w 112 THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, November 20, 1860. 
nating at its cessation ; an abundant honey season being pro¬ 
ductive of swarms, and even swarms from swarms ; a poor 
season such as the last being very deficient; drones prematurely 
expelled in May, and young half-formed brood found in quantities 
at the entrances of hives short of supplies; in August and 
September, proofs of the foresight and sagacity of these wonder¬ 
ful insects in sacrificing what they considered the least valuable 
lives, as a desperate precaution in husbanding to the uttermost 
their little store; this view confirmed by a timely supply of 
food putting a period to such proceedings. Assuming this 
hypothesis as proved, would it not be both good and economical 
management to force as much as possible the accumulation of 
honey in a separate compartment of the hive, deprive the bees 
of the whole of this when the staple supply of the district failed, 
and then at once proceed to feed liberally at a much earlier period 
than is generally pursued ? This would in all probability stimulate 
to the production of a considerable quantity of late brood. 
These, so far as age was concerned, would all exist over the 
following spring, materially promote the prosperity of the hive, 
and induce early swarming, the food supplied not costing half 
the value of the honey appropriated. 
One invariable effect of feeding this season so late as the 
beginning of October, I found to be the setting the bees in 
motion to embrace every favourable moment in carrying in large 
quantities of pollen, the inmates of those hives well found in 
stores being at the same time in an almost dormant condition. 
Now, was this pollen gathering to be looked on as an indication 
that breeding had recommenced in the hive, similar to what it is 
believed to be in early spring?—a time so pleasing to every 
apiarian, seeing his little favourites once more resuming their 
labours, and which that genial old bee-keeper, Bonner, in the 
exuberance of his feelings heralded as follows “ The first day 
in spring that I observe a bee carrying a load I generally call 
my family together to take a glass and rejoice with me and my 
faithful servants at the return of the salutiferous season.” Or 
was it merely stored past for future use ? 
Supposing the former position to be correct, what would be the 
fate of the youngsters making their debut at the end of October 
or beginning of November ? I noticed this season so early as the 
beginning of September, during the cold weather we then had, 
numbers of young bees crawling about the landing-boards of hives 
well stored in a very feeble condition. Do you think that their 
weakness was caused by being denied access to the supplies by 
their older brethren, and, consequently, went forth to seek in vain 
for food, perishing in the attempt, or were they merely chilled 
by the ungenial weather ? Is it imperative that young bees on 
acquiring their freedom should have the benefit of a flight within 
a given time ? and are they ever bred and subsequently prosper 
at a period so early or late in the season that they dare not 
venture abroad ? Is the acquisitive principle their ruling passion, 
so strongly implanted in bees, that they will gather up food 
beyond either their wants or the extent of their store-room and 
actually throw it away ? I am led to put the question from 
observing some bees, accidentally confined for twenty-four hours 
in hives from which the inmates had been removed by fumigation, 
on being set at liberty rise heavily on the wing, apparently 
gorged with honey, and as they soared up in the sunshine in 
quest of their hive emit a clear stream of fluid supposed to be 
honey; also, a large artificial swarm composed of the expelled 
inmates of several hives put together two months ago. I feel 
confluent they have been supplied with as much food as would 
more than suffice to fill the hives with comb during the summer 
season, independently of what the fields would yield, and yet it 
is not one-third full, the bees absorbing greedily more food, 
I am satisfied, than either their honey-bags or comb is capable of 
containing. Your opinion on those'different points will confer 
a favour on—A Young Bee-keeper. 
