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AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL 



January 



airs as a young lady of royal birth, 

 there seems to be fear for the safety 

 of the reigning sovereign, and the 

 intruder is assassinated. 



In a queenless nucleus, one would 

 think that a virgin of any age would 

 be kindly received, yet if she be 

 past a certain age the bees seem to 

 think there is something not satis- 

 factory about her, and she is very 

 likely to be voted out. So if a virgin 

 be given from a cage or a nursery, 

 care should be taken that she be not 

 over the age prescribed in the laws 

 of the bee commonwealth. Just what 

 that age is, perhaps no one knows 

 yet, but it may be well to advise 

 that to be on the safe side a virgin 

 should not be left in a nursery until 

 she is more than 24 hours old. Of 

 course, it is convenient in many 

 cases to leave her unused until a 

 week old or more, but one runs risks 

 in so doing. 



The age of the bees in a nucleus is 

 a matter of importance. In general 

 it is the older bees that are grouchy 

 about accepting a queen, whether the 

 queen be laying or virgin. So it is 

 better to have a force of young bees 

 in a nucleus. This matter will be 

 likely to take care of itself when a 

 nucleus is first formed, for the older 

 bees are likely to return to their old 

 place. An extra allowance of bees 

 should be given to make sure the 

 nucleus will not be too depleted by 

 the return of these older bees. If 

 the nucleus is to be used for the fer- 

 tilization of more than one young 

 queen, keeping it stocked with sealed 

 brood will provide for a continuous 

 supply of young bees. 



Perhaps the most ticklish time for 

 the young queen is when she makes 

 her nuptial flight. What with birds 

 and insect enemies, many a virgin 

 makes her flight, never to return. 

 Worst of all is bad weather, with its 

 usually attendant lack of nectar in 

 the fields. One may atone to some 

 extent for the lack of incoming nec- 

 tar by daily feeding, although it is 

 doubtful if any feeding can entirely 

 take the place of a natural flow. But 

 against the baneful effect of bad 



weather there is no remedy. The 

 most experienced veteran is just as 

 helpless against it as the novice. All 

 that can be done is to grin and bear 

 it, hoping for better luck next time. 



The man who rears queens merely 

 for his own use will time it so as to 

 rear them mostly, or entirely, during 

 a good flow, when weather is likely 

 to be favorable, rearing a superfluity 

 of virgins, so that if a goodly portion 

 be lost he will still have enough suc- 

 cesses to meet all his needs. 



(Dr. Miller refers the above to the 

 editor with the request to add to it 

 if advisable, as he feels "none too 

 competent." It may be as well to 

 say that this matter of virgin intro- 

 duction has always proven a difficult 

 matter for us, and we much prefer 

 the introduction of ripe queen-cells. 

 We will be glad to hear from men 

 who have been regularly successful 

 in the introduction of hundreds of 

 virgin queens. They are certainly 

 not very numerous. — Editor.) 



What Do You Consider the Most 

 Equitable Arrangement for Work- 

 ing Bees on Shares? 



By L. B. Lundie 



I HAVE had a little experience 

 with working bees on shares. 

 Some years ago, in addition to 

 my own work, I managed an apiary 

 of about 60 hives for the honey and 

 wax. The owner was a thorough gen- 

 tleman. He never interfered with me 

 at all for the whole season and was 

 quite prepared to take my word for 

 what honey and wax was gathered 

 for the whole season. However, I 

 only managed the bees for that one 

 season, as I did not consider it paid. 

 I also had another experience 

 three years ago in working bees on 

 shares for half the honey and wax. 

 An old employee of mine was leaving 

 for the front and was much con- 

 cerned about the seven hives he was 

 leaving behind. In a weak moment, 

 or in a burst of patriotism, I told 

 him not to worry about his bees, as 

 I would do my best to look after 



them during his absence. One sea- 

 son, though, was quite enough for 

 me looking after those seven hives. 

 They all wanted to swarm, and the 

 little apiary was easily doubled, mak- 

 ing 14 hives in all. I apologized to 

 the boys' parents and regretted that 

 I was unable to look after them fur- 

 ther. The coming season is the 

 fourth since he went away, and, with 

 proper management, there should 

 have been upwards of SO hives to 

 have started the season with. 



In each case, Mr. Editor, I was dis- 

 satisfied to continue, as I consid- 

 ered half the honey and wax was not 

 sufficient. Of course, in letting bees 

 out on shares much would depend on 

 the apiarist. To an incompetent man 

 or a stranger, or one who has had 

 little experience, a half share might 

 be ample, and, perhaps, if he should 

 neglect his work in any way, too lib- 

 eral payment. But I am of the opin- 

 ion if a man is found to be thor- 

 oughly honest and also has a thor- 

 ough knowledge of his work, and, 

 withal, is not afraid to work, he 

 should be entitled to more than half 

 the honey and wax. Especially if 

 there is no need for the owner to 

 visit the apiary from one year's end 

 to the other. 



I fail to see why bee farmers 

 should be treated differently and get 

 a smaller share than wheat farming 

 on the share ' system. Before the 

 war there was much of this done in 

 this locality. The worker doing all 

 the labor, such as plowing, harrow- 

 ing, etc., and finding two-thirds of 

 the seed and manure, and receiving 

 for his reward two-thirds of the 

 crop. The owner of the land con- 

 tributing one-third of the seed and 

 manure, and being quite content with 

 a third of the harvest. Many may 

 probably say that the conditions are 

 so totally different. In some re- 

 spects I agree with them. But in 

 working bees on the share system 

 the owner should not close his eyes 

 to two outstanding features. (1) 

 Nature, providing you are near a 

 State forest, gives you the nectar 

 free, gratis and for nothing; and (2) 

 as I have previously mentioned, so 

 much depends on the personal touch 

 and the honesty of the beekeeper. 



Before closing, another point is 

 really worth mentioning. At the 

 present time the majority of us, to a 

 greater or less degree, are thinking of 

 investing in the seventh War Loan, 

 and will receive S per cent for money 

 invested. I estimate the value of 100 

 hives with plant and accessories .ii 

 say £200. If the country is any good 

 at all, it should average, year in and 

 year out, at least two tins to the 

 hive, and with the ruling high price 

 of honey, after paying for tins and 

 cost of range area the net pro 

 of the apiary should amount to £200 

 (on an average) every year. I lie 

 owner receiving one-third share 

 should get £66 13s 6d, and the bee- 

 keeper, doing all the labor, gets the 

 balance, £133 6s 8d. Allowing hi pei 

 cent off for depreciation, say £20, 

 leaving £46 13s 4d net profit, which is 

 over 20 per cent on the capital in- 

 vested. Providing the right man is 



