358 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



combs with smoke from a bellows 

 smoker, and the remainder brushed 

 off with a feather, or asparagus tops, 

 as they are taken out, and their places 

 filled with empty comb. Others have 

 a similar box for carrying combs, 

 fitted on to a wheelbarrow, and those 

 who extract on a small scale have a 

 tin bucket with a cover, suitable for 

 carrying 5 Langstroth frames. 



A very sharp knife is necessary to 

 remove the cappings so that the comb 

 may be marred as little as possible. 

 Honey can be extracted from combs 

 containing brood, but it is seldom 

 done. If the brood is uncapped, the 

 machine has to be turned gently, or 

 it will be thrown out. We do not 

 want " grub juice "in our honey, so 

 we let these combs alone. It is not 

 necessary to strain the honey unless 

 the operator desires it, though we al- 

 ways do, as all bits of comb rise to the 

 top. 



When white clover honey is extrac- 

 ted neatly and kept by itself, it is one 

 of the purest sweets known. It is one 

 of the best known remedies for coughs 

 and colds— a boon for consumption 

 and persons of weak digestion. When 

 Mrs. L. L. Langstroth was thought to 

 be dying with consumption, she com- 

 menced taking pure honey, a teaspoon- 

 ful at a time, as often as possible. 

 She recovered and lived 10 years, dying 

 of some other disease. •' Eat thou 

 honey, because it is good." 



Peoria, 111. 



For the American Bee Jouixql. 



Bee-Moth, its Depredations. 



THOMAS BALCOlVrB. 



There seems to be a considerable 

 amount unsettled in regard to the 

 theory of the bee-moth. I have no- 

 ticed more than once many conflicting 

 theories ; notwithstanding the " so- 

 called " pest, is but a small enemy to 

 the advanced apiarist, yet it is as well 

 that something more definite should 

 be arrived at. I tind that a vast num- 

 ber entertain the idea that the moth 

 must enter the hive and deposit its 

 eggs over the combs to propagate its 

 species. Others think the moth lays 

 its eggs on and around the alighting 

 board ; and many, with myself, think 

 that the bees unconsciously carry the 

 eggs into the hive, while gathering 

 the pollen from the various plants. 



I find much difference of opinion 

 as to what the moth or worm wholly 

 subsists on. Dr. Ho<vard, in the 

 Texas Bee-Keepers' Convention, said 

 that the so-called bee-moth subsisted 

 " wholly " upon honey comb, as con- 

 structed by the bees ; that comb 

 foundation made from pure wax was 

 not attacked; that comb constructed 

 from such, was only infested for the 

 sake of the additional comb ; he said 

 that Judge Andrews called his atten- 

 tion to this a year ago, in a remark 

 that the moth larvae cannot subsist 

 upon pure beeswax. 



Now, I certainly beg to differ from 

 these gentlemen's views upon the 

 subject ; for I am fully convinced 

 that the moth and its worm do subsist 

 on substances other than beeswax. 



I have noticed that the moth seems 

 more plentiful in the fall of the year, 

 particularly if it has been wet and 

 sultry weather. It does not seem 

 feasible that this super-abundance of 

 the moth could have had their begin- 

 ning inside of a bee hive, and wholly 

 upon " honey comb." I think (and 

 Dr. Howard's statements partly bear 

 me out) that the moth eggs are not 

 only deposited in the cells with the 

 pollen, but the eggs are " worked up " 

 by the bees in manipulating the wax 

 for cell building. That is the reason 

 why the natural comb is more infested 

 by them. 



I presume Judge Andrews had ref- 

 erence to pure beeswax that had been 

 " melted down." when stating that 

 the moth liirva; could not subsist on 

 pure beeswax. But I have more than 

 once found that, to a limited extent, 

 the moth grub will even subsist on 

 pure melted wax. I think the small 

 square I have sent you, Mr. Editor, 

 for examination, is as pure as wax 

 can be, yet you see it is partly eaten 

 up. I have had dark (melted) wax 

 badly eaten when kept with pieces 

 of old comb, and neglected. 



