OEVOTEO TO 13EEH Al\r> KLOIVEY, A]VI> Ht>M:E ITVTEREST©. 



Vol. VI. 



MAY 1, 1878. 



No. 5. 



A. I. ROOT, ^ Published Monthly. rXERMS: «1.00 Per Annum In Ad- 



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MY EXPERIENCE. NO. 5. 



ARTIFICIAL SWARMING. 



Ml AY 26th. I divided the strongest colony in the 

 following' manner. The queen, a frame of 

 I brood, a frame of honey, and a frame of emp- 

 ty comb, were placed in a hive upon the old stand. 

 The old swarm was carried to a new stand and left 

 queenless. Tliis was done to obtain queen cells to 

 give the queenless parts of other swarms, when I 

 should divide them. I wanted them to build at least 

 4 or 5 cells; but as most of the bees returned to the 

 old stand, leaving them rather weak, they built only 

 two. I have since learned that in order to obtain a 

 large supply of good queen cells, the colony in which 

 they are built must be strong. 



June ith. I divided two swarms in the same manner 

 that I did the first one. I gave a queen cell to the 

 queenless part of one swarm. The two queens hatch- 

 ed all right, and if they had not been killed by enter- 

 ing the wrong hive, I should have been well pleased 

 with my success; but 1 will tell you about that far- 

 ther on. 



July 5th. A swarm that had not been divided cast a 

 swarm. It was hived and given a frame of brood. 

 In the afternoon it came out and started for the 

 woods. I followed with a looking-glass. The sun 

 did not shine very brightly, and the best I could do 

 was to confuse them some. We soon came to a small 

 stream. I went ahead and "scooped" up the water 

 on the glass, and when the bees attempted to cross 

 they were met by a small shower. They soon hung 

 themselves up on the branch of a thorn bush, and 1 

 cut off the limb and carried them home in triumph. 



A few bees remained with the frame of brood, 

 which had been placed in the hive when the bees 

 were hived, and more kept coming in loaded from 

 the fields. 1 went to the old hive, took out a frame of 

 brood, —upon which was a fine queen cell,— and a 

 frame of honey, and placed them in the hive which 

 contained the frame of brood and cluster of bees. I 

 now cut out all the remaining queen cells, and re- 

 turned the fugitive swarm to its old hive. After 

 this they stayed at home and worked with a "will." 

 In 20 days I opened the nucleus that was started, in 

 such a peculiar manner, from this hive, and found a 

 laying queen. It was built up, by occasionally giv- 

 ing it frames of brood, and did good work during 

 buckwheat bloom. 



In Aug., when I was Italianizing ray apiary, there 

 was one swarm that would not accept a queen. 1 had 

 "fished" the queen out of a ball of bees, caged her a 

 day or two, released her again, fished her out again, 

 and then repeated the operation, until I was tired of 

 it. As my bees wei-e all strong, and I expected 

 another Italian queen in a few days, I concluded to 

 make up a swarm, give the rejected queen to it, and 

 try another queen with the obstinate colony. So I 

 gave them a frame of brood and eggs, to strengthen 

 with, and to let them be building queen cells, that I 

 might not be troubled with fertile workers. I will 

 tell you how I succeeded with this swarm, when 1 

 tell you about italianizing. I can best tell you about 

 the swarm that I made up, by quoting from my diary. 



"No. 11 was formed, Aug. 29th, by taking frames of 

 brood and honej' from other swarms, moving No. 5 

 to a new stand, and placing this hive in its place. 

 The queen that No. 6 would not accept was caged 

 and placed in this hive." 



"Sept. 1st. Cut out queen cells, and exchanged 

 places with No. 5. Did this because the old bees 

 would return to their old stand, leaving mostly 

 young bees among which to liberate the queen." 



"■Sept. 2d, Released the queen." 



"Sept. ith. Found eggs. Exchanged places again 

 with No. 5." 



The only rule, in regard to artificial swarming, 

 that I can give, is ''undcrstaiul the principles of bec- 

 Iteeping." The condition of the colony, the time of 

 the year, pasturage, use of the extractor, the bee- 

 keeper, in fact, everything, should be taken into 

 consideration. W. Z. Hutchinson. 



Kogersville, Mich., 



PAINTING HIVES INSIDE. 



MAY IT NOT BE DESIRABLE AFTER ALL. 



^N the last number of Gleanings, one of your 

 jl|| correspondents asks if it would be any advan- 

 —^J tage, to give new hives a coat of varnish inside, 

 etc. If he will give his hives a good coat of paint 

 inside, he will find, they are less liable to be daubed 

 with propolis; they can be more readily cleaned; 

 and, best of all, they will be free from dampness 

 and mouldy combs after a protracted spell of cold 

 or wet weather. The painted surface prevents the 

 absorption of moisture, and causes it to collect in 

 drops, and run down and out. I have for a number 

 of years past, practiced giving my hives a good 

 coat of paint inside, as well as two or three coats 

 outside; and I would now as soon think of letting 

 them go unpainted outside as inside. In fact, if 

 forced to omit either, I would give the paint to the 

 inside. 



Some ten or twelve years ago, I was led to doubt 

 the generally received opinion, that bees were 

 averse to occupying a newly painted hive: and 

 that they would not build comb on a painted sur- 

 face. I then experimented considerably, and even 

 went so far as to paint my frames and honey 

 board, just to see what effect it would have: and 

 were it not for the trouble and expense, I would 

 practice painting these, except where the combs 

 were to be attached. But we cannot afford to let 

 the inside of our hives go without a good coat of 

 paint. I wish to have my hives painted some weeks 

 before needed for use ; but I have been forced to 

 use them within three days after being newly paint- 

 ed inside and outside, and have never had a" swarm 

 leave me in consequence. This matter of pninting 

 hives inside is something I have practiced for 

 years, and know it to be of much advantage. 

 Please give it atrial if you have not alreadv done so. 

 W. W. Hipolite, M. D. 



DeVall's Bluff, Ark., April 8th, 1878. 



I am inclined to think yovi are rii?ht, at 

 least in a part of your deductions; om- bot- 

 tom boards are always painted, and I liave 

 fre([aently noticed their freedom from pro- 

 polis, cofiipared with the unpainted ones. 

 If proi)olis is attached, it readily cleaves off, 

 and this is quite an item. I, too, have de- 

 monstrated that bees will work on i)ainted 

 frames, and I have often thought of paint- 



