success
in
Bee Culture

AS

PRACTICED AND ADVISED
BY

JAMES HEDDON.

"The earnest desire of succeeding,
is almost always a prognostic of
success."

TIMES PRINT,
Dowagiao, Mich.,
1885.

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SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE

DEDICATI0N
To my Brother Bee-Keepers who are now striving to
add to the comforts of those they love, through the production of Bees and Honey, this little work is earnestly dedicated by the
AUTHOR

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

3

INTRODUCTION,
For a number of years past I have been frequently solicited and often
urged to write a treatise upon practical bee-culture; but lack of the necessary time for performing such a task, has hitherto prevented. I had
hoped, however, that an opportune time would come, when, free from
business cares, I might comply with this oft-repeated request. In the
steady, changeless lapse of time, the years have come and gone, and this
dream has not materialized, with no prospect of a suitable opportunity for
such a consumation; and so at intervals, amid the pressing cares of business I have here and there, jotted down some facts and thoughts pertaining to our pursuit, which, I trust, may not be without value to those for
"" "whom they have been written. In the delineation of methods of management, and of implements and devices, appertaining thereto, it has been
my constant aim to present such only as will approximate uniform and
unvarying success, as nearly as possible, when the requisite conditions
have been complied with, and thereby obviate the disappointments and
vexatious losses, resulting from the complicated and impracticable in both
management and utensils. In short, the instruction herein given, is from
the dollar and cent basis—the financial results to accrue therefrom, and
not from the vagaries and inconsistencies of empiricisms, aiming to present the new and useful rather than mere repetition of the old. I have
•, not aimed in these pages, to treat of all the minor points pertaining to our
pursuit, but have endeavored to elucidate those that are vital to our success, many of which I believe have not hitherto received their due share
of attention; hence it is not claimed to be a work especially adapted to
', the beginner in apiculture. Firmly believing that our ranks are already
* sufficiently full, for the welfare of the fraternity, I have written more
especially to promote the success of those already possessing some knowlC edge of bee management, than to persuade the addition of recruits; and,
to the attainment of this end, have traversed some hitherto neglected
fields, in the interest of the specialist. I have earnestly sought to be of
some service to this class, in a way I think neglected by my predecessors
:<m apistical literature.
This little book is not designed to take the place of any of the excel. cent works upon apiculture that we already possess, but rather to supplement them in such themes as seem to have been inadequately treated,
from the standpoint of my own experience. It has been well said that
; " a h o u s e that contains a library has a soul." Our pursuit borders upon
the professional, more so, perhaps, than most of the business avocations,
, ; and yet all the books devoted to bee-culture, combined, do not make a
- tithe of the professional library. We need them all to direct us in the pathway that leads to success. I have aimed to make this pathway less

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SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

obscure, by specialty in treatment of such themes as my own experience
has demonstrated to be vital to success in honey production—the ultimate
end of bee-culture. I have only briefly touched natural history, etomology, botany and kindred topics which are so ably and fully elucidated by
Professor A. J. Cook, in his " B E E - K E E P E R S ' GUIDE " and in Mr. Thomas
G. Newman's " B E E S AND H O N E Y . " I know of no work upon bee-culture, however unpretentious, but that is worth many times its cost to the
owner of an apiary, be its number of colonies ever so small.
In this attempt at embodying some of my ideas and conclusions in
book form, forced upon me by a somewhat varied and extended experience, I cannot hope nor expect to escape criticism. I do not desire it. I
court the fullest investigation and all honest criticism from any and every
source. But, before condemning its recommendations I wrould most respectfully suggest a thorough and impartial trial of the same. Remember
that everything herein given based upon my experience, whether of method or device, has been a success with me, and will succeed equally well
in the hands of all, if directed by even a moderate degree of tact and
skill. While excluding all advertisements from the covers of this book. I
have freely recommended such goods, belonging to others, as have proven
of value, in my own apiaries, having given in every instance manufacturer's address; and have thus endeavored to keep the interest of the apiarist
paramount, regardless of other considerations. In this connection I wish
to acknowledge my indebtedness to a member of the bee-keeping fraternity, who has rendered valuable assistance in the preparation of this volume. Being conversant with each other's operations, and having conducted much the same line of experiments through a series of years, accounts
in a great measure, for the similarity of our conclusions respecting the
essential problems with which we have had to deal. As he is somewhat averse to publicity, I shall speak of him in the following pages
as "My Friend." His lucid style, careful observation and thorough
knowledge of the business, will, I feel sure, be at once conceded by the
reader. In addition to those specially mentioned throughout these pages
to whom I feel indebted for valuable ideas and devices, and outside of my
own experience of seventeen years of practical life in the apiary, I wish
to express my deep sense of gratitude for ideas and suggestions received
from any and every source, whether from members of the fraternity in
social converse or at bee-conventions or from books or periodicals devoted
to practical bee-culture. I wish to give full credit here in order to save
both repetition and space in the body of the work itself.
In writing a practical work for the guidance of my brother bee-keepers, I refer with pardonable pride to the fact that my financial success has
been attained entirely within the domain of bee-culture; that in this little
book I have laid down a definite, tangible system of management perfectly adapted to either the perfected movable frame, or those now in general
use. In doing this I have not aimed at immediate popularity, but rather
for the welfare of those who need assistance and for whom I have struggled for the past ten years, confident that the future will fully verify my
position.
Hastily and imperfectly written, with no attempt at elegance of diction,
flowery sentences or rounded periods, but simply to direct those who are

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.
striving to earn an honest livelihood with bees, to better results, this littie unpretentious work is submitted by the author.
JAMES HEDDON,
Bowagiac, Mich,

PREFACE,
There seems to be a growing tendency of late years, for authors of
books upon practical subjects to begin by apologizing for the performance
of such a work. In this respect I must differ, inasmuch as I have no
apologies to offer. None are needed. No man who has a truth to tell,
that needs to be told, should apologize for its utterance. This "apology
business," as I view it, implies also, a supposed excellent performance by
the author—a position having conceit for its basis and superstructure. Ic
does not suit me, and if expected by the public, I beg to be excused.
There are three motives that are claimed to actuate the author in the
production of a book, pertaining to the affairs of life:
1. The philanthropic, which excludes self, and simply seeks to benefit others.
2. The purely selfish, which does not consider the welfare of the
reader, but only desires self-aggrandizement.
3. The belief that there may be an open field for mutual benefit—a
pecuniary advantage to both author and reader. To this latter class 1 belong. I do not, for one moment, wish it to be understood, that self-interest has been entirely laid aside; but while my own interests are advanced,
I hope to enhance the reader's, also. In the very nature of things, a book
of practical value musfc be mutually advantageous. This is my hope and
desire—the future will determine its fruition.
I trust I may say without egotism, that my efforts in the past to make
honey production as a specialty reasonably remunerative, have been fairly
successful. The eager questioning that has resulted from this, respecting both method and device to secure favorable financial results, has convinced me that success, or the lack of it, in honey production, vitally
affects the " bread and butter " question, with many others as well as myself. To this class I have addressed myself, with whatever degree of
ability I may possess, earnestly hoping to be of some service in lightening
their anxieties and burdens in the journey of life.
To oft-repeated inquiries I have replied—"I will write a book upon
bee-culture, when the wintering problem has been solved." The disastrous losses in wintering have, hitherto, rendered our pursuit an extra hazardous one; but a perusal of the chapter on " Wintering" will show the
reader, that at last, I feel confident that we stand upon solid ground.

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SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

If there be any one branch of apiculture in which I feel proficient, it
is the mechanical. To this subject in general, and hives in particular, I
have devoted almost unremitting thought and constant experiment. My
zeal to secure a hive that would be as nearly automatic as possible, requiring the least possible amount of manipulation, simplifying and systematizing the labors of the apiarist and enable him to attain the best aggregate results in honey production, is fully attested by almost numberless
castaways in my museum of condemned hives. But I am happy to add, that
the dreams and hopes of over eighteen years, seem now to be realized.
See chapter on hives.
" H e who steals bread may have an excuse, but he who purloins the
ideas and inventions of another, is a thief by nature." In this sentiment I
fully concur, and I have endeavored to give due credit to any and every
source from which I have drawn. If there are any exceptions to this, it
is simply an oversight, for which I will be thankful for correction.
In the performance of this not altogether self-imposed task, I have
endeavored to faithfully and impartially maintain what I conceive to be
the right, regardless of individual interests. Whenever the interest of the
individual has clearly seemed to me to run counter to that of the fraternity, I have not hesitated to criticise, fairly and judicially, I trust; where
the interest of the individual promotes that of the public, I have tried to
freely accord merited praise.

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

7

CHAPTER I.
Bee-Keeping" a s a Business.
Perhaps there is no branch of agriculture about which there has been
entertained so much superstition, as concerning apiculture.
The days of ignorance and false notions concerning bee-keeping, more
especially its results, are by no means past. When I began the business
as a specialist, fifteen years ago, I was told by many friends and neighbors
that I certainly could not succeed in making a living from the results of
" bees." " The bee business I" " The bug business !" Numerous were the
instances of failure of " my father, down in Ohio;" " Uncle Levi, in NewYork state;" " A cousin of mine back in Pennsylvania," etc., etc., offered
to encourage me on my lonely way, for at that time I was, I think, the
only specialist in Michigan, and there was hardly enough of us in the
United States to make a quorum. Since that time many have demonstrated that with natural tact, and a knowledge of the theory and practice of
the pursuit, honey producing can be made a business, capable of supporting him who embarks in it.
Some of our brotherhood who had much more imagination and enthusiasm, than practical knowledge of the business, used to tell us that
" bees work for nothing and board themselves." We have also heard that
u
farming is the best of all avocations." " Crops grow nights and Sundays,
when the farmer is asleep." T h a t " all one needs to do, is to get some
ground, just run a plow through it, drop in the kernels of corn; when they
sprout, tickle said sprouts a little with a hoe, and go out in autumn when
the glorious sun is shining and gather in the golden ears." Both stories
have some truth in them, and I leave you to guess, how much. In all
lines of production, conditions seem to have been so fixed that the producer must earn all he gets. That nearly every new invention, by means
of which pain and cost of production are lessened, redounds in most part,
to the interest of the consumer, by lessening the price of the article produced. I will call your attention to one such instance in oar own businessTake the honey extractor, for instance. The product when properly
handled, was found to be excellent, and for one or two years brought in
market, nearly, or quite as much as honey in the comb. This condition of
affairs soon ended, the price in latter years being steady at just one-half
of that of comb honey in the general markets.
Allow me to go back long enough to tell you that those friends who
advised me to keep out of the "bug business," saying that it could not be
made a business, made one other equally sad mistake at the same time.
They said: u O ! You can keep a few colonies in your yard for your
own use, with pleasure and profit." Now, do you not know from the ex-

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SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

penence of the past, that less pleasure and profit has been derived from
the " few colonies of bees "kept on the farm, than from any other branch of
mixed husbandry, when taken all in all, one year with another ? I think
I know that this is a fact, as a rule. Before the advent of modern improvements, there was more reason for the " few colonies for our own use " than
at present, because honey producing as a successful specialty, was well
nigh impossible, while under the present regime—scarcely any business
under the sun is better adapted to, or more necessarily confined to specialty, when looked at in a dollar and cent point of view. A large part of the
necessary capital and labor must be of, and devoted to, mechanics, and in
all this line has specialty done so much for us, that we are tempted to ask
the counter-storekeeper, where he stole those articles on the five, ten and
twenty-five cent counters.
Let us pause to consider the great advantages of specializing, not only
in apiculture, but any line of business. Let me quote from Mr. T. B.
Terry, of Hudson, Ohio; a clear thinker and forcible writer, and one who
has gained a world-wide reputation, as well as a competency, as a specialist in potato culture:
" The day has passed when there is any necessity for such a diversity of
crops—when it is necessary for a man to raise almost everything he wants,
on his own farm. It was necessary once, when the country was new, and
there were no railroads markets, and not much money; but now
let it go, to a certain extent, along with the stage-coach and scythe, and
let us improve in this respect as much as we have in our means of communication and in our agricultural implements. And we are improving.
For example, look at the cattle-raisers on the great plains, the wheatgrowers of the Northwest, and the corn-farmers of the West. These men
are specialists, and they are sadly crowding the old mixed farming of
Ohio and the East. And it is being gradually crowded at home by enterprising specialists, such as the fruit-grower, the dairyman, and the market farmer.
When I speak of the potato-grower as a specialist I do not mean
that he should grow just potatoes and nothing else, but, rather, that he
should make that his leading crop—his main source of income. Other
crops must be grown with them, of course, to make up a rotation and to
keep the land up by having something to feed out to stock.
That pithy little paper, O U R COUNTRY HOME, expresses just my
views on the subject of specialties. Let me quote a few lines:
' Division of labor is one of the grandest ideas of this grand nineteenth
century, and it is just as grand on the farm as it is in the factory or workshop, in business, art, or scholarship. This world is too big for one man
to do all that there is to be done in it, or to compass its entire store of
knowledge. " That it is better to do one thing at a time, and do it well,"
is truer to-day than ever before, and as true on the farm as off from it.
Find out what you and your farm can do best, and then do it, but don't
try to do everything. You can't be a market-gardener and a mule-raiser
at the same time, and expect to achieve eminence in either direction.
You need not expect to grow potatoes as does Terry, and steers as does
Gillette, on the same land, and arrive at the distinction from which they
now complacently look down on common mortals. Yick would never
have been Yick, had he undertaken to grow pork and flower-seed together.
Take your text, and stick to it. Choose your branch of farming, and follow it up; so shall you prosper.'
Now for some reasons why the large grower of potatoes, who makes
this his chief business, can make more money. First, he can afford to
have all the tools that are made for saving labor, and taking the best of
care of the crop, and marketing it in nice shape, such as a planter, smooth-

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

9

ing harrow, special cultivators and horse-hoes, bushel boxes, spring-wagons, etc. The man who raises only two or three acres cannot afford all
these expensive labor-saving tools, and therefore cannot make as much
money for he cannot put in or care for his crop as cheaply, nor can he
market it in as nice shape. Again, the specialist can not only have the
advantage of all the best tools, but, what is still more important, he can
use them just when they ought to be used, as that is his business, and
there is nothing else to interfere. With a great variety of crops to care
for, and perhaps a dairy besides, this is often quite impossible. There
are times, in this locality, when a single day's work with the whole farm
force, each man with a cultivator and horse, just exactly at the right time,
would be of very great advantage to the crop—possibly almost the making of it. The specialist can put in that day's work. Also the large grower has a chance to concentrate most of his energies and study in one direction, rather than scatter them thinly in many directions. Instead of being a Jack at all trades, and particularly good at none, he can have a
chance to excel in one direction. If he will improve that chance,, and
push his specialty to the utmost, he will find that it not only pays in dollars and cents, and develops his thinking faculties, and makes more of a
man of him, but he will get rid of a great deal of the worry, as well as loss,
of having too many irons in the
fire.
*•
* • •*
*
-*
We buy everything we want, except potatoes, milk, and a little garden
stuff. We do not fuss to make our butter, even, but rather eat the cream
on berries which some specialist has raised (of course, we raise our own
hay for the horses and cows). There isn't a pig nor a chicken, a calf nor
a colt, a bee-hive, a sheep, nor even a dog on my place; so you see I practice what I preach—or, rather, I am preaching what I have practiced for
years, and found to be the easiest way for me to make a good living with
the least worry, from my farm, and I find it the pleasantest way too.
There is a pleasure about doing one's level best, as the specialist has a
chance to do, and then the profits are great. Could any man living support a medium-sized family, and live comfortably, pay his hired help
liberally, and all other running expenses, and get ahead over a thousand
dollars a year, actual cash saved, from thirty-six acres of plow land and
nineteen acres of poor pasture, by following ordinary mixed farming? I
couldn't. I could hardly live, let alone getting ahead any. - * * *
' You mustn't have your eggs all in one basket.' But those words do
not scare me at all. That saying belongs to the days when Ohio was the
' Far West,' and it took almost all summer to go out there and back. If a
man raised too much of one thing, then he was in a bad fix on account of
the poor facilities for exchanging, and the lack of markets and the scarcity of money. But, how different it is now! The whole world is one market to-day. We can sell almost any thing for cash, and with the cash we
can buy almost any thing we want, right at our doors.
Of course, we specialists must expect reverses—all kinds of business
are subject to them ; but my experience has been, thus far, that the reverse years, or years when the crop was almost a failure, were the years
when I made the most money. Why ? Simply because I had just that
one thing to do, and I did it. I looked out for the eggs that were all in
one basket. The men with eggs in many baskets said, ' Never mind if
we do drop one or two; we will get through with some of them.' I walked
carefully and got through with all of them, and got a big price because
the other fellows broke so many."
The nature of apiculture is such, that it is eminently adapted to specialty. It has little connection with farming. While it would be unwise for
him to do so, the blacksmith could more profitably add a small apiary to
his business, as he could, during the dullest season for smithing, handle
his bees when they most need it; and watch for the issuing of swarms,
from his shop window.
Regarding apiculture as a specialty, what are the prospects for him
who would embark'? I do not see how they can be bad. Let us take a

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.
look at the two influencing factors outside of the ability of the operator,
namely: supply and demand. The price of all produce fluctuates or ebbs
and flows, like the tide of the ocean, sometimes above and sometimes below cost of production.
The product, honey, cannot escape this law. My own opinion is that
just in the near future we may experience a reaction, from a few years'
excellent prices, recently passed through, but the immutable law of action
and reaction so well known to you all, will keep it hovering about the
cost-of-production point, the same as does all other products.
Now, regarding supply, I doubt if one-twentieth part (possibly it
would be correct to say one-hundredth part) of the honey annually secreted by the flora of the United States, is ever gathered by bees. I feel very
confident that the time is far distant, if ever to come, when it can all be
gathered at a profit. There are at present many unoccupied areas waiting for the future apiarist. Whether he can work any of them at a living
profit or not, depends mainly upon his personal ability.
To all those now in the business, or thinking of engaging in it, 1 wish
to impress upon your minds the immense importance of occupying a field
or area, entirely clear of all other bees; many of the reasons for which,
will be given under the head of u Over-stocking." It is my opinion that
the supply of honey, now produced in the world, is fully equal to the demand, and I can find no reason for inducing those occupied in other pursuits, to embark in its production, much less to dabble with a few colonies.
It would be criminal for me to hold out fictitious inducements for those
who are failing in other lines of business, to try ours. To succeed as a
honey producer, requires that amount of tact and industry, that will succeed at almost any other calling.
Knowing that I shall incur the opposition of a few other writers, and
perhaps have little aid from anyone except "Father Time," I am
forced to say that I do not consider bee-keeping adapted to the gentlersex. I do not dispute the fact, that there are some women that can succeed as honey producers, the same as some succeed as pedestrians, hostlers,
farmers, stock-raisers, etc., etc., but that the nature of the work as carried on in an apiary where honey is produced at minimum cost, is adapted to women, I cannot believe. I certainly do not want my daughter to
try to compete with men, in this labor. Let us remember that the same
inexorable law prevades all classes of production, viz.: He who produces
at maximum cost, will fail. He who produces at minimum cost, will
succeed.

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11

CHAPTER II.
Natural History.
We are told, the honey-bee is an Articulate (composed of joints), of
the class Insecta, sub-class Hexapoda, the order Hymenoptera, family
Apidse, the genus Apis, and the species Apis Mellirica. Of the several
varieties, we have to deal with only two—the German, or black bee and
the Italian, or, as sometimes called by its European name—Ligurian.
PHYSIOLOGY.

