop of 

 honey at the same time and in the same 

 hive. The better plan is to devote a 

 part to honey-gathering and a part to 

 brood-rearing. In this way only can 

 the best results be produced. 



ARE BEES TAXABLE? 



Editor Am. Apiculturist : What 

 are the laws, if any, regarding the tax- 

 ation of bees in this state? 



It is claimed in this town that my 

 bees can be taxed the same as any live 

 stock. 



C. H. Smith. 

 14 



ANSWER BY J. E. POND, JR. 



I do not see any reason why bees 

 should not be taxed at their fair value. 

 The only question that can arise will 

 be as to what that value is. 



Bees are property; that is when in 

 hives, although when wild they are 

 considered fercc naturce. 



It is not customary to tax bees, but 

 that is owing to custom, and not to 

 law. There are no spc^cial statutes iu 

 regard to taxing bees, but the question 

 will fall under the general taxation 

 laws. 



As for myself, I don't wish to avoid 

 payment of taxes on any property 

 whatever, as by taxes only can our 

 government be supported ; therefore, 

 I can give no consolation to any one 

 who does desire to evade taxation 

 even on bees. 



Foxboro, 31ass. 



HEIGHT TO SET HIVES; SHADE FOR 

 THEM. 



I am much pleased with the " Api- 

 culturist, " and don't see how a bee- 

 keeper could do without it and be 

 successful. I am a beginner and run- 

 ning fifty-four colonies for extracted 

 honey. Would you be so kind as to 

 tell me in the "Api " liow high the 

 hives should be set above the ground 

 and whether they should be shaded or 

 not. I have the Langstroth hive. 



ANSWER BY OLD BE15KEEPER. 



1. One foot from the ground 

 will do. 



2. If the hives have an entrance 

 one-half an inch high and the full 

 length of the width of the hive, they 

 will need no shade unless they stand in 

 some place unprotected from the wind. 

 We never shade our hives at all and 

 the bees "lay out" very little. 



WHO CAN ANSWER? 



I have nine colonies packed on the 

 summer stands. I found something 

 whicli I would like to have some light 

 upon. I was examining two of my col- 

 onies and saw some little mites crawl- 

 ing on the frames. There were a few 

 of them in the hives last summer. 

 Will some one tell me how to get rid 

 of these pests before they destroy my 

 bees? Bees are dying ofl'considerably. 

 Suppose this is natural for winter. 

 The honey flow stopped about the 8th 

 of September. Honey crop was good 

 last season. 



Mrs. Isaac Foster. 



Barry, 111. 



