262 



Tmm MMMKicMif mmm j©^ki«mi*. 



OmmES S Replies. •■ 



SPACE FOR BEES TO CLUS- 

 TER IX WINTER. 



Written far the American Bee Journal 



Query 533.— Would it make any percepti- 

 ble difference in wintering bees in a cellar of 

 the proper temperature and ventilation, to 

 remove a few of tbe frames in the hives to 

 give wider space for the bees to cluster? It 

 seems to me that in a cellar properly venti- 

 lated and tempered, there is not enough in it 

 to pay for the trouble.— E. W. 



No. — A. B. Mason. 



No. — Dadant & Son. 



No.— G. L. Tinker. 



No. — M. Mahin. 



I think not, — J. M. Hambaugh. 



No, you are quite correct. — R. L. 

 Taylor. 



I have no experience in cellar-win- 

 tering of bees. — P. L. Viallon. 



The "perceptible difference" would 

 be very small. — J. P. H. Brown. 



That is just what I tliiuk, having 

 tried it. — Eugene Secor. 



I do not spread the frames for win- 

 ter, and I doubt its paying so to do. — 



G. M. DOOLITTLE. 



I do not think that it would. It 

 would be better to use "Hill's device 

 over the frames. — Mrs. L. Harrison. 



I do not think that it will pay for the 

 trouble and disturbance. — H. D. Cut- 

 ting. 



No, not for wintering. Yet I prefer 

 to do so, as it gives a smaller chamber 

 in the spring. I always contract the 

 brood-chamber before putting the bees 

 into the cellar in the fall. — A. J. Cook. 



I do not think that there is any need 

 of so doing. Give an inch of space at 

 least over the tops of the frames, and 

 you will be as nearly right as is pos- 

 sible. — J. E. Pond. 



I do not think that it would be of 

 any advantage whatever. It would 

 not pay for the trouble. — C. H. Dib- 



BERN. 



Some good authorities attach much 

 importance to it, but I have never 

 thought it worth the trouble to make 

 any change— C. C. Miller. 



I have tried this plan repeatedly, 

 and I iind no marked results. Differ- 

 ently spacing frames between summer 

 and winter, is not practical, and will 

 never be generally practiced. — James 

 Heddon. 



Ordinarily, I would not do it. But 

 if you use nine frames in an 8-frame 

 hive, the comlis are too thin to liold as 

 much honey over the cluster as there 

 ouglit to be. In this case it is well to 

 remove one frame and space the re- 



maining ones so they can "fatten up" 

 a little. When frames are spaced IJ 

 inches from center to center, the sea- 

 son through, this manipulation is not 

 necessary. — J. M. Shuck. 



I think tllat you are right when you 

 say that " there is not enough in it to 

 pay for the trouble." I do not be- 

 lieve that there is anj'thing to be 

 gained by sjireading the combs at any 

 time or under anj' condition. That 

 the cluster should be divided by the 

 thin septums of the combs to insure 

 ventilation and healthful conditions, is 

 plainly indicatetl by the form of the 

 fjrood-nest, as we see it in a state of 

 nature. — G. W. Demaree. 



If there wei-e any advantage it would 

 be so slight that it would not paj' for 

 the trouble. — The Editor. 



DVllinilES FOR COXTRACTIIVO 

 THE BROOD-XEST. 



Written for tlic American Bee Journal 



Query 534.— If I would use wide frames 

 with a thin board on either side filled with 

 chaff or some other substance, would it not be 

 asood "dummy," oris It not the best ? If not, 

 what IS the objection to it for contraction ?— 

 Iowa. 



Yes, it is equal to any. — R.L.Taylor. 



I think that it would be good. — Mrs. 

 L. Harrison. 



It is too expensive for a simple 

 dummy. — A. B. Mason. 



Yes, that makes a good dummy, for 

 my experience says so. — G. M. Doo- 



LITTLE. 



Certainly, very good. — J. M. Ham- 

 baugh. 



I think that it is good. — C.C.Miller. 



It would be a first-class dummj'. — 

 M. Mahin. 



Wide frames when filled as you sug- 

 ge.st, make a good "dummy." — J. P. 

 H. Brown. 



Instead of thin boards on both sides, 

 I would use cotton duck on the side 

 towards the bees. — P. L. Viallon. 



I should think that they are all right 

 for either purpose. — Eugene Secor. 



It is good, but a board is cheaper, 

 stronger, and more easily made, and 

 about, if not quite, as good. — A. J. 

 Cook. 



We want tlie board to fill uj) at the 

 ends. Yoiu- frame would not do so, 

 and would leave an escape for the 

 heat. — Dadant «& Son. 



