1903 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



835 



paratively few bees for the brood they are 

 covering-, and the queen very larg-e from her 

 prolific eg-g-laying-, using the time from 9 

 A. M. to 3 p. M. to look for the queen, this 

 being" a time still more favorable on account 

 of a large share of the few bees of the colo- 

 nj' being out at work, it will be a rare 

 thing that any queen is not found on the 

 first effort, and almost immediately, even 

 bj' the novice." 



"Another new thought to me. But tell 

 me more about how you do it." 



" I take along a light empty box of the 

 same dimensions as the hive, and, after 

 smoking the bees as little as possible to 

 keep them from stinging, if they are of the 

 cross kind (manj' colonies need no smoke at 

 all at this time of the 3'ear), I carefully 

 lift the first comb, and as it comes from the 

 hive glance at it to see if there is brood in 

 it, for it is generally useless to look for any 

 queen at this time of the year on combs hav- 

 ing no brood in them, if the queen has not 

 been stampeded bj* careless operations. As 

 soon as I find brood I look closely for the 

 queen, first glancing down the side of the 

 comb next to the one I am lifting from the 

 hive, and next on the opposite side of the 

 one I hold in my hands, holding the comb a 

 little obliquely as I look, for the side of any 

 queen gives a better view than when look- 

 ing straight on her back. While you are 

 looking for the queen on the frame that is 

 in j-our hand, should she have been on the 

 side of the comb next to j^ou, and you failed 

 to see her, she would immediately pass 

 around to the dark side of the comb, so it is 

 generally useless to look for her on the side 

 of the comb next to you, after 3'ou have it in 

 your hand. As the combs are taken from 

 the hive, set them in the box, so that, should 

 3-ou not find her the first time over, you will 

 have the same chance of seeing her in set- 

 ting them back into the hive again that you 

 did at first. In this way, after a little 

 practice, you will have little or no trouble 

 in finding any queen, even should it be a 

 black or German queen. 



" I think I understand that part now. 

 The next thing is how to clip, and I must 

 be going, as I have already stayed longer 

 than I intended." 



"Having found her I take her by the 

 wings with the thumb and fore finger of my 

 left hand, when, with my right, I place the 

 sharp blade of my jack-knife on the part of 

 the wings I hold in my left, lowering both 

 hands to within an inch or so of the tops of 

 the frames, when I draw the blade just a 

 little, thus severing the wings, when the 

 queen runs down into the hive the same as 

 if nothing had happened." 



" I thank you very much for your patience 

 in so minutely explaining this to me. But 

 one question more. Is there not danger of 

 cutting the fingers? " 



"No, not if you stop drawing the knife 

 as soon as the queen falls, and place it 

 squarely on the wings when starting. Some 

 use scissors, and they are very good; but 

 after using all plans recommended, I like 



the knife the best, and it has the advantage 

 in that every one carries a knife which is 

 always on hand at any time you may chance 

 to find a laying queen that is not clipped." 



A REPORT of the National convention will 

 be found in the department of Our Homes 

 in this issue. 



The new California commercial organi- 

 zation is booming. It has a lot of good men 

 back of it, and deserves success. 



FORMALDEHYDE FAILING TO CURE. 



We are getting more unfavorable reports 

 regarding the use of formaldehyde for dis- 

 infecting foul-broody brood-combs. In one 

 instance a good fumigation did not kill the 

 3'oung brood sealed in the cells; and if this 

 is the case we certainly can not reach the 

 diseased germs in sealed cells. Until we 

 know more about it, it is not best to rely 

 on the treatment any more than to fumigate 

 empty combs. 



PHOTOGRAPHS FOR HALF-TONES. 



A SHORT time ago I said something about 

 the need of having clear, clean-cut photos 

 for half-tone work, and regretted that so 

 many that did come to our office were in- 

 ferior and had to be discarded. Mr. W. Z. 

 Hutchinson makes the best photos I know 

 of in all beedom. Indeed, I doubt whether 

 any photographer in the United States can 

 do any better work. The Electric City En- 

 graving Co., of Bufi"alo, one of the largest 

 houses in the United States that does en- 

 graving work, wrote Mr. Hutchinson a 

 short time ago, stating that they considered 

 his photos among the best that they received 

 from their various customers, and asking 

 him what he considered the best paper and 

 the best tone for half-tone work. In reply 

 Mr. H. wrote as follows, under date of 

 Sept. 3: 



Electric City Engraving Co., Buffalo, N. Y,: — 



Upon my return from the INational convention at 

 1,0s Angeles. I find your inquiry of Aug 11, asking 

 about the paper that I used in printing the photos that 

 I send for reproduction. It is Kloro, and in toning I 

 am careful not to carry it too far in the gold bath — 

 thus leaving that rich, reddish-brown color. The 

 glossy surface is secured by squilgeeing the print, 

 while wet, upou the surface of a ferrotype plate, and 

 allowing it to dry there. When dry it will come off it- 

 self, and will have the beautiful glossy surface that re- 

 flects so perfectly every ray of light that strikes it, 

 thus aiding you in bringing out every last bit of detail. 

 Flint, Mich., Sept. 3. W. Z. Hutchinson. 



As others may be making pictures oc- 

 casionally for Gleanings, the hints given 

 will be of value. 



