82 
« NOVICE'S ” GLEANINGS IN BEE CUtTITltE. 
hives, etc., and one colony persists not 
only in cleaning away all loose sticks, 
6 ravel, etc., but actually tries to pull up 
tke weeds and grass when we are so care- 
less as to permit any to start. 
Well, our cover inverted under the bot- 
tom board of course closes the entrance, 
and we hope we are infringing on no one 
i n considering lower ventilation unnecessa- 
ry. Now, so far as this we have bad ex- 
perience, but in confining the bees to 
tljeir hives entirely by putting a sheet of 
wire cloth over the frames (under the 
quilt) we have not; but still, as we have 
decided to try our own in that way, we 
shall describe our method: it we dislike 
the arrangement we can at any time re- 
move the wire cloth. In order to have 
these sheets of wire cloth lit nicely and 
not, have their edges rough and incon- 
venient, we shall have them lined with 
strips of folded tin. I hese will be put 
close down on the frames and the quilt 
over them about the last day the bees can 
By before going into winter quarters, thus 
giving them time to get perfectly quiet 
before their removal. 
Stocks that persist in keeping up an 
excitement can have the quilt turned 
back or even removed entirely ; but with 
stpree of pure, wholesome food we have 
Tittle fear but that they will be quiet with 
the quilt tucked snugly over them, the 
wire cloth ouly being required when we 
are carrying them in or out, when we 
wijsh to make examinations or when they 
get restless toward spring and need addi- 
tional ventilation. 
Our readers will perceive that we again 
have occasion to remove the cover of the 
hive Vheri wintering; in fact, we don’t 
want covers on when they are in doors at 
all; arid that reminds us that we have had 
as'yet no satisfactory solution of Problem 
10. The combs in the upper story we 
usually remove just before feeding, at the 
trine when we look the colonies all over 
arid select the best worker combs for the 
wintering combs, so that when brood- 
rearing commences in spring we are "all 
right to go ahead.' After feeding, about 
the most convenient place for these sur- 
plus combs is in these same upper stories, 
and when carried away for that purpose 
tb* covers are needed over the lower one; 
when put out in (he spring they are need- 
ed again until June, when we bring out 
our surplus combs once more. Tis true 
that by having the cover hinged perman- 
ently .on the upper story, we may get 
along very well by shifting the combs in- 
to that, or the reverse, especially if metal 
cot'nered frames are used; and that it the 
we have done, tail this plan ol using 
the covers under the hive almost necessi- 
tates loose covers. It is true "Scientific ’ 
gives us a plan on page IS, June No., but, 
we'nover quite liked the way it worked, 
; u , it don’t bold the covers firm, and is 
iothcwhal in the way. 
VVe think Novice s solution under the 
head of Problem* will be found to meet 
every requirement. We have just com 
menced using them on the hives now be- 
ing made. 
If our Langslroth hives are not all sold 
I before going into winter quarters, we 
shall prepare them by tacking wire cloth 
over the portico, leaving the entrance 
blocks as usual, and covering the frames 
with the wire cloth and quilt, as above. 
REPORT FROM A1)A« 6RIH. 
JjrtfPJjHE hard winter, fearful spring and 
ail noor summer had almost ruined my 
l| stock of bees. By incessant feeding and 
doctoring, T have with the aid of the 
splendid fall weather, succeeded, not on- 
ly in restoring my colonies to good con- 
dition, but increased them from 485 (1 
sold 30, and lost 105) to 850, which I will 
winter. I extracted no honey but secur- 
ed 3,500 lbs of box honey for which 1 aui 
offered 28c a pound. A. Fuerbinger, who 
lost only 3 colonics during winter and 
spring, out of 08, got from the remaining 
05, 23 young, natural swarms, ami 2700 
lbs. of box honey which he sold at home 
at 24 cts a pound ami 1100 lbs. of extract- 
ed, ami his beesare in splendid condition, 
They are mostly good hybrids. This man 
makes, estimating his young colonies 88 
per hive, clear $1000 from 05 colonies in 
this moderate good season.- lie is a coop- 
er by trade, but says lie will hereafter on- 
ly make his own barrels, and put all his 
time into beekeeping. This is very en- 
couraging, but 1 will give you another pic- 
ture. W. Wolf here bad, two years ago this 
autumn, 181 extra good and heavy stocks. 
He sold in all 17 colonies and had only 
$50 worth surplus honey last year and on- 
ly $5.00 worth this year, lie now has 39 
, colonies. Of course he laments over the 
} poor season, claims that he has no luck, 
when in fact it is nearly all duo" to his care- 
lessness. If he did not know what to do, 
i could excuse him for his failure. We 
460, 850, 
| have iu this neighborhood, 45, 35, 131, 
ifflfil. 
25, 
(HI. 120, 0.100, 200, 
224, «m. 
118, 
69, 
(i, 12, aS*>0 30, 
24, 75, 
lull. 
12.5. 
00, 
15, 
17, 
3, colonies of bees, 
or in all 
1 123, that produced 9078 lbs. of surplus 
box honey, and 2740 lbs of extracted lum- 
py. 'The above numbers of stocks include 
the young colonies, which numbered 650 
colonies, leaving 873 old colonics which 
yielded on an average a little over 10 lbs. 
of box honey, ami about 3 lbs extracted. 
But only three beekeepers extracted honey 
and a very little at that. This is a very 
poor show when compared with the sea- 
son of two years ago, when my average 
yield was to my recollection, 73 lbs to ev- 
ery hive 1 started with in the spring, 
Yours Respectfully, 
Adam Grim, Jefferson, M is. 
1’. S. 1 forgot to state that 1 took 
home last Saturday evening, 9 colonies of 
bees, in whose neighborhood a eidermill 
