350 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



May SO, 



field-bees In the new swarm to keep it stroni;, /or it is from 

 these new swarms that comes 80 per cent, of the white honey 

 crop. 



" I can get more white honey by hiving these new swarms 

 in hives with only starters of comb foundation in the brood- 

 framns. In theory I do not intend to winter these colonies, 

 but to work them for all the surplus they can he forced to pro- 

 duce, then unite them in the fall with the parent colonies 



This I do by setting the prime swarm on top of the 



parent colony witli a queen-excluding honey-board between 

 them, having first removed the old queen. If the new swarm 

 Is very populous, I will set the two together without the honey- 

 board and winter them in the two-story hive ; in fact, this 

 may be the best in all cases where the colonies are very strong 

 in bees." 



DRONES AND SWARMING. 



Says Doolittle in Gleanings: "There are a few bee- 

 keepers who argue that, if all drones and drone-comb are kept 

 out of the hive it would be, to some extent, a preventive of 

 swarming ; but with me I have failed to see that this matter 

 of drones has had anything to do with the matter of swarming 

 whatever ; for I have several times had hybrid colonies in my 

 apiary, from which I have taken all drone-combs, and not 

 allowed them to rear drones, because I did not want my young 

 queens to meet such drones ; yet, so far as I could see, these 

 colonies swarmed as promptly as did those having drones. 

 From my experience in the past I would say tha't it is not 

 practical to try to keep all drone-comb out of any hive, but, 

 rather, have ju.st o?!(; frame in each and every hive, haviug 

 from six to twelve square inches of drone-comb in it, and have 

 such comb stand in a certain place in each hive, so that the 

 apiarist may know just where it is ; then every 20 days open 

 the hives from which it is desired that no drones shall fly, and 

 decapitate them, thus making a sure thing of the matter, and 

 fully satisfying the bees. 



TWO-STOKT BROOD-CHAMBERS. 



F. L. Thompson, in his interesting "Notes from Foreign 

 Journals" in Review, says: Dr. Metelli (speaking of the idea 

 that some bee-keepers have, that one story of deep frames for 

 the brood-chamber of the Berlepsch hive is preferable to two 

 stories of small ones) says it is wholly theoretical to suppose 

 that two bars and a bee-space are an obstacle either to the 

 queen or the bees, and not borne out by practice ; and calls 

 attention to the way in which the bees work in separatored 

 section supers, which are perfect labyrinths. 



MAKING DOVETAILED HIVES. 



Rambler reports in Gleanings a new kink in putting to- 

 gether dovetailed hives, as practiced by P. J. Morely. A piece 

 of tin bent at right angles, long enough and wide enough to 

 cover the ends of the dovetails, is securely nailed to the 

 corners of the hive. There was no chance for sun and rain to 

 get in their warping effects. 



CONDUCTED BV 



Kev-. Emerson T. Abbott, St. Josepb, Afo. 



How to Xell Robbers.—" In what way can we dis- 

 tinguish robber bees?" President Abbott replied, 'Watch 

 and see if they bring out any honey.' Our experience in bee- 

 keeping does nut fit that reply at all, which we think of no 

 value to the beginner because he could not tell whether bees 

 came out loaded or not. We think we can give a much better 

 answer." — Heddon. 



I think there must be some mistake about this answer, for 

 I do not believe I ever gave it ; but possibly I did, and for the 

 sake of not leaving it in the world without a father, I will be- 

 come responsible for it. Before we discuss the subject any 

 further, let me put the " much better (?) answer " beside this 

 one, that they may be readily compared and both stand on 

 their merits : " Robber bees may be readily distinguished by 

 their cautious, flitting, dodging, sneaking, guarded movement 

 (sic) as they hover about the entrance in fear and doubt about 

 the advisability of entering. Their legs seem to hang down 

 like a blue heron's in flying to and from the nest." This 

 answer reminds me of a criticism I once heard a friend make 

 on a sermon. He said : "It had a diarrbea of words and a 

 constipation of ideas," and Mr. II. 's answer seems to be 

 troubled in the same way. 



Now, how is a beginner to tell how a blue heron's legs 



hang, if, like myself, he is not sure of ever having seen one ? 

