1898. 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAlu. 



359 



days after the bees are left queenless, providing no queen-cells 

 were started previous to the division. Most surely I would en- 

 large that entrance, if necessary making it extend the whole 

 size of the hive acd an inch deep. 



.5. I never had any Adels. You're not likely to find bees 

 that are non-stinging or non-swarming. 



6. If you limit the brood-chamber to eight frames, you 

 will hardly have as many bees as with more frames, providing 

 your queen is prolific. A stronger colony ought to store more 

 honey. Some who use 8-frame hives use two stories up to the 

 time of putting on supers. 



7. No ; and if you succeed perfectly with any kind of 

 frame be sure to let us know. 



■Wormwood to Prevent Stings. — In Muenchener Bztg., it 

 is rtcomiiieiided to rub wurmwoud uu the hands to prevent 

 bees stinging. 



Variety of Hives in Germany. — "Nowhere in the 

 world," says Carl Krueger, in Brasiliauische Bieneupflege, "is 

 there so great a variety of hives as in Germany. Some open 

 at the side, some at the top, some at the bottom, and some 

 both at top and bottom. 



That Big Texas Yield. — O. O. Poppleton says much has 

 been said about B. F. Carroll's 1,000-pound yield, but he 

 thinks the fact is often overlook! that this yield was from a 

 colony and Us incrc<ise. He says it would have been only play 

 to have done that in his locality with any of the very best col- 

 onies in 1894. — American Bee-Keeper. 



Old Combs for Brood.— Editor Hill, of the American Bee- 

 Keeper, had a case in which bees under size were reared in 

 comb 20 years old. He was inclined to believe it would not do 

 to leave combs after so many years' use. Later he transferred 

 combs from a box-hive that had been continuously occupied 

 for 60 years, and the bees were full size. He concluded the 

 first case was the exception, and that the bee-keeper could 

 safely leave to the bees the matter of renewing combs. 



Apis Dorsata. — Upon the invitation of the Chairman, Mr. 

 Haviland narrated his personal experience with bees in India, 

 especially with regard to Apis dorsata. The worker of that 

 species, he said, was as large as an English queen. The queen 

 has a very large thorax, much larger than the worker. He 

 thought, from the habits of those bees, there would be no pos- 

 sibility of domesticating them. They always establisht their 

 home in the open, building their combs either on the boughs of 

 trees high up in the jungle, or on the rocks. Bears were very 

 fond of honey, and being good bee-hunters, climbed boldly up 

 the trees for it; and the object of the Apis dorsata bee appar- 

 ently was to bulid their combs where bears could not reach 

 them. It was obvious that building as they did in the open 

 air, they would be unable to stand a cold climate, and any at- 

 tempt to introduce them to one would be sure to fail. 



These bees also readily deserted their nests when dis- 

 turbed, but that occurred in India even with bees that could 

 be induced to build in a hive. But it was far more difficult to 

 restrain the Apis dorsata, as he had himself proved by expe- 

 riment, and unless the queen's wings were dipt she would 

 probably be lost. 



In their natural habitat the Apis dorsata build combs 5 or 

 6 feet in length and 2 or 3 feet in depth. The natives know 

 the kind of trees and rocks where they may be found, and it 

 is no uncommon thing — after an hour's climb — to find bears' 

 " tracks " in the same direction. These bees migrate accord- 

 ing to the honey-flow. When the honey is there, and the 

 natives (who, like the bears, are expert tree-climbers) want 

 to take it, they go after dark, and, with the aid of a torch, 

 cut down the combs. They always ate the larviB or grubs, 

 which they relish far better than the honey. In fact, they 

 usually sold the honey and wax if they could find a buyer. 



Askt as to the effect of being stung by this bee, Mr. Havi- 

 land said fortunately he was never stung by them, but there 

 was no doubt their sting was very severe : and as the whole of 

 the comb was exposed in the open air any victim of their 



wrath would be attackt not merely by two or three bees, but 

 by the whole colony. He did not think there was the slightest 

 possibility of crossing them with European bees. The latter 

 were closely allied to a species found in Northern India, and 

 yet these never crost with Apis dorsata. 



