380 APPENDIX, 



Most of our swarmSj in constructing combs, will make altogeth-sr too many cells 

 for the rearing of drones. Th'jre is really no necessity Cor twenty colonies of bees 

 Btanding together^ to rear more drones than are naturally produced by one standing 

 alone. Nature had to provide drones for isolated colonies j and, when a great num- 

 ber of stocks are brought together, each one follows its instincts, and rears thous- 

 ands of these useless consumers. It not only requires a great many pounds of 

 honey to rear this brood, but requires the labor of a great many working-boes after- 

 wards to support them. A great many traps have been contrived to catch and 

 destroy tbem, and several patents obtained for devices for that purpose. We are 

 told that colonies deprived of their drones, store quantities incredibly large of sur- 

 plus, over others not disturbed. We take these statements^ however, coming from 

 interested parties, with due allowance ; but we must admit that a large brood of 

 drones cannot be maintained from May till perhaps the end of summer "without 

 consuming much honey uselessly. Now, if there is a great saving in destroying tho 

 drones after they are reared, how much more might be saved if they were not 

 reared at oH, and in their stead there were produced five workers for every three 

 of the drones ? With these frames we can do it, and go beyond any chance or 

 caprice of the bees, and prevent their rearing drones I When, ascertaining the pon- 

 dition of the new stocks in spring, any frame containing drono-cells, or more than a 

 vQry few, should he taken away, and replaced with worker-cells. Wheu a third or 

 half are drone-cells, that part may be cut out, and a piece of the same size (worker- 

 colls) fitted in the place ; such pieces can bo held in place with a little melted bees- 

 wax and rosin poured round the edge., Wc thus take the matter in our hands, 

 because the bees, without the cells in which to rear the drones, could not, if they 

 would, waste so much material worse than uselessly. I would remark here — with- 

 out gomg into full explanations to prove it — ^that I consider the eggs of an impreg- 

 nated queen all one thing : that if deposited in drone-cells, they produce drones ; 

 that if ia worker-cells, workers, &o. 1 have not, as yet, in any one instance, taken 

 all the drone-cells from a stock, but have left' a few square inches, because it is not 

 ascertained what etfect a total deprivation might have. In several instances, I have 

 taken three hundred Square inches, which would have afforded cells enough to ox- 

 tend the number of drones to thousands. Whenever it is necessary to change 

 combs, for the sake of adding to the winter stores of a colony, I would recommend 

 taking those containing the drone-cells if possible, so as to be sure that they will be 

 emptied before the bees will be likely to use them for brood. They should be taken 

 away and carefully saved, to put in the surplus boxes — at least all that are not 

 much colored.- The more combs you can put into a box the sooner it will be filled, 

 and having these large cells filled with honey, is the best use to which they can he 

 applied. 



On page 322, 1 have given a process of uniting two small families for winter. It 

 will be seen readily, that, by the help of the frames, it is a^very simple matter, and 

 much less trouble. The frames containing the most honey are put into one hive 

 with the bees. 



All bee-keepers know that strong colonies are not destroyed by the worm in any 

 hive ; but before anything can be done to assist those thatUre attacked, in all but 

 this, the worm has usually done his mischief among the combs, whether much or 

 little, and come to the bottom, where he may be dispatched. But when we 

 can get a fair side-view of a comb, a.s by lifting out a frame, we can detect his local- 

 ity, and attack him in his stronghold. The point of a knife and the thumb will form 

 a kind of forceps very eCBcicDt in dragging him from his covered* thoroughfare, long 

 before he could be routed by the bees. Very few stocks of bees are so strong but 

 they may be benefitted materially by this kind of assistance. I havo taken a half- 

 dozen from a comb, when judging from the strength of tho stock it belonged to, 

 there would bo no danger of losing It ; but the fact that a colony survives tho 

 injury of a brood of worms, does not prove that it has received no damage; 



I have, for tho last few years, wintered all my bees in the house. To get rid of 

 the moisture most elTectually, I still turn tho common hive bottom up, as directed 

 on page 340. But as a consequence, all dust and dead bees must fall into the top of 

 the hive. This is objectionable^ yet it is decidedly bettor than mouldy combs, that 

 are engendered when right side up. With the movable frames I have only to 

 remove the honey-board from the top, and the hive is effectually ventilated when 

 right side up, and presenting this advantage over the box-hive — all dead bees and 

 filth fall to the bottom and out of the combs, leaving them entirely clean. Should 

 the combs be made crooked, so that it is impossible to take them out, there is yet this 

 advantage, of wintering them without inverting tho hive, and ventilating thoroughly, 

 Such-t j my readers as have been troubled about their bees standing on their heads 

 all winter, will see that, with this hive, there is a chance for them to remam right 

 Bide up, and still bo fully ventilated. 



I have now given some, but not all the advantages of the movable frames. It is 

 not very likely we have got tho best form of the hive. I have on© quite different 