A normal colony of bees consists of a single queen, or mother bee,
many thousand workers (neuter bees) and at certain seasons, drones (or
male bees).
The queen (readily distinguished by her peculiar, elongated appearance) when fertile, lays the eggs from which all the bees of the hive
are produced. Her capacity when properly developed, with favorable
conditions, is from two to four thousand eggs per day. The eggs laid in
worker cells, hatch into larvae in three days, are fed and sealed over
in five days more, and hatch in about thirteen days thereafter, or twentyone days from the laying of the egg by the queen. These same eggs, differently treated, will produce queens, being, like the workers, capped over
five days from hatching into larvse—or eight days from the time the eggs
are laid—but come forth from the cell in eight days more, or sixteen days
from the egg. While this is the rule, the exceptions are numerous. I
have repeatedly known from eighteen to twenty-two days to elapse between
the laying of the egg and the hatching of the queen, and in one instance,
the time was extended to a full twenty-five days. The bees seem to possess the power to retard the development of both eggs and larvse, as also
to hasten this process, by shortening the time nearly one day. The cells
in which workers are reared, measure about five to the inch; the drone
cells are larger, measuring four to the inch, and nearly horizontal, and
are hexagonal, or six sided. Queen cells usually approach the perpendicular, in position, (but may be horizontal or any angle between it and the
vertical) are larger and longer than drone cells, nearly round in form, and
taper toward the lower or outer end. The drones are slowest in developement, maturing in about twenty-four days. The office of the queen
is egg-laying, only; the worker bees nurse and cap the brood, build comb,
gather honey and pollen, store the same in the combs, and seal it over,
and ventilate, and defend their hives against enemies. In addition to
performing the office of the male, the drone augments the heat of the
hive required for breeding, and I fully believe, in some way, assists in
the evaporation or "ripening" of freshly stored nectar. The queen becomes fertilized in the open air, when from five to ten days old, (although
this may be retarded by bad weather or other unfavorable circumstances)
and commences her duties of laying, in about two days thereafter. She

12

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

lives to he from one to four years of age (and in isolated cases, still longer) hut the period of her greatest usefulness is often compassed within
two years.
The age of the worker-bees, varies greatly with the season of the year;
from one to eight months. I believe however, from years of careful observation in the apiary, that their average duration of life in the honey
season, does not exceed forty-five days. Such at least, holds true of my
own locality. They begin active operations in honey gathering wh en from
four to eight days of age, and continue until their almost ceaseless industry has brought on the period of decrepitude and decay.
Owing to the casualties by which they are surrounded, the age of the
drone is an uncertain quantity. Even though they were not liable to be
slaughtered by the workers at almost any moment, (in colonies normally
conditioned) I believe them to be short lived. Although performing no laborious work, and requiring a longer period for their developement than
either queens or workers, circumstances point unmistakably to an evanescent life. In my own location, where we often have a late honey-flow,
I have repeatedly known them to go into winter quarters with the bees,
and yet I have never, in even a single instance, been able to discover a live
drone, the following spring, or even during any warm time that allowed
the bees a mid-winter flight.
The above. I believe, embodies the essential features of this theme, as
applicable to practical bee-culture. We are often reminded of the wondrous processes of nature, to secure unvarying results, and of the wise and
beneficient adaptation of means to conserve desired ends. While it is true
that we may not violate nature's laws with impunity, it is equally true
that she is simply a blind force, caring naught for our wishes and desires.
Experience has clearly shown many of her processes to be faulty, and, undirected by man, often defeats the cherished results he is striving to gain.
It is becoming more and more evident, with the lapse of years, that the
mental horizon of man should be freed from the misty fogs of superstition, if he would behold in all their force and beauty, the shining stars of
truth in the realms of the useful and practical.

CHAPTER III.
Varieties of Bees.
For the class I am writing, I need say nothing of the genders of our
common honey bees. I wish to deal with the different races and strains
of bees, that most honey producers are now using. I have never tested the
merits of Cyprian, Syrian or Carriiolan bees, as the reports from those
who have been experimenting with them, have cautioned me against
bringing any of that blood into my locality, well knowing how much easier
it is to introduce, than to entirely eliminate foreign blood.
In giving you my conclusions, upon the above subject, conclusions
formed from continued careful experiment with German and Italian bees,

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

13

of the various strains, and observation and conversation with friends who
have experimented with Cyprians, Syrians and Carniolans, I will say that
I believe that all these so-called races should properly be divided into two
—the brown and yellow bees; of which I believe the Italian and German
represent the best of the two classes. Kow, if one race possessed all
points of superiority, and the other none of them, any discussion regarding "best bees," would be a thing of the past; but as it is a fact that
points of superiority and inferiority, are about balanced between the
races, it leaves a wide field in which the apiarist may well use his judgment and tact.
I think all practical honey-producers will admit that the following
points of differentiation between the two races, not only illustrate more
radical differences, but points of more importance. '
Let us mention of the yellow bees, the following valuable points of
superiority:
1. Protection of their home against enemies. This characteristic is
of greater value to the novice than the specialist; or, to those living in the
South, gaining no assistance from severe winters.
2. As a rule, they have a longer proboscis. This point is of advantage in such locations as, at certain times of the year, abound with flowers which have many nectaries pretty deep for honey-bees.
While it is more or less correct to say that the Italians stick better to
their combs, are more courageous, will remain in any new location better,
are less liable to quarrel when different colonies are united, though fiercer
in disposition, are less liable to sting, because they are less liable to take
wing, that the queen is more readily found, etc.—all these are minor
points, and even the second, can hardly be called a major point.
In 1883, Mr. A. W. Osborn (now a large honey-produper of Cuba)
penned the following, for the AMERICAN B E E - J O U R N A L ;

"While the praise of the different races of bees—the Italians, the
Holy Lands, Cyprians and others is being sounded far and wide; and
while the best talent of our country is being engaged to bring more prominently before the public the superior qualities of the above named races,
there are but few that have the boldness to come forward and advocate
the good traits of character of the German bee (not the black). I know
that one who has the independence to advocate the good qualtiies of the German race of bees, must expect to call down upon his head the scorn, disapprobation and disgust of the great mass of bee-keepers of to-day.
Let us go carefully over the ground and see if the German bees have
not some traits, that the honorable bee-keeper is bound to respect. In the
first place they excel as comb builders; they excel as rapid workers to
draw out foundation; they excel as pioneers to strike out from the broodchamber (and out of the queen's way) to store their honey; the queens
thus having no honey to bother them, can fill the combs from top to bottom,
and from end to end; they excel in keeping their hives full of workers to
gather the crop; all other conditions being favorable, they excel as nonswarmers, when you give them plenty of room.
Wliile I would not wish to be understood that I think the German bee
possesses all the good traits to be desired in the " coming bee," yet I would
wish them to have credit for what good there is in them; and that their
good qualities shall not be ignored when looking around for material to
make up that long-looked-for APIS-AMERICANA. I am satisfied, from
my own experience, that the crossing of the different races makes better
business-bees than either, bred pure."
Mr. George Maloney, a very intelligent man, well versed in history

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SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

and general science, as well as apiculture, on page 118, of the B E E - J O U R NAL, for 1885, makes an unanswerable argument favoring the crossing of
our different races and strains of bees.
Is it not true of the brown German bees:
1. That they are superior comb-builders, making wax more readily,
of better color, capping over their combs quicker and whiter, leaving a
space between the honey surface and cap which not only much improves
the appearance, but enhances the price two or three cents per pound, securing a more ready sale with that advance, and enables the honey to bear
a humid atmosphere for a considerable time, without any material deterioration.
(The foregoing was of not so much importance twelve and fifteen
years ago, when the honey supply was unequal to the demand and buyers
came hundreds of miles to secure our crop—let it look as it might, if it
was only "honey;" but, in these days, it is to me the most important
point of superiority to be found with any race of bees.)
2. They are much less inclined to swarm. This is an important trait,
especially to the larger special producer; also to any who cannot give their
apiaries close attention; either because they have too many apiaries for
the help employed, or too few colonies in one apiary to afford them continual attention.
Minor points of superiority are, that they build the most worker comb
and straighter (some may wonder why I call straight worker comb-building a minor point. Because of the otherwise, wise and general use of full
sheets of comb foundation; but in cases where such are not used, this
trait of the brown German bee is a major point, greatly in their favor),
enter surplus receptacles more readily, in cases where the apiarist has bad
communications thereto, are more easily shaken from the combs (sometimes an advantage and other times not), and are more sensibly affected
by loss of queen. (This aids us in many manipulations.)
When swarming, these bees alight sooner and with more certainty,
than Italians; a swarm hives more readily, they can be driven more easily, heeding the admonitions of the smoker more promptly, etc.
I do not doubt the wisdom of choosing the pure Italian bees, by those
who live in the South, and make extracted honey a specialty; but for
those w7ho live in the North, and produce comb honey (which I think
more profitable wherever the bulk of the crop is light colored), my experience forces me to recommend the brown German bees, or crosses between them, and the leather-colored Italians. (The small, black variety
of Germans, should be avoided, because of their nervous, irritable
nature).
About eight years ago 1 conceived the idea that I could, by controlled
crossings, produce a strain (not race) of bees (using these two races for
material to work with) that would possess more of valuable characteristics than either race in its purity.
I began by rearing queens from pure Italian mothers, of the longer
and larger leather-colored variety. These queens were mated with drones
of the larger browm variety of German bees and by continued selections
from these crosses, I have succeeded in establishing a strain, that very
many of our practical honey producers, as well as myself, consider greatly

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

15

superior to pure Italians, for the production of comb honey. 1 believe
that all my students who have handled these bees, concur in the above
sentiment. While I have kept all the valuable traits of the Italians, I
have not succeeded in retaining all those of the German bees, in the highest degree, but as a general-purpose bee, I, this day, much prefer them to
any other race or strain of bees, with which I am acquainted.
While I am willing to pit colony for colony of this strain, against an
equal number of Italians, for steadfastness to the combs and consequent
good behavior; longer tongue, and consequent honey-gathering qualities,
and faithful protection of their home against all enemies, I cannot truthfully say that they will compare favorably with some colonies of the best
strains of pure German bees, in the one point of snow-white capping of
their surplus honey.
Because accidental Hybrid bees, have borne a reputation for stinging, I am often asked if my new strain of crosses are well-behaved. I
answer yes, and the reason is because I have carefully preserved that
steadfast clinging to the comb, so characteristic of the pure Italians. The
yellow races of bees are more courageous and belligerent than the dark
bees, but as bees sting after taking wring, and as ten times more brown
bees than yellow ones take wing when opening hives, etc., we get the
most stings from crosses which inherit the temper and courage of Italians
and loose-footedness of browrn or black bees. See that these crosses inherit the tendency to remain steadfast upon the comb, and you have the best
dispositioned bees in the world. This is not only clearly logical, but is
practically proven by the actions of one of the yellow varieties, that readily leave their combs like dark bees, and have the true yellow disposition;
viz.: The Cyprians, which are admitted to be one of the most belligerent
races of bees, known. It is also demonstrated in my own apiary.
]STew conditions and demands, force us to different fixtures. In many
things, I find that what was best fifteen years ago, (and would be to-day,
were conditions the same) are not best for the present. I am convinced
that there is going to be a turning backward from the yellow to the brown
bee. We are as yet little acquainted with the Carniolans; should it prove
that this strain is equal to the Germans (if nothing more), the change
would likely be done by introducing them.
Purchasers of queens prefer something new; vendors prefer the new
prices. This branch of the darker race is already being praised (above
the Italians) for the same qualifications possessed by the brown Germans.
It is however, further declared, that they excel all in goodnature; but
what, to me, more than off-sets that, is an accompanying admission that
they are as bad or worse than the Italians about swarming.
To close, I will say that if you are producing comb honey exclusively,
or nearly so, and have a good strain of brown bees, do not be in haste to
change them. If you live in the South, and raise extracted honey mainly, pure leather-colored Italians are perhaps the best bee that you can
get. On the other hand, if you have any reason to introduce new blood
into your apiary, and wish a comb honey, or general-purpose bee, you will
find judiciously bred crosses between brown German, and leather-colored
Italian bees, most excellent workers, comb-builders and well-behaved.

16

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

CHAPTER IV.
V a l u e of Bees.
A standard of value of bees, that would remain a standard or fixed
price, cannot be given. Much depends upon the necessities of the owner
and purchaser, as well as upon the price of their products. Again, the
difference between spring and fall value depends upon our ability to carry,
our bees safely through the winter. Much also depends upon the kind of
bees and hives, the condition of the combs, etc. I consider a well-bred,
normal colony, in a preferred modern hive, with straight combs, at present, worth in the spring, eight dollars. I think them better worth that
amount, than common bees in box, or objectionable frame hives are
worth three dollars. Bees are sold in bulk, at from one dollar to two
dollars per pound, according to the time of year, kind of bees and supply
and demand.
. ' * •
QUEENS

that are one or two years old and tested for valuable qualities are usually
sold at two to three dollars each, according to the time of year; those
sold earlier in the season bringing the higher price. Queens reared and
sold as soon as they are fertile and have begun to lay, without much
knowledge of their characteristics, bring one dollar each and are called
" dollar queens;" though they are often sold early at one dollar and twenty-five cents each, and later, in quantity at ten dollars per dozen.
For those who do not wish to rear queens at all, but desire some fertilized ones to use, I recommend the dollar queen, if properly reared; for
all those who rear their own queens, I cannot be too persuasive in advising them to purchase only selected, tested queens to breed from.

CHAPTER V.
Bees on Shares.
u
What are just terms for taking bees on shares—just to the owner and,
operator?" is a question that has many times been asked me, both privately and publicly. At this time I do not know of any better answer than
the one I gave Mr. Thomas, of Ohio, when answering the questions sent
to the question department of the AMERICAN B E E - J O U R N A L , for 1883,

and I will quote it in its entirety from page 289:
"The-" Bees on Shares " question, is one that I have studied considerably. In answering the above, I do so with a prejudice in favor of the
laborer versus the capitalist, a principle herein involved, though on ever
so small a scale. Here are two facts:

SUCCESS-'IN BEE-CULTURE.

17

1. Bees are to some considerable extent a risky property; their life
and the amount of their stores being an unknown quantity. One should
have a larger per cent, of income from such property, by three or four
fold, than from a good, safe real estate mortgage.
2. On the other hand, the laborer should have an average income,in
advance of the ' going wages.' All this can be realized from the manipulation of bees, provided the bees are in proper hives, in a good location,
and the work done by a faithful and learned man, and directed by experience and tact.
I will lay down the following terms as those which seem to me the
nearest to being just and the best adapted to both parties.
The one owning the bees shall furnish the place to establish the
apiary. He shall furnish all the fixtures in every respect. The laborer
shall furnish himself ; nothing more.
The laziest tramp can turn and mend,
And be a man "for a' that."

The capitalist furnishes bees, apiary, tools, new hives for increase,
comb foundation for surplus and brood -departments, sections, shipping
crates, and everything including advice suggested by his riper experience
(which, it is supposable he possesses). He shall haVe the diction of the
general plan of management, while the rentor does all the work and is
dictator of the detail manipulation. The division shall be as follows :
Each party shall have one-half of the surplus honey, and when it is
sold, each one shall pay one-half cost of sections, shipping crates and surplus
comb foundation that is sold with the season's crop. The capitalist shall
have diction over the whole crop, merely dividing the money for the same
unless the laborer gives security for the payment of his half of the sections, foundation and crates, when the honey may be divided, and each sell
his own as he chooses. The bees should be managed for securing the
greatest amount of surplus possible, and discouraged from swarming, all
that such management tends to do; but when they do swarm, they are to
be hived and managed as are the old colonies. The increase belongs to
the apiary, always; and any system that gives a share of the increase to
the laborer, will defeat itself and prove in the end damaging to both parties. The old system of half the honey and half the increase, and the lessee or laborer furnish everything, is illy adapted to modern apiculture,
and would give the capitalist the 'lion's share.' Of course the surplus
from the increase is divided equally, the same as that from the old
colonies."
To be sure each individual contract or agreement, may reasonably be
varied, to better suit any special conditions existing in the case. I lay
down general outlines that I think if carried out, will come very near to
doing justice to both parties. When we have the wintering problem under universal control, these terms could well be modified in favor of the
laborer.

CHAPTER VI.
Subduing Bees.
As my experience in the matter of subduing bees, has taught me a
little differently from that of those laid down in other works, perhaps I
can shed a few rays of light upon the subject, after all that has been said
by many better writers than myself.

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SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

A vital point in mastering bees with smoke, is to smoke them so as to
frighten all the bees in the hive, before you cause any jar or c?o anything
that shall irritate them before they have capitulated. When bees are
once thoroughly aroused with anger, no amount of smoke, however applied, perfectly conquers them till they forget the cause of irritation.
1 have seen whole apiaries continually irritable, in fact, dangerous to
walk through without a face protector, that became so from no other
cause than bad management with the smoker. The operator would either
fail to smoke the colony at all, or smoke them only in part, before he
would rattle a board on the hive, or tunk the cover, or roughly remove it,
or make some reckless movement that put the bees on the defensive, and
often the aggressive; after which the smoke would not completely conquer them. Such ignorant or careless handling, builds up a belligerent
disposition in our bees that I believe becomes in-bred in them after a few
generations, and then we have what we may call a strain of ugly
bees. We should always be very careful to make no jar, or do anything
to cause irritation, or even suspicion, upon the part of our bees till we
have poured a stream of smoke upon the guards, and, unless during a
heavy honey flow, into the entrance of the hive, sufficient that every bee
may take affright. Then we should remove our shade-board, if we are
using it at the time, and noiselessly remove the cover enough to pour a
volume of smoke in at the top of the hive, when we may rattle and. jar all
we please thereafter, which at that stage of the operation,-seems only to
more completely subdue the bees.
We have been told that the reason the application of smoke puts bees
in a friendly attitude, is because it frightens them, which causes'them to
fill themselves with honey, and when so filled, they cannot without disgorging the same, assume an attitude in which they can use their stings.
While this teaching may be correct'in part, I think that the effect of
smoke is to frighten out of them, all ideas of battle. It seems to instantly impress them with the utter uselessness of opposing " a n enemy with
a breath like that."
•
We handle bees very rapidly and sometimes quite carelessly, outside
of the period above mentioned, and we never wait for our bees to fill themselves, after they are once thoroughly frightened, which can be accomplished almost instantaneously. Of the above philosophy I think I have
had ample proof.
In a few instances I have had prime swarms when hanging on a limb,
act so ferocious as to make their hiving a job to be dreaded. A few blasts
from the smoker has always subdued them almost as quickly and perfectly as when upon their combs, and certainly no "filling themselves with
honey," is possible here.
We sometimes hear an apiarist boasting of how little smoke he can
get along with. This always strikes us as an evidence of his lack of
knowledge upon this subject. Where such smoke is used as described
under the head of " Smokers," no harm can result therefrom; while much
harm may result, or time be wasted, from not using it freely, wherever it
can possibly be of any aid to the operator. I know of but one instance
wherein its use can do harm, and that is in smoking the guards of a colony that is in danger of being robbed.

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

19

While very many of my readers, contrary to most of the recognized
authorities, may have learned to recognize the above points, any who
may not, will be highly gratified with the results they will achieve, if they
in future work in accordance with them.

CHAPTER VII.
Increase.
I have always been an advocate of natural swarming, as the best
method of increase, especially for those of limited experience with bees.
My past seasons' experience, and correspondence with a friend, one of the
foremost bee-keepers of the country, has convinced me of many points
of superiority in artificial increase, and I have engaged him to write a portion of this chapter, feeling that his broad practical knowledge eminently
fitted him to do so, and herewith present it with such comments as are
suggested by my own experience:
" T o the practical bee-keeper, whether he numbers his colonies by the
tens or hundreds, the increase of his stock is a subject of more than ordinary interest and importance. While our success in applied apiculture
will materially depend upon our methods of management in its various
departments, and the energy and skill which directs them, this question of increase we deem to be an important factor in the problem of success. That, increase of stock, more or less rapid, is conducive.to the
best attainable results in honey production, is, 1 believe, conceded by our
best, practical apiarists. Such has certainly proven true of my experience
in bee-management. The increase of all types of animal life is a universal
Jaw of nature, which is the basis of whatever degree of success may be attained in our own pursuit. Yet, a blind adherence to nature will often militate against us. The reason of this is apparent when we consider that
nature in her varied and marvellous manifestations—embracing the universe—takes no thought of, and cares nothing for the special success of
any of her many forms of life. While nature should be our guide in so far
as she works in our favor, beyond this point the intelligent hand of the
bee-master must guide and control, for the end to be attained. It is the
final results in dollars and cents, for which we are striving and with this
object steadily in view, we submit such plans as our own experience has
shown to conserve this result.
While we have in the past regarded natural swarming as a preferable
mode of increase, under a great variety of conditions and circumstances,
this method is always open to many objections. Among these we may
name the time required in watching for and hiving swarms; the loss of
queens by mixing of bees; absconding swarms and the time lost by the
queen in laying and the bees storing honey, it being a well-known fact
that the queen lays sparingly and the bees store honey with a diminished
energy while preparations for swarming are in progress. As an offset to
these drawbacks, it has been claimed that natural swarming imparts an
added degree of energy to the bees, that is otherwise unattainable—a
claim which I am at present, more than inclined to doubt. But to those, who
for any reason, prefer natural swarms and a moderate increase of stock,
with the best results in surplus honey, either comb or extracted, we suggest the following:
Hive your first or prime swarms upon full sheets of wired-foundation
(if you have no empty combs), in a new hive placed upon the old stand,

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SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

removing the old colony to a new location. This removal will materially
add to the working force of the new colony and prevent the issue of second, or after-swarms from the old one. The work of hiving natural
swarms may be greatly facilitated by shaking a few bees (from one-half to
one pound) upon the top of the frames, quickly replacing cover of hive,
shaking balance of swarm upon a broad board placed in front of hive and
upon a level with the entrance. The bees in the hive will set up the call
peculiar in such cases, to which those outside will respond, and at once
join their companions. Thoroughly spraying the bees with cold water,
when clustered, before shaking from the tree or other clustering place,
will facilitate their easy and rapid manipulation. Bees may be held, upon
the tree any length of time by spraying every half hour; but care should
be exercised not to use too 'much water. We have found a 'Whitman
Fountain Pump ' excellent for this purpose.
The forced increase of colonies by what has been termed L artificial
swarming'—a term that I do not like, but use for lack of a better one—
has been met with many objections, some of which, I freely admit, have
been shared by myself. But longer experience has convinced me that these
objections arose from the faulty methods in use, and were not necessarily
inseparable from the system itself. I can see no valid reason why a forced
increase of stock, that shall secure the essential conditions of natural
swarming and at the same time obviate the difficulties attending it, should
not be adopted; provided equal or better results are thus attained. It is
the returns, the net cash which an apiary can be made to yield, that we
want regardless of any theorizing or our own preconceived ideas. We
are ever ready to supplant the old by the new, wnen such a change shall
be advantageous, and the two methods given below have been attended
by very gratifying results, in our own apiaries for many years past:
P L A N M I . From a full colony, remove two frames of brood and
adhering bees, placing them in an empty hive, which we will designate as
hive No. 2; the old hive from which they were taken, as No. 1. Shake adhering bees from another comb of brood from No. 1 into No. 2, replacing
this last comb in No. 1. Put empty combs or frames of foundation, in
place of combs of brood removed from No. 1 and move it to a new location, with its old queen. Put hive No. 2, on stand formerly occupied by
No. 1, giving it a frame of empty comb on each side of its two frames of
brood, contracting unoccupied space in brood chamber' by> dummies' or
w
fillers.' Now perform a like operation with your strongest colonies, say
one-fourth, or more in number, Eight days later you can start nuclei as
above described, from such of your remaining colonies as you wish to divide, giving them queen cells on the following day, from nuclei started
nine clays before. When the queens have hatched in these nuclei, we give
them each an additional frame of brood, taken from the colonies retaining the old queens. This last frame of brood should be eggs and unsealed
larvae; but the two frames first used, ought to consist largely of sealed
brood. Now you will discover, if you have followed us closely * that this
plan is simple, readily understood and easily operated. By it we have
first a nucleus upon the stand occupied by the old colony, which can itself
be readily built up to a full colony—one that will give us fine returns in
surplus honey. The old colony, removed to a new location, loses just
enough of its working force to obviate the tendency to crowd out the
queen and swarm, yet retains the vigor and force of a full working stock,
giving us two hives for business, in place of one—and at a season when
most desirable—during the clover harvest. We may add, that to secure
this result, our first nuclei are started during fruit bloom in the spring.
For the comparative value of queens reared by this method, see chapter
on'Queen Rearing.'
If bees are too weak in numbers during fruit bloom, or for any other
reason no provision for increase has been made until the advent of the
clover harvest, or the swarming season, we have recourse to P L A N N O . 2:
Remove old queen and one frame of brood (unsealed prefered), placing same in centre of new hive, filling up on either side with frames of
foundation or empty combs. Place new hive on old stand; shake two-

SUCCESS IN

BEE-CULTURE.

