GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 
Dec. 
140 
It <> p o i* I « K ii e o ur iitfing- 
- HVD m colonies nf bees at I’ort Sanilac, the. past 
IsIT from which I got over 2000 lbs. of honey, 
il, nion"t' thhik that very ha.l for a new beginner. 
Ten colonies were all the’ bees I had, but the honey 
harvest aSd ylebl in Sanilac Co. this season, was the 
* \Vin! sI’eiViji NO, RockwoQd, Mich. Nov. 20th, 1874. 
Bees In onr locality have done splendidly shicc the 
soring troubles. Box hives in the neighborhood have 
in some instances yielded over 100 lbs. comb honey 
alter bavin 1 ' been robbed in the usual wav Inst s ' rl r’ 
i helped transfer several such myself. Our peonle 
are becoming Interested on the subject. I hate in 
creased .nine to over 40, Miss. 
And do you too have “Spring troubles?" 
Please tell us a bout it. 
DEAR NOVICE:—! wonder if any one of your sub- 
set! berstakes care of his bees as far « his [ work .as 
I do. It is 08 miles from whcic 1 sit all da\ lon„ u n 
ting letters, to where my bees are. and I have taken 
alfthe care of them myself. Increasing from 8 last 
spring to 22 ready to put In cellar and have . taken aao 
lbs of very nice extracted honey. Spent about 15 days 
with them. I have l»romised mv wife *2.00 each, tor 
nil the hives she winters. C. C. MIM.EIt, Chicago, in. 
A tip top idea Friend M. When we get 
hold of something we can’t manage ourselves, 
whether it be intemperance, cider mills, or 
wintering bees, just put the whole matter into 
the women's hands and it will generally be all 
right. . 
In August I visited several bee-keepers Jn Ononda- 
ga Cm, Sir. Root. Mr. Hosford and L oyd o Otlsco 
Valiev, Mr. Doolittle of Borodino, and olhc 8. Mr. 
Boot keeps about 50 swarms, eavs he has sold &«»0 
worth of hone v in four years: has known only one 
vo-ir in his experience in which bees (lid not pay well. 
Mr. Hosfonl works bees on shares for 
ers mostly, and has raised this season about lus. 
box honev. Mr. Lloyd commenced the season with 21 
swarms, increased to 44 •‘naturalswarming ajjjJ ^ 
•2T»00 llis. box honey; lie saves beta in 
closing tlie hives cold and windy da\s. Mr. Doolittle s 
report vou have. I will only add i had the privilege 
of Jeeinir that lot of “nine day’s” honey all in one pile 
and it was a splendid sight. Mr. D.aso s howcdu| 
his apiarv, the 51.00 Queen, her progeny etc. f etc., and i 
think she is just as good-H Queen as one I bou 0 ht of 
Mr. Lunjrstroth for §20.00. m 
Taken altogether, wc bad a very pleasant and profit; 
alilc visit and left satlslled that Onondaga Co.. 
place tor box honev, and that Bcuirwood in thi eecict. 
Enclosed Had Photo ol myself and wife. It takes 
two to make one bee-keeper at 
(If reports are true) you will sec the bcttci halt llrst, 
but i will not feel badly. -vy v vntr ontii 1S7( 
G. T. Wheeler, Mexico, N. \. Nov, 20th, 187 1. 
imploIents DEVICES and 
SUGGESTIONS 
V DEVICE FOR CUTTING WINTER PASSAGES IN 
THE COM US. 
is simply a tin tube 6 inches long and 1 inch in 
i diameter, shaped thus: This pushed in the comb 
4 a t the same time turning gently back and lortli 
cuts comb nicely. The tube is easily cleared by means 
of an awl thrust across the slits A. 
A. 1 Hooker, Middlebury, ^ t. Non. 10th, 1871. 
HOW TO SECURE 8TRAIT COMBS EVERY TIME. 