[There is no doubt that bees do get rid of a very considerable 
pi oportion of any food that may be offered to them, without 
either storing it in their combs or deriving any apparent benefit 
from it. This is especially the case when the compound consists 
for the most part of brown sugar; and for this reason we believe 
lump sugar to be preferable on the score of economy, to say 
nothing of the injurious effects which the former is considered 
to produce upon the bees themselves. The difference between 
the quantity of food given and that actually stored is, however, 
sufficient, even under the most unfavourable circumstances, to 
render it exceedingly unadvisable purposely to deprive bees of 
their winter store with the view of substituting a cheaper com- 
pound, llie influence of an abundant supply of food upon the 
breeding power of the queen bee is unquestionably very great,' 
and it is usual to find her laying eggs late in the season when 
copious feeding is resorted to. At the same time it may reason¬ 
ably be doubted whether this increase in the numbers of the 
rising generation be not more than counterbalanced by the ill 
effects of setting the bees in motion at an ungenial season, and 
by the loss of life arising fron the thousand-and-one accidents to 
which they are thereby rendered liable. Whenever young bees 
have been expelled from well-stored hives, we have invariably 
found them to be imperfectly developed, and inc ipable of taking 
part in the labours of the community. With starving colonies 
the case is different, and in the struggle for existence the weakest 
the young, are. the sufferers. We believe that the for¬ 
mation of combs during the cold weather of October can only 
be effected by the consumption of an enormous quantity of food, 
a great proportion of which is, probably, expended in producing 
sufficient animal heat to raise the interior of the hive to the 
necessary temperature for comb-building. Perhaps Mr. Fox 
would favour us with the results of his experience of “ bee-feed¬ 
ing and its effects.”] 
STINGLESS BEES. 
The New YorJc Tribune states that Mr. A. O. Moore has 
lately brought from Guatemala two swarms of the stingless 
bees so common to that country, which he has given in charge 
of Mr. Parsons, of Flushing, who will propagate them for the 
Agricultural Department of the Patent Office, which will in due 
time distribute them, it it is found they can be kept in any part 
of the United States. 
Iliese bees are said to be of two kinds, quite different from 
each other, and both very different from the common honey 
bee. Stingles3 bees are not new in this country. Thirty years 
ago, or more, the late. Dr. Hosack, of New York, introduced 
from South America stingless bees, though we cannot assert that 
they were of the same species as those brought by Mr. Moore. 
We believe they did not increase or live long here. The present 
kind may succeed better. But it has been suggested that the 
habits of these bees are somewhat like our bumble bee, and pro¬ 
bably will not produce much honey. 
[We wish those who have correspondents in Guatemala 
would introduce per steamer a few hives of these stingless bees. 
Even if they are not such good honey-harvesters, yet their 
unarmed condition would more than compensate for that. The 
Guatemalan bees probably belong to those species which Latreille 
has separated from Apis, and has formed into a genus called by 
him Melipona. If they inhabit the mountain districts of Mexico 
they might endure the climate of the southern district of 
England.— Eds. C. G.] 
COYEEING EOE HIVES—EAEWIGS IN HIVES. 
I should feel obliged by your informing me whether, if I 
cover a frame of woodwork with Croggon’s asphalte felt, for 
roofing over some bee-hives which stand out, the smell of the 
felt would be injurious to the bees or cause them to forsake their 
hives. The felt smells rather strongly of tar. In feeding from 
the top, on taking out the cork at the top of a straw hive,^I had 
several times seen an earwig run out, which I, of course, 
instantly killed. I wish to know whether this is a sign of there 
being anything wrong with the hives. I have once or twice seen 
them run under the bottom of the hive. As I do not wish to go 
on with the expense of feeding if there be anything radically 
wrong, I should like to know as soon as possible/ The bees 
appear strong enough in numbers, and are also rather fierce.—A 
Hertfordshire Bee-keeter. 
[ VYc are not fond of.the use of the felt you allude to a3 a cover¬ 
ing for bee-stocks in winter, and much prefer a house or wooden 
cover. There might not be the same objection to the asphalte, 
when it did. not come immediately in contact with the hive 
itself, which is, perhaps, the plan you propose to adopt. Ear¬ 
wigs in hives are of course a nuisance, and should be got rid of 
if possible; but as your stock appears healthy and strong, we 
should not despair of its doing well.] 
GUR -Li Hi I Fit K, BOA. 
Amosd Tumbler, Death or [A. Z .).—The little white spot I susnect 
w.ts a tubercle of canker. If “ A. Z.” liud removed it and touched the 
place with caustic he might, probably, have effected a cure.—B P B 
