398 



AMERICAN BEE JOURNAi^. 



CONDUCTED BY 



Beeville. Texas. 

 Safe Introduction of Queens, Etc. 



Mrs. Atchley:— Tf you know of a 

 sure way to introduce a queen to a col- 

 ony that has been queenless at least 

 three weeks, let us have it, no matter 

 how much trouble, just so it is absoliiely 

 mfe. 



You mentioned in the Bee Jouknai. 

 some time ago about keeping a good 

 breeding queen on three Langstroth 

 frames, so she would live long, etc. 

 Won't the bees swarm out, or supersede 

 or kill the queen if she is restricted 

 with excluder-zinc? Bees are always 

 up to some new trick that I know noth- 

 ing about, and just keep me on a jump 

 to know what to do. I wish you would 

 tell us in detail how you would manage 

 such, and nuclei as well. I am sure 

 there are many readers of the American 

 Bee Journal that are green as grass. I 

 know I am, and such lessons (as the 

 above) will be appreciated very much. 



Bishop Hill, Ills. D. Lindbeck. 



Friend L., I only know of one abso- 

 lutely safe way to introduce a queen, 

 and that is by the hatching-brood plan. 

 Take two or three frames of brood just 

 beginning to hatch, and frames that 

 have no unsealed larvae, as it will die 

 and smell badly, and the bees will have 

 a bad job to clean up the combs, but no 

 other damage will result from the dead 

 larvae. 



Place these combs in a hive or nucleus, 

 give ventilation and a sponge of water, 

 and confine them this way for four or 

 five days, queen and all, together. Then 

 in the evening of the fourth or fifth day, 

 take them out to a stand you wish them 

 to occupy, and give them a small en- 

 trance at first, and they will soon work 

 off nicely, and your queen will be safely 

 introduced without any danger what- 

 ever. I introduced a fine imported 

 queen this way 0. K., a few days ago. 



In regard to keeping breeders on a 

 limited space, I will say that the bees do 

 not try to supersede her, nor do I let 

 them swarm, nor do I allow them to be- 

 gin preparations for swarming, as I am 

 into the hive at least once a day, and 

 some days a half-dozen times, and you 

 may be sure I know the contents of such 

 a hive. 



Yes, I know that bees are apt to be up 

 to some new trick, but I usually get 

 after them with a sharp stick when they 

 begin to plank on me, and they soon cool 

 down. To lay joking aside, I racikc ray 

 bees do as I want them to do, just as 

 much so as my cow or horse. There is 

 no use in letting a fine breeder lay her- 

 self to death in a year or two, as such 

 queens as I want for my breeders are 

 very prolific, as this is my first mark to 

 look for when selecting a breeder, and 

 should I begin honey-producing again, I 

 should look altogether upon the prolific- 

 ness of my breeders, together with 

 honey-gathering qualities. Viciousness 

 or fighters would be prized by me, and 

 never would I try to breed this trait 

 from my bees. As friends, I tell you it 

 means Jioney. If I were running a yard 

 for honey, I would wish to get the worst 

 fighting bees that I could get. Dear 

 friends, do not think strange of this, for 

 I just mean it. 



Friend L., I have gone ofif the track 

 from your questions, but I ran out on 

 breeders, and it naturally led me in that 

 direction. If anybody has a bad, fight- 

 ing Cyprian or Holy Land queen, just 

 send her to me. Jennie Atchley. 



Bees Killed by Lightning-. 



Mrs. Atchley : — Two years ago a 

 swarm of bees was found in a large 

 cypress tree. A large white-oak grew 

 about 6 feet from the cypress, and dur- 

 ing a thunder-storm the oak was struck 

 by lightning ; three weeks later the bee- 

 tree was cut, when it was found that 

 the lightning shock had killed every 

 bee, as well as all larvie in the tree. 

 Considerable honey was found, which 

 was uninjured. Geo. Mott. 



Spurger, Texas. 



Self-Reliance in Bee-Keeping. 



I think that I am one of the most 

 ready persons you ever saw to receive 

 counsel, and to learn from others ; but 

 there is one thing absolutely certain in 

 bee-keeping, and that is, you must make 

 up your mind to rely upon your own 



