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THE AMERICAN BEE JOURMAL 



AVltb Replies thereto. 



[It iB quite useless to ask for answers to 

 Queries in this Department in less time 

 than one month. They have to wait their 

 turn, be put in type, and sent in about a 

 dozen at a time to each of those who answer 

 them ; get them returned, and then find 

 (pace for them in the JonRNAt,. If you are 

 In a "hurry" for replies, do not ask for 

 them to be inserted here.— Ed.T 



Space lielof Brood-Franies. 



Query 439.— 1. My brood-chamber takes 

 the Langstroth frame, but has a stationary bottom- 

 board. Will the bees build brace-combs between 

 the bottom-bars of the f ranges and the bottom of 

 the hive, if as much as 9i-inch space is given ? 2, 

 Would such a space be an advantage or detriment, 

 or neither ?— J . L.. Vermont. 



1. They would do so. 2. It would 

 be a detriment.— J. P. H. Brown. 



1. I think not. 2. In winter it would 

 be an advantage.— C. C. Miller. 



1. If they are crowded for room, 

 they will, but not otherwise. 2. The 

 space is not detrimental. — Dadant & 

 Son. 



1. jSfo, I think not. 2. In wintering 

 the space would be quite an advan- 

 tage, I believe.— A. J. Cook. 



1. Sometimes they might do so. 2. 

 I should prefer a %-inch space.— G. 



M. DOOLITTLE. 



1. They will build comb in a %-inch 

 space if they have not room above. 2. 

 Three-eighths inch space is plenty.— 

 H. D. Cutting. 



1. No, not if they are properly 

 handled during the surplus season. 2. 

 It would be both, and perhaps when 

 balanced, neither.— James Heddon. 



1. I have not had comb built be- 

 tween the bottom-bars of the frames 

 and bottom-board, except when crowd- 

 ed for room ; then all available space 

 is filled. 2. I think a M-iiich space is 

 more than is necessary, but no great 

 detriment.— G. L. Tinker. 



1. They will certainly be apt to do 

 so unless care is taken to give ample 

 frame room. 2. I should consider 

 such a space a detriment during the 

 honey-flow, but I should consider it 

 an advantage at other times, and es- 

 pecially during the winter, or when 

 bees are to be confined in the hive. — 

 J. E. Pond. 



1. I have never known bees to build 

 brace-combs under the frames at the 

 bottom of the hives, but I rarely ever 

 allow more than J^-inch space under 

 the frames, and I think this is about 

 right. Bees will frequently build 

 " stumps " of propolis under the 

 frames. 2. I think ^i of an inch 

 greater than necessary, but it will do 

 no harm after the bees get used to it. 

 Thirty or more years ago I used hang- 

 ing bottom-boards to my box-hives, 

 and I noticed that when I first let 

 them down in the spring to give more 

 ventilation, it bothered the bees 

 seriously until they got used to it.— 

 G. W. Demaree. 



1. They will not build brace-combs 

 between the bottom-bars and bottom- 

 board, even if the space is i?4 of an 

 inch ; but they will build little knobs 

 of wax or propolis upon which to 

 climb to reach the frames. 2. I do not 

 know that it would be an advantage 

 or a detriment in the summer. In the 

 winter I like to have the hive raised 

 an inch or two, but I prefer to put a 

 rim under during the winter.— W. Z. 

 Hutchinson. 



1. Brace-combs at the bottom of the 

 frames would be rarely built, unless 

 the bees were much crowded for 

 room. 2. Such a space might be ad- 

 vantageous in winter, and not partic- 

 ularly detrimental in summer ; but % 

 of an inch would be preferable.— The 

 Editor. 



KeeiiiDE Bees on Stares. 



Query 440.— Suppose I rent one or more 

 colonies of bees, I to do all the work, furnish the 

 hives, sections, etc.— what share ought I to have 

 when we divide the profits ?— W. C, Mich. 



Three-filths.— Dadant & Son. 



Two-th!rds.— H. D. Cutting. 



Seventy-five per cent. J. P. H. 



Brown. 



Two-thirds the honey, and one-half 

 the increase.— G. M. Doolittle. 



Two-thirds or more. Much depends 

 upon circumstances peculiar to the 

 case.— James Heddon. 



