ADVANCED BEE-CULTURE 



19 



If separators are not needed, there is 

 no kind of case or super better than the 

 old style Heddon case. It is cheap, sub- 

 stantial and perfect. If separators are 

 desired, there are two styles of cases be- 

 tween which to choose: the T super and 

 wide frames one tier of sections deep and 

 placed in a case. The only advantage 

 possessed by the T super, as compared 

 with the Heddon case, is that it allows 

 the use of separators; while wide frames 

 protect the outside of the sections, and 

 for some reason, their use also lessens the 

 proportion of unfinished sections. The 

 bees follow the frames begun on out to 



the ends, before spreading out laterally 

 when the flow is not abundant, so that 

 three or four frames are sometimes en- 

 tirely filled while those outside are scarce- 

 ly touched. 



To sum up: if separators are not need- 

 ed, the old style Heddon case is excellent; 

 if they are desired, the T super will allow 

 their use ( wooden ones are preferable in 

 the T super), and the cost is much less 

 than for the wide frame case, which, with 

 tin separators, is the most perfect method 

 of adjusting sections on a hive, its only 

 drawback being its cost. 



^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^<:^ 



Varieties of Bees. 



■ N ORDER to give an intelligent an- 

 swer to the query : "Which are the 

 best bees ?" it is necessary to con- 

 sider the locality in which they are 

 to be kept, also the purpose for which 

 they are to be used. For instance, the 

 Syrians are great breeders. So long as 

 there is a drop of honey in the combs, 

 they rear brood. In climates blessed 

 with Winter's frosts and snows, this is an 

 undesirable tra;it; but in sunny Cuba, 

 where the honey flow comes in the sea- 

 son corresponding with our winter, this 

 very characteristic proves of value in se- 

 curing populous colonies at the beginning 

 of the harvest. These same Syrians also 

 fill the cells so full of honey, and cap it 

 so poorly, as to give it a peculiar, dark, 

 watery appearance. In raising extracted 

 honey this is not objectional. The Cy- 

 prians have proved so fiery in disposition 

 that they have been almost universally 

 discarded. The Syrians have something 

 of the same style, only in a less degree, 

 and, in their purity, are not needed in 



our Northern States. A few cling to 

 them when they are crossed with some 

 other variety, but I fail to see why, as 

 they have no good qualities, for this lati- 

 tude, not possessed by the Italians. For 

 this part of the country there are, in my 

 opinion, only three varieties of bees 

 worthy of consideration, viz., Italian, 

 black and Carniolan. As yet, the latter 

 is on trial. It must be admitted, however, 

 that the Carniolans are holding their own 

 very much better than any variety of 

 bees that has been introduced into this 

 country since the Italians were brought 

 here. They are very prolific. 



A word right here about prolificness. 

 Undue prolificness is of no value — it is an 

 objection. Did queens cost large sums 

 of money there would be a shade of sense 

 in desiring those that are prolific; but, to 

 the practical honey producer, they cost al- 

 most nothing; and by using hives that 

 are not too large, queens of ordinary pro- 

 lificness will keep the combs sufficiently 

 filled with brood. In this matter of 



