“ novice’s” gleanings in bee culture. 
7 
combs emptied with the extractor, you will 
be astonished to find them bringing in honey 
in spite of dry weather or anything else. 
Don’t let honey enough accumulate in the 
hive at any time to induce the swarming fe- 
ver, but keep raising brood and we should 
not be astonished if you before the season 
closed, should say, as our “ women folks 
did in 1870, that they ” really wished the lit- 
tle chaps would stop, for we have got more 
honey than anybody would ever want ” 
S. L. Root of Austinburg, O., says : I lost 
one hive last 'Winter out of twelve of dysen- 
tery. I think it was the only one that had 
had no upward ventilation.” 
We have no doubt but that your colony and 
many others would have been saved by more 
ventilation, and at the same time had they 
been confined to a diet of pure sugar syrup 
this extra ventilation would not been needed. 
We have colonies now, that for experiment 
have entrances almost closed and. top closed 
entirely, as close as a tight, painted cover 
will close it, yet they arc wintering without 
detriment: drops of moisture hang on the 
cover directly over the cluster, but the bees 
look perfectly natural : bodies are not dis- 
tended in the least, and unless disturbed, no 
sound is heard from them at all. Natural 
stores arc sometimes perhaps as wholesome 
as honey, but can we afford to run the risk? ” 
T. G. McGaw, Monmouth, 111., writes. 
“ The loss of bees in this section will be 
heavy owing to the extreme cold weather, 28 
to 32 degrees below zero last week. Box hives 
mostly in use and no care given.” 
We have no doubt but that bees can he win- 
tered out of doors safely, but the expense ot 
the extra amount of sugar for food, would 
soon pay for houses for them. 
J Anderson, Tiverton, Canada, writes: 
“ My bees never did better than last season. 
They are now in cellar, strong and healthy, 
and with plenty of honey, so I expect to have 
them in good condition in Spring.” 
“My queens are all young, and from an 
imported mother, but well marked, and ex- 
cellent workers. I would like a queen or two 
a little brighter. How is this secured?” Sec ! 
article in next number, “ How to Improve I 
our Bees.” But we advise you not to get the ! 
brighter ones if you want the best honey 
gatherers. 
Job Ilucstis, East Fairfield, Ohio, asks 
if “the Lindens all blossom at the same 
time.” The period of blooming varies as 
much as three or four weeks, as we observed 
in the forests about here last season, and we 
think varieties might be collected that would 
extend the period to two or three months. 
George Porratt, Winnimac, Ind., asks : 
“ will it pay me to get another kind of hive? 
I use the Quinby hive, 100 of them, 72 with 
bees in them, and 23 ready for use next 
Spring. I also use the National Bee Hive 
Extractor. Will it pay me to get another, if 
sowhatone.” _ . , , 
We would not change, if you have Quinby s 
hive, with suspended frames, but those that 
are supported from the bottom we really can 
not think convenient. We have never seen 
the Extractor, you mention, but would use no 
extractor that obliges you to revolve the case 
and honey. 
H. B. Rolfe, Westfield, N. Y , writes : “ I 
see you have thrown honey boxes aside, but I 
think I will have to stick to them, from the 
fact that I am unable to handle frames readily 
on account of my right hand being crippled, 
I can handle boxes with my left hand. I 
would like to raise queens and try swarming 
artificially, but all the descriptions look too 
formidable for one hand business. 
“ I wintered my bees in cellar two Wint ers 
without loss, but one year ago I removed the 
honey-board as per Langstrotli, and lest forty 
stocks ” 
We think you can handle frames as well as 
boxes, but of conrseyou will have to “ go slow” 
with either. Have the frames rest on a strip 
of metal, or the metal rabbet, so that they can 
be lifted out when handled by the middle ot 
I the top bar ; we often take one in each hand 
I thus. But the metal rabbet should always be 
fastened in the wood, so that the back is 
slanting in such a way as to guide the frame 
into its place when the projections strike it. 
When the frame is in place, not more than i 
of an inch end-shake should bo allowed, but 
this space should increase as it is raised to w-ork 
with facility; if the back partofthe metal rabbet 
slopes lip to the top of the end of the hive nil 
the better, and then the projecting ends of 
the frame slide down the smooth surface ot the 
tin very nicely. Any tinsmith can fold them 
very cheaply. We 'feel quite sure removing 
the honey-boards was not the cause ot M r. 
Rolfe’s loss. Were none lost in your vicinity 
that had honey-boards left on ? 
Mr. S. Rowell, of Blooming Grove, Minn, 
thinks lie has a plan for securing the fertili- 
zation of queens, and asks if we think it ot 
sufficient importance to be worthy of going to 
much expense in testing it. 
We have never given any subject so much 
time and study with so little success as the 
above, and really think that if the plans given 
us now by the best authorities were successfu 1 
it would be cheaper to let our bees manage it 
themselves and take the chances for their 
purity. Some of our friends thought they 
had succeeded, but careful examination has 
convinced us that the queens flew out after all, 
and some queens do squeeze through an ori- 
fice nearly or quite as small as that of the 
worker. Some one who has had experience 
may tell Mr. Rowell what he may expect of 
his plan without the trouble or expense of an 
actual trial. We have at present no faith in 
wire or cloth houses lor the purpose. 
Mr. Shaw who advertises on last page, has 
made many and some quite expensive experi- 
ments and with a patience and determina- 
tion in trying all the plans recommended 
I that we think deserved something better than 
I total failures. 
