58 
GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 
Mat. 
For a remedy, keep none but honest bees, i, e, 
those that have never learned what it is to get 
sweets from any other source than the flowers. 
We know of an Apiary (all Italians) where 
robbing is almost unknown, for the reason 
that our friend has always been careful to keep 
every drop of honey out of their way, and his 
bees hare never got into a way of thieving. 
The very best preventive in the spring, is to 
keep all hands busy on the meal, whenever 
they can fly. We have known its agency 
alone, to restore quiet when weak colonies 
were sorely in danger of demoralization. The 
most productive source of mischief, in our 
Apiary, is combs containing a small quantity 
of honey, or those from which honey has been 
extracted. All goes well until the supply 
gives out, ami then every hive in the vicinity 
is attacked, and wo to the visitor who confi- 
dingly approaches at such a time. In all that 
Quinby and Clark have had to say about 
stings, we believe they have omitted to men- 
tion the danger of approaching an apiary when 
a lot of thievish hybrids, have just been de- 
prived of some remnants of comb and honey 
that they have been quarrelling over. It 
seems to us that stings come at such a time, 
all the more aggravating, because they come 
without warning, and without provocation of 
of any kind. TJJiey just sting out of pure 
well, meanness. 
There is a queer phenomena that we cannot 
quite understand, sometimes observed; and 
that is where a good colony permits them- 
selves to be robbed without the least resis- 
tance; see page 44 Vol. 1. Many may be 
inclined to deride such an idea, with Italians, 
but they may some time see it to their sorrow. 
We have always succeeded finally, in getting 
them to show the desired “spunk” toward in- 
truders, but whether it was the “different 
perfumes” we gave them, or the rousing them 
tin that helped the matter, we cannot say now. 
With very weak stocks, of course contracting 
the entrance is a great help, and whenever 
they are really overpowered, the hive should 
be shut up entirely, but we would never do 
this when there seemed any prospect of their 
getting the better of the robbers. Nothing 
but real practice can enable one to determine 
at once which are robbers and which are not. 
After the hive is securely closed, we cannot see 
any use of carrying them into the cellar. We 
simply open it just late enough in the evening 
to allow the thieves to go home, and then we 
are sure to be the “first one up” next morning. 
If they commence again, we close the hive 
once more, and keep it closed about three days ; 
robbers will usually in that .time decide to re- 
main there, and will labor for the very hive 
they have before been plundering, only that 
they still retain their thievish propensities, 
and are sure to be foremost whenever anything 
of this kind turns up in future. We at one 
time were in the habit of closing the hive with 
wire cloth, but after finding the wily Italians 
who were inside would pass the honey through 
to their comrades on the outside, we discon- 
tinued it. We at first were slow to believe 
this, but our friend Shaw says he has had it 
happen often, and in fact now closes his Nu- 
cleus hiv. ' with a double wire cloth with a 
half inch space between the two. If you are 
with your bees during the working season, 
there is almost no need of having any trouble 
from robbing. 
Now, after the above remarks, some may 
think our dry sugar feeding, an inconsistency, 
but it is not. A dozen boys might quarrel 
over a half dozen apples, but they assuredly 
would not over a wagon full ; and thus it is 
with the bees. Several reports seem to show 
that even combs of honey, can be fed in the 
open air in the Apiary, providing you have an 
unlimited supply, and spread them out so as 
to give all a chance; but beware of letting 
them get out before the flowers furnish a sup- 
ply. Our next friend has had experience in 
open air feeding for many years ; we will lis- 
ten to him. 
FEEDING IN THE OPEN AIR, ETC. 
Commenced wintering with 31 stocks, lost 4 and one 
died leaving plenty of honey. One was robbed, Queen 
left in hive, and one lost their Queen, so I supplied it 
with a Queen from robbed hive. One swarmed out 
and bees went Into another hive. The 27 left are 
strong in bees and generally light in honey. 
Commenced feeding meal about the 1st of March, 
also diluted honey and brown sugar at same time In 
old feed troughs made in 18S4, and need more or less 
every spring and fall since. They are made of inch 
nine boards with thin floats perforated with small 
holes. The troughs and boxes with syrup and meal 
are set on south side of building In the sun, protected 
from fowls, wind, anil rain. The troughs are kept 
sweet with boiling water and salt. As a general 
thing, out-door feeding gives best results with me. 
It Won’t hurt the strong and certainly strengthens 
the weak, keeping all smart, and active; and as 
Langstroth says in his book, they will flock to the 
feed if warm enough, like pigs to a trough. 
Honev causes the greatest commotion, while sugar 
leaving less scent In mouths of hives, gives less chance 
for robbing. They have carried away up to this time, 
the line part of wheat, oat, and rye meal, 2 bushels, 
ami 20 gallons of syrup. I And no trouble in laziness, 
as natural stores accumulate. 
Those 3 swarms spoken of some time ago (see page 
22) supplied with old honey wintered well. The one 
robbed was one of the 3 ; I believe it was caused by 
the candied honey rolling out at the front of the hive, 
and attracting robbers; as I was away It became 
overpowered hv its near neighbor, they appropriating 
both honey ami bees— no great loss. 
My son had 8, live old and three young, the latter 
are "gone up.” Trying times yet for weak colonies, 
hut close care, and long and judicious feeding will 
bring them all safely through. 
Ghent, O. March 31, 1874. T. Piersox- 
It seems pretty certain now, that if bad hon- 
ey causes dysentery one winter, the same honey 
fed another winter does not always produce it. 
Is It necessary to give bees water In Feb. and March 
lor brooil-rearliig ;.lf not what Is the reason my bees 
ceased brood-rearing lu March? 
Orrville, Ohio. C. J. YODEli. 
We have never been able to discover that 
water was necessary while bees were indoors ; 
after they were out, if cold, the condensation 
affords a supply ; If warm they can go out and 
get it. Was it not on account of lack of pollen? 
Mr. ROOT, Dear Sir:— 1 have a Queen in one of 
my colonies, Introduced last fall, that lays none but 
drone eggs. Is it likely, or possible, that she will do 
better, lu the future ? Mr. Alley assures me that she 
was fertilized. She Is a very fine looking Queen, Is 
quite large. 
On looking lqfo the hive to-day, I found a great 
many drones, (Imely marked Italians) several promi- 
nent drone cells, and one Queen coll but no bees 
clustering around It, In the second frame from the 
outside ;I am very doubtful as to the contents of this 
cell, not knowing where the egg should come from. 
Wilt you please advise me what to do la the matter, 
the colony is tolerably strong yet. and Is carrying u> 
pollen, not much however. This Queen cell appears 
perfect. Wm. SI. Cake, 
West Independence, O. April 13, 1874. 
We would treat the colony precisely as 11 
1 Queenless one ; a yovny Queen sometimes pro- 
