,transcriber ,note ,text emphasis denoted by ,italics and ,bold4 ,illustration3 ,bull4 #a1 new series1 ,div4 of ,entomology1 ,u4 ,s4 ,agriculture4 ,frontispiece4 ,an ,apiary in ,maryland4 ,bulletin ,no4 #a4 ,new ,series4 7,third ,edition47 ,u4 ,s4 ,,department ,,of ,,agriculture4 ,,division ,,of ,,entomology4 ,,the ,,honey ,,bee3 ,a ,,manual ,,of ,,instruction ,,in ,,apiculture ,,by ,,frank ,,benton1 ,m4 ,s41 ,,assistant ,,entomologist4 ,illustration ,,washington3 ,,government ,,printing ,,office4 #ahii4 ,,letter ,,of ,,transmittal ,u4 ,s4 ,department of ,agriculture1 ,division of ,entomology1 ,washington1 ,d4 ,c1 ,may #bg1 #ahii4 ,sir3 ,i have the honor to transmit herewith for republication a manual entitled1 ,the ,honey ,bee3 ,a ,manual of ,instruction in ,apiculture1 by ,mr4 ,frank ,benton1 who has been in charge of the apiarian work of this ,division for several years4 ,the constant demand for information concerning bee culture for a long time indicated a need for such a public manual1 and the work was begun and nearly completed under the direction of my predecessor1 ,dr4 ,g4 ,v4 ,riley4 ,the manuscript was submitted ,september #bj1 #ahie1 and the edition of #a1jjj copies was soon exhausted4 ,in ,april1 #ahif1 ,congress ordered a reprint of #bj1jjj copies1 in which some corrections and additions were made by the author4 ,he has also taken advantage of the reprint of another 7the third7 edition to make some slight additional changes4 ,the apiarian industry in the ,united ,states is practically a development of the last forty years1 although isolated individuals were engaged in this work long prior to that time4 ,the importance of the industry at the present day is not generally realized1 and the following figures will probably be surprising to many well-informed individuals3 ,apiarian societies in the ,united ,states #aaj ,apiarian journals #h ,steam factories for the manufacture of beehives and apiarian implements #ae ,honey produced in the ,united ,states in #ahfi 7according to ,united ,states ,census ,report7 pounds #ad1gjb1hae ,honey produced in the ,united ,states in #ahhi 7according to ,united ,states ,census ,report7 pounds #fc1hid1ahf ,persons engaged in the culture of bees 7estimated7 #cjj1jjj ,honey and wax produced1 at wholesale rates 7,eleventh ,census7 #g1jjj1jjj ,mr4 ,benton's estimate of the present annual value of apiarian products #bj1jjj1jjj ,as supplementary to these figures it may be stated that in addition to the #ae steam-power factories there is a very largo number of smaller factories1 using mainly hand and horse power1 which are engaged in the production of supplies1 such as hives1 smokers1 honey extractors1 sections1 comb foundation1 and other apiarian apparatus4 ,it is estimated by ,mr4 ,benton that the present existing flora of the ,united ,states could undoubtedly support1 with the same average profit1 ten times the number of colonies of bees it now supports4 ,this branch of agricultural industry does not impoverish the soil in the least1 but1 on the contrary1 results in better seed and fruit crops4 ,the total money gain to the country from the prosecution of this industry would undoubtedly be placed at several times the amount given in the table above were we only able to estimate in dollars and cents the result of the work of bees in cross fertilizing the blossoms of fruit crops4 ,in support of this it is only necessary to refer to the fact that recent investigations by another division of this ,department have shown that certain varieties of pear are nearly or quite sterile unless bees bring pollen from other distinct varieties for their complete cross fertilization4 ,i respectfully recommend the publication of this manual as ,no4 #a of the new series of bulletins of this ,division4 ,respectfully1 ,l4 ,o4 ,howard1 ,entomologist4 ,hon4 ,james ,wilson1 ,secretary of ,agriculture4 ,,preface4 ,this treatise is designed to make the practical management of an apiary plain to those whose acquaintance with the subject is limited1 and to direct such as may find in it a pleasant and profitable occupation to a system of management which may be followed on an extensive scale with the certainty of fair remuneration for the labor and capital required4 ,with this object in view the author has deemed it best to treat the natural history of the bee but briefly1 and also to give little space to matters which are in question1 or to different methods of accomplishing given results1 or to such as are only adapted to a limited portion of the country1 but rather to explain one settled way widely applicable and which will lead to success4 ,the methods advised here are such as the author has found practical during an extended experience1 yet in regard to numerous details many works--both foreign and ,american--have been consulted1 none more freely than ,langstroth on the ,honey ,bee1 revised by ,chas4 ,dadant ,son1 and ,bees and ,bee ,keeping1 by ,prof4 ,f4 ,r4 ,cheshire4 ,many of the illustrations were specially prepared for this bulletin4 ,some have been taken from publications of the ,department of ,agriculture4 ,these include some of the smaller illustrations of honey-producing plants and also ,plates ,,iii to ,x1 which are from reports of the ,botanist of the ,department4 ,plates ,,ii and ,,xi1 and figures #e1 #f1 #h1 #dd1 #ej1 #ea1 and #gf are copied from ,cheshire2 figs4 #jh and #fi from ,simmins4 ,the ,department is also under obligations to the ,a4 ,i4 ,root ,company1 to ,chas4 ,dadant ,son1 ,t4 ,f4 ,bingham1 ,hayek ,bros41 ,tan ,allen ,williams1 and ,dr4 ,t4 ,l4 ,tinker1 for electrotypes4 ,frank ,benton4 ,washington1 ,d4 ,c4 ,,contents4 ,page4 ,chapter ,i4--,classification of the honey bee #aa ,the different species and races #aa ,common ,east ,indian honey bee1 ,apis indica #ab ,tiny ,east ,indian honey bee1 ,apis florea #ac ,giant ,east ,indian honey bee1 ,apis dorsata #ac ,common hive or honey bee1 ,apis mellifera #ae ,cyprians #ae ,italians #af ,carniolans #ag ,german1 common black or brown bees #ah ,chapter ,,ii4--,kinds of bees composing a colony ,bee products and description of combs--,development of brood #ai ,kinds of bees in a colony #ai ,bee products and organs used in their preparation #ba ,nectar and honey #bb ,propolis #bd ,bee poison and the sting #bd ,water #be ,silk #be ,wax #be ,combs #bf ,development of brood #bh ,the worker #bi ,the drone #cj ,chapter ,,iii4--,quieting and manipulating bees #ca ,chapter ,,iv4 ,establishing an apiary3 ,time--,selecting hives of bees--,moving bees ,selection of site #ce ,selection of stocks #ce ,moving bees #cg ,selection of site #ch ,chapter ,v4--,hives and implements #dj ,hives #dj ,implements #dg ,bee smokers #dg ,veils #dh ,honey extractors and honey knives #di ,wax extractors #ej ,queen introducing-cages #ej ,bee feeders #ea ,section folders #eb ,bee escapes #eb ,foundation fasteners #eb ,comb-foundation machines #ed ,chapter ,,vi4--,bee pasturage #ef ,cultivation of honey plants #ei ,bees as cross fertilizers #fb ,honey and pollen producing plants #fd ,chapter ,,vii4--,spring manipulation #fi ,transferring #ga ,queenlessness in spring #gd ,chapter ,,viii4--,securing surplus honey and wax #ge ,extracted honey #ge ,comb honey #gi ,putting on sections #ha ,production of wax #hd ,chapter ,,ix4--,rearing and introducing queens #hg ,mailing queens #ib ,introducing queens #ic ,chapter ,x4--,increase of colonies #ie ,natural swarming #ie ,clipping queens #ig ,automatic hivers #ih ,prevention of after-swarming #ih ,artificial increase #ii ,dividing #ajj ,driving or brushing #ajj ,the nucleus system #aja ,prevention of swarming #aja ,dequeening #ajb ,requeening #ajb ,space near entrances #ajc ,langdon non-swarming device #ajd ,selection in breeding #aje ,chapter ,,xi4--,wintering bees #ajf ,outdoor wintering #aji ,indoor wintering #aaa ,chapter ,,xii4--,diseases and enemies of bees #aab ,diarrhea and dysentery #aab ,foul brood #aab ,the wax moth #aac ,braula or bee louse #aae ,other enemies #aae ,robber flies1 dragon flies1 etc4 #aae ,ants and wasps #aae ,spiders #aaf ,toads and lizards #aaf ,birds #aaf ,mammals #aaf ,robber bees #aaf ,laying workers #aag ,brief list of books and journals relating to apiculture #aah ,,illustrations4 ,,plates4 ,page4 ,an apiary in ,maryland ,frontispiece4 ,plate ,i4 ,honey bees #af ,,ii4 ,digestive system of bee #bb ,,iii4 ,alfalfa 7,medicago saliva7 #fd ,,iv4 ,esparcet or sainfoin 7,onobrychis sativa7 #fd ,v4 ,sweet clover or melilot 7,melilotus alba7 #fd ,,vi4 ,acacia 7,acacia constricta7 #fd ,,vii4 ,mesquite 7,prosopis juliflora7 #fd ,,viii4 ,blue weed or viper's bugloss 7,echium vulgare7 #fd ,,ix4 ,crimson clover 7,trifolium incarnatum7 #fd ,x4 ,alsike clover 7,trifolium hybridum7 #fd ,,xi4 ,bacillus alvei #aab ,,text ,,figures4 ,fig4 #a4 ,worker cells of common ,east ,indian honey bee 7,apis indica7 #ab #b4 ,worker cells of tiny ,east ,indian honey bee 7,apis florea7 #ac #c4 ,comb of tiny ,east ,indian honeybee 7,apis florea7 #ad #d4 ,worker cells of common honey bee 7,apis mellifera7 #ae #e4 ,ovaries of queen and workers #ai #f4 ,heads of queen and drone #bj #g4 ,modifications of the legs of different bees #ba #h4 ,head and tongue of ,apis mellifera worker #bb #i4 ,wax disks of social bees #bf #aj4 ,comb building1 side of hive removed #bg #aa4 ,cross section of brood apartment #bi #ab4 ,use of veil and bee smoker #ca #ac4 ,manipulation removing comb from hive #cb #ad4 ,manipulation tilting to bring reverse side of comb to view #cc #ae4 ,manipulation reverse side of comb brought to view #cc #af4 ,manipulation examining reverse side of comb #cc #ag4 ,quinby closed-end frames #cd #ah4 ,box hive prepared for transportation #cg #ai4 ,frame hive prepared for transportation #cg #bj4 ,an apiary in ,florida #ch #ba4 ,an apiary in ,california #ci #bb4 ,ancient ,greek movable comb hive #da #bc4 ,dadant-,quinby form of ,langstroth hive with cap and gable roof #da #bd4 ,langstroth frame showing construction #db #be4 ,form in which to nail frames #db #bf4 ,lock-joint chaff hive #dc #bg4 ,manner of nailing hives #dc #bh4 ,section of improved tin frame-rest #dd #bi4 ,the ,langstroth hive 7,dadant-,quinby form71 cross section showing construction #de #cj4 ,the ,nonpareil hive #df #ca4 ,dadant-,quinby form of ,langstroth hive open #df #cb4 ,the ,bingham bee smoker #dh #cc4 ,automatic reversible honey extractor #di #cd4 ,quinby uncapping knife #di #ce4 ,bingham ,hetherington uncapping knife #di #cf4 ,excelsior wax extractor #ej #cg4 ,simplicity feeder #ea #ch4 ,fruit-jar bee feeder1 bottom of feeding stage and perforated cap shown separately #ea #ci4 ,the ,porter spring bee escape #eb #dj4 ,daisy foundation fastener #ec #da4 ,fastening starter of comb foundation in frame #ec #db4 ,spur wire-embedder #ed #dc4 ,comb-foundation machine #ee #dd4 ,willow herb 7,epilobium angustifolium7 #eg #de4 ,wagner's flat pea 7,lathyrus sylvestris wagneri7 #ei #df4 ,dwarf ,essex or winter rape 7,brassica napus7 #fj #dg4 ,summer or bird rape 7,brassica napus7 #fj #dh4 ,sacaline or giant knotweed 7,polygonum sachalinense7 #fa #di4 ,russian or hairy vetch 7,vicia villosa7 #fa #ej4 ,mountain laurel 7,kalmia latifolia7 #fc #ea4 ,apple 7,pyrus malus7 #fc #eb4 ,heath-like wild aster 7,aster ericoides7 #fd #ec4 ,transferring drumming the bees from a box hive into a frame hive #ga #ed4 ,transferred comb and inserted queen cell #gc #ee4 ,uncapping and extracting honey #gg #ef4 ,one-piece ,v-grooved sections #hj #eg4 ,super with section holders and sections in place #hj #eh4 ,dadant-,quinby form of ,langstroth hive1 elevated from bottom board and slid back for ventilation in summer #hb #ei4 ,langstroth hive with combined surplus case and shipping crate #hc #fj4 ,honey shipping cases #hc #fa4 ,boardman solar wax extractor #he #fb4 ,comb showing worker brood and queen cells #hh #fc4 ,queen cells and worker brood in various stages #hi #fd4 ,the ,benton queen cage fur transporting a queen and attendants by mail #ib #fe4 ,caging a queen for mailing #ib #ff4 ,queen introducing-cage #id #fg4 ,hiving a swarm of bees #if #fh4 ,the ,simmins non-swarming system1 single-story hive with supers #ajc #fi4 ,the ,simmins non-swarming system1 double-story hive with supers #ajc #gj4 ,beehives with ,langdon non-swarmer attached #ajd #ga4 ,percolator for preparation of winter food #ajg #gb4 ,the ,american straw hive of ,hayek ,bros #ajh #gc4 ,davis hive with newspapers packed between inner and outer cases and brood frames on end for winter #ajh #gd4 ,double-walled hive adapted to outdoor wintering as well as summer use below #dj ,c north latitude in ,united ,states #aji #ge4 ,an apiary in ,vermont winter view #aaj #gf4 ,cheshire anti-robbing entrance #aag ,,manual ,,of ,,apiculture4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,classification ,,of ,,the ,,honey ,,bee ,,the ,,different ,,species ,,and ,,races4 ,a knowledge of the structural peculiarities and the life history of bees will aid anyone who essays to manage them for profit in determining more accurately what conditions are necessary to their greatest welfare4 ,it is not to be understood that such knowledge will take the place of an acquaintance with those conditions under which actual practice has shown that bees thrive1 but that it forms a good basis for an understanding of whatever practice has found best in the management of these industrious and profitable insects4 ,it will also assist in pointing out in what way practice can be improved4 ,in a small treatise like the present one1 the object of which is to give in plain language the information needed by one who engages in bee keeping primarily for profit1 it is not possible to do more than present a mere outline of classification and a few general facts regarding structure4 ,the reader who finds them interesting and valuable in his work is reminded that the treatment of these matters in more extended volumes1 such as ,langstroth's1 ,cheshire's1 etc41 will be found far more so4 ,singling out from the order ,hymenoptera1 or membranous-winged insects1 the family ,apid1 or bee family1 several marked types called genera are seen to compose it1 such as ,apis 7the hive bee71 ,bombus 7the bumble bee71 ,xylocopa 7the carpenter bee71 ,megachile 7the leaf-cutter71 ,melipona 7the stingless honey bee of the ,american tropics71 etc4 ,all of these are very interesting to study1 and each fulfills a purpose in the economy of nature2 but the plan of these pages can only be to consider the first genus1 ,apis1 or the hive bee4 ,incidentally it may be mentioned that the plan of introducing the stingless bees 7,melipona7 from tropical ,america has frequently been brought up with the expectation of realizing important practical results from it4 ,these bees might possibly be kept in the warmer portions of our country1 but their honey yield is small1 not well ripened1 and not easily harvested in good shape1 since the honey cells are of dark wax1 like that made by our bumble bees1 and they are not arranged in regular order1 but in irregular clumps like those of bumble bees4 ,the writer had a colony under observation last year1 and experiments have been made with them in their native lands as well as in ,european countries4 ,of the genus ,apis the only representative in this country is mellifera1 although several others are natives of ,asia and ,africa4 ,,the ,,common ,,east ,,indian ,,honey ,,bee4 7,apis indica ,fab47 ,the common bee of southern ,asia is kept in very limited numbers and with a small degree of profit in earthen jars and sections of hollow trees in portions of the ,british and ,dutch ,east ,indies4 ,they are also found wild1 and build when in this state in hollow trees and in rock clefts4 ,their combs1 composed of hexagonal wax cells1 are ranged parallel to each other like those of ,a4 mellifera1 but the worker brood cells are smaller than those of our ordinary bees1 showing #cf to the square inch of surface instead of #bi1 while the comb where worker brood is reared1 instead of having1 like that of ,a4 mellifera1 a thickness of seven-eighths inch1 is but five-eighths inch thick4 7,fig4 #a47 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #a4--,worker cells of common ,east ,indian honey bee 7,apis indica72 natural size4 7,original47 ,the workers4--,the bodies of these1 three-eighths inch long when empty1 measure about one-half inch when dilated with honey4 ,the thorax is covered with brownish hair and the shield or crescent between the wings is large and yellow4 ,the abdomen is yellow underneath4 ,above it presents a ringed appearance1 the anterior part of each segment being orange yellow1 while the posterior part shows bands of brown of greater or less width and covered with whitish-brown hairs2 tip black4 ,they are nimble on foot and on the wing1 and active gatherers4 ,the queens4--,the queens are large in proportion to their workers and are quite prolific2 color1 leather or dark coppery4 ,the drones4--,these are only slightly larger than the workers2 color1 jet-like blue black1 with no yellow1 their strong wings showing changing hues like those of wasps4 ,manipulations with colonies of these bees are easy to perform if smoke be used1 and though they are more excitable than our common hive bees1 this peculiarity does not lead them to sting more1 but seems rather to proceed from fear4 ,the sting is also less severe4 ,under the rude methods thus far employed in the management of this bee no great yields of honey are obtained1 some #aj or #ab pounds having been the most reported from a single hive4 ,it is quite probable that if imported into this country it would do more4 ,these bees would no doubt visit many small flowers not frequented by the hive bees we now have1 and whose nectar is therefore wasted1 but very likely they might not withstand the severe winters of the ,north unless furnished with such extra protection as would be afforded by quite warm cellars or special repositories4 ,,the ,,tiny ,,east ,,indian ,,honey ,,bee4 7,apis florea ,fab47 ,this bee1 also a native of ,east ,india1 is the smallest known species of the genus4 ,it builds in the open air1 attaching a single comb to a twig of a shrub or small tree4 ,this comb is only about the size of a man's hand and is exceedingly delicate1 there being on each side #ajj worker cells to the square inch of surface 7figs4 #b and #c74 ,the workers1 more slender than house flies1 though longer bodied1 are blue-black in color1 with the anterior third of the abdomen bright orange4 ,colonies of these bees accumulate so little surplus honey as to give no hope that their cultivation would be profitable4 ,illustration3 ,fig #b4--,worker cells of tiny ,east ,indian honey bee 7,apis florea72 natural size4 7,original74 ,,the ,,giant ,,east ,,indian ,,honey ,,bee4 7,apis dorsata ,fab47 ,this large bee 7,plate ,i1 figs4 #b and #c71 which might not be inappropriately styled the ,giant ,east ,indian bee1 has its home also in the far ,east--both on the continent of ,asia and the adjacent islands4 ,there are probably several varieties1 more or less marked1 of this species1 and very likely ,apis zonata ,gur4 of the ,philippine ,islands1 reported to be even larger than ,a4 dorsata1 will prove on further investigation to be only a variety of the latter4 ,all the varieties of these bees build huge combs of very pure wax--often #e to #f feet in length and #c to #d feet in width1 which they attach to overhanging ledges of rocks or to large limbs of lofty trees in the primitive forests or jungles4 ,when attached to limbs of trees they are built singly and present much the same appearance as those of the tiny ,east ,indian bee1 shown in the accompanying figure 7fig4 #c74 ,the ,giant bee1 however1 quite in contradistinction to the other species of ,apis mentioned here1 does not construct larger cells in which to rear drones1 these and the workers being produced in cells of the same size4 ,of these bees--long a sort of a myth to the bee keepers of ,america and ,europe--strange stories have been told4 ,it has been stated that they build their combs horizontally1 after the manner of paper-making wasps2 that they are so given to wandering as to make it impossible to keep them in hives1 and that their ferocity renders them objects greatly to be dreaded4 ,the first real information regarding these points was given by the author1 lb #d visited ,india in #ahhj-ha for the purpose of obtaining colonies of ,apis dorsata4 ,these were procured in the jungles1 cutting the combs from their original attachments1 and it was thus ascertained that 7as might have been expected in the case of any species of ,apis71 their combs are always built perpendicularly2 also that the colonies placed in frame hives and permitted to fly freely did not desert these habitations and that1 far from being ferocious1 these colonies were easily handled by proper precautions1 without even the use of smoke4 ,it was also proved by the quantity of honey and wax present that they are good gatherers4 ,the execution at that time of the plan of bringing these bees to the ,united ,states was prevented only by severe illness contracted in ,india4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #c4--;,comb of tiny ,east ,indian honey bee 7,apis florea7 one-third natural sized4 7,original47 ,these large bees would doubtless be able to get honey from flowers whose nectaries are located out of reach of ordinary bees1 notably those of the red clover1 now visited chiefly by bumble bees and which it is thought the ,east ,indian bees might pollinate and cause to produce seed more abundantly4 ,even if no further utilizable1 they might prove an important factor in the production in the ,southern ,states of large quantities of excellent beeswax1 now such an expensive article4 ,should these bees and the common ,east ,indian bee 7,apis indica71 previously referred to1 visit in the main only such flowers as are not adapted to our hive bees1 their introduction1 wherever it could be made successful1 would1 without decreasing the yield from our hive bees1 add materially to the honey and wax production of the country4 ,theoretical conclusions as to the results of such an introduction can not be of much account unless based upon an intimate acquaintance with the nature and habits of the bees to be introduced4 ,enough is known of the small bee to remove all doubt regarding the possibility of its successful introduction1 and it is also probable that the large one would prove valuable4 ,in neither case does there appear any possibility that evil results might follow their introduction4 ,there are also numerous other varieties or species of bees in ,africa and ,asia about which no more or even less is known1 but to investigate them fully will require much time and considerable expense4 ,it is a subject1 however1 that should receive careful consideration because of the possible benefits to apiculture and the wider beneficial effects on agriculture4 ,,the ,,common ,,hive ,,or ,,honey ,,bee4 7,apis mellifera ,linn47 ,besides the common brown or ,german bee imported from ,europe to this country some time in the seventeenth century and now widely spread from the ,atlantic to the ,pacific1 several other races have been brought here--the ,italian in #ahfj1 and later the ,egyptian1 the ,cyprian1 the ,syrian1 the ,palestine1 the ,carniolan 7,plate ,i1 figs4 #a1 #d1 and #e71 and the ,tunisian4 ,of these the brown or ,german1 the ,italian1 and1 in a few apiaries1 the ,carniolan bees are probably the only races existing pure in the ,united ,states1 the others having become more or less hybridized with the brown race or among themselves or their cultivation having been discontinued4 ,it should also be remarked that so few have kept their ,carniolans pure that purchasers who wish this race should use caution in their selection or else import their own breeding queens4 ,there are many breeders of ,italians from whom good stock can be obtained4 ,egyptian bees were tried some thirty years ago1 but only to a very limited extent1 and1 as has been the case with ,syrians and ,palestines imported in #ahhj1 and whose test was more prolonged and general1 they were condemned as inferior in temper and wintering qualities to the races of bees already here1 it not being thought that these points of inferiority were sufficiently balanced by their greater prolificness and their greater energy in honey collecting4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #d4--,worker cells of common honey bee 7,apis mellifera72 natural size4 7,original47 ,the ,tunisians1 for similar reasons and also because they are great collectors of propolis1 never became popular1 although a persistent attempt was made a few years since to create sale for them under the new name of ,punic bees1 the undesirable qualities of the race having previously been made known1 under the original name1 by the author1 who had tested them carefully for several years--a part of the time in ,tunis4 ,cyprians4--,bees of the race native to the ,island of ,cyprus have produced the largest yield of honey on record from a single colony in this country1 #a1jjj pounds in one season4 ,everyone who has fairly tested them admits their wonderful honey-gathering powers and their persevering courage in their labors even when the flowers are secreting honey but scantily4 ,they winter well and defend their hives against robber bees and other enemies with greater energy than any other known race4 ,when storing honey ,cyprians till the cells quite fall before sealing1 and thus the capping rests against the honey1 presenting a semitransparent or watery appearance1 which is undesirable4 ,they are extremely sensitive1 hence easily angered by rough or bungling manipulators1 and when once thoroughly aroused are very energetic in the use of their stings4 ,these faults have caused a very general rejection of ,cyprians1 especially by those who produce comb honey4 ,even the producers of extracted honey do not seem to have learned how to manipulate ,cyprians easily and without the use of much smoke1 nor how much more rapidly they could free their extracting combs from ,cyprian bees than from ,italians4 ,nor have they seemed to count as of much importance the fact that ,cyprians1 unlike ,italians and ,german or common bees1 do not volunteer an attack when undisturbed2 that they will1 in fact1 let one pass and repass their hives quite unmolested and even under such circumstances as would call forth a vigorous and very disagreeable protest from the other races just mentioned4 ,it is to be regretted that there has been such a widespread rejection of a race having such important and well-established excellent qualities4 ,it would be easier by selection in breeding to reduce the faults of this race than to bring any other cultivated race to their equal in the other desirable points4 ,cyprians are smaller-bodied and more slender than bees of ,european races4 ,the abdomen is also more pointed and shows1 when the bees are purely bred1 three light orange bands on the three segments nearest the thorax4 ,the underside of the abdomen is even lighter orange colored nearly or quite to the tip4 ,the postscutellum--the small lunule-like prominence on the thorax between the bases of the wings--is likewise orange colored instead of dull1 as in ,european races4 ,the rest of the thorax is covered with a russet-brown pubescence4 ,cyprians are the yellowest of the original races1 and their bright colors and symmetrical forms render them attractive objects4 ,italians4--,through the agency of the ,united ,states ,department of ,agriculture bees of this race were introduced direct from ,italy in #ahfj4 ,there had previously been repeated individual efforts to secure ,italians bred in ,germany1 where the race had been introduced some years earlier1 and a small number of queens had been landed here alive in the autumn of #ahei1 but most of these died the following winter and the few remaining alive seem not to have been multiplied as rapidly as those obtained in ,italy by a purchasing agent of the ,department of ,agriculture and landed here early in #ahfj4 ,their good qualities were soon appreciated1 and they had become well established and widely spread long before the ,cyprians1 imported twenty years later4 ,for this reason1 together with the fact that they cap their surplus combs whiter than some other races and because less skill is required in subduing and handling ,italians1 they have retained their popularity over bees which1 though better honey gatherers1 are more nervous under manipulation4 ,their golden-yellow color has also proved so attractive to many that the good qualities of more somber-hued races--gentler1 better winterers1 and better comb builders--have not received due consideration4 ,italians are1 however1 certainly preferable to the common brown or black bees1 for they show greater energy in gathering honey and in the defense of their hives against moth larv and robber bees1 while at the same time they are gentler under manipulation than the blacks1 though they do not winter as well in severe climates4 ,bul4 #a1 new series1 ,div4 of ,entomology1 ,u4 ,s4 ,dept4 of ,agriculture4 ,plate ,i4 ,illustration ,honey ,bees4 #a4 ,worker1 ,carniolan variety of ,apis mellifera--twice natural size4 #b4 ,giant honey bee of ,east ,india 7,apis dorsata71 worker twice natural size4 #c4 ,giant honey bee of ,east ,india 7,apis dorsata71 drone twice natural size4 #d4 ,drone1 ,carniolan variety of ,apis mellifera twice natural size4 #e4 ,queen1 ,carniolan variety of ,apis mellifera--twice natural size4 ,italian workers nearly equal ,garniolans in size1 and show across the abdomen when the latter is distended with honey not less than three yellow bands1 which approach more or less a reddish or dark leathery color4 ,by selection in some instances1 and in others by the introduction of ,cyprian blood1 ,italians and ,italian hybrids have recently been bred which show four or five yellow bands or which are even yellow to the tip of the abdomen4 ,they are certainly pleasing to the eye1 and in case due heed has been given to the vigor and working qualities of the stock selected when establishing the strain1 no valid objection can be brought against them except the tendency they have to revert to the original type of ,italians4 ,this is due to the comparatively short time they have been bred1 and with each season's selection will of course grow less4 ,carniolans4--,these1 the gray bees from the elevated ,alpine province of ,carniola1 ,austria1 are the gentlest of all races1 and as1 besides their other good qualities1 they winter the best of any1 it is not surprising to see that they have steadily grown in favor4 ,their sealed combs are exceedingly white1 as they do not fill the cells so full that the honey touches the capping1 and they gather little propolis1 qualities highly appreciated by the producer of comb honey4 ,they are quite prolific1 and if kept in small hives1 such as have been popularized of late in the ,united ,states1 are somewhat more inclined to swarm than the other races introduced here4 ,this tendency becomes more pronounced when they are taken into a country whose summers are hot1 like ours1 and their hives are not well shaded1 as they have been bred for centuries1 with only slight introduction of outside blood1 in a climate where the summers are short and cool4 ,moreover1 the practice in ,carniola is to place the long1 shallow hives used almost exclusively there1 in beehouses and side by side1 one above the other1 with intervening air spaces1 so that at most only the front ends are exposed to the sun4 ,this management long continued has doubtless tended to develop and fix more or less permanently in this race certain characteristics which should be taken into account in their management elsewhere4 ,with these precautions they do well in all parts of the ,united ,states4 7,see ,plate ,i1 figs4 #a1 #d1 and #e47 ,the ,carniolan worker is readily recognized by its large form1 less pointed abdomen1 and general ashy gray coat1 the abdominal segments especially presenting a ringed appearance on account of silvery white hairs which cover the posterior half of each of these segments4 ,by crossing ,carniolans with ,italians or with ,cyprians a yellow type with silvery rings is produced1 and by continued selection in breeding the gentle disposition of the ,carniolans can be secured with the greater honey-gathering powers of ,cyprians should these be employed in forming the new strain4 ,german1 common black1 or brown bees4--,these bees are found commonly throughout our country from ocean to ocean1 both wild and domesticated4 ,exactly when they were introduced from ,europe is not known1 but considerable evidence exists which shows that there were no hive bees 7,apis mellifera7 in this country for some time after the first colonies were established2 also1 it was not until near the close of the last century that they reached the ,mississippi1 and less than half a century has passed since the first were successfully landed on the ,pacific ,coast4 ,many bee keepers1 having more attractively colored and frequently better bees1 are inclined to consider this race as possessing hardly any redeeming qualities1 or at least to underrate these because accompanied by undesirable traits4 ,while it is true that they have some serious faults1 the latter are not so great as those of some other races4 ,they have become thoroughly acclimated since their first importation1 over two centuries ago1 and besides possessing good wintering and comb-building qualities1 they will1 when the flow of honey is quite abundant1 generally equal ,italians in gathering4 ,but the disposition which bees of this race have of flying toward one who approaches the apiary and stinging him1 even though the hives have not been molested1 their way of running excitedly over the combs and dropping in bunches when they are handled1 besides stinging the backs of the operator's hands1 unless the whole colony has first been thoroughly subdued and the bees induced to gorge themselves with honey1 or are constantly deluged with smoke1 are very annoying to the novice who undertakes to perform necessary manipulations with them1 and may even so discourage and daunt him as to cause the neglect of work of great importance to the welfare of the colony4 ,the easy discouragement of bees of this race when a sudden check in the flow of honey occurs is also a peculiarity which does not commend them4 ,these things1 tending to reduce profits1 often dampen the beginner's enthusiasm before he has acquired the knowledge and skill necessary to make the work genuinely successful4 ,he had therefore better choose either ,italians or ,carniolans1 and use as breeders only queens that are known to have mated purely4 ,the common race shows considerable variation in its markings and qualities4 ,the workers have a dull1 rusty brown color1 especially about the thorax4 ,some strains are however much darker than others and in general the drones are darker than the workers4 ,in size workers1 drones1 and