THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



:'83 



are as perfect to-day as ever. About 

 half of my liives use tlie Liingstrotli 

 frame, but 1 prefer a frame IS inches 

 long by 9 deep; the top of tlie hive 

 will take tlie Langstroth rack, frames 

 above, in false ends. To save my per- 

 fect surplus combs, I have a box, no 

 top or bottom, % of one side, witli 

 hinges and a bottom, a loose top. with 

 6 square holes to take the upper story 

 of the hive. The frames hang on 

 false ends i^ '"cli apart; when full, 

 lay empty burlap sacks on top, and 

 cover on them. Burn sulphur often 

 enougli to kill the moths. I have 

 used tins method several years, and 

 save the combs. Imperfect combs 

 make into wax. J. D. Enas. 



Napa, Cal. 



What Hire to Use.— 1. What is the 

 simplest and easiest hive to make and 

 handle for a beginner V 2. Can you 

 give me the dimensions of such a hive, 

 and size of the frames ? 3. What kind 

 and size sections to use in said frames? 

 4. Must the inside of frames and sec- 

 tions be dressed V 5. What is the 

 best prevention against bee moths? 

 I am ranching in Western Texas, and 

 every farmer and stockman has from 

 two to a dozen colonies, but their ig- 

 norance of everything pertaining to 

 the bee is truly sublime, tlierefore 1 

 hope you will answer the above ques- 

 tions in the next issue of the Bee 

 Journal. Lynn B. Ladd. 



Medina, Tex. 



[1. Any of the standard hives are 

 simple and easy to handle— either the 

 Langstroth, American or Gallup. 



2. Langstroth liive is ISJg inclies 

 long, by 14 wide and fl}^ deep, inside 

 measure. Frames are 11% by 9i-8, 

 outside measure. Top-bar 19J^ inches 

 long. 



3. The brood frames hold 8 sections 

 each, 414x414 inches, called one-pound 

 sections. Tliis hive is also used with 

 a 7- inch cap or cover, and will accom- 

 modate 18 two-pound boxes, b}i\%}i 

 outside. The standard Langstroth con- 

 tains 10 brood frames, or 7 section 

 cases. 



4. Sections should be, but it is not 

 necessary for the brood frames. 



.5. Italian bees. If you have black 

 bees, moths will not trouble so much 

 if colonies are kept strong. — Ed.] 



First Experience with Italian Bees. 



— I have kept bees for several years, 

 and never had very good success 

 with them till I was in Toronto, at 

 the exhibition, and by chance came 

 across Mr. Jones, of Beeton, Out., 

 and liad a short converssation with 

 him. The next spring I purchased 

 one of him. The next spring I pur- 

 chased one of his movable comb hives 

 for a pattern, made new hives and 

 transferred my bees into them. I 

 purchased "Cook's Manual," and 

 made myself acquainted with the 

 management of bees. I then became 

 anxious to get Italians, and bought 8 

 queens at $1 each ; 4 of them died, 



the remaining 4 have done very well. I 

 then purcliased 2 more at $2.50 each. 

 One was dead when received, and tlie 

 other died 2 hours after introduction. 

 But I was not discouraged, and pur- 

 chased 6 more queens which all did 

 well, and a healthier lot of bees than 

 they are I think would be hard to tind. 

 My bees have wintered well. I win- 

 tered in three different styles, and 

 may give my methods in the Bee 

 Journal at some future time. 

 Stirton, Out. J. H.'V.mbly. 



Queenless Colonies.— After unpack- 

 ing my bees I tind two colonies are 

 queeniess, both blacks. One had 

 drones hatched, more capped, and 

 some not capped, but not a sign of 

 worker brood. The drone brood was 

 confined to the drone comb, a patch 

 about 4 by (> inches, being all the 

 drone comb there is in the hive. I 

 gave them a frame of worker and 

 drone brood from another hive, but 

 they are starting no queen cells. I 

 have been in the bee business some 

 time, but never had anything happen 

 like it. What is the matter ? 



Bryan, O. H. IIance. 



[There are two solutions of the 

 enigma : 1st. The queen may have 

 been old or been injured in some man- 

 ner, becoming a drone laying queen, 

 and killed or died quite recently ; 

 2nd. The queen may have been 

 lost some time ago, and a fertile 

 worker developed. The fact of the 

 drone brood all being in a small piece 

 of drone comb, would indicate that 

 the former hypothesis is correct ; 

 while their failure to start queen cells 

 would disprove it, as a fertile worker 

 will deposit her eggs anywhere. How- 

 ever, you can easily determine the 

 matter. Remove the frame with the 

 drone brood, also that which you gave 

 them ; then, if you knoiu they have no 

 queen, and eggs continue to be depos- 

 ited, it is proof positive of the pres- 

 ence of a fertile worker. — Ed.] 



