AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



621 



but if those drones are good for breed- 

 ing purposes, I would keep this queen 

 to rear my early drones. 



Lake City, Minn. N. J. Thill. 



Friend Thill, I am not able to answer 

 your question to the point, but some 

 people think that one drone is as good 

 as another for mating purposes. I am 

 not satisfled about it, and I shall take 

 steps next season to test this question, 

 and think I will be able to answer posi- 

 tively with a "yes" or "no." Who 

 knows more about this question ? 



Jennie Atchley. 



Transferring Bees in Louisiana. 



On Oct. 12th we purchased from an 

 old farmer in this neighborhood 31 col- 

 onies of black bees, 12 miles from our 

 apiary. On the same morning, rising 

 at 4 a.m., and taking our rigging, con- 

 sisting of one > box 30 inches long, 12 

 inches in width each side, a block to fit 

 the inside of the box, a piece of timber 

 6x6 the length of the box to push or 

 press the honey and old comb out, with 

 a pole 16 feet long used for a lever; a 

 stand 4 feet long by 3 feet wide for the 

 box to rest on, and 23 hives, contain- 

 ing 8 frames each of sealed honey ; and 

 smokers and tent. We left for the old 

 farmer's country home, arriving there 

 at 8 a.m. 



We unloaded our wagon and prepared 

 for war — and war it was, as black bees 

 of the Mississippi valley are fighters, but 

 we came out victorious with flying colors. 



After getting everything ready, all 

 our rigging in place, we approached 

 hive No. 1. Puffing in a lot of smoke 

 from a Bingham smoker, we waited 

 until the blacks could fill with honey, 

 then opened the top and blew in some 

 smoke to start them down. We then 

 lifted the old gum to one side, and in its 

 place put a dovetailed non-swarming 

 hive filled with 7 combs of sealed honey ; 

 on this we placed the cover with a hole 

 12 inches square in it, then lifted the 

 old gum and placed it over the hole. 

 Then began the driving process. In ten 

 minutes we had the bees in the non- 

 swarming hive. 



Taking off the old gum we placed on 

 the cover, picked up the old gum, and 

 took it to our tent, knocked it open, and 

 selected a piece of brood-comb, and in- 

 serted it wich wire clamps in a self-spac- 

 ing frame. We placed this in the new 

 hive. The honey and old comb was put 

 into a barrel. 



It took us ten hours to transfer 31 



colonies of bees, and we finished as the 

 sun went down in the west. Now, after 

 a rest of two hours, during which time 

 we ate supper, we again returned to 

 work. 



Placing the press in position, we soon 

 were at work, and in just four hours 

 more all the honey was separated from 

 the old comb, making two barrels. 

 From the combs we got 140 pounds of 

 wax. 



Having completed our job, we loaded 

 the wagon and started for the city, 12 

 miles away. We got home at 1 a.m. 



The bees cost us $31, the expenses 

 were $5, making .$36. For the honey 

 we got 50 cents per gallon, thus making 

 $50, and the wax sold at 22 cents per 

 pound, or $33 ; total, $83. Less cost 

 of bees, $31 ; expenses, $5 ; and hives 

 and combs, etc., $45 ; total, $81. 



You see we got the bees free. Now if 

 this had been in June, why, we would 

 have had no honey to put in the hives, 

 as the starters would have been suffi- 

 cient, or old empty combs, and the gain 

 would have been more. It pays to buy 

 old gums and transfer the bees in June, 

 as you reap a profit from the bees, 

 enough to pay for all the trouble and 

 expense. This is the best way for be- 

 ginners to commence bee-keeping. 



At this writing our bees are.still work- 

 ing lively on the golden-rod. 



Ranger. 



Donaldsonville, La., Oct. 22, 1893. 



Ho^v to Best Employ Leisure 

 Time in Winter. 



Query 897.— How and in just what man- 

 ner can an industrious bee-keeper best employ 

 his leisure hours in the winter months ?— N.Y. 



By studying in the books. — Dadant & 

 Son. 



Making everything needed for the 

 summer campaign. — P. H. Elwood. 



That depends entirely upon his incli- 

 nations and opportunities. — Mrs. J. N. 

 Heater. 



