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THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



Feb. 21, 



may steal honey, but if my bees get to stealing eggs from 

 other bees, I'll sell them, for I know they would " kick," and 

 not store any honey for me. 



Jennie Atchley — No, there are no such bees, and 

 never will be, as that would be a plain case of the keenest of 

 reason, and any of us know better. 



E. J. Atchley— No, bees do not steal eggs, in my opinion, 

 as that would place them alongside of human beings possessed 

 with reason, and we know better. 



PBKVKNTING PROPOLIS ON THE TOP-BAES. 



Question No. 6. — What device can be used to keep bees 

 from sticking propolis on the top-bars of the brood-frames ? 



Mr. Graham — I don't know. 



Mr. Victor — I don't know, either. 



Dr. Marshall — I find that any poison, or anything that 

 will keep the bees from using propolis, will be an injury to 

 the bees. 



At this moment Mr. 0. H. Stevens, of South Dakota, came 

 in and gave his report as follows : Spring count, 28 colonies, 

 increased 28, and took 600 pounds of comb honey. He fed 

 500 pounds of sugar to get his bees in good condition to 

 gather the flow. 



Then the discussion of questions went on as follows : 



Mrs. Atchley — I don't know what can be used to keep 

 propolis off the frames. 



Mr. Atchley — I don't know. 



Willie Atchley — Some think that to allow a good-sized 

 hee-space will cause bees to use less propolis, but I find that 

 bees will build comb in the space if too large, which is worse 

 than propolis. 



FOUR ANNUAL NORTH AMERICAN CONVENTIONS. 



Question No. 7. — Would it not be better for apiculture to 

 have four North American conventions each year, to be held 

 at different points, only so all could go ? 



Dr. Marshall — Traveling expenses are in the way, and I 

 do not think it would be a success. 



Mr. Lockhart — It might be a good idea for each local con- 

 vention to send an invitation to the North American Bee- 

 Keepers' Association to visit the South, and see if it could not 

 be induced to come nearer. Then we would get to see and 

 hear foreign bee-keepers. 



Mr. Flornoy — I do not think that is what we need. I 

 think we need a south Texas convention, as what those people 

 living in the North have to talk about mostly is how to winter 

 bees, bee-cellars, etc., and that would not do us any good, and 

 still it is one of the all-important questions in the North. I 

 will ask that Mr. and Mrs. Atchley agitate this, and see if we 

 cannot get a south Texas convention. 



Dr. Marshall — We have a Texas State Bee-Keepers' As- 

 sociation, and it meets annually, and our meetings are not at- 

 tended as they ought to be. I think we should use some plans 

 that will induce bee-keepers to attend, and when we meet and 

 talk over our experiences, etc., we go home enthused, stimu- 

 lated and ready to take right hold and push the bees, and I 

 tell you we need bee-keepers to attend our meetings, and then 

 we have more chance to elevate the pursuit. 



CUKE FOR BEEl'ABALTSIS. 



Question No. 8. — Have you discovered the cause of bee- 

 paralysis, or a cure for it ? 



Mr. Graham — I have no experience. 



Mr. Lord — I do not know of the disease. 



Dr. Marshall — I do not think there is much of this disease 

 in Texas, as I do not run across any. I do not know of a cure, 

 nor the cause. 



Willie Atchley — I do not know any remedy, nor the cause. 



C. Theilmanu — I have had it in my bee-yard, and have 

 experimented with it. I tried salt and water, exchanged 

 • queens, and neither did any good. Also sulphur, and the dis- 

 ease went away, but I don't think the doctoring did any good. 

 It hurts the bees to use too much sulphur. 



Mr. Flornoy — This is a new thing to me. How does it 

 affect the bees ? 



Mr. Theilmann — At first we see some bees on the alight- 

 ing-boards that seem to be shaking, or act as if they had a 

 chill ; and some bloat up and die, and you will see from a 

 spoonful to a pint of dead bees in front of the hives of the 

 diseased colonies. With prolific queens they seem to keep up 

 until good, warm weather, and honey comes in, then they 

 seem to get all right. 