Dreary Outlook. — More snow and 

 ground "frozen quite hard here this 

 morning, with a cold northwest wind. 

 Bees have gathered no pollen as yet ; 

 and do not seem as strong as they did 

 a week ago. I do not know but I 

 shouted " bees in good condition " too 

 soon, for if this weather holds on long 

 it will be hard on their rapidly de- 

 creasing numbers. 



Borodino, N. Y., April 22, 1882. 



Later :— Our cold weather still con- 

 tinues, and as I write the mercury 

 stands at IS-, and the ground is frozen 

 so it fairly rings as you walk over it. 

 Bees are clustered as close as in 

 winter, and with the exception of 

 winter wheat, our fields look as bare 

 as they did in February. If it does 

 not warm uj) soon, some of my weaker 

 colonies must perish. 



G. M. DOOLITTLE. 



Borodino, N. Y., April 25, 1882. 



Stray Swarm.— I would like to know 

 what you think of the simplicity hive 

 used on the Langstroth fm- making a 

 second story, that is, those bevel 

 edges like A. I. Hoot uses 'i Are they 

 better than the Langstroth. that has 

 the top to slide over the bottom hive ? 

 Do you think they will warp much 

 and crack, so that ants, roaches and 

 moths will get in ? Those insects are 

 harbored around my hives too much. 

 Do you advise metal bearings for 

 frames V Poplar and white clover 

 are in bloom, and bees are gathering 

 honey. I caught a runaway swarm 

 to-day. R. H. C. Mitchell. 



Humboldt, Tenn., April 21, 1882. 



[The simplicity hive is virtually a 

 Langstroth, and ought not warp much 

 if properly tuade and painted. The 

 bevel joint between would be a sub- 

 stitute for the square rabbet, and 

 equally good for those who prefer 

 that kind. We do not admire metal 

 bearings for frames ; but can highly 

 recommend metal rabbets inside the 

 hives for the frames to hang upon. 

 —Ed.] 



Cold in Massachusetts. — Weather 

 has been very cold here for 10 days. 

 Ice has made % inch thick for several 

 nights. Very "unfavorable for bees 

 and queen-rearing. Early queens 

 reared in New England will be rather 

 expensive to the one who rears them. 

 Some bee-keepers will expect to buy 

 them for $1, notwithstanding the fact 

 that they will cost $2. H. Alley. 



Wenham, Mass., April 25, 1882. 



CLUBBING LIST. 



Weaupply the Weekly American Ifiee tjonr- 



nal and any of the following periodicals, one year, 



at the prices quoted in the last column of figures. 



The first column gives the regular price of both 



All postage is prepaid by the publishers. 



Publishers' Price. Club. 



The Weekly Bee Journal $2 00. . 



and Gleanings inBee-Culturef A. I. Root) 3 00. . 2 75 

 Bee-Keepers' Magazine (A.J.King). 3 00.. 2 60 

 Bee-Keepers'Instruetor( W.Thomas) 2 50.. 2 35 



The 4 above-named papers 4 50.. 4 00 



Bee~Keeper8'K.-<ch'nKe(Houk &Peet) 3 00. . 2 80 



Bee-Keepers' Guide (A.G.Uill) 2 50.. 2 33 



Kansas Bee-Keeper 2 60.. 2 40 



The 7 above-named papers 6 30. . 5 50 



The Weekly Bee Journal one year and 



Prof. Conk's ManuaK bound in cloth) 3 25.. 3 00 

 Bees and Honey, (T.U.Newman) " 2 75.. 2 50 



Binder for Weekly, 1881 2 85.. 2 75 



Binderfor Weekly for 1882 2 75.. 2 60 



Preniinnis.— Those who get up clubs 

 for the Weekly Bee Journal for 

 1882, will be entitled to the following 

 premiums. Their own subscription 

 may count in the club : 



For a Club of 2,— a copy of " Bees and Honey." 

 " " :J,— an Emerson Binder for 1882. 



" " 4, —Apiary Register for 50 ColonieB. 



or Cook's (Bee) Manual, paper. 

 5,— " " cloth. 



" " ©,— Weekly Bee Journal for 1 year, 



or Apiary Register for 2(X) Col's. 



Or they may deduct 10 per cent in cash 

 for their labor in getting up the club. 



8^ When changing a postoffice ad- 

 dress, mention the old as well as the 

 new address. 



