76 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Mae. 



suits in the same apiary. It lool<s now very 

 much, as if the dwindling were caused by 

 want of close warm hives, but we need much 

 experience in the matter before deciding too 

 hastily. 



There is a man in oar county by the name of Boush 

 that has patented a moth proof hive (box hive with 

 hopper shaped glass bottoms). Now I do not think 

 he could sell a hive to a man that ever owned ten 

 stocks of bees, still he has sold 2 or $3000,00 worth of 

 territory rights. Samuel J. Dallison. 



Bedford, Iowa. 



My bees have wintered A No. 1 in spite of our se- 

 vere and lasting winter. We had 23^ below zero 

 several mornings. I have on my roof very strong 

 stands for this time of the year. One, two or three 

 frames with brood, ia every hive but three. One of 

 ray covers was leaking which made that hive dwin- 

 dle down very much, as a matter of course. I 

 should be sorry if, on account of my carelessness, I 

 should be compelled to report the loss of one stand. 



Honey trade was very good this winter. I have 

 sold large quantities very readily. Trade is slow at 

 present, however. Chas. F. Muth. 



Cincinnati, O., Feb. 12th, 1877. 



Have had three seasons' experience with section 

 frames and like them vei-y well. Have always had 

 ready sale in St. Louis, Mo., at 25 cts. per lb. gross 

 weight. Has anyone ever tried rubber rings such as 

 are used to fasten memorandum acc'ts together with, 

 to hold the glass on sections or other honey boxes. 

 A. T Williams, St. Charles, Mo., Jan. 22d, '77. 



SWARMING AND TKANSFEKRING IN THE WINTER. 



Bees have been flying 7 or 8 days— worked freely on 

 flour when they could get it. Had one swarm first 

 day of this month and transferred two this week ; you 

 may think we have a little summer time over tliis way, 

 but I will explain. In the first place, I bought last 

 fall some swarms in log-gums, these I put about 100 

 yards from the house ; and I had setting on the south 

 side of the house 3 or 4 swarms in movable comb 

 hives. Well, it was one of these that fell into the 

 hands of these "log gum fellows" who actually strip- 

 ped them, of all they had, in the way of sweets. Re- 

 alizing, I presume, their poverty, they concluded to 

 hunt new quarters. Well sir, these bees had the 

 boldnes* to come right over where their enemies 

 were, and settle on a peach tree ; they were put back 

 in their hive, fed plenty of honey, and now the frames 

 are teeming with eggs and larva;. 



Now about transferring ; during our coldest weath- 

 er it froze so hard, one of the gums burst open and 

 let honey, brood, bees and all come down. They 

 were transferred and seem to be doing well ; the other 

 one was a weak swarm with plenty ol honey, in a 

 large gum. About this one we reasoned thus : if they 

 were in a movable comb hive, we could by the use of 

 the division board ])ut tliem in a small i)lace and wi'ap 

 them snugly, which would enable them to retain more 

 heat and cause them to rear brood faster : so we went 

 to work and fixed tliem just that way. Now Mr. Ed- 

 itor what do you think of the above course ? 



W. H. Kerr, Waynetown, Ind.. Feb. 12th, '77. 

 You did jnst right of course, and we need 

 have no fear of working with our bees in the 

 middle of tlie winter, if we have weatlier en- 

 abling them to Uy, other than that it may 

 cause tliem to rear a lot of brood, which may 

 be killed by the lirst freeze, thus wasting the 

 honey they consume in the work. 



FRAME VEE3US BOX HIVES POR AVINTEBING. 



Bees in this locality are wintering very poorly in box 

 hives. Those in frame hives are in good condition as far 

 as I have examined. We are hitv'ing steady cold winter 

 weather here at present, with quite a body of snow. 1 

 antiaipate a very heavy loss of bees in box hives this win- 

 ter unless they are ventilated at the top. I find a very 

 good way to ventilate box hives, having no holes in tho 

 top, is to bore a one inch hole in front of the hive about 

 two inches from the top. I would like to hear from oth- 

 ers through Gleanings, on the subject. 



D, W. Fletcher, Lansingville, N. Y. Dec. 23d. 1876. 



I too have just got a Barnes buzz saw, and am making 

 section frames according to directions on pages 8 and i) of 

 Gleanings. I don't exactly know whether I am crazy 

 or not, but my bees surely will be if they refuse to store 

 honey in such nice little boxes as I am making for them. 

 Lucius Snow, Blakesburg, Iowa, Jan. 23d, 1877. 



cushion division boards, a guage foe common 

 shears, and chaff packing. 



I am Breatl.v interested in the chafE cushion experiment. 



The division boards are very objectionable, for unless 

 well fdled they cannot confine the heat sufficiently. 

 Your new sectional boxes are very much like those I have 

 been using the past season, but I would recommend that 

 those used on the first tier or CDurse be made with closed 

 tops and then when the second is put under they must 

 be ojjen top and bottom as you have them. I had three 

 tiers on two hives last year. Made thedi into boxes by 

 pasting stout paper on sides and tops of part, and sides of 

 lower tiers. I put glass on each end and so made a 14 lb. 

 sectional box, glassed. When filled, cov(r with paper on 

 open sides and tliey are ready to ship. 



I wish to give a hint that may be useful to many of our 

 fraternity now that pa|)er and cloth are entering into use 

 so much among us. At the centennial my wife came 

 across a most convenient little gauge for cutting cloth or 

 paper into strips regularly, so convenient and valuab'i> 

 that its merits ought to be known. You may have seen 

 it, if not you will value it highly and your wife will deem 

 it indispensable. They are sold at 91.00, plated, and I 

 think ought to be at 50c. But $5.00 would not induce my 

 wife to i)art with hers. It is attached to the point of the 

 shears, and will gauge any width to S inches while cut- 

 ting. You ought to test and keep it among your supplies. 

 Tlie patentee is J. Lamb of JelTersonville, N. Y. 



About packing. Would it not do to take, say a t or .''. 

 foot dry gootls or other box and put 1 hives ni it, and 

 chaff at bottoftis with l openings in different sides and 

 tlien fill in with chalT light, having it deep enough for 2 

 stories anil then pack upper story with cliaff cushion ? I 

 suggest and shall try it at once. It saves lumber even if 

 larger size is re juired. and saves roofing and time. I have 

 not done remarkably, but attribute it to my want of time 

 to give full iittention. I had as high as 80 lbs. from one 

 colony in sections and 10 and 50 lbs. from several, but on- 

 ly about 1000 lbs. from 51 old and new. Our ssVarms were 

 very short last year. J. W. Porter. 



Charlottesville, Va. Feb. 12th, 1877- 



We do not know of any kind of division board 

 that will be so close and warm, as the cush- 

 ions. Tlie gauges meutioued, we think would 

 be excellent for cutting fdn. Will try and see 

 how low they can be furnished. The objection 

 to putting 4 or more colonies into one box, is 

 that their summer locations must be changed, 

 and that they will get mixed up and lost 

 should they happen to fly during the winter. 

 More than "all, they have got to be taken out ot 

 these boxes tjefore they can be handled well 

 lor surplus of any kind. • 