21

thirds of bees from old hive in front of new one, and remove old hive to a
new location. On following day, give old stock a queen cell or virgin
queen just hatched; or if these are not at hand, let them rear their own
queen. If you have a supply of fertile queens, introduce such immediately after division is made, as per directions for 'Introducing Queens.'
When this is done, the old colony will soon be in a prosperous condition,
and will store surplus rapidly during any good honey flow; while the new
colony, occupying the old stand, has the old queen, a good force of working bees of all ages; in short, just the class ot bees you would have had in
a natural swarm, with none of the drawbacks and perils of natural swarming. In this connection we may observe that the time required to hive one
natural swarm, will suffice to make three divisions as above described—
quite an item when the apiarist is crowded with work in this, his busy
season. Those who prefer no increase of stock, but wish to devote the
whole energy of the bees to the production of honey, may in our judgment, best secure such a result, by requeening their colonies just before,
or at the beginning of the honey harvest. By this plan we secure the
threefold conditions, so essential to success:—young, vigorous queens,
the non-developement of the swarming impulse, and the highest energy
and sustained industry in honey gathering. From long-continued and
caretully conducted experiments, we unhesitatingly pronounce this method incomparably superior to the use of any of the many forms of nonswarming attachments often recommended by apicultural writers.
In concluding this subject, we may add that queens reared according
to directions given in the chapter on ' Queen Rearing,' show but little tendency to swarm. Especially is this the case when the hives are properly
shaded from the direct rays of the sun, and abundant room for storing
surplus honey be provided. In the same chapter will be found the reasons for such directions herein given for making forced increase of stock,
as are not explained in connection therewith, as they are closely connected with, queen rearing, and come more properly under that head."
In practicing the first plan of artificial increase laid down by " My
Friend," I wish to caution you in regard to protecting the old colony
against any sudden change in the weather, causing a lower temperature,
for you will notice that the parent colony contains much brood, and has
just lost a large force of bees. I would advise arousing the colony, smoking it thoroughly, and leaning a narrow board against the front of the
hive to cause the outgoing workers (after the division) to mark their new
location; thus tending to retain a larger force in the parent colony, than
would otherwise remain. Italian bees will not return to the same extent
as will the Germans. In inserting empty frames, or even frames of foundation, between frames of comb, it often happens that the bees take this
opportunity to enlarge the adjoining combs beyond a proper thickness,
thus making the new comb proportionately thin, greatly to our disadvantage. To avert this difficulty, see that the combs adjoining your frames
of foundation are well brooded, which prevents farther extension of them,
leaving room, to build the new comb to proper thickness. Reversible
frames also aid us in averting the above mentioned difficulty of inserting
frames of foundation between frames Of comb, at will.
The second plan of artificially increasing our colonies, given by " My
Friend," has been practiced by the author to some considerable extent.
I have only to suggest that one-half, rather than " two-thirds " of the bees
be driven from the old colony. This amount, together with the number
that will return to the old location, will balance the old and new colonies
about the same as natural swarming would have done. If the colony has
already taken on the swarming impulse, a greater proportion may be

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SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

driven, but under ordinary circumstances, 1 must caution against driving
more than an estimated one-half of the bees.
The foregoing, is supposing some increase is desired. Regarding the
total prevention of swarming, I know of no sure way to prevent it. I
know of no one who does. It may be greatly discouraged by always giving the colony plenty of room, and keeping the hive well shaded, and doing this before the swarming impulse pervades the colony, all of which
will be described in the chapter on " Hives."
Though I have never practiced the plan of requeening early, as given
above by "My Friend," it is one upon which I look with favor ; more
especially as it has valuable advantages independent of preventing the issuing of swarms.
Centuries have passed since it was known that the queens, drones and
workers varied greatly in size. Based upon this fact, all sorts of devices
have been constructed to control swarming, by preventing the escape of
the queen and subjecting the workers to passages of egress and ingress
too small for the queen to pass through.
I will now endeavor to describe an arrangement I invented ten or
twelve years ago, and laid aside as impracticable. Why impracticable?
Mainly because of the trouble with the drones, (especially in hives where
they were more numerous) almost totally preventing the bees from
ventilating their hives.

In viewing the above cut, imagine yourself looking at a tin box,
14x6x4 inches, with both sides open. (In the cut, one side is up, and the
other down.) You see an angling partition A, passing from one corner
of the tin box to within two inches of the other. This closes the opening
through the box, except the space 2x4. This space is closed by a piece of
tin 2x3f, and the remaining opening, 2x| has a flat tube T of the same dimensions and about 2i inches long, open at each end. The partition A,
and all of that part of the box above the partition, and on the side towards
you, is perforated with round holes made with a punch, with the bur projecting on the outside. The holes are made just large enough to freely
pass a worker bee when empty, and as there is no necessity for laden bees
to pass these holes, they can be somewhat smaller than the ordinary contracted passages, and too small to admit of the passage of one unfertile
queen out of one thousand. This attachment I made when I used the tenframe Standard Langstroth hive with portico. To adapt it to my present hive whose inside dimension across the frames is eleven and one-half
inches, let us imagine it twelve inches long, instead of fourteen inches,

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTUEE.

23

and the left end (as you face it) also perforated. To adjust it to the hive,
we lay the side C on the alighting board, shove it up tightly to the hive,
pushing the tube T into the entrance and under the bottom bar of the
side frame.
The perforations are thickly located; in fact, the tin is almost all holes.
I^ow let us describe the actions of the bees, as we have watched them
many an hour. A worker starts out to the field, he rushes to the entrance,
looks at the new obstacle, accepts the invitation given him by the division
A to pass to the right, goes down near the corner, slips through a hole,
takes a look at the new order of things, sees that he is in the right church,
that the pew is only newly ornamented, and strikes out for the field.
Another, and another, and another follow in rapid succession, all passing
out near the corner, induced by the position of the angling partition A.
The inner end of the tube T, being within the hive and quite dark comparatively, only about one worker in one hundred passes out through i t ;
besides it is constantly in use, by those passing in.
By this time the " nectar-laden bees " begin to return. Of course they
propose to enter at the point of exit. They look at the holes. Sometimes
stick their heads into one. The u grain " of this hole, you remember runs
the wrong way, besides it is so small as to be poorly adapted to the tired
and swollen-bodied, laden worker, even if passed the other way.
Once again the angling partition invites the little worker to the right,
which invitation he immediately accepts, and passes through the tube T.
You will readily conceive that this tube is large enough to admit of the
passage of the working force of the strongest colony, because the current
flows all one way. (I think we used a tapering tube, it being only about
one and one-half or one and one-fourth inches wide at the inner end.) In
two or three hours, the bees seemed to have perfectly learned the attachment, and accept it cheerfully, almost the entire force passing out and in
at the respective places designed for egress and ingress.
I have again the p'ast season, used the above attachment, also another
made by Mr. Alley, of Massachusetts, and a new one of my own construction, embodying the " angling partition " principle, together with the cone,
as used by Mr. Alley to trap drones, and the queen when the bees swarm.
I cannot say that I consider any of these attachments practical, and I do
not think they will ever come into general use. I may be mistaken, and
give this only as my opinion, and leave this principle to be experimented
with by any and all who have a desire to do so.
What is far more desirable, and I think desired, by most of my readers, is the
P R E V E N T I O N OF AFTER-SWARMS.

My name has become associated with a plan for the above purpose,
which works perfectly with myself and others, and has been described
in our apicultural papers, and which I quote as follows, from GLEANINGS, of June 15, 1885, page 414:
HEDDON'S METHOD OF PREVENTING AFTER-SWARMS.

" Several have reported success in preventing after-swarms, by simply hiving the prime swarm on the old stand, and removing the old hive to
a new location. They claimed the cause of success to rest in the fact that
this removal drained the old hive of a larger proportion of its bees, especially the older portion; and so when the young queens came to hatch, the

24

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

bees would find themselves too few in numbers to swarm, and all supernumerary queens would be destroyed, and thus no after-swarming would
take place. The theory is correct, but I found that it did not go far
enough to insure success. I added to it by practicing the following:
About eight days after a colony casts a prime swarm, the queen-cells,
that were left behind to requeen the old colony, begin to hatch. The first
queen out instinctively scents danger from rival queens that will soon
hatch from the other queen-cells; so she at once attempts to destroy her
rivals by stinging them before they come out for even battle. The bees
seem to dislike this act of depravity, and to postpone bloodshed they divide up, a part coming out with this queen (sometimes two or more
queens) while the rest remain to await the hatching of the other cells.
Thus we get after-swarms. They seem to be Jack-at-a-pinch swarms,
and not the fulfillment of natural desires, as are prime swarms.
Many times several of these after-swarms are cast, and it often seems
that they never would cease as long as the queen-cells hold out, and the
old colony could furnish workers to make up these little swarms. We
have been advised to stop this after-swarming by clipping all the queencells but one, soon after the prime swarm issues. This method is a good
one in theory; but in practice, bee-keepers have found that too often the
cell left, will fail to hatch. Oftener the bee-master fails to get all clipped
but one, and out comes his second swarm when he is least expecting it.
Practical honey-producers are asking for something else, and here is
the system of management that I adopted some years ago, and advocated,
and one which W. Z. Hutchinson and others have tried and reported successful.
Let us suppose that colony No. 8 swarms June 15. With a non-erasive crayon we mark upon the hive,' O, June 15,' and on the hive in which
we put the swarm,' S, June 15.' Thus we distinguish the old colony from
the swarm at a glance, as we make these marks in large characters.
When we hive the swarm (always on full sheets of wired foundation),
we place it on the old stand, moving the old colony a few inches to the
north (our hives front east), with its entrance turned northward, away
from its swarm about forty-five degrees. As soon as the new colony is
well at work, having their location well marked (say two days), we turn
the old colony back parallel with the new one. Now both hives face east,
sitting close beside each other. While each colony now recognizes its own
hive, they are, as regards all other colonies, on one and the same stand.
The dates on the back ends of the hives indicate that second swarming may be looked for about June 23. About two or three days before
that date, and when the bees are well at work in the fields, we remove the
old hive to a new location in another part of the apiary. This depopulates the old colony, giving the force to the new, leaving too few bees in
the old one for the young ' Misses' to divide; and as they at once recognize this fact, they fight it out on the line of ' the survival of the fittest.'
Remember, that you are to remove the old hive to its final location,
when the workers are mostly in the field, and move it carefully, so that
very few old bees carried away with it will mark the new location.
It is supposable, that when the old colony swarmed it contained two
or three tiers of surplus sections, more or less completed. It is well to at
once place part of them on the swarm; and when the final removal of the
old colony is made, the rest may also be placed there; in which case there
will be no loss of surplus by robbing the old colony of so many bees—not
if your hives are properly constructed, arranged and manipulated.
The old colony contains no very young brood, and very many newly
hatched bees, so there will be no loss of brood by this operation—not iii
swarming time, in this locality and latitude.
In six to ten days the old colony will have a fertile queen, as a rule,
and become quite populous, when surplus receptacles may be adjusted
to it.
In my practice with this method, and the practice of many others who
have used it, I am not aware of one instance of failure. The plan embraces the advantages of speed and certainty. It is done in half the time

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

25

you are reading this chapter. There is no hunting for queens or queencells, or even opening the hives. It needs only to be properly executed to
be appreciated.
If we are going to produce cheap honey at a profit, all our operations
must be executed by just such simple, practical and successful methods.
We must manipulate hives more and frames less. All our hives must be
readily movable, and we must make everything work as nearly automatic
as possible, and turn out first-class surplus honey."
I do not practice what is called'" Clipping the Queen," which consists
of cutting away part of one of her wings, so that when she issues with a
swarm, she cannot fly, for I have found in my locality and surroundings,
such clipping only complicates the troubles of natural increase, and thai;
the bees are apt to forever be more or less jealous of the presence of a
wing-clipped queen. With them, they are more apt to swarm, or supercede them.

CHAPTER VIII.
Queen Rearing*.
Of all my acquaintance, I know of no man that I believe to be as well
versed in this branch of our pursuit, as " My Friend," who has at my solicitation, penned the following, based upon years of extensive experience
in queen rearing:
. " A bee is a bee, and that's all there is of it.' How often in the past have
we heard this idea advanced in some form or other, while at the present
time it is by no means uncommon. In support of the advanced ideas of
to-day, regarding the breeding of bees, we may cite the wonderful progress that has been made in the breeding of our domestic animals; the improved milk and butter qualities of our cows, the beauty and speed of the
horse, the docility and sagacity of the dog, the fattening qualities of the
hog, the prolificness of fowls, and the almost numberless other instances
of progress in the same direction. Yet we are met by the same incredulous smile accompanying the old observation, ' Oh ! yes, but a bee is only
a bee.' Let us see how much of truth there may be in this hackneyed phrase.
If we accompany the owner of an apiary who has paid little or no attention
to this subject of breeding, we will find a yard, the bees of which, possess
characteristics differing widely from each other. Here we find a stock,
peaceable and industrious, close by another that is very belligerent, seemingly anticipating, and always ready for an attack. A third one that has
made a ' two-forty' record in the line of swarming, yet others that are
good comb builders and honey gatherers, having c made their pile' of surplus, while this one is weak in numbers and generally valueless, and that
one always ready to rob its neighbor of its honeyed stores, or follow
the apiarist about, with a tenacity and venom that makes life (in a beeyard) miserable. And shall we say in this age of rapid progress and wonderful achievements, that the apiarist can do nothing to remedy such a state
of affairs? That while his brothers in other pursuits are steadily surmounting the obstacles that lie in their pathway, he is powerless to unlock the secrets of nature and use them to his own advantage? Our only
answer is, that everything depends upon the apiarist. If he bring the
same skill, tact and perseverance, to his work, as has been shown in other
pursuits, success will crown his efforts; otherwise he must remain content with the same heterogeneous traits of apis melifica, already enumer-

26

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

ated. Granting that a better condition of affairs is alike devisable and
obtainable, what is the royal highway that will bear us to the long sought
goal?
Briefly stated, we may say that the law of evolution, as applied to
species, is the basis of the superstructure which we wish to build. Discrimination in selection and careful breeding, will give results that will
amply recompense us for the time and expense necessary for the elimiation
of undesirable traits, and the attainment of those characteristics which are
now so generally conceded to be especially desirable. The first step is the selection of queens for breeding. For this purpose,1 choose such as have
proven prolific, keeping the brood chamber well anc compactly filled, under adverse, as well as favorable conditions, and whose worker progeny
are hardy, peaceable and industrious, adhere well to the combs in handling, defend themselves against enemies, are good comb-builders and not
only maintain, but show a marked tendency for improvement of these
qualities in their queen progeny. Those who have had large and extended experience in queen-rearing, can appreciate the importance of this last
mentioned tendency. And just here we would say, that we consider the
selection of drones for fertilization, as an important factor in the successful solution of this problem. They too, should be reared from such stocks
as show in the highest degree, those traits which we wish to establish.
Having selected our breeding stock, the measure of success that shall attend our efforts, will materially depend upon the skill by which they are
directed, inasmuch as the methods employed must radically affect the final
results. We are often reminded that nature must be our guide, if we
would achieve success in this branch of apiculture. In some measure this
is true, and yet nature is often faulty in her processes; defeating the cherished result we are earnestly striving to gain. Having long appreciated
the importance of this fact, as applied to the subject in hand, we submit
our favorite method of rearing queens—one which has given us the most
uniform and satisfactory results.
Before doing this, however, we wish to say just a word relative to the
existing prejudice against what has been termed 'forced queens.' Many
years ago, that close observer and able writer, the late M. Quimby, wrote
an excellent article upon this same subject, in which, after detailing his
methods and recommending a little box and a handful of bees for the purpose, asks this question—'Have I made it plain now7, that'brood and
nurses can be economically adjusted?' We quote the above to show that
Mr. Quimby, although an eminent practical apiarist, made the same mistake, so often committed by others, in supposing that because a small
quantity of bees can construct queen-cells, that they are capable of doing
the work as well as bees that are in a normal condition. In the light, not
only of our own past experience, but that of many others as well, we
would broadly state as a rule, whose exceptions are exceedingly rare, that
fully developed queens cannot be reared by bees so situated as to be in a
sluggish, abnormal condition. If we desire success, this condition must
be avoided, and here is our way of doing it:
From your breeding stock,*' select a comb of just hatching larvae, placing it in the center of an empty hive; upon either side of this comb, put
two combs partially filled with honey, and if they contain some pollen, so
much the better. Your hive will now contain five combs, four of honey
and pollen, and one of larvae. Outside of these combs, place a 'dummy 7
or ' filler,' as a protection against extremes of temperature, fc'we place
this hive for queen-rearing, upon the stand of some strong colony, brushing off the bees from two or three combs, into it, and removing said colony to a new location. This gives an abundant working force of bees, of
all ages, in the same location to which they have been accustomed, and
being deprived of their queen, will immediately proceed to the rearing of
the queen-cells to supply her loss. Twelve days afterwards, these cells
will begin to hatch and the young queens can then be given to strong
nuclei, where they are to remain until fertilized and laying. To secure
laryse of uniform age, insert a frame of worker comb in your breeding
stock or stocks, four days before you wish to start cells. The number and

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

27

location of queen-cells may be partially determined in advance, by simply
breaking down with the point of a knife, the lower partition of a cell containing the larvse you wish developed, and the two cells immediately beneath it. The months of May, June, July and August, are the most favorable for queen-rearing in this locality, and to secure best results, cells
should be started during a good, or moderately good, honey flow. We
may add, that giving the bees a comb of eggs and larvse, ten days after
cells are started, is highlv advantageous. The modus operandi of this
method is simple, producing the very choicest of queens—vigorous and
finely developed. They mav be allowed to hatch and then run in at the
entrance of a nucleus or full colony, that has been queenless twenty-four
hours, smoking the bees moderately at the same time. Queens reared by
this method, while equal in point of vigor and every other desirable characteristic to any reared naturally under the ' swarming impulse,' differ
widely from this latter class in one important feature, viz.:—in being disinclined to lead out natural swarms. From close observation and a somewhat extended experience with queens reared by this method, I fully believe that the swarming instinct may be practically bred out of our bees,
and at the same time perfect their other desirable qualities. This we deem
to bean important feature, facilitating and simplifying the labor of the
apiarist during the busy season, enabling him to secure far better results
in honey production, with less labor, worry and general friction."
In my opinion the above generalities given by " My Friend," embrace
some of the grandest truths upon which successful apiculture is based.
Especially is this true of what he says regarding the possibilities of improving our stock. I have never been so fully impressed with this great
truth, as now, after again going through a campaign with two hundred
colonies of bees (spring count) one-half of which were purchased of four
different apiarists.
Before giving you a detailed outline of our preferred method of queenrearing, one which we are now practicing with very satisfactory success
I wish to again call your attention to the important truth, that in apiculture as well as other lines of culture, art, if properly applied, may excel nature. I believe we get better queens and more of them, by the following
process, than nature gives us through her system of natural swarming.
Once I could hardly be made to believe this, but experience has forced
me to recognize the fact.
We proceed to rear queens as follows:
First, we select the colony we wish to rear from. Its bees must have
proven themselves to be excellent honey gatherers, good comb-builders,
and well-behaved; adhering well to their combs when handled. Their queen
must never be less than one year old, and such a queen, producing bees as
described, is a " tested queen," with us. When we are ready to begin operations, we select one or two new empty combs, and insert them near the
center of the brood-nest of our selected colony. On the fourth day after
this insertion, we examine them, and almost without exception we find
them containing eggs, and just hatching larvae. (If not, we leave them
until we do.) We now remove them, filling their place with other combs.
We now look these two combs over, and wherever we find larvae just
hatched, we break down the partitions between the cells containing them
and those just below, as described, by putting the point of a large blade
into the chosen cell, about one-fourth of an inch, and pressing downward
as we withdraw it, We usually select ten or twenty such cells on each
comb, and then insert these two combs in a colony prepared as follows:

