GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



rSo 



1 have made a siicccsslul start in bee-keeping; I fol- 

 lowed the Joi\rnars directions. I had two swarms in 

 old box hi'.cs in the spring, ami bouglu. one. I then 

 had 8 swarms and have sold about ICO Uis. of honey, 

 t took S/J lbs. from one stock. IJ. 1'. Ci.okdv. 



Rolling Home, Mo., Dec. 25th, '7o. 



MR. EDITOR :— I think I c^iu answer oi" solve pixjb- 

 lem No. 1, in Vol. IV, May No. I have invented a 

 candy slab for feedsiig bees without a particle of waste. 

 U is simply straight A sugar, made into slabs or cakes 

 about Jj' inches thick, G wide, and 14 long, or in fact 

 just the size most convenient. Now for the process, 

 (no charge for the patent), procure an empty envelope 

 box or somcthiiig similar, take solt standard A sugar, 

 ut should be moif-t) place a layer in the l>ox, pressing 

 lit down iflrmly an<i evenly; put a sheet of pajjcr on 

 top of this layer, and proceed as before, making four 

 Jayers to each box. Leave lid off and set it away iu a 

 •flry place for iit hours, (less layers will dry sooner), 

 when j'ou wlil lind it ready to remove, and jnst the 

 Jthing to place in your hives. S. Beaki*. 



Polo, Ills., May ad, 1876. 



li'I remember right, you said something about got- 

 iing comb foundations in quantity, a little cheaper 

 ihan §1.00 per lb. ; if so, for what amount c-ixn I get 200 

 pounds? I have tried it, and am willing to risk that 

 ■ quantity. We have 80 colonies of bees in tolerably 

 good conilitiou. We run our cars out on the ^th and 

 ■Jith ; the bees had a good fly both days. We got only 

 2:i00 lbs. of honey tliis year, mul dark colored at that; 

 but it all sold at 17 cts., or nearly that, per lb. 



i'. W. jMcFatkidge. 



Carthage, Iml., Dec. -iTlh, 1875. 



I commenced this spring with tJirec colonies. 1 

 'ivish to increase as much as possible and take no hon- 

 ey from them this season. How much can I increase 

 them safely? 1 would also like to know whether a 

 handful of bees placed in a hive with the small larviu 

 you advertise to send by mail, will raise a queen and 

 build up a strong colony. 



Andrew Maktin, Campbell, Ionia Co., Mich. 



We could as easily tell jou how many bush- 

 els of corn you could raise on au acre, as how 

 many colonies you could build up from the 

 three. Make as many as you can, but be sure 

 that every one of them has at least six combs 

 covered with bees, and filled with brood and 

 honey by the first of September. A neighbor 

 had two last spring' — increased them to seven, 

 and now has but three ; had he been satisfied 

 with four or perhaps five, he might have had 

 them all now, and have saved himself much 

 needless fussing with the weak ones before 

 they died. The larvai should have at least a 

 pint of bees, and as soon as they have their 

 queen cells capped over, they should have a 

 frame or two of hatching brood. If they have 

 been started as early as June or July, ihey 

 may build up without further help by fall ; but 

 if later, they must Lave still more help to stand 

 even a fair chuncc. 



On page 103, A. W. Lueck says the temperature in his 

 bee cellar was constantly between Sir' and 40° F.. and adds, 

 "In eonseiuencc of this low temperature, our bees did not 

 breed before we put them on their summer stands, other- 

 wise tliey did very ikcUP (The italics are mine.) "Other- 

 ivise tliey''' tconld not have done as icell as then did-, if 

 Mr. L. will allow me to finish the sentence. 



According to my observations the bees that breed moi^t 

 in the cellar, are most likely to get imeasy, and licconie 



diseased. To winter best in the cellar [ would hav e mod- 

 erately sti-ong colonies, would have hive and combs en- 

 tirely dry, and would keep them so cool (from ."K" to W 

 Y.) that they will not breed in the collar. 



Excessiviy large colonies keop so warm as to remain :ic- 

 ti^■e get uneasy, and hence become diseased and iiartialiy 

 or entirely depopulated. 



On pase 10(5, the editor says, "Details of nmuerwis ex- 

 periments heretofore made, indicate plainly, we thhdi' 

 tiiat the royal jelly has no more effect on the young queen, 

 than has the milk that is given an infant, cu «ts develop- 

 ment." IJ this be true, by what process does a queenless 

 colony of bees produce jjerfect queens from "worker brood"" 

 (larvae).' I am very anxious for an answer to this qnestioi; 

 for I certainly do not comprehend yeur position. 



G. E. CoRBix. St. John, Mich, 



AVell friend C, it laay be we are iu error but 

 our idea is that a worker larva; becomes a 

 queen by having royal jelly continuously, and 

 in unstinted quantities, and nothing else ; be- 

 sides having the cell enlarged that it may con- 

 tain this food until she literally swims in it, 

 while the "poor worker" is allowed the con- 

 centrated food only while it is a mere speck of 

 an infant, and as soon as it is a day or two old 

 is boarded in a more economical way on a mix- 

 ture of pollen and honey until ready to seal up. 

 The drones are also made to subsist on the 

 raw food like common folk.s if we are not mis- 

 taken, after they are once well started. If our 

 education is at fault, there are plenty in our 

 family of readers that know — at least they 

 know of all the learned things that have beeii 

 said on the subject any way. 



You ask if I mean to say that bees stamt out-door 

 wintering down here in Maine. 1 have not tried to 

 winter in single walled hives out-doors without some 

 protection, but most of the bee-keepers of this section 

 do, and the majority of the bees live through it. I can 

 not say whether Italians would live with such treat- 

 ment. llKNJtY A. SrUAGUE. 



Charlotte, Me.. Jan. I Jth, '7(;. 



Allow me to suggest my mode of making quilts, whicli I 

 tirid much better and more economical than the old style. 

 I u.se soft "woolen bats'' instead of cotton, wool being a 

 better non-conductor of heat, and a better conductor of 

 moisture than cotton ; cover with light muslin, then tack 

 on one side a piece of hearij, which can be removed when 

 gummed over, and another piece of liea\y muslin tacked 

 on, making them good as new at a trifling expense. 



In regard to frames. After t'wo season's trial I lind my 

 frames made from one piece 3-l(i thick, cut nearly thro' 

 at the corners, the top two thicknesses tacked together, 

 with the upper metal corners, all that could possibly be 

 desired, being ver.y light and strong. 



O. L. Ballakd, Malone, N. Y. May 8, '7t; 



My bees have wintered well. 1 had them in a clamp. 

 I have 43 stocks. I sec .McMaster, of Mo., state* his 

 bees gathered first natural pollen llth of Feb., mine 

 gathered the lirst on the '20th of April. He stated to 

 me, his bees gathered but little honey from basswood, 

 while here it is the main dependence for surplus, 

 showing the contrast in localities. Spanish Needle 

 was a new thing to me, but to tell it as it is, it is what 

 is called in York State pitch-fork ; when ripe get near 

 it and you will know it. I get my surplus in sni.all 

 frame3 on toj) of liives (your sections arc new to me). 

 The grocerymen like the small frame and it suits the 

 majority. M. S. Sxo\v, Ono, Wis., May 3d, '7(J. 



