AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



359 



their appearance, the hives were growing 

 heavy. This was in July, and I extracted 

 45 pounds of white clover honey from 4 

 of my best colonies, and one swarm had 

 filled the frames by June 10. The last 

 week in September I extracted about 70 

 pounds of honey, and just eight days 

 later extracted some 70 pounds more 

 from the same colonies. The honey was 

 as fine as any I ever saw. It was gath- 

 ered from stick weeds, and granulated 

 in a short time. I made one artificial 

 swarm, which is in good condition at 

 this time, and wintering well. All my 

 bees are on the summer stands ; the 

 weather is warm, and they are gathering 

 pollen. A. C. Babb. 



Greenville, Tenn., Feb. 16, 1891. 



Bees Carrying Pollen. 



Last Spring we had 22 colonies of 

 bees, and they increased to 36 colonies 

 during the season, giving us $50 worth 

 of comb-honey, in one-pound sections. 

 We wintered our bees on the summer 

 stands. I had a partner until this Win- 

 ter, but on Jan. 26, we dissolved the 

 partnership, dividing the bees between 

 us. Up to that date we had lost 4 colo- 

 nies, but the remainder bid fair to win- 

 ter in good condition. I have 16 colo- 

 nies of bees now, and they were carrying 

 pollen on Feb. 16. 



Idlewood, Ills. J. Robert Allen. 



Dampness of Winter Q,uarters. 



My bees are wintering in a detached 

 stone house, the floor of which is 2 feet 

 below the level of the surrounding 

 ground. It contains a living spring, is 

 banked on the outside, and the floor and 

 inside of the walls are cemented. The 

 temperature averages 41°, and the 

 hives stand about 10 inches from the 

 floor. On Feb. 24 we had a freshet, and 

 the house was filled with water to with- 

 in 3 inches of the combs of the first tier 

 of hives, which are tiered up three high. 

 What effect will this have on wintering ? 

 There are 75 colonies in the house, and 

 tfiey cannot be removed to the summer 

 stands before the latter part of April. 

 David R. Farquharson. 



Walton, Ont. 



[Dampness is not harmful to bees in 

 winter quarters, if the temperature is 

 kept as high as 40". Should the water 

 get into the hives and drown the bees, 

 of course the case would be different. — 

 Ed.] 



First of the Season. 



On Feb. 16 the bees carried the first 

 pollen of the season from the soft 

 maples. They were working finely on- 

 Feb. 16 and 18, but have not worked 

 since. The drouth did not hurt the 

 clover at all, and there is a fine outlook 

 for a good honey crop this year. I have 

 been on the "sick-list," with sciatic 

 rheumatism, and was unable to sleep for 

 four days and nights, but am a little 

 better to-day. L. Werner. 



Edwardsville, Ills., March 6, 1891. 



Could the Stock be Kept Pure. 



I have 30 colonies of bees, and all 

 seem to be wintering well, except one 

 colony which have spotted the front of 

 their hive very badly. Last Spring I took 

 out of winter quarters, 16 colonies ; 

 increased to 32 colonies, and sold 410 

 pounds of honey, which was a very poor 

 showing, but think I can do better next 

 season. I would like to ask, if I should 

 introduce an Italian queen into one 

 colony, could I keep the stock from that 

 colony pure, if kept in the same apiary ? 

 There are two apiaries within half a 

 mile of mine. Now, could I keep pure 

 stock with these surroundings ? 



Chetek, Wis. Guy Kellogg. 



[If the queen introduced is a purely 

 fertilized Italian, all of her progeny will 

 be pure, no matter what the " surround- 

 ings" are. You could not rear pure 

 queens, if impure drones are near your 

 apiary. — Ed.] 



Alfalfa Pasturage. 



On page 261, J. W. Carter says : "I 

 have the advantage of 3,000 acres of 

 alfalfa meadow," and asks, "How many 

 colonies should it support ?" Then the 

 editor asks, "Will some of our Colorado 

 bee-keepers give us their opinion ?" I 

 have had but one season's experience in 

 the alfalfa region, but here is my opinion: 

 The alfalfa is a very rapid growing 

 plant, and much larger and coarser, by 

 perhaps K to }4, than the red clover. If 

 cut for hay, it is cut just as it comes into 

 bloom. If left until in full bloom, it 

 becomes too hard and woody for good 

 hay. If wanted for seed, it is not cut 

 until Fall. It begins to bloom jusi a trifle 

 later than red clover, and if not cut, it 

 will continue to bloom until frost ; having 

 seed and bloom at the same time. Now, 

 if the range be only meadow cut for hay, 

 it affords but little pasturage for bees. 