Yes, it will make a good dummy if 

 you would perforate with holes about 

 3-16 of an inch on the side next to tlie 

 bees. — H. D. Cutting. 



I do not know, as I Iiave had no ex- 

 perience with such' an arrangement. — 



C. H. DiBBERN. 



I have used wide frames as de- 

 scribed, and they work well in a large 

 brood-chamber. — G. L. Tinker. 



Yes, the wide frames boarded as 

 you describe, make first-rate " dum- 

 mies," and I think that that is all they 

 are fit for. My objection is, that they 

 cost too mucli ; besides, I prefer plain 

 division -boards to any sort of "dum- 

 mies." — G. W. Demaree. 



It is a good " dummy," and just 

 what I use witli the Langstroth hive ; 

 but since I have used the. new hive for 

 contraction, I am discouraged from 

 practicing contraction with the Lang- 

 stroth hives. — James Heddon. 



I do not understand the question, 

 unless a chaff division-board is meant. 

 If that is the case, I will say that I find 

 no better protection than a frame of 

 comb itself. I discarded all extra 

 means of protection in the way of 

 division-boards or dummies, some 

 j'cars ago, and I now lose no more 

 bees than formerly. — J. E. Pond. 



Yes, this makes a good dummy or 

 filler. I have made many in this way. 

 The bottoms and ends sliould be cush- 

 ioned so as to fit tlie inside of tlie hive. 

 I do not use such things anj' more ; 

 they are too "dummy."— J. M. Shuck. 



Yes; as a "filler" it would be all 

 right, if the ends and bottom were 

 cushioned to make it tit tightly, and 

 thereby retain the heat. — The Editor. 



CONVEl^XIOM r«OXICES. 



^;w~ Tbe Eastern Indiana Bee-Keepei-s* Ai^Bocia- 

 tion will hold its spring meeting on SatTinUiy, April 

 21, 1888, at Richmond, Ind. M. G. Reyaoi.ds, Sec. 



5:^" The Dea Moines County Bee-Keepers' Associ- 

 ation will hold its next meeting on April 24, 1K88, at 

 Burlington, Iowa. John NAtr, Sec. 



ZW The Darke County Union Bee-Keepers' Asso- 

 ciation will hold its annual meeting on Friday, April 

 27, lf88, at Anaonia. O, J. A. Koe, Sec. 



It^" The Cortland Union Bee-Keepers' Association 

 will hold its sprint: meeting on May8, iRS8,at Cort- 

 land, N. Y,, at Ki a.m. All Dee-keepers are invited. 

 W. H. BEACH, Sec. 



Z^^ The Marshall County Bee-Keepers' Associa- 

 tion will meet at tlie Court House in Marshalltown, 

 Iowa, on Saturday. April 21, ISHH, at in:3Utt.m. The 

 subject for discussion is, " Spring and summer man- 

 agement of hees." A general invitation is extended. 

 A good meeting is expected. J. W. Sanders, Sec. 



Z^~ The 18th semi-annual session of the Central 

 Michigan Bee-Keepers' Association will be held in 

 the Pioneer Room at tbe State Capitol, on Saturday, 

 April 21, 188><. Prof. A. J. Cook wdl give an address. 

 A cordial invitation is extended to all, as it will be 

 a very interesting meeting. W. A. Barnes, Sec. 



TW The annnual meeting of the Western Bee- 

 Keepers' Association will be held at Independence, 

 Mo., at the Court House, on April 2.i, 1888. It will 

 be carried on as a sociable, friendly gathering. Let 

 all bring their baskets and have a good time. 



PKTEit Otto. Sec. 



Z^^ The next meeting of the Susquehanna County 

 Bee-Keepers' Association will be held at New Mil- 

 ford, Pa., on May 5, isss. The following subject* are 

 to be considered ; Bee-keeping for pleasure and pro- 

 fit—Spring work with bees— Is it advisable to use 

 foundation? If so, to what extent ?— How can we 

 make our Association of the most practical value to 

 its members. All are cordially invited to come. 



H. M. SEKI.EV, SfC. 



Z^~ The tenth annual meeting of tbe Texas State 

 Bee-Keepers' Association will be hold at the bee- 

 yards of Vice-President W. R. Graham, in Green- 

 ville, Hunt Co., Texas, on May 2 and 3, 188K. A 

 leading feature ot the convention will be criticisms 

 upon subjects that liave been mentioned in tbe bee- 

 papers. A good time is expected, so let all 'I'exaa 

 and Arkansas bee-keepers attend. A cordial invi- 

 tation IS cxteiMleO til all bee-keepers wheresoever 

 dispersed. Remember, no hotel bills to pay at our 

 conventions ! B. F. Carroll, Sec. 



