1878. 



GLEAXINGS IX BEE CULTURE. 



149 



however, we didn't laugh much when the bees be- 

 g'an to "pepper" us. 'VN hen we went for the next 

 hive the "bee man" wasn't at home. We lifted the 

 hive just sulBciently to let the cloth glide beneath, 

 tacked it around the edges, turned it upside down, 

 lifted it into the buggy and got home, without a 

 single sting. I don't think I'll hire that man to 

 take care of my bees. 



Not long since, I was looking about my hives, and 

 accidentally struck my foot against a board upon 

 which the hives were sitting; out they came, and, 

 as I didn't retreat immediately, I got a "bite" above 

 the eye which closed it for a few days. I don't 

 think "l looked very clerical the next day, as I drove 

 to New Philadelphia, to meet the President of 

 Wittenberg College, to take him home with me. 



Don't you think the Simplicities will soon be dis- 

 carded for the chaff hive? L. S. JoxES. 



New Philadelphia, O., Jan. 22d, 1878. 



Your speaking of stepping on the board 

 on which the hives sat reminds me that I 

 have had many similar experiences, and for 

 this reason have discarded every thing to 

 set bees on. that projects beyond tlie bottom 

 board. The sawdust gives no jar and neith- 

 er yourself nor the bees are annoyed, if you 

 walk about among the hives ever so much. 

 Your friend who turned over the hive cal- 

 culating that he could move quicker than the 

 bees, was almost as unwise in his calculations 

 as our friend of last month who was stung 

 so badly that he fainted. 



I do not think the chaff hive will ever 

 take the place of the simplicity, because the 

 latter is almost a necessity v:ith the chaff 

 hives. Working with new swarms and 

 nuclei, shipping bees, and many other ope- 

 rations, require a hive light, plain, and sim- 

 ple, and when we get them built up to 

 "rousing big stocks. ' all ready for comb 

 honey, then we want a chaff hive to put 

 theni in. 



THE ABC CL.4SS. 



^^-OUR A B C, received. It might be Greek for ' 



^( all the good it does me. I know nothing of 

 ssk bees: have hardly ever seen a hive: and all 

 talk of "hybrid queens," "neucleus colonies," etc.. 

 is totally incomprehensible to me. But wishing 

 some honey for family use and for sale, and seeing 

 that you advise to commence with two hives, I en- 

 close a P. O. order for 826.1X1, for 2 Simplicity hives 

 and bees, in the desperate hope of finding oiit from 

 the hces the first principles about themselves; for 

 the bee books don't even tell whtther a hive requires 

 one queen or twenty, and I am sure I don't know 

 myself. 



I don't think I require any "winter packing" what- 

 ever that is. 



I have nice grape vines, and will prepare sawdust 

 as directed in your A B C. 



And now, Mr Root, as I hrve bought two hives of 

 you, 1 do not think it will be imposing on your or 

 your clerk's valuatih: time, to ask as consise answers 

 as possible to the following questions. Please ans- 

 wer just as if you were talking to one who never 

 saw a bee. Any hints will be thankfully received. 



How am I to treat the bees on their arrival to 

 set them to work? 



Set them on your sawdust pile, and fix it 

 up nice around the entrance, and then move 

 the hive back and let them fly, as directed 

 last month. 



How long before I can have honey to eat? 



I cannot tell you when you will have honey, 

 any more than I cotikl tell you how soon you 

 would have eggs, if you 'bought a lot of 

 poultry: but if you take care of them, and 

 spring' flowers "are in bloom, you should 

 Iiave honey almost as soon as you get them. 

 In this locality, if I should i)urchase a colo- 

 ny of Italians'duringthe white clover bloom, 



I should expect them to give me some sur- 

 plus honey for the table inside of a week; 

 if taken with the extractor, you might have 

 some the next day after they aiTived. 



Am I in danger of ha^^ng bees decamp imme- 

 diately? 



You are in no danger of having a full 

 colony decamp, unless they swarm ; and 

 they will not do this, as a general thing, un- 

 til they get their hive full of honey, and full 

 of bees. You are to get acquainted with 

 them, and keep acquainted with the condi- 

 tion of affairs inside the hive, and then you 

 can take away their honey, and give them 

 more room when occasionVequires it. Very 

 few bees are lost by swanning where the 

 apiarist is prompt and on hand. 



Do 1 have to shut the bees in, on the approach of 

 cold weather? We have flowers everj' month, but 

 frosts in Nov.. Dec, Jan., and Feb. 



Never shut the bees in the hive under 

 any circumstances, unless you are obliged 

 to, to move them. 



How much honey must be left in the hive for win- 

 ter? Geo. Wolf. 

 Jackson%ille, Duval Co., Florida, Apr. 1st, 1878. 



Enough honey must be left so they will 

 not stai'S'e ; if" you will tell me how' much 

 haj' and oats your pony needs. I can tell you 

 how much to leave for the bees ; ordinarily 

 about 1.5lbs., but 201bs. will make it safer. 

 Look at them occasionally, and see that they 

 have a plenty. 



^ f I m 



' VAIiUABIiE SIGGESTIOINS. 



FASTENING IN FDN., SEPARATOKS, ETC. 



sugges 



that "Novice" made while "walking around the cen- 

 tral stairway," has been of more value to me than 

 the price of Gleamngs for a year. I now make my 

 frames of lath with little or no waste, as good as I 

 could wish, and much cheaper than ever before. 

 With a slitting gauge. I take off "« of an inch, which 

 makes the sides and top pieces: the narrow strip 

 makes the bottom piece. I put my frames together, 

 then with my knife, I cut off the corners of the top 

 piece and sides. This makes the triangular piece 

 that the bees follow so well in making their comb. 



Excuse a few suggestions 1 rom me. To insert fdn. 

 into section boxes; lay the grooved piece on a nar- 

 row strip of wood on the table, press the sides down 

 on the table, (no danger of splitting it) insert the 

 fdn., then slip it off the strip, and press the middle 

 of the two ends down to the table, and it is ready to 

 be put together. 



To insert fdn. into frames: why not make a saw- 

 cut through the top piece, then push the fdn. 

 through this cut, and clinch it on top? 



Why not use enameled cloth for separators be- 

 tween section boxes. In place of tin ones? 



Bees hare wintered well in this section: very few 

 have died. I transfei-red a swarm on the sixth inst. 

 that were very strong and had dr< nes. Am using 

 grape sugar: my bees go for it equally as for honey. 

 I think it solves the question of bees starving. 



Colo, Iowa, Apr. lOth. 1878. D. Howard. 



I at first did insert the fdn. in just the way 

 you have mentioned, but soon found tlve 

 girls would insert it much quicker in the 

 wav I have directed. If you saw through 

 the" top bar of your brood frames, you weak- 

 en it, besides wasting quite an amount of 

 wax. AVood is much cheaper than wax. and 

 as a good strong comb guide isay ^ thick, 

 and i wide) adds much to the strength of 

 the top bar besides saving considerable wax. 

 I would alwavs use them. There is no 



