V- 
TO 
GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 
KBIKND NOVICE l’l case 
let mu know through Gi.ban- 
nCos, how a frame like this 
would bo. n. N. Kuhn. 
Shtniorsvllle. Pa. 
Well, we should think It would be tri-dn^M- 
lar ; so far as practicability Is concerned, we 
have known such hives to give very fair yields 
of honey, as in fact we have, hives containing 
frames of every size, shape, and dimensions, 
almost. The principal objection Is, that it does 
not enable the bees to keep In a compact clus- 
ter, the sharp corners being very unfavorable 
In that respect. The Idea has formed the basis 
of several “patents,” but we believe it has been 
Invariably abandoned utter a short trial, like 
the great bulk of the patented devices iu gen- 
eral. 
What Umu of day do you consider best lor examin- 
ing hives, or extracting ? 
Any time of day when the bee* are at work; 
and the more they are flying the better, always 
providing no robbing is going on. 
How do yon examine a hive in early spring and as- 
certain condition, when It Is continually cold- as It 
has been this spring • I waited week* to aoo what 
condition mine were Ul after being moved tierce. They 
told me I must wait for a warm day, so as not to chill 
the brood. It was so cold most of the time that in 
trying to examine them, lots of bees would fall down 
chilled. I roud about persons examining in early 
March, but can’t see how they do it unless they have 
different weather. About how should the thermom- 
eter stand to make it safe to expose brood ? 
Manchester, Iowa. Mns. B. M. M cent. KK. 
In this last matter, we fear we are really un- 
able to give any advice that would help you, 
unless it were "don’t.” Of course if bees are 
starving they must be fed, but. otherwise we 
should hot ope# the hives unless the weather i 
is warm enough for them to fly. Such days 
usually occur in March and April, but when 
we have such unfortunate seasons as the pres- 
ent, we really know of nothing that can be 
done. We have no reports from those having 
kept their bees iu the cellars until the “flowers 
bloom," as Quinby advises, but feel sure ours 
would all have died ere this time. If we could 
manage to have brood-reariug go on while the 
bees were yet confined to their hives, It might 
do. We have utterly failed in such attempts, 
but should be pleased to hear from others. 
There were 40 stocks of bees of the Apiary 1 am now 
managing, wintered in the cellar without loss (natural 
stores). Were put in 28tb of Nov. '73, and nut out 
March Istli, ’74. Cellar was quite damp ami many 
combs moulded on that account. They are doing ilne- 
ly now and taking in dampened sugar whenever they 
can fly (honey also at times) without showing HignH of 
robbing. We brought them to this condition grad- 
ually by feeding dry suguv first, und robbing that was 
being carried on extensively, bofore commencing to 
feed, by some bees brought from Tenn., has now en- 
tirely caused. I), I, vims llHOWN, 
Indianapolis, I rid. 
My bees of which I have IS stands (all Black) ate 
doing well. I intend to get some Italian Queens this 
summer, but think It will be Impossible to breed 
pure Queens from them, as our woods uro full of Black 
bees. J. s. Uogkrs, 
Columbia, Texas, April 15th, 1OT4. 
So i'ar as honey Is concerned, you need have 
no fears but that you can get the full benefit 
of the Italians, even under the circumstances 
you mention. Rear all Queens from one tested 
one; persist in this every season, and Italians 
will soon be the rule and blacks the exception. 
_____ JuNk. 
t want tij Itallanlio as soon as possible, lluve 
thought I would like to get the dollar Queen*. Some 
have told me that they would be poor things anil 
Would not pay. But 1 foci just as though 1 could 
trust Novice, anil If you are going to have dollar 
Queens. I think 1 will try a few. If I can get them in 
season. Mbs. E. M. Miicki.eii: 
Manchester, Iowa. 
What we have advised as “dollar Queens," 
were to be precisely the same as other Queeiis, 
only that they were sold ns soon as fertile, anti 
before they were tested. He who would sell 
Queens known to be poor, ns “Novice Queens" 
as one advertiser expresses It, would be doing 
a dishouest act, for our purpose was to have 
them sold befotc the producer had an opportu- 
nity of knowing whether they were of extra 
value or not. Of course we should expect any 
honorable man to tell us if a Queen were poor 
or worthless, if he knew such to be the case. 
We do not expect dollar Queens can be rear 
ed early in the season. Those who want 
Queens in May and .Tune, must expect to pav 
such prices as those fortunate enough to have 
them for sale, may choose to ask. 
Oh yes ! About tuy bees ; as 1 told you, they were 
killing their Queens. I lost (S out of ‘40, In a duv or 
two, but the very day that 1 wrote you I lilted 'one 
frame with syrup for each hive, and' have done the 
same twice since, anil bail no more trouble in tbui- 
way. The Queenless ones all pegged out but one, 
which Is hatching eggs very satisfactorily at present. 
1 think nuui that low stores and as you my “nothing 
to do” was the trouble. Cold, cold, nothing Imt cold, 
anil the bees uothing to do but to oat what you feed. 
Valley Mills, Ind. Apr. 23rd, 1S74. J. ,7. WHITSON. 
Friend W. wrote us In March, that ids bees- 
were killing their Queens every day. We ad- 
vised that they should be fed— kept busy at 
something, whether they had plenty of food 
or not. 
DEAll NOVICE .—I feel as though I wanted to take 
right bold of your hand, but I suppose I can't, so 
please send me all the Oi.kaxinqs iu Bee Culture. 1 
should have sent on last year but my health was so 
poor that. 1 bad little ambition for anything. The 
season was very short, last year, the hbnev harvest 
only lasting about three weeks, but during that time 
my hundred stocks (1 bad about 112, hut the surplus 
eamo from about 100) were able to store enough for 
winter and give me 4500 lbs. In boxes for market. I 
have all my be.es In one place. In the fall I (lacked !« 
colonics in saw-dust, or packed saw-ilnst ai the sides 
and on top in place of honey boxes, and left them hit 
their stands; I put 24 colonies in the cellar, and on 
the 1st of Dec. I left for California where I spent tbe 
winter, leaving directions to have each hive examined 
once In two weeks, to see that the entrance did not 
get clogged with dead bees. 
It was hard to leave my little pets thus behind me 
in the cold, and although I enjoyed the pleasant e, 11- 
mate of that strange land, it was most .pleasant to 
return home again, which I dlil on March 16th, after 
an absence of three and n half months. On reaching 
home on the evening of the Pith 1 went t<> one hive 
out of doors and gave It a little thiunp, whereupon 
the. bees inside set Up a joyous welcome, ns much as 
to say “We are all right, don’t worry.” Next (lay I 
examined every hive out-doors and In the cellar: all 
responded, and later I carefully examined every hive 
anil found all alive and in good condition, except a 
few that were Qucenlcss and those bud plenty of bees. 
The DO out of doors wintered much tbe best 1 believe. 
Some of my stocks wintered in-dours showed some 
signs of dysentery, those out of doors no signs ofit. 
Those stocks wintered out of doors appear to lie much 
tbe strongest 111 numbers this spring. April has been 
very cold, liut little brood In hives vet, especially, 
those wintered In cellar. 
Hurrah ! for a bag of saw-dust over the hr I 
chamber, anil saw-dust at tbe sides, as well as on the 
ground In front. Yours in all brotherly love. 
Bridgeport, Vt. Apr. 29th, 1874. ' J. K. Ckank. 
We should have more faith in the “bags of 
saw-dust," were it not that bees so often winter 
well uiuh r almost all circumstances, ’tis hard 
