402 



AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL^ 



baskets. Where white clover gives the 

 main crop of surplus honey, this con- 

 traction system may give some pollen in 

 the sections ; yet I think that if used on 

 the above plan, not enough to do much 

 damage. 



What we all should strive after, if we 

 would be successful, is to let the bees 

 carry out their natural instincts as 

 much as possible, and at the same time 

 turn those instincts to the best possible 

 advantage to ourselves. In the above I 

 think I have made it plain how it 

 can be done. Herein, also, lies one of 

 the reasons why I prefer the Italian bees 

 to any of the others. All know thai, 

 after swarming, they show a greater 

 desire to retrench in brood-rearing than 

 any other race of bees, and at the same 

 time gather unlimited quantities of 

 honey. With the above management I 

 throw all the early honey into the sec- 

 tions, while later, when the honey is of 

 inferior color, I get enough stored in 

 this two-third sized brood-chamber for 

 winter. 



One other item : Some apiarists seem 

 to suppose that the bees seen in a swarm 

 having pollen on their legs, are bound 

 to store this in the hive somewhere, and 

 that, if treated a la Hutchinson, by 

 using empty frames below, said pollen 

 must go into the sections. This, I think, 

 is a mistake; for as far as my experi- 

 ence goes, it is " scuffed off " and thrown 

 out at the entrance. I know it is, where 

 the swarm is hived in an empty hive, 

 for the bees have no place to put it till 

 comb is built, and have no use lor it 

 during the first three days in any event, 

 unless a frame of brood is inserted by 

 the apiarist. 



Borodino, N. Y. 



Bees in tltc Open Air, andOtiier 

 Bce-Xotes. 



Written for the American Bee Journal 

 BY JOHN D. A. FISHER. 



A few days ago. Mr. Lewis D. H. 

 Brown, of Woodside, N. C, found a 

 large colony of bees on a tree in the 

 open air. They had built four large 

 pieces of comb about 18 inches long, 

 and several smaller pieces. These bees 

 were certainly in a good condition to be 

 out without any protection whatever. 

 They had certainly built comb vigor- 

 ously, and from the amount of coTiib 

 they had, they might have pulitMl 

 through the winter. At least I should 

 have been glad to have seen them re- 



maining on the tree the coming winter, 

 thus testing the matter. 



Mr. Brown transferred the bees and 

 comb into a hive, and hopes that they 

 will, with care, come out all 0. K. 



THE HONEY CROP SO FAR. 



The honey crop with us up to date 

 (Sept. 1) has been a moderate one — 

 about 25 pounds to the colony, spring 

 count. At one time, about the last of 

 May and the first of June, we had a very 

 flattering prospect for a large yield of 

 honey, but this prospect was shut off all 

 at once. Since then the bees have been 

 gathering just about enough honey to 

 live on, and to keep brood in the brood- 

 nest. 



THE FALL HONEY CROP. 



We are looking for a good fall crop of 

 honey. Golden-rod aud the asters will 

 soon begin to bloom. These flowers 

 always yield honey, and sometimes they 

 yield honey wonderfully. The indica- 

 tions are that we are going to get a good 

 crop of honey this fall. 



GOLDEN ITALIAN BEES. 



I am well pleased with the golden 

 Italian bees. They are very prolific and 

 hardy. They are very smart and indus- 

 trious, ever on the lookout for some- 

 thing sweet. They are a little inclined 

 to rob, or at least they have so proved 

 themselves with me. As I have had 

 them but one year, I will say I think 

 that they will prove to be good honey- 

 gatherers. 



INEXPERIENCED BEE-WRITERS. 



Some time ago it was hinted by some 

 one that persons without experience 

 should not write for the bee-papers. 

 This, as I take it, would shut off all of 

 us who are beginners in the bee-world. 

 Should we not be allowed to crawl a 

 little once in awhile? If not, when do 

 you (I mean the man who wrote for us 

 to keep out of the way) expect us to 

 walk ? If in our childhood in the bee- 

 world we think that we have found a 

 gold-bug, let us have our say about it. 

 Let us tell our "papas" in the bee- 

 business about it. If our veteran 

 fathers say, " My son, you are mistaken; 

 that is nothing but a black bug," all 

 right, we have learned a lesson. See ? 

 But if the bug proves to b(! golden, then 

 let them tell us so, thus helping us on. 

 Why not? 



Then, Mr. Editor, you are young now, 

 and have an able corps of veteran 

 writers at your command. We boys may 



