C2 
“novice's" gleanings in dee CULTURE. 
hot weather they are soon used for an 
entrance and then cannot be closed again 
without loss of bees. Covering with wire 
cloth will not do for they will be soon 
covered with propolis. If all ventilation 
be given in front, as in the “dollar hive 
it can be enlarged to any extent and then I 
contracted without annoyance to the bees. 
The door in full view contains no window 
and perhaps one window may answer yet 
there are times when two might be better. 
We prefer windows in the doors, for 
then they are closed dark when the inner 
doors are in place in winter; besides if 
bees collect on the windows they are otf at 
once when the door is opened. The hoe 
and spade left standing by the door are 
favorite implements with “Novice” espec- 
ially this season, for many of our trellisses 
under the new arrangement were left 
“vineless;” these we find can be rapidly 
tilled up by simply burying a long, grow- 
ing shoot, an inch or more, under the 
ground and then bringing it up where 
wanted; these green canes take root in 
a few days. One thrifty Concord vine 
will make a dozen or more good, strong ^ 
vines in a season. We have several such 
shoots that have covered a trellis with 
heavy foliage already. The “railroad” 
and car is but dimly visible through the 
foliage, and the extractor we hope will 
assist those who could not “make it out,” 
even if it be but a distant view. The 
“camp chair" in the vicinity of “Novice,” 
might suggest “taking things easy,” but 
we believe he seldom uses it only on the i 
Sabbath. 
We would say, in conclusion, that no 
great amount of time has been expended, 
as some might suppose, for it has been j 
mostly done at odd times, before break- , 
fast, after supper, etc., and instead of 
being a task most of the work has been 
but a pleasant recreation. 
P. S. — Of course our bees don’t sting 
when they are well treated. (“It s a story." 
“P. G.") Mrs. “N.” and the children 
wouldn’t be there if they did, for they 
don’t "take to stings.” 
CAUSE OF DYSENTERY. 
M 'Y bees, twenty-four stocks, wintered 
i on their summer stands, all healthy, 
but not strong in numbers as usual at the 
opening of spring, but some recruited. 
Their stores was almost exclusively hon- 
ey dew, And now when I tell you I have 
been a bee keeper since 1803, in localities 
where this source of supply is often very 
abundant, and that I have kept on an av- 
l’rom twenty to eighty stocks a season, 
and that, 1 have never lost a colony of 
beet from dysentery, or any other disease 
that 1 know of, you will not think strange 
that I cannot indorse all the complaints 
laid to its charge. I have little however 
to say in its favor, except that it usually 
appears about this season, when in this 
locality, where we have neither white 
clover nor linden, but often as is the case 
this season, would have a hard season 
without it ; it keeps the bees breeding and 
helps out, wonderfully until the summer 
and fall (lowers come, from which our sur- 
plus is principally gathered. 
E. K. Gian, 
Appleton City, St. Otair Co., Mo. 
That honey dew was not the only cause 
of dysentery, we have had ample proof, 
and we are glad to learn further that bees 
sometimes thrive on it. Every additional 
fact furnished will help determine just 
how food acts in this matter, for that food 
is at the bottom of the whole trouble, few 
now feel inclined to doubt. 
PROBLEMS. 
'0. II. — Queen’s cells after being 
sealed, it is said, will hatch as well 
anywhere else as in the hive, if the tem- 
perature be right. What temperature is 
right? "Can’t we send ’em by mail? 
suggests Novice; but “P. G.” says not, 
for they must not be “bumped” or rough- 
ly handled. Again, are all the requisites 
for extra queens dependent on the treat- 
ment of the larvae before sealing the 
cell, is there no development that, re- 
quires full liberty, air, exercise, etc., after 
hatching? Wo dwell on this unduly, 
perhaps, but firmly believe that extra pro- 
lific queens are the secret, of large yields 
of honey. 
No. 15. In some localities our bees are 
ir. the habit of invading Groceries and 
l onfectioncries etc. in the fall. Now is 
there any way to keep them busy so they 
will not annoy our neighbors i. e. can we 
feed them in any way that will not incite 
robbing? We know of one case where 
this was done accidentally as follows : 
Quite a quantity of honey was hung up 
in a wood house in frames, and of course 
the bees began to carry it away, but. lor 
some unaccountable reason no robbing 
ensued. They worked at the honey until 
fruit trees blossomed, then abandoned il : 
commenced again after they were gone, 
and so on ; yet there was no robbing 
at all. In this case itseems the abundance 
of the plunder made them think it was 
natural stores, but we have in vain tried 
to produce a similar result. We should 
like facts on the subject but would advise 
cautious experiments or it might result in 
a "big row” and disgust a, whole neighbor- 
hood with bees and Beekeepers. The 
case mentioned was in Mr. Shaw’s Apiary, 
alluded to elsewhere, and the bees were 
Italians. We are afraid t’would’nt work 
with black and hybrids. 
No. Ki Has any one ever wintered a 
colony absolutely without pollen and did 
they rear brood successfully ? 