Mr. Bankston — I have had some experience, and tried 

 sulphur, and I killed my bees outright. I do not know whether 

 the sulphur or disease killed them, 



(Continued next week.) 



CONDUCTED BY 



DTt. C. C. AIILLBR, MARElfGO, ILL. 



[Questions may be mailed to the Bee Journal, or to Dr. Miller direct.} 



Comb Honey or Extracted ? — Snow at Hive-Entrances. 



1. At the present prices, which is the most profitable, 

 comb honey or extracted ? 



2. Is it needful to keep the entrances of hives clear of 

 snow ? It sometimes disturbs the bees to clear the snow away. 



Sherwood, N. Y. S. B. H. 



Answers. — 1. That depends altogether upon circum- 

 stances. For some, comb honey is more profitable ; for 

 others, extracted. 



2. A light snow covering the entrances will do no hurt, 

 and sometimes will do good by keeping out the cold wind. If 

 the snow melts and clogs the entrance, it's best to clear it 

 away, for if it freezes in that shape, it may prevent the proper 

 entrance of air. 



Probably Troubled with Mice. 



I still have 10 colonies of bees on the summer stands, 

 with corn fodder around them. I have 2 colonies that there 

 is something the matter with. All the bees that fall down to 

 the bottom of the hive have their heads cut off. What is the 

 matter with them ? The rest are all right. 



We are having cold weather now — it is snowing to-day. 



Perrysburg, Ohio, Jan. 23. W. M. D. 



Answer. — Likely mice are troubling. Get some coarse 

 wire-cloth, with three meshes to the inch, and put at the en- 

 trance. This will keep out the mice, but not prevent the pas- 

 sage of the bees. If in doing this you shut the mice in the 

 hive, of course that will not be a perfect cure, but if mice are 

 plenty it will be a good thing to thus close the entrance, even 

 if a mouse should be fastened in. Better have one mouse 

 fastened in to do its worst — and it probably will do no worse 

 for being fastened in — than to have a dozen with the full run 

 of the hive. 



Bees Flying in Winter — Feeding — Hoffman Frames. 



I began with one colony of bees in the spring of 1893, 

 and now have 4 in seemingly good condition. They are 

 packed in single-walled hives on the summer stands. When 

 the ground is all covered with snow, aud the sun comes out 

 warm and bright, they come out, gel chilled, I suppose, fall 

 on the snow, aud perish. A few days ago, I could see dead 

 bees for several yards from the hives. I have put wire 

 screens in front to prevent them from coming out, but I find 

 several dead on the screens — especially those facing south. 

 Now, I should like to know if they ought to have their way, 

 and be permitted to fly out whenever they " think " it warm 

 enough. (I am from Louisiana, and have lived in Indiana 

 barely three years.) 



1. Ought I to put up those screens? Last winter was so 

 mild that I had no trouble of this kind. 



2. When should I begin feeding in order to put the queen 

 to work increasing bees for honey-gathering, and how long 

 should I continue to feed ? 



3. A design increasing my stock — gradually — to 50 col- 

 onies. I want to adopt the most suitable hive with necessary 

 appliances for comb and for extracted honey^a hive fit for 

 out-door wintering. I want the best brood-frames. I have 

 the Hoffman frame, but think there may be one less objec- 

 tionable. I want your advice about hives, frames, etc. 



Groves, Ind., Feb. 4. W. J. D. 



Answer. — 1. I think this is one of those cases in which 

 you would better let the bees have their own way. If a bee 

 in good health wants to get out when the sun shines, it isn't 

 likely to be injured by it. Whether it's a good thing for it or 

 not, if it finds itself penned in it will be all the more deter- 

 mined to get out, and it will not be satisfied with trying to get 

 out itself, but it will stir up a lot more to waut to get out. A 

 good many bees, however, that want to get out on fine days 

 are not possessed of rugged health, but such as have finished 

 their lease of life, and ask nothing but to get out of the hive 

 to die. They'll die whether they get out or not, and it is 