Mr. M. D. Davis, at the same con- 

 vention, asked if these worms could 

 subsist upon bee bread. My experi- 

 ence has been that the worms mostly 

 originate in the pollen. I tind after 

 consuming the pollen, they then at- 

 tack the wax. The piece of comb 

 that I have sent for examination was 

 drawn out. last year, from moulded 

 foundation ; a few bees were reared 

 on one side, as you perceive. This 

 year I put the comb into a hive and 

 the bees commenced putting in pollen 

 where the brood had been ; but, hav- 

 ing to double up some, I took out the 

 comb and put it with some others, in 

 an empty hive, to experiment with, 

 and the result is that in a few days 

 the worms have hatched out in that 

 freshly-deposited pollen, and they are 

 subsisting " wholly " upon that, but 

 will commence on the comb whenever 

 the pollen is consumed. 



Whether the worms, when in hives, 

 attack the bee larvas, I cannot posi- 

 tively say, but I believe that they will 

 even" subsist and thrive on a diet 

 partly of bee larvte. For, last year, I 

 unfortunately had to make some ex- 



Eeriments that were rather costly. I 

 ad let fall into a shapeless mass two 

 frames of solid brood (excepting a 

 little honey and pollen) ; they had just 

 been drawn out on moulded founda- 

 tion. I, therefore, put them into a 

 clean coal-oil can, securely tieing 

 cloths over the top, so that no small 

 insects, much less a bee moth, could 

 enter, but in a few days I could detect 

 the worm, and watched their gradual 

 progress, but in less than two months 

 it was one mass of moth worms and 

 webs. 



Now, in the first place, the combs 

 were quite new and had their first 

 " batch " of brood ; they came from 

 the centre of a strong colony of Ital- 

 ians, where I know that neither moth 

 worm or anything else would be tol- 

 erated, but all was entirely eaten up, 

 and I know, without a doubt, that no 

 moth ever touched those combs. 

 Therefore, I have long ago been 



forced to believe that comb and bees 

 are seldom distroyed by the moth 

 itself entering the hive ; but that the 

 eggs are deposited in the honey and 

 pollen-producing plants and flowers, 

 and are carried in by the bees them- 

 selves. 



Furthermore. I fully believe that 

 the moth will thrive and multiply on 

 substances and in places other than 

 the wax, and the home of the honey- 

 bee. I hope for the benefit of those 

 that are in such dread of the moth 

 worm, that my brother bee-keepers 

 will not let this subject drop, for I 

 think it quite essential tnat we should 

 have a thorough knowledge of the 

 enemies of the honey-bee, as well as 

 of the industrious little fellows them- 

 selves. 



Luling, Texas. 



[The cake of wax and piece of 

 comb mentioned by Mr. Balcomb bear 

 unmistakable evidence of being pure 

 wax, and yet it is infested with the 

 moth and partly eaten up. — Ed.] 



Read before the Texae Convention. 



Different Kaces of Honey Sees. 



W. K. MARSHALL. 



The modern improvements in the 

 management of the honey-bee has led 

 to the inquiry whether the bee itself 

 cannot be improved. Hence, we have 

 been looking after an improved or 

 superior race of bees. 



Everv species of the honey-bee may 

 probably be embraced in two general 

 classes : the yellow and the black bee. 

 The different varieties are probably 

 crosses of these two races. It is gen- 

 erally supposed that there are two 

 varieties of the black bee ; a vicious 

 little fellow, but a good worker, and a 

 large light-colored bee. I have never 

 bean able to see the reason for this 

 distinction, and have thought that 

 the difference was owing to the man- 

 agement and other circumstances. I 

 have foiuul that the larger lighter- 

 .colored bee produced the most honey, 

 even before aided with the modern 

 improvements. I think the black 

 bees are all of the same race, and not 

 much difference in their temper or 

 honey-producing qualities. 



The yellow bee appears to be a dis- 

 tinct species, both from its marking 

 and temperament. It probably origi- 

 nated in Egypt, and spread from 

 there to the Holy Land. The Egyp- 

 tian, and bees from all the surround- 

 ing regions, are so nearly the same in 

 markings and temperament as to 

 point to them as the same race; 

 climate and method of management 

 have made the difference in their 

 habits <and appearance. The Italian 

 bee I consider an importation from 

 the bee of Palestine. Their markings 

 are nearly alike ; their habits and 

 temperment are the result of climate 

 and management. Of all the differ- 

 ent races of bees, already subjected to 

 our improved modes of management,. 

 I consider the Italian the most desir- 

 able. I have found the Holy Land 

 and Cyprian bees prolific and good 



