200 DR. miller's 



A Yes, the raspberry is a very important honey-plant. In 

 some localities, notably in northern Michigan and Ontario, it 

 yields a handsome surplus. 



Records. — Q. Will you tell me some simple way in which I 

 can keep a record of queens, etc., to see if there is any improve- 

 ment in them? 



A. I use a cheap blank book, giving to each colony its place, 

 and enter there the important items, especially the amount of 

 honey each colony yields. That matter I keep in a spot on the 

 page by itself, so that at any time I can glance at it and tell just 

 what the colony has done. This credit may be made in the apiary 

 at the time the honey is taken off. For instance, this credit may 

 appear : 24, 24, 24, IS. That means I took away 24 sections each 

 time at three different times, and the equivalent of IS sections at 

 the last time, making 87 sections in all. 



Redwood. — Q. I have a chance to get some hives made of Cali- 

 fornia rcd«')Md. It is used for making incubators in this town.' 

 They say it will not take water, ants or moths will not work in it, 

 and it will stand painting. \Yould the honey taste from it, or 

 would the bees want to live in hives with that odor? Some say 

 to wash the hive with salt water or peach leaves. I can get hives 

 made from this very cheap, although redwood is high-priced. 

 Have you had any experience in this matter? 



A. California redwood has been successfully used for bee- 

 hives, and you need not fear its effects on the honey, even with- 

 out salt or peach leaves, which probably have no effect. But you 

 will hardly find it proof against ants and moths. 



Renting Bees. — Q. I let my bees on halves last summer. 

 Should the man who took the bees have left enough stores for 

 winter? Four of my colonies starved to death before I could at- 

 tend to them, and ten more would have starved within a week if 

 I hadn't fed them. This man told me they had plenty of stores for 

 the winter. I let him have 28 colonies on June S. Wasn't he sup- 

 posed to return to me 28 colonies in the fall? He returned only 

 28 colonies witli half of the increase, and the increase was eight 

 swarms. Xow, wasn't this man supposed to leave nij' bees in 

 good shape, ready to put into the cellar? Is there any law on 

 renting bees? 



A If there was any law about the matter the great proba- 

 bility is that the law would insist on the carrying out of any con- 

 tract made in the premises. So the whole thing depends upon the 

 agreement that was made, and to make sure about it the agree- 

 ment should have been in writing. If there was an agreement 



