AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



113 



the proprietor is often some distance 

 away. 



After practicing several methods other 

 than clipping the wings of the queens, I 

 am compelled to confess that I like the 

 latter. Another argument in its favor 

 is the certainty that swarms will not 

 decamp. It will out-wit some of the 

 wise ones who put out decoy hives to 

 catch their neighbors' bees. 



Of course, to get the full benefit of the 

 system of clipped queens, the apiary 

 will have to be so managed as to avoid 

 after-swarms, as the young queens go 

 further and alight higher than old ones. 



With the Heddon method of hiving 

 and after manipulation, after-swarms 

 are reduced to the minimum. 



Forest City, Iowa. 



Late Season. Empty Coiis. Etc, 



C. H. DIBBERN. 



The bee season, as well as all other 

 seasons, is very late. During the cold 

 weather in May we resorted to every 

 method we could think of to induce the 

 bees to build up, but it was a discourag- 

 ing business. The feed we gave them 

 only seemed to stimulate them to fly, 

 when many would succumb to the cold, 

 and never return. Now, what we have 

 saved from the wreck are doing much 

 better, and are building up very fast, 

 and by the time clover is at its best, we 

 hope to have most of the colonies boom- 

 ing. 



SELF-HIVERS FOR SWARMS. 



When we returned from the out-apiary 

 a neighbor told us that while we were 

 absent, we lost a fine swarm, as they 

 had settled in a tree, but in a short time 

 had disappeared. We had already 

 noticed that one of the hives with our 

 latest self-hiver on had swarmed, and 

 when we answered that we knew that, 

 and also where the swarm had gone, the 

 lady seemed greatly puzzled. Then we 

 told her about the hiver, and how nicely 

 it is working for us this year. 



We have had but few swarms so far, 

 but we are just delighted with it. No 

 more climbing of tall trees, with rope 

 and ladder for us ! We are getting good, 

 fair-sized swarms, and by a little after 

 manipulation, can fix them up just right. 

 For another year we expect to have our 

 hiver and system so perfect, that any 

 farmer can use it successfully. What a 

 relief this will be to the overworked 

 farmer's wife and daughters, who in 



addition to their numerous cares and 

 duties, are constantly cautioned to 

 " watch the bees." Yes, and how many 

 swarms will it save, that under the old 

 plan, were soon over the hills and far 

 away. Yes, sir, it is a success, and will 

 surely revolutionize the industry. 



TAKING CARE OF EMPTY COMBS. 



What bothers us more than anything 

 else is to take care of all the extra comb. 

 We would like to save all, to hive the 

 issuing swarms on, but the moths are 

 getting pretty numerous, and so we 

 will be compelled to render many into 

 wax. At home we are trying the cold- 

 water cure for the moth, with very good 

 results. We have a tank near the 

 honey, house, and whenever we see a 

 comb infected, we submerge it, for two 

 or three hours, and that fixes them until 

 more eggs are laid, but by keeping a 

 good watch they can be kept down. At 

 an out-apiary we have not time to treat 

 them in that way, and have resorted to 

 fumigation with sulphur in the bee-cave. 

 Somehow we never did succeed very well 

 with sulphur on brood-comb. We will 

 try again, however, and give them a 

 good dose of it. 



LATEST BEE-ESCAPE DEVICE. 



Well, what about the bee-escape ? 

 Really, our bees have been " escaping " 

 so fast of late that we have had no great 

 need of it. The weather has been so 

 unfavorable, and the season so late, 

 that "we have not yet been able to make 

 all the test we wish before making our 

 latest device known. We have an abid- 

 ing faith, however, that it is all that 

 can be desired, and far ahead of any- 

 thing now out. If there is any honey 

 crop to be harvested, we expect to be 

 there with our bee-escape. 



We have several other devices that we 

 are experimenting with this year, and 

 if we gain nothing else, we will gain 

 some useful knowledge. 



FAIR CROP OF HONEY EXPECTED. 



According to all the latest bee-papers 

 received, no great amount of surplus 

 honey has been secured anywhere in the 

 United States up to date. The season 

 is generally very late," but with fair 

 weather there is no reason why a fair 

 crop of nice white clover honey should 

 not yet be gathered. As the season is 

 late in opening, it is reasonable to expect 

 it to extend beyond the usual time. We 

 have just returned from a visit to our 

 out-apiary, and found the white clover 

 coming out in fine shape. Some of the 