 Then the bees' legs do not hang like the heron's, but setire to 

 hang in that way, so the matter becomes still more compli- 

 cated, even though the unfortunate beginner has been so 

 favored as to be conversant with all the movements of the 

 "blue heron." But to be serious, it seems to me that a be- 

 ginner should recognize a bee filled with honey about as 

 quickly as he would that "cautious, flitting, dodging, sneak- 

 ing, guarded movement " which makes up so much of the 

 " better answer." I know there are some things connected 

 with the successful handling of bees which cannot be ex- 

 plained by word of mouth or on paper. They must be learned 

 by actual experience, or by what they call " practicums " at 

 the Pennsylvania Agricultural College. After one has had a 

 real, practical demonstration of robbing, I do not think he 

 will ever be troubled any more to know just when it is going 

 on. 



But why have any robbing at all ? It is always an in- 

 dication of bad management. The best cure for robbing is 

 prevention, which means neatness and despatch in all work 

 about the apiary, keeping a sharp eye on every colony to know 

 its exact condition. But in our hurry we will sometimes neg- 

 lect things, and almost before we are aware of it we will have 

 a bad case of robbing on hand. At such times I have not 

 found anything better than a good hand spray pump. Put a 

 little carbolic acid in some hot water and mix it thoroughly. 

 Put this mixture in a pail of cold water and give the hives and 

 bees a good sprinkling, and it will generally put a stop to the 

 robbing for the time being. 



A pane of glass set so it will lean against the front of the 

 hive which is being robbed is also of great benefit, as it con- 

 fuses the robbers and prevents them from finding their way 

 into the hive. I saw this in some of the journals several years 

 ago, but do not know to whom the idea Ijelongs. All of these 

 things are of more or less benefit, but in the hour of an emer- 

 gency a bee-keeper is compelled to depend largely upon his 

 own inventive genius. If he has none of this element in his 

 make-up, he is apt to go to the wall. If he is a born bee- 

 keeper, he is bound to succeed, even though he has but meager 

 information on the subject. 



If I were giving advice to a beginner as to how to manage 

 an apiary I would say, read all you can on the subject, and 

 then when the time comes to act, use the dictates of your own 

 best judgment, as it is very hard to give instruction which 

 will apply to all cases. 



Pears Self-Impotent.—" Not one single Bartlett 

 flowerhad set fruit when pollinated with Bartlett pollen, no 

 matter what the source." — Bulletin No. 5, Department of 

 Agriculture. 



This is quoted from an exceedingly valuable Bulletin 

 which can be had for the asking, by addressing the Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture, Washington, D. C, and calling for 

 Bulletin No. 5, on the Pollination of Pear Flowers. Every 

 bee-keeper should read it, as it sets forth clearly and conclu- 

 sively the importauco of the bee in securing a perfect pear 

 crop, and in some cases any pear crop at all. I might quote 

 at length and offer comments, but I much prefer that all who 

 are interested send and get a copy of the pamphlet and read 

 for themselves. I think the bee-keepers of the country owe 

 "special agent" Waite a vote of thanks for producing such g, 

 valuable addition to the literature of this important subject. 



■Weighing Bees. — "Try the spring balance." — 

 Gleaner. 



Why try either ? What use does any ordinary bee-keeper 

 have for a device for weighing bees, anyway? One cannot 

 tell the location of the stores by any method of weighing ; 

 and, if the honey is not in the right place in the hive, it may 

 just as well be in the moon so far as doing the bees any good 

 during a long, cold spell. Do not weigh the colonies with any 

 kind of scales, but examine them with your eyes and heft 

 them with your linncls. An experienced bee-keeper will know 

 at a glance if the conditions are favorable. There is not 

 money enough in bees to spend any time at such useless work 

 as weighing hives. This is all well enough at the experiment 

 stations, but the ordinary mortal who expects to make money 

 out of bees must learn to take a shorter cut than this. 



Xliat l\e\v Song' — "Queenie Jeanette" — which is being 

 sung everywhere, we can send you for 40 cents, postpaid, or club 

 it with the American Bee Journal for cue year — both for only 

 $1.10. Or, send us one new subscriber for a year (with $L. 00), and 

 we will mail you a copy of the song free. 