28

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

Select a colony of average strength, with bees of all ages, in average
normal quantities, and deprive them of their queen and all their brood,both of which may be profitably placed in other colonies, as a rule. If
these bees are German or part German, they are just so much better as
queen-rearers. If there is little or no honey flow, contract the hive to five
L combs, or one section of our new hive. If the former, put in the fillersPut in two combs of eggs in the center, and a comb containing some honey and bee-bread on each side of them, and fill up with empty combs. If
there is a honey flow, fill the whole L hive with combs, or use a second section, or super, on my new hive. Close the hive, and queen-cell building will
at once begin. Twenty-four hours later you may open the hive, and break
down some more cells, where the eggs have hatched since you was last
there. On the following day, you may repeat cell breaking, and you will
get from forty to seventy-five large, perfect queen-cells, built by this colony. The first of these cells may be expected to hatch sixteen days after
the queen laid the eggs in the combs, or twelve days after you placed them
with the cell-building colony. About two days before this, and after all
the cells are capped, we remove these two combs to the lamp nursery, in
which we place them, keeping the temperature therein at eighty-five to
ninety degrees, Fahrenheit.
For the benefit of those who may never have seen the lamp nursery\
I will say that it consists of an open top tin box, double all around, including the bottom, and the one and one-half inch space is filled with water.
It has a rabbet at the top, and is of the interior size of the ten-frame L.
hive. It is made by Mr. Root, of Medina, Ohio, and costs, including lamp
and thermometer, five dollars. We place it on an open top box, made
to fit it, and place the lamp below it, adjusting the blaze, until the proper
temperature in the nursery is reached, then insert the two combs, when
it is covered with a board or carpet. We use the nursery in our apiary
cellar, and when the proper nursery temperature is once reached, we are
thus enabled to hold it within one degree all the twenty-four hours, day
after day and week after week. Many would think that the proper temperature to keep, would be that kept in a colony while rearing and hatching queens. Careful observation and experimenting has taught us that
there is a great variation of the temperature in queen-rearing colonies,
varying with different colonies, and at different times of day and in different seasons, and that the average of all these variations is too high a temperature to keep in the nursery to have the queens come out with the
most vigor. For this reason and from comparison, we believe the lamp
nursery superior to any hive in which to hatch capped queen-cells. We
have never seen coming from any hive from natural swarming, so many
in number, or such uniformly large and vigorous queens, each one looking precisely like the others, as we bring forth from the lamp nursery and
method of rearing, above presented. A perfect honey dearth is something we never have here, late years during the time of queen-rearing,
since our bees work so much on red clover, and the pleurisy, spoken of under
the head of " Honey Plants." But had we such dearth, we should practice
stimulative feeding upon the cell-building colony. We will now proceed
to outline our preferred method of
FORMING N U C L E I

in which to place these queens for further development and fecundation.

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

29

It is only necessary to form a small colony of bees with comb and
brood in proportion, in which to place these queens, as fast as they hatch
from the nursery, where they may spend a few days exercising for developement, then fly out to meet the drones, returning to the hives fertile
queens, beginning to lay in a day or two, when they may be removed to
hives where needed, or placed in mailing cages and shipped to customers.
Our plan which we have practiced all the season, with uniform success, is so simple that we have smiled upon reading many laborious, complicated methods, laid down in some of our bee periodicals.
It is always about swarming time when we begin queen-rearing, and
we form our nuclei, as follows:
We select one of our strongest and best brooded colonies, dividing it
as described by " My Friend," under head of " Increase," plan No. 2, deviating only in so much as we place only about one-third of the bees with
the old queen on the old stand. This leaves us two-thirds of the bees, and
seven frames of brood, with which to form nuclei. These may be divided
into at least four good nucleus colonies, by placing two frames of brood,
(one extra frame of brood may be taken from any other colony that can
spare it) and two empty combs in each of four hives, dividing the bees and
brood as nearly equal as possible, between them, placing them in any part
of the apiary you may choose. (It is better to remove them some little
distance from the parent stock.)
Many will now inqure what is to prevent them from deserting our nuclei, and returning to the old stand? We place a filler just outside of our
fourth empty comb, and block the entrance down to the passage of four
or five bees. We place our two combs of brood between the two empty
combs—all four combs occupying the regular space between one side of
hive and filler. We smoke and arouse the bees thoroughly when removed,
and lean a narrow board up against the front end of the hive, that the bees
must fly out around, in making their exit. This causes them to mark the
new location, and return to it, to a great extent.
You will remember that one-half of our bees may leave each nucleus
and yet leave as many bees with the brood as are usually left in cases of
natural swarming, and fully as many as are needed to take care of the
brood and form a suitable home for our young queens. In our experience
we have in many instances, retained too many bees, in which case we have
shaken part of them back with the colony on the old stand.
Should this colony previously have decided to swarm, nearly all the
bees would remain with your nuclei.
1 am aware that the experiences of different apiarists, in different locations, differ. The above precautions are all that we ever find necessary
here. Should you not find them sufficient in your practice, I believe that
the following additional precautions will guarantee success with any bees,
anywhere, and they are practical, speedy and simple :
When you first remove the newly formed nuclei to their stands, instead of giving them their liberty, completely close the entrance to their
hives with wire screen. Do not at that time insert the filler, but give them
full liberty of the whole brood-chamber, and in addition, a surplus case
or extracting super, above—which will give them plenty of air while confined to the hive, which should be shaded from the sun's rays.

30

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

Form these nuclei in the forenoon, keeping them confined until about
sundown, or just as your other bees are ceasing to fly. Now drum on the
hive and smoke in the entrance a few minutes, after which remove the
screen at the entrance, letting your confined bees have a flight, when they
nearly all mark their new location, remaining at the same, if these, in addition to the other precautions, are used.
OUR METHOD OF INTRODUCING

these virgin queens, as fast as they hatch in the nursery, is as follows :
Watch the nursery closely, so that the queens will not get old enough to
kill each other, or bite open the unhatched cells and destroy the inmates.
We go to ours and examine for hatched queens, about five times per day,
going as early and late as we are up, so as to make the interval during the
night, between examinations, as short as possible. We have not as yet,
had a queen destroyed. When you find one or more hatched, place each
in a wire cloth cage, and carry her to one of your previously formed nuclei; smoke the guards, and removing the stopper from the cage, place
the open end at the entrance of the nucleus, and let her run in. Just as
she passes in, send a light puff of smoke after her, and leave the hive with
your empty cage. I think that the less you arouse the colony, the surer
you are of success. I advise the use of no more smoke than to make sure
of subduing the guards.
There has been some discussion regarding the best age of the nucleus,
at the time the young queen is run in. Some consider such introducing
safe, only after the nuclei have their queen-cells capped, which will be
from three to six days after they are formed, but I have always endeavored to get a young queen in, sometime between twenty-four and fortyeight hours after formation. I have in many instances failed to have my
queens on hand as soon as I intended, and have this season run queens
into nuclei of all ages, from six hours to as many days, and I think not a
single failure has beset our efforts. We have found about one in fifteen
of our nuclei, queenless, but as we seldom look after these matters previous to a week after introducing, and have in no case found queen-cells
on the combs, I infer that these queens were accepted, but were lost
on their mating trip or otherwise, afterwards.
I wish to caution the less experienced, against opening a hive " to see
how the queen is coming on," or for any other purpose, if it can well be
avoided, within six or seven days after the introduction of any queen. 1
have received many letters from my customers, like this :
" I received your queen, apparently all right. I introduced her safely,
and found eggs the next day after liberating, but now I cannot find her,
and queen-cells are started."
Bees seem to receive a new queen on probation for the first three or
four days, and if during the time, they are subjected to any disturbance, they suspect the strange queen as the cause, and at once destroy her.
I have had colonies kill their old mother, upon having their hives opened.
This always took place in spring.
If for any reason it becomes necessary to open a hive, soon after introducing a queen to its colony, by use of the big volume of smoke, desscribed under the head of " Bee Smokers," be sure that you subdue this
colony most thoroughly.

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

31

In introducing fertile queens, I have adopted the caging plan, and
that of besmearing the new queen with honey, and dropping her into the
hive at once, upon the removal of the old queen, and with both methods
have very seldom lost a queen; but what may be a better and surer method of introduction, is one practiced by u My Friend," who gives it in his
own words, as follows:
"While absolute, unvarying success is unattainable, as a rule, our American bee-keepers have sought some method of introducing laying queens,
that would always insure success. Many plans have been proposed, which
in practice, have given a greater or less degree of satisfaction. Still, the
percentage of failures, has I believe, been sufficient to give the' operator a
thorough feeling of apprehension, whenever introducing a valuable queen
to a colony of bees. After trying the caging plan, confining the queen
from two to four, or even more days, resulting in many cases in the loss of
costly queens, I became convinced that some method of immediate introduction was essential to complete success. I at once began to experiment with this end in view, and. hit upon a method with which we have
not had even a single failure, although largely practiced for the past ten
years. Here is the way we do it :
Kemove the queen from the colony to which you wish to introduce,
then thoroughly spray the bees and combs, and new queen, with sweetened water, scented with peppermint. Let the queen crawl in with the bees,
close the hive, and the work is done. We make this scented mixture, by
adding half a pound of powdered or granulated sugar to a quart of cold
water, and a half teaspoon of essence of peppermint, thoroughly stirring
together before using. Apply by sprinkling with a small brush broom.
With a particularly choice or valuable queen, we usually divide a colony
as per .plan ~No. 2, given under head of 'Increase;' spray our queen and
the bees in the old colony that has been removed to a new location, and
let the queen run in as before. In this case there are no returning bees
from the fields, that were not scented, while the strength of the colony has
been reduced just enough to give the queen a proper chance to recover
from her journey (if she has been obtained from some dealer at a distance)
and resume her accustomed ; gait,' at laying. I am satisfied that many
fine, prolific queens are superceded by very strong stocks, on account of
laying sparingly the first few days after their introduction.
The philosophy of the success of this plan, is that the colony does not
realize it has been queenless, for it has not; it is simply an exchange of
queens, so performed that the bees do not recognize the transaction. To
absolute safety, we add the advantage of immedaite liberty to the introduced queen, and resumption of her labors, which is especially desirable
in case of imported queens, or those having come long distances. We
have always introduced our imported queens in this manner, with the same
uniform success. This spraying method has been used and recommended
by several of our best apiarists, and I only lay special stress upon the application of the principle as above delineated, because of its perfect success in my own apiary."

CHAPTER IX.
Italianizing*.
The changing of black or native bees to the Italians, is called Italianizing. This is accomplished by simply removing the old queen and introducing an Italian in her place; directions for which are given under head

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SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

of " Introducing Queens." If you have not a supply of laying queens for
this purpose, just hatched virgin queens, as a rule, may safely be run in
at the entrance of any colony whose queen has been removed twTenty-four
hours before, if bees are gathering honey at the time. Colonies that have
cast prime swarms, will invariably accept such virgin queens any time
from an hour to four days afterward, and thus prevent the issue.of all
after-swarms. In this way, black bees in box hives, that have swarmed,
may be easily Italianized. Full and explicit directions for obtaining these
virgin queens, may be found under the head of a Queen Bearing."

CHAPTER X.
Transferring.
As I cannot advise the practice, I will not describe the old method of
transferring bees, by opening the hives, cutting out the combs full of
brood and honey, and covered with bees, cutting them in pieces to fill, or
partially fill different shapes of frames, tying them into the same, and
finally ending with a very imperfect job compared with that given us by
the new method, which has been published in some of the papers and given the name of
MODERN T R A N S F E R R I N G ,

which I believe has been credited by common consent to the author.
I will now tell you how I accomplish this perfect change of a colony,
from one hive to another, by quoting from my article on page 562 of
GLEANINGS, for

1885:

About swarming time I take one of my Liangstroth hives, containing
eight Given pressed wired frames of foundation, and, with smoker in hand,
I approach the hive to be transferred. First, I drive the old queen and a
majority of the bees into my hiving-box. I then remove the old hive a
few feet backward, reversing the entrance, placing the new one in its
place, and run in the forced swarm. In two days I find eight new straight
combs with every cell worker, and containing a good start of brood.
Twenty-one days after the transfer I drive the old hive clean of all its
bees, uniting them with the former drive, and put on the boxes if they are
not already on. If there is any nectar in the flowers, this colony will
show you comb honey. I run them together as I would one colony in two
parrs. Now to the old beeless hive. Of course, there is no brood left,
unless a little drone-brood, and we have before us some combs for wax,
for more foundation, and some first-class kindling-wood.
If you have no method by which you can use a hive full of frames of
full sheets of foundation, running a prime swarm onto them at once, by all
means procure it without delay. But if any one has a mania for cutting
up combs and fitting them into frames, the method given above does not
prohibit them from using all the straight worker-combs the old hive contains, after first extracting the honey from them. Should any one wish
to increase his colonies at the same time he transfers, only the following
deviations from the above are necessary: Run the second drive into another hive of full frames of foundation, and use the old hive as before.
Now that we have foundation perfected, so that the bees will draw the
lines or side walls to full breeding depth, in from two to three days, why
fuss with the old comb from the old hive? Plaving once experienced the

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

33

advantages to be attained by using the above method, I shall certainly
never go back to the old one. All of you know what a nuisance a few oddsized hives are in the apiary; also some who have just started, wish they
had adopted some other style of hive. The above method of transferring
will get all such out of their trouble.
*
The cost of foundation and new hives is fully made up by the, better
combs, and you have the change to better style of hive thrown into the
bargain. I have thoroughly tested the results of the plan herein described, and am speaking from experience.
We have just practiced the above upon seventy-two colonies, and
without a failure or mishap of any sort. I purchased sixteen colonies of
bees ; that is, I purchased the bees, brood and honey, with the agreement
that I should return the hives and empty combs, which I have done. We
made each one cover two sets of combs in two brood-chambers, with two
queens, besides the surplus sets used above for extracting, and all are
rousing strong. When you plan to double your colonies, you remove the
old colony to an entirely new location, when you make the first drive. It
is now my opinion, that, even without the use of comb foundation, in the
days when we had none, this plan of transferring would have been the
preferable one. As we are cutting out the old comb for wax, we transfer
any that we find, that are perfect,' now that they are all clear from bees,
and brood, after first extracting all the honey from them."

CHAPTER XI.
Fertile Workers.
" It sometimes occurs, that a colony of bees becomes hopelessly queenless. By this we mean that they not only do not possess a queen, but have
neither eggs nor larvse from which to rear one. When this state of affairs
obtains, fertile workers usually make their appearance, to the great annoyance of the apiarist. I have never been able to distinguish these bees
from the ordinary workers. Unlike a fertile queen, they do not lay their
eggs compactly in the combs, but scatter them about promiscously, always preferring drone cells, and usually depositing from two to six eggs
in a single cell. As a rule, only a small portion of the cells are occupied,
although in several instances I have known a set of eight L combs to be
pretty well filled with eggs, in from twenty-four to forty-eight hours, and
averaging at least two eggs for every unoccupied cell contained in these
combs. These eggs develope in the usual way, but if laid in workercomb, the cells are lengthened and the capping is unusually convex, invariably producing dwarf drones. If the apiarist be vigilant and watchful,
fertile workers will seldom appear; but when once established in a colony, they have proven a great annoyance, from the fact that bees seem
determined to accept neither queen-cells, or fertile or virgin queens. By
experimenting however, I have discovered an easy solution to this problem of quickly disposing of them. Insert one or two combs of hatching
bees, in the colony. Two days thereafter give them a frame of eggs and
larvse, and on the following day, queen-cells, or a fertile or even a virgin
queen may be introduced, as per directions elsewhere given for introducing queens. This plan is simple, requires little time and has given us uniform and complete success, as the young hatching bees invariably dispose
of all fertile-workers."
" My Eriend's " assurance of so easy a method of disposing of fertileworkers, was quite unlooked for, and is a happy surprise to me. Tie informs me that it has never failed with him, and I hope that it is one of
the rules that is not confined to any one special location, but will give us
the comfort and satisfaction that he has received from it.

34

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTUEE.

My former method of disposing of these egg-laying workers, has been
to drum on their hive, and smoke them, until they were all well filled with
honey, then place some new or weak colony, with brood and fertile queen
in their place, carrying them away to the woods, or some field, twenty or
forty rods from the apiary, and brushing the bees clean from the hive and
combs, and scattering them as I brushed, when they would rise and return to the old stand, enter the new hive thereon, and all would go well,
when I would give their combs to some strong colony to take care of.
With this method I have never met a failure or mishap, and I have always practiced it, in the few cases I have had. However, I should much
prefer the new method, and next season shall test it as far as these peculiar cases furnish opportunity, trusting that I may meet with the same
success as has u My Friend."

\

C H A P T E R XII.
Feeding-.
"The practice of feeding bees to stimulate the rearing of brood, is one,
in my opinion, of very doubtful policy. I am aware that it is very often
urged that the feeding of bees in early spring, during any period of honey
dearth in the summer, or late in the autumn, to promote breeding, and
thereby secure increase of numbers in the colony, will materially enhance
the prosperity of the bees, and add to the income of the owner. I believe
this theory is based upon a false premise. Years ago I tested it fully and
faithfully, and found in every instance that I had "had my labor for my
pains." I am unable to speak for those who advocate—and I suppose
practice—natural swarming and the rearing of queens under the swarming impulse, or that other class recommending unscientific and clumsy
methods of obtaining ' forced queens,' but, with queens bred as advised
in ' Queen Rearing,' in this work, my own hives are kept well filled with
brood every season, from April until October. Locality may, and doubtless does, have something to do with this question; and yet my own location is not a good one for honey, certainly not above, if as good as the average. If a colony is deficient in stores, and the adjacent flora yields no
nectar, feeding of course must be resorted to; but even in this case, the
addition of combs of sealed honey is preferable, if they are at command.
It often occurs that the brood-chamber contains too much honey in early
spring, thereby circumscribing the area occupied by the queen. This may
be easily remedied, by drawing a broad knife-blade (a case knife will do)
across the comb surface with sufficient pressure to break the capping, and
the honey contained in such combs will speedily be converted into brood.
This process should be commenced upon combs immediately adjoining
the outside combs of brood, and if combs containing brood have much
honey at the ends or in the upper part of the frames, they should be treated
in like manner. Later in the season, when bees have begun to work in
surplus receptacles, reversing the combs will more easily, quickly and
speedily accomplish the desired result. If in autumn, bees have not
enough stores for wintering, and their owner cannot supply the deficiency with sealed combs of honey, feeding again becomes necessary. Mr.
Heddon's new feeder (see chapter on l Apiarian Implements,') is a perfect
success for this purpose, and, I may add, for all purposes where feeding
ever becomes necessary or advisable. Good, pure, well ripened honey, or
sugar syrup, make the best of winter stores. We make this latter feed

SUCCESS IN

BEE-CULTURE.

