AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



713 



Preventing- After-Swarms. — Bro. 



Hutchinson, in the Jteniew, gives the follow- 

 ing plan, by the use of the bee-escape: 



Prank Coverdale writes me that he has 

 prevented after-swarming by hiving the 

 swarm on the old stand, then placing the 

 old hive by its side with its entrance near 

 that of the newly-hived swarm. The old 

 hive is then closed, except that a bee-escape 

 is placed in the entrance on the side next 

 to the new hive. Of coui'se, every bee that 

 leaves the old hive never gets back, but 

 finds its way into the new swarm. All of 

 the working force, and all of the young 

 bees when they come out to play, are 

 thrown into the new swarm. 



In seven or eight days the old hive can be 

 given a new stand, the same as in the Hed- 

 don plan, but it will be completely robbed 

 of all the bees except the young, downy, 

 just-hatched ones, which is not the case 

 with the Heddon plan, and after-swarming 

 will positively be prevented in every case. 



If no increase is desired, the escape can 

 be left in place for a longer period, 21 days 

 if the weather is warm, or, if it is cool, it 

 may be taken away at the end of two 

 weeks. 



When the bees have all hatched out, the 

 few remaining may be shaken off in front 

 of the new swarm, and the honey extracted 

 from the combs, or they can be used in any 

 way thought best. Or the matter may sim- 

 pl}^ be carried to such an extent that the 

 old colony will be so weakened that not 

 only will it not swarm, but it will not be 

 sufBciently populous for winter, but will 

 still be able to care for and protect the 

 combs until fall, when the two colonies may 

 be united, the better queen being preserved. 



Introclncing- Qneens.— The follow- 

 ing directions for introducing queens we 

 found printed on a queen-shipping cage re- 

 cently : 



After removing the cover, note the condi- 

 tion of the queen, and if she is all right, 

 proceed to introduce her. First remove the 

 slip of card from the end of the cage con- 

 taining the candy. Lay the cage on the 

 frames directly over the cluster, wire-cloth 

 down, so the bees can become acquainted 

 with the queen ; cover the cage with the en- 

 ameled cloth, or quilt, put on the cover, 

 and do not molest the hive under any cir- 

 cumstances for five days, at which time 

 you will likely find her out and laying. If 

 you have a flat cover on your hive, just 

 tack a thin strip of wood across the back 

 of the cage, spread the frames, and hang 

 the cage, face down, between the frames. 

 Before introducing, be sure your colony is 

 queenless. 



A Binder for holding a year's num- 

 bers of the Bee Journai. we mail for 

 only 50 cents; or clubbed with the 

 Journal for ^1.40. 



In this department will be answered those 

 questions needing immediate attention, and 

 such as are not of sufficient special interest to 

 require replies from the '25 or more apiarists 

 who help to make "Queries and Replies" so 

 interesting on another page. In the main, it 

 will contain questions and answers upon mat- 

 ters that particularly interest beginners.— Ed. 



Just a Word with. You. 



We mean with the readers of "Gen- 

 eral Questions." This department is 

 meant for the benefit of all who may 

 wish to avail themselves 9f it, and we 

 wish our readers to feel the utmost liber- 

 ty in sending in any questions to which 

 answers are desired. Don't feel that 

 you are intruding — we desire the ques- 

 tions as much as you desire the answers. 

 This department lays no claim to infal- 

 libility, and it is possible that some of 

 your questions may be too hard for it, 

 but it does desire to be honestly helpful 

 just as far as its ability goes. 



Now a word as to the manner of send- 

 ing your questions : Before us lie ques- 

 tions from two different persons. One of 

 them is scribbled in pencil on what ap- 

 pears a scrap of waste-paper, somewhat 

 crowded for room, and so hard to de- 

 cipher that some words cannot be made 

 out at all only as they may be guessed 

 at from the connection. It is a real re- 

 lief to turn from that to the other, which 

 is written with some appearance of care, 

 the writing being so plain that any 

 schoolboy could read it. Now all can- 

 not write like copper-plate, all cannot 

 avoid mistakes in spelling, but please do 

 what all can do, and that is, to make 

 your questions just as plain as you can. 



If you specially desire that your ques- 

 tions shall be answered in this depart- 

 ment, just say " For General Questions." 

 Also, please do not get in a hurry for 

 the reply, as questions must take their 

 turn, unless it be those that will not be- 

 come worthless by a short delay, and 

 thus can be put aside a time for such as 

 are necessary to be answered at once in 

 order that the reply be seasonable. 



Drones and Swarming — Dead Bees. 



1. Do bees ever swarm after they be- 

 gin to drive off the drones ? " A B C of 

 Bee-Culture" says for the time being, 

 but 7nine are at it now, and I had 

 swarms in .lune, in 1892. 



2. What was the matter with my bees ? 

 In February we had some warm days. 