Let the other man furnish every- 

 thing, or else pay you for it, then 

 divide the surplus honey equally ; the 

 man owning the bees to have the 

 increase.— W. Z. Hutchinson. 



At least one-half, and I think two- 

 thirds. Usually one-half is given 

 where one does the work and the 

 other owns the bees, and each shares 

 equally the expense.— A. J. Cook. 



According to my judgment two- 

 thirds of the profits, including in- 

 crease. But if you have the means to 

 commence with, I would prefer to 

 buy the bees and have all the profits. 

 If not, of course take the bees and 

 get a start by working it out. Work 

 and patience guided by intelligence is 

 the polar star of success.- G. W. 

 Demaeee. 



I should say two-thirds, but the 

 renting of bees is subject to so many 

 conditions that it would be difficult 

 to fix rates for every locality, as some 

 are more profitable for bee-keeping 

 than others.— G. L. Tinker. 



The above question has been asked 

 many times, but as yet I have never 

 seen a satisfactory answer given. So 

 much will depend upon the bees, the 

 season, and the locality, that an an- 

 swer that might apply to one region 

 might not to another. Then again, a 

 test in one season might not be a 

 guide for the next, owing to causes 

 over which we can have no control. 

 "The proof of the pudding is in the 

 eating."— J. E. Pond, 



About three-fourths of the honey 

 and increase.— The Editor. 



BeesPiircliasedwitataQneen. 



Query 441.-1. On receiving a package 

 of bees, is it advisable to put brood with them be- 

 fore they have accepted the queen? 2. What is 

 yrtur method of procedure in such acase?— G. B., 

 Michigan. 



As a rule, we would not buy bees 

 without a queen.— Dadant & Son. 



Yes, if you have not a queen to give 

 them at once.— G. L. Tinker. 



It is not essential ; though if con- 

 venient, give a frame of brood.— J. P. 

 H. Brown. 



1. I should guess no. 2. I never re- 

 ceived a package of bees without a 

 queen.— G. M. Doolittle. 



I am not posted upon this point ; in 

 all the bees that I have bought, a 

 queen came with them. — W. Z. 

 Hutchinson. 



I give both at once, but I would in- 

 troduce the queen according to the 

 plans well known as successful.— A. 

 J. Cook. 



1. It would do no harm, if it did no 

 good. 2. Run the bees into a hive 

 containing a caged queen, and release 

 the queen as soon as practicable.— H. 

 D. Cutting. 



1. Yes, give them young brood and 

 eggs. 2. This question involves too 

 long an answer for this department. 

 —James Heddon. 



I should hive them on frames of 

 comb containing brood, and should 

 introduce the queen at the tiaie of 

 hiving. Tne novice would do better 

 to use a little precaution in the intro- 

 ducing of the queen, such as caging 

 her for 48 hours within the colony 

 before letting her loose.— J. E. Pond. 



1. A person who iweds bees is not 

 likely to have queens on hand to in- 

 troduce to the bees when they arrive. 

 I do not think it advisable to buy 

 bees without a caged queen with 

 them. Queenless bees will wear away 

 half of their usefulness while making 

 a journey of but a few days. 2, The 

 way I would proceed with a package 

 of bees without a queen is as follows : 

 Place a frame of sealed brood — rather 

 brood in all stages— in a hive with 

 some other combs or frames filled 

 with foundation, and hive the bees in 

 the usual way. If I have a queen to 

 give them at once, she is caged, and 

 the cage is placed under the quilt on 

 top of the frames until the bees ac- 

 cept her. Otherwise the bees are 

 permitted to rear a queen from the 

 brood given them.— G. W. Demaree, 



Give them both eggs and brood, or 

 introduce a queen by some of the 

 methods heretofore given in the Bee 

 Journal.— The Editor. 



Wlien Kenewlng your subsoription 

 please try to get your neighbor who keeps 

 bees to ioin with you in taking the Bbb 

 JouiiNAi,. It is now so cheap that no one 

 can afford to do without it. We will present 

 a Binder for the Bee Joiibnal to any one 

 sending us three subscriptions— with f 3.00— 

 direct to this ofBce. It ^vlll pay any one to 

 devote a few hours, to get subscribers. 