Place the frames rightly and (111 the hive to double 
its capacity (according to ordinary Ideas) with bees 
or ,vhlch is equivalent, contract the hive to halt its 
capacity, or so much that in hot weather, some bees 
will hang out the llrst night. In a few days. Insert 
frames between, to give room. The phi osophy is, 
the bees being cramped tor room to build combs, 
start them rigiitlv on all the frames at once and then, 
those started, when separated act as P ai, ‘ e s tor the 
rest of the frames introduced between. Try it, fellow 
Novices. H. Hudson, Douglas, Mich. 
From what experience we have had, we 
should judge the above to be correct. Where 
the quantity of bees is limited, this result 
can better he attained with short frames like 
the Gallup or Standard. The principle is essen- 
tially the one friend Dean works on; see page 
91 Aug. No. 
I gave my bees a little vye flour yesterday, and they 
are working on it the same as in spring. Mill it do 
anv harm or good? Would you let them have what 
they will carry into their hives ? Please answer by 
return mail, and you will very much oblige, 
S. F. Newman, Norwalk, O. Nov. 10th, 1874. 
Although we have had no experience in the 
matter, we should say give them all they will 
take any day in the year, by all means. Should 
they not use it notv, we feel sure it will be just 
what is wanted in the spring. We had been 
thinking our green house furnished the only 
conditions under which meal could be fed in 
the fall. 
FHIEND NOVICE:— The Nov. No. of Gleanings 
at hand. You seem to be at a loss for a substitute lor 
winter pollen. Suppose you try “Sweet 1 otatocs 
nicelv baked, and put within or near the hive. I have 
done' so successful I v. During warm weather I keep a 
tumbler filled with water, and inverted In a saucer, 
standing at. the entrance. A bit ot soft cotton clotli 
twisted and coiled In the saucer leading to the cn- 
trance furnishes water at all times. Have had t\\o 
Queens I n one hive nearly all summer-one wingless. 
Have been successful so far. Have the Italians, lor 
pasturage have fruit blossoms and linn, the latter in 
abundance, also clover, limited, some buckwheat, and 
a few wild flowers. Success to Gleanings, always 
on time. 1\ T. Roleum, Emlcnton, Pa. Nov. 3rd, ft. 
After receiving the nbove, we imagined wc 
had succeeded also witli sweet potato, but 
now are obliged to come to the humiliating 
conclusion that the mice ale it , for we only found 
it gone, and did not see the bees at work at it. 
Since trapping the mice it remains all untouch- 
ed If used as pollen we think it must be 
packed on their legs ; did you see them do this 
friend “Roleum,” or did they only tear it to 
pieces for its saccharine juices ? \\c shall 
have to learn caution in stating the results oi 
our experiments. 
Wc have tried the device, and it does the 
work admirably. By simply thrusting the two 
points through the comb and then turning the 
tube j:, of a revolution, a smooth round hole 
is made much quicker than the sharpest pen 
knife will do it. As lie is the inventor, we pro- 
pose lie make them just right and offer them 
for sale ; we will give him an advertisement 
gratis. 
I have an Ice house with a front room .5 by TO feet 
witli thick walls; would it do to put bees In It to win 
ter. If all Is well, I want a Queen us cur y as It vvl 
do to introduce her in the spring. Shall I send J on 
the dollar now, or wnit ? 1B74 
Jj. M. Raub, Bolivar, N. A . Oct. 2(ftn, l »<»■ 
We do not see why the room will not answer 
an excellent purpose if you can keep it between 
40 and 45«. It will also have the advantage 
of enabling you with little trouble, to keep ft 
cool enough during protracted warm speift, 
before it is advisable to put the bees out. 
We would prefer that no order be sent u. 
for Queens until we, through Gleanings, go 
notice that we, or our neighbors are ready m 
ship them. This will not probably be beiort 
June, unless the greenhouse tlwuld amount v 
something in that direction. If it does, J 
will be pretty sure to know all about it a. 
progresses. 