Mr. Sladen exhibited specimens of Apis dorsata. Apis in- 

 dica, and many other kinds of bees collected by him during a 

 recent visit to India, which were past around the audience 

 and examined with much interest. He also showed a piece of 

 comb and cappings of brood of Apis florea. 



Mr. Weston observed that there must be parts of the 

 Southern States of America where the objection on the 

 ground of cold climate did not exist. 



Mr. Carr and Mr. Haviland said that the principal ob- 

 stacle to domestication and crossing was the habits of the 

 Apis dorsata, not the climate. 



Mr. Sladen, while in India, went to Darjeeling and saw 

 some lieurians there, but he never heard of a cross having 

 been effected. He believed that a cross might be obtained 

 with the Himalayan bee. but did not think it possible with 

 Apis dorsata. He saw 40 or 50 colonies of black Himalayans 

 at the goal at Darjeeling. The honey-extractor was in use 

 there, and the whole business was lookt after by the prisoners. 

 They use wooden frames for the combs, and generally keep 

 the bees on the modern system. He intended to bring some 

 bees home from India, and started with three colonies of 

 Himalayans from Calcutta ; but, before reaching England, 

 two had died, and in the third the bees had dwindled so much 

 that it was useless as an effective colony. He therefore united 

 the queen with a home colony, but she was killed by the British 

 bees, and so his importation came to naught. He did not 

 think it possible or desirable that Apis dorsata should be crost 

 with English bees, for several reasons. He was particularly 

 struck when catching Apis dorsata on the wing, with the 

 heaviness of its flight. It flew very much like a drone, flap- 

 ping its wings comparatively slowly, and making considerable 

 noise. It was also slow in its general movements, and would 

 settle on a leaf to rest, as it were, besides visiting flowers in a 

 heavy and lackadaisical manner. Apis indica, on the other 

 hand, was very similar to European bees. — British Bee Jour- 

 nal. 



Department of Criticism is a heading that stands on page 

 150 of Bee-Keepers' Review, the department to be hereafter 

 a regular feature of Review, conducted by Hon. R. L. Taylor. 

 So far as can be judged from one number, the department is 

 somewhat limited in scope, excluding what appears in the col- 

 umns of the Review, and from the other bee-journals exclud- 

 ing all that should receive favorable criticism. In other 

 words, Mr. Taylor confines his efforts to correcting mistakes 

 found in other bee-journals. He thinks Mr. Aspinwall Is 

 wrong (page 148) in thinking there is danger that beeswax 

 will be unwittingly adulterated with propolis, as propolis is 

 much heavier than wax and melts at a much higher tempera- 

 ture. Takes the editor of the American Bee Journal to task 

 for being severe (page 108) against the use of the word 

 " hive " for " colony," and promises not to be harsh himself — 

 unless with editors. Thinks the plan given (page 182) for 

 fastening foundation in brood-frames by means of a saw-kerf 

 in the top-bar too slow, and prefers the old-fashioned way of 

 running on melted wax and rosin with a spoon. Thinks Dr. 

 Miller is wrong (page 123) in thinking a queen thrusts her 

 sling In the spiracle of another queen. Thinks same man 

 wrong (page 149) in saying bees can stand confinement from 

 Nov. 15, if they have a good flight at that time. Seems to ba 

 some mistake in reference, as page 149 is wholly occupied 

 with report of Michigan Convention, and it is just possible 

 t jere is some mistake as to such a statement being made with- 

 out qualifications. Mr. Taylor objects to the advice given on 

 page 183, to stir up a colony that will not fly when warm 

 enough, possibly overlooking the point that a foot of sawdust 

 packing lies between the colony and the outside air. 



The Alsike Clover Leaflet consists of 2 pages, 

 with illustrations, showing the value of Alsike clover, and 

 telling how to grow it. This Leaflet is just the thing to hand 

 to every farmer in your neighborhood. Send to the Bee Jour- 

 nal office for a quantity of them, and see that they are dis- 

 tributed where they will do the most good. Prices, postpaid, 

 are as follows : 50 for 20 cents ; 100 for 35 cents ; or 200 



for 60 cents. 



^-•-•^ 



E'very Present Subscriber of the Bee Journal 

 should be an agent for it, and ect all others possible to sub- 

 scribe for it. See premium offers on page 362. 