queens of this race are intermediate between the other ,european races and those from the ,orient4 ,the same care and skill applied in the selection of breeding stock would result in as great improvement in this as in any of the more attractive yellow races4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #e4--,ovaries of queen and workers3 ,a1 abdomen of queen--under side 7magnified eight times72 ,p1 petiole2 ,o1 ,o1 ovaries2 hs1 position filled by honey sac2 ds1 position through which digestive system passes2 od1 oviduct2 co4d1 common oviduct2 ,e1 egg-passing oviduct2 s1 spermatheca2 i1 intestine2 po1 poison bag2 p4g1 poison gland2 st1 sting2 p1 palpi4 ,b1 rudimentary ovaries of ordinary worker2 sp1 rudimentary spermatheca4 ,c1 partially developed ovaries of fertile worker2 sp1 rudimentary spermatheca4 7,from ,cheshire47 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,kinds ,,of ,,bees ,,composing ,a ,,colony--,,bee ,,products ,,and ,,description ,,of ,,combs--,,development ,,of ,,brood4 ,,kinds ,,of ,,bees ,,in ,a ,,colony4 ,each colony of bees in good condition at the opening of the season contains a laying queen and some #cj1jjj to #dj1jjj worker bees1 or six to eight quarts by measurement4 ,besides this there should be four1 five1 or even more combs fairly stocked with developing brood1 with a good supply of honey about it4 ,drones may also be present1 even several hundred in number1 although it is better to limit their production to selected hives1 which in the main it is not difficult to accomplish4 ,under normal conditions the queen lays all of the eggs which are deposited in the hive1 being capable of depositing under favorable conditions as many as #d1jjj in twenty-four hours4 ,ordinarily she mates but once1 flying from the hive to meet the drone--the male bee--high in the air1 when five to nine days old generally1 although this time varies under different climatic conditions as well as with different races4 ,seminal fluid sufficient to impregnate the greater number of eggs she will deposit during the next two or three years 7sometimes even four or five years7 is stored at the time of mating in a sac--the spermatheca1 opening into the oviduct or egg-passage 7fig4 #e1 s74 ,the queen seems to be able to control this opening so as to fertilize eggs or not as she wills at the time of depositing them4 ,if fertilized they develop into workers or queens according to the character of the food given1 the size and shape of the cell1 etc42 if unfertilized1 into drones4 ,the queen's life may extend over a period of four or five years1 but three years is quite as long as any queen ought to be kept1 unless a particularly valuable one for breeding purposes and not easy to replace4 ,indeed1 if full advantage be taken of her laying powers it will rarely be found profitable to retain a queen longer than two years4 ,upon the workers1 which are undeveloped females1 devolves all the labor of gathering honey1 pollen1 propolis1 and bringing water1 secreting wax1 building combs1 stopping up crevices in the hive1 nursing the brood1 and defending the hives4 ,to enable them to do all this they are furnished with highly specialized organs4 ,these will be more fully referred to in connection with the description of the products gathered and prepared by the workers4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #f4--;,a1 ,head of queen1 magnified ten times1 showing smaller compound eyes at sides1 and three ocelli on vertex of head2 n1 jaw notch4 ,b1 head of drone1 magnified ten times1 showing larger compound eyes at sides1 with three ocelli between2 n1 jaw notch4 7,from ,cheshire47 ,the drones1 aside from contributing somewhat to the general warmth of the hive necessary to the development of the brood1 seem to have no other office but that connected with reproduction4 ,in the wild state colonies of bees are widely separated1 being located wherever the swarms chance to have found hollow trees or rock cavities1 hence the production of many drones has been provided for1 so young queens flying out to mate will not run too many risks from bird and insect enemies1 storms1 etc4 ,mating in the hive would result in too continuous in-and-in breeding1 producing loss of vigor4 ,as we find it arranged1 the most vigorous are the most likely to reproduce their species4 ,at the time of the queen's mating there are in the hive neither eggs nor young larv from which to rear another queen2 thus1 should she be lost1 no more fertilized eggs would be deposited1 and the old workers gradually dying off without being replaced by young ones1 the colony would become extinct in the course of a few months at most1 or meet a speedier fate through intruders1 such as wax-moth larv1 robber bees1 wasps1 etc41 which its weakness would prevent its repelling longer2 or cold is very likely to finish such a decimated colony1 especially as the bees1 because queenless1 are uneasy and do not cluster compactly4 ,the loss of queens while flying out to mate is evidently one of the provisions in nature to prevent bees from too great multiplication1 for were there no such checks they would soon become a pest in the land4 ,on the other hand1 the risk to the queen is not uselessly increased1 for she mates but once during her life4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #g4--,modifications of the legs of different bees3 ,a1 ,apis3 a1 wax pincer and outer view of hind leg2 b1 inner aspect of wax pincer and leg2 c1 compound hairs holding grains of pollen2 d1 anterior leg1 showing antenna cleaner2 e1 spur on tibia of middle leg4 ,b1 ,melipona3 f1 peculiar group of spines at apex of tibia of hind leg2 g1 inner aspect of wax pincer and first joint of tarsus4 ,c1 ,bombus3 h1 wax pincer2 i1 inner view of same and first joint of tarsus--all enlarged4 7,from ,insect ,life47 ,,bee ,,products ,,and ,,organs ,,used ,,in ,,their ,,preparation4 ,pollen and honey form the food of honey bees and their developing brood4 ,both of these are plant products which are only modified somewhat by the manipulation to which they are subjected by the bees and are then stored in waxen cells if not wanted for immediate use4 ,pollen1 the fertilizing dust of flowers1 is carried home by the bees in small pellets held in basket-like depressions on each of the hind legs4 ,the hairs covering the whole surface of the bee's body are more or less serviceable in enabling the bee to collect pollen1 but those on the under side of the abdomen are most likely to get well dusted1 and the rows of hairs1 nine in number1 known as pollen brushes1 located on the inner surface of the first tarsal joint 7fig4 #g1 b71 are then brought into use to brush out this pollen4 ,when these brushes are filled with pollen the hind legs are crossed during flight and the pollen combed out by the spine-like hairs that fringe the posterior margin of the tibial joint--that above a in fig4 #g4 ,the outer surface of this joint is depressed1 and this1 with the rows of curved hairs on the anterior margin and the straighter ones just referred to forms a basket like cavity known as the corbiculum or pollen basket1 represented by the longest joints of the legs1 ,a1 ,b1 and ,c1 fig4 #g4 ,into this the pollen falls1 and with the middle pair of legs is tamped down for transportation to the hive4 ,having arrived there1 the bee thrusts its hind legs into a cell located as near to the brood nest as may be1 and loosening the pellets lets them fall into the bottom of the cell4 ,the tibial spur 7fig4 #g1 e7 on each middle leg is1 as ,professor ,cheshire has pointed out1 probably of use in prying the pellets out4 ,the latter are simply dropped into cells and left for some other bee to pack down by kneading or pressing with its mandibles4 ,various colors--yellow1 brown1 red1 slate1 etc41 according to the kinds of flowers from which gathered--frequently show in layers in the same cell4 ,often when partly filled with pollen the cell is then filled up with honey and sealed more or less hermetically with wax4 ,the bees store the pollen1 for convenience in feeding1 above and at the sides of the brood and as near to it as possible1 the comb on each side of the brood nest being generally well stored with it4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #h4--;,head and tongue of ,apis mellifera worker 7magnified twelve times71 a1 ,antenna1 or feeler2 m1 mandibula1 or outer jaw2 g1 gum flap1 or epipharynx2 mxp1 maxillary palpus2 pg1 paraglossa2 mx1 maxilla1 or inner jaw2 lp1 labial palpus1 l1 ligula1 or tongue2 b1 bouton1 or spoon of the same4 7,reduced from ,cheshire47 ,,nectar ,,and ,,honey4 ,the liquid secreted in the nectaries of flowers is usually quite thin1 containing1 when just gathered1 a large per centage of water4 ,bees suck or lap it up from such flowers as they can reach with their flexible1 sucking tongue1 #j4be to #j4bh inch long4 7,fig4 #h1 l47 ,this nectar is taken into the honey sac 7,plate ,,ii1 h4s47 located in the abdomen1 for transportation to the hive4 ,it is possible that part of the water is eliminated by the gatherers before they reach the hive4 ,a ,russian bee keeper1 ,m4 ,nassanoff1 while dissecting a worker1 discovered between the fifth and sixth abdominal segments a small canal1 to which he attributed an excretory function1 and ,zoubareff1 having noticed bees ejecting a watery substance while returning from the fields1 suggested that this gland probably served to separate a portion of the water from the nectar1 the liquid deposited in the cells appearing to contain less of it than that just secreted by the flowers4 ,bul4 #a1 new series1 ,div4 of ,entomology1 ,u4 ,s4 ,dept4 of ,agriculture4 ,plate ,,ii4 ,illustration ,digestive ,system of ,bee 7magnified ten times74 ,a1 ,horizontal section of body2 lp1 labial palpus2 mx11 maxilla3 e1 eye2 dv1 dv1 dorsal vessel3 v1 ventricles of the same2 ,no4 #a4 ,no4 #b1 ,no4 #c1 salivary gland systems1 #a1 #b1 #c2 1 sophagus2 pro4t1 prothorax2 mesa4t1 mesathorax2 meta4t1 metathorax2 g1 g1 ganglia of chief nerve chain2 n1 nerves2 hs1 honey sac2 p1 petaloid stopper of honey sac or stomach mouth2 c4s1 chyle stomach3 bt1 biliary or ,malpighian vessels3 si1 small intestine2 l1 lamell or gland plates of colon2 li1 large intestine4 ,however this maybe1 evaporation takes place rapidly in the heat of the hive after the nectar or thin honey has been stored1 as it is temporarily1 in open cells4 ,besides being thin1 the nectar has at first a raw1 rank taste1 generally the flavor and odor peculiar to the plant from which gathered1 and these are frequently far from agreeable4 ,to make from this raw product the healthful and delicious table luxury which honey constitutes--fit food for the gods--is another of the functions peculiar to the worker bee4 ,the first step is the stationing of workers in lines near the hive entrances4 ,these1 by incessant buzzing of their wings1 drive currents of air into and out of the hive and over the comb surfaces4 ,if the hand be held before the entrance at such a time a strong current of warm air may be felt coming out4 ,the loud buzzing heard at night during the summer time is due to the wings of workers engaged chiefly in ripening nectar4 ,instead of being at rest1 as many suppose1 the busy workers are caring for the last lot of gathered nectar and making room for further accessions4 ,this may go on far into the night1 or even all night1 to a greater or less extent1 the loudness and activity being proportionate to the amount and thinness of the liquid4 ,frequently the ripening honey is removed from one set of cells and placed in others4 ,this may be to gain the use of certain combs for the queen1 or possibly it is merely incidental to the manipulation the bees wish to give it4 ,when1 finally1 the process has been completed1 it is found that the water content has usually been reduced to #aj or #ab per cent1 and that the disagreeable odors and flavors1 probably due to volatile oils1 have also been driven off in a great measure1 if not wholly1 by the heat of the hive1 largely generated by the bees4 ,during the manipulation an antiseptic--formic acid--secreted by glands in the head of the bee1 and it is also possible other glandular secretions1 have been added4 ,the finished product is stored in waxen cells above and around the brood nest and the main cluster of bees1 as far from the entrance as it can be and still be near to the brood and bees4 ,the work of sealing with waxen caps then goes forward rapidly1 the covering being more or less porous4 ,each kind of honey has its distinctive flavor and aroma1 derived1 as already indicated1 mainly from the particular blossoms by which it was secreted1 but modified and softened by the manipulation given it in the hives4 ,when the secretion is abundant in a flower having a short or open corolla1 hence one from which the bees find it easy to obtain the honey1 they will confine their visits to that kind if the latter is present in sufficient numbers4 ,thus it is that linden1 white clover1 buckwheat1 white sage1 mesquite1 sourwood1 aster1 tulip tree1 mangrove1 orange1 and other kinds of honey may be harvested separately1 and each be readily recognizable by its color1 flavor1 consistency1 and aroma4 ,when1 however1 no great honey yielder is present in large quantity and the source is miscellaneous1 all manner of combinations of qualities may exist1 introducing great and often agreeable variety4 ,thus the medicinal qualities and the food value of different kinds of honey differ as greatly as do their prices on the market4 ,,propolis4 ,this substance1 commonly known as bee glue1 is obtained by the bees from the buds and crevices of trees1 and is carried to the hives in the corbicula or basket-like cavities on the outside of the tibial joints of the workers' hind legs1 the same as they carry pollen4 ,the workers with their mandibles scrape together and bite off the particles of propolis1 and with the front and middle legs pass them back to the baskets1 where the middle legs and feet are used to tamp them down4 ,the pellets can be readily distinguished from those of pollen1 the latter being dull and granular in appearance1 while the freshly gathered propolis is compact and shiny4 ,this resinous material1 which becomes hard soon after it is gathered1 is at first quite sticky1 and the bee bringing it requires aid in unloading4 ,another worker takes hold of the mass with its jaws1 and by united exertion they get it out of the pocket1 though often by piecemeal and in long threads4 ,it is not stored in cells1 but is used at once to stop up crevices in the hives and to varnish the whole interior surface1 as well as to glue movable portions fast1 also in strengthening the combs at their attachments1 and if the latter are designed exclusively for honey1 and especially if not filled at once1 the edges of their completed cells receive a thin coating of propolis1 which adds considerably to their strength4 ,the bees often make the flight hole smaller by filling a part of it with masses of propolis1 sometimes mixed with old wax4 ,carniolans gather the least and ,tunisians the most propolis of any of the different races4 ,on this account the former are better suited than the latter to the production of fancy white comb honey4 ,,bee ,,poison ,,and ,,the ,,sting4 ,the worker and the queen are supplied with another organ which is of great importance to them1 namely1 the sting2 for without this the hard-earned stores of the hive would soon be a prey to all manner of marauders1 and the queen would be deprived of an organ of occasional use to her in dispatching rivals1 and of daily use to her during the working season in the deposition of eggs4 ,the darts work independently and alternately1 and are connected at the base with the poison sac1 without whose powerful contents such a tiny weapon would be wholly ineffective4 ,poison glands pour an acid secretion--largely formic acid--into this sac1 whence it is conveyed to the tip of the sting along the groove or canal formed by the junction of the sheath and the darts4 ,the sting being but an ovipositor modified also another purpose in addition to oviposition1 in the perfect female 7the queen7 its main use is in placing the eggs in their proper position in the bottoms of the cells4 ,formic acid is known to have considerable antiseptic properties4 ,chemical tests show its presence in well-ripened honey1 but not in freshly gathered nectar4 ,the natural conclusion is that it has been added by the bees to assist in the preservation of the honey4 ,in what manner it is supplied has frequently been questioned4 ,tests applied to the blood of the bee show its presence there1 and the secretions of the head glands show still larger quantities4 ,it is therefore reasonable to suppose that these glands1 as well as the poison glands themselves secrete formic acid1 and that the honey receives its portion from the former1 the head glands1 upon being disgorged from the honey-sac or during the manipulation to which it is subjected in the hive4 ,,water4 ,during cold or cool weather much condensation of moisture takes place in wooden hives as these are usually arranged4 ,the water1 collecting in drops on the interior walls of the hive and on the cold1 sealed honey1 often trickles down over the cluster of bees1 to their great injury4 ,it has been claimed that when brood rearing begins this condensed moisture will be utilized in the preparation of brood food4 ,very possibly it may1 yet its use is probably detrimental1 since it is charged with waste products of the hive--those of respiration1 etc4 ,in its absence the water contained in the honey1 if the latter has not granulated1 seems to be sufficient4 ,later1 however1 when no condensation takes place in the hive and the greater number of developing larv require considerable supplies of water in their food1 special trips are made to brooks and pools for it1 and dew is often gathered from leaves4 ,,silk4 ,the larval bee produces a small amount of silk from glands in its head4 ,the pupal cell is partially lined with this4 ,later1 as the bee develops1 there being no further use for the glands1 they become atrophied4 ,,wax4 ,the light colored pellets which are carried into the hive on the hind legs of the workers1 and which have been described as pollen1 are often mistaken for wax4 ,the fact is1 wax is not gathered in the form in which we see it1 except in rare instances1 when1 bits of comb having been left about1 small quantities will be loaded up and taken in as pellets on the legs4 ,ordinarily it comes into the hive in the shape of honey and is transformed by the workers within their own bodies into wax4 ,this production is wholly confined to the workers1 for although the queen has wax plates #jaa the underside of the abdomen and wax glands beneath them1 yet both are less developed than in the workers and are never used4 ,the wax plates of the worker overlying the secreting glands are well shown in fig4 #i1 those of the queen and of the related genera1 ,bombus and ,melipona1 being shown for comparison4 ,during wax secretion1 that is1 when combs are being built or honey cells sealed over1 a high temperature is maintained in the hive1 and many workers may be seen to have small scales of wax protruding from between the segments of the abdomen on the underside4 ,the molds or plates1 eight in number1 in which the scales appear are concealed by the overlapping of the abdominal segments1 but when exposed to view 7fig4 #i1 a7 are seen to be five-sided depressions lined with a transparent membrane4 ,the wax glands themselves are beneath this membrane1 and through it the wax comes in a liquid form4 ,as the scales harden they are pushed out by the addition of wax beneath4 ,the bees pluck them out with neat pincers 7fig4 #g1 a and b7 formed by the articulation of the hind tibi with the adjacent tarsal joints1 pass them forward to the mandibles1 and mold them into the shape of hexagonal cells1 meanwhile warming and moistening them with the secretions of the head glands to render the wax more pliable4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #i4--,wax disks of social bees3 a1 ,apis mellifera worker2 b4 ,a4 mellifera queen2 c1 ,melipona worker2 d1 ,bombus worker--all enlarged4 7,from ,insect ,life47 ,,combs4 ,wax is fashioned by the workers into cells of various sizes and shapes1 according to the use to be made of them4 ,the most regular in shape and size are the cells designed for brood 7fig4 #d74 ,these combs in which workers are bred show nearly #bi cells on a square inch of surface1 the combs being seven-eighths inch thick and the cells generally quite regular hexagons in outline4 ,drone cells are larger1 there being but #ah of them to the square inch of surface1 and the comb is #a inches thick4 ,the cells of combs designed only for honey are frequently more irregular in shape1 generally curve upward somewhat1 and are often deepened as the honey is stored in them1 so that these combs sometimes reach a thickness of #b or #c inches4 ,the cells in which queens are bred bear in size and shape some resemblance to a ground or pea nut4 ,they are often irregular in form1 being sometimes curved1 or short and thick1 according to the space below their point of attachment1 which is most frequently the lower edge or the side edge of a comb1 or sometimes a mere projection or angularity in the general surface of a comb4 ,queen cells open downward instead of being built horizontally like drone and worker cells 7figs4 #fb and #fc74 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #aj4--;,comb building--side of hive removed4 7,original47 ,into the material used in constructing brood combs bees often incorporate bits of wax and fiber-like gnawings of cocoons from old combs in which brood has been reared1 and if given cappings or trimmings of combs they will work them all over and utilize most of the material4 ,also when the bees have abundant supplies of pollen much of this is incorporated into the material of brood combs1 thus saving the costlier substance--wax4 ,such combs show at once by their brownish or straw color1 even when first constructed1 that they are not made of wax alone4 ,it will readily be seen from the above that the quantity of honey consumed by the bees in producing a pound of comb must vary greatly1 for if the comb is designed for surplus honey it will be made of newly secreted wax1 while if for brood other material will1 as just stated1 replace a portion of the wax4 ,the amount of honey coming in varies from day to day1 and it is difficult to estimate how much is consumed in feeding and keeping warm the brood3 moreover1 a high temperature is required in the hive to facilitate the secretion and working of wax1 necessitating1 of course1 extra food consumption when the outside temperature is low4 ,accordingly estimates as to the amount of honey required to produce #a pound of comb range from #e pounds to #be pounds4 ,more accurate experiments are needed in this direction before anything positive can be stated4 ,until then #ah to #bj pounds might be looked upon as nearest the correct figure for white surplus combs1 and half as much for dull straw-colored or brownish combs built for brood rearing4 ,,development ,,of ,,brood4 ,ordinarily the winter cluster in a hive of bees occupies the more central combs1 four or five in number4 ,near the middle of this cluster the queen deposits the first eggs of the season 7which are fertilized eggs7 in the small-sized or worker cells4 ,under favorable circumstances1 that is1 in a strong colony amply protected against inclement weather1 this deposition usually occurs in ,january1 though in a very mild climate some brood is generally present during every month of the year1 and the cessation of egg-laying is very short4 ,the eggs hatch on the third day after deposition into minute white larv1 to which the workers supply food in abundance4 ,the composition of this food has been the subject of much attention and more theorizing4 ,it may be considered as pretty certain that during the first three days of the life of the larva its food is a secretion from glands located in the heads of the adult workers--a sort of bee milk1 to which1 after the third day1 honey is added in the case of the worker larv1 and honey and pollen in the case of drone larva84 ,as this weaning proceeds both worker and drone larv receive pollen1 and in constantly increasing proportions1 in place of the secretion4 ,but this rich albuminous substance is continued to the queen larv throughout their whole period of feeding2 moreover1 the quantity of this food supplied to each queen larva is apparently super-abundant1 for after it ceases to feed quite a mass of the food somewhat dried out will be found in the bottom of the cell from which a well-developed queen has issued4 ,after assuming the pupa form the young queen is attached to this food by means of the tip of the abdomen1 and it very likely continues for some time to receive nourishment from the mass4 ,the following table shows approximately the time occupied in the development of worker1 drone1 and queen3 ---------------------------------------- -------------- ,from deposition ,egg4 ,larva4 ,pupa4 of egg to imago4 ---------------------------------------- -------------- ,days4 ,days4 ,days4 ,days4 ,queen #c #e #g #ae ,worker #c #e #ac #ba ,drone #c #f #ae #bd ---------------------------------------- -------------- ,the original circles of brood are gradually increased by the deposition of eggs in the cells next outside those already occupied1 and circles are soon begun in the adjoining combs4 ,in this way the space occupied by the developing bees is gradually increased1 while preserving the general spherical shape of the brood nest thus formed1 which1 however1 the shape of the hive often modifies somewhat4 ,as already mentioned1 each circle of brood has rows of pollen cells about it1 chiefly above and at the sides1 and the combs on either side contiguous to the brood are usually well packed with pollen4 ,outside of the pollen most of the honey on hand is stored4 ,thus 7fig4 #aa7 a cross section made in any direction through the middle of a hive in normal condition at the opening of the active season should show this relative arrangement of brood1 pollen1 and honey1 which economizes most the heat of the hive and the labors of the nurse bees1 favoring in this way the rapid increase of the population4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #aa4--;,cross section of brood apartment3 s1 s1 sides of hive2 t1 t1 top-bars of frames2 h1 p1 l1 sb1 combs containing 7h7 honey1 7p7 pollen1 7l7 larv and eggs1 and 7sb7 sealed brood4 7,original47 ,,the ,,worker4 ,the worker larv are fed five days1 and then the cell is given by the adult bees a covering which is quite porous by reason of numerous pollen grains incorporated into its mass1 this openness of texture being necessary to give the developing bee air to breathe4 ,the larva strength ens this capping by a loose webwork of silk within1 extending down the side but slightly and attached at its edges to the last skin cast by the molting larva4 ,this skin1 extremely delicate and pressed closely against the inside of the cell1 forms the lining of its sides and bottom4 ,in about twelve days after sealing1 that is1 twenty-one days from the time the egg was deposited1 the imago1 or perfect bee1 bites its way through the brown covering4 ,in the course of a couple of days it takes up the work of a nurse1 and in a week to ten days may appear at the entrance on pleasant days1 taking1 however1 but short flights for exercise1 as ordinary field work is not undertaken until it has passed about two weeks in the care of brood4 ,the worker then takes up also wax secretion1 if honey is to be capped over or combs built1 although old bees can and do to a certain extent engage in wax production4 ,,the ,,drone4 ,eggs left unfertilized produce drones and require twenty-four days from the time they are deposited until the perfect insect appears4 ,they are normally deposited in the larger-sized horizontal cells1 and when the latter are sealed1 the capping is more convex as well as lighter-colored than that of worker brood1 which is brown and nearly flat4 ,the fact that drones develop from unfertilized eggs is to be noted as having an important practical bearing in connection with the introduction of new strains of a given race or of new races of bees into an apiary4 ,from a single choice home-bred or imported mother1 young queens of undoubted purity of blood may be reared for all of the colonies of the apiary1 and since the mating of these young queens does not affect their drone progeny1 thereafter only drones of the desired strain or race and pure in blood will be produced1 rendering1 therefore1 the pure mating of future rearings fairly certain if other bees are not numerous within a mile or two4 ,eventually also all of the colonies will be changed to the new race and without admixture of impure blood1 provided always that the young queens be reared from mothers of pure blood mated to drones of equal purity4 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,quieting ,,and ,,manipulating ,,bees4 ,the demeanor of bees toward an individual depends largely upon his bearing and treatment of them4 ,langstroth1 in his excellent treatise1 ,langstroth on the ,honey ,bee 7p4 #aic1 revised edition71 says3 ,let all your motions about your hives be gentle and slow2 never crush or injure the bees2 acquaint yourself fully with the principles of management1 and you will find you have little more reason to dread the sting of a bee than the horns of a favorite cow or the heels of your faithful horse4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #ab4 ,use of veil and bee smoker4 7,original47 ,most bee manipulators1 however1 grow somewhat indifferent to stings1 since in time they become so inoculated with the poison of the bee that the pain of the sting is less severe and the swelling slight4 ,but to avoid the stings is1 with some of the races more recently introduced into this country1 simply a question of care in manipulation and a free use of smoke4 ,it is not meant that the bees should be stupefied with smoke1 but merely alarmed and subjugated1 and whenever they show any disposition to act on the offensive recourse is to be had to smoke4 ,it is not necessary that the smoke should be from a particular source1 but that from certain substances1 as tobacco1 subjugates them more quickly1 while burning puffball stupefies them for the time4 ,there are some objections to these substances which do not apply to wood1 either partially decayed or sound1 and as the latter when in a good smoker holds fire best and is very effective1 it is advisable to keep a good supply at hand4 ,seasoned hickory or hard maple are best1 though beech1 soft maple1 etc41 are good4 ,the most improved bellows smokers1 when supplied with such fuel sawed #e or ,c inches long and split into bits a half inch or less in size1 will burn all day and be ready at any time to give a good volume of blue smoke1 by which bees of most of the races now cultivated in this country are subdued at once4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #ac4--,manipulation--removing comb from hive4 7,original47 ,with ,italian or black bees a puff or two of smoke should be given at the hive entrance and the cover and honey board1 or quilt1 removed slowly and carefully1 smoke being driven in as soon as the least opening is made and the volume increased enough to keep down all bees as fast as the covering is removed4 ,the smoker may then be placed on the windward side of the hive to allow the fumes to pass over the top and toward the operator4 ,the frames may then be gently pried loose and lifted out carefully1 without crushing a bee if it can be avoided4 ,crushing bees fills the air with the odor of poison1 which irritates the bees4 ,so also when one bee is provoked to sting others follow because of the odor of poison4 ,too much smoke will often render certain manipulations difficult2 for example1 when queens are to be sought out1 or nuclei or artificial swarms made1 volumes of smoke blown in between the combs will drive the bees from them so that they will cluster in clumps on the bottoms of the frames or in the corners of the hives4 ,a little observation and judgment will enable one to know when the bees need smoke and how much of it to prevent any outbreak on their part1 which it is always best to forestall rather than be obliged to quell after it is fully under way4 ,the frame hive as now made--with metal rabbets and arrangements for surplus honey1 and quilts instead of honey boards--reduces propolization to a minimum and renders the danger of irritating the bees by jarring when manipulating much less4 ,as a prerequisite to rapid and safe manipulation perfectly straight combs are necessary4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #ad4--,manipulation--tilting to bring reverse side of comb in view4 7,original47 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #ae4--,manipulation--reverse side of comb brought to view4 7,original47 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #af4--,manipulation--examining verse side of comb4 7,original47 ,with the common or black bees it is never safe to do without the veil as a protection to the face1 and with these bees it will also be very difficult to avoid stings on the hands unless considerable smoke has been driven into the entrance beforehand and time has been given the bees to get well filled with honey before the hive is opened2 even then frequent recourse to smoke will generally be necessary4 ,blacks are by far the most troublesome of all races about flying from their hive entrances to sting in an unprovoked manner4 ,next to these are the crosses containing the blood of the blacks4 ,italians have much less of this disposition1 and ,carniolans and ,cyprians rarely1 then latter almost never1 fly from their hive entrances to attack unless their hives have been disturbed4 ,pure ,cyprians can generally be handled without the use of the bee veil by skillful bee manipulators who understand the qualities of the race4 ,much of the work among pure ,italians can be done without a veil after one has gained experience in manipulation4 ,during four years' residence in ,carniola the writer1 manipulating annually several hundred colonies of bees1 never had occasion to employ a bee veil4 ,if no bees but gray ,carniolans of pure blood are in the apiary and some smoke is used a veil will never be necessary4 ,they maybe handled in all kinds of weather1 early and late1 even during the night1 yet with but a small part of the risk which attends the manipulation of other races4 ,nor will it be necessary to delude them with smoke from time to time1 as one is obliged to do with blacks4 ,to dispense entirely with the bee veil is a more important consideration1 especially to the professional bee-master1 than is at first apparent to the inexperienced4 ,its use injures the eyesight seriously1 especially where one is