126 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



Electric Light and Electric Alarm. 



—We have several times illustrated 

 arrangements for electric alarms for 

 tiie apiary. It now striijes us tiiat the 

 new electric apparatus can be made 

 useful in protecting our apiaries. 

 Concerning this new Lighter, the Neiv 

 York Real Estate Chronicle of Dec. 16, 

 1882, remarks as follows : 



At last we can have the electric 

 light where it can do the most good. 

 Tliat is to say we can put it now on 

 our deslis, on our tables, on our man- 

 tel-pieces, anywhere in fact where a 

 clear, bright, sate ligliter is wanted. 

 The portaole electric lighter, patented 

 in 1879 and again in 1882, is now be- 

 fore us, and we look at it with sur- 

 prise and happiness. Surprise, because 

 it is evident how great a progress we 

 have made in the science of electricity; 

 happiness, because it gives us a clear- 

 er, better, more movable light than 

 any we liave ever enjoyed. Here is a 

 lamp, so-called, occupying only the 

 space of tive square inches, which can 

 be carried anywhere, and is besides an 

 ornament. By simply pressing upon 

 the knob to the full extent of the 

 spring (which connects with the bat- 

 tery) an electric current is produced 

 by which the spiral of platinum is 

 heated to incandesence and the light 

 is instantaneous. The material lasts 

 about two months and can then be 

 renewed at a small cost through any 

 chemist. It will not be long before 

 everybody will have a portable electric 

 lighter. The price ($5) is so low tliat 

 it cannot fail to become popular at 

 once. The principal office is at 22 

 Water Street, Boston, Mass. 



(^ Correspondence waiting to be 

 published in the Bee Journal has 

 accumulated so much that we now 

 have on hand all that can be accom- 

 modated for the next three months, 

 and give our usual variety. This week 

 several Convention reports crowd our 

 columns so that we cannot give the 

 usual variety. In one of the Conven- 

 tion reports some one intimates that 

 we encourage Conventions in order to 

 get matter to Hll our paper — Instead of 

 this being true, we are seriously con- 

 sidering the necessity of omitting 

 everything in such reports but the 

 discussions that we may consider of 

 value to our readers. iThe business 

 portion is of but little interest to the 

 general reader. We expect to be 

 obliged to do this, to accommodate the 

 growing interest in apiculture and its 

 scientific unfoldment. 



1^ Those who have written for the 

 Swede are hereby informed that he 

 has gone to live with Mr. II. H. Over- 

 myer, Lindsey, O. 



^g" The California ApicuUurist has 

 been suspended. 



Flax Culture for the Seed and the 

 Fiber, by Mr. II. Koelkenbeck, a flax 

 grower and manufacturer of twenty- 

 five years' experience in Russia, Ger- 

 many, Belgium, Ireland and America, 

 who is tlius remarkably fitted for the 

 preparation of such a work. American 

 flax growers cultivate an area equal to 

 about one-third of allthe'land planted 

 to flax in all other countries, that is, 

 about 1,127,300 acres. The value of 

 the product is only about $7.10 per 

 acre, because of the shameful waste 

 of the fiber. The value of the entire 

 crop is but $8,000,000, while the value 

 of the fiber, from this area, if properly 

 grown and cured, would be over 

 $40,000,000. Mr. Koelenbeck tells us 

 how this valuable crop may be saved, 

 and the flax industry built up in 

 America, by which we may save to 

 home industry over $200,000,000 per 

 year, now paid to other countries for 

 flax products. The pamphlet gives 

 full particulars on cultivation, seed 

 and saving the crop. 



1^" Some are getting impatient on 

 not getting Alley's new book. We are 

 promised a shipment next week. 

 When they are received, all orders 

 sent to this office will be filled at once. 



Tot the American Bee Journal, 



How I Prevent After-Swarms. 



JAIIES HEDDON. 



He who has learned the laws govern- 

 ing the habits of bees, from practice, 

 as well as from theory,not only knows 

 and owns, but feels the facts he has 

 learned. The habit of swarming has 

 been and is still deplored by many bee- 

 keepers, not only on grounds of extra 

 labor of hiving, etc., but as detri- 

 mental to getting the largest yield of 

 surplus honey. 



You will notice, at the same time, 

 that it " is not fair " for Smith to put 

 his yield from one colony and its in- 

 crease, against Brown's report of sur- 

 plus taken from one that did not give 

 any increase. 



This plea was raised In Oleanings 

 when I proposed to pit Mr. Vander- 

 vort's large yield of comb honey from 

 one colony and its three swarms 

 against a lesser yield of honey from 

 Mr. Carroll's one "colony, that did not 

 swarm. Every man who objected, ad- 

 mitted that more surplus honey could 

 be taken with, than without increase. 

 This, I think, is correct, and just 

 what I tried to show, some 8 or 10 

 years ago, but was then considered a 



little too " fresh." Too much inclined 

 to opposing the majority. 



It is a fact, that the discovery of a 

 practical, efficient method of control- 

 ing increase, would be a great boon to 

 the keeper of many apiaries. As far 

 as I know, no such system is known. 

 I will proceed to give you a plain, 

 simple method that I have used suc- 

 cessfully for the prevention of after- 

 swarms. Let us suppose that colony 

 No. 14 swarms June 14. With a non- 

 erasive crayon we mark upon the hive 

 O, June 14, and on the hive in which 

 we put the swarm, S, June 14. Thus, 

 we distinguish the old colony from the 

 swarm at a; glance, as we make these 

 marks in large figures. When we 

 hive the swarm (always on full sheets 

 of wired foundation), we place itclose 

 on the north side (our hives front the 

 east) of the old colony, with the en- 

 trance turned northward, away from 

 the old colony, about 45°. As soon as 

 the swarm is well at work, having 

 their location well marked (say two 

 days), we turn the hive around parallel 

 with the old colony. Now both hives 

 face east, sitting side by side, and 

 close together. Sometimes, however, 

 being governed according to the size 

 of tlie swarm, as compared to the 

 number of bees left in the parent col- 

 ony, we place the newly-hived swarm 

 on the old stand, putting the old colony 

 through the process above described. 

 In fact, we do this most of the time. 

 Now, you will remember, that while 

 each colony recognizes its individual 

 house, they are, at the same time, as 

 regards all other colonies in the yard, 

 practically in one location, or on one 

 stand. 



Now, the dates on the back ends of 

 the hives plainly indicate that second 

 swarming will take place in about 8 

 days. In about 6 or 7 days (according 

 to season or weather) after this date 

 on the hives,we remove the old colony 

 to a new location. 



As we do this at such time a-day 

 as most bees are in the field, this de- 

 populates the old colony, giving the 

 force to the new, leaving too few bees 

 for the young misses to divide, and as 

 they at once recognize this fact, they 

 fight it out on the Tine of the " survival 

 of the fittest." It may be proper, just 

 here, to say a few words regarding 

 how we manipulate the surplus de- 

 partments of these two hives, as it 

 may have sometliing to do with the 

 object in view. Let us suppose that, 

 at the time of swarming, that the old 

 colony was working in three 28 one- 

 pound section cases. Suppose the upper 

 one to be ,?4 completed, the middle one 

 about }i, the lower one just started. 

 We win put two (which two, only the 

 minor circumstances in the case can 

 decide) on the swarm when first hived, 

 leaving one, and, sometimes, we get 

 another to put with it, on the old hive. 

 Perhaps this surplus room on the old 

 colony also has a tendency to prevent 

 swarming. 



I fancy I hear some one say, "What ! 

 all this surplus room over a swarm 

 just hived ?" 



Yes, you see, but this article is not 

 on how to produce comb honey, but 

 the prevention of after-swarms, and 

 while we think the success of the 