35

by adding four pounds of good, clear hot rain water, to ten pounds of
sugar, stirring constantly, until dissolved. Before removing from the fire,
add an even teaspoon of tartaric acid, previously dissolved, for every ten
pounds of sugar used, stirring briskly for a few moments to secure its
even and thorough admixture. If the temperature of this syrup be about
ninety degrees Fahrenheit, when fed, it will be speedily stored and capped over by the bees. I believe the best results are attained where the
least time has been consumed, in feeding for winter stores. This feeding
should never be done so late in the season as to preclude the bees flying
freely for several days, after the final completion of storing and sealing
of the food in the combs.
Another phase of this feeding problem, that has attracted some attention throughout the country, remains for our consideration. I refer
to the feeding of liquid honey to be stored in sections, or in other words,
the conversion of extracted, into comb honey, for market. That this can
be accomplished, there remains no doubt. I have done it myself for the
past four seasons, but with greatly varying results. The main question,
in fact the only one with which we have to deal, is, is it profitable? Will it
pay for the labor and expense involved? I will frankly say that this is a
conundrum which I cannot answer. The feeding of several tons of extracted honey, furnishes no key for its solution. I have fed when it seemed
as though perfect success was'assured, and again, under precisely similar
conditions for aught I could see, it was altogether a failure. I am at
present inclined to the belief that there is a law underlying the storing of
honey, which none of us have yet compassed, and until more definite
knowledge regarding it and the conditions of success are obtained, I am
forced to regard feeding for this purpose, unadvisable. It is barely possible that feeding to secure the completion of unfinished sections, may
pay, and thus prove the exception to the rule above given."
My experience, like that of u My Friend," as given in the foregoing,
is, that as far as receiving any benefits from "stimulative feeding," I
don't think I should keep a bee-feeder in my apiary.
As long as a colony has plenty of stores, or we have combs of honey to
give them, I prefer scarifying the caps of their honey (or what I think is
better, reversing their combs) to any other system of stimulation.
Remember, that in this process of scarifying the caps over the cells
of sealed honey, it must not be done to an extent disproportionate to the
strength of the colony. It need not be done so as to cause the combs to drip,
to any considerable extent.
In passing the blade over the caps, keep the advanced edge of the
blade off! the comb, merely rubbing down the caps which will be sufficient to cause the bees to remove them for repairs, which when once begun
will end in converting much of the honey into brood.
"My Friend's" formula for sugar syrup for winter stores, contemplates feeding sufficiently early r,hat the bees may have time to evaporate
some of the water from the feed.
To make a syrup that will be when done, of the consistency of well
ripened honey, only a scant three pounds of water should be used to every
ten pounds of granulated sugar. I have never used more than one-half
the amount of tartaric acid mentioned by "My Friend," but he assures
me that his practical experience favors that amount.
I believe Father Quimby among his last labors, was experimenting regarding mixing acid with the winter stores of bees, as a preventive of bee
diarrhoea, and was forming the opinion that it was well to use it in considerable q uantity.
I think there can be no harm in using it in the quantity mentioned,

36

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

and some brands of sugar need a great deal, to warrant no tendency
towards re-crystalization.
While I prefer to have the winter stores capped over, I have known
cases of successful wintering where hardly any of the stores were sealed.
For three years I have experimented with feeding back extracted honey
to complete partly finished sections, and also to produce comb-honey from
extracted, using full sheets of foundation in the sections.
" My Friend " has expressed my opinions forced upon me by my experiments. I am far from advising such a practice.
To profitably produce comb-honey at the probable prices of the future,
we cannot afford to do all our work twice over. We must make the bees
do as much of the work as possible, using only such implements and fixtures as will accomplish the object sought, with the least care and labor
on our part. We must depend more upon the qualities of our bees, practical adaptability of our implements, skill of manipulation and excellence
of our honey field.
In some instances, with the weather and every thing just right, combined with a thorough knowledge of all the known laws governing the operation, "Feeding Back" to complete unfinished sections, might be advisable ; yet it will generally be found best to extract such as are not finished sufficiently fit for market, carefully preserving the combs to be used
during the most copious honey flow, of the following season. I t certainly is best for most honey producers, to leave this question to be settled by
those who are best able, and most suitably situated to experiment, for
this is, apparently, one of the knottiest of all the unsolved apicultural
problems.
,

CHAPTER XIII.
Robbing*.
" Among the annoyances experienced by the apiarist, in the practical
management of bees, this one of robbing, often plays an important part;
especially is this true where Italian and black colonies, and crosses between'them, are kept in large numbers, in the same yard; and if kept in
adjoining locations, this difficulty is greatly intensified. The observance
of a few simple rules, will I feel sure, largely mitigate this annoyance, or
prevent it altogether. The oft-repeated injunction to 'keep all stocks
strong in numbers,' is a good one, yet of still greater importance is it, in
this respect, never to allow your colonies to long remain in a queenless
condition. A small colony of bees, normally conditioned-—that is, having
a queen, sufficient stores and brood in all stages of developement—4s far
less liable to be interviewed by the omnipresent robber, than one of four
times its working force that is hopelessly queenless. Again, the entrances
of all hives, should be sized to correspond with the working force it contains ; especially during a moderate yield of nectar, and still more especially, immediately following the cessation of a good honey flow, like the
bass wood harvest, where gathering is often suddenly checked. The manipulation of extracted combs that contained basswood honey, especially,

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

37

at such times, requires, the greatest degree of caution. The same holds
equally true of extracted combs of the previous season, that are again
brought into use for the first time. In this, as in many other of the practical affairs of life, a small amount of prevention, is of more value than a
large quantity of cure, however potent the remedy may be.
Only those apiarists can appreciate the full force of this suggestion,
who, through accident or other cause, have had this robbing propensity
thoroughly aroused, and experienced the pandemonium state of affairs
that ensued. Surely, then came the time when all was not l quiet upon the
Potomac,' but rather, it was t h e ' terrors of the wilderness.'
If from any cause, bees have been allowed to get into a despondent
condition through queenlessness, their courage may be at once revived by
the addition of a comb or two of brood. While these combs should contain brood in all stages of developement, it is important that the major portion should be hatching bees, or approximating that stage as nearly as
possible.
When the robbing of a colony has fairly begun, contract the entrance
to a single bee passage, and a few gentle raps upon the hive will often
arouse them to an effectual resistance. If however the besieged bees
have capitulated, close the entrance altogether, and remove the hive to
some cool place. After dark, give them a new location in the apiary,
smoking thoroughly, and the trouble is ended. It sometimes occurs that
bees in a normal condition, will permit a moderate amount of robbing to
go quietly on, apparently unnoticed. Contract the entrance to such colonies, smoke thoroughly at nightfall, and the would-be robbers will meet
with a surprisingly warm reception on the following morning."
" My Friend's " injunction to exercise the greatest care, not to let robbers get the first taste of ill-gotten gains, cannot be too carefully heeded.
Nearly the whole problem hinges upon this point. In my own experience, I have not found the brown German bees, nor their crosses with
Italians, any more, if as much inclined to rob, as pure Italians; but it is
true thai; the smaller black German strain of bees, are by far, the most
inclined to robbing.
I have found it true that bees will make more desperate and successful attacks upon colonies outside of their own apiary. I presume the
cause for this, is that when they go long distances to rob, they establish
a line of flight that is of sufficient length to at once attract bees from other colonies, until in many cases, nearly a whole apiary will join in robbing out another. Where robbing has occurred in my own apiary, I have
noticed that the colony of defence is usually located some considerable
distance from the one of attack.
tw
My Friend's " practice of placing the robbed colony on a new stand,
after removing it from the cellar, struck me as a dangerous one, fearing
that many bees might be lost by returning to the old location; but he informs me that in no case in his experience, has he ever known the bees to
so desert, and he thinks the reason they do not, is because of the excitement caused by the robbing, and the presence of robbers in the hive,
which after their confinement, mostly remain and strengthen the colony.
When I had ascertained that only one colony was doing most of the robbing of another, and just which one it was, I have stopped the nefarious
business at once, by changing stands with them. You will see what surprise and confusion must occur. After all, the best cure, is prevention.

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

38

C H A P T E R XIV.
Bee-Enemies.
Under this head I propose to group a few thoughts upon the diseases and enemies of bees, that seem to be of particular interest to the specialist. The bee-moth that cut so important a figure many years ago, in
the destruction of brood-combs, both occupied and unoccupied by bees,
has, by the introduction of movable frames and Italian bees, been stripped of its terrors. Still it is an ever present enemy, and requires watchful care on the part of the bee-keeper. Even witji movable frames that
admit of easy inspection, they still infest the domain of black bees, causing more or less damage. I have never been able to carry a single colony of these bees through.the working season, without tlie presence of
the moth-worm in their brood-combs, doing considerable damage to the
sealed brood, no matter how strong in numbers they might be. Upon the
other hand, the Italians are almost perfectly moth-proof. I have known
queenless colonies that were reduced to a mere handful in numbers, by
the natural causes of depletion, to keep their combs entirely free from
worms. Would we be likely to ever have such an instance of comb protection, with black bees V I deem it important to allow no refuse comb
to lie around with which to breed the moth-worm. Care in this regard
will reduce its depredations to the minimum.
Combs that are subjected to a temperature of twenty-two degrees below the freezing point, will remain free from worms until again occupied
by bees, provided the moth-miller cannot gain access to them. Upon the
other hand, brood-combs taken from the bees in warm weather, will soon
be infested with worms unless kept in. a very cool atmosphere, which retards their development.
The loss of bees from being caught by birds, is, I think, too small to
be computed. In my own locality the law to prevent the destruction of
birds is rigorously enforced, resulting in a marked increase of their numbers ; yet the consumption of bees by birds, is hardly appreciable. I am
inclined to the belief that they regard live bees as rather too peppery an
article of food excepting, perhaps, for the purpose of seasoning their regular diet.
Where bees are kept in large numbers, (occasionally the same thing
happens where the colonies do not exceed fifteen or twenty) a disease, I
term ' Bee Paralysis,' sometimes makes its appearance. It affects but few
colonies. Whether it would increase and spread throughout the apiary,
if left unmolested, I cannot say, my experience with bee diseases having taught me that degree of caution that takes no chances of this nature.
This disease affects the bees only—not the brood. The affected bees may
be seen at the entrance and in front of the hive during the day; are dark
and shiney in appearance, manifesting a greatly impaired vitality. The
wings have a peculiar vibratory or trembling motion, and the bees have
a generally sick appearance. I believe the cause to be inherent in the
queen, as requeening the colony with pure Italian blood, always effectually checks the progress of the disease; and when the population of the hive
consists of the progeny of the new queen, it ceases altogether. So far as
my own observation extends, it is most liable to occur after a severe winter, and in colonies largely depleted in numbers, the spring previous.
I now come to a brief consideration of that most fatal and dreaded
disease of bees—foul brood; and in doing this, I shall simply relate my
own experience.
While passing through my apiary one day in early August, (this was
many years ago) a peculiar odor from a certain hive greeted my olfactoru

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

39

ies. Upon examination, I found the colony (judging from what I had
read of the disease) to be in an advanced stage of ' Foul Brood,' and a
careful consultation of the then recognized authorities, fully confirmed
my apprehensions. I now remembered having given another colony a
frame *of brood from this infected one, some eight or ten days before.
' Was that, too, diseased?' I lost no time in examining, only to find that
its brood was in the same condition, but in a less advanced stage. Here,
then, was a dilemma. That it was a genuine case of malignant foul brood,
there was no doubt. How to get rid of the dreaded malady, was now the
all important and momentous question. (I will here state that a thorough
examination of the entire apiary, numbering over one hundred and fifty
colonies, upon the two days succeeding its first discovery, revealed no
trace of any diseased larvae, except in the instances already given.) Mr.
M. Quimby, who was the recognized American authority of his time, upon this subject, recommended the removal of all combs from diseased
colonies, keeping the bees confined without food for twenty-four to thirty-six hours, when they were to be placed in clean empty hives and allowed to build new combs. If little or no honey was being gathered at
the time, resort to feeding, became necessary. The honey was to be extracted, and when heated to a temperature of two hundred degrees, could
be fed with impunity. All the combs of the hive were to be rendered into
wax, and the hive itself thoroughly scalded, to destroy any diseased germs
that might remain. In this way, Mr. Quimby assured me, the disease had
been practically eradicated in his own apiary and he had no doubt of its
entire success, if properly carried out by myself. Kealizing the necessity
of prompt action, I removed the bees from the combs of the two infected
colonies, the same day Mr. Quimby's letter was received; kept them confined thirty-six hours without food, and then hived them in new hives as
directed; the old hives and combs were buried beyond resurrection.
The mother of the colony in which the disease was first developed
was a black queen, fertilized by a hybrid drone two years before,
and was unusually prolific. When again examined, nine days afterward, more than three-fourths of the larvae from this queen was hopelessly diseased—the other colony was badly affected also, although not to
the same extent. A re-examination of the apiary at this time, disclosed
the fact that eleven more colonies were also diseased, and hastening
—what was to all appearances—a general ruin. Perhaps the reader may
imagine something of the feelings of one, at this juncture, whose bread
and butter depended largely upon honey production, for even at that time
I was earning a livelihood by making a specialty of bee-culture.
Convinced of the utter futility of further experiments upon the basis
already begun, I turned to the east for some light upon the perplexing
problem. I had learned that Dzierzon, the great bee-master of Germany,
had successfully combatted the disease in his own apiary, and believed he
had obtained its complete mastery; and from the BIENE^-ZEITITNG—the
German bee-journal—I learned his method of accomplishing so desirable a result. This process (somewhat modified by myself, as will
be seen by those familiar with Dzierzon's directions), was immediately
put in practice, with what result, the sequel will reveal. I resolved to
destroy no more bees, their combs nor hives, so long as there remained
one.ray of hope of saving any portion of the apiary, and if matters grew
worse until 'hoping against hope,' was utterly useless, then the entire
yard should be sacrificed upon one grand ' funeral pile' to appease this
relentless Moloch.
The first step taken was the immediate destruction of the queens of
all infected colonies. M n e days afterward, all the queen-cells were removed, and this was repeated six days later, shaking the bees from every
comb, to make sure that none were overlooked. All were now hopelessly
queenless. A frame of eggs and just hatching larvae was given them, allowing each colony to rear its own queen, the object of this, being to
give the bees ample time to clean up their combs, before the young queens
began to lay. If any diseased larvae remained in the cells twenty-one
days after the destruction of the old queen, I carefully removed hVwith

40

SUCCESS JN BEE-CULTURE.

the head of a large pin. By this process, there was a period of about
thirty-rive to forty days, with no eggs being deposited in the combs, and
developing no larvae to feed the disease. Or the twenty-three colonies
thus treated, the disease re-appeared in only two, and the queens of these
were mated with black drones, and I am confident that some germs of the
disease remained in these combs. A repetition of the above process,
eradicated the last vestige of the disease from the apiary; I have never
discovered one symptom of it since.
The spread of the disease was rapid; within three weeks from the discovery of the first diseased colony, twenty-two more were on the road to
ruin. All these colonies contained* old queens—two to three years—and
all, without even one exception, were more or less tinctured with black
blood—in most of the cases it preponderated. Can the reader longer
marvel at my strong preference—seemingly almost a mania in the absence
of this explanation—for young queens of pure Italian blood?"
It seems that "My Friend" and I differ somewhat, regarding the
merits of the German versus Italian bees. I account for this upon
the ground that he has never been in possession of the best strains of the
former. I believe that no one can excel.me, in my disgust for the little,
irritable black bees. But the large brown bees, are the Germans, that
possess the many valuable characteristics spoken of under the head of
"Varieties of Bees." It is true that moths are tolerated by all German
bees, to a greater extent than by Italians, but it is also true, at least in
my experience, that all the trouble arising from their work in colonies of
normal strength may be fitly compared to the depredations committed by
martins, king birds, etc. Any good colony will hatch more bees in
one day, than all the birds in any one locality will catch in a month. So
it is with my experience with German colonies, kept in normal condition;
we forget that there is any such an enemy as the bee-moth.
If bee-moths are necessary to stimulate the apiarist to-keep his combs
well covered with bees, then they are to the honey producer, what weeds
are to the shiftless farmer, who, but for them, would never stir his soil.
There are other and far more important reasons for keeping hives crowded with bees, than those connected with this moth.
Having never seen a case of foul brood, I will say but little upon the
subject. I will only add, that from what I had read, I had supposed the
disease was more malignant than it seems to have been in the case related
in " My Friend's " experience. Such an experience must be most gratifying to him who realizes it. As is the case with robbing—" an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure"—yes, many pounds, and we cannot be
too careful how we exchange any goods connected with the apiary, that
might carry the germs.
Do not buy queens, bees, combs, or in fact, any apiarian goods, from
anyone, until you have inquired into this matter. Certainly no honest
man would send out the germs of foul brood, knowingly, but there is
enough dishonesty and ignorance connected with our pursuit, I am sorry
to say, to spread more foul brood than we care to have extant. Again, I
would urge—l?e careful!

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

41

C H A P T E R XV.
O v e r Stocking".
Let us first define what is meant by the term. I consider a locality,
or honey area, over stocked, when it contains so many colonies, that a less
number would pay a larger dividend upon the capital and labor therein
invested.
I wish I could throw some light upon this obscure and important subject. I wish I knew something definite, about the most profitable number of colonies to keep in one average area, or honey field.
I had thought to confine this subject to these six words—" I don't
know anything about it." I do not know as it will prove of any benefit
to the reader, to dilate upon the different kinds or number of blossoms
found in any given area. (By the term u are&," o r "honey field," we
mean that area over which the bees of one apiary will usually work to
advantage, which in ordinary locations, I believe consists of a nearly circular field, varying from six to eight miles in diameter, and probably containing from twenty-five to thirty thousand acres.) I presume it is of little use to tell of the number of individual bees usually contained in an
average colony; of how many blossoms one bee often visits, before he becomes loaded, and returns to the hive; of how much more nectar blossoms contain at one time, than at another; of the fact that,a bee cannot
tell whether or not a blossom has been emptied by another, until he
wastes time reaching down into the emptied nectaries. All of these, and
many more points relative to this subject, have been thought of and discussed by many of our most experienced apiarists, and still they differ so
widely in their conclusions, that we are left to believe that their means
of gaining the much desired, and valuable knowledge, have been too imperfect to be of much practical use to their brother bee-keepers. It is a
subject that has everything to do with the success or failure of the specialist ; yes, and of the amateur as well, in many localities. It is one that
1 have been much interested in, and watched closely, for fifteen years.
I have eagerly snatched and devoured all the thoughts of others that
I could come in contact with, both in print and conversation, and yet I
feel almost entirely in the dark regarding it.
One of the senior members of our fraternity used to believe and advocate, that no more than six to ten colonies should occupy one area. At
the same time he put down the surface of that area, of a size that was so
small that we know bees almost prefer going farther, to stopping within
its borders; hence we feel sure that this very conservative writer, was
mistaken. I will now offer seeming evidence of a little different nature,
and what to me carries more weight, although it argues on both sides of
the question.
ifou, who have carefully read reports, have noticed that by far the

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greatest pro rata surplus honey yields, have come from those keeping
but few colonies. The same is true of their increase of stock. If I remember correctly, I have never seen one-half the pro rata yield of honey
and increase reported from an apiary of forty colonies or over, that has
been many times claimed for from three to fifteen colonies. Reports
have been very marked in this direction. I have no doubt but that as a
rule, the larger apiaries are worked the closest and best, which further
points to the ease with which a location may be over stocked.
Now let us look at the other side of the question. By the rapidity
with which a colony when breeding, will consume a frame of honey,
weighing four or five pounds net, we think we are safe in saying that
more than one hundred pounds of honey is annually consumed by a normal colony of bees (this includes winter as well as summer consumption).
In Father Langstroth's comprehensive treatise, " The Hive and Honey Bee," page 304, among other statistical records of like import, we find
the following:
" East Friesland, a province of Holland, containing 1,200 square miles,
maintains an average of 2,000 colonies per square mile."
If this statement, or any of the others contained on the same page
are true, (they are given by the author as statistics) then it seems time
wasted to talk about over stocking. According to that record, I can keep
over 50,000 colonies in one apiary, and all will gather sufficient stores to
be self supporting. Certainly, 10,000 to 25,000 colonies would give us a
nice pro rata surplus, and an overwhelming and unheard of aggregate
yield. According to another statistical report, found on the same page, I
find I can keep 85,000 colonies in one apiary, and expect a nice pro rata
surplus yield, for the best authorities declare that our country excels those
of Europe, for the secretion of honey.
I presume that colonies differ widely, in their vigor or bravery in going long distances from the hives after honey, when it cannot be obtained
nearer home. Certainly this trait can be easilv bred up to a high degree of
development. No doubt it has been largely developed by those who have bred
for honey gathering qualities, rather than for physical markings, because
it is at once one of the prime causes of honey storing success, in a colony
of bees.
It costs me nearly twenty per cent, more to manage my out apiary
(six miles away), than it would to work the same number of colonies in
my home apiary, with those already here.
If over stocking is practically impossible, I can produce at my home
apiary, all the honey I am getting from my out apiary, in addition to what
I now get here, for less than one-half of the expense that it now costs me.
It seems to me that no thinking apiarist can fail to see the great advantage of a thorough solution of this problem. However it may be correctly answered, there are many good reasons why it will not pay two beekeepers to work in the same area, or honey field. Breeding, robbing,
etc., are all outside factors that must be taken into account, and further,
it is a fact that long before a field is over stocked, according to our definition of the term, the pro rata yield begins to lessen in quantity. Besides
this, honey producing in a small way cannot compete with specialty, and
as there are so many rich, unoccupied fields still to be had for the taking,
no two specialists should think of occupying the same field.

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

43

I am again determined to add my mite to answering the question, by
continually increasing the number of my colonies, until a term of seasons,
whose natural advantages and disadvantages, all considered, shall tell me
something of this obscure problem.

