AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



487 



hive, make my supers 133^x16. I had 

 36 colonies last Spring, and 25 of them 

 in hives of the above size, gave me 1,000 

 pounds of honey ; 5 colonies in hives % 

 larger — 2,800 cubic inches — gave me 60 

 pounds per colony. Did not feed the 

 large colonies any last Spring, but had 

 to feed the small ones. My 80 colonies 

 gave me 1,300 pounds last season ; net 

 profit 80 to 90 per cent. Each pound 

 was worth 20 cents at my own door, as 

 grocers sent for it, as they needed it. 

 Muncie, Ind. Robert Meeks. 



Loss from Diarrhea. 



As near as I can determine now, the 

 loss on my bees will be about 12 or 15 

 per cent., the cause of the loss being 

 diarrhea ; but why should some of the 

 colonies be effected and the remainder 

 be free from it, all having received the 

 same care and management ? Two or 

 three colonies that were fed on sugar 

 syrup exclusively, are wintering better 

 than those fed on natural stores. 



C. P. McKlNNOX. 



Bangor, Iowa, March 27, 1891. 



Lost Througli Misfortune. 



As I was confined to my bed the 

 greater part of last season, with a 

 broken leg, I could not do justice to the 

 few colonies left me after so severe a 

 Winter loss. I bought 6 colonies before 

 I broke my limb, and while lying on my 

 back saw my best swarms going to the 

 woods, for lack of some one to hive 

 them. As soon as I was able to creep 

 out, I saved many swarms, and labored 

 hard for extracted-honey. By purchas- 

 ing queens, and bees by the pound, I in- 

 creased my colonies to 38, and extracted 

 900 pounds of marketable honey, al- 

 though the honey yield was very poor 

 in this locality. I was careful to allow 

 them sufficient stores for Winter, and 

 left them on the summer stands until 

 Dec. 17, when I placed 9 swarms on the 

 south side of my honey-house, packed in 

 dry sawdust, and sheltered from east 

 and west winds, and the remainder I 

 put in the bee-house, the floor of which 

 had been strewn with dry sawdust about 

 an inch deep, to aborb the moisture, and 

 prevent the sound of footsteps when 

 walking through the house to examine 

 the hives, which I do about every two 

 weeks. The general expectation in this 

 vicinity is for a good crop the coming 

 season. Stephen Roese. 



Maiden Rock. Wis. 



Clover-Hay Worm. 



Prof. Cook : — Enclosed you will find a 

 specimen of a little worm, that I found 

 in the bottom of a stack of clover, 

 together with the cocoon in which it re- 

 mains until disturbed, when it crawls 

 out. The stack, for about 3 feet from 

 the ground, was infested with these co- 

 coons to such an extent that the hay 

 looked white. These grubs were alive 

 all Winter, and are alive still. I have 

 never seen or heard of such before. Are 

 they of common occurrence ? Would 

 such hay be dangerous to cattle fed 

 upon it? Please answer through the 

 American Bee Journal. 



P. D. Wallace. 



Richland Centre, Wis., Mar. 28, 1891. 



[This is the clover-hay worm. The 

 moth lays the eggs in Summer, the larvas 

 eat in Fall, Winter and Spring. Of 

 course, they injure the hay not a little, 

 but I have never heard of their doing 

 any damage to stock that might eat 

 them. I should have no fear. The best 

 remedy is prevention. Do not keep 

 clover hay over, either in mow or stack, 

 till the second year. — A. J. Cook.] 



Colony of Bees Found Dead. 



One colony of my bees died recently. 

 I have but a few colonies, and have 

 wintered them in my cellar. The cellar 

 is very dry, and well ventilated. I had 

 my bees on a long bench, and have ex- 

 amined them often during the Winter, 

 as I could do so without disturbing them 

 by placing my ear against the side of 

 the hive. I examined them about a 

 week ago, and found all my colonies 

 alive. I leave the upper story on my 

 hives, but raise the board over the 

 frames for ventilation. When I put my 

 bees into winter quarters I considered 

 the colony that is dead my second best. 

 They troubled me by coming out of the 

 hive, the first of the Winter, so I was 

 obliged to put a screen over the entrance. 

 As soon as I found they were dead, I 

 removed the hive from the cellar. There 

 were plenty of bees — in fact, it was a 

 strong colony — and they had honey 

 enough left to winter another colony. It 

 was very white and thick, almost like 

 wax, and of very fine flavor. The inside 

 of the hive was a very little damp, and 

 the lower part of the comb a little moldy. 

 When I opened the hive, there was a 

 very strong disagreeable smell, almost 

 sickening, and the comb was more or 



