560 



AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



It frequently happens that those that 

 eat the least winter the best. Very large 

 colonies are no more likely to winter 

 well than medium-sized ones. — S. I. 

 Freebokn. 



I do not think any answer could be 

 given. The amount of honey depends 

 upon conditions that have little or noth- 

 ing to do with the excellence of the col- 

 ony.— A. J. Cook. 



I suppose a colony gets along on what 

 it requires, and other things being 

 equal, as regards strength and health, 

 one would be as likely as the other to be 

 the best. — A. B. Mason. 



Comparisons cannot be made that way. 

 If bees are not wintered under proper 

 conditions, they will consume more 

 honey than is necessary, or, a colony 

 that is strong in bees during the winter 

 may not be in condition at the proper 

 time to store the most honey. — Mrs. J. 

 N. Heater. 



I hardly know whether I understand 

 the question rightly. If it is meant that 

 a colony requiring that amount of food 

 besides what they already have, I should 

 say those requiring the least. Those 

 consuming the most honey in winter will 

 be almost certain to prove the best the 

 following year. — C. H. Dibbern. 



I do not know, and do not think this 

 makes much difference. The important 

 thing is, Which one has the best queen 

 and the greatest number of vigorous 

 young bees in the spring? The small 

 colony often comes out even in these 

 respects, and is rather more likely to 

 have the other necessary element — 

 plenty of stores. — James A. Green. 



The question is vague. No healthy 

 colony would require 20 to 25 pounds 

 for winter alone, and no colony can 

 amount to much that gets along on from 

 5 to 10 pounds during winter and 

 spring. It takes plenty of honey to get 

 any colony into good working order. I 

 prefer my colonies to go into winter 

 strong, but not abnormally so. — R. L. 

 Taylor. 



There are so many other things that 

 enter into the case that a positive opin- 

 ion cannot be given. Other things being 

 equal, and all conditions favorable, the 

 colonies that have the most bees at the 

 beginning of the honey harvest will 

 store the most honey ; and they are likely 

 to be the ones that have consumed from 

 20 to 25 pounds of honey in the winter 

 and spring. — M. Mahin. 



You assume that it is a common thing 

 for bees to differ as much in winter con- 

 sumption of stores as 5 is to 25. Such 



is not the rule by a half a mile, or more. 

 Those colonies that have young, vigor- 

 ous queens that the workers are per- 

 fectly contented with, and little inclined 

 to swarm, will give the best results un- 

 der almost any condition of things. 

 Proper condition at the beginning of the 

 honey harvest, and the conditions to 

 hold the proper conditions, is the essen- 

 tiality of success in the best results. — 

 G. W. Demaree. 



I do not see why the consumption of 

 honey would increase the usefulness of 

 a colony, unless on the theory that it is 

 used to rear young bees. If the greater 

 part of 20 to 25 pounds were used for 

 that purpose after bees begin their flight 

 in spring they would be better than one 

 which used less, and consequently 

 reared fewer young bees. But I regard 

 it of no advantage for a colony to con- 

 sume a large amount of honey in winter. 

 — Eugene Secor. 



^■^^A.^^.^.^ ^tk^ * la > 1 * ^ < 



ImproTement of Bees — Rearing 

 Queens, Etc. 



Written for the American Bee Journal 

 BY DR. E. GALLUP. 



On page 337, Dr. G. L. Tinker has an 

 excellent article, or some excellent ideas, 

 on the improvement of bees. Well do I 

 remember when all the rage was breed- 

 ing for color and gentleness, until the 

 Italians were comparatively worthless 

 for profit. Many beginners reported 

 that the common bee was superior for 

 profit, etc. 



Then the way of rearing queens was 

 very objectionable. The fact was, a large 

 majority were running out the race in- 

 stead of improving it. Many queen- 

 breeders were anxio.is to have Gallup 

 endorse their stock, and I received doz- 

 ens of queens (jratls ; but I received none 

 that came up to my standard for profit, 

 except two — one from Adam Grimm and 

 one from Dr. Hamlin. 



The Hamlin queen I kept until she 



