214 



AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL, 



April 6, 1899. 



QuES. — Is there such a thing- as getting too prolific 

 queens ? 



Dr. Miller— What is the harm ? 



A Member— I think they would have a natural tendency 

 to swarm late ; they will use so much honey for brood. 



OPENING IN THE UPPER P.4RT OF THE HIVE. 



QtJES. — Is there any objection to making an opening in 

 the upper part of the hive to allow the air to circulate 

 thru ? 



Dr. Miller— Comb or extracted ? [Ans.— Both.] I should 

 decidedly object to it for comb hone)', but not for extracted. 

 If you make any kind of an opening in the upper part 

 where you are producing comb honej', near that opening 

 the bees will not finish up their combs prqmptlj-. For a 

 number of years I followed the lead of Adam Grimm, who 

 was a very successful bee-keeper in Wisconsin. I was at 

 his place one time — it was before the day of sections. He 

 was putting on boxes, and wedged up the cover of his hive, 

 leaving it open perhaps half an inch or more ; he said, " I 

 consider that very important." I think he was right; it 

 helpt them to get air, and I think it helps to keep down 

 swarming somewhat ; and so, for a number of years after 

 that, I used wide frames after I began to use sections, and 

 the upper story I slid forward, so as to leave one-half inch 

 opening at the back of the hive between the first and sec- 

 ond storj', that allowed fine ventilation to go thru ; but the 

 row of sections nest to the opening, if they were sealed up 

 at all, it was a long time after the others were. 

 [Concluded next week.] 



DR. 



CONDUCTED BY 



C O. MILLER. Afareng-o, 111. 



[The Questions may be mailed to the Bee Journal office, or to Dr. Miller 



direct, when he will answer them here. Please do not ask the 



Doctor to send answers by mail. — Editor.] 



Climate and Foul Brood— A Difference in Colonies. 



On page 181, the question is askt, " Are bees in any particular 

 climate affected by foul brood more than in another?" The answer 

 given is all true enough, but can hardly be called a fair answer to 

 the question. I think bees are more affected in cold than in hot 

 climates. I think in some parts of northern Africa the disease is 

 at present unknown. Whether it is due to the hot climate, the 

 variety of bees found there, or simply to the fact that the disease 

 has not yet been introduced, I don't know. 



In reply to the question of J. C. Armstrong, page 188, it may 

 be said that the two colonies mentioned obtained their honey from 

 different sources. One year while all the other colonies were gath- 

 ering very dark honey, two or three of them stored some beautiful 

 white honey. When the bees of a colony get started on nectar in 

 a given place, they're likely to continue at work in that place so 

 long as the yield is fair. C. C. Miller. 



Changing to Standard Frames. 



I have in excellent condition 8 colonies of very nice bees in 12- 

 frarae hives. The frames are just the right size to admit six 4I4X- 

 4^4 sections in the lower story or three of the same in a super. It 

 seems that bee-men in general prefer a 10-frame hive with frames 

 just 4}{ inches longer than mine, or IT-'j. outside measure, and the 

 same depth of mine, or large enough for the surplus or super frames 

 to accommodate four 4i4x4'4 sections instead of three, as in mine. 



1. Are my hives and frames of a standard size ? Are they just 

 as good as the 10-frame hives with longer but same depth frame ? 

 I think I see three very good reasons why I should adopt lO-frame 

 hives with lT*fi frame. In the first place, the bees can more readily 

 reach any frame in the hive from the entrance. Second, in exam- 

 ining say 10 colonies of bees I would save handling 20 extra frames. 

 Third, I would get just as much honey from the super frames of 

 the 10 colonies (if all were full) with 10 frames per hive as I would 

 from my r2-frames with four pounds per super or 40 pounds for the 

 10 colonies extra. 



3. Do you think it best, and would you advise, on beginning 

 (while I've only a few, 8 hives) to adopt the 10-frame, with \7-''^ 

 frame ? Are my three reasons valid enough to pay me to make 

 the change in frames, as my old hives are just the size for a 10- 

 frame hive with 17 ';-inch frame by turning the side to the front 

 and cutting out a rabbet on the (now) side of the same, the frame 

 being all I will have to change ? I propose to increase solely by 

 division. 



3. If I make this change in frames, can I (successfully) increase 

 that way (by division)? If so, how would you go about it? Would 



you put in a division-board crosswise at the back of my short 

 frames ? I could put in a long frame by sawing off a part of a 

 division-board and put a narrow piece (which would be 4 '4 wide) 

 from the end of the board sawed off to the back of the hive. Please 

 advise the way you think best for increasing in this exchanging 

 short for long frame case of mine. Arkansas. 