obliged to strain his eyes for hours to see eggs1 larv1 etc41 in the cells1 to hunt out queens and queen cells1 and adjust frames4 ,besides this1 the hindrance to rapid work which the veil causes1 as well as the great discomfort in wearing it for hours during hot weather1 are considerations worth weighing4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #ag4--,quinby closed-end frames4 7,from ,a ,b ,c of ,bee ,culture47 ,to recapitulate3 ,to secure easy1 rapid1 and safe manipulation accurately made hives1 with the frames1 if hanging1 arranged to rest on folded metal rabbets1 and the combs perfectly straight1 are essential4 ,it is equally important also that some one of the gentler races be kept ,furthermore1 a good bee smoker fed with dry fuel is necessary1 while the bee escape to clear supers without manipulation of combs is a great help4 ,quilts1 queen excluders1 and bee escapes reduce the amount of manipulation required1 and at the same time facilitate what is absolutely necessary4 ,in general1 the best time to manipulate hives is when most of the bees are busy in the fields4 ,the young bees left at home are most easily controlled and the old ones returning are generally laden4 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,establishing ,,an ,,apiary3 ,,time--,,selecting ,,hives ,,of ,,bees--,,moving ,,bees--,,selection ,,of ,,site4 ,spring is the best season to establish an apiary1 especially for a person unacquainted with the practical care of bees4 ,colonies in good condition procured then are more easily kept in order by the novice than if purchased in the fall4 ,mistakes in management may possibly be remedied before the season closes1 and by the time it is necessary to prepare for the winter the learner will have gained a certain amount of practical knowledge of the nature and requirements of the bees4 ,if the start be made late in the season mistakes1 if they occur1 may result fatally before the proper remedy can be applied4 ,the beginner had better obtain his start by purchasing one or two colonies of pure ,italian or ,carniolan bees in accurately made frame hives and in first-class condition4 ,these he should get from some bee-master of repute near his own place1 if possible1 in order to avoid expressage and possible damage through long confinement or numerous transfers4 ,the cost per colony may be #f to #h2 yet bees at this price will generally be found much cheaper in the end1 for1 though common bees in box hives may frequently be obtained for half or even less than half as much1 the cost1 when finally transferred into frame hives1 fitted up with straight combs1 and the common queens replaced by ,italians or ,carniolans1 will not be less4 ,the possession of a colony already in prime working order gives the novice a standard with which to compare all others and often enables him to avoid costly experiments4 ,another plan1 also commendable1 is to agree with some neighboring bee keeper to deliver as many first swarms on the day they issue as are wanted4 ,these will give the right start if placed as soon as received in hives with foundation starters and the frames properly spaced--#a inches from center to center1 it being understood that the swarms are early and prime ones1 with vigorous queens4 ,only those issuing from colonies that have swarmed the year before or from such as were themselves second swarms of the previous year should be accepted4 ,swarms from these will have queens not over one year old4 ,it is better to have queens of the current year's raising1 but these can only be obtained by taking the second or third swarms from a given hive1 which come later and are smaller1 or by substituting young queens for those which come with the swarms4 ,,selection ,,of ,,stocks4 ,the relative ,strength of different stocks may be determined by watching the flight of the bees4 ,the playing of the young bees in front of the hive is apt to deceive one4 ,this lasts but twenty minutes or so1 but a weak stock compared then with a strong one whose young bees are not flying might be regarded as very populous4 ,the young bees sporting in front of the hive may be known by their light1 fuzzy appearance1 and by the fact that as they take wing to leave the hive they turn their heads toward the entrance and sail about it in semicircles1 frequently alighting on the flight board and taking wing again4 ,they are thus marking the location of the hive so as to be able to return to it1 for an attempt to enter another hive might result fatally to them4 ,they finally fly away in constantly widening circles4 ,field workers used to the location fly in a direct line away from the hive4 ,when the young bees return they do not alight at once as do the field workers laden with honey1 but generally hover about the entrance until certain they have reached the right hive4 ,having noted by their flight which stocks seem to have the most bees1 a closer examination can be made by blowing a little smoke of any sort into the entrances and tipping the hives back1 if they stand on loose bottom boards4 ,when not so constructed the examination must1 of course1 be made by removing the top covering1 or if the combs are built in frames1 some of these4 ,in addition to the strength of the colony1 the number of combs containing brood1 straightness1 kind and age of combs1 amount of honey on hand1 the cleanliness and healthfulness of the colony are points upon which full information is desirable4 ,in ,april a good colony located in a central latitude ought to have brood in five or six combs2 yet as ordinarily wintered it will be difficult to find colonies having at this time more than three or four combs containing brood4 ,the combs should be straight1 so that if in an old-fashioned box hive they can be cut out and fitted without great waste into frames1 and if the hive is a frame one it is absolutely necessary to have combs straight and built wholly within the frames in order that the latter may be readily removed and returned to the hive4 ,the less drone comb the better4 ,there will always be enough1 an area half the size of a man's hand being quite sufficient for each hive4 ,the larger size of the drone cells and greater thickness of the combs 7#a inches7 will make it readily recognizable4 ,if over one-eighth of the surface is drone comb the colony should be rejected4 ,if the combs are so old as to be nearly black and to show cell walls much thickened they are very objectionable4 ,there should be several pounds of sealed honey in each hive in early spring4 ,other things being equal1 those stocks which come through the winter with #bj pounds or so of sealed honey in the combs will develop much faster than those having just enough to last them until they gather fresh honey rapidly enough to supply their daily needs4 ,the presence of an abundance gives the bees courage4 ,they do not fear to draw upon their stores to supply the young that are fast developing4 ,the combs filled with honey part with their heat only slowly when the outside temperature falls1 and there is thus less danger of a check in the development of the brood through too low temperature in the hive4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #ah4--;,box hive prepared for transportation4 7,original47 ,if the surfaces of the combs1 the frames1 or the inner walls of the hive are spotted with a brown1 crumbly looking substance it is an evidence that the bees have bad diarrhea during the winter or spring1 and if they have been badly affected not only will the combs and the whole interior of the hive be soiled1 the former perhaps so as to be rendered almost worthless1 but the bees will lack vitality1 and will soon dwindle in numbers1 not being able to survive the first arduous labors of the opening of the season4 ,it is not always easy to determine whether a stock in a box hive is affected with foul brood or not1 for the odor of decaying brood is not of itself sufficient to warrant such a conclusion1 although it is well to reject any hive having any putrid odor about it4 ,the natural odor of the hive1 produced as it is largely by honey1 wax1 pollen1 and propolis1 is not unpleasant to most people1 so that the presence of any disagreeable odor should arouse suspicion4 ,if larv that have turned black are seen in the cells1 and the capping of the sealed brood is sunken and in some instances perforated1 showing brown and ropy contents in the bottoms of the cells1 and the putrid odor is present1 the existence of foul brood 7,bacillus alvei ,cheshire7 is pretty certain4 ,this is a scourge much to be dreaded4 ,not only should no hives or colonies be purchased from the same apiary1 but none in the vicinity of an apiary so affected4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #ai4--;,frame hive prepared for transportation4 7,orig47 ,,moving ,,bees4 ,in moving bees the box hives should be turned bottom upward1 the bees driven back by blowing a little smoke on them1 and a few loose rolls of rags laid across the lower edges of the combs in such a manner that a piece of sheeting1 sacking1 or preferably cheese cloth or other open material may be tied over the whole lower end and drawn tightly1 so as to press the rolls against the combs and hold them in place4 ,it is even well to tack strips of lath outside of the covering1 so placed that they will cross the rolls of rags and press the latter more firmly against the lower edges of the combs4 ,strips may also be tacked around the lower edges of the hive to hold the cloth in place1 or it maybe fastened by winding with strong cord4 ,the bees should be thus prepared as late in the day as possible1 care being taken that none escape1 and at dusk stood bottom upward in a spring conveyance or on straw or hay several inches deep in the box of a wagon1 with straw packed between and around the hives4 ,it is advisable to drive slowly1 avoiding ruts as much as possible4 ,by turning the hives bottom upward the weight of the combs rests on their points of attachment1 and since in such hives the combs are not always attached well down the sides danger of breakage is lessened1 especially when the rolls of cloth are pressed against the edges of the combs4 ,if the bees are in frame hives1 the frames of which have not been disturbed recently1 it is likely that1 with care in driving1 the combs will not get displaced4 ,if necessary to use a sheet or cloth to give ventilation1 it should be tied over the top and the hive placed in the wagon in the same position it occupied on the stand1 lest the combs1 not being attached all the way down1 should fall to one side or the other4 ,except during quite warm weather and for long trips it may not be necessary to adopt all the precautions here indicated1 although in case bees are to be transported on long journeys by rail or water far more careful preparation is even necessary4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #bj4--;,an apiary in ,florida4 7,reproduced from photograph47 ,,selection ,,of ,,site4 ,the apiary should be located where no surface water will collect during heavy storms1 yet the ground should not be very uneven1 but rather a gentle slope4 ,in the colder portions of the ,united ,states a south-eastern exposure is decidedly preferable1 though in the ,south the slope of the site is less important to the welfare of the bees2 a direct southern or south western exposure1 however1 will be found extremely uncomfortable at times both for the operator and for his bees4 ,a windbreak1 such as a board fence1 a hedge1 or a row of evergreens on the north and west1 is advisable as a protection against sharp winds in winter and early spring1 which keep many bees from reaching their hives even when near the entrances4 ,some shade is desirable1 yet such density as to produce dampness is extremely detrimental4 ,in moist elevated regions1 which are of course cool1 no shade will be needed1 except temporarily for newly hived swarms4 ,tall trees are objectionable in or near the apiary1 because swarms are likely to cluster so high as to render their capture difficult and dangerous4 ,some of the self-hivers or nous warming devices now offered for sale may with improvement yet accomplish the end in view1 but heretofore clipping one wing of each laying queen and using all precautions to prevent after-swarming1 making artificial swarms1 selection in breeding1 or any other means known to limit swarming1 have not sufficed to prevent the occasional issuance of a swarm with a queen having wings4 ,therefore it is advisable to have the apiary located under or near low trees1 where the hives can be readily seen from the house4 ,carniolan1 ,italian1 and ,cyprian bees give less trouble to passers-by or to live stock than do the ordinary brown or ,german bees1 or hybrids of these races1 yet whatever race be kept1 it is best to have the apiary as secluded as the necessary or desirable conditions will permit4 ,the frontispiece and figures #bj1 #ba1 and #ge1 taken from photographs of apiaries located in different parts of the country1 give a fair idea of sites actually occupied and the arrangement of hive-4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #ba4--;,an apiary in ,california4 7,reproduced from photograph47 ,,chapter ,v4 ,,hives ,,and ,,implements4 ,the safest and best rule in making or selecting hives and implements for the apiary is1 have them simple and accurate in construction4 ,a plain box with frames and as few other loose parts as possible will yield in the hands of a skillful bee-master far better results than the most elaborately constructed bee palace manipulated by one who does not understand the nature and requirements of bees2 in fact1 the most experienced generally prefer the former4 ,the important point to decide in connection with any proposed modification or adjunct of the hive is whether its adoption will more than compensate for the resultant loss of simplicity4 ,while zealously endeavoring to preserve simplicity of construction1 however1 complete adaptability to the purpose designed must be kept in view1 and should not be sacrificed because of a slight added expense4 ,the bee keeper needs but few implements4 ,with even a limited number of hives1 a smoker1 a wax extractor1 and a few queen-introducing cages are the most necessary1 and one or two bee veils had better be added to the equipment1 the total cost of which need not exceed #e to #f4 ,if the intention be to produce comb honey1 and but a few hives are kept1 then sections folded and with starters in place had better be purchased1 but with ten or more hives and time during the winter season to prepare sections for the harvest1 a section folder and a foundation fastener1 costing together about #c1 may be profitably added to the outfit4 ,if only extracted honey is wanted a honey extractor with one or two uncapping knives should be purchased instead of the section folder and foundation fastener1 the cost of the outfit being in this case some #ae to #ah4 ,fifty or even seventy-five hives may be managed conveniently and economically with no greater investment in implements than that indicated above1 and if both comb and extracted honey are wanted the cost of the outfit1 it can readily be seen1 need not exceed #bj4 ,,hives4 ,in regard to the particular style or form of hive to be used to insure the best results1 it should be stated that while an intelligent apiarist whose experience has been considerable may be successful with almost any hive1 even with poor ones1 there can be no doubt that a hive not only adapted to the nature of the bees but also to the climate of the bee keeper's particular locality1 and at the same time permitting the rapid performance of all operations necessary in securing surplus honey1 will very materially affect the net profit of an apiary4 ,this being the case1 the original cost of a hive1 whether a dollar or two more or less1 is of small importance compared with the desirability of securing convenience and simplicity in its management and of promoting the welfare of the bees in winter and summer4 ,frame hives managed with intelligence and skill are essential to the greatest success4 ,inaccurately made frame hives1 neglected1 as is too frequently the case1 so that the combs are built irregularly between or across the frames1 are not one whit better than box hives4 ,even an accurately built frame hive1 if no attention is given to the spacing of the frames when combs are being built1 will soon present no advantages over a box hive of the same dimensions and having the same space for supering above the brood apartment4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #bb4--;,ancient ,greek movable comb hive4 7,after ,la ,maison rustique1 published in #agdb47 ,the frame and hive most in use in this country is the invention of ,rev4 ,l4 ,l4 ,langstroth1 and this hive1 with slight modifications1 has been generally adopted in ,england and her colonies4 ,it is also becoming known and appreciated on the continent of ,europe4 ,the patent on the frame the essential feature--expired many years ago1 so that anyone who may wish to do so is now free to employ the invention4 ,it is still used by many in the same form in which it was brought out in #aheb4 ,others have changed the dimensions of the frames and given them different names1 while retaining the special feature of the inventor's principle1 namely1 the loose-fitting frame suspended by the projecting ends of its top bar on a continuous rabbet4 ,the outside dimensions of the ,langstroth frame most in use are #ag inches long by #i inches deep 7fig4 #bd74 ,mr4 ,m4 ,quinby1 one of the most practical and successful bee-masters of our century1 preferred frames #ab inches deep by #ah inches ,long1 and these are still used by many large honey raisers4 ,other sizes are also used somewhat4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #bc4--;,dadant-,quinby form of ,langstroth hive1 with cap and gable roof4 7,redrawn from ,langstroth on the ,honey ,bee47 ,the bars composing frames are usually made seven-eighths inch wide1 although some prefer to have the top bar #a inch or even #a inches wide1 and the bottom bar is made by some as narrow as live-eighths inch or even three-eighths inch square4 ,the narrower bottom bar1 at least down to a width of five eighths inch1 renders the removal of the frames less difficult1 and bees are brushed off a little more easily2 but when combs cut from box hives are to be fitted into the frames it is not quite so easy to hold the pieces in the center of the frame by means of transferring sticks and get the bees to fasten them securely at the bottom as it is with full seven-eighths-inch bottom bars4 ,top bars have been made by some hive manufacturers from one-fourth-inch to three-eighths-inch strips1 strengthened somewhat by a very thin strip placed edgewise on the underside as a comb guide2 but such bars are much too light and will sag when filled with honey or with brood and honey1 and when section holders or other receptacles for surplus honey or sets of combs are placed above them more than a bee space exists between the upper and lower sets of frames or between the section holder and the frames below1 and the bees will fill in with bits of comb between these1 making it difficult to remove the top story or any of the combs from it2 indeed1 an attempt under such circumstances to remove combs from the top story generally results in tearing the frames apart and breaking the combs1 and if honey leaks out robbing may be induced at some times of the year1 all because of an error in construction4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #bd4--,langstroth frame2 size1 #ag in4 by #i in4 outside2 pn1 projecting nail4 7,original47 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #be4--;,form in which to nail frames3 b1 button2 db1 double button4 7,original47 ,to avoid this the top bar should never be less than five-eighths inch to three-fourths inch thick1 while for long top bars seven-eighths-inch or #a-;inch strips are preferable4 ,the side and bottom bars may be made of one-fourth-inch strips4 ,a corner is taken from the end of the top bar by a cross cut made at exactly right angles on the underside of the top bar1 reaching to within one-fourth inch of the top of the bar1 and another cut from the end so as to meet the first-mentioned one4 ,each side bar can then be nailed by one nail driven from above through the top bar1 and two driven through the side bar itself into the end of the top bar4 ,the bottom bar can then be nailed on1 or1 better still1 cut short enough to permit it to be inserted between the side bars1 the nails holding it to be driven through the latter4 ,nailing frames loosely or without getting them exactly in true brings with it great disadvantages4 ,if only slightly out of shape they may swing together at the bottom or touch the sides of the hive1 and in either case will be glued fast by the bees2 also in the first instance the combs1 which are always built perpendicularly1 will not be wholly within the frames4 ,to avoid these troubles it is essential1 first1 that the parts for the frames be cut very accurately2 second1 that the frame be in exact shape at the time of nailing2 and third1 that the nails be driven in quite firmly2 long1 slender1 flat-headed wire nails being necessary to secure proper stiffness of the frame4 ,nails #a to #a inches long made of ,no4 #af or ,no1 #ag wire1 or #d;d4 fine wire nails are the right size4 ,nailing in a form1 such as is shown by fig4 #be1 is therefore advisable4 ,greater ease in withdrawing the frames from the hive is secured by making the bottom of the frame one-fourth inch less in width than the upper part4 ,a round-headed nail or a curved wire staple driven through the side bar at each lower corner into the end of the bottom bar and left projecting one fourth inch will also facilitate the removal of frames and their insertion in the hive without the crushing of bees1 and hence allow more rapid manipulation4 7,fig4 #bd1 pn47 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #bf4--,lock-joint chaff hive4 7,from ,gleanings in ,bee ,culture47 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #bg4--,manner of nailing hives4 7,original47 ,the hive to hold the frames should be the plainest kind of a box1 the frames resting on rabbets made in the upper edges4 ,constructing it with lock joints1 as shown in fig4 #bf1 or by halving together the ends of the boards1 as in fig4 #bg1 and1 in either case1 nailing in both directions makes a strong hive body4 ,the latter may be single-walled for mild climates or where cellar wintering is practiced3 but for severe regions it is advisable to have permanent double walls with the inter-spaces filled with chaff1 ground cork1 or similar material1 or else outer cases should be provided giving space between the latter and the hive proper for dry packing4 ,as the bees always try to glue the frames fast by means of propolis1 it is better to make them rest on strips of tin1 galvanized iron1 or band iron4 ,the rabbet should therefore be made eleven-sixteenths inch deep1 and the strip of iron or other metal frame-rest nailed on so that its edge will project upward five-sixteenths inch from the bottom of the rabbet4 ,folded strips of tin as made by manufacturers of apiarian implements are preferable to single strips nailed on1 since they facilitate the sliding of frames and do not cut the top bars where the latter rest upon them 7fig4 #bh74 ,the projecting ends of the top bars being one-fourth inch thick1 the bars themselves come within one-eighth inch of the upper edge of the hive4 ,it is essential that the distance between the ends of the frames and the hive should not exceed three-eighths inch1 lest in time of plenty the bees should build comb there2 nor can less than one-fourth inch space be allowed1 for if the bees can not readily pass around the ends of frames of the ,langstroth type they will glue the frames to the side walls of the hive1 making it very difficult1 if not impossible1 to remove them without breakage4 ,if1 as suggested1 the frames are made one-fourth inch shorter at the bottom than at the top1 that is1 #ag inches at bottom and #ag inches at top1 the hive should then be #ah inches inside from front to rear1 the frames running in this direction4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #bh4--,section of improved tin frame-rest3 ,a1 folded edge on which frame rests2 ,b and ,d1 nails4 7,from ,gleanings47 ,if the frames are accurately made there will then be one fourth inch space at each end of the frame just below the top bar and three-eighths inch at each end of the bottom bar4 ,between the frames and the bottom board1 on which the hive rests1 one-half inch space answers1 but five-eighths inch is preferable4 ,the width of the hive will depend1 of course1 upon the number of frames decided upon1 #a inches being allowed for each frame1 and three-eighths inch added for the extra space at the side4 ,if a top story to contain frames for extracting is placed over the brood chamber1 its depth is to be such as to leave the space between the two sets of combs not over five-sixteenths inch1 and in this1 as in the lower story1 the space between the ends of the frames and the hive wall should be no more than three-eighths inch4 ,a good way to keep rain from beating in between the stories and also to retain the warmth of the bees in outdoor wintering1 yet admit of suitable provision for the upward escape of moisture1 is to have the second story fit over the top of the lower one1 and rest on ledges made by nailing strips around the latter one-half inch below the upper edge4 ,as this makes the upper story nearly #b inches larger from front to rear than the lower one3 it will be necessary when arranging this story for frames to make the front and rear double-walled4 ,this is easily done by tacking on the inside of each end two half-inch strips1 on which a halt-inch board is then nailed4 ,these inside end pieces should be only wide enough to reach within three-fourths inch of the top edge of the outer ends1 and1 like the lower story1 should be finished at the top with a metal rabbet for the frames to rest on1 or the inside piece may be made to come within three-eighths inch of the top and its upper edge beveled so the frames can not be greatly propolized1 an arrangement which answers very well for this story4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #bi4--,the ,langstroth hive--,dadant-,quinby form--cross section showing construction4 7,from ,langstroth47 ,as to the width of hives and consequent number of frames each story is to hold1 there has been of late much diversity of opinion4 ,the original ,langstroth hive held ten frames in the lower story and eleven frames in the second or top story4 ,a demand for smaller-sized brood chambers and uniformity of the stories having been created1 the larger hive-manufacturing establishments gave hives constructed to hold eight frames the most prominent place in their catalogues1 and by many it was considered that those who adhered to the older1 larger form did so merely through conservatism4 ,but after some years' trial a reaction in favor of larger hives seems to have set in1 especially among producers of extracted honey4 ,many of the latter are finding that with carefully bred queens even twelve-frame brood apartments give the best results4 ,the author's experience of over twenty-five years with frame hives of various sizes and styles1 both ,american and foreign1 in widely differing climates1 convinces him that to restrict a hive to a capacity of less than ten frames for the brood chamber is1 in most localities1 undesirable1 but it will frequently be found advantageous to contract temporarily the space occupied by the bees4 ,for extracted honey alone1 especially in any region having a short flow of honey1 twelve-frame capacity is preferable4 ,thin1 movable partitions1 known as division boards1 enable one to contract the space at will1 and the addition of supers or top stories gives storage room for surplus honey4 ,some prefer to have the hive in one story holding twice the usual number of frames and contractible with a division board4 ,the entrance is then usually at one end1 parallel with the combs1 and the surplus honey is obtained from the rear part of the hive1 either in sections held in wide frames or it is extracted with a machine from ordinary frames4 ,this plan renders access to all of the frames somewhat easier than when two or more stories are used1 but as the methods now most followed involve on the whole less manipulation of individual frames than was formerly deemed advantageous this superiority can not count for much--hardly enough in fact to balance the limitation as to the number of frames and the inconvenience of larger and more unwieldy hive bodies1 covers1 and bottom boards4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #cj4--,the ,nonpareil hire4 7,from ,bee-,keeping for ,profit47 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #ca4--;,dadant-,quinby form of ,langstroth hive1 open3 a1 front of brood apartment2 b1 alighting board2 c1 movable entrance block2 d1 cap2 e1 straw mat2 f1 carriage-cloth cover for frames2 g1 g1 frames with combs4 7,from ,langstroth47 ,small hives may yield excellent results in the hands of a skillful bee-master1 but an equal degree of skill will1 in general1 give as good1 if not better1 returns from large hives1 and the novice who may not know just when or how to perform all operations will find himself much safer with hives holding ten or twelve frames in each story1 and far more likely to secure good returns from them than from smaller ones4 ,a good1 tight roof or cover is indispensable1 well painted1 so that no drop of water can get in from above4 ,a flat roof slanting from front to rear will answer1 but a ventilated gable roof with the sides well slanted is far preferable4 ,above the sections or the upper set of frames a piece of carriage cloth1 enameled side down1 should be laid during the summer season to prevent too great escape of heat above and to keep the bees from getting into the roof or propolizing it4 ,the cloth is more suitable than a board1 since the latter when propolized can not be removed without considerably jarring the bees4 ,if the carriage cloth be weighted with a board which has been clamped with a strip across each end to prevent warping1 there will be less propolization of the sections above or building of bits of comb on the tops of the frames when these have been used4 ,to dispense with this extra piece and also to render the gable cover flat on the underside1 the board which rests on the carriage cloth may be nailed to the cover permanently4 ,during very hot weather the quilt may be turned back and the cover propped up4 ,the bottom board to the hive may be nailed permanently or the hive may be merely placed on it4 ,in either case the sides and back of the hive should be wide enough to come down over the edges of the bottom board and thus shed all water that runs down the outside of the hive4 ,a sloping board in front will facilitate the entrance of heavily laden bees and many that fall to the ground will crawl in if the hive is within #h or #aj inches of the ground4 ,many persons place the bottom boards directly on the ground1 and the majority have them but #c or #d inches above the surface4 ,by arranging them farther from the ground1 at least #f or #h inches1 dampness is avoided and the ease in manipulation is greatly increased4 ,english manufacturers make the ,langstroth hive with permanent legs some #f or #h inches long4 ,this is no doubt necessary in the damp climate of that country1 and even here the free circulation of the air beneath the hive and the entrance of direct rays of sunlight at times are so beneficial that there might well be a return to this valuable feature1 which was part of the original ,langstroth hive4 ,great accuracy of parts must be insisted upon in hives and frames1 both because covers and top stories should be made to fit interchangeably1 and because the bees carry out their own work with great precision1 so that ease in manipulation of combs can only be secured by nice adjustment4 ,hives cut by machinery are therefore greatly to be preferred1 and though most of those kept in stock by apiarian manufacturers do not include in their construction all of the features mentioned above1 they still answer in most particulars the requirements of bee life1 and1 if proper protection for the winter be afforded1 are very serviceable4 ,,implements4 ,,bee ,,smokers4 ,no well-appointed apiary in these days is without one or more bee smokers4 ,the professional bee keeper who has once used a bellows smoker would as soon think of dispensing with this implement as a skillful cook would be disposed to go back from the modern cooking range to the old-fashioned fireplace4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #cb4--,the ,bingham bee smoker4 ,for hundreds of years smoke has been used to quell and even stupefy bees1 and various forms of bee smokers have long been used2 but the modern bellows form1 so far superior to the old clumsy implements which oftentimes required both hands of the operator1 or to be held between the teeth1 is purely an ,american invention4 ,mr4 ,m4 ,quinby1 one of the pioneers in improved methods in apiculture in ,america1 was the inventor of the bellows smoker having the fire box at the side of the bellows so arranged as to enable the operator to work it with one hand1 and when not in use to stand it upright and secure a draft which would keep the fire going4 ,certain improvements on the original ,quinby smoker have been made without changing the general form of the implement1 one of the most effective and durable of these improved makes being the ,bingham direct-draft smoker4 ,other modifications are the ,crane1 with a cut-off valve1 the ,clark1 ,hill1 and ,corneil smokers4 ,the medium and larger sized smokers1 even for use in small apiaries1 are preferable4 ,they light easier1 take in all kinds of fuel1 and hold fire better1 while they are always much more effective since they furnish a large volume of smoke at a given instant1 thus nipping in the bud any incipient rebellion4 ,the bee smoker and its use are well shown by figs4 #ab1 #cb1 and #ec4 ,,veils4 ,veils for the protection of the face will be needed at times--for visitors if not for the manipulator4 ,the beginner1 however1 should use one under all circumstances until he has acquired some skill in opening hives and manipulating frames and has become acquainted with the temper and notes of bees1 so that he will have confidence when they are buzzing about him and will know when it is really safe to dispense with the face protector4 ,veils are made of various materials4 ,in those which offer the least obstruction to the sight1 black silk tulle or brussels net is used1 the meshes of which are hexagonal4 ,linen brussels net is more durable than silk1 as is also cotton1 though the latter turns gray in time and obstructs the vision4 ,by making the front only of silk and the sides of some ordinary white cotton netting the cost of the veil is less1 but it is not so comfortable to wear in hot weather1 being less open4 ,a rubber cord is drawn into the upper edge1 which brings the latter snugly in about the hat band4 ,by having the veil long and full and drawing it over a straw hat with a wide1 stiff brim1 tying the lower edge about the shoulders or buttoning it inside a jacket or coat1 the face is securely protected4 7,fig4 #ab47 ,,honey ,,extractors ,,and ,,honey ,,knives4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #cc4--,williams' automatic reversible honey extractor4 ,the honey extractor 7fig4 #cc7 consists of a large can1 within which a light metal basket revolves4 ,the full combs of honey1 from which the cappings of the cells have been removed by a sharp knife1 are placed inside the basket and after several rapid revolutions by means of a simple gearing are found to have been emptied of their contents4 ,the combs1 only very slightly damaged1 can then be returned to the hives to be refilled by the bees4 ,if extra sets of combs are on hand to supply as fast as the bees need the room in which to store honey1 great yields can often be obtained4 ,a good extractor should be made of metal1 and the basket in which the combs are revolved should be light1 strong1 and doubly braced on the outside so that the wire-cloth surface1 against which the combs press1 will not yield4 ,the wire cloth used1 as well as all interior parts of the extractor1 should be tinned1 as acids of honey act on galvanized iron1 zinc1 iron1 etc4 ,wire cloth made of coarse wire and with meshes one-half inch square is often used1 but it injures the surface of new combs and those very heavy with honey more than that made of about ,no4 #bj wire and with one-fourth-inch meshes4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #cd4--,quinby uncapping knife4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #ce4--;,bingham ,hetherington uncapping knife4 ,for removing the wax covering with which the bees close the full cells a peculiarly shaped knife1 known as an uncapping knife1 is needed 7figs4 #cd and #ce74 ,the blade1 which should be of the finest steel to hold a keen edge1 is fixed at such an angle with the handle as to keep the hand that grasps the latter from rubbing over the surface of the comb or the edges of the frames4 ,the form of knife with curved point is best adapted to reach any depression in the comb1 which1 if uncapped and emptied of its honey1 will likely next time be built out even with the general surface4 ,dipping the knife in hot water facilitates rapid work1 and of course the heavier-bladed knives hold the heat better than thin bladed ones1 and are for this reason preferred by some2 also because they more surely lift the capping clear from the surface of the comb4 ,,wax ,,extractors4 ,a solar wax extractor is needed in every apiary2 several are kept running in many large apiaries4 ,extractors which render wax by steam are also used4 ,to the latter class belongs the improved ,swiss wax extractor 7fig4 #cf74 ,this implement1 invented in ,switzerland and improved in ,america1 consists of a tin or copper vessel with a circle of perforations in the bottom near the sides to let in steam from a boiler below1 and within this upper vessel another receptacle--the comb receiver--made of perforated zinc4 ,its use1 as well as that of the solar wax extractor1 is described under the head of ,wax production4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #cf4--;,excelsior wax extractor4 ,within a few years wax extractors employing the heat of the sun and known as solar wax extractors have come into general use 7fig4 #fa74 ,the essential features in all the forms that have been devised are a metal tank with a glass cover and usually a wire-cloth strainer1 below which is placed the receptacle for the wax1 the whole so arranged as to enable one to tilt it at such an angle as will catch the direct rays of the sun4 ,the effectiveness of the solar wax extractor is increased by having the glass doubled1 and adding also a reflector1 such as a mirror or a sheet of bright metal4 ,an important advantage of the solar wax extractor is the ease with which small quantities of comb can be rendered4 ,by having this machine much is therefore saved that might be ruined by wax moth larv if allowed to accumulate1 besides serving at the same time to increase these pests about the apiary4 ,the wax obtained by solar heat is also of superior quality1 being clean1 never water-soaked nor scorched1 and also light in color1 owing to the bleaching action of the sunlight4 ,the cost of a medium-sized solar wax extractor does not exceed that of the larger ,swiss steam extractors1 yet of the two the former is likely to prove by far the more valuable1 even though it can be used only during the warmer months4 ,,queen-,,introducing ,,cages4 ,in every apiary there should be several of these on hand4 ,the best are such as permit the caging of the queen directly on the comb over cells of honey4 ,a little practice will enable anyone to make very serviceable and cheap cages for introducing queens4 ,from a piece of wire cloth having ten to twelve meshes to the inch cut a strip #b inches wide2 cut this in pieces #d inches long1 roll each piece around a stick to give it a cylindrical form1 lap the edges1 and sew with a piece of wire4 ,then in one end of this cylinder make slits three-quarters inch apart and three-quarters inch deep1 and bend over the tongues thus formed so as to close this end of the cage4 ,with the flat end of a pencil press warm wax or comb into the bottom inside to give it firmness4 ,then unravel five or six strands of the wire cloth at the other end4 ,the wire points left after unraveling these strands may be pressed into the comb so as to confine a queen and four or five of her attendant workers4 7,fig4 #ff47 ,most of the queen-mailing cages are arranged to admit of their use in introducing the queens also1 so that when received it is only necessary to withdraw a cork and place the cage on top of the brood frames1 thus admitting the bees to the candy4 ,they will eat their way in and release the queen in twenty-four to forty-eight hours4 ,this plan is very good for such as lack experience in handling queens1 and hence might injure them by grasping the abdomen1 by pinching the thorax too hard1 or by catching the legs on the wire cloth of the introducing cage4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #cg4--,simplicity feeder4 7,from ,a ,b ,c of ,bee ,culture47 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #ch4--;,fruit-jar bee feeder4 ,bottom of feeding stage and perforated cap shown separately4 7,orig47 ,,bee ,,feeders4 ,during warm weather liquid food may be placed in any open receptacles which can be set in the upper stories of the hives4 ,tin fruit or vegetable cans that have been used may be made to serve the purpose1 a wooden float for each or some bits of comb being put in to keep the bees from drowning2 but during cool weather feeders arranged to admit the bees but not permit the escape of heat had better be employed4 ,glass fruit jars with metal caps are generally at ,land1 and make excellent feeders by merely punching a few holes in each cap4 ,after the jar is filled with liquid food and the cap screwed on tightly it is inverted over a feed hole in the quilt or honey board4 ,the cap1 or top story1 with cover1 protects the whole1 and it is very easy to see when more food is wanted by merely raising the cover slightly4 ,if arranged on a feeding stage covered on the underside with wire cloth1 as shown in fig4 #ch1 feeding may be accomplished without being troubled by the workers4 ,feeders of various forms constructed of wood or tin1 or of these materials combined1 most of them serving the purpose excellently1 are offered in catalogues of apiarian manufacturers4 ,,section ,,folders4 ,sections can be folded or put together readily over an accurately made block just large enough to fill the space inclosed by a section1 and several machines to facilitate the work in case it is to be done on a large scale have been devised4 ,,bee ,,escapes4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #ci4--,the ,porter spring bee escape4 ,the bee escape 7fig4 #ci7 is an important labor-saving invention for the honey producer4 ,a number of them may be regarded as necessary in every apiary4 ,they are inserted in holes bored in a honey board and used in freeing supers from bees1 as described under ,honey production4 ,,foundation ,,fasteners4 ,for sections4--,several styles of implements for fastening thin foundation in sections have been devised4 ,all of them do the work well4 ,a simple one1 which is also low priced1 is ,parker's2 ,clark's and the ,daisy are also highly recommended1 and ,a4 ,c4 ,miller's is very complete1 working automatically4 ,the latter1 and the ,daisy shown in fig4 #dj1 each require the use of a lamp4 ,for frames4--,if the top bars of the frames have a slot or saw kerf one-eighth to three-sixteenths inch deep on the underside1 made by passing them lengthwise over a circular saw1 sheets of foundation can be very readily fastened by slipping the edge into this groove and running melted wax along the angle formed on each side by the foundation and the top bar4 ,or a wedge-shaped strip may be crowded in at the side and secured with small wire nails4 ,if the top bar is flat on the underside it will be necessary to press the foundation firmly against it2 that is1 to incorporate the edge of the wax sheet into the wood of the top bar by rubbing it with a smooth bit of hard wood or bone1 such as a knife handle1 moistening this implement to prevent the wax from sticking1 and then fix it firmly by pouring melted wax down the other side4 ,in the case of top bars having triangular comb guides or a projecting tongue on the underside the foundation can be securely fastened by merely cutting five or six slits three-eighths to one-half inch deep in one edge of the foundation and bending the tongues thus formed in alternate directions so as to place the ,v-edge of the top bar between them1 when they can be firmly attached to the top bar by rubbing with a knife handle as before4 ,soapsuds or starch water may be used to advantage in moistening the knife handle4 ,the foundation roller 7fig4 #da71 a small disk of hard wood which revolves in a slot at the end of a handle and costs but a few cents1 does effective work in fastening foundation in brood frames2 in fact1 it is rather better than the knife handle for the work just mentioned1 except that it will not reach into the corners of the frames1 and to secure the foundation there the knife handle must still be used4 ,the roller will need to be moistened the same as the knife handle4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #dj4--,the ,daisy foundation fastener4 7,from ,gleanings47 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #da4--;,fastening starter of comb foundation in frame4 7,original47 ,it is particularly important that the sheets of foundation be well fastened1 for if one edge breaks loose with the weight of the bees it will crumple down in such a way as not only to ruin that comb1 or rather to prevent the building of a good comb in the frame in question1 but also very likely in the adjoining frames if they have not been previously built out2 and in this case damage will probably result to them4 ,to prevent bulging of the comb it is also essential that the sheets of foundation1 if not wired1 be narrower than the inside depth of the frame and shorter than its inside length4 ,a full inch of space should be allowed between the bottom bar and the sheet of foundation1 and a half inch at each end for two-thirds of the way up4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #db4--,spur wire-embedder4 7,from ,gleanings47 ,with these precautions swarms may even be hived on full sheets of foundation without wiring the frames3 but the practice will probably continue of using starters1 chiefly in the case of swarms1 and1 when full sheets are employed1 of alternating them with combs already built out4 ,some prefer to wire the frames even though it is considerable trouble1 for the combs require less attention while in process of construction and are firmer for shipping1 for use in the extractor1 or for any other manipulation4 ,three or four horizontal wires will suffice4 ,no4 #cj annealed tinned wire is the preferable size and quality4 ,the end bars of the frame are pierced by four holes1 the first #a inch below the top bar4 ,a small tack secures the end of the wire1 which is then passed back and forth and drawn up so as to leave no slack4 ,the four horizontal wires1 #b inches apart1 will be sufficient to render combs quite secure4 ,after fastening the foundation to the top bar in the usual way the wires are embedded in the wax by a spur embedder1 which is a small wheel with grooved teeth 7fig4 #db74 ,where large numbers of frames are to be wired a current of electricity from a small battery will do the work more neatly and quickly than the spur embedder4 ,the disadvantages of wiring frames are1 first1 its expense1 caused chiefly by the time employed in doing it2 and second1 the fact that wherever the wire does not get embedded into the midrib of the foundation1 as is sure to happen in many cases1 the rearing of brood is interfered with1 and also1 under the methods employed by the majority in wintering1 moisture is very likely to cause the combs to cleave from the wires1 whereupon the bees are disposed to gnaw the combs away from the wires in spots and not rebuild them4 ,these disadvantages1 except that of expense1 are overcome by incorporating fine wire in the sheets of foundation when they are rolled4 ,the sheets are trimmed with wooden shears1 which leave the ends of the wires projecting4 ,these are then glued to the bars of the frame4 ,the added expense is again the main objection1 except to those who wish to ship colonies or nuclei1 or transport them from place to place for pasturage4 ,,comb-,,foundation ,,machines4 ,the first attempts to give bees outlines of cells as a basis for comb building were made in ,germany4 ,the top bars of the frames were coated on the underside with beeswax1 and a strip of wood having the outlines of bees' cells cut on it was then pressed against this wax so as to form a guide which should lead the bees to build their combs within the frames4 ,this was only a comb guide1 but was succeeded by small strips of wax having the outlines of bees' cells pressed on them by hand1 a block of wood being engraved for this purpose4 ,the general use of comb foundation1 especially of the full sheets1 was only made possible through the improved means of manufacturing it developed in the ,united ,states4 ,the slow process of hand stamping was succeeded by its rapid production on machines1 the essential feature of which is two engraved cylinders between which the warm sheet of wax is made to pass 7fig4 #dc74 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #dc4--;,comb-foundation machine4 7,from ,langstroth47 ,such machines are now made in numerous patterns costing from #ae up4 ,foundation is made with flat-bottomed cells and also with the same form as that given by the bees to combs constructed wholly by themselves4 ,both sorts are readily accepted by the bees and built out4 ,both these kinds are also made in various qualities and weights4 ,only a good quality of perfectly pure beeswax should be accepted4 ,brood foundation is made in light1 medium1 and heavy weights4 ,for use in section boxes thin surplus and extra thin surplus are made of light-colored wax4 ,when full sheets are used in sections it is better to have it extra thin lest there should be a noticeable toughness of the midrib1 technically known as fishbone4 ,for unwired frames the medium or heavy brood-comb foundation should be employed4 ,until used it is best to keep comb foundation between sheets of paper and well wrapped1 since if long exposed to the air the surface of the wax hardens somewhat1 but if well packed it may be used years after it was made with almost the same advantage as when first rolled out4 ,it requires considerable skill to make foundation successfully1 and those who use but a small amount will do better to purchase their supply4 ,the high quality of nearly all of the foundation thus far supplied in this country has also justified this plan4 ,should the practice of adulterating wax become as common among comb-foundation manufacturers in this country as on the continent of ,europe no doubt many more would procure machines and make their own foundation4 ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,bee ,,pasturage4 ,bees obtain their food from such a variety of sources that there are few localities in our country where a small apiary could not be made to yield a surplus above its own needs4 ,even in the center of our larger cities bees placed on the roofs of stores and dwellings have often furnished quite a surplus gathered from the gardens of the city and its environs4 ,again1 in regions where the soil is too light1 rocky1 or wet to admit of profitable cultivation1 it is often the case that honey-producing plants abound2 indeed1 waste land is frequently far more profitable for the honey-producer than fields that have been brought under cultivation1 especially when the latter are mainly devoted to grain or potato raising1 for insignificant weeds in field or swamp often yield honey abundantly1 and among the best yielders are certain forest trees1 whose blossoms1 by reason of their distance from the ground and in some instances their small size1 escape notice4 ,showy flowers made double by the gardener's skill1 such as roses1 dahlias1 chrysanthemums1 etc41 have rarely any attraction for our honey bees4 ,moreover1 the small number of these ornamental plants usually found in any one locality renders the honey yield1 even in case they are abundant secreters of nectar1 so slight that they are of little value4 ,the novice who is seeking to determine the honey resources of his locality should therefore not be led into error by these4 ,he should compare the flora of his locality with reliable lists of honey-producing plants1 and1 if possible1 consult some practical bee-master familiar with his surroundings4 ,and all information on this score should be fully accepted only after careful verification1 as it is very easy for anyone to be deceived regarding the sources of given honey yields--plants which produce abundantly one season not always yielding the next1 or those that produce honey freely in one portion of the country not yielding anything in another4 ,soil and climate1 the variations of successive seasons1 and all other conditions affecting plant growth--conditions which even the most skillful scientific agriculturists admit are exceedingly difficult to understand1 and in many respects1 as yet unexplainable--influence the amount and quality of nectar secreted by a given plant4 ,the danger of overstocking is largely imaginary1 yet in establishing a large apiary it is of course essential to look to the natural resources of the location1 and especially to decide only upon a place where two or more of the leading honey-producing plants are present in great numbers4 ,in the ,north1 willows1 alder1 maples1 dandelion1 fruit blossoms1 tulip tree 7frequently called whitewood71 locust1 clovers 7white1 alsike1 crimson1 and mammoth red71 with alfalfa and melilot1 chestnut1 linden or basswood1 ,indian corn1 buckwheat1 fireweed1 willow-herb1 knotweeds1 mints1 cleome1 golden-rods1 ,spanish needle1 and asters may be cited as the chief sources of pollen and honey2 and of these the tulip tree1 locust1 white clover1 alfalfa1 melilot1 linden1 and buckwheat furnish most of the surplus honey4 ,the fruit blossoms1 with the exception of raspberry1 come so early that a small proportion only of the colonies are sufficiently strong to store surplus1 and of course this statement applies with still more force to plants which blossom before apple1 pear1 cherry1 etc4 ,some of the clovers1 mustard1 rape1 cultivated teasel1 chestnut1 barberry1 sumac coral berry1 pleurisy root1 fireweed1 borage1 mints1 willow-herb1 ,spanish needles1 cleome1 etc41 though yielding well1 are only found abundantly over certain areas1 and do not therefore supply any considerable portion of the honey that appears on the market1 though when any of them are plentiful in a certain locality the bee keeper located there will find in nearly all cases that the surplus honey is greatly increased thereby4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #dd4--,willow herb 7,epilobium angustifolium74 ,a1 young flower3 s1 stigma turned back3 a1 anthers2 l1 lobe or pod4 ,b1 older flower3 s1 stigma turned forward2 a1 anthers3 l1 lobe4 ,c1 spike of flowers4 ,d1 section of pollen grain3 e1 extine2 i1 intine2 ti1 thick intine2 f1 fovilla4 ,e1 growing point of pollen grain3 e1 e1 extine2 i1 i1 intine2 f1 fovilla2 pt1 pollen tube4 7,from ,cheshire47 ,in the middle section of our country1 from ,maryland1 ,virginia1 and ,north ,carolina westward1 most of the sources named above are present1 although the maples 7particularly hard maple7 furnish less1 and fruit bloom1 the clovers1 linden1 and buckwheat are not as great yielders as in the ,north4 ,sourwood or sorrel tree1 mountain laurels1 sour gum or tupelo1 huckleberry1 cowpea1 magnolia1 and persimmon make up in part for these1 the sourwood being especially important1 while in some localities certain species of asters yield very abundantly4 ,the tulip tree 7known commonly as poplar7 is a greater yielder than in the ,north1 while in the western portion of the middle section the ,rocky ,mountain bee plant or cleome and more extensive areas of alfalfa and melilot are very important sources4 ,in the more southern ,states fruit bloom is far from being as great a source of honey as in the ,north1 though with the extension of orange groves in ,florida and ,louisiana an increased production of very fine honey maybe looked for in those ,states4 ,the titi1 magnolia1 palmetto1 and black mangrove yield well in some parts1 and sour gum 7tupelo or pepperidge71 cotton1 and pennyroyal are sources not to be overlooked4 ,in ,texas horsemint and mesquite1 the latter also extending farther ,west1 furnish fine yields1 while many mountain localities of southern ,california are clothed with white and black sages--wonderful honey producers4 ,in certain localities there the orange and other fruit orchards1 and also wild buckwheat1 give the bees excellent pasturage for a portion of the year4 ,certain small homopterous insects1 such as plant-lice1 bark-lice1 mealy-wings1 and some leaf-hoppers1 which congregate on the leaves or bark of various plants and trees1 notably pines1 oaks1 and beeches1 and suck their juices1 secrete a sweet liquid1 which is often taken up by bees as it falls on the surrounding vegetation4 ,this secretion1 commonly known as honeydew1 or plant-louse honey1 is usually of an inferior qua lit y1 though that from pine-tree aphides is sometimes fairly good4 ,most of it granulates very soon after having been gathered1 sometimes even before the cells have been sealed4 ,under peculiar conditions of the atmosphere sweet exudations1 also known as honeydew1 drop from the leaves of certain plants and are eagerly taken up by the bees4 ,this substance is sometimes very abundant and of excellent quality4 ,it should not1 however1 be confounded with the secretions of extra-floral glands such as are possessed by the cowpea1 horse bean1 partridge pea1 and vetches4 ,these seem to be natural productions for the purpose of attracting insects to the plants1 while the former is apparently an accidental exudation through the plant pores1 brought about very likely by some sudden change of temperature4 ,both are1 however1 merely the saccharine juices of the plant1 and when refined by the bees may become excellent honey4 ,,cultivation ,,of ,,honey ,,plants4 ,in all localities there will probably be found intervals during the working season when bees will find very little or even nothing gather1 unless supplied by cultivation4 ,when possible it is ah best to till in such intervals with some honey-producing plant which at the same time furnishes some other product--fruit1 grain1 forage1 green manure1 or timber4 ,the attempt to cultivate any plant for its honey alone has not thus far been found profitable1 in practice1 however promising it may seem theoretically4 ,catnip 7,nepeta cataria71 motherwort 7,leonurus cardiaca71 globe thistle 7,echinops sphrocephalus71 figwort 7,scrophularia nodosa71 bee balm 7,melissa officinalis71 borage 7,borago officinalis71 ,rocky ,mountain cleome 7,cleome serrulata71 melilot or sweet clover 7,melilotus alba71 and linden 7,tilia americana7 have all been recommended repeatedly and tried here and there somewhat extensively4 ,but thus far the hope of securing a sufficient increase in the crop of honey to pay for the cultivation of these plants has in all cases had to be abandoned4 ,with the appreciation in value of agricultural lands the prospects for the profitable cultivation of any crop for honey alone are still further removed4 ,yet the writer is fully convinced that in the future1 especially in the older portions of our country1 eminent success in bee raising will require much more attention to the furnishing of artificial pasturage for the bees1 a close study1 in fact1 of the bee flora of one's locality1 and a systematic effort to supply the deficiencies by sowing self-propagating honey plants1 and such as may be cultivated with profit for other reasons besides their honey yield4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #de4--,wagner a flat pea 7,lathyrus sylvestris wagneri74 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #df4--;,dwarf ,essex or winter rape 7,brassica napus74 ,among those plants which have just been mentioned as having been cultivated at various times for their honey alone1 the linden for shade and ornament as well as for timber1 catnip for sale as an herb or to secure its seed1 and melilot for forage or green manuring are the only ones which1 under present conditions1 might in some cases be profitably cultivated4 ,there may be introduced with advantage1 however1 all such honey-producing plants as1 with one sowing or planting1 will readily propagate themselves and without cultivation extend their area along roadsides and over waste lands1 always excepting of course such as may become troublesome weeds4 ,for this purpose most of the plants referred to above are available1 and many others which like these are adapted to one portion or another of our country might be added1 as1 for example1 pleurisy root or butterfly weed 7,asclepias tuberosa71 ,indian currant or coral berry 7,symphoricarpos symphoricarpos71 viper's bugloss 7,echium vulgare71 lady's thumb 7,polygonum persicaria71 horsemint 7,monarda citriodora71 willow-herb 7,epilobium angustifolium71 etc41 but of course it can not be expected that they will thrive and thoroughly establish themselves without further attention1 except in such localities as present very favorable conditions for their growth4 ,furthermore1 there is always the risk that a plant which yields honey abundantly in one part of the country may not do so in another region1 even though it grows well1 so that it is necessary in most cases1 especially with wild plants1 to test them anew before extensive introduction1 no matter how well established their reputation as honey producers may be elsewhere4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #dg4--,summer or bird rape 7,brassica napus74 ,among plants of economic value in other directions fruit trees and shrubs are to be counted as of much importance to bees4 ,the apple and the cherry yield well1 the others less1 though the gooseberry1 were it more plentiful1 would be of considerable value4 ,strawberry blossoms are1 in general1 visited sparingly and yield only a small amount1 but the raspberry1 coming later1 when the colonies are stronger1 is a most important source1 greatly liked by the bees1 and furnishing as fine a quality of honey as is known4 ,ten acres in raspberries will furnish pasturage for three weeks to #ge or #ajj colonies of bees4 ,mustard for seed1 and rape for pasture and seed1 may be made to furnish much to the bees in early spring4 ,buckwheat honey is dark and strong1 but is relished by some1 and when well ripened is good winter food for bees1 so that whenever this plant can be made to blossom at a time when the bees find nothing better and a crop of grain can also be harvested from it1 a plentiful supply should by all means be sown3 the clovers1 white1 alsike1 crimson1 and mammoth or medium red may be sown for pasturage1 hay1 forage1 for purposes of green manuring1 or for seed1 and honey of fine quality obtained if a sufficient number of blossoms are allowed to appear4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #dh4--,sacaline or giant knotweed 7,polygonum sachalinense74 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #di4--,russian or hairy vetch 7,vicia villosa74 ,alfalfa 7,medicago sativa71 a most important honey producer as well as perennial forage crop1 can be grown over a much greater area of the ,united ,states than has heretofore been generally supposed4 ,sainfoin 7,onobrychis sativa7 and serradella 7,ornithopus sativus71 both most excellent honey plants1 have not received the attention they merit either ,north or ,south4 ,japan clover 7,lespedeza striata7 is grown profitably in the ,south1 and more even might be expected from the introduction of sulla clover 7,hedysarum coronarium7 there1 the latter a great honey producer4 ,chicory1 even on poor soil1 is a good honey and pollen plant4 ,northern bee keepers should try the dwarf 7quick-growing7 varieties of cowpeas 7,vigna sinensis7 extensively grown in the ,south for forage and green manuring4 ,vetches are of recognized value for the same purposes1 especially the ,russian hairy vetch 7,vicia villosa74 ,sacaline 7,polygonum sachalinense7 and flat peas 7,lathyrus sylvestris7 are visited by bees1 and in certain situations may be found of value otherwise4 ,peppermint 7,mentha piperita7 yields well in ,july and ,august4 ,parsnips 7,pastinaca sativa7 when grown for seed are assiduously visited by bees for honey during ,june4 ,july1 and ,august4 ,gorse or furze 7,ulex europus7 for forage may prove valuable in some localities here1 as it is highly esteemed in some parts of ,europe4 ,its odorous yellow blossoms1 much frequented by bees1 appear in ,may4 ,filbert bushes 7,corylus avellana7 will grow in many portions of our country1 yielding1 besides nuts1 an abundance of early pollen1 even in ,february or ,march4 ,the carob tree 7,ceratonia siliqua7 succeeds in the ,southwest1 yielding a crop of economic value1 besides a harvest in late summer for bees4 ,it is also a fine ornamental tree4 ,there are no finer shade or ornamental trees for the lawn or roadside than lindens 7basswoods7 and horse-chestnuts4 ,to these chestnut1 locust1 sourwood1 and tulip trees may be added4 ,the timber of all is useful2 and since they are great honey yielders their propagation near the apiary is very desirable4 ,bees range ordinarily within #b or #c miles in all directions from their homes1 but sometimes go farther4 ,pasturage to be especially valuable1 however1 should be within #b miles1 and less than a mile distant to the main source is quite preferable4 ,the advantage is probably not so much in the saving of time in going back and forth1 for bees fly with great rapidity1 but because when sudden storms arise1 especially those accompanied by high winds1 the heavily laden bees are more likely to reach home safely and the hive will not be decimated of its gathering force4 ,,bees ,,as ,,cross-,,fertilizers4 ,allusion has already been made in this bulletin to the importance of bees in the complete cross fertilization of fruit blossoms and to the fact that certain varieties of pears have been found to be completely self-sterile1 requiring1 therefore1 pollen from other varieties before they can develop perfect seeds and fruits4 ,it is interesting to study the ways in which cross fertilization of plants is secured through the visits of insects4 ,the part that bees perform in the development and perpetuation of numerous ornamental and economic plants is thereby clearly shown4 ,space will only permit the introduction here of one or two examples4 ,the willow-herb1 which is an abundant secreter of nectar and thus attracts bees freely1 illustrates one feature in pollination by bees4 ,a young blossom of this plant 7fig4 #dd1 ,a7 shows the stamens maturing and shedding their pollen1 while the pistil remains curved downward and with closed stigmas4 ,in the older flower 7fig4 #dd1 ,b71 the stamens having shed their pollen and begun to wither1 the pistil has straightened up and exposed its stigmatic surfaces for the reception of the pollen which a bee chancing to come from a younger blossom is likely to bring4 ,self-pollination is thus positively prevented and cross fertilization is insured4 ,in the mountain laurel the anthers are held securely by little pockets in the corolla1 so that as the flower opens the stamens are found bent over 7fig4 #ej1 ,b7 ready to be liberated 7fig4 #ej1 ,c7 by the visit of a bee4 ,when the stamen flies up the pollen is discharged from the anther and dusted on the underside of the bee4 ,the latter as it alights on the next flower naturally touches the stigma first and rubs off some of the pollen it has brought from the last flower visited4 ,it then proceeds to secure the nectar of the flower on which it has just alighted1 and in doing this liberates the stamens of this flower and gets dusted again with pollen1 which it carries to the next flower4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #ej4--,mountain laurel 7,kalmia latifolia74 ,a1 flowering branch4 ,b1 expanded flower3 ap1 anther pocket4 ,c1 section of expanded flower3 ap1 ap1 anther pockets2 s1 stigma3 a1 anther 7free72 pg1 pollen grains in shower3 ca1 calyx4 ,d1 section of flower bud3 ap1 anther pocket4 ,e1 stamen more enlarged3 a1 anther2 po1 pores2 pg1 pollen grains2 f1 filament4 7,from ,cheshire47 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #ea4--;,apple 7,pyrus malus71 showing structure of flower and result of imperfect fertilization4 ,a1 blossom3 s1 stigmas2 a1 anthers2 p1 petal2 s1 sepal2 ca1 calyx2 d1 dissepiment4 ,b1 cross section of imperfectly developed fruit3 f1 f1 fertilized carpels2 u1 unfertilised carpel4 7,from ,cheshire47 ,the cross section of an imperfectly developed apple shown herewith 7fig4 #ea1 ,b7 illustrates the importance of complete fertilization of fruit blossoms4 ,the seed vessel at u shows only an abortive seed1 and the side of the fruit nearest this point is also correspondingly undeveloped4 ,this is owing to imperfect or complete lack of fertilization of this carpel1 five distinct fertilizations being necessary to produce a perfect fruit4 ,bees being1 during the period of fruit blossoms1 the most abundant insects that might effect the necessary distribution of the pollen of these flowers1 the importance is at once seen of having an apiary in or near the orchard4 ,continued rainy or cold weather may keep the bees confined to their hives much of the time during fruit bloom1 hence it is advisable to have them near at hand and in numbers proportionate to the size of the orchards1 so that even a few hours of sunshine will assure their making a thorough distribution of the pollen4 ,in the absence of accurate experiments regarding the number of colonies of bees required to insure proper fertilization in the orchard1 and also in view of the fact that surrounding conditions vary greatly1 it is difficult to say exactly how many colonies are positively necessary for a given number of trees4 ,however1 four or five well-populated hives for every hundred large apple trees will doubtless suffice1 even though no other hive bees are within a mile of the orchard4 ,the bees of a neighbor's apiary are often quite sufficient for the orchardist's purpose1 the benefit resulting from their labors being1 therefore1 mutual1 though the orchardist doubtless derives in this case greater advantage from them than does their owner himself4 ,escaped swarms lodged in forest trees in the vicinity of the orchard are sometimes sufficiently numerous to perform the work well4 ,the great value of bees as cross fertilizers makes their destruction a serious injury to the interests of the fruit grower4 ,therefore spraying with arsenicals during fruit bloom should never be practiced4 ,the injurious insects can be reached quite as well before and after the blooming period4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #eb4--;,heath-like wild aster 7,aster ericoides74 7,original47 ,bul4 #a1 new series1 ,div4 of ,entomology1 ,u4 ,s4 ,dept4 of ,agriculture4 ,plate ,,iii4 ,illustration ,alfalfa 7,medicago sativa74 ,bul4 #a1 new series1 ,div4 of ,entomology1 ,u4 ,s4 ,dept4 of ,agriculture4 ,plate ,,iv4 ,illustration ,esparcet or ,sainfoin 7,onobrychis sativa74 #a1 #b4 #c1 #d1 parts of flower2 #e1 pod2 #f1 #g1 seed ,bul4 #a1 new series1 ,div4 of ,entomology1 ,u4 ,s4 ,dept4 of ,agriculture4 ,plate ,v4 ,illustration ,sweet ,clover or ,melilot 7,melilotus alba74 ,bul4 #a1 new series1 ,div4 of ,entomology1 ,u4 ,s4 ,dept4 of ,agriculture4 ,plate ,,vi4 ,illustration ,acacia 7,acacia constricta71 ,bul4 #a1 new series1 ,div4 of ,entomology1 ,u4 ,s4 ,dept4 of ,agriculture4 ,plate ,,vii4 ,illustration ,mesquite 7,prosopis juliflora74 ,bul4 #a1 new series1 ,div4 of ,entomology1 ,u4 ,s4 ,dept4 of ,agriculture4 ,plate ,,viii4 ,illustration ,blue ,weed or ,viper's ,bugloss 7,echium vulgare74 ,bul4 #a1 new series1 ,div4 of ,entomology1 ,u4 ,s4 ,dept4 of ,agriculture4 ,plate ,,ix4 ,illustration ,crimson ,clover 7,trifolium incarnatum74 ,bul4 #a1 new series1 ,div4 of ,entomology1 ,u4 ,s4 ,dept4 of ,agriculture4 ,plate ,x4 ,illustration ,alsike ,clover 7,trifolium hybridum74 ,,honey ,,and ,,pollen ,,producing ,,plants4 ,in the following lists the intention has been merely to indicate the main sources from which our hive bees secure honey and pollen4 ,anything like a complete enumeration of those plants of the ,united ,states visited by hive bees would occupy far too much space for a brief treatise like this4 ,many plants are therefore omitted which secrete nectar freely but which are abundant only locally2 others are left out because they secrete only at rare intervals1 or under peculiar conditions1 or are visited by bees only when some better honey source fails2 others again because1 though secreting well and readily yielding their honey or pollen stores to the bees1 they are not often present in sufficient numbers in any one locality to enable the bees to add materially to their surplus stores4 ,such plants are1 however1 often of great value because they cause the bees to rear brood during intervals between the times of storing surplus honey and thus keep the colonies populous for successive harvests4 ,besides the main honey plants it would be easy to name for any locality quite a number of secondary importance which are frequented by honey bees1 yet even though the localities were but a few miles apart scarcely any two lists would agree either as to the plants to be included or as to their relative importance4 ,the following honey and pollen producing plants are therefore of wide distribution or of special importance in certain localities4 ,for convenience separate lists are given for the three sections of the ,united ,states made by the parallels of #ce and #dj ,n4 ,the flora of the western portion of each section differs of course greatly from that of the eastern part of the same section4 ,only the most important honey yielders among those of local interest in the extreme ,southwest and the ,west have been included in the lists1 and the chief range of each has been noted4 ,an effort has been made to indicate by the type the relative importance of the plants as pollen and honey producers4 ,,north ,,and ,,northeast4 ,above #dj ,n4 ,red or ,soft ,maple 7,acer rubrum7 ,april4 ,alders 7,alnus7 ,april4 ,elm 7,ulmus7 ,april4 ,willows 7,salix7 ,apr4-,may4 ,dandelion 7,taraxacum taraxacum ,t4 officinale of ,gray's ,manual7 ,apr4-,may4 ,sugar1 ,rock1 or ,hard ,maple 7,acer saccharum ,a4 saccharinum of ,gray's ,manual7 ,apr4-,may4 ,juneberry1 or ,service ,berry 7,amelanchier canadensis7 ,may4 ,wild ,crab ,apples 7,pyrus7 ,may4 ,,gooseberry and ,,currant 7,ribes7 ,may4 ,,peach1 ,,cherry1 and ,,plum 7,prunus7 ,may4 ,,pear and ,,apple 7,pyrus7 ,may4 ,huckleberries and ,blueberries 7,gaylussacia and ,vaccinium7 ,may-,june4 ,,common1 ,,black1 or ,,yellow ,,locust 7,robinia pseudacacia7 ,may-,june4 ,european ,horse-chestnut 7sculus hippocastanum7 ,may-,june4 ,common ,barberry 7,berberis vulgaris7 ,may-,june4 ,,tulip ,,tree1 or ,,whitewood 7,liriodendron tulipifera7 ,may-,june4 ,grapevines 7,vitis7 ,may-,june4 ,rape 7,brassica napus7 ,may-,june4 ,white ,mustard and ,black ,mustard 7,brassica alba and ,b4 nigra7 ,june4 ,,raspberry 7,rubus7 ,june4 ,,white ,,clover 7,trifolium repens7 ,june-,july4 ,,alsike ,,clover 7,trifolium hybridum7 ,june-,july4 ,edible ,chestnut 7,castanea dentata ,c4 sativa var4 americana of ,gray's ,manual7 ,june-,july4 ,,alfalfa1 or ,,lucern 7,medicago sativa7 ,june-,july4 ,,linden1 or ,,basswood 7,tilia americana7 ,july4 ,smooth ,sumac 7,rhus glabra7 ,july4 ,buttonbush 7,cephalanthus occidentalis7 ,july4 ,,melilot1 ,,bokhara1 or ,,sweet ,,clover 7,melilotus alba7 ,july-,aug4 ,indian ,corn 7,zea mags7 ,july-,aug4 ,melon1 ,cucumber1 ,squash1 ,pumpkin 7,citrullus1 ,cucumis1 and ,cucurbita74 ,july-,aug4 ,fireweed 7,erechthites hieracifolia7 ,july-,sept4 ,chicory 7,cichorium intybus7 ,july-,sept4 ,,great ,,willow-,,herb 7,epilobium angustifolium7 ,july-,aug4 ,,knotweeds 7,polygonum1 especially ,p4 pennsylvanicum and ,p4 persicaria74 ,aug4-,sept4 ,,buckwheat 7,fagopyrum fagopyrum ,f4 esculentum of ,gray's ,manual74 ,aug4-,sept4 ,indian ,currant1 or ,coral ,berry 7,symphoricarpos symphoricarpos ,s4 vulgaris of ,gray's ,manual7 ,aug4-,sept4 ,thorough wort1 or ,boneset 7,eupatorium perfoliatum7 ,aug4-,sept4 ,bur ,marigolds 7,bidens1 especially ,,spanish ,,needles1 ,bidens bipinnata74 ,aug4-,oct4 ,wild ,asters 7,aster7 ,aug4-,oct4 ,,golden-,,rods 7,solidago7 ,aug4-,oct4 ,,middle ,,section4 ,between #ce and #dj ,n4 ,redbud 7,cercis canadensis7 ,mar4-,apr4 ,alder 7,alnus rugosa ,a4 serrulata of ,gray's ,manual7 ,mar4-,apr4 ,red or ,soft ,maple 7,acer rubrum7 ,mar4-,apr4 ,elm 7,ulmus7 ,mar4-,apr4 ,willows 7,salix7 ,mar4-,may4 ,dandelion 7,taraxacum taraxacum ,t4 officinale of ,gray's ,manual7 ,apr4-,may4 ,apricot 7,prunus armeniaca7 ,apr4-,may4 ,juneberry or ,service ,berry 7,amelanchier canadensis7 ,apr4-,may4 ,wild ,crab ,apples 7,pyrus7 ,apr4-,may4 ,gooseberry and ,currant 7,ribes7 ,apr4-,may4 ,rhododendrons 7,rhododendron7 ,apr4-,may4 ,peach1 ,cherry1 and ,plum 7,prunus7 ,apr4-,may4 ,pear and ,apple 7,pyrus7 ,apr4-,may4 ,,crimson ,,clover 7,trifolium incarnatum7 ,apr4-,may4 ,huckleberries and ,blueberries 7,gaylussacia and ,vaccinium7 ,may4 ,american ,holly 7,ilex opaca7 ,may4 ,black ,gum1 ,sour ,gum1 ,tupelo or ,pepperidge 7,nyssa aquatica ,n4 sylvatica of ,gray's ,manual7 ,may4 ,manzanitas 7,arctostaphylos7 7,california7 ,may4 ,,common1 ,,black1 or ,,yellow ,,locust 7,robinia pseudacacia7 ,may4 ,barberry 7,berberis canadensis7 ,may4 ,,tulip ,,tree1 or ,,poplar 7,liriodendron tulipifera7 ,may4 ,mountain ,laurel 7,kalmia latifolia7 ,may-,june4 ,grapevines 7,vitis7 ,may-,june4 ,persimmon 7,diospyros virginiana7 ,may-,june4 ,,white ,,clover 7,trifolium repens7 ,may-,june4 ,alsike ,clover 7,trifolium hybridum7 ,may-,june4 ,,raspberry 7,rubus7 ,may-,june4 ,,cowpea 7,vigna sinensis7 ,may-,aug4 ,,edible ,,chestnut 7,castanet dentata ,c4 saliva var4 americana of ,gray's ,manual7 ,june4 ,chinquapin 7,castanea pumila7 ,june4 ,catalpas1 or ,indian ,bean ,trees 7,catalpa7 ,june4 ,,magnolia1 or ,,sweet ,,bay 7,magnolia glauca7 ,june ,,linden1 or ,,linn 7,tilia americana and ,t4 heterophylla7 ,june4 ,,sourwood1 or ,,sorrel ,,tree 7,oxydendrum arboreum7 ,june-,july4 ,oxeye ,daisy1 or ,whiteweed 7,chrysanthemum leucanthemum7 ,june-,july4 ,,alfalfa 7,medicago saliva7 7,west7 ,june-,aug4 ,,melilot1 ,,bokhara1 or ,,sweet ,,clover 7,melilotus alba7 ,june-,aug4 ,smooth ,sumac 7,rhus glabra7 ,july4 ,buttonbush 7,cephalanthus occidentalis7 ,july4 ,,cleome1 or ,,rocky ,,mountain ,,bee ,,plant 7,cleome serrulata ,c4 integrifolia of ,gray's ,manual7 7,west7 ,july-,aug4 ,indian ,corn 7,zea mays7 ,july-,aug4 ,cucumber4 ,melon4 ,squash4 ,pumpkin 7,cucumis1 ,citrullus1 and ,cucurbita7 ,july-,aug4 ,knotweeds 7,polygonum1 especially ,p4 pennsylvanicum and ,p4 persicaria7 ,july-,sept4 ,buckwheat 7,fagopyrum fagopyrum ,f4 esculentum of ,gray's ,manual7 ,aug4-,sept4 ,wild ,asters 7,aster1 especially ,,heath-,,like ,,aster1 ,aster ericoides7 ,aug4-,oct4 ,thoroughwort1 or ,boneset 7,eupatorium perfoliatum7 ,aug4-,oct4 ,bur ,marigolds 7,bidens1 especially ,,spanish ,,needles1 ,bidens bipinnata7 ,aug4-,oct4 ,golden-rods 7,solidago7 ,aug4-,oct4 ,,south4 ,below #ce ,n4 ,redbud 7,cercis canadensis7 ,feb4-,mar4 ,alder 7,alnus rugosa ,a4 serrulata of ,gray's ,manual 7 ,feb4-,mar4 ,red or ,soft ,maple 7,acer rubrum7 ,feb4-,mar4 ,elm 7,ulmus7 ,feb4-,mar4 ,willows 7,salix7 ,feb4-,mar4 ,dandelion 7,taraxacum taraxacum ,t4 officinale of ,gray's ,manual7 ,feb4-,mar4 ,apricot 7,prunus armeniaca7 ,feb4-,mar4 ,,wild ,,pennyroyal 7,hedeoma pulegioides7 ,feb4-,mar4 ,carolina ,cherry1 or ,laurel ,cherry 7,prunus caroliniana7 ,march4 ,juueberry1 or ,service ,berry 7,amelanchier canadensis7 ,march4 ,,orange and ,lemon 7,citrus7 ,mar4-,apr4 ,cottonwoods1 or ,poplars 7,populus7 ,mar4-,apr4 ,,titi 7,cliftonia monophylla7 7,florida and southern ,georgia1 westward47 ,mar4-,apr4 ,gooseberry and ,currant 7,ribes7 ,mar4-,apr4 ,peach1 ,cherry1 and ,plum 7,prunus7 ,mar4-,apr4 ,pear and ,apple 7,pyrus7 ,mar4-,apr4 ,huckleberries and ,blueberries 7,gaylussacia and ,vaccinium7 ,april4 ,crimson ,clover 7,trifolium incarnatum7 ,april4 ,,black ,,gum1 ,,sour ,,gum1 ,,tupelo1 or ,,pepperidge 7,nyssa aquatica ,n4 sylvatica of ,gray's ,manual7 ,april4 ,,ball1 or ,,black ,,sage 7,romona stachyoides1 ,r4 palmeri1 etc4 ,audibertia stachyoides1 etc41 of the ,botany of ,california7 7,california7 ,april4 ,,gallberry1 or ,,holly 7,ilex glabra7 ,apr4-,may4 ,manzanitas 7,arctostaphylos ,california7 ,apr4-,may4 ,acacias 7,acacia7 ,apr4-,may4 ,common1 ,black1 or ,yellow ,locust 7,robinia pseudacacia7 ,apr4-,may4 ,persimmon 7,diospyros virginiana7 ,apr4-,may4 ,,edible ,,chestnut 7,castanea dentata ,c4 sativa var4 americana of ,gray's ,manual7 ,apr4-,may4 ,chinquapin 7,castanea pumila7 ,apr4-,may4 ,catalpas 7,catalpa7 ,apr4-,may4 ,,magnolias 7,magnolia7 ,apr4-,may4 ,rhododendrons1 ,rosebays1 ,azaleas 7,rhododendron7 ,apr4-,may-,june4 ,,mesquite 7,prosopis juliflora7 7,texas and westward7 ,apr4-,july4 ,cowpea 7,vigna sinensis7 ,apr4-,aug4 ,,tulip ,,tree1 or ,,poplar1 7,liriodendron tulipifera7 ,may4 ,mountain ,laurel 7,kalmia latifolia7 ,may4 ,grapevines 7,vitis7 ,may4 ,raspberry 7,rubus7 ,may4 ,china ,berry1 ,china ,tree1 or ,pride of ,india 7,melia azedarach7 ,may4 ,,white ,,sage 7,ramona polystachya ,audibertia polystachya of the ,botany of ,california7 7,california7 ,may-,june4 ,,sourwood1 or ,,sorrel ,,tree 7,oxydendrum arboreum7 ,may-,june4 ,,saw ,,palmetto 7,serenoa serrulata7 7coasts of ,georgia and ,florida7 ,may-,june4 ,,horsemint 7,monarda citriodora7 ,may-,july4 ,,banana 7,musa sapientum7 ,may-,sept4 ,,linden1 or ,,linn 7,tilia americana1 ,t4 pubescens1 and ,t4 heterophylla7 ,june4 ,bed ,bay 7,persea borbonia ,p4 carolinensis of ,gray's ,manual7 ,june4 ,indian ,corn 7,zea mays7 ,june-,july4 ,cucumber1 ,melon1 ,squash1 ,pumpkin 7,cucumis1 ,citrullus1 and ,cucurbita7 ,june-,july4 ,,blackwood or ,,black ,,mangrove 7,aricennia nitida7 7,florida7 ,june-,july4 ,,alfalfa 7,medicago sativa7 ,june-,aug4 ,,melilot1 ,,bokhara1 or ,,sweet ,,clover 7,melilotus alba7 ,june-,aug4 ,,cotton 7,gossypium herbaceum7 ,june-,aug4 ,,wild ,,buckwheat 7,eriogonum fasciculatum7 7,california7 ,june-,oct4 ,,cabbage ,,palmetto 7,sabal palmetto7 7coasts of ,south ,carolina4 ,georgia1 and ,florida7 ,july-,aug4 ,japan or ,bush ,clover 7,lespedeza striata7 ,aug4-,sept4 ,bur ,marigolds 7,bidens1 especially ,,spanish ,,needles1 ,bidens bipinnata7 ,aug4-frost4 ,wild ,asters 7,aster1 especially ,,heath-,,like ,,aster1 ,aster ericoides7 ,aug4-frost4 ,golden-rods 7,solidago7 ,aug4-frost4 ,,blue ,,gum and ,,red ,,gum 7,eucalyptus globulus and ,e4 rostrata7 7,california74 ,dec4-,mar4 ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,,spring ,,manipulation4 ,the first examination in the spring should be mainly for the purpose of ascertaining whether or not the honey stores have been exhausted4 ,it should be early1 and hence not so extended as to risk the loss of much warmth from the brood apartment4 ,merely lifting one edge of the quilt or1 if the bottom board is a loose one1 tipping the hive back so as to get a view in between the combs will often suffice4 ,should there not be at least the equivalent of two full frames of honey it is best to supply the deficiency at once4 ,without disturbing the brood full combs may be substituted at each side for the empty ones4 ,if combs stored with honey and sealed over are not in reserve liquid honey or sugar sirup may be poured into empty ones and placed in the hives at night4 ,a less dauby plan is to use one or more feeders directly over the brood nest1 supplying several pounds of food at once4 ,an excellent way is to give at one time all they need in the shape of a cake of bee candy1 made by mixing fine sugar with just enough honey to produce a stiff dough4 ,this cake of candy should be wrapped in heavy paper 7half parchment1 or such as is used for wrapping butter is good7 and laid on top of the frames1 after having punctured the paper in several places with a pencil or sharp stick to give the bees ready access4 ,two or three twigs or strips of wood laid across the frames before the cake is placed on them will also give the bees a better opportunity to reach the food4 ,if the food be given in small quantities brood rearing will be encouraged and still greater supplies of food will be called for1 rendering it absolutely necessary to give a large amount at once or continue the feeding until natural sources fully supply the needs of the bees and brood1 otherwise both may starve4 ,three pounds of sugar dissolved in one quart of water will make a suitable sirup for spring feeding4 ,dry sugar may be used instead of sirup4 ,the bees will liquefy it themselves if they have access to water4 ,for stimulative purposes honey2 s better than sugar1 strained honey being better than extracted4 ,this is because of the greater amount of pollen which the strained product contains1 the pollen being highly nitrogenous1 hence capable of building up muscular tissue4 ,but if the liquid honey is one-half more in price per pound than sugar the latter would doubtless be the more economical1 certainly so if a plentiful supply of good pollen in the combs or fresh from the fields can be had4 ,eye flour put in sunny places and sprinkled with honey to attract the bees will be collected until new pollen comes4 ,when the weather has become sufficiently settled to render safe the inspection of the brood combs1 or1 in general1 when the bees fly the greater part of each clear day1 the work of the queen may be inspected4 ,should the comb having the largest area of brood in it be toward one side of the hive it is best to locate it as near the center as may be1 placing on either side successively those combs having smaller circles of brood and on each side of these the combs containing no brood1 but well stored with pollen1 while those having honey only will come still outside of these4 ,the brood nest will then have an opportunity to develop equally in all directions4 ,empty combs are of little use at this time outside of the brood nest as thus arranged1 and should be replaced by combs of honey if the latter is needed1 or removed altogether4 ,if the combs are well crowded with bees and the queen shows by her regular and compact placing of the brood1 as well as by the quantity she seems to have1 that she is vigorous and thus capable of accomplishing more than any ordinary brood nest will require of her at this time of the year1 a frame filled with worker comb may be slipped into the center of the brood nest4 ,this will be taken possession of immediately by the bees1 cleaned and warmed up1 whereupon the queen will soon have it filled with eggs4 ,from time to time other combs may be added in the same manner4 ,if cautiously and judiciously followed this plan1 supplemented by liberal stores1 will increase the brood area and eventually the population of the hive4 ,but the utmost caution is needed1 for if done too early cool weather may cause the bees to cluster more closely and result in the chilling of some part of the brood which has thus been spread4 ,the very object sought is not only missed1 but the loss of brood will prove a serious setback to the colony4 ,the escape of any of the warmth generated by the bees1 as also sudden changes in the weather1 should be guarded against4 ,warm covering above and outer protection are therefore absolute necessities if the best results are to be attained4 ,with favorable weather for the development of brood it is certain that stimulative feeding1 if made necessary by the fact that the natural honey resources of the country will not alone bring the strength of the colony fairly up to the desired standard by the opening of the harvest1 is to be begun six to seven weeks before the opening of the honey flow from which surplus is to be expected4 ,if1 however1 this honey flow comes so early that it is likely to be preceded by weather unfavorable to the development of brood1 it will be necessary to allow for this by beginning the stimulation even earlier1 so that it may be done more gradually1 and the greatest care will have to be taken to retain all the heat of the brood nest4 ,should the main flow be preceded by a lighter one1 especially if the latter comes some weeks before the chief harvest1 it may be important to watch the brood nest closely lest it becomes clogged with honey to the exclusion of brood1 inclining the bees not to enter surplus receptacles placed above and causing the colony to be weak in numbers later in the season4 ,this state of affairs can be easily avoided by the timely use of the honey extractor1 since the brood combs1 emptied of the honey which the workers in an emergency have stored wherever they found vacant cells1 are made available for the queen4 ,before the main harvest opens it may even be necessary in order to keep the combs filled with brood to feed back gradually this extracted honey or its equivalent2 but by taking it away and returning it gradually the object sought will have been accomplished1 namely1 keeping the combs stocked with brood until the harvest is well under way1 or as long as the larger population thus gained in the hive can be made available4 ,it is in this getting workers ready for the early harvest--hives over flowing1 as it were1 with bees--that the skill of the apiarist is taxed to its utmost4 ,the work properly begins with the close of the summer preceding the harvest1 for the first steps toward successful wintering should be taken then1 and unless wintered successfully the colony can not be put in shape to take full advantage of an early honey harvest4 ,good judgment in the application of the hints given in this chapter1 with careful and frequent attention1 will bring colonies to the chief spring or early summer flow of honey in good condition1 with plenty of bees and with combs well stocked with brood1 provided they have wintered well and have good queens4 ,,transferring4 ,if colonies have been purchased in box hives1 it is advisable at the first favorable opportunity to get them into frame hives4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #ec4--,transferring--drumming the bees from a box hive into a frame hire4 7,original47 ,early in the season--that is1 in ,april or ,may in middle latitudes1 before the brood nest has reached its greatest extension and while the hive contains the least honey--it is not a difficult matter to drive the bees from their combs1 cut out the latter1 and fit them into frames4 ,if the combs thus fitted in are held temporarily in place in the frames1 the bees1 under whose care they should be placed at once1 will fasten them securely in a few hours or days at most4 ,to drive the bees from the box hive proceed as follows3 ,toward the middle of a pleasant day blow smoke into the hive to be transferred1 and after the bees have been given a few minutes in which to lap up their fill of honey1 invert the hive and place over the open end an empty box1 or the frame hive itself1 making whichever is used fit closely on the hive 7fig4 #ec74 ,by rapping continuously for some minutes on the hive the bees will be impelled to leave it and cluster in the upper box4 ,a loud humming will denote that they are moving4 ,the hive thus vacated may then be taken into a closed room and one side pried off to facilitate the removal of the combs4 ,the box containing the bees is to be placed meanwhile on the spot originally occupied by the box hive1 the bees being allowed to go in and out without restraint1 only two precautions being necessary1 namely1 to shade the box well and provide for ventilation by propping it up from the bottom1 leaving also1 if possible1 an opening at the top4 ,when the combs have been fitted into frames1 the hive containing them is placed on the original stand and the bees shaken from the box in front of it4 ,in filling the frames with combs cut from a box hive1 the largest and straightest sheets having the most sealed worker brood in them should be selected first and so cut that the frame will slip over them snugly1 taking pains1 as far as possible1 to have the comb placed in the frame in the same position in which it was built1 since most of the cells1 instead of being horizontal1 are inclined upward1 the inclination of the deeper store cells being greatest4 ,the comb1 if not heavy1 can be held in place temporarily by slender wire nails pushed through holes punched in the side and top bars4 ,before the introduction of wire nails the writer used long thorns pulled from thorn-apple trees1 which served the purpose very well4 ,in the case of combs heavy with honey or brood or pieced more or less it will be safer to use1 in addition to a few wire nails1 a pair or two of transferring sticks4 ,these are simply slender strips of wood slightly longer than the depth of the frame and notched at each end4 ,by placing such a stick on either side of the comb and winding annealed wire around the top and bottom ends so as to draw the sticks firmly against the surface of the combs the latter will be held securely in the frames4 ,the midrib between the rows of cells should be pressed neither to one side nor the other2 thus1 if cells on one side are deeper than those on the other1 they should be shaved down1 unless the honey will be cut into too much1 in which case the comb maybe allowed to project on one side until it has been fastened in the frame and the hive has been generally put in order by the bees1 the point being not to force them to try to manage too much running honey at one time1 lest robbing be induced4 ,in many instances the comb when pressed into the frame will seem to be so firm as not to need nails or sticks1 but in the heat of the hive1 and with the weight of the bees that will cluster on it to repair the cut edges and fasten them to the bars of the frame1 unsupported combs are very apt to give way1 creating disastrous confusion4 ,thus the sticks1 nails1 or their equivalent should always be used 7fig4 #ed74 ,all frames should be filled with perfectly straight combs so as to be interchangeable4 ,with care in fitting in and some trimming and pressing into shape afterwards1 fully three-fourths of the worker combs cut from box hives can be made into good1 serviceable combs in frame hives4 ,the process is much facilitated if such combs are used in the extractor during the first season or two after transferring4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #ed4--,transferred comb and inserted queen cell4 7,original47 ,should the time be near the swarming season the combs will be so filled with brood and honey that the task will be much greater1 and the transfer should be postponed until three weeks after the first swarm issues4 ,the brood left by the old queen will have matured and issued from the cells by that time1 and the young queen1 if no accident has happened to her1 will have begun laying2 yet there will usually be only eggs1 with perhaps a few very young larv1 present in the combs at this time1 so that the cutting out and fitting of the latter into frames will not be as troublesome nor attended with so much waste as just before the swarm issued4 ,still another plan--one which it would not be best to employ before fairly warm weather has set in1 but which will render the work of transferring the lightest--is to turn the box hive bottom upward and place on it the brood apartment of a frame hive1 having in it frames filled with worker combs or with comb foundation1 arranging at the same time to give the bees ready access from their combs to those above and no entrance to their hive except through the frame hive above4 ,this can easily be done by making a temporary bottom board for the frame hive1 with several holes through it1 or with one large one about the size of the open end of the box hive4 ,as soon as it is perceived that the queen has taken possession of the new combs--as she will be almost certain to do1 especially if one of the combs placed above contains some brood--a piece of queen-excluding zinc placed over the opening between the two hives will keep her above1 and three weeks later1 when all the brood in the combs below has matured1 the box hive may be removed and the combs transferred to frames1 if worth using in this way2 but if old or composed of drone cells or very irregular in shape these combs may be rendered into wax1 after extracting any honey that may happen to be in them4 ,inverting the box hive will generally cause the bees to remove what honey they have stored in the combs4 ,this honey will be utilized in building out the foundation placed in the added story1 or1 having these combs completed1 the bees will store in them whatever remains4 ,should the queen fail to enter the superposed hive1 the plan may be adopted of driving her with her workers into the added story1 as described on page #gb4 ,when the lower combs have been nearly deserted it will be safe to assume that the queen has gone into the upper hive with the main force of workers1 and the excluder zinc may be inserted4 ,,queenlessness ,,in ,,spring4 ,the loss of a queen during winter or early spring can generally be discovered by noticing just at nightfall1 after the first or second general flight1 which colonies are restless and continue to buzz excitedly when the others are humming in a contented manner or have quieted down for the night4 ,the workers of the queenless colony run in and out excitedly1 searching over the front of the hive4 ,should it be opened they will not resent the intrusion1 but1 remaining on the combs1 will at once set up a loud and prolonged buzzing4 ,these symptoms become less pronounced from day to day4 ,if a comb containing brood be inserted during this period it will be hailed with evident delight1 manifested by the eager crowding of the bees from all sides toward it4 ,a contented hum replaces the sound of mourning1 and if young worker-larv are present preparations1 as described on pages #hh-hi1 are begun at once to rear a queen4 ,however1 if much reduced in numbers the colony should be joined to one with a queen1 or several queenless ones united4 ,the latter may be smoked and simply shaken or brushed together4 ,but bees that have been queenless long when added to those that have not yet missed their own queen will frequently be killed at once4 ,the queen should therefore be taken from her own bees and caged for thirty-six to forty-eight hours in the hive which has previously been queenless1 and her own bees added when she is released4 7,see page #id47 ,a board leaned against the front of the hive will cause the bees to note their change in location when they fly out and they will then easily find their new quarters when returning from their flight4 ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,,securing ,,surplus ,,honey ,,and ,,wax4 ,if the colonies of bees have been brought to the opening of a given honey flow with a powerful population recently hatched it will require no great skill to secure a good crop1 granted1 of course1 that the flowers actually do secrete the nectar4 ,in the ordinary course of events some colonies are likely to come through to the early harvest in good shape1 but if all those contained in a large apiary are in prime order at this time it is good evidence of skill on the part of the attendant1 this even though the weather and other circumstances may have favored his work4 ,to secure a yield of surplus honey the part remaining to be done1 if all goes well1 is merely to put the surplus receptacles in place1 admit the bees1 and remove the combs when filled and sealed4 ,but if swarming complications arise the whole of the bee keeper's skill and ingenuity may again be called into requisition to keep the forces together and storing in the surplus receptacles4 ,should the expected harvest not come--that is1 should the flowers from which the yield is anticipated not secrete honey1 or should they bloom when the weather would not permit the bees to fly--of course no amount of skill could make up the deficiency4 ,in such a case all that can be done is to carry the colonies through to the next honey yield in good shape--to keep up 7by feeding if necessary7 the populousness of the colonies4 ,the flow may begin suddenly or before it is looked for2 it may be excellent for only a very short time1 a day or two even1 and be cut off short in the midst of its greatest abundance4 ,thus the skill lies in having the colonies ready for whatever may come and a force sufficient to store the whole season's surplus in a few days4 ,,extracted ,,honey4 ,one of the most important points in securing extracted honey is to have a large stock of surplus combs4 ,these1 with the strong colonies of bees to utilize them1 and the honey extractor1 are the great requisites of the producer of extracted honey4 ,as fast as the bees can cover and utilize them1 these combs are added to the colonies1 one or two at a time from the opening of the season until the brood apartment is full4 ,as soon as more combs than the lower story will hold are needed a second story filled with combs may be added1 or but two or three may be placed in it at one side with a division board next to them4 ,it is a good plan to sort over the combs of the brood apartment1 removing several of the less regular ones1 or if all are alike as regards regularity and in having worker cells only1 but some contain considerable honey and little brood1 these are to be removed and the empty space filled in with good worker combs4 ,the removed combs should be placed in the top story1 which1 if the weather and the strength of the colony permit1 is to be filled out with combs at once4 ,the strongest colonies will1 of course1 begin work first1 and can often spare partly filled combs to be placed in the top stories of less populous colonies1 thus encouraging the latter to begin work in the upper stories4 ,it is safe to say that in general more than twice the yield of honey can be obtained from colonies supplied during the whole honey flow1 with all the completed combs they are able to utilize1 than can be expected from colonies that have to build all of the combs for their surplus while storing4 ,completed combs not being available1 comb foundation in full sheets should be employed4 ,during the early part of the harvest this will be drawn out very quickly and aid greatly in securing the honey which otherwise might be lost for want of store combs as fast as might be needed4 ,during a fair yield the foundation will pay for itself the first season in the extra amount of honey1 and the combs1 properly cared for1 can be used year after year--indefinitely1 in fact--for extracting4 ,the best of them should be picked out constantly to replace less desirable ones that may be found in the brood apartment1 or to give to new swarms destined to produce extracted honey4 ,some prefer for the surplus cases frames half the depth of ordinary brood frames1 finding them easier to manipulate4 ,whenever the combs of a top story are nearly filled1 and before they are completely sealed1 it may be lifted up and another story1 filled with empty combs1 placed between it and the brood apartment1 and this may be continued until the end of the honey flow1 and all may be left on the hive during the warm weather4 ,it would1 of course1 be easier to add the new stories successively at the top--that is1 above the partially filled surplus stories--and this plan works well as long as the honey flow is abundant1 but when put on just as the yield slackens1 even if but little1 or when the weather is cool1 the bees may refuse to begin work in the new super unless it is placed between the partially filled ones and the brood apartment4 ,leaving the filled top stories on the hives for some time permits the more complete evaporation of the moisture contained in the newly gathered honey1 and by marking the stories the honey from a certain source1 when the yield has been sufficient to get the combs filled and sealed1 can be extracted by itself4 ,if the supply of combs is insufficient to hold the whole amount gathered1 it must then be extracted as fast as sealed1 lest the bees1 lacking ready cells in which to deposit their surplus as fast as gathered1 hang idly about1 or if space for new combs exists1 only slowly provide these1 losing meanwhile much of the harvest4 ,when sealed the honey will generally be found fairly ripened1 though it may improve by being stored in open buckets or cans in a dry1 warm room4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #ee4--,uncapping and extracting honey4 7,original47 ,the process of extracting is extremely simple1 and a little practice will enable an observing person to do it well 7fig4 #ee74 ,as indicated above1 some judgment is required in the selection of combs1 regard being had to the future condition of the colony4 ,the filled comb-1 as fast as removed1 are placed in a light case the size of a hive1 or a tin can made specially for the purpose1 covered closely to prevent the access of robbers1 and taken to the extracting room1 which should be bee-proof4 ,it is not always necessary to use such care in excluding all bees1 but the novice should practice it until he learns to distinguish by the actions of the bees when such precautions may be dispensed with4 ,whenever possible the stories containing surplus honey should be lifted up and honey boards containing bee escapes slipped between them and the brood apartment early in the morning of the day before the extracting is to be done1 in case the bees are still gathering1 otherwise the night before will do4 ,the combs will then be free from bees1 or nearly so1 when the operator wishes to remove them1 and will contain no honey gathered within twenty-four hours1 the last day's gathering having also been ripened considerably during the night preceding the insertion of the escapes4 ,when the queen has not been restricted in her laying to the lower story by means of excluders1 this plan of freeing the combs of bees will fail in case the escapes are placed on lower stories above which the brood and the queen may be4 ,the only way then will be to remove the combs one by one1 after smoking the bees to quiet them1 and shake or brush off the latter into the top story4 ,italians can not be shaken off unless their bodies are pretty well filled with honey1 but they may be safely brushed off after smoking4 ,for this a single large feather from the left wing of a turkey is best4 ,other races can be shaken off after smoking4 ,eastern bees should never be brushed from the combs when extracting1 nor at any time unless they are gorged with honey4 ,they can all be shaken off easily1 and will need less smoke than the ,european races4 ,when much extracting is to be done1 top stories of hives or light cases with cloth covers1 weighted with a rod sewed into the loose edge1 may be used to hold the full combs as fast as taken from the hives1 and these1 placed on a wheelbarrow1 cart1 or car1 can be easily transported to the extracting room4 ,the uncapping knife1 kept in hot water when not in use1 is passed rapidly under the capping of the sealed combs1 the point of it being used to reach depressed surfaces4 ,the loosened cappings drop into a sieve resting over a pan1 or into the upper part of a can specially designed to receive cappings4 ,the small amount of honey removed with the cappings drains through the strainer and is drawn off below4 ,the uncapped combs are placed in the extractor at once4 ,as the cells generally slant upward more or less1 especially those built for store cells outside the brood nest1 the throwing out of the honey is facilitated by placing each comb in such a manner as to bring the top bar at the right hand1 the basket being revolved in the most natural way--that is1 from right to left4 ,a little practice will enable the operator to note the speed required in order to free the combs entirely from honey1 which will depend1 of course1 upon the consistency of the honey and the length of time combs are revolved4 ,while it is1 in general1 best to avoid extracting from combs containing brood1 cases will arise where it is necessary4 ,if the brood is sealed1 there will1 be less liability of injuring it than when open cells containing larv are placed in the extractor2 but a moderate degree of speed continued somewhat longer will usually bring the honey out without disturbance to the immature bees4 ,three persons can work together very advantageously--one to remove the surplus cases or combs from the hives1 free them of their bees1 and bring them into the extracting room1 where two assistants uncap and extract the honey4 ,if the bees are not gathering honey and are therefore prone to rob1 the person who removes the combs from the hives should be assisted by an active boy who can cover hives or cases quickly or lift the latter when necessary4 ,the combs when emptied may be returned at once to the hives if the bees are still engaged in storing4 ,the slight damage which they have sustained under the uncapping knife or in the extractor will soon be repaired2 indeed1 with a little experience the uncappers will be able to smooth and trim irregular combs in such a way as to render them straighter after they have been through the extractor4 ,it is particularly desirable1 in order to straighten the combs of transferred colonies and get them in good working trim1 that they be run for extracted honey during the first year or two2 moreover1 a good yield of extracted honey is more likely to be obtained from recently transferred colonies than comb honey1 especially if the manipulators are beginners in the work4 ,when the extracting is done after the close of the gathering period1 the greatest care should be taken not to start robbing4 ,the surplus combs should be returned to the hives just before nightfall1 and not even a taste of sweets of any kind should be left exposed4 ,the object in returning the combs is to have them cleaned up1 and also to have them under the protection of the bees until cool weather puts a stop to the destructive work of wax-moth larv4 ,when sharp frosts occur1 the surplus combs may be removed from the hives and placed in a dry1 cold room4 ,an open loft 7if not infested with mice or if the combs are protected from the latter7 is a good place1 and it is much better to place the combs so they do not touch each other4 ,,comb ,,honey4 ,the general directions given in the preceding chapter on spring manipulation to secure populous colonies apply as well to those designed for comb honey as to those which are to produce extracted honey4 ,if any difference is to be observed it is even more important that the former be brought to the opening of the honey flow with the brood combs compactly filled with developing bees to the exclusion of honey1 than that the latter should be so2 and colonies not strong enough to enter sections readily1 if at all1 may still be utilized1 and often do fairly well in the production of extracted honey4 ,the old-fashioned surplus boxes holding #be to #cj pounds are regarded quite as relics of the past by those who use frame hives and produce comb honey in fine marketable shape1 and even if for home consumption the pound 7fig4 #ej7 and #ab-pound sections are always preferred1 since they are so cheap1 permit the use of comb foundation1 and are in neat shape and of convenient size for the table4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #ef4--,one-piece ,v-grooved section4 7,from ,gleanings47 ,section holders 7fig4 #eg7 with sections folded and in place1 each section supplied with thin foundation1 preferably full sheets1 but at least guides1 should be in readiness before the opening of the harvest4 ,forty to fifty sections for each hive should be prepared4 ,one-piece sections1 if bought in the flat1 should be placed in the cellar for two or three days before folding4 ,if the section back of the ,v-joints is then moistened slightly they can be set up rapidly without breakage4 ,sections made of white poplar are by far the neatest looking and do not cost much if any more than basswood1 so that bee keepers might show their disapproval of the wholesale destruction of our basswood or linden timber by resolutely refusing to buy sections made of that wood4 ,the four-piece sections1 if well made1 are preferable to the one-piece4 ,the latter do not keep their shape as firmly as the four-piece sections1 which are made with lock joints at all the corners4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #eg4--,super with sections and section holders in place3 ,a1 super2 ,d1 separator2 ,e1 sections2 ,f1 follower2 ,g1 wedge4 7,from ,gleanings47 ,the foundation for sections should be the quality known as thin surplus or1 preferably1 if full sheets be used1 extra-thin surplus4 ,these grades are made of selected1 light-colored wax1 and #a pound furnishes full sheets for #ajj to #abe standard sections 7#d by #d inches74 ,the sheets should be cut no larger than #c inches square4 ,these will take up about three-sixteenths of an inch in fastening1 which will leave nearly one-half inch space between the lower edge and the bottom piece of the section and allow the foundation to stretch while being drawn out4 ,this is necessary1 otherwise the partially completed comb will bulge as soon as it reaches the bottom of the section4 ,in cutting foundation either for sections or frames one edge--the one to be attached--should be perfectly straight4 ,to secure this not more than six to ten sheets 7depending on their thickness7 should be laid in one pile1 and a sharp1 thin-bladed knife1 as well as a straight rule1 used4 ,two or three piles may be laid side by side and with a rule long enough to reach across them all a dozen to thirty sheets can be cut at a time4 ,dipping the knife in warm water facilitates the work4 ,the sheets are fastened in the section by the use of one of the machines mentioned on page #eb4 ,they secure the wax to the wood by pressure combined in some instances with heat4 ,fig4 #dj shows one of these4 ,the simplest form consists merely of a sliding lever hinged to a block4 ,it is intended to be fastened by means of screws to a table or bench1 and is then ready for use when the lever is moistened with honey1 starch water1 or soapsuds along the edge which is to touch the wax sheets4 ,the foundation is laid flat on the top piece of the section in such a way that the straight edge passes the center line one-eighth of an inch1 and the whole is then slipped under the lever4 ,the latter is brought down with a sliding motion toward the operator and at the same time the foundation is bent up at right angles to the top piece4 ,if the wax is slightly soft it will adhere firmly4 ,a heated brick placed before the pile of starters will keep the edges soft enough if the work is done in a moderately warm room4 ,starters half to three-fourths inch in width are sometimes used at the bottoms of sections to secure firm attachment of combs there4 ,bees incline to gnaw these bottom starters away unless the top pieces of foundation reach within one-half inch of them4 ,top starters an inch or less in width may be used alone as comb guides when it is desirable to avoid great outlay for foundation4 ,the use of strips of tin or wood as separators 7fig4 #eg1 ,d7 between the sections insures straight combs with smooth surfaces1 thus convenient to handle and ship4 ,the sections furnished with starters or full sheets of foundation are slipped with separators into supers and piled away ready for use as soon as the harvest opens4 ,,putting ,,on ,,sections4 ,it is better not to put surplus honey receptacles on the hive until the honey flow actually begins1 as1 of course1 no work will be done in them until then4 ,moreover1 all the heat is needed in the brood apartment during the early part of the season4 ,the bees might also become discouraged by the large amount of empty space and might not begin work in it at all before swarming4 ,the sections would also be soiled by the bees crawling over them and daubing them with propolis4 ,the bee keeper who is familiar with the honey-producing flora of his locality will note the development of the flower buds of any plant from which he expects a crop and will be able to judge accurately by a glance at the colony when sections are needed4 ,the beginner will do well to consult carefully the list of honey-producing plants given in the chapter on ,bee pasturage1 and also endeavor by inquiry in his neighborhood to ascertain what other sources1 if any1 are within the reach of his bees4 ,the usual time of blooming of all principal honey plants should be noted1 and the management to secure populous colonies having been in accordance with the directions given in ,chapter ,,vii on ,spring manipulation1 the opening of the first blossoms of any one of the important honey yielders should be the signal for placing supers with sections on all hives intended for comb honey production4 ,should these indications not be sufficient1 there is still another which no one could mistake4 ,it is to examine the tops of the brood combs from time to time and note when the store cells between the brood and the top bar are being made deeper by added wax4 ,the fresh1 whitened appearance which such combs present when viewed from above readily distinguishes them from the yellow or dark combs wholly built during previous seasons4 ,the lower edges of partially completed combs will also show additions at the same time4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #eh4--;,dadant-,quinby form of ,langstroth hive1 elevated from bottom board and slid back for ventilation in summer4 7,redrawn from ,langstroth47 ,it having been determined that the time to put on sections has arrived1 the quilt used over the frames is removed and the super1 with section holders1 sections1 and separators in place1 is set over the frames4 ,a clean enameled or carriage-cloth quilt should be laid over the tops of the sections1 if these are open above1 and this weighted down with a board which has been clamped to prevent warping4 ,at this time the flight hole should be full width and the hive protected from the direct rays of the sun during the hotter portions of the day4 ,with small1 single-walled hives1 such as hold eight combs or less1 it may be necessary1 if the hives are crowded with bees1 to raise them slightly from the bottom board or slide them back1 so as to give small openings at the rear4 ,mr4 ,simmins's plan of placing below the brood nest a hive chamber with starters only in the frames permits the bees to avoid clustering too compactly and yet to keep up their work inside during extremely hot weather4 ,ventilation and shading of hives assist greatly toward the prevention of swarming1 and having bred the colony up until it is sufficiently strong to take advantage of the harvest1 and having reached the opening of that harvest1 it is desirable by all means to keep the forces together as long as the flow lasts4 7,fig4 #eh47 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #ei4--,langstroth hive with combined surplus case and shipping crate4 7,original47 ,the supers should be removed as fast as fairly filled4 ,the bees are slow in sealing over the outside sections2 therefore it is better not to lose time waiting for these to be completely capped1 but replace the whole with a new set4 ,some prefer to lift up the super when about three-fourths completed and place the empty one below--that is1 between it and the brood chamber4 ,the objection to this plan is that by the time the sections placed above have been fully completed they will have more or less propolis daubed on them and the combs will be considerably soiled by the bees running over them4 ,a better plan to secure the completion of the outside sections is1 after removing a number of supers1 to select enough incomplete ,sections to fill one super1 ,which is then placed on a strong colony for completion1 or the partly filled sections may be used in the middle of new supers as bait sections to induce the bees to cluster and begin work in them at once4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #fj4--;,honey shipping-cases4 7,from ,gleanings47 ,notwithstanding such precautions for the prevention of swarming as shading the hives1 ventilation1 having only young queens1 and the removal of the outside combs1 substituting for them frames of foundations or starters near the center of the brood nest1 swarms will sometimes issue1 especially from hives devoted to comb-honey production4 ,the best plan in this case is to hive the swarm in a clean new hive whose frames have been filled with starters and place this on the stand of the parent colony1 moving the latter to a new position or more feet away4 ,the swarm in its new quarters will then be joined by the rest of the field workers from the parent hive1 and the whole tone1 reunited and having for some days no brood to care for1 will constitute a strong colony for storing honey4 ,the super of partly finished sections should be lifted1 bees and all1 from the parent hive and placed on the brood chamber of the new colony4 ,the supers should be promptly removed at the close of the honey harvest1 honey boards with bee escapes in them being used to free them from bees1 as described under the head of ,extracting4 ,if the gathering season for the year has also ended1 an examination of the brood apartment should be made to determine whether feeding is necessary1 either to prolong brood rearing or for winter stores4 ,,production ,,of ,,wax4 ,the progressive apiarist of the present time does not look upon the production of wax in so great a proportion compared with his honey yield as did the old-time box-hive bee keeper4 ,the latter obtained much of his honey for the market by crushing the combs and straining it out1 leaving the crushed combs to be melted up for their wax4 ,before the use of supers late swarms and many colonies quite heavy in honey were smothered by the use of sulphur2 the light ones because their honey supply would not bring them through the winter1 and the very heavy ones because of the rich yield in honey4 ,frequent losses of bees in wintering and through queenlessness gave more combs for melting1 as without frame hives2 honey extractors1 or comb-foundation machines1 the vacated combs were not often utilized again4 ,the wax from the pressed combs was all marketed1 since there could be but little home use for it4 ,the bee keeper of to-day1 after having removed the honey from the combs by centrifugal force1 returns them1 but slightly injured1 to be refilled by the bees1 and at the end of the season these combs are stored away for use in successive years1 or he secures the surplus1 also apart from the brood1 in neat sectional boxes1 to be marketed as stored--that is1 without cutting4 ,the wax must therefore come from the cappings of combs where extracted honey is produced1 from occasional broken comb1 bits of drone comb that are cut out to be replaced by worker comb1 from unfinished and travel-stained sections from which the honey has been extracted1 or from old brood combs that need to be replaced4 ,since the price per pound of extracted honey is usually not less than one-third and that of comb honey one-half the price of wax1 and it has already been indicated 7p4 #bh7 that some #ab to #ae pounds of honey may in general be safely reckoned as necessary to produce #a pound of comb1 it can readily be seen that it is much more profitable to turn the working force1 in so far as possible1 to the production of honey rather than wax1 taking only as much wax as can be produced without lowering the yield of honey2 and what wax is taken is practically turned into honey the following year1 for it is made into comb foundation1 which1 judiciously used1 increases in turn the season's yield of honey4 ,wax being so much more valuable than honey1 it behooves the bee keeper to save even the smallest pieces of comb2 but during warm weather they must not be left long or they will serve as breeding places for the wax moth1 unless fumigated with burning sulphur or exposed to the fumes of bisulphide of carbon two or three times each month until no more eggs of the moth remain4 ,the old way of rendering wax was to put the combs into a sack made of some open stuff'1 weight this down in a kettle of water1 and boil for some time4 ,the wax rose1 and when cold was removed in a cake4 ,this process1 besides being dauby1 often yielded inferior wax--burned1 water-soaked1 or filled with settlings4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #fa4--,the ,boardman solar wax extractor4 7,from ,gleanings47 ,the most approved method of rendering wax is1 for moderate-sized apiaries at least1 by means of the solar wax extractor 7fig4 #fa71 already mentioned under the head of ,implements4 ,its management is very simple4 ,the machine is placed in the sunniest spot in or near the apiary1 and all of the wax cappings1 after having been drained of honey or worked over by the bees1 as well as bits of comb1 are thrown into the receiver above the wire strainer1 the glass is adjusted1 and the whole is turned so that the direct rays of the sun enter4 ,more bits of comb are added from time to time during the day4 ,the melted wax trickles through the strainer and collects in a tin placed at the lower edge of the tank or melter4 ,the cake is removed each morning1 it having cooled and contracted during the night sufficiently to cause the mass to cleave readily from the vessel4 ,the solar wax extractor can be used during four or five months of the year in the more northern ,states1 and for a longer time in the ,south4 ,to render wax at other times steam heat is best4 ,when available a jet from a boiler may be connected with a barrel or vessel containing the combs and a large amount rendered in a short time4 ,in smaller apiaries a steam extractor for use over a boiler on the stove may be employed 7fig4 #cj74 ,the manner of using these extractors is simple4 ,the cappings and bits of comb to be rendered are placed in an inside basket made of perforated metal4 ,upon placing this over a water boiler1 into which it tits closely1 the steam rises through holes in the bottom of the upper can and readily penetrates the mass4 ,the melted wax runs out through a spout at the lower edge of the upper can and is caught in a pan partly filled with warm water4 ,as fast as the mass in the perforated can settles away more bits of comb are added4 ,the dark residue remaining is composed of cocoons1 pollen1 and accidental impurities4 ,these may1 however1 contain considerable wax which they have absorbed as it melted4 ,this waste may be avoided in a great measure if the combs are broken up and soaked in rain water for twenty-four hours before melting4 ,cakes of wax1 if designed for the comb-foundation manufacturer1 will be acceptable just as they come from the wax extractor1 but if for the general market they should all be remelted in order to purify them4 ,this must be done with care or the wax will be seriously injured4 ,iron vessels will discolor it1 and as well or spring water frequently contains iron1 the use of rain water1 whenever it is to come in contact with the melted wax1 will be found more desirable4 ,it is best to melt the wax slowly1 for if heated too rapidly the particles become disaggregated and take up a certain quantity of water1 the mass loses its luster1 and becomes pale and granular4 ,in this condition its market value is low4 ,remelting slowly1 especially in a solar wax extractor1 will restore it4 ,these difficulties in purifying wax may be avoided if it is melted in a tin or copper vessel and in a water bath1 that is1 the melter is to stand within a larger vessel containing sufficient water to surround the former4 ,as much wax as possible should be melted at one time1 and when convenient the inner can is left standing in the water1 so that the wax remains liquid some time1 permitting the impurities to settle4 ,these may be shaved from the bottom of the cake and remelted if they contain much wax4 ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,,rearing ,,and ,,introducing ,,queens4 ,so much of the bee keeper's success depends upon the strength of his colonies1 and this in turn upon the character of the queens heading these colonies1 that he needs to be well informed as to what constitutes a really good queen and how to produce such1 and1 having this knowledge1 it will be profitable to be constantly on the alert to see that all colonies are supplied with the best queens procurable4 ,with a queen from a poor strain of bees1 or an unprolific one from a good strain1 a colony1 even in a season of abundant honey secretion1 will give little or no return1 while the seasons are not frequent during which one given a fair start and having a large1 prolific queen of an active honey-producing strain can not collect a fair surplus beyond its own needs4 ,admitting this1 it will be plain to all that queen bees differ proportionately in value as much as horses or cattle1 and the keeper of bees who does not know how to select and produce the best can not be called a bee-master4 ,when bees swarm they generally leave a number of sealed queen cells in the parent colony4 ,with blacks and ,italians there are usually #f to #aj2 rarely more than a dozen4 ,carniolans generally construct about two dozen1 but under favorable conditions can be induced to build #ge to #ajj good cells at a time4 ,fig4 #fb represents a comb from a hive of ,carniolans which had built at one time #gj queen cells4 ,cyprians usually make #cj or #dj queen cells1 but may greatly exceed this number under the best conditions1 while ,syrians nearly always exceed it1 sometimes even building as many as #bjj2 and the writer has seen #cej cells constructed at one time by a single colony of bees in ,tunis4 ,it might be thought that where so many were constructed only a small proportion of them would produce good queens4 ,such is not the case1 however2 for in general a much larger proportion of the cells formed by these eastern races produce well developed queens4 ,but in all hives some queen cells are undersized4 ,this may be because they are located near the bottom or sides1 where space for full development is lacking1 but in many instances it arises from the fact that they are formed last1 and larv that are really too old to make full sized1 perfect queens have to be used4 ,these smaller cells are usually smooth on the outside and show thin walls4 ,in selecting cells only the large1 slightly tapering ones1 an inch or more in length and straight1 should be saved4 ,yet good queens may frequently be obtained from crooked cells1 in case the latter are large and extend well into the midrib of the comb4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #fb4--;,comb showing worker brood and queen cells4 7,original--from photograph47 ,when a laying queen is removed from a colony during the working season1 eggs and larv of all ages are left behind4 ,as indicated in ,chapter ,,ii1 any egg which has been fertilized may be made to develop into a queen4 ,so also larva8 from such eggs may1 up to the third day1 be taken to rear from without danger of producing inferior queens4 ,cells in which to produce queens will be started over some of these larv on the edges of the combs1 or1 by tearing down partitions and thus enlarging the lower portion of the cell1 a beginning is obtained for a queen cell4 ,fig4 #fc shows such queen cells constructed over eggs or larv originally designed to produce workers4 ,they are known as emergency cells4 ,the young larva is at once liberally supplied with a secretion1 which is probably a production of the glands of the head1 and which analyses have shown to be rich in nitrogen and fatty elements1 being similar to that given at first to the worker larva4 ,this is continued throughout the whole feeding period1 while1 as ,dr4 ,von ,planta has shown1 in the case of the workers and drones1 after the third day the proportion of the constituents of the larval food is so changed that they receive much less albumen and fat and more sugar4 ,it is chiefly the influence of this food which causes the larva that would have developed as a worker to become a queen4 ,the latter has somewhat changed instincts11 and its reproductive system is developed1 instead of abortive as in the case of the worker4 ,the size of the cell1 and1 to a less extent perhaps1 its position1 no doubt influence this development1 but the food seems to be the main factor1 for small cells built horizontally1 if their larv are supplied with the food designed for royal larv1 will be found to contain queens1 and frequently these queens1 even though small1 are quite prolific1 and show in all respects the instincts of a queen4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #fc4--,queen cells and worker brood in various stages4 7,original47 ,it is believed by most queen raisers that in order to secure the best development of the young queens a colony should be allowed to build but a few cells at a time4 ,that their belief is not well founded is shown by the facts just cited concerning the large numbers of well-developed queen cells which produce also perfect and prolific queens4 ,it lies within the skill of the bee-master to establish conditions favoring the production of food for the queen larv--the so called royal jelly--and this having been brought about1 there need be no hesitancy in permitting the construction of hundreds of queen cells in one colony if such numbers are needed4 ,it was formerly the plan1 after removing the queen from a colony in order to secure queen cells1 to trim the lower edges of the combs containing eggs or very young larv1 or to cut out strips of comb about an inch wide just below worker cells containing eggs or just-hatched larv4 ,this practice gave the bees space in which to build perfect full-sized cells1 but it had certain disadvantages4 ,good worker combs were mutilated1 often quite ruined1 in order to secure the construction of the cells and also in cutting out the latter4 ,cells so formed are often in groups so close together that they can not be separated without injury to numbers of them1 necessitating1 if desirable to save all1 a close watch1 or at least frequent examination1 for hours or even days1 since all the queens are not likely to emerge at the same time4 ,to remedy this ,mr4 ,o4 ,h4 ,townsend1 of ,michigan1 devised a plan which is described in ,gleanings in ,bee ,culture for ,july1 #ahhj 7,vol4 ,,viii1 p4 #cbb74 ,it consists in cutting combs whose cells contain eggs or freshly hatched larv into narrow strips and pinning or sticking these on the sides of brood combs in such a manner that the cells containing the eggs or larv from which queens are desired shall open downward4 ,mr4 ,townsend removed the larv from some of the cells1 believing that he secured better developed queens by limiting the number1 and also because he could then cut them out more easily for insertion in separate hives4 ,in the succeeding number of ,gleanings 7,august1 #ahhj71 ,mr4 ,j4 ,m4 ,brooks1 of ,indiana1 illustrated a plan for securing even greater regularity4 ,this consists in shaving off the cells on one side down nearly to the midrib of each strip of worker comb containing the eggs or larv selected to rear queens from1 and then sticking these strips on the undersides of horizontal bars nailed in ordinary comb frames4 ,mr4 ,henry ,alley1 in his work on queen rearing1 published in #ahhc1 recommends sticking the prepared strips1 shallow cells downward1 on the lower edges of combs which have been trimmed so as to round downward4 ,this leaves plenty of space for the full development of queen cells1 the eggs or larv in alternate cells having been removed as in the plans previously mentioned4 ,all conditions being favorable1 many cells conveniently located are thus secured1 and if the exact age of the eggs or just-hatched larv has been noted the time the young queens will emerge may be known beforehand1 so that preparation can be made for them4 ,nuclei--small clusters of bees containing a quart to two quarts--are to be placed in separate hives and given combs1 emerging brood1 and a supply of food1 and to each of these a mature cell is to be given4 ,the nuclei thus prepared may be confined to their hives with wire cloth and placed in a cellar for two or three days1 and when set out1 just at dusk 7p4 #aag71 the bees will adhere to their new location4 ,full colonies1 whose queens it is desired to replace1 may also be made queenless about two or three days beforehand1 and when mature the cells inserted one each in these4 ,in cutting out the cell a small piece of comb1 triangular shaped1 #a to #b inches long and about #a inches broad at the top1 is to be left attached to it whenever practicable1 since it will then be easy to insert it in one of the combs of the queenless colony or nucleus1 by cutting out a corresponding triangular piece4 ,fig4 #ed shows a queen cell inserted in a brood comb4 ,it is safest not to cut the cells out until they are within twenty-four to forty-eight hours of their full maturity4 ,in case a nucleus or colony has not been queenless long enough to make it ready to accept a queen cell1 the latter may be placed in a cell protector made of wire cloth or of a spiral coil of wire and then inserted between the central combs of the hive4 ,the lower end only of the protector is open1 so that the upper portion of the cell--the part easily bitten open by the workers--is wholly covered4 ,queen nurseries on the general plan devised many years ago by ,dr4 ,jewell ,davis1 of ,illinois1 are used to hold surplus maturing cells and the young queens1 after emerging1 for which colonies or nuclei are not ready at once4 ,these nurseries consist of compartments about #a inches square1 made of wood and wire cloth1 and so arranged that they may be suspended in the center of a colony of bees1 a frame being filled with them for this purpose4 ,each compartment contains a bit of soft candy to sustain the life of the queen in case the bees fail to feed her4 ,spiral coils of wire somewhat longer than those used as queen-cell protectors have been arranged with a metal cup for food1 so that1 in principle1 they are the same as the compartments of the ,davis queen nurseries and are used for the same purpose4 ,the young queens will usually mate when from five to seven days old1 flying from the hive for this purpose4 ,if any undesirable drones are in the apiary they may be restrained from flying by means of excluder zinc over the hive entrances1 permitting only workers to pass in and out4 ,in a day or two after mating the queen generally commences to deposit eggs1 and is then ready for use in the apiary or to be sent away as an untested queen4 ,to enable her to rank as a tested queen it will be necessary to keep her three weeks or a little longer in order to see her worker progeny and ascertain by their markings that the queen has mated with a drone of her own race4 ,as both tested and untested queens are usually raised from the same mothers--the best in the given apiary--either may be obtained for honey production2 but for use as breeders only tested queens which have been approved in every way should be purchased1 unless1 indeed1 the purchaser prefers to buy several untested queens1 which can usually be obtained for the price of one approved and selected breeder1 and do his own testing1 trusting that among them one or more may prove valuable as a breeding queen4 ,warranted queens are untested queens sent out with a guaranty that they have mated purely4 ,if few or no drones of another race are in the vicinity of a breeder1 he is tolerably safe in doing this4 ,the proper plan is for the breeder to keep a record of the brood of all such queens and replace such as show that they have mismated4 ,exact records of the ages of all queens should be kept1 and notes on the qualities of their progeny are desirable1 while in some instances particulars as to pedigrees are valuable4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #fd4--,the ,benton cage for transporting a queen and attendants by mail4 7,original47 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #fe4--;,caging a queen for mailing4 7,original--from photograph47 ,,mailing ,,queens4 ,queens are now transported nearly always by mail1 and sent to all parts of the ,united ,states1 and even to distant foreign countries1 the cage used almost exclusively being the one shown in fig4 #fd or some slightly modified form of the same4 ,no attempt was ever made to patent this cage1 and as the construction is obvious from the figure given here1 anyone who desires can make and use it4 ,the food usually employed in these cages by queen breeders is a soft candy recommended many years ago as bee food by the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,scholz1 of ,germany4 ,the ,scholz candy is made by kneading fine sugar and honey together until a stiff dough has been formed4 ,some think it an improvement to heat the honey before adding the sugar4 ,the ,viallon shipping candy consists of four parts of brown sugar and twelve of white sugar1 with two tablespoonfuls of honey and one of flour to each pound of the mixed sugars2 these1 with a little water added1 form a batter1 which is boiled until it commences to thicken1 when it is poured into the food compartment of the mailing cage4 ,mr4 ,i4 ,r4 ,good recommended for use in queen cages a mixture of granulated sugar and extracted honey2 hence this candy has since been known as the ,good candy4 ,the bees fed on it leave loose granules of sugar in the cage1 and these becoming moist often daub the whole interior in such a way as to cause the death of queen and workers4 ,it is therefore not adapted to long journeys4 ,the food for the journey having been placed in the end opposite that containing the ventilating holes1 a bit of comb foundation is pressed down over it to assist in retaining the moisture1 the food compartment having also previously been coated with wax for the same purpose4 ,the cover1 with perhaps a bit of wire cloth between it and the bees to give greater security1 together with the address and a #a-;cent stamp1 completes the arrangement for a queen and eight to twelve attendant workers to take a journey of #c1jjj miles4 ,a special postal regulation admits them to the mails at merchandise rates 7,i cent per ounce74 ,for transportation to distant countries of the ,pacific a larger cage and more care are necessary to success4 ,a recent estimate by one of the apiarian journals places the number of queens sold and thus transported in the ,united ,states annually at #bj1jjj4 ,,introducing ,,queens4 ,most of the mailing cages are arranged so that when received the removal of the wooden lid and also of a small cork at one end will permit the bees to eat their way out when assisted by those of the hive to which the queen is to be given4 ,the cage is laid1 with the wire cloth down1 on the frames of a colony that has previously been made queenless4 ,in twenty-four to forty-eight hours the queen will usually have been liberated1 but it is safer not to disturb the combs for four or five days lest the bees1 on the watch for intruders when their combs are exposed1 regard the new queen as such1 and1 crowding about her in a dense ball1 sting her instantly or smother her4 ,colonies having only young bees accept queens readily1 so that when a swarm has issued and the parent stock has been removed to a new stand the time for queen introduction is propitious4 ,during a great honey flow queens are accepted without much question1 if any at all4 ,they may at such times nearly always be safely run in just at dark by lifting one corner of the cover or quilt of a queenless hive and driving the bees back with smoke4 ,the new queen1 having been kept without food and away from all other bees for a half hour previously1 is then slipped in and the hive left undisturbed for several days4 ,this and similar methods of direct introduction without cages1 having been developed and advocated by ,mr4 ,samuel ,simmins1 of ,england1 are known as the ,simmins methods of direct introduction of queens4 ,in the fall and at all times when honey is not coming in freely1 caging the queen for a few hours or days is desirable4 ,a cage which permits the queen to remain directly on the comb itself is infinitely superior to any other4 ,fig4 #ff shows a pipe-cover cage as made by the author1 the size of which may be greater if circumstances require--that is1 when it seems advisable1 with a queen of great value1 to include under the cage a number of cells containing emerging brood4 ,ordinarily the size here shown will suffice4 ,the queen is caged before a closed window on a comb of honey with five or six recently emerged bees taken from the hive to which she is to be introduced4 ,the comb holding the caged queen is to be placed in the center of the queenless colony1 where the bees will cluster on it1 yet with the end of the cage pressed firmly against the adjoining comb1 so that the cage will remain in place even though a heavy cluster should gather on it4 ,on the following day1 just before dark1 the queen should be released1 provided that upon opening the hive the workers are not packed densely about the cage trying to sting her through it4 ,in the latter case she should be left twenty-four or even forty-eight hours longer1 and in the autumn it is generally advisable to keep her caged several days or even a whole week4 ,if left longer than one day all queen cells should be hunted out and destroyed a few hours before releasing the queen4 ,feeding while the queen is caged is a good plan if gathering is not going on briskly4 ,upon freeing the queen1 diluted honey drizzled down between the combs will serve to put the bees in a good humor for the reception of the new mother bee4 ,the entrance of the hive should be contracted for a short time so that but a few bees can pass in or out at a time4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #ff4--;,benton queen-introducing cage4 7,original47 ,the conditions necessary to success in introducing queens are complied with by the above plan1 namely3 ,the bees are queenless long enough to have become fully aware of the fact1 yet usually not long enough to have started queen cells2 the strange queen is caged a sufficient length of time to acquire the peculiar odor of the hive to which she is to be given2 the bees are all at home when the queen is released1 and thus all become thoroughly gorged with food and are well disposed toward the new queen4 ,no robber-bees come about1 and by morning all is in order4 ,as queens mate only once 7p4 #ai71 and workers and drones live but a few weeks or at most a few months 7p4 #bj71 if an ,italian1 a ,carniolan1 or other choice queen mated to a drone of her own race1 be introduced to a given colony the bees of this colony will soon be replaced by others of the same race as the queen introduced4 ,all of the colonies of an apiary may thus be changed2 or1 from a single breeding queen the apiary may be supplied with young queens pure in blood1 and1 since these 7even though mated to drones of another race7 will produce drones of their own blood the apiary will soon be stocked with males of the desired race4 ,,chapter ,x4 ,,increase ,,of ,,colonies4 ,,natural ,,swarming4 ,an abundant secretion of honey and general prosperity of the colony--with combs crowded with bees and brood--are the immediate conditions which incite a colony of bees to swarm4 ,if a colony in prosperous condition be found when the gathering season has fairly opened1 with eggs or larv in partly finished queen cells1 a swarm may be expected in a few days should the weather continue favorable4 ,the first one from a given hive usually issues within twenty-four to forty-eight hours after the sealing of the first queen cell4 ,in the case of strong colonies this may occur in favored situations in the ,north early in ,may1 in the ,middle ,states in ,april1 and in the extreme ,south in ,march4 ,but most of the swarms will come1 in each section1 a month later4 ,when the flow of honey is prolonged the period during which swarms may issue is also extended1 and in case a second flow occurs in midsummer1 after an interruption1 a second swarming period may occur4 ,the outward indications immediately preceding swarming are a partial cessation of field work on the part of colonies that have been industriously gathering and the clustering or loitering of the workers about the entrances at times when they have usually been engaged in collecting and when other colonies no more populous are at work4 ,apparently many are awaiting the signal to migrate1 while some seem not to have caught the spirit1 but continue their field work4 ,suddenly great excitement seizes the workers that happen to be in the hive at the time4 ,they rush forth pellmell1 accompanied by the old queen1 and after circling about for some minutes cluster on some neighboring tree or shrub4 ,it very rarely happens that a swarm fails to cluster before leaving1 but it may do so if it has swarmed before and returned to the hive because the queen failed to accompany it4 ,spraying water on the leaders or advance portion of the swarm from a force pump1 firing a gun among them1 or throwing the reflection from a mirror on them will disconcert the absconding swarm and nearly always cause the bees to settle1 but the remedy must be at hand and applied instantly4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #fg4--;,hiving a swarm4 7,original--from photograph47 ,when a swarm has fairly settled it is best to hive it as soon as possible1 lest others coming out may join it1 occasioning a loss of queens1 and sometimes of bees1 or much trouble in separating them4 ,the operation of hiving may appear very formidable to the novice and attended with great risks1 but a little experience will dispel such apprehensions4 ,the bees before swarming usually fill their sacs with honey and are quite peaceable1 so that by the use of a little smoke in hiving there is seldom any difficulty4 ,but to be doubly sure the novice should sprinkle sweetened water over the cluster1 and at the same time wear a veil to protect his face4 ,of course1 the hive has been ready for some time and has been standing in the shade so it will not be heated4 ,if the cluster should be on a small limb which can be readily cut off1 it can be laid down in front of the new hive1 which should have a full-width entrance or be raised up in front4 ,the bees will go trooping in1 but if not fast enough gentle urging of the rear guard with a feather will hasten matters4 ,if the bees have clustered on a branch which it is desirable to preserve1 yet where the hive can conveniently be placed directly under the cluster and close to it1 the swarm may be shaken into the hive at once 7fig4 #fg72 or the hive may be located on the stand it is to occupy and the bees shaken into a large basket or into a regular swarm catcher and poured in front of the hive4 ,if the cluster is on the body of the tree it will be necessary to place the hive near and smoke or brush the bees into it4 ,they will go up more readily than down1 and may often be dipped with a small tin dipper or a wooden spoon and poured in front of the hive4 ,whatever plan be pursued1 expedition is advisable1 and it is best before leaving them to see that nearly all of the bees are inside of the hive3 at least no clusters1 however small1 should be left on the tree1 as the queen might be among those left behind1 in which case the swarm would desert the new hive and return to the tree or go wherever the queen had settled1 or1 failing to find her1 would return to the hive whence they had issued1 unless meanwhile some other swarm should issue1 which they would be likely to join4 ,a few bees flying about or crawling excitedly over the spot from which the main part of the swarm has been removed need not be heeded4 ,they will find their way back to the stand from which they came4 ,as soon as the swarm is fairly within the new hive the latter should be carried to its permanent stand1 and well shaded and ventilated4 ,it is better policy1 however1 to place the hive containing the first swarm on the stand of the parent colony at once1 removing the latter to a new location4 ,the new swarm1 having the old queen1 with nearly all of the flight bees1 will be in prime condition for storing honey1 so that supers may be placed on it as soon as it has made a fair start in its new home--that is1 on the second or third day after the swarm was hived4 ,if there are uncompleted supers on the parent colony which has been removed1 they should be lifted over to the new hive on the second or third day1 as the parent colony1 having parted with so many of its workers1 will not be able to store at once4 ,but the new swarm1 placed in a clean hive with starters only1 will be in shape to store in sections at once and produce the whitest combs and honey which the source of the yield will permit4 ,,clipping ,,queens4 ,to prevent swarms from absconding and to facilitate the work of hiving them1 as well as to keep track more easily of the ages of queens1 many persons prefer to clip the wings of their queens as soon as mated4 ,the first season one of the large or primary wings is clipped half away2 at the opening of the second season the ,other large wing1 and the third season an additional clip is taken from one of the large wings1 and with it a portion of one of the secondary or smaller wings4 ,with finely pointed scissors this operation can be performed while the queen is loose on the combs1 but there is much danger of clipping one or more of her legs also4 ,if she be caught by her wings with the thumb and first finger of the right hand1 and then grasped by the thorax with the thumb and first two fingers of the left hand1 her wings can easily be reached with the scissors4 ,it will not do to grasp the queen by the abdomen8 and of course there should be but little pressure exerted on the thorax4 ,there are some objections against clipping4 ,the queens1 being unable to fly1 are liable to get lost in the grass or stray into the wrong hives when they swarm during the absence of the attendant4 ,they certainly look unsightly when thus maimed1 and occasionally the bees are more disposed to replace such queens than unmutilated ones4 ,it is of course preferable to lose one of these occasionally rather than the whole swarm4 ,when the queen is clipped the operation of hiving is very easy if the bee keeper is on hand to catch the queen as she falls from the entrance to the ground4 ,when the swarm is fairly out and while the bees are still circling in the air an empty hive should be set in place of the one from which the swarm has issued4 ,the bees1 missing their queen1 will soon begin to return to their old location and will shortly crowd the entrance of the new hive4 ,when about one-fourth have entered the queen may be allowed to run in1 and the treatment will then not be different from that given any newly hived swarm4 ,,automatic ,,hivers4 ,thus far the automatic hivers have been only partially successful1 so that the experimental stage has not yet been passed2 but the practical perfection of such a device is looked forward to with considerable confidence4 ,,prevention ,,of ,,after-,,swarming4 ,the parent colony1 removed from its old hive as soon as the first swarm issues1 will rarely cast a second swarm1 especially if a young queen is at hand to be introduced within a day or two4 ,the surplus queen cells are likely to be destroyed by this young queen1 with the assistance of the workers4 ,a laying queen will be readily accepted by a colony which by swarming and removal has lost its old bees1 and ten to fifteen days will be gained in the production of brood4 ,unless increase is especially desired it is best to limit it in this way to first swarms4 ,if still less increase is wanted1 methods which will be referred to later may be followed to prevent swarming as far as possible1 and such chance swarms as do issue may be returned to the parent hive4 ,if the queens are two or more years old1 they may in most instances be profitably destroyed at this time and young ones introduced from nuclei2 but whether introducing young queens or returning the swarm with its old queen1 great care must be taken to destroy every queen cell1 otherwise the introduced queen may be killed or the swarm may again issue4 ,if1 however1 no young queen is at hand and it is desirable to replace the old queen1 all cells but one may be destroyed1 but this must on no account be jarred or dented4 ,the danger of overlooking a cell where the hive is crowded with bees makes this method somewhat uncertain3 moreover1 when the bees have once got the swarming fever they may swarm again without preparation in the way of queen cells4 ,it is also very troublesome to remove supers to get at the brood combs4 ,these difficulties will induce many who may wish to limit the number of their colonies to prefer hiving the swarms on starters of foundation on the old stands and giving them the supers1 while the parent colonies are placed near them with entrances turned away for a few days4 ,the flight bees return1 of course1 to the old stand4 ,the parent colony should be turned a little each day so as to bring it in five or six days side by side with the hive containing the swarm1 which is on the old stand1 and make its front face in the same way4 ,by lifting it a day or so later1 while the young bees are flying1 over to the opposite side of the old stand and turning its entrance away from that of the hive on this stand1 the bees that are flying1 as well as those that have marked their last location1 will join the swarm3 and if the same operation be repeated at the end of another week most of the remaining bees will find their way within a day or two into the hive on the old stand4 ,about this time--that is1 some fifteen or sixteen days after the issuance of the first swarm--the young queen will commence laying and may be put in place of the old one which issued with the swarm4 ,if honey is still coming in1 the young queen1 with accompanying bees1 may usually be safely introduced at this time by shaking them in front of the hive from which the queen has been removed1 both lots of bees having been smoked beforehand so as to get them to fill themselves with honey3 or the two combs between which the queen is found may be lifted1 with adhering bees1 and placed in the center of the colony to which the queen is to be given4 ,before doing this it is best to smoke the latter pretty thoroughly1 and if two of the brood combs from this hive have been removed a few hours before and placed1 after their bees have been shaken off1 in the colony to be united1 and all other combs taken away from the latter1 the bees1 with their queen1 will be clustered on these brood combs1 and they may be lifted up without disturbance and placed in the middle of the other hive1 whose supers and cover are to be put in place at once and the bees left to quiet down and resume storing4 ,under these circumstances the loss of a queen will be very rare3 nevertheless1 in the case of an exceptionally valuable one1 cages and other methods are advisable4 7,see ,chapter ,,ix47 ,,artificial ,,increase4 ,the time lost in watching for swarms and hiving them1 the occasional losses of swarms1 and the vexations attendant upon their issuance1 such as their clustering in tall trees1 uniting and killing queens1 and the delay in their swarming when the time has come for it1 have led bee keepers to devise methods which would save their time and avoid as far as possible the uncertainties connected with this feature of their work4 ,where increase is desired the question is one of considerable importance4 ,in the more northern ,states1 where the main honey yield comes on suddenly and is abundant for a short period only1 and swarming is confined mainly to a period of four to six weeks1 or even to three weeks if the colonies are of pretty uniform strength1 this question has less weight2 but farther south1 where the yield is more prolonged and the period during which swarms are liable to issue is sometimes extended over three or four months1 it is of considerable moment1 and the bee master who intends to multiply the number of his colonies will do well to follow some good system of control4 ,,dividing4 ,the simplest method of artificial increase is to lift from the populous colony a portion of the combs1 with adhering bees1 and place them in another hive near the parent colony1 taking care that the part without any queen should have a majority of the bees and should be on the old stand4 ,if a mature queen cell is at hand to give to this part a day or two after the division1 the new colony will soon have a laying queen1 should all go well4 ,but this last point will need looking after ten days or so later4 ,should a laying queen be at hand to supply to the queenless portion of the divided colony1 the queen found in the hive at the time of the division had better be left in that part of the colony which remains on the original stand1 since the old bees will of course return to that spot and will not as readily receive a strange queen as will the removed portion of the colony which has parted with its flight bees4 ,by introducing a laying queen when the division is made the deposition of eggs will be begun a week earlier than if a cell only should be given4 ,at this season of the year this will make a difference of a good many thousands of workers1 and will also prevent the bees from clogging the brood combs with honey1 as they would if left without a laying queen for a week or more4 ,the supers are to be placed on this part on the old stand1 which1 having most of the flight bees1 will be far better able to store surplus than the other portion4 ,the plan of making the division nearly equal is quite objectionable in case it is followed closely by the main honey flow of the season1 for it places neither colony in the best condition for immediate storing4 ,but if only a moderate yet continuous honey flow1 followed by a larger yield1 is to be anticipated1 both parts will have time to become populous1 and the equal division1 if done in time--that is1 before the swarming fever has taken hold of the colony--will be likely to prevent swarming4 ,,driving ,,or ,,brushing4 ,in case1 however1 some immediate work is expected of either part of the divided colony1 it is preferable to make the division in such a way as to secure about all of the flight bees as well as most of the young bees1 which will soon become flight bees1 in the hive on the old stand4 ,this may be done by shaking or brushing nearly all of the bees from the combs of the hive to be divided1 or1 if the latter is a box hive1 the swarm may be driven into an empty box1 as described under ,transferring1 in ,chapter ,,vii1 and then hived as an ordinary swarm1 the parent colony receiving also the same treatment as described under ,natural swarming4 ,,the ,,nucleus ,,system4 ,perhaps the safest plan1 considering that the yield1 even when one is acquainted with the flora1 can not be foretold1 is to follow the plan of making nuclei1 and1 as soon as these have laying queens1 building them up gradually to full colonies by adding frames of brood1 frames filled with worker comb1 or with comb foundation1 or merely starters1 as may seem best4 ,this system1 besides being safe1 has certain other advantages4 ,it leaves the parent hives strong for the working season1 yet tends to discourage swarming1 because whenever colonies become overcrowded1 and before they have contracted the swarming fever1 one or more brood combs are removed and the colony is thus induced to continue work in the brood chamber to fill the empty space1 while1 of course1 they are kept supplied with plenty of storage room above for surplus honey4 ,furthermore1 it is easy to exchange the young queen of the nucleus1 as soon as she commences laying1 with the queen of the full colony4 ,if the nucleus has been started early1 the full colony will thus secure a queen of the current season's raising sufficiently early to reduce greatly the probability of its wanting to swarm that year1 even though permitted to get very strong1 as it is almost certain to do under such circumstances4 ,these nuclei build straight combs and may be relied on to build1 even without foundation1 worker comb only4 ,on the whole1 a rational method of artificial increase is preferable to natural swarming2 but experience and judgment in carrying it out are required to make it advantageous4 ,it should be cautiously undertaken by the beginner1 and the main reliance placed upon natural swarming until the bee keeper is familiar with the bees' way4 ,,prevention ,,of ,,swarming4 ,the most commonly practiced and easily applied preventive measure is that of giving abundant room for storage of honey4 ,this to be effective should be given early in the season1 before the bees get fairly into the swarming notion1 and the honey should be removed frequently1 unless additional empty combs can be given in the case of colonies managed for extracted honey1 while those storing in sections should be given additional supers before those already on are completed4 ,with colonies run for comb honey it is not so easy to keep down swarming as in those run for extracted honey and kept supplied with empty comb4 ,free ventilation and shading of the hives as soon as warm days come will also tend toward prevention4 ,opening the hives once or twice weekly and destroying all queen cells that have been commenced will check swarming for a time in many instances1 and is a plan which seems very thorough and the most plausible of any to beginners4 ,but sometimes swarms issue without waiting to form cells2 it is also very difficult to find all cells without shaking the bees from each comb in succession1 an operation which1 besides consuming much time1 is very laborious when supers have to be removed1 and greatly disturbs the labors of the bees4 ,if but one cell is overlooked the colony will still swarm4 ,the plan therefore leaves at best much to be desired1 and is in general not worth the effort it costs and can not be depended on4 ,,dequeening4 ,the removal of a queen at the opening of the swarming season interferes1 of course1 with the plans of the bees1 and they will then delay swarming until they get a young queen4 ,then if the bee keeper destroys all queen cells before the tenth day1 swarming will again be checked4 ,but to prevent swarming by keeping colonies queenless longer than a few days at most is to attain a certain desired result at a disproportionate cost1 for the bees will not store diligently when first made queenless1 and the whole yield of honey1 especially if the flow is extended over some time or other yields come later in the season1 is likely1 or even nearly sure1 to be less from such colonies1 while the interruption to brood rearing may decimate the colony and prove very disastrous to it4 ,the plan is therefore not to be commended4 ,,requeening4 ,quite the opposite of this1 and more efficacious in the prevention of swarming1 is the practice of replacing the old queen early in the season with a young one of the same season's raising1 produced1 perhaps1 in the ,south before it is possible to rear queens in the ,north4 ,such queens are not likely to swarm during the first season1 and as they are vigorous layers the hive will be well populated at all times and thus ready for any harvest4 ,this is important inasmuch as a flow of honey may come unexpectedly from some plant ordinarily not counted upon1 and also since the conditions essential to the development of the various honey-yielding plants differ greatly1 their time and succession of honey yield will also differ with the season1 the same as the quantity may vary4 ,young queens are also safest to head the colonies for the winter4 ,the plan is conducive to the highest prosperity of the colonies and is consistent with the securing of the largest average yield of honey1 since besides giving them vigorous layers it generally keeps the population together in powerful colonies4 ,it is therefore to be commended on all accounts as being in line with the most progressive management1 without at the same time interfering with the application of other preventive measures4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #fh4--,the ,simmins non-swarming system--single-story hive with supers3 bc1 brood chamber2 sc1 super2 st1 starters of foundation2 c1 entrance4 7,redrawn from ,a ,modern ,bee-,farm47 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #fi4--,the ,simmins non-swarming system--double-story hive with supers2 bc1 brood chamber2 sc1 supers2 st1 chamber with starters2 e1 entrance4 7,redrawn from ,a ,modern ,bee ,farm47 ,,space ,,near ,,entrances4 ,arranging frames with starters or combs merely begun between the brood nest and the flight hole of the hive while the bees are given storing space above or back of the brood-nest 7figs4 #fh and #fi7 ,la a plan strongly recommended by ,mr4 ,samuel ,simmins1 of ,england1 and which has come to be known as the ,simmins non-swarming method1 some features of it and the combination into a well defined method having been original with him4 ,it is an excellent preventive measure1 though not invariably successful even when the distinctive features brought forward prominently by ,mr4 ,simmins--empty space between the brood combs and entrance1 together with the employment of drawn combs in the supers--are supplemented by other measures already mentioned2 but when1 in addition to the space between the brood and the flight hole1 the precaution be taken to get supers on in time1 to ventilate the hive well1 and to keep queens not over two years old1 swarming will be very limited4 ,if to these precautions be added that of substituting for the old queens young ones of the current season's raising1 before swarming has begun1 practical immunity from swarming is generally insured4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #gj4--;,beehives with ,langdon non-swarmer attached3 ,a1 ,b1 hives2 ,s1 ,s1 supers2 ,d1 non-swarming device2 e1 e1 entrances corresponding to hive entrances2 sl1 slide for closing entrance2 c1 c1 conical wire-cloth bee-escapes2 ex1 ex1 exits of same4 7,from ,insect ,life47 ,,langdon ,,non-,,swarming ,,device4 ,this device 7fig4 #gj1 ,d71 first described and illustrated in ,insect ,life for ,april1 #ahic 7,vol4 ,v1 ,no4 #d71 is designed to do more than merely prevent swarming4 ,the following claims are made by the inventor3 7#a7 ,it prevents all swarming without caging queens1 cutting out queen cells or manipulation of brood combs4 7#b7 ,two light colonies that would not do much in sections if working separately make one good one by running the field force of both into the same set of supers4 7#c7 ,no bait sections are needed1 as the bees can be crowded into the sections without swarming4 7#d7 ,the honey will be finished in better condition1 that is1 with less travel stain1 because the union of the field forces enables them to complete the work in less time4 7#e7 ,there will be fewer unfinished sections at the close of the honey harvest for the reason just mentioned4 7#f7 ,also for the same reason honey can be taken off by the full case instead of by the section or holderful4 7#g7 ,drones will be fewer in number1 as a double handful will often be killed off in the closed hive while the other is storing honey rapidly4 7#h7 ,artificial swarms and nuclei can be more easily made1 as combs of brood and bees can be taken from the closed hive in which the queen can be found very quickly4 7#i7 ,it enables one to care for more than twice as many colonies as under the swarming system4 ,results according with the claims mentioned above have been reported from various localities1 but numerous adverse reports have also been given1 the latter indicating clearly that some modification of the device is necessary if it is to be made generally serviceable4 ,a further trial of the principle under varying conditions and climates will also be required to decide its exact value4 ,the manner of using the device is simple4 ,before the colonies swarm the device is attached to the fronts of two adjacent hives4 ,the slide 7fig4 #gj1 sl7 having been inserted at one end of the device1 the bees returning from the fields are all run into the other hive1 on which the supers are then placed4 ,before the colony1 thus made doubly populous1 decides to swarm1 the slide and supers are both changed to the other hive4 ,this is repeated every four or five days during the swarming period4 ,,selection ,,in ,,breeding4 ,some races of bees show greater inclination than others toward swarming1 and the same difference can be noted between individual colonies of a given race2 therefore1 whatever methods be adopted to prevent or limit increase1 no doubt the constant selection of those queens to breed from whose workers show the least tendency toward swarming would in time greatly reduce this disposition4 ,indeed1 it is perfectly consistent to believe that persistent effort1 coupled with rigid and intelligent selection1 will eventually result in a strain of bees quite as much entitled to be termed non-swarming as certain breeds of fowls which have been produced by artificial selection are to be called non-sitters4 ,these terms are of course only relative1 being merely indicative of the possession of a certain disposition in a less degree than that shown by others of the same species4 ,it might never be possible to change the nature of our honey bees so completely that they would never swarm under any circumstances1 and even if possible it would take a long period1 so strongly implanted seems this instinct4 ,but to modify it is within the reach of any intelligent breeder who will persistently make the effort4 ,such work should be undertaken in experimental apiaries where its continuance when a single point has been gained