732 



AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



This phenomena must be watched in 

 feeding bees. Probably the best way 

 would be to destroy the colonies 

 that willingly allow their stores to be 

 carried off, and in this way stop the 

 breeding of that kind of bees. 



2. This question does not admit of a 

 comprehensive answer, but suggests the 

 following questions before such answer 

 can be given: 



What kind of bees ? 



What kind of hives ? 



What kind of extractor ? 



What kind of honey ? 



What kind of flow ? 



What method of ripening honey, if any? 



What kind of men do the work ? 



There would be a difference of about ten 

 to one, if all tlie above were favorable 

 or unfavorable. — James Heddon.] 



Not Caterpillars. 



Enclosed find a sample of linden leaves 

 from a tree near my house. If those are 

 the larvte of the caterpillar the crop of 

 worms should be good this year. 



Alexandria, Minn. J. M. Doudna. 



[These are not caterpillars at all, but 

 galls of the Linden Pdytoptus mites. 

 These are very minute four-legged mites. 

 They work in the teat-like galls, which 

 are on the upper side of the leaves, and 

 open below. From these openings the 

 mites come out and move a little, com- 

 mence to suck, and so form another 

 gall. These galls are very plentiful on 

 maple, pear, plum, linden, etc. Some of 

 the maple galls- are bright red, and quite 

 beautiful. The mites are cylindrical, 

 possess many segments, and lay quite 

 large eggs, considering their very minute 

 size. 



They are so small that they can 

 only be studied, or even found, with the 

 aid of a good microscope. I do not think 

 they do very much harm. A very vig- 

 orous maple near my house has been 

 fairly covered with them for years. I 

 know of no way to destroy them, but 

 think I could find a way, were they bad 

 enough to warrant it. — A. J. Cook.] 



Starters, Spreading Brood, Etc. 



1. When full sheets of comb-founda- 

 tion are not used in the brood-frames, 

 what width of strips is it best to put in ; 

 and how is it best to fasten them to the 

 top-bar ? 2. Is it a good plan to clip the 

 queen's wings ? How should it be done? 

 3. Does it pay to spread the brood-nest 

 in the Spring ? 4. Which is the best 

 way to have the hives in the apiary ; in 

 rows or scattered about ? L. O. 



[1. Foundation guides in the frames 

 are worth more to me when three or four 

 cells wide, than when as many inches in 

 width, and I would prefer the narrow 

 ones at the same price. The reason is 

 this : They have no wires to hold them 

 in place. The top is held absolutely 

 perfect, and all of the piece will be so, 

 too, if very narrow. If wide, the bottom 

 will be wavy, and so will the comb in 

 general, after it is all finished. About 

 three or four cells wide is best. The 

 best way to fasten it to the top-bar is to 

 have the bar smooth, and the wax at 

 lOQC' temperature, then mash the foun- 

 dation with a putty knife, dipped in 

 honey, or a mammoth Parker founda- 

 tion fastener, made for brood-frames. 

 With the putty knife, 75 an hour can 

 be put on. With a large foundation 

 fastener, many more. 



2. No ; I do not think it best to clip 

 the wings of queen-bees. The practice 

 has its advantages, but I find necessary 

 disadvantages which will ov^r-balance 

 them. 



3. No, it does not pay to spread the 

 brood in the Spring, as has been proven 

 by years of sad experience. Neither is it 

 at all necessary, if the hive is rightly 

 arranged. 



4. I set my hives in rows, the second 

 row breaking joints with the first, and 

 so on through the apiary. The "scat- 

 tered about" plan is not bad, and in 

 some apiaries, favorably located for it, 

 it would be all right. I do not lose 

 queens, however, with the row plan as 

 stated above, and yet I have all my hives 

 as nearly alike as possible. There are 

 many reasons why they should be, in 

 color and otherwise. — James Heddon.] 