CHAPTER XVI.
Artificial Pasturage.
Different locations throughout our country, contain so many different varieties of nectar secreting trees, shrubs, and plants, that I have
deemed it best not to write a long chapter on honey plants. I could not in
this little work, expect to do the subject justice, even were I competent;
besides, the subject has been so well handled by Prof. Cook, Thomas G.
Newman and A. I. Eoot, in their respective works on bee-culture, that
nothing of the kind is needed, in adding another book to the bee-keepers'
library. I wish however, to present a few thoughts in regard to planting
for honey.
I think it may safely be laid down as a rale that it will hardly pay to
occupy valuable land by planting it to anything, exclusively for honey.
No doubt there are instances in certain locations, specially adapted to the
plants, when the sowing of such seeds as produce otherwise valuable
crops as well as honey, will pay. We might mention buckwheat and Alsike clover, as belonging to this class. However, I have most faith in the
improvement of our honey field, by way of scattering broad cast, in waste
places, the seeds of such honey yielding plants as combine the following
otherwise good qualities:—First, tenacity. That is, they will hold the
ground against weeds and grasses, increasing in numbers each year, when
left entirely to themselves. Second, when their destruction becomes
desirable, they can be plowed under and at once eradicated. Third, free
from thorns or prickers, in other words, in no way objectionable when allowed to spread at will.
• Most locations contain within the area of the bee-keepers' field, hundreds of acres of what may be termed waste ground, which is occupied
year after year, by weeds, none of which are of much, if any value, and
many are truly obnoxious to humanity. Certainly, he who supplants
these by honey plants possessing the qualities above mentioned, not only
augments his own interest, but in a broader sense is benefiting all
humanity.
I know of just two plants that yield honey copiously, in my location,
and which possess the qualifications before mentioned. First, pleurisy
or butterfly weed, and second, Mellilot clover. I am not sure but
that it would pay to occupy land of average value, suited to their growth,
by sowing it exclusively to these excellent honey yielders. In the case of
Mellilot clover, the land would need to be of good quality. It thrives best
on gravel and prairie soils; gravel seems to be a favorite with it. If put
on poor land it takes offense immediately, and in my opinion never pays

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for planting. Usually the plants never mature. Not so at all, with the
pleurisy, it delights in poor, sandy land.
I know of many fields, so poor that they are entirely neglected, where
pleurisy is rapidly taking possession of the ground. The fact that it is a
perennial, is a double assurance of its successfully running out weeds and
grasses. It seems to be a laughing matter for it to spring up through a
sod of June grass, growing as luxuriantly as if cultivated, and slowly increasing from year to year. The seeds each have a balloon, like dandelion or thistle seeds, which insures its successful dissemination.
'The plants differ widely in their period of blooming, so that notwithstanding it blossoms with basswood, it also remains to fill the gap of honey secretion between basswood and fall flowers. I noticed its first appearance about three years ago, when but few specimens could be found.
Through perfect fertilization by the bees, it has so rapidly increased each
year, that now we have no sudden cessation of honey flow, or robbing,
after basswood. From the time it begins to bloom, bees visit it constantly, never neglecting it through the most bountiful yields from basswood or
clover. As yet there is not enough of these plants in our locality to produce a surplus, and press of business has prevented us taking special
pains to test the quality of the honey it furnishes. I think by another
year, it will afford us a surplus. It belongs to the milkweed family, yet
possesses none of its objectionable features. Bees move from blossom to
blossom, as freely as when working upon white clover. I think it yields
no pollen.
I have never seen a cut of this plant, and as engravings of honey plants
are usually more unlike the original, than the engravings of other things,
I have decided not to have one made.
For a perfect description of the plant, under the name given, I will refer you to any of the works on botany.
Descriptions and engravings of Mellilot clover, are too common to be
needed here. The same may be said of the praise that justly belongs to
it. I feel that I can hardly say anything too highly praiseworthy of these
two plants, nor recommend them too highly, to those whose climate and
soil are adapted to them.

CHAPTER XVII.
Comb, or Extracted Honey?
We often hear the question asked, which is the most profitable to produce, extracted, or comb honey? A moments reflection will tell us, u a s
plain as ever rruth was told," that for the whole fraternity, for a term of
years, there can be no difference in the amount of profit to be derived
from these two classes of surplus honey production. I am of the opinion
that the matter is so nearly adjusted, to-day, that each and everyone
should be governed according to his knowledge of the laws of honey pro-

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

45

duction, and the fitness of his climate and flora. At present, it is no
doubt, best to put all dark grades of surplus honey into the extracted
form. While the difference' in price, between bright comb and extracted
honey, is quite in favor of the former, it is just the reverse, regarding
the dark grades. Dark, or amber colored honey, commands but little
higher price in combs than in barrels, while the difference in price is quite
in favor of bright honey in sections of combs where the producer is equipped with the requisite implements, and knowledge of how to manipulate
them.
It is now generally conceded by our most experienced producers, that
extracted honey, to make a good, sweet sauce, should be ripe and thick.
It is furthermore agreed that, all considered, the best, as well as most
economical method of accomplishing this result is to leave the honey in
the combs with the bees until the cells are partly, or all sealed, or capped
over. Even then, if the capping is hastily done, and the honey extracted
at once, thereafter, it is liable to lose its smooth, oily consistency and fine
flavor, so highly appreciated by consumers.
You will see that this method of pro'ducing extracted honey, requires
almost as much time and labor upon the part of the bees, as to draw
out foundation in sections, and cap it over, completely.
Considering the fact that extracted honey must compete, more or less,
with syrups, butter, etc., while comb honey has really no competitor, it
is not strange that it should bring more than double the price of extracted, and that the difference in price should be widening. In view of these
facts, and other signs of the times, I believe it advisable, for the good of
each and all of our honey producers, that all should put most of their
bright honey into comb, and their dark, into the extracted form.
If our entire crop of extracted honey is to be sold in bulk, it may be
truthfully said, that there is more work about running an apiary for comb,
than for extracted honey ; but it is also true that such a comparatively
large portion of the work connected with the best methods of comb honey production, is done indoors, and at times, when labor is worth less than
one-half what it is during the rush of the season, and further, much of
this indoors work can be performed by cheap, and less experienced labor,
all this taken into consideration, I prefer the labor connected with the
production of comb, to that of extracted honey. This is assuming that
the work in both cases is to be done as it should be, and at the proper
time.
Here in latitude forty-two degrees, at least two-thirds of our
surplus is bright, on an average. For six years I produced extracted
honey, as the bulk of my crop; then I reversed, and raised comb honey,
almost exclusively, about eight years. For the past two seasons I have
produced both, in nearly equal quantity and have now decided to make
comb honey my main crop, hereafter.
" But," I hear someone say, " more bees will go to the fields when the
combs are extracted, and no comb-builders are needed at home; hence we
must get more honey when the extractor is used." Doubtless this is true,
but it is equally a fact, that I can keep a greater number of colonies without over stocking my field, when devoted to comb honey storing, and
without a corresponding increase of labor in caring for them ; hence I'll
keep more bees, and raise the higher priced honey.

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CHAPTER XVIII.
Adulteration.
Upon this subject, as upon some others, I am aware that I entertain
opinions differing from those held by many of my friends—men whose intelligence commands the respect of all. I have heard them give the reasons for their opinions, and yet we widely differ.
I consider it a duty I owe the reader and one he will thank me for
performing, to give my honest opinion upon this, as well as all other subjects. I believe we all agree that such arrangements should exist in
society, that the truth shall be told, and all goods should be labeled just
what they are.
Regarding the advantages of pure, wholesome and honest food, quite
likely we do not differ, but as it is a fact that secretly mixing articles of
food is a common practice in this country, and that with our commodity,
honey, an exceedingly small portion of that found upon the markets is
also mixed with some cheaper commodity, the question arises, "what
shall we do about i t ? " My answer to this question is, " keep perfectly
still." If this mixed article is better than the genuine, there is nothing
we can conscientiously say; if it is inferior, consumers will soon discover
it, and in making their purchases, will govern themselves accordingly.
Thus it seems to me, there is no need for bee-keepers to agitate the question. I do not object to such agitation because of the trouble and expense
arising from it, but for the reason it tends to frighten consumers, and has
done so in the past, to that extent that the prevailing opinion regarding
the adulteration of our product is magnified twenty-fold beyond the facts
in the case.
I think our whole duty, and best policy is to take advantage of every
proper occasion, when the subject is forced upon us, to inform consumers of the fact that they might have to go a long ways, and take great
pains, to become possessed of a single can of adulterated honey. Of course
adulterating increases the supply, but so little of it is practiced nowadays,
since producers have taken small packages into the apiary, and out of the
city honey houses, that as a source of supply, it does not for one moment
compare with the increase in production arising from recruits in our
business.
Another point is, that the city dealers, the mixers, have clone much to
introduce and encourage the consumption of honey.
No bee-keeper can adulterate honey with profit. If the article was a
staple, like wheat, corn or potatoes, and the demand endless, adulteration
might pay him for a time; but in that case he would soon drop the production of the pure article, becoming a specialist at mixing, the" same as
have all other adulterators.

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47

I think consumers are now pretty well convinced that only genuine
honey can be procured from producers, and the less we agitate the subject, the better for our interests.

C H A P T E R XIX.
Marketing.
"If the reader has carefully observed the directions elsewhere given in
this work, for securing surplus honey, and has been diligent in their
practice, his efforts, aided by nature in the secretion of nectar, have
doubtless been crowned with success. With this part of the bee-campaign brought to a satisfactory issue, there yet remains another problem
for solution, of scarcely less importance—the conversion of this surplus
crop of honey, into cash. In the good old times, when honey, stored in
bulky and unsightly packages, readily sold for twenty-five to thirty cents
per pound, and even ab this price sought out the producer, the problem
of marketing was one of easy solution; but since the philanthropic efforts
to induce everybody to keep bees and secure the boundless sweets of nature, rather than let them waste their perfume on ' the desert air,' have
resulted in the establishment of an apiary at every cross-roads in the
country, and thereby enormously increased the production of honey—the
problem is no longer so easily solved. Notwithstanding, that the poundsection of to-day, is in point of attractiveness and adaptability, to the
wants-of the consumer, the embodiment of perfection, compared with the
package of twenty years ago, honey no longer ' sells itself.' The purchaser must now be sought, persistently and patiently, and even then our efforts
are not always rewarded with success. In former times the producer
named the price of his product; but that prerogative is now exercised by
the purchaser. It is simply a change of position between producer and
purchaser, and such has been the history of over-production in every land,
in all the ages of the past.
Twenty years ago, when honey commanded thirty cents per pound,
it was a luxury; to-day, when it seeks a purchaser at less than half that
figure, it is a luxury still, and in the very nature of things it must forever remain a luxury. The combined efforts of all the producers and all
the dealers handling it, can never change the inexorable law that makes
it such. As a table-sauce, honey, in a moderate way, is a success; aside
from this, it is in quantity, an utter failure. For all other purposes, it
must ever compete with the products of the sugar-cane, and at a price
ruinous to the producer, save, perhaps now and then an isolated locality, with unusually favorable conditions for cheap production, in very
large quantities.
But the practical problem for the great mass of producers, still seeks
a solution—' how can I dispose of my surplus honey?' First, we have the
home market, although a small item usually, it is is nevertheless an important factor, inasmuch as the disposition of even a small portion of our
products, assists in the. final result. Always keeping the local demand
well supplied, is advisable, as to that extent you withdraw from and relieve the commercial centers. When the wholesale markets are depressed,
they will re-act against your home trade, for you cannot hope to keep the
local price much above that of the metropolis.
In seeking a distant market for honey, always sell for spot cash, if
possible; but as this can rarely be done, the next best thing is to consign
to some reliable commission house and allow them to exercise their best
judgment in its disposition. Your ' commission man' knows infinitely
more about the condition of the market and at what price your product

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can be disposed of, than you possibly can yourself, notwithstanding your
opinion to the contrary. Speaking of reliable commission men, reminds
us of the farmer, who, upon taking a grist to mill, informed the miller
that as he (the farmer) was a reasonable man, all he asked was the toll;
the miller might keep the grist himself. It is much the same way with
commission houses. In some instances I have deemed myself fortunate
in receiving even the commission.
But the peculiarly immaculate reputation of the business is now and
then relieved by an honest commission man, who will remit you the 'lion's
share' of the proceeds, instead of retaining it himself. By what name
this isolated specimen of the genus homo is known, in the community in
which he lives, you can doubtless ascertain by repeated and liberal consignments. If your experience be of a costly nature, you can have the
solace that the knowledge derived will be valuable.
In the preparation of your products for market, I take it for granted
that you already realize the very great value of neat, attractive packages.
At tlie present time when competition has become so strong, this is of
prime importance. To this I may add—don'i; be in a hurry to ship honey
to city markets. If shipped in July and August, when the market is well
supplied with fresh fruits, it will not sell, in any quantity, but must
necessarily lay around and become soiled and grimy, waiting for a purchaser, and thus become unsalable. About the first of October is early
enough to begin shipping to northern markets. As a rule, small consignments are the safest, as you run less risk from losses by the evanescent
commission man's hieing away to k scenery new, and pastures green."
Every bee-keeper who produces more honey than his local demand
will take—in fact, every specialist, begins to feel that production is in advance of demand. He notices that the old enthusiasm on the part of buyers , is dying. Many are the ways that th ey try to account for this unsatisf ac~
tory state of affairs. Some lay it to the practice of adulterating honey
with sugar and glucose, notwithstanding the fact that liquid honey is now
scarcely higher priced than sugar, and people are knowingly consuming glucose by the hundreds of barrels, in nearly every locality where
commercial syrups are used. Others charge it to the use of comb foundation, forgetting that this commodity was used long before any such
weakness of the honey markets took place. When our commission merchants are forced to put out weak quotations, they are in the habit of giving some reason for the low figures presented. What do these men say?
Anything about adulteration, or comb foundation? Nothing. They say,
u
the crop is so plentiful." "' California honey has come in, in car-loads.'7
As " My Friend " has said, u honey is a luxury," and it seems to me,
ever will be, at any price at which we can afford to supply it, and as with
all luxuries, it is easy to overstock the market.
What " My Friend " says of commission men, is too true of too many
of them, but I am glad to be able to state that my experience with some
of them has been quite satisfactory. My greatest objection to dealing
through them, is the great lapse of time occurring between shipping, and
receiving returns. I most heartily recommend selling out and out, for
cash, wherever and whenever such sales can be consummated.
I will not speak of styles of packages, for, as which are best, depends
so much upon the market upon which they are to be placed; besides, I
never saw a package for extracted honey, that exactly suited me. All
are too high priced, for the present price of the commodity they contain.
As for comb honey, the sections and crates, described in another chapter,
are the best marketing packages that I know anything about.

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

49

The reader may feel disappointed at not finding something in this
chapter, relative to the styles of packages best adapted to retail markets.
Also something about honey stands, for grocery stores, etc. So far, my
experience with honey stands has been a failure. Different markets demand different size packages for both comb and extracted honey. In many
markets, small bottles and jars, holding one and two pounds each, sell
well. Since honey sells at so low a price, I have found it impossible to
procure a package suitable for retailing extracted honey, the cost of which
is not greatly disproportionate to the cost of its contents. I feel that it is
best to leave the matter of a choice of size and style of retail packages, to
each producer, who will be governed by his own peculiar local demand.
Comb honey usually sells best in sections, weighing not more than one
pound, nor less than one-half pound each. I find quite a little demand
for the smaller size. I always expect to produce from one-fourth to onehalf of my crop, in this size section.
I find that small shipping crates, sell best. They also transport more
safely. I use a crate (see crates, in chapter on apiarian implements) that
holds an average of twelve pounds net. I never remember of having
reported but two being damaged in transit. I always ship by freight
(unless in very small quantities) and consider it the safest and cheapest
way.
It is bad policy to make haste to get your honey into market before
others do, as it always happens that others are attempting the same
thing, and a temporary u glut" results, which often weakens the market
for that season. Cool weather is a great promoter of the demand for
honey.

CHAPTER XX.
The Apiarian Supply Trade.
Closely connected with the success of the bee-keeper, is his relation
to the trade in bee-keepers supplies. Every judicious apiarist, will see
the advantage of purchasing many useful, nay, necessary implements,
that he can*buy of the special manufacturer, much cheaper than he can
make them. It is also true that many of our honey producers can manufacture their hives and some other fixtures, at less cost than they can purchase them from far away dealers. Much depends, however, upon the
local price of rawT material, nearness to good accurate machinery and the
skill of the bee-keeper, or his mechanic.
Bunglingly constructed implements, are not cheap at any price. Especially, is this true of hives. An illy constructed hive, either in pattern
or workmanship, is forever an annoyance to both owner and inmates;
many stings, that would otherwise be avoided, are among the necessary
results, while manipulating them.
It is also of interest to both vendor and purchaser, that orders should
not be concentrated into a short period of the season, but spread over- as

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much time as possible. There is prevalent among honey producers, an
extravagant idea regarding the profits realized by dealers in apiarian supplies. Their present profits are small, and their rapidly increasing numbers, will as rapidly decrease, in the near future. ~No legitimate class of
dealers, can succeed better than those who support them. The time will
never come when our supply trade will be a better business than honey
producing, for any except those that are better adapted to it, and the
same will be true of the production of honey. When honey production
paid a handsome profit, so did the sale of supplies. As a dealer, I had
rather have a few well-paid producers to trade with, than a host of illpaid, and failing ones.
"My Friend," being a dealer in bee-keepers' supplies, as well as a
practical honey producer, at my solicitation presents the following, upon
this subject:
" I n the 'good old times' (not so very old in lapse of years) of box
hives, brimstone and bee-bread flavored honey, the purchase and sale of
articles for the apiary was practically unknown; the apiarian supply trade
wTas one of the things to be—in the future. But the invention and introduction of movable frame hives, stimulated the inventive genius of the
apiarist and other articles and appliances of more or less value were added to our list of requisites, and presently a new phase of commercial life
was ' evoluted,' and k dealers in bee-keepers' supplies,' took their place in
the ranks of those who carry on the world's industries. From the small
beginnings of a score of years ago, this supply trade has developed into
then undreamed of proportions, and a few thoughts relative thereto, may
be of some value to all concerned.
It may not be out of place to observe at the outset, that bee-keepers,
as a class, possess but little practical knowledge of commercial life.
From the very necessities of the case—education, training and environment—their ideas are often meagre, crude and erroneous, respecting r this
subject. However bright and apt they may be in the pursuits in w hich
they have been trained, they have only skirmished around the borders of
the whys and wherefores of commercial life, and remembering that the
major portion of the business men 'fail up,' sooner or later, we readily
perceive that only occasionally is one.of our own ranks possessed of the
natural and acquired qualifications to successfully engage in this supply
trade. Tact, energy, perseveraace, a due amount of caution, a thorough
knowledge of the laws of trade and ample capital are all necessary to insure success.
The idea that the supply trade is the royal road to wealth, seems to
have obtained with a large class of American bee-keepers. That the
prices of eight or ten years ago, admitted of fair, or even handsome margins to the dealer, there can be little doubt; but the close competition
of recent years, has reduced profits to the minimum. Few people not conversant with the details of this supply business, are aware of the necessary expenses incurred in advertising, postage, rent, fixtures, interest, etc.,
etc., to say nothing of the worry, sleepless nights and general friction resulting from unexpected mishaps and delays, and the resultant grumbling and growling of customers that cannot be satisfied.
From the foregoing, it will readily be seen, that the ' cash with the
order' system, becomes almost a necessity—a few bad debts would ' wipe
out' the profits of many good customers. An added reason for the cash
system is that the reliability and commercial standing of the great majority of apiarists, cannot be ascertained through the regular channels, while
that of the dealer may usually be readily obtained through the nearest
banking house.
Every straight, honest bee-keeper, wrho pays his debts (and we are
pleased to say that the great majority are of this class) is directly interested in the cash system of payment for goods ; for, if the credit system
should obtain, the margins of the dealer must be increased to cover the

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

51

losses incurred by sales made to those who do not intend to pay when they
make their orders, and who manifest great tenacity in carrying out their
intentions. Thus, you will readily perceive that whenever you demur to
this rule, established by the dealer, you insofar aid and assist that class
of community who avoid the payment of their honest debts and thereby
incur the application of that expressive, but just epithet—i dead beats.'
The philosophy of this position we see verified in the practice of business
men, everywhere; the merchant who 'trusts,' is compelled to sell at a
higher figure than his neighbor who exacts the ' cash,'while in periods of
great commercial depression, the former is far more likely to ' go to the
wall,' than the latter. And so we say again, uphold the cash system, by
paying for your goods when you buy them, thereby compelling the ' dead
beat' to do'likewise, instead of allowing him to obtain his goods at your
own expense.
In regard to the purchasing of supplies, I would say that much depends upon circumstances. As a rule, the dealer who "is properly situated respecting machinery that will do accurate work, and good material
at a moderate price, can sell his goods cheaper than many can make them,
while on the other hand, you may be fortunately located and save money
by getting tip certain lines of supplies, at home. In buying supplies, first
decide upon what you need, and then buy where you can obtain thoroughly good goods, remembering that usually l the best is the cheapest.' Beekeepers'supplies, of fine quality and a fair price, that fully answer the
intended purpose, are far more profitable and consequently more desirable than an inferior article at half the cost.
We deem this subject incomplete without still another word of advice to the purchaser. Having made your choice of dealers, make life
for him as easy as possible, for you will thereby subserve your own interests. Even though you write to him every week, don't forget to always
give your full postoffice address, including your county. In ordering
goods', be explicit; state just what you want and how you want it. If you
are writing on other subjects, make out a bill of your goods, disrinct and
separate from everything else. Don't mix things; don't say—1 ship as before'—but plainly state how goods are to go—whether by mail, express
or freight. In writing, don't refer to previous correspondence, but repeat, if necessary, what you have to say; if you compel the dealer to search
his letter files, you may have to wait for an answer. Take nothing for
granted; don't think that because you happen to know something in a
general way regarding the person with whom you are dealing, that he
knows anything about yourself, your cast-away bee-hives in the back
yard, oru other exploded devices, or even of your Aunt Susan or Uncle
Joshua, who keeps a few bees.' This writing upon the supposition that
the dealer possesses personal knowledge of you, reminds us of the customer who had spent an unusual time in picking out a pair of boots, and
then politely asked the dealer to have them ; charged to father.' ' Why, I
don't know your father !' replied the dealer. c You don't know him, eh?
well, I know him just as easy.' In short, do business in a business like
manner and you will not only merit the gratitude of the dealer, but also
advance your own interests."
The foregoing so completely covers the ground concerning troubles
met by the dealer, that little more need be said on that side of the subject. I
may add, that another reason why all orders should be explicit and complete within themselves, is that many dealers employ clerks, and often
change them, and the incoming one knows nothing of what has been done
before his arrival.
It might be well to mention the mistakes made by many in choosing
their carriers. I have found that freight companies handle goods with
more care than express companies, as a rule. Many make the mistake of
ordering goods by express, because they, do not comprehend their weight.
One thousand sections 4ix4ix7 to the foot, weighs, box and all, eighty

52

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

pounds, and belong to a low freight classification. Empty hives, belonging to a much higher classification, will go nearly, or quite as cheaply by
express as by freight, unless they have to pass through the custody of two
or more express companies, before reaching their destination. Nearly
all small orders weighing less than fifteen to twenty-five pounds, had better be ordered by express, especially if they belong to a high rate of freight
classification, or the purchaser is in a hurry. Many more valuable hints
that might prove useful to some of our bee-keepers, could be given, but
as this is a subject rarely found in a bee-book, perhaps enough has been
said about it for the present. My object in touching the subject, is simply to benefit all parties concerned.
Perhaps that justice to both dealer and purchaser, requires me to add
that delays in'filling orders often necessarily occur; but, if actuated by
no higher motive than self-interest, a reliable dealer will always fill his
orders with as little delay as possible. I would also advise all purchasers
to exercise a due amount of caution in patronizing dealers who recommend articles of untested and unknown value, simply to enhance their
own profits, regardless of the interests of their patrons.

CHAPTER XXI.
Apiarian Implements.
In this chapter will be found a description of many of the useful implements and adjuncts of the apiary, not specially described elsewhere in
this work.
As " My Friend " and myself prefer and use nearly the same devices,
and his experience in the use of the same has been comprehensive, I have
again solicited the aid of his pen, in their description.
u
This topic covers an extensive field, and one in which the specialist
is deeply interested; for, whatever of implement or device that may be
brought forth, that is simple, cheap and effective, and facilitates trie "work
of the apiarist, is valuable in a pecuniary point of view, aside from the
comfort and satisfaction afforded by their use. The wants of our forefathers who kept bees in a crude, primitive way, were few and simple;
but as our knowledge of bees and their management, increased and developed into a practical science, our want and necessities also increased, and
in response to this demand, the genius of the fraternity has given us much
that is practically useful, and doubtless still more that time and use has
consigned to the museum of the impracticable and objectionable. We
shall however, devote our attention to what experience has shown us to
be useful, and this brings us to the consideration of the
BEE-SMOKER.

During the closing years of a useful, busy life, that veteran apiarist—the late M. Quimby, devised an implement for the rapid and thorough
smoking of bees, enabling the operator to manipulate them at will. Mr.
Quimby died before perfecting his invention, but Mr. T. F . Bingham, of
Abronia, Mich., added the direct draft and otherwise improved the original, giving us a practical and very useful implement. In our own apiaries, the larger sizes—the ' Conquerer' and fc Doctor'—have given us much

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.
the best satisfaction. Many different articles have been used for fuel in
these smokers, more or less satisfactory to the operator, yet objectionable
in some respects. The great difficulty having been to obtain a steady volume of smoke of sufficient quantity and proper quality, to promptly subdue anv belligerent tendency of the bees to a contest respecting the right
of the "apiarist to his plan of procedure. For the past five seasons we
have used pine shavings for this purpose, with almost perfect satisfaction.
The only difficulty'we experienced in their use, was in getting them to
burn when the lire is first started in the morning, but now obviate this by
first using a small quantity of punk or rotten wood (elm preferred), and
when this is thoroughly lighted, (ill up the smoker with shavings. Fine
shavings, such as can be procured at planing mills, answer every purpose
if covered with a small quantity of a coarser article, like bench shavings
of carpenter shops. These last, we thoroughly dampen before using,
especially if the smoker is to be run to its full capacity, as they fully prevent the Issue of sparks and render the fuel more lasting and serviceable.
After the lire is once thoroughly started, the shavings should be closely
packed, using care not to destroy the draft or impede the free issue of
smoke. A little practice will soon make you proficient in the use of this
fuel, and when once used, I feel sure, will ple-ise you. Being easily obtained, lasting well when properly picked (we often use one of Bingham's
'Doctor 7 smokers three hours, without refilling) and producing a dense
volume of cool smoke that will make even the fiercest hybrids instantly
quail. Fine shavings, in my opinion, just 'take the cake' as a smoker
fuel.
T H E -HONEY EXTRACTOR

has rendered it not only possible, but practical, to obtain a choice article
of liquid honey, free from impurity and untainted with the flavor of pollen, and has added a new article to the world's commerce. Many styles
of these machines are now in use, those having an inside revolving frame,
with stationary cans being the most desirable. The gearing should be of
the upright pattern, the revolving frame strongly made and sufficiently
large to admit of receiving the combs in the same position they occupy in
the hive. For supporting the combs while being extracted, we use heavy,
galvanized wire-cloth,..-four- or five meshes to the inch, drawn in toward
the centre at bottom, giving it-a slightly flaring position. The can should
be of sufficient depth to hold four or five hundred pounds'of honey beneath the revolving frame, with a molasses gate for drawing off the contents. A depth of twenty-seven inches, by thirty-two inches in diameter,
is about right for the Langstroth frame. Heavy tin (2 X Charcoal Plate)
or galvanized iron, will make a durable can, and it should be securely
fastened so as to remain immovable while extracting combs of uneven
weight. Some simple and effective device that would reverse the combs,
without removing from the extractor, and without injury to them, would
be an acquisition" When properly made these machines will turn easily,
making little noise and throwing but the honey rapidly. .
An essential concomitant of the honey extractor, is the uncapping
HONEY-KNIFE.

For ease of operation, rapid execution, and thorough, perfect work,
the uncapping knife, invented and manufactured by Bingham & Heatherington, remains without an equal. In fact, it is so far superior to everything else in this line, as to merit the title of 'King of Honey-Knives. 7
For furnishing us with a perfect implement at a moderate price, the manufacturers have merited the gratitude of the whole fraternity.
PACKAGES FOR EXTRACTED HONEY.

Liquid honey, after being extracted from the combs, should be allowed to stand in the extractor to become clear, or drawn into tanks made
for this purpose, of four to five hundred pounds capacity. From these
tanks the honey may be drawn into kegs or barrels, or where smaller
packages are wanted for retailing, tin cans or glass jars may be used.
Pine kegs, well made and properly hooped, holding fifty and one hundred
pounds, net., make as salable packages as any with which l a m acquainted.

54

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.
W A X EXTRACTOR.

The specialist in bee-culture will always have more or less refuse
comb to convert into wax; this can be readily and neatly done, by the use
of the wax extractor. This extractor consists of a small boiler for generating steam, holding a can containing a perforated tin cylinder for receiving the comb. The steam from below melts the comb, the wax running
from a projecting spout into a vessel of cold water placed beside the extractor. It may be used on any cook stove. The only objection we find
to these machines, is their small capacity—twenty to thirty pounds of wax
being a good day's work.
COMB-FOUNDATION.

Few articles in the whole list of apiarian supplies, possess the real
value for the specialist, as does this one of comb-foundation. When properly made and used, it enables us to secure uniformly straight combs in
both brood and surplus apartments; facilitating their rapid manipulation;
increases the value of our bees by enabling us to practically control the
building of drone-comb, while it also materially increases our products,
thereby lessening the cost of production. That these advantages have
been abundantly proven and appreciated by the practical bee-keepers of
America, is fully shown by the immense sale of the article itself. For
the brood-chamber, from five to six square feet to the pound is the proper
weight, while that for the surplus apartment, should run from seven to
eight feet. If the base of the cell be made sufficiently thin, the presence
of foundation in comb-honey will not be detected by the consumer.
When used for surplus, we cut the foundation enough smaller to leave an
eighth of an inch space at the ends, and one-fourth inch at the bottom,
which is called filling the sections full. For fastening foundation in sections, a ' Parker Foundation Fastener ' is just the thing. In the brood
frames, we use full sheets, leaving the same space at ends and bottom of
frames as in sections. To prevent sagging, wire the frames with Ko. 30
tinned wire, pressing this wire into the foundation c hand; but this may
by
be done more speedily and perfectly by using the Given Press.' There
are several machines that do good work; personally, wre prefer the foun- ?
dation made on the c Given Press' and the * Dunham' and 4 Yandervoort
mills.
SECTIONS

for comb honey, holding from one-half pound, to two pounds each, now
generally used, are an immense advance over the old clumsy, uncouth
package of former years, being more attractive in appearance and better
adapted to the wants of the consumer—hence are more saleable. Poplar
and spruce make the finest sections, not being so easily soiled as the softer woods, and when properly made, the l dove-tailed' section is preferable,
although nailing answers every purpose. The widths in use are those
known as six, seven and eight to the foot; we prefer the seven to the foot;
the six being too wide and the eight too narrow. The most perfect combs
are obtained by using separators, made of either tin or wood. Having
tested many surplus devices, we prefer the one-story broad frame for
holding these sections, as they combine the most advantages with the fewest objections.
HONEY REGISTERS

for showing the amount of honey contained in supers for extracting, or
comb-honey in surplus cases, are a convenient device, enabling the apiarist to ascertain the amount of surplus of each colony at a glance. They
are pasted upon the side of the super or case, having two squares of printed figures, in the centre of which a pin is driven and turned down so as to
show the date when placed upon the hive or examined, and the amount of
honey stored, if any, at such examination. Those devised by Mr. Heddon
we deem to be the simplest and best.
Q U E E N REGISTERS.

A somewhat similar device to indicate the condition of colonies or
nuclei, devoted to queen-rearing, are printed and sold by A. I. Root, of

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

55

r

Medina, Ohio. In my ow n apiaries I use a small block of wood for this
purpose, greatly preferring them to the register. These blocks are 2x5
inches and one-half inch in thickness. The record is kept with a leadpencil, and when both sides are full, remove with a plane, and they are at
once ready for continued service. To save time in making the record,
wre use the following abbreviations:
C—Cells.
|
Y. Q—Virgin Queen.
F . Q—Fertile Queen.
|
L. Q—Laying Queen.
Q. R—Queen Removed
|
F . W—Fertile Worker.
Q 1 s—Queenless.
Thus, if we cage and ship a queen from a nucleus on July 15, we
write across one end of our block—q. r. 7-15.
If we give this same nucleus a virgin queen on the following day (as
is our practice), we write immediately below—v. q. 7-16.
If we make an examiaation eight days afterward and find eggs, we
say just below the last entry—1. q. 7-24; if the queen is fertile but not yet
laying, it is f. q., and if the queen has been lost in fertilization—qls.
An important advantage over the printed register is that the block
of wood gives us a continuous record, which, unlike the little slate, is not
obliterated by frequent rains. For material, we prefer white wood,
planed smooth. Lay these blocks on nucleus cover and they are ready for
use when needed.
T H E LAMP N U R S E R Y .

This very useful adjunct to queen-rearing, being fully described under the head of ' Queen-Rearing' by Mr. Heddon, anything further relative thereto is deemed unnecessary.
QUEEN CAGES.

As it is sometimes necessary to confine both fertile and unfertile
queens, a supply of wire-cloth cages are convenient for that purpose. We
use tinned wire-cloth sixteen meshes to the inch, cut in strips four or five
inches wide, and formed around a stick one-half inch thick, by three-fourth
of an inch in width and somewhat longer than your strips of wire-cloth
are wide, Use a wooden stopper at each end, one of which maybe securly nailed. For shipping queens by mail the cages just adopted by Mr.
Heddon, are the best I have seen.
FOUNTAIN P U M P .

Where natural swarming is allowed, a 'Whitman Fountain Pump' is a
necessity. By its use, swarms may be prevented from absconding, and when
two or more are on the wing at the same time, they can be forced to cluster
separately; and should a swarm begin to cluster in some inaccessible or inconvenient place for hiving, they may be easily driven to another location.
When clustered, we thoroughly spray them with the pump, (being careful not to use too much water) which greatly facilitates the process of
hiving. If, for any reason the apiarist wishes to defer hiving them, they
can be held where clustered any length of uime, by spraying every hour.
This pump is well and durably made and with decent usage will last a
life-time.
FACE PROTECTORS.

Where bees are well-bred and properly handled, little or no protection
from stings is needed. In our own apiaries, we have used no protection
whatever, for the past two seasons. But, where bees are belligerent, and
manifest an especial proficiency in the use of their javelins, a face protector is a great comfort and convenience. A veil made of black bobinet
and worn over the hat will protect the eyes and face of the operator, which
seems to be a favorite target for bee venom. When bees are rightly manipulated, and still persist in stinging the hands and every unprotected
place of the operator's person, they show too much ' bee-cussedness' for
our nervous temperament. Thorough smoking for the time being, and
re-queeniag, so as to weed out such blood, are our remedies.
BEE-TENT.

During a honey dearth, when bees are somewhat prone to be tooinquis-

56

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

itive regarding the contents of each others hives, some protection against
this piratical tendency becomes necessary, when colonies must be manipulated. For this purpose, resort has been had to the bee-tent, a- light
wooden frame covered with thin, white cloth, or mosquito-bar, and made
light enough to be easily carried from place to place by the operator.
This tent is placed over the colony to be manipulated, and removed after
the hive has been closed. This works nicely in theory, but quite differently in practice. Aside from the necessarily cramped position of the
operator and lack of room for tools, we find that when the tent has been
removed, that the robbers ' pitch into' such a colony with redoubled fury,
since they have all the time been anxiously waiting upon the outside for
an opportunity of so doing. The one redeeming feature of its use, is the
freedom afforded from stings, which are sure to be forthcoming, if robber bees have access to the hive when open. This brings us to the consideration of a device with which we may attain the object sought.
T H E SCREEN-HOUSE.

We make a light frame work of strips of wood, an inch in thickness
by two inches in width, of the size wanted. Personally, we prefer plenty
of room, about 7x9 feet and of sufficient height to clear the head of the
operator. The sides should be made separately and hooked t o g e t h e r like wise the cover, so as to admit of taking down and storing away, when
not in use. In one corner we place a sliding door, so arranged as to slide
in grooves; a slight push from either side quickly opens or shuts it. On
the opposite side from the door, we place a bench, of convenient height,
upon which we set full stocks or nuclei, for manipulation. Here we look
up our queens, remove surplus honey, ascertain the condition of bees,
etc., etc., when they are returned to their own stands in the yard, without any molestation from robbers. The cloth cover to this screen-house
is made sufficiently large to hang down eight or ten inches, all around the
outside of the house; by slightly raising this cover and smoking the bees,
they quickly rake the hint of ' not wanted,' and sail away for home without the admission of would-be robbers. Venomous indeed, must be the
nature of a colony that would offer to sting the operator in this screenhouse.
HONEY CRATES.

Every practical apiarist who has raised comb-honey extensively, is
aware of the value of a neat shipping crate in disposing of his surplus.
By all odds, the best thing we have seen in this line, is the crate devised
and used by Mr. Heddon. It is 8ixl2 inches and four and one-fourth
inches in depth—plump inside measure—holding twelve, pound sections,
six to the foot; fourteen sections, seven to the foot, or sixteen sections,
eight to the foot. It also holds just one-half more in number of the onehalf pound sections, of these respective sizes, all fitting equally perfect.
These crates are glassed at each end in such a way as to protect the glass
and show the honey to the best advantage. It also secures the great desideratum of a uniform package, for all these variations in the standard
sizes of sections, is made at minimum cost of labor and material, having
a small glass surface, yet showing the honey perfectly; while in attractiveness of appearance—they are perfection* itself and need only to be
once used to be appreciated.
FEEDERS.

While bee-feeders have not been in extensive use in the past, by American apiarists, the signs of the times seem to unmistakably point in that
direction at present, and were we given to prophecy, should venture the
opinion that in the near future, a good feeder will be deemed an indispensable adjunct to every well.regulated apiary. We believe they would
have been in more general use at present, had a really good feeder—one
that would fill all the requisites of such an article—been procurable. In
surveying the field of invention, traversed by the bee-keeper, we find
there is little practical value in the line of feeders, aside from those invented by Mr. Heddon and candor demands the admission, that even these
although correct in principle, did not meet our requirements. We are

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTUEE.

57

happy to add, however, that Mr. Heddon's inventive genius has finally
giveii us a perfected feeder, which will, as we believe, give perfect satisfaction, under all the varying circumstances and conditions which render
their use desirable.
They may be varied in .size so as to adapt them to any style of hive in
use—the sample before us, just covering the top of an eight-frame Langstroth hive and is about four inches in depth.
It contains a
central reservoir for receiving the feed, which flows directly into feeding apartments located upon either side of this reservoir, from which the liquid food is carried below by the bees. The excellence of this feeder will be readily recognized by the practical apiarist
when we state that by its use, the feed is so placed as to avoid the possibility pf attracting robbers, cannot leak a drop outside, the hive and cannot daub or .drown bees ; the apiarist in feeding does not come in contact
with a single bee—hence the rapidity of operation: without smoke or stings;
the honey is taken from it by the bees in such a manner as to induce the
filling and capping of outside combs or sections, as.speedily and perfectly
as those centrally located; simplicity of construction, moderate cost, durability and of the greatest possible capacity.
MISCELLANEOUS.

Almost every practical apiarist has in use, some utensil or device,
peculiarly his own, enabling him to make a ' short cut' in management or
m,anipulation--and consequently valuable to that extent. We find a cheap
clothes-basket, lined with thin cloth, into which we shake natural swarms
when clustered on trees, answers t h e purpose admirably. If the bees
have been sufficiently sprayed with a Whitman Fountain Pump, they will
lie quietly in the basket without flying at all, while being carried to their
new home. -• A good step-ladder is also a convenience in hivilig swarms.
A little tool, to which we attach the enphonious name of ' Spud,' is useful
in prying up covers, or in taking off supers or surplus cases, that have
been glued to the hive, etc. Ours were made by a blacksmith from old
files, are seven inches in length, an inch and a half wide at one end and
flattened sharp ; the1 other end being smaller and serving as a handle.
When well tempered they make a good cold chisel, and work nicely for
scraping hives, covers, etc. Other articles might be mentioned, but with
such an outfit, as above described, in connection with the improved
Langstroth hive, or, what is far better, where a specialty is made of honey-production, the new hive invented by Mr. Heddon, every intelligent,
energetic apiarist wrill be enabled to succeed to his own complete satisfaction."

SMOKEKS.

In addition to wdiat has been said I wish to add my evidence to the great
superiority of the shaving smoke. I would not for fifty dollars be willing
to exchange these shavings for any other material, with which I am acquainted, to use in our bee-smokers. With them very little heat is evolved ; fully as little creosote. They settle the u cold blast" problem. Their
smoke, while it most completely conquers the bees, leaves no reactionary
belligerent effects with them, as does tobacco, rags and some other ma-

58

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

terial. The smoke is not disagreeable to the operator No sparks fly out
while using the smoke. They last a long time, when loaded into the
smoker just right, a little closer detail of which I will re-present. Pine
shavings, are preferable. As in most places, one can get "planer" shavings
much handier than bench or hand-planed shavings, I will tell ydu how
we have made them work equally well: First, press down to the bottom
of the smoker, a thin (one-half inch) layer of hand-planed shavings, quite
snugly packed. Next light some of the punk, wiMy Friend" speaks of,
(this punk should be very light and readily combustible; only fit to start
fire with) and drop it down upon the thin bed of shavings, give it a few
puifs from the bellows, to get it well lighted, then fill up to near the top
of the fire barrel with the pine planer shavings; pack these down moderately tight, puffing with the bellows as you pack. Now take up a small
handful of the bench shavings (any wood will do for these) and douse
them with water, squeeze them as dry as you can, so they will not drip,
then press them into a layer about an inch deep; that will fill the fire barrel to the top. Now adjust the nozzle and puff away until the white smoke
rolls forth in a volume that will subdue the worst tempered bees, whether lying outside their hive, on their combs, or hanging in a cluster upon
some tree, waiting to be hived. When you notice the first spark coming from
the nozzle, your smoker needs re-filling. Eemove the nozzle, push these
shavings (which will not be burned) to the bottom to form the bottom layer, fill with the planer shavings and cover with the dampened hand shavings as before, and you are again ready for another hour's constant use.
During that time of year when no excessive or constant volume of smoke
is used, one filling often lasts us five hours. No material will better hold
fire than these shavings, when properly adjusted. Bobber bees learn to
beware of the volume of smoke that a few puffs brings forth.
With the aid of this description and a little practice, I trust you will
soon be able to say with me, that " My Friend " has given the fraternity
something, though seemingly small, really of great importance, to successful practice in apiculture.
For the benefit of a few of my readers who may not have seen any
bee-smoker, or at least not the one invented by Mr. Bingham, I insert a
a cut of the same, and will say that among the many smokers that I have
tested, I count the above the best, both in principle of construction, and
quality of workmansip.
I have heretofore preferred the third, of the five sizes of these smokers, but since the adoption of this new fuel, I agree with u M y Friend"
that the larger size is the best. I use the u Doctor," as Mr. Bingham has
named this largest size.

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

59

HONEY-EXTRACTOR,

On this subject I have little to add or alter from what has been said by
" My Friend." I think no extractor worthy of the specialist, has yet been
given to the public. I, too, much prefer the vertical or upright gearing.
Could the users of hand fanning mills be induced to adopt horizontal
gearings? Further than my decided preference for the upright style
of gear, I will say that all the honey-extractors offered by the
different manfacturers are good, reliable machines, and do their
work well, so far as I know. A choice must be made in reference
to the excellence of workmanship and material used, as well as the convenience of the minor attachments. So far as I have investigated, I think
I prefer the "Excelsior," manufactured by Thomas G. Newman & Son,of
Chicago. The specialist, however, needs and cannot do without a machine that could not be sold for less than fifty to one hundred dollars. It
should have a u slip-gearing," so that while the operator is preparing
combs for extraction, a set already in the machine may be revolving by
the motion given them a moment before. It should have a " foot-brake,"
that would stop it almost instantly. If practically possible, it should reverse the combs automatically. If not, it should be so arranged that the
combs can be turned without lifting them out of the machine. It should
be made of the very best of material, and with such perfect workmanship
that were it a knitting machine it would take at least, one stitch. Who
will give us such a honey-extractor?
The dimensions for the can, as given by u M y Friend," make a very
large machine; one that receives two L. frames in the position that they
hang in the hive. When the screen-frames are adjusted to receive them
in this horizontal position, the machine admits of a very large reservoir
below, a very advantageous feature. Some theories have been advanced
to prove that the honey will not readily leave the cells of the ends of these
long combs when whirled in the horizontal position, but I have two of

60

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

these large machines which receive the L. frames horizontally, and however true that theory may be in principle, it is never realized in practice.
Our machines do their work perfectly, but they do not start and stop as
easily, as our machine, with a smaller can, which receives the comb vertically. This is quite an objection to them, and the only one I think of.
We always locate our machines firmly to the building they are placed in,
and usually in one corner*

COMB FOUNDATION.

I feel that justice demands that whoever writes upon this subject,
should not fail to mention the names of Charles Dadant & Son, of Hamilton, Illinois, who transform into comb foundation, more bees-wax, than
any other firm in the world. Not only this, but their excellence of workmanship, added to the volume of their work, makes them at once deserving of the title of " King, Comb-Foundation." Further, I think I should
commit the sin of omission, after mentioning their names, not to also
mention the accuracy and integrity pervading all their business transactions with me. I have ceased to count or weigh after them, any goods
they send me. I do not seek to load these men with praise, but to unload from myself years of accumulating duty and gratitude. We
do not however see all matters just alike. While they prefer the foundation made upon the roller mills, my preference is decidedly in favor of
that made upon the Given press. I grant that an excellent article—one
that will give entire satisfaction to most consumers, can be and is made,
upon any of the best styles of foundation machines, but my extended experiments, both with the manufacture and use of the article, have convinced my students and myself that the Given comb-foundation is just a
little superior to any other.

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

61

Above, is presented a cut of the Given press, invented by the late
D. S. Given, of Hoopeston, 111., and still made there by D. S. Given & Co.
This machine makes a very excellent article of comb-foundation. Among
the points of superiority connected with it and its product, may be enumerated the following:
1. The press is the only machine that makes foundation in wired
frames.
2. It makes a sheet of wax into foundation without changing its size
or shape, so that the maker can dip his sheets of the required size.
3. It makes both heavy and light foundation with no change of the
machine, and both have very thin base, the wax being softly pressed into
the side walls, where it is more speedily and completely drawn into comb
by the bees.
4. It is very simple and easy of manipulation, and requires much less
lubricating.
5. The foundation needs no paper between the sheets, to transport it
safely.
Some of our leading bee-keepers have lately been enquiring as to the
value of a liberal use of comb-foundation, especially in brood frames. If
I am correct, their experiments are still going on, and as yet, without a
definite solution of the problem. Among my many experiments, I have
neglected to experiment upon this point upon a scale adequate to its solution. Mr. W. Z. Hutchinson, of Rogersville, Mich., a practical bee-keeper, fully competent to settle the question, is, I believe, still making extensive experiments, and I trust will soon be able to give us a reliable
answer. I can only say, that so far as my observation and experience
with thousands of pounds of foundation, goes, I am now in favor of filling completely, all my brood frames and surplus receptacles. I believe
that the verdict will be, a for profit, use all the foundation you can." As
to the pleasure of its use, there is no question. The fact that the use of

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SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

the article saves time and honey, is not all the benefits we derive. We
practically control the variety or strain of the drones of our apiary. We
also procure straighter and more uniform combs. I think we need have
no fears that its use in our surplus receptacles, will injure the reputation
of our comb-honey. I used it several years, and that too, a bungling, illy
made, article, in full sheets in all my sections, when not a person in my
county knew there existed such an article, and from the sales of many
hundred pounds of honey built upon it, I never heard but'one word that
signified the least suspicion of anything new, and very many were the
praises of my u excellent comb-honey." When using it in full sheets in
brood frames, I most earnestly advise wiring the frames, and I care not
what kind of foundation you are using, more or less of sagging, warping
or twisting is likely to injure the beauty and usefulness of your combs, if
wires are not used. I find them of advantage in many other ways, and
no detriment, in any. The following gives our method of
W I R I N G FRAMES

by hand. It cannot be pressed onto the wires as smoothly and perfectly as if done by the press, but it can be done so well t i n t after the bees
get through manipulating it, it is in every way as perfect as if done by the
machine.
Wnen your frame material is out, and before nailed up, punch holes
(centrally) through the top and bottom bars about two inches apart, and
have the outside holes not further from the end bar than one-half or threefourths of an inch. Use No. 30 tinned wire. Now sew the frame, beginning in the middle and sewing each way with each end. To fasten the
ends I use a small tack, or the nails that nail the bottom-bar may be left
a little out. Be careful not to draw the bottom-bar bowing by drawing
the wire too tight. Diagonal wires may be put in, but f do not use them,
as I find no need for them. To use them fasten one end to the tack or
nail-head, and then go down through the first hole, and through the cne
nearest the centre of the other bar, then up through the other centre hole,
and fasten this end the same as the first. Now the frame is wired.

Next make a lap-board longer each way than your frame is the longest way. Now cut from one-half inch lumber a board that is one-fourth
inch smaller each way than the inside measure of your frame. Nail this
board securely to the seven-eighths lap-board, and let the grains run crossways of each other. This will prevent warping. With a sponge or a rag
wet the thin board or form. Have already-cut some sheets of foundation
one-fourth less in size than your frame measures inside. Turn up about
3-16 of an inch on one edge, (have the wax sheet warm) and with a stiff,
broad putty-knife, or chisel, mash the turned-up portion to the top-bar

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

63

(which should not be rough), so that the sheet will hang centrally in the
frame. We have a rest fixed for the frame, on our work bench, to hold
it while we do the mashing. ISText lay the frame and foundation (foundation down) on the lap-board and over the form, and while the sheet is
plastic, push the wires dowm into the base of the cells. This can be done
with an eight-penny nail; some use a wheel with points upon it. I have
had success with the wire imbeclder with about ten points, about one-fifth
of an inch apart, the points being about one-fifth wide and one-sixtyfourth thick, so adjusted that they roll lengthwise of the wire, while each
point runs crosswise of the wire. Of course they are not properly points.
This puts the wire in quite rapidly and satisfactorily.

.: .

SECTIONS.

Briefly stated, my experience with sections has been, that I can get as
much if not more surplus honey stored in those holding not more than
one pound, than in any larger size. The reasons may be that when they
are not higher than four and one-fourth inches, the bees more readily go to
their tops to start work in the supers. However this may be, they are
better adapted to the " tiering up " method, a method, that in my opinion,
has no equal, and sooner or later, will be adopted by all honey producers.
This size section (4ix4£). sells in the markets better than any other size.
It is rare indeed, that we ever hear a customer calling for larger size sections of honey. I find that I can produce just as much comb-honey in
one-half pound sections as in any larger size, and that there is a demand
for a portion of this size, even at a price in proportion to their extra cost
of production; but those who retail or job out th3ir crop, should only use
a lesser proportion of this size, as their cost is ten to fifteen per centgreater than the cost of one-pound sections, partly owing to the extra
manipulation. I think we have a standard in the 4ix4| section, but just
now the question is being discussed as to the best width for these sections.
During the past three years, my students and myself, have experimented
considerably upon this point, and we have settled down on one and threefourths inch, scant, or a seven to the foot," as the best width to use,
whether they are used with separators or not. After wre had determined
a preference, for the above width, with separators, we supposed that of
course, one and one-half inch, or " eight to the foot," would be best where
no separators were used, but actual trial on a large scale, by myself and
others, demonstrated that the u seven to the foot" were the best, with or
without separators.

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SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

I prefer a four-piece section, '"dovetailed" or notched at all corners^
made of white poplar and having openings at both top and bottom, extending their entire length. So far I have been unable to procure them,,
of such workmanship, as would suit those who know the importance of
nice sections, short of the New England states.
29 80 31 1 2 3 4
28
5
27
(
>
26
7
25
*
8
24
9
23
10
22
11
21
12
20 19 18 17 161514 13

Renewed.

3-4

*

1-4

1-2

HEDDON'S SURPLUS HONKY REGISTER.

The above is a sample of our surplus honey register, which was suggested by seeing the queen register invented, I think, by Mr. A. I. Root,
of Medina, Ohio. It embraces the essential principles of his, but I think
is in a more practical shape and much more useful for surplus honey than
queen registering. I agree with " My Friend," regarding the superiority
of the little boards, and pencil, for the latter purpose. We make these
registers of thin, white paper, to be pasted on the north side of our supers, upper back corner, or of heavy manilla paper and tack on in the
same place. I rather prefer the thin paper, pasted, and they cost less,
though perhaps in some cases it would be better to use the heavy article
tacked to the wood. After fastening to the super, drive a cheap, soft
metal No. 2 pin (such as we usually buy for five cents a paper) into the
wood at the points designated by the two stars. To govern the distance
to drive them, and to insure driving them straight, we make a block five
inches long, one-half inch thick and seven-eighths wide and exactly square.
About one inch from one end, on one side of this block with a try square
we cut square across, a small groove, sufficient to receive the body of the
pin. Lay your pin in this groove, placing your thumb over it to hold it
firmly; place the point at the star, the edge of the block resting firmly
against the super, and with a light hammer drive the head of the pin down
even with the block; remove the block, bend the pin at right angles and it
forms a perfect dial which will remain in place for years. We use a register on each and every super 5-and when we adjust such super to the hive,
say May 20, we turn the head of the pin within the figures to the number
" 2 0 " and the other to the letter u R " in the word " Renewed." Now you
can see at a glance, rods away, that you put that super on the hive the
twentieth (you can always tell the month from memory), and that it has
never been looked into since. Should you now look into it on the twentyseventh and find no work had yet been done, turn the date pin to " 2 7 "
and the other to the letter " cl." After this you can tell at a glance that
the super had nothing in on the twenty-seventh, when it was examined
which was not the day it was first given to the colony. So u R " and u d "
both mean empty. Now at anytime in the future when you examine the
super, turn the date pin to the day of examination and the other to a
position in the circle in proportion to the accumulation of honey in the

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

65

super, as you can estimate it at a glance, whether it be one-eighth, onesixth or one-fourth, or five-eighths or seven-eighths, as the case may be.
You are not confined to the positions indicated by the fractions on the
register, which are merely put there for marks of division.
At a low estimate these registers save me at least, twenty-five dollars
worth of labor each season. I cannot see how those who manage large
numbers of hives can do without some such registering device. They are
equally useful for comb or extracted honey.
SCREEN-HOUSE.

As stated by " My Friend," we much prefer the screen-house or permanent bee-tent, to those commonly advised, which are portable. All
things considered, I would rather carry my "Readily Movable Hives "
to my screen-house, than to carry the portable tent and place over them.
I will give you a few reasons for my preference.
We rarely need either, when we have surplus upon the hives. In the
few cases that we do, we prefer to set it off, quickly and securely covering it; carry the body hive, or both, to the screen-house as circumstances may
demand. A screen-house will be larger and more convenient in shape and
structure than a portable tent. Ours is six feet square, perfectly beetight, with double wire-cloth all around the upper half. The double wire
cloth will not admit of the inside bees feeding those without, which practice is one of the greatest stimulants to robbing. Two of the entire sides
of the house are on hinges, and when swung open every bee leaves instantly. The top is lined with cloth, writh tight board roof over all. We
find this an excellent place to leave our filled supers until the few adhering bees desert them. But here comes our greatest objection to the portable tent. When robbing is rife in the apiary, after removing the tent
from the colony you have had open, the robbers at once pitch into it with
much the same determination as when no tent has been used. They know
just where to make the attack; it is not so at all when carried from the
screen-house, the point of attack always remains at the place of manipulation and the hive is carried back to its own peaceful location.
Sometimes after clearing out the house, leaving nothing to rob, we
open the doors slightly until'the bulk of r,he robbers have passed in and
keep them there until the bees almost cease their flying, when we let
them out, well punished, and I believe somewhat repentant of their bad
habits; at the same time learning which colonies are the most inclined to
this vexatious habit, which gives us a chance to doctor or re-queen them.
We have used both kinds of protection for three years and think we have
no more use for bee-tents.

6s—

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SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

(Heclclon's Feeder, Old Style.)
BEE-FEEDERS.

The compliment that " My Friend " has paid to my large bee-feeder,
though it may seem extravagant to some, is one that has been given it by
nearly every bee-keeper who has tested it. Since last season's improvements (which have never been on the market) it seems to me as though
the implement was nearly perfection. I cannot speak of these late improvements without mentioning the names of J. L. Stevens and Benjamin
Guest, two of my students, and William Stolley, my last season's superintendent, all of whom rendered material assistance in perfecting the feeder shown in the foregoing cut, " old style."
By a comparison between the above cut and the one which follows, I
think the reader will recognize some valuable improvements. While we
covered the old style with the hive cover, we have devised a special cover
that affords conveniences much in advance of its extra cost.
By referring to the cut, you will notice that it is supplied with a central sliding piece that opens to the large central reservoir, and while opening it up with merely a touch, it closes as readily and in such a manner,
that no scent of the food can escape. The act of filling this feeder does
not crack the propolis placed about the joints where it is fitted to the hive
or cover, by the bees, which makes it odor tight. The advantages of a
central reservoir and entrances on either side, and feeding places on each
side of the reservoir, must be enjoyed to be fully appreciated.

(Heddon's Feeder, New Style.)

I do not think that it is necessary to consume space giving a mechanical description, embracing measurements of all parts of the feeder. As
of hives, the same may be said of this feeder. The most laborious and
space consuming description,would no more than lead the average bee-keep-

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

67

er r,o construct one just enough different to leave out some important feature. A perfect sample to work by, is the only safe guide; the only one
which the inventor, who takes any pride in his inventions, feels safe in
giving to the general public.
I am pleased to leave this useful implement to the test and decision
of my brother bee-keepers.
The cut above is imperfect, in so far as the feeding places on either
side of the reservoir are made to appear of different capacity, and the
partitions next the reservoir should come up flush with the top of the
feeder.

T H E r A R K B R FOUNDATION F A S T E N E R .

When comb-foundation was first invented, some little trouble was experienced from the want of some quick, reliable method of attaching it
to the top-bars of brood-frames and surplus section boxes.
After experimenting with molten wax, preparations of wax and rosin, different kinds of glue as well as saw cuts to pinch it fast, it was found
that nothing would secure bees-wax to wood, as quickly and permanently
as to press or mash it into the grains of the wood with a putty-knife or
chisel. Learning this fact, we would lay our sheet of foundation into the
section, passing its edge about one-eighth of an inch beyond the line we
wished it to hang from, and with a putty-knife mash this one-eighth of
an inch fast to the top-bar of the section; now turn the wax sheet at right
angles just where it attaches to the wood, and your sheet of foundation
will hang centrally in the little section frame.
We found it necessary to have our foundation sheet of a temperature
of about 90 degrees Fahrenheit, and the putty knife coated with honey.
By further reference to the cut you will see how the little Fastener does
the work of fastening one sheet of foundation into one section, by a single
motion.
The lever piece needs an occasional coating of honey, and the foundation should be tempered, as above.
if oil will notice that the hinges to the lever are so adjusted that after
the pressure becomes great enough, said lever will begin to slide backward, the pressure all the time increasing, and this feature, which I believe originated with Mr. Parker, is what gives me a decided preference
for his style of machine. One might imagine that this process would
work better upon rough than smooth wood surfaces; such, however, is
not the case. The smoother the wood, the better.

68

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.
Bingham & Hetherington Uncapping Knife

Patented May 20,1879.
T H E HONEY

KNIFE.

The Honey Knife, which is used almost exclusively for uncapping
combs for extraction, is no small factor among the many necessary implements for the bee-keeper.
Very well do I remember the trials and tribulations necessarily endured while using various styles of Honey Knives, before possessing the
one shown in the above cut. If we used a narrow blade we were free
from the troubles accruing from dragging down the cells, caused by suction whenever our wide blades passed along their surface; but we had to
suffer the great inconvenience arising from the fact that a narrow blade
would not carry the cappings, but allowed them to pass over the top of
the knife and stick fast in the honey just uncapped, when another motion
or two would be required to remove the cappings. Wide or narrow be
our blade, one serious drawback or the other must be endured.
The inventive genius of Bingham & Hetherington gave us a broad
blade, with a straight bevel on the under edge of the blade (all knives
prior to this were beveled on top), which gave us the narrowest bearing
against the ends of the uncapped cells, together with the widest top surface for carrying away the cappings. This is not all. This lower bevel
necessitates carrying the blade in a considerably arched position, which
also aids in carrying the cappings, and makes the blade almost perfection
itself for the purpose of neatly and quickly uncapping sunken spots that
are sometimes found in the surface of combs. When I first beheld this
new knife I felt very confident, and so expressed myself to Mr. Bingham,
that it would not wTork well and satisfactorily. A half hour's practical
use of it quickly convinced me to the contrary, and I was not long studying into the whys and wherefores of the perfection of its work.
This valuable acquisition to our useful implements was patented May
20th, 1879, by virtue of which it has been made of the very best material,
by finished workmen, and sold at the very reasonable price of $1.00 each,
by Bingham & Hetherington, of Abronia, Mich., as well as by nearly all
our leading supply dealers, who could not but recognize its superiority.

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

69

FACE PROTECTORS.

The plain black bobbinet veil, as illustrated in the above cut, I believe to be—all things considered—the best and most practical, as well as
cheapest, Face Protector now known to bee-keepers. It is light, and instantly adjustable to almost any hat, making it convenient to carry in the
pocket when going to visit, or work other apiaries. A bee veil should
never be any color but black, as all other shades are more or less difficult
to see through clearly. Bound meshes are also preferable to clear vision,
when looking through them.

T H E LAMP NURSERY.

The above cut represents the Lamp Nursery, for hatching queen
cells, which is described on page 28, in chapter on Queen Bearing.

70

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

T H E W A X EXTRACTOR.

• We herewith illustrate this convenient utensil, described by "My
Friend" on page 54. We, too, have found them rather small and slow of
operation where hundreds of pounds of wax were to be rendered at one
time; but as very few modern bee-keepers will have any such amount of
wax making to do in the future, I can recommend these Extractors because of their handiness and perfect cleanliness in storing up and melting smaller quantities of comb, which slowly but surely accumulates in
all apiaries.

W H I T M A N FOUNTAIN P U M P .

Above is shown the Whitman Fountain Pump, spoken of by " My
Friend" on page 55. These pumps are made of best material, and the
workmanship is excellent. They are not only very useful to the bee-

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

71

keeