166 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



May 25, 



Wintered Well.— Afer S long weary 

 months of close confinement in the cel- 

 lar, my bees are again upon their sum- 

 mer stands My bees have come through 

 the ordeal well'; I lost a tew colonies by 

 starvation. Not having a tlight, I had 

 no knowledge of their needs until too 

 late. I ]nit my bees on their summer 

 stands April 25; next day they were 

 carrying in pollen rapidly; the third 

 day] looked through the hives and 

 found new honey from swamp poplar. I 

 suppose, as tin'' willows had not then 

 blossomed. I read in the Bee Journal 

 of terrible losses, and know personally 

 many that have lost all. who have not 

 reported. What few bees are left should 

 be well cared for; I think there is a 

 good prospect; white clover is plenty 

 where there was none last year. 



E. J. Gould. 



Dundee, 111., May 3, 1881. 



Saved (iO per cent, of Bees.— Not less 

 than 95 per cent, of the bees in Dela- 

 ware Co., N. V., are dead, but I have 

 done better than that; 1 have saved 60 

 percent, of mine. \. II. Owen. 



North Kortright, N. Y., May 11,1881. 



Success.— Bees have not wintered very 

 well here. Those on summer stands 

 without protection are all dead. Some 

 have wintered well in cellars and some 

 have lost all. I wintered 130 colonies 

 without loss up to April 15, since then I 

 have lost some and have united weak 

 colonies and am now a dozen short, but 

 none are as strong as they were one 

 vear ago. Success to the Bee Jour- 

 nal. N. D. West. 



Middleburgh. N. Y. 



Earlv Swarms.— I had 2 large swarms 

 out to-day, and have several more 

 about ready to swarm. B. Walker. 



Capac.Mich., May 10, 1881. 



No Loss in Winter.— My bees are Ital- 

 ians, and have wintered without loss, 

 on the summer stands, with protection. 

 They are strong and breeding nicely. 

 Amanda Parsons. 



East Gloucester, Mass., May 18, 1881. 



Statistics.— Now that winter is fairly 

 over, and we begin to recover and 

 count up the dead and living colonies, 

 we would like very much to have a sta- 

 tistical table, much like the one in your 

 excellent Journal of October, 187S. I 

 think it could be obtained by giving 

 notice through the Bee Journal. I 

 will do what I can to help its comple- 

 tion. Success to the Bee Journal. 

 Newell E. France. 



l'latteville, Wis.. April 25, 1881. 



Pleasant Visit to Texas.— On May 11. 1 

 arrived at McKiimcy. Texas, to attend 

 the state Bee-Keepers' Association. 



There was a good attendance and we 



hail a very interesting meeting, at the 



apiary of President Andrews, whose 



hospitality 1 enjoyed. Many zealous 



bee-keepers were in attendance, among 

 whom were : Mr. F. F. Collins, and Dr. 

 Howard, Dr. Graham and others. They 



fnve me an enthusiastic welcome as 

 'resident of the National Society, ami I 



shall long remember this meeting with 

 pleasure. X. P. Allen. 



be better, from past experience, if I 

 had kept it about 40- to 4o D ; they used 

 more honey than ever before. As to 

 the cause of dysentery, I think (;. M. 

 Doolittle is right about the matter; 

 this one of mine, last fall, was a strong 

 colony and they have eaten more honey 

 than any one in the lot. I don't know 

 just why they get uneasy and do so, but 

 I think that is all the trouble. Another 

 colony was very heavy last fall, and 

 seemed about as heavy when I took it 

 out, and they have lots of honey and 

 bees and are dry and nice. So, in pro- 

 portion as they eat and keep quiet, are 

 they in good condition. Such I could 

 get out-of-doors, perhaps, before they 

 appeared to know they were being 

 moved, but the others would boil out in 

 the cellar, making an uproar because 

 there was a disturbance around them. I 

 believe that a good cellar, rightly ar- 

 ranged, is best. Mine is 19 feet by 25 

 feet, divided through the middle by a 

 lathed and plastered division and in the 

 south end has a stove. When it gets 

 too cold I build a tire and open the door 

 between, and when I want to ventilate 

 I do the same. V. W. Keeney. 