will not be affected by the changes of individual fortunes4 ,many features connected with swarming still remain mysteries4 ,the whole subject requires still more study1 and its full elucidation would no doubt be of great practical value to apiculture4 ,the field is inviting4 ,,chapter ,,xi4 ,,wintering ,,bees4 ,there will be little complaint of losses in wintering bees1 whether in a cold climate or a warm one1 whether indoors or outside1 provided the following points are observed with each colony3 7#a7 ,the colony must have a good queen4--,by a good queen is meant one not over two years old and which shows no signs of failure during the latter part of the season4 ,it is preferable to have a queen of the current season's raising4 ,such a queen1 if reared from good stock and under good conditions during the latter part of the summer1 will be in her prime the following spring1 and if no other conditions are lacking will have her colony strong for the harvest4 7#b7 ,plenty of good bees4--,bees that are several months old or that have gathered a heavy fall harvest of honey are not good to depend upon for the winter4 ,they drop off gradually of old age before there are young bees to fill their places1 and the queen1 however prolific1 not having bees enough to cover her eggs1 can not bring up1 as she otherwise would1 the strength of the colony to a proper standard in time for the harvest4 ,there should be young bees emerging at all times up to the month of ,october1 or1 in the ,south1 even later4 7#c7 ,good food and plenty of it4--,any well-ripened sealed honey that is not crystallized is good winter food4 ,honeydew stored by bees and honey from a few flowers 7cruciferous plants1 asters1 etc47 crystallizes in the combs soon after it is gathered and the bees are obliged to liquefy it as they use it4 ,they can not do this well in dry1 cold weather1 and dampness within the hive1 though it might enable the bees to liquefy the crystallized honey1 is otherwise inimical to bee life1 especially so during winter4 ,some of the crystallized food is also wasted2 hence the bees may starve even though the fall weight indicated sufficient stores for winter4 ,disastrous results are very likely1 therefore1 to follow the attempt to winter on such food4 ,the removal of all pollen when preparing bees for winter has been advised by some1 who assert that it is unfit winter food and produces dysentery4 ,it will not1 of course1 alone sustain the life of the adult bees1 but if all conditions are right no more of it will be eaten than the bees require to repair the waste of bodily tissue1 and this being slight in winter the consumption is small as long as other food lasts4 ,the pollen grains which by accident find their way into honey as the bees gather it would probably be quite sufficient to supply this waste in the case of the adult workers and no harm would result to these bees from the substitution of other combs for those containing pollen4 ,but good colonies should begin brood rearing in ,january or ,february1 and pollen or a suitable substitute for it containing nitrogen most then be present or the nurse bees will be subjected to a fearful drain on their vitality to supply the rich nitrogenous secretion required by the developing larv2 in fact1 they can not do so long1 and the colony dwindles4 ,this absurd theory that bees can not have access to pollen in winter without detrimental results can best be answered by referring to the well-known fact that a colony in a large box or straw hive1 freely ventilated1 yet having some part of the hive protected from drafts of air and kept dry1 will almost invariably come out strong in the spring if populous in the fall1 heavy with honey1 and having a young and vigorous queen4 ,the pollen1 it could not possibly be claimed1 had been injurious to such colonies1 although they always gather and store it without restriction1 and are not disturbed in the possession of it4 ,in truth1 their stores of pollen have constituted an important factor in their development1 and the strong instinct which they have toward making accumulations of pollen for winter use and which they have exercised for thousands of years undisturbed is of great benefit to them4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #ga4--,percolator for preparation of winter food4 7,original47 ,other conditions being equal1 those colonies having the most honey stored compactly in the brood apartment and close about the very center where the last brood of young bees should emerge1 are the ones which will winter best4 ,forty pounds for a northern latitude and #cj in the middle sections of the ,tinted ,states may be considered only a good supply4 ,when natural stores are found to be lacking in the brood chamber1 the best substitute is a sirup made of granulated sugar1 which should be fed early in the autumn as rapidly as the bees can manipulate it and store it away4 ,if given slowly the bees will be incited to rear brood unseasonably1 and will consume much of the food in this way4 ,if several pounds be given at a time--placed in the top story of the colony to be fed1 just at nightfall--it will be stored away quickly1 so that in a week at most the full winter stores will be completed4 ,the bees will seal it over better if fed slowly at the last2 that is1 after the main feeding4 ,sirup made by percolation of cold water through a mass of sugar and then through some porous material1 as cotton1 is what is called a completely saturated solution2 that is1 it contains all the sugar the water can be made to hold1 and will not trouble by granulation 7fig4 #ga74 ,the same difficulty is avoided by adding well-ripened honey to moderately thick sirup1 about one-fourth or one-fifth as much honey as sirup4 ,molasses1 brown sugar1 glucose1 etc41 are not suitable for winter stores for bees4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #gb4--,the ,american straw hive of ,hayek ,bros4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #gc4--;,davis hive with newspapers packed between inner and outer cases1 and brood frames on end for the winter4 7,original47 ,it is poor policy to permit bees to enter winter quarters without an abundance of stores--better twice the amount that will be actually consumed than merely enough to enable them to live through4 7#d7 ,the bees must be kept dry and warm4--,a substantial hive with a tight roof will keep rain and snow from the cluster2 but the bees must have air even during the severest weather and also when in their most quiescent state2 hence the question of ventilation has to be considered4 ,it has occasioned more discussion and experimentation than any other point concerned in the wintering of bees4 ,the amount of ventilation both indoors and outside1 whether upward ventilation or lower ventilation1 or both1 and whether through the wooden walls of the hive alone1 have given rise to thousands of experiments based on all sorts of theories1 and innumerable losses have resulted4 ,the matter is really more complicated than would seem at first thought4 ,the warm air about the bodies of the bees 7the winter temperature of the cluster being about #gb ,f47 coming in contact with the cold surfaces of combs of honey in ordinary hives1 or with the inner ,avails of such hives1 condensation and deposition of moisture occurs4 ,during severe weather this accumulates in the shape of hoarfrost1 which1 melting with a rise of temperature1 trickles down over the combs1 the walls of the hive1 and the bees themselves1 and1 entering the honey cells through the somewhat porous capping1 sours the honey with which it mixes4 ,the soured food1 dampness1 and chilling of the bees combine to bring on diarrhea1 which is sure to weaken and decimate the colony if it does not exterminate it4 ,to avoid these troubles the surplus moisture of the hive must be carried away by free ventilation1 which at the same time supplies pure air1 but which does not create drafts in the hive nor permit such an escape of heat as will chill the cluster through4 ,straw hives 7fig4 #gb7 do this well2 also the forms shown in figs4 #gc and #gd if well packed over the combs and ventilated above the packing4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #gd4--;,double-walled hive adapted to outdoor wintering as well as summer use below #dj north latitude in the ,united ,states4 ,thickness of each wall1 inch2 space between walls1 #b inches1 packed with dry chaff or ground cork4 7,original47 7#e7 ,there should be no manipulation out of season4--,breaking up the cluster and exposing the individual bees and their combs to a low temperature1 as well as causing them to gorge themselves with honey when an opportunity for a cleansing flight may not occur soon1 are also causes which bring on diarrheal difficulties4 ,feeding to complete the winter stores1 when necessary1 should be done soon after the last honey flow1 so that the bees will settle down for the winter on the approach of cool autumn days4 ,after this they are better off if left undisturbed until the final work of preparing them for winter is done1 which1 if the hive is well arranged1 will be no material disturbance to the bees4 ,it is always preferable not to be obliged to touch the brood combs or disturb the cluster when the weather is too cold for the bees to fly freely4 ,,outdoor ,,wintering4 ,a consideration of the requirements above mentioned leads at once to the essential features of any plan of outdoor wintering that may be followed in the colder portions of our country with uniform success1 namely1 the presence in the colony of a vigorous queen less than two years old2 a good cluster of healthy bees bred the latter part of the season1 that is1 of sufficient numbers so that when closely clustered during quite cool weather late in ,october or ,november not less than six spaces between the brood combs1 and preferably eight or nine spaces1 shall be occupied by a good number of bees1 or that the cluster shall be at such a time not less than #h1 and preferably #aj to #ab1 inches in diameter2 the stores should consist of #cj pounds of well-ripened honey or thick sugar sirup1 stored and mostly sealed over and about the bees2 since in a long1 shallow hive the heat is too diffused1 combs much longer than deep should be on end for the winter1 to enable the bees to economize their natural warmth2 free access of pure air1 but without the creation of drafts1 hence the entrance should be indirect or screened in some manner2 the ventilation should permit the gradual passing away of the moisture-laden air of the hive1 but not the escape of heat1 hence #f or more inches 7in the coldest portions of the ,united ,states #aj or #ab inches7 of dry1 porous material1 soft and warmth-retaining1 should be on all sides of the cluster and near to it1 the whole being protected by waterproof walls from any access of outside moisture4 ,care to establish in all cases conditions similar to the above before bees cease flying in the autumn will insure the apiarist against any serious losses in wintering out of doors1 even in the severest portions of our country4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #ge4--;,an apiary in ,vermont--winter view4 7,reproduced from photograph47 ,in the extreme ,south1 where bees can fly out at any time of the year1 little extra precaution is needed for the winter beyond seeing that the stores do not become exhausted during a drought or a protracted rain1 when no honey can be gathered4 ,just in proportion to the severity and length of the winter season the above general rules may be looked upon as applicable1 always bearing in mind1 however1 that in the variable climate of the middle section of the country many of the precautions strictly essential in a colder climate may still be profitably followed1 although fair results may be expected in the main without their strict observance4 ,,indoor ,,wintering4 ,dry cellars or special repositories are utilized in those portions of the country where the cold of winter is extreme and likely to be somewhat continuous4 ,economy of food is one of the chief advantages1 but two-thirds as much1 or about #bj to #be pounds per hive1 are needed to bring a colony through if conditions are favorable4 ,the colonies1 prepared as regards bees1 queens1 character of stores1 etc41 the same as for outdoor wintering1 are carried into the cellar or repository just before the first snows come or severe freezing occurs4 ,caps are removed or lifted up and cushions or mats laid on the frames4 ,light is excluded and all other disturbing influences in so far as possible1 the effort being made to keep the temperature at about #db ,f4 during the earlier part of the winter4 ,later1 especially after brood-rearing may have been begun1 a somewhat higher degree is admissible--#de to #df1 some even allowing it to go up to #ej4 ,no definite rule can be given1 however1 since much depends upon the humidity of the air1 etc4 ,as long as the bees remain quiet the temperature is not too high and is preferably to be maintained4 ,should they become exceedingly restless1 and the opportunity occur during a winter thaw to give them a cleansing flight1 it will be advisable to return them for a few hours or a day or two to their summer stands1 and when they have flown and quieted down1 replace them in the cellar or repository4 ,in the spring there should not be too great eagerness to get them out of the cellar1 provided they are not restless4 ,their confinement indoors makes them somewhat sensitive to the outside cold1 and due caution should be observed1 else the ranks of the workers will become greatly decimated before young ones appear to take their places4 ,the same questions regarding ventilation of hives indoors that puzzle many in the case of those left on their summer stands have been discussed over and over4 ,all that is necessary1 however1 is to consider the same points1 the question being less complicated1 though1 by reason of the greater uniformity between the temperature surrounding the cluster of bees and that outside the hive when the latter is in a suitable winter repository4 ,some have reported success in wintering in damp cellars1 yet it is probable that such success was purely accidental1 or rather occurred in spite of the dampness of the repository1 the other conditions very likely having all been favorable1 especially as regards ventilation of the cellar1 and the important points of having good stores and an even temperature1 which should be several degrees higher than is required in a dry cellar4 ,wintering in a damp repository is1 however1 attended in general with such risks that it should by all means be avoided1 and the bees1 even in a severe climate1 intrusted preferably to their summer stands1 if well prepared as regards their stores and populousness4 ,,chapter ,,xii4 ,,diseases ,,and ,,enemies ,,of ,,bees4 ,,diarrhea ,,and ,,dysentery4 ,in the chapter on wintering bees allusion has been made to certain conditions which bring about diarrhea in bees4 ,not only will soured or fermented honey produce this disease1 but thin honey also1 by requiring too great exertion on the part of the bees to get rid of the surplus moisture taken into their bodies1 may indirectly cause the disease4 ,repeated complaints have been made by those located near cider mills that the apple juice collected by their bees was the cause of diarrhea and dysentery4 ,aphidid secretions sometimes have the same effect4 ,prolonged and intense cold in the interior of the hive1 especially if the stores are not of the best quality1 causes distention and resulting weakness and soiling of the hive and combs4 ,dampness and chilling of individual bees frequently cause it4 ,the effort some make to avoid the dampness often results in the chilling1 for the cover is removed1 and also some portion of the packing or the quilt or honey board to let the air pass through to dry the interior4 ,the true remedy is a cleansing flight and warmth in the hive4 ,should the weather not be favorable for this out of doors1 the hive may be brought into a warm room and a cage of wire cloth #b or #c feet square placed over the entrance4 ,when thoroughly warmed up the bees will fly in this and find their way back into the hive4 ,it is best to leave them in the warm room two or three days1 lowering the temperature gradually before returning the hive to its outside stand4 ,,foul ,,brood4 ,this disease1 being highly contagious1 is dreaded most of all by the bee keeper4 ,it is due to the presence of minute vegetable organisms in the body of the bee1 the larva1 or the egg1 which prey upon its tissues4 ,these1 as ,prof4 ,frank ,cheshire has shown1 are bacilli1 which1 multiplying with marvelous rapidity by division and also by spores1 are carried from hive to hive1 until from a single infection the whole apiary is soon ruined4 ,the particular bacillus which is commonly known as foul brood ,professor ,cheshire has described as ,bacillus alvei1 or hive bacillus1 as it affects not only the brood but also the adult bees4 7,see ,pl4 ,,xi47 ,the first symptoms noticeable in the hive are its lack of energy1 then dead larv turned black in the cells1 and finally sunken caps1 some of them perforated slightly over larv and pup4 ,bul4 #a1 new series1 ,div4 of ,entomology1 ,u4 ,s4 ,dept4 of ,agriculture4 ,plate ,,xi4 ,illustration ,bacillus ,alvei 7,cheshire74 ,drawn from nature by ,frank ,r4 ,cheshire for ,jour4 ,r4 ,micr4 ,soc41 and here reduced one-sixth from the original plate4 ,fig4 #a4--,residue of larva three days dead of bacillus alvei2 b1 bacilli4 ,spores and degenerated trach cover the field4 ,fig4 #b4--;,healthy juices of bee larva4 ,fig4 #c4--;,juices of larva 7living7 with disease in acute stage2 a a1 leptothrix forms4 ,fig4 #d4--;,brood cells from a diseased colony2 a a1 cells containing healthy forms4 ,fig4 #e4--;,cultivation in sterilized agar-agar showing the colony form of bacillus4 ,fig4 #f4--,same cultivation twenty-four hours later4 ,fig4 #g4--,spore changing into bacilli4 ,fig4 #h4--;,bacillus passing into spore condition4 ,all of these symptoms may1 however1 be present when no foul brood exists2 but if1 upon opening some of the cells whose caps are sunken or slightly punctured1 a brown1 ropy1 putrid mass is found1 which1 when lifted on the end of a sliver of wood1 glides back into the cell or strings down from the mass like thick sirup1 it is pretty certain that foul brood is present4 ,caution is necessary or it maybe spread all through the apiary4 ,the hands1 as well as all tools used about the infected colony1 should be cleansed by washing in a solution of corrosive sublimate 7one-eighth ounce dissolved in #a gallon water7 before going to another hive4 ,if but few are found diseased they should be burned at once--at night1 when all the bees are at home4 ,if all or nearly all are affected1 or if the disease does not seem virulent and other apiaries in the neighborhood are not endangered thereby1 a cure may be attempted4 ,removal of all of the combs and confinement of the bees in an empty box1 obliging them to fast until some drop from hunger1 followed after releasing them by liberal feeding1 will frequently effect a cure1 as indicated many years since by ,mr4 ,m4 ,quinby4 ,the hives may be disinfected by washing in carbolic-acid water and used again4 ,a second removal of the bees and fasting may be necessary in some cases4 ,it will also be well to feed medicated sirup--#a part of carbolic acid1 or phenol1 to #fjj or #gjj parts of sirup4 ,many omit the fasting1 but destroy all combs and frames and supply comb-foundation starters1 removing four days later all combs built and giving a second lot of starters4 ,it is well to supplement this treatment with feeding of medicated sirup4 ,phenol having been suggested to ,professor ,cheshire as a remedy1 he experimented until he found that if a sirup containing #a part of phenol to #djj or #ejj parts of the food be poured in the cells adjacent to the brood1 and the diseased brood1 after brushing off the bees1 sprayed with a solution of #a phenol to #ej water1 a cure was speedily effected4 ,the great risk of spreading the disease1 as well as the time and expense which a cure by drugs by the fasting process involves1 will cause immediate destruction to be resorted to as the cheapest in the end if taken in time4 ,bacillus gaytoni1 also described by ,professor ,cheshire1 is characterized by loss of hairy covering on the part of the workers and their crawling out of the hives over the ground1 constantly wriggling their bodies until death occurs4 ,it yields1 according to ,professor ,cheshire1 to the same remedies as ,bacillus alvei1 but having been less destructive and being far more likely to disappear without effort to cure it1 less attention has been given to it4 ,lately1 however1 it has been alarmingly destructive in some of the extensive apiaries of ,california4 ,colorado1 and ,texas1 so that some simple remedy would be very welcome4 ,,the ,,wax ,,or ,,bee ,,moth4 ,the larva of a moth known to entomologists as ,galleria mellonella ,linn4 gnaws passages through the combs of the bees1 especially those in or near the brood nest1 often proving very destructive in weak or neglected colonies4 ,the popular name1 wax moth1 was doubtless given on the supposition that the food of the larva was chiefly wax2 but when an attempt to rear them on this substance in its usual commercial purity is made slight development only results4 ,probably chemically pure wax would not be touched by the larva2 but in combs containing the larval skins left by developing bees1 or containing brood or pollen1 they reach their highest development if left undisturbed during warm weather1 finding ample nourishment in the nitrogen-containing pollen and animal tissues left by the molting larv4 ,to protect themselves from the bees they line their galleries through the combs with a strong web of silk and are able to retreat or advance rapidly through them when attacked4 ,the observing bee keeper will occasionally notice the moths resting during the daytime on the corners of the hives or under the roof projections or edges of the bottom boards4 ,its color is dull or ashy gray1 with light and dark streaks1 making it so nearly like a protruding sliver of a weather-beaten board as to protect it materially from its enemies when resting on any unpainted surface that has been long exposed4 ,at nightfall the moths may be seen flitting about the hive entrances1 seeking an opportunity to enter and deposit their eggs4 ,if prevented by the bees1 which are then instinctively on the alert1 they deposit in the crevices between the hive and stand or between the hive and cap4 ,the minute larv as they emerge soon make their way into the interior of the hive4 ,it is possible also that some of the eggs of the moth may be left where the bees crawling over them carry them into the hive by accident1 the freshly laid egg adhering readily to any substance it touches4 ,in the northern and middle sections of the ,united ,states two broods are reared1 the first appearing in ,may1 the second and larger brood in midsummer or even ,august4 ,the eggs deposited by the last brood develop slowly in the cooler autumn weather1 but usually reach the pupal stage1 in which they normally pass the winter4 ,individual moths may1 however1 be seen about the apiary during ,june and ,july1 and even into the autumn1 so that egg deposition is constantly going on1 and any combs removed from the hive and left unprotected by bees1 especially if in a warm apartment or a closed box1 will soon be in complete possession of the destructive larv1 which wax fat and soon reduce them to a mass of webs4 ,the only remedies are to keep the combs under the constant protection of the bees1 or1 if the colonies are not populous enough to cover them fairly1 the combs should be hung so as to leave a space between them in a cupboard or large box which can be closed tightly1 so as to subject them for some time to the fumes generated by throwing a handful or two of sulphur on live coals1 or to the odors of bisulphide of carbon in an open vial4 ,caution is needed in the use of the latter1 since it is highly inflammable4 ,oriental races of bees are more energetic than others in clearing out wax-moth larv1 and ,carniolans and ,italians more so than the common bees4 ,but in colonies always supplied with good queens the wax-moth larv make little headway1 and it is therefore only the neglected hives that are seriously troubled4 ,moth-trap attachments or moth-proof hives are therefore of no use1 unless1 in the case of the former1 larv seeking a secure place in which to pupate may be caught2 but that implies frequent examination1 and the same or less attention to the colony itself will suffice to do away with almost any breeding of moths4 ,hives proof against the entrance of wax-moth larv would1 as the statements here made regarding the breeding habits of the moth indicate1 exclude the bees also4 ,from the foregoing it can be readily seen that the attentive apiarist no longer regards the wax moth as a serious pest4 ,,braula ,,or ,,bee ,,louse4 ,a wingless dipteron1 ,braula cca ,nitsch1 known under the common name of bee louse1 is a troublesome parasite on bees in ,mediterranean countries1 the adults1 which are very large in proportion to the host1 gathering on the thoraces of the workers1 rarely of the drones1 but in great numbers on the queens4 ,the writer has removed seventy-five at one time from a queen1 though ordinarily the numbers do not exceed a dozen4 ,when numerous they render the queen weak by the removal of vital fluids4 ,the insect has frequently been imported to this country on queens with attendant bees1 but thus far has probably gained no foothold4 ,likely it will never do so in the ,north1 but the case might be different in any region resembling southern ,europe in climate1 and it is by all means advisable to remove every one from any queen or worker arriving here infested with them4 ,,other ,,enemies4 ,robber flies1 dragon flies1 etc4--,several species of ,asilus and related predaceous ,diptera do not live upon injurious insects alone1 but also capture and devour honey bees4 ,they are more destructive in the ,south than elsewhere4 ,the same is true of the neuropterous insects known as mosquito hawks1 dragon flies1 or devil's darning needles4 ,there seems to be no remedy for any of these except that of frightening them away when noticed about the apiary4 ,the stinging bugs1 belonging in the hemipterous family ,phymatid1 often capture and destroy workers as they visit the flowers4 ,no remedy is practicable4 ,ants and wasps4--,some of the larger ants and social wasps are very troublesome to the apiarist in tropical and even in subtropical regions4 ,they seize the workers and cut them in pieces with their powerful jaws4 ,having once reduced the hive defenders1 they even make bold to enter and carry off the queen as well as help themselves to honey4 ,trapping them with honey or with meat and killing them1 as well as destroying the nests when found1 are the only remedies4 ,the paper nests are easily burned away1 while an effectual remedy against ants is to open the hill and pour in an ounce or two of bisulphide of carbon4 ,spiders4--,webs made about hive entrances often capture bees as well as wax moths1 and1 notwithstanding this last-mentioned point in their favor1 they had better be removed4 ,toads and lizards4--,these devour many bees1 and whenever found near the hives should be destroyed or removed to the vegetable garden4 ,birds4--,swallows and kingbirds have been accused of eating many bees4 ,it is probable that the destruction of injurious insects by them more than makes amends for the bees taken4 ,this was clearly proven in the case of the kingbird1 stomachs of which1 examined at the ,united ,states ,department of ,agriculture1 showed only a very small percentage of honey bees1 and these mostly drones4 ,,mammals4 ,mice gaining access to the hive during winter gnaw out among the combs a nest cavity and eat honey1 pollen1 and bees4 ,low entrances1 covered1 if found necessary1 with a strip of tin1 will prevent the mice from gnawing larger holes1 yet permit the bees to pass in and out4 ,skunks sometimes disturb hive entrances and catch bees as they come out4 ,this is particularly vexatious in the winter1 when colonies should be left quiet4 ,in mountain localities1 bears1 led by their fondness for honey1 still occasionally overturn beehives4 ,the remedies for both of these are1 of course1 shooting or trapping4 ,,robber ,,bees4 ,when forage is scarce in the field1 bees belonging to different colonies often wage fierce wars over the stores already in hives4 ,thousands are killed and the victors relentlessly carry off as booty every drop of honey from the vanquished hive1 leaving its bees to starve miserably4 ,a great stir and loud buzzing in the hive of the conquerors attests their rejoicing over the ill-gotten gains4 ,nor have they any code of morals which inclines them to select as opponents forces equal in strength to their own4 ,with them all's fair in war4 ,their only object is plunder1 and they therefore select the most defenseless1 a colony disorganized through loss of its queen being an especial mark for a combined attack4 ,extreme caution to prevent robbing is always advisable4 ,a little carelessness or neglect in the apiary early in the spring or toward the latter part of the season may result in much loss4 ,it is easier to prevent robbing than to check it at once or without loss after it is well under way4 ,leaving honey exposed about the apiary often induces robbers to begin their work2 hence extracting and similar work must be done in bee-proof rooms whenever the bees are not gathering honey freely4 ,it may at such times be necessary to do all manipulating early in the morning1 before many of the bees have begun to fly1 or later in the day1 after they have ceased1 or even under a tent made of mosquito netting and placed temporarily over the hive to be manipulated4 ,queenless and weak colonies should be put in order if possible before the honey flow ceases4 ,in any event the entrances of such hives should be contracted until but few or even no more than one bee can gain access to the interior at one time4 ,professor ,cheshire has devised an excellent entrance block to prevent or check robbing4 ,this is shown in fig4 #gj1 and is so simple that anyone can make it4 ,when contracted and placed at the hive entrance it will be seen that the robbers must make their way through a narrow and bent passage1 something they are loath to attempt1 especially if at the first onset they find the passage well guarded4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #gf4--;,cheshire anti-robbing entrance3 st1 stationary piece2 s1 slide2 p1 pin or stop4 7,redrawn47 ,if robbing has begun it may sometimes be stopped by throwing coarse grass or weeds over the entrance of the hive attacked1 or by leaning a pane of glass against its front1 the entrance being1 of course1 contracted as indicated above4 ,these plans tend to confuse the robbers for a time1 and meanwhile the rightful occupants of the hive may be able to organize for defense4 ,if convenient the colony attacked may be moved a distance of a half mile or more and placed as far as possible from other apiaries until it can recuperate4 ,another plan in extreme cases is to put the colony in a dark cellar for a few days1 confining the bees to the hive with wire cloth1 so as to allow plenty of ventilation1 as described under the head of ,moving bees4 ,when brought out of the cellar it is well to place the colony on a new stand1 apart from the other bees1 contract the entrance1 and lean a board against the front of the hive4 ,it is also safest to bring it out late in the day1 even just at dusk1 so the bees will begin flying from it gradually and not attract the attention of robbers4 ,it may be well1 when removing a colony from its stand to save it from robbers1 to put in its place a hive with combs containing a little honey and pollen4 ,the robbers1 instead of scattering and entering adjacent hives1 will continue to visit the same stand1 their numbers gradually diminishing as the honey gives out and the pollen is sucked dry4 ,if meanwhile the entrances of adjoining hives have been contracted and these colonies are fairly strong and in normal condition1 individual robbers will be successively repulsed as they appear4 ,quiet will thus be eventually restored4 ,,laying ,,workers4 ,although laying workers are not strictly enemies of their kind1 their work hastens the extinction of the colony to which they belong1 in case the latter has become queenless and is without the means of rearing another queen4 ,they cause the expenditure of the stores and strength of the colonies in a vain though well-meant endeavor to perpetuate their species2 the eggs which laying workers deposit1 and for whose development through the larval stage much honey and pollen are required1 only resulting in the production of a lot of drones1 for the most part weak and dwarfed4 ,if not discovered until the hive is nearly depopulated1 the remaining old bees should be brushed off1 and the combs1 after the sealed drone brood has been unmapped and jarred out1 may be distributed among other colonies4 ,should the affected colony still be worth saving1 combs containing emerging bees should be added and a queen introduced a few days later1 or a queen cell inserted1 as soon as the added brood has stocked the hive well with young bees4 ,,books ,,and ,,journals ,,relating ,,to ,,apiculture4 ,the following are among the leading books and journals relating to apiculture3 ,,books4 ,langstroth on the ,honey ,bee4 ,revised edition1 #ahhi4 ,by ,chas4 ,dadant ,son4 ,quinby's ,new ,bee ,keeping2 or ,the ,mysteries of ,bee ,keeping ,explained4 #ahhd4 ,by ,l4 ,c4 ,root4 ,the ,a ,b ,c of ,bee ,culture3 ,a ,cyclopdia of ,everything ,pertaining to the ,care of the ,honey ,bee4 ,by ,a4 ,i4 ,root4 ,advanced ,bee ,culture3 ,its ,methods and ,management4 #ahia4 ,by ,w4 ,z4 ,hutchinson4 ,bees and ,bee ,keeping1 ,scientific and ,practical4 ,by ,frank ,r4 ,cheshire4 ,in two volumes3 ,vol4 ,i 7scientific71 ,vol4 ,,ii 7practical74 ,published in ,london1 ,england4 ,the ,bee ,keeper's ,guide2 or ,manual of the ,apiary4 ,by ,a4 ,j4 ,cook4 ,a ,modern ,bee ,farm and its ,economic ,management4 ,by ,s4 ,simmins4 ,published in ,london1 ,england4 ,the ,blessed ,bees4 ,by ,john ,allen4 ,bee ,keeping for ,profit4 ,by ,dr4 ,g4 ,l4 ,tinker4 ,,journals4 ,the ,american ,bee ,journal4 ,weekly4 ,chicago1 ,ill4 ,gleanings in ,bee ,culture4 ,semimonthly4 ,medina1 ,ohio4 ,the ,bee ,keepers' ,review4 ,monthly4 ,flint1 ,mich4 ,the ,american ,bee ,keeper4 ,monthly4 ,falconer1 ,n4 ,y4 ,the ,progressive ,bee ,keeper4 ,monthly4 ,higginsville1 ,mo4 ,the ,southland ,queen4 ,monthly4 ,beeville1 ,texas4 ,the ,western ,bee ,keeper4 ,monthly4 ,denver1 ,colo4 99 99 99 99 99 ,transcriber ,note ,minor typos corrected4 ,illustrations repositioned where they split paragraphs4