112 



THE AMERICAN BEE-KEEPER. 



June 



where they may be used to advautage. 

 If they are good oues, they are some- 

 times left at the entrances two to 

 four weeKs, aud then introduced to 

 other colonies which are headed by in- 

 ferior queens. 



Only a few days ago a queen was 

 introduced successfully which was 

 been cared for at the entrance of a 

 hive from the lirst until the twenty- 

 ninth of July and the yt)ung daughter 

 was meantime laying briskly within. 



On the seventh of eignth day after 

 swarniiug 1 go through the hive, and 

 as a rule find one or more queen-cells 

 hatched out, then I cut out all the re- 

 maining cells; or even if none are 

 hatched, I cut them all out just the 

 same and lay a number of the ripest 

 oues before the entrance for the bees 

 to care for until hatched. The "first 

 to hatch enters the hive and becomes 

 the reigning (lueen — killing all the 

 young queens that may enter after she 

 has taken possession. 



If cells are cut out before the sixth 

 or seventh day after swarming, the 

 workers may start other cells from the 

 latest lai'vae; that is, the youngest lar- 

 vae iti the hive. 



The critical time is when the young 

 queen takes her flight, as often the 

 bees swarm out with her and may be- 

 come mixed up with other swarms 

 which may be in the air at the same 

 time, and thus all may escape with the 

 young queen. However, if no other 

 swarms are out at the time, they usu- 

 ally go back to their own hive all 

 right. But if they do get mixed in 

 this way, I allow them to cluster and 

 put them into a swarm-box and divide 

 them among the hives from which they 

 came. If I am doubtful as to whetht-r 

 any one lot has a queen, I simply give 

 them one or two of the cells cut out, as 

 mentioned in the foregoing, and of 

 which I have a lot on hand in the ap- 

 iary at swarming time. In this way 

 there will be but few queenless col- 

 onies in the yard after swarming time; 

 and the colonies can be kept strong, 

 which is absolutely necessary for the 

 production of comb honey. 



Theilmanton, Minn., Aug. ,3, 1003. 



THE "AVESTERN ILLINOIS' 



Our offer of the American Farmer 

 one year free to all subscribers M'ho 

 pay a yenr in advance for The Bee- 

 Keeper, still holds good. 



Report of April Meeting. 

 By J. E. Johnson. 



THE beekeepers' society that was 

 organized in Galesburg, Ills., 

 last January, met in the coun- 

 ty court room in Galesburg April 30th. 

 To broaden the scope of the organiza- 

 tion, the name was changed to "West- 

 ern Illinois Bee-keepers' Association." 

 The question box was the principal 

 feature of the meeting, it being the 

 best way to draw all present into the 

 discussion. The question of wintering 

 was pretty thoroughly discussed. We 

 have had a very hard winter on bees 

 and an exceptionally backward, cold 

 spring. 



Reports on wintering were as fol- 

 lows: One bee-keeper had last fall 

 seventy colonies in chaff hives, winter- 

 ed on summer stands and lost all but- 

 seven. It was thought that moisture 

 collected and froze and closed the en- 

 trances. This man was an up-to-date 

 bee-keei)er of thirty years experience. 

 One inember had eleven colonies last 

 fall in single walled hives packed with 

 cushion on top. No other protection 

 except good wind-break. He left en- 

 trance three-eights deep open clear 

 across the hive and only lost two col- 

 onies. Nearly all lost a part of their 

 bees. I myself lost nineteen out of 

 fifty-five colonies, mostly from spring 

 dwindling. Only lost eight or nine up 

 to April 1. One member Avintered six- 

 ty colonies in cellar. Set them out 

 Felu-uary 6 and had three weeks of 

 zero weather afterwards and only lost 

 seven colonies: but they became pretty 

 weak from spring dwindling. We had 

 no warm days from November 7 till 

 February 5; so that bees had not a 

 real good flight for nearly three 

 months 



.Judging from average results it 

 would seem that bees must have con- 

 siderable ventilation even in extremely 

 cold weather. 



I had three third swarms in hives, 

 a La Aikin. two Ideal supers of eight 

 frames each, and they came through 

 the strongest of any I have. One was 

 covered with newspaper on three sides 

 the other two only cushion on top of 

 frames. Tliere was some chance for 

 air to come in between papers, and 