• Answers. — 1. No, you are not using standard goods. Your 

 first objection to your present arrangement is correct, providing 

 your frames run crosswise, instead of having each frame running 

 toward the entrance. Your other objections are correct, and prob- 

 ably sufficient to make a change seem desirable. An additional 

 reason, and one that is of itself enough to decide the change, is the 

 simple fact that what you now have is /ml standard. It at any 

 time you want to buy hives, a standard size will cost less than an 

 odd size. If you should want to sell, the purchaser, if well in- 

 formed, would be willing to pay more for a standard article. I 

 have been changing my hives and frames for no other reason than 

 that they were not standard size, the difference in size between 

 them and the standard being so little as to make no practical dif- 

 ference in results. 



2. You say you intend to increase solely by division. Do you 

 mean that you don't intend to allow your bees to swarm? Not 

 once ? You wait and see. 



3. I don't believe you'll like the mixt plan you propose. Very 

 likely you will be better suited to put the new hive on the stand of 

 the old, shake off nearly all the bees with the queen into the new 

 hive, and set the old hive on a new stand. To make the bees more 

 satisfied with their new quarters, you might for a day or two put 

 in the new hive one of the short frames, setting it at one side and 

 letting it rest on the bottom. Or you might cut out the comb and 

 fasten it in one of the new frames, leaving it permanently. At 

 the same time it will not be a bad plan for you to have a hive all 

 ready in which to hive that swarm that you don't intend shall issue. 



If you don't intend to continue any of the old frames at all. it 

 will be a comparatively easy thing, and the best plan of all, to cut 

 the combs out and transfer them into new frames. This could be 

 done in fruit-bloom, or later, at the time of dividing. 



Increase of Colonies Wanted. 



I bought three colonies of bees last summer which are now in 

 fine condition. I desire to increase them to as many as I can. and 

 have them strong enough to go into winter quarters safely. What 

 will be my best plan of procedure ? I can give foundation, and 

 feed. Utah. 



Answer. — The safest plan is the nucleus method as laid down 

 in your bee-book. That allows to continue increasing gradually as 

 long as the season lasts without the danger of being caught with a 

 large number of weak colonies on hand and none of them strong 

 enough for winter. 



*-*-*' 



Dividing Colonies for Increase. 



1. When is the colony in the best condition to divide ? 



2. How do you divide? (I want to divide but once.) How 

 many frames would you place with the queen part, and where 

 would you place the hive ? 



3. Will I need to cut out the extra queen-cells from the half 

 that have no queen, and when? Could X use the queen-cells to 

 make up others, and how ? Would it pay to buy queens for this 

 half ? 



4. What condition will the divided colonies need to be in, be- 

 fore I put on the supers for honey ? 



5. Last year I put on a queen-excluder and kept the queen be- 

 low. Was that right ? Is there any danger of these excluders be- 

 ing too small to let bees through ? One bee-man told me his were. 



6. In giving a colony frames of honey or foundation, is it best 

 to mix it up in the brood-nest, or put them at one side ? 



7. What do you think of this way for increase? To confine 

 the queen with a little brood in the bottom of the hive, and let the 

 bees rear a queen-cell in the upper hive, and when capt move it to 

 a new stand of its own. Minnesota. 



Answers. — 1. If you can tell when it is in condition to swarm, 

 it will be ready to divide. This will be when it is strong in bees, 

 and honey is beginning to come in plentifully. If you will look in 

 the hive you will find a number of queen-cells started. It white 

 clover is one of your chief honey-plants, a colony will be ready to 

 divide about a week after you see the first clover blossoms, pro- 

 viiliiig it is siruiig. You will be tolerably safe to go by the time you 

 hear of the first swarm anywhere in the neighborhood. 



3. There are different ways, and what is best under one set of 

 circumstances may not be best under another. Before thinking of 

 dividing, the most profitable thing you can do is to get u good bee- 

 book and study it thoroly. Then you'll have some basis to 

 work upon and will be ready for emergencies. With no special 

 knowledge, and taking as little work as possible, you may find it 

 your best plan to put in a new hive about one frame less than half 

 the number of frames, taking among them the frame the queen is 

 on, and taking with each frame all the adhering bees, putting this 

 on the old stand and putting the old hive in a new place perhaps 

 ten feet or more away. 



3. There will be no need to cut out queen-cells unless the 

 queenless part is pretty strong. If cut out, it should be about nine 

 or ten days after making the division. Yes, if you have read up 

 in your text-book, you can use the cells to good advantage in mak- 