Shirland, 111., April 19, 1881. 



The Condition of the llees. — I will let 

 you know how the bees are coining on 



about here. One man put 40 colonies 



in a Cellar and took Ollt 88 With bees in 



the hives April 9; another man put 5 

 colonies iii the cellar and they were all 

 right ; another having 85 or 86 in a bee 



house last fall bad lost all by the lirst of 

 March— the bee house bad ^thicknesses 



of boarding and 2 thicknesses of paper 



all around ; another that wintered in a 

 bee house, double-walled and packed, 

 lost about 20 out of about in colonies, 

 but perhaps a cider mill was to blame 

 for that ; another that wintered in a 

 bee bouse lost nearly ''-and nearly all 

 that were left out-of-dooi s wiiiiout pro- 

 tection are dead. I bad 22 colonics and 

 4 nuclei ; the nuclei and 2 colonies 

 starved, and one was queenless. All 

 but 3 are iii good condition. They 

 were put in the cellar about Nov. 17. 

 and took out April 9 ; one colon) had 



the dysentery. The thermometer stood 

 about:;! above zero ; I think it would 



The N. E. Convention.— We all enjoy 

 a good joke, and those personally ac- 

 quainted with the parties mentioned 

 below will. 1 think, appreciate it : 



Our friends, Messrs. Doolittle & Co., 



Have had their storm and calm, 

 Are now consoled, like bees subdued 



By smoke, or sweet, or balm. 

 President Root did well preside ; 



But now hi- term has past ; 

 We still desire to hear of him, 



If only by " cold blast." 

 Dr. Marks, who took his place — 



Our choice— we all like well ; B 

 The hearty vote that he received 



Is the rule by which to tell. 

 When Vice Doolittle took the chair 



He filled it to the edge ; 

 The discussions still continued. 



From the hive down to the cage. 

 A clown could never, never give, 



By either smile or grace. 

 The dollars Bacon did receive 



As shown by smiling face. 

 Our Secretary cave us information, 



Not in money or in stocks ; 

 But that a r>c. or loc. cigar 



Both came from the same box. 

 Our fare was all that could be wished, 



Our beds were low and wide ; 

 But cornerwise, to stretch our length, 



We lay there side by side. 

 Next year when we shall meet again. 



If the mercury is not much higher, 

 We had better go, packed in chaff, 



Or have a better tire. 



Scriba, N. Y. F. II. Cyrenius. 



[This was sent immediately after the 

 Convention was held, but a press of im- 

 portant matter has prevented its publi- 

 cation till now.— Ed.] 



After the Battle.— One-half the bees 

 wintered in repositories, in this local- 

 ity, are dead, as well as 9-10 of those 

 wintered on summer stands. I re- 

 ported, on March 10, that my bees were 

 in good condition, with the loss of 1 out 

 of 08; they were returned to the cellar, 

 and another warm day did not occur 

 until April 10, when they were placed 

 on the sumnier stands, with a loss of 2 

 more. Spring dwindling, since, has 

 caused a loss of 20 colonies ; but if I had 

 lost all. I should try again, witli as 

 much enthusiasm as ever. I have been 

 much interested in the reports on win- 

 tering. I think that apiarian science 

 consists in successfully getting the. bees 

 through from November until May. 



In regard to the Weekly Bee JOURNAL 



I would say ; For the man that is inter- 

 ested in bee-keeping, from one month 

 to another is too long to wait. I have 

 been Out today watching the blessed 

 bees; Hie woods are full of llowers and 

 the apiary is booming. 



<'. 11. France. 

 Erie, Pa., May 1. 1881. 



which I united and may have to give 

 them the third. The remaining 5 col- 

 onies are in good condition. Early last 

 summer I took §12. worth of comb 

 honey from them, but should not have 

 done so if I had any idea that the sea- 

 son would be so poor. My bees were in 

 the cellar last winter 100 days ; they 

 were dry and free from mildew ; I did 

 not disturb them till spring. I prefer 

 to winter in the cellar, and shall prac- 

 tice it till I tind something better. All 

 who keep bees should subscribe for Ihe 

 Bee Journal ; it is worth many times 

 its price. I am of the opinion that it is 

 not advisable to clip the queens' wings 

 to prevent swarming. I think the mu- 

 tilation robs her of prestige and power. 

 W.m. L. Backenito. 

 Iowa City, Iowa, April 18, 1881. 



"Dollar" and "Tested" Queens.— 

 The article on page 91, on " The Supply 

 and Queen Trade " seems to infer that 

 if we wish to improve our bees, we have 

 only to get some high-priced queens, 

 and it is accomplished. I do not be- 

 lieve the theory: We have to depend 

 upon the honesty of the breeder, for we 

 cannot examine the goods and select 

 the best. I notice in one circular sent 

 me, the breeder says that he rears dol- 

 lar queens just the same as tested ones, 

 but can better afford to sell them as 

 soon as they begin to lay. for a dollar, 

 than to test them at the higher price. 

 That being the case, would it not be 

 better to test them ourselves and save 

 the higher price V Would not some 

 breeders having large orders for tested 

 queens, 011 the orders, even if they 

 were not very prolific, if purely mated, 

 etc ? Success to the Weekly. 



Lyn, Ont. C. J. Asseltine. 



Cellar Wintering. — About March I. 

 1880, I took I colonies of bees ollt of the 



cellar, after 4 months' confinement ; 3 

 were in good condition, but the other 

 bad to bi' fed. They were in good con- 

 dition for honey gathering, but white 

 clover ami ot her honey -producers failed, 

 and in the fall 1 had to feed them. I in- 

 creased by natural swarming to 7, and 

 bought 3 ; one of the latter left one day 

 in my absence, leaving 9 which I had to 

 feed. One colony, by some oversight, 

 did not get enough, and starved. 1 took 

 them from the cellar last week, and 3 

 were weak (1 being queenless), 2 of 



Swarming Out.— I placed my bees 

 on the summer stands April 8 in good 

 order. After being in the open air for 

 \}'i hours one of the colonies left the 

 hive, and, after a flight, they joined an- 

 other colony, where they were accepted 

 without strife. This colony had plenty 

 of honey and a good queen ; the hive 

 was clean and all the combs bright. 

 Why did it leave the hive V The bees 

 of this same colony left the hive again 

 on May 8, leaving brood in all stages, 

 and joined another. Here they were 

 only accepted after a severe tight, in 

 which several hundreds were killed. 

 Why did they do it ? What does it 

 mean when bees come home loaded 

 with pollen and stop at the entrance of 

 the hive and buzz for some time before 

 entering ? Otto Rohland. 



Narrowsburgh, X T . Y., May 14, 1881. 



[It is not a settled point, what causes 

 abnormal swarming. We have known 

 a colony to desert 3 or 4 hives before 

 settling down to business permanently; 

 then, again, we have known as many 

 as 3 abnormal swarms to go in the same 

 hive. Bees in gathering pollen some- 

 times come in contact with obnoxious 

 plants, and it is generally supposed the 

 fanning is done to purify themselves 

 before entering the hive. — Ed.] 



Wintering Bees.— Any fads on this 

 subject are interesting to those desirous 

 of obtaining information. Meeting a 

 man who keeps bees, some distance 

 from my home, I asked how they win- 

 tered. He replied in a " matter of 

 course'' manner: "First rate, sir." 

 " How many had you in the fall 'i " said 

 I. "Eight." "flow many now." I 

 inquired; "Eight, doing finely," 

 pointing to 8 weather-beaten pine boxes 

 on a bench on the south side of a fence, 

 ami S'o feet from the ground, unpro- 

 tected, except some rough boards nailed 

 against the fence. There they stood in 

 January, just as they did in August- 

 no cellar, no chaff, no dead air spaces. 

 and no dead bees. I do not give this 

 instance to attack any theory or prac- 

 tice, though I see that the great apostle 

 of chaff hives has been no more success- 

 ful than others. 1 will now give my 

 own experience of "• years with winter- 

 ing on the summer stands. 1 use Sim- 

 plicity hives, with frames the short way 

 of it, instead of the regular Langstroth 

 frame ; by this, 1 am able to snugly 

 tuck in a three frame nucleus, or a 15 



frame colony by drawing forward or 

 pushing back the division board. My 

 chaff hive (if such it may be called), is 

 a simple tight box with single pitch 

 loose roof, taken off when we are hand- 

 ling the bees. This box is 4 inches 

 larger than the hive all round, 23 inches 

 high at the back, so there is no trouble 

 in stooping over it. The four-inch 

 space I fill with a chaff cushion, cut 

 straw, or cut corn stalks does as well 

 as i it'ier. I remove the cap, leave the 

 duck quilt on, put on a thick chaff 

 cushion lapping well over on the packing 

 and they are safe in winter quarters. 

 Last winter I put 24 up in this way, and 

 as in the past, they all came out sound. 

 I remove all packing and leave a dead- 

 air space in summer, which is cooler 

 and facilitates working. My bees 

 are leather-colored Italians; the pro- 

 geny of which I mean to cross this sum- 

 mer with Cvprean drones. 

 Stelton, N. J. G. W. Thompson. 



Bees cared for, Doing Well. — Fifty 

 per cent, of all the bees that were left 

 on summer stands in this locality are 

 dead, while about '1)4 percent, of those 

 that were cared for are dead ; besides 

 the uncared for are very weak and build 

 up slowly, while those cared for are full 

 and running over. I had S swarms by 

 the 16th inst., from 10 colonies that I 

 had cared for : I don't know of another 

 swarm yet in all this locality. Bees are 

 doing well ; nectar is plenty ; bloom is 

 flourishing and tilling the air with per- 

 fume. Robert Corbett. 



Manhattan, Kas., May 19, 1881. 



Bee-Keeping in Missouri. — Nearly all 

 the bees are dead in this locality. I 

 put in winter quarters last fall 165 colo- 

 nies, and only have 50 left, and those 

 very weak. A neighbor had 100 colo- 

 nies and lost all ; another had 45, only 

 10 left ; another had 43, only 10 left, and 

 so on; but few are left. All winter on 

 the summer stands without protection, 

 this being a mild climate. Some win- 

 tere we have no snow, but the past win- 

 ter has been the most severe one ever 

 known. This is in general a splendid 

 locality for bees. We have usually very 

 mild winters and a vast amount of wild 

 flowers, which commence blooming 

 about March 15 and last until frost : 

 among which are maple, hazel, gum, 

 basswood, poplar, grapevine, wild lo- 

 cust, foxtail, boneset, sumac, black- 

 berry, golden rod. ditney. Spanish nee- 

 dle, far blanket, horsemint. white clo- 

 ver, etc. I am well pleased with the 

 Weekly Bee Journal. 



W. N. Craven. 



Poplar Bluff, Mo. 



Separating Swarms.— If Messrs. Bray 

 & Seacord's manner of separating 

 swarms is really effective, I hope that 

 they will give a more thorough explana- 

 nation of the operation than was given 

 in their article on that subject in the 

 Bee Journal of April (i, which is not 

 considered satisfactory by bee-keepers. 

 With your permission, Mr. Editor, I 

 will call their attention to the matter. 



J. O. P. 



Winnetka, 111., May 19, 1881. 



Very Thin Foundation.— I mail you 

 to-day, Mr. Editor, samples of comb 

 foundation made on the Dunham ma- 

 chine, the lightest of which will meas- 

 ure fully 11 feet to the pound. I do not 

 send it for the purpose of advertising, 

 for I do not care to make it for any one, 

 bin to show that the Dunham comb 

 foundation can be made equal to any, 

 for surplus. J. G. Whitten. 



[These samples are as near perfection 

 as we can wish, and shows what can be 

 accomplished by the persistent efforts of 

 the skillful manufacturer. — Ed.] 



Out of the Woods.— I increased my 

 bees to 40 colonies in 1880. 1 have never 

 lost a colony in wintering. My method 

 is on summer stands, in simplicity 

 hives, with 5 inches of chaff and 1-inch 

 lime cushion. I am the originator of 

 this lime idea, and wrote the first letter 

 on it, which was published in Gleanings 

 for Dec, 1880, pages 579-80. 



C. Lover. 



Reisterstown, Md., May 10, 1881. 



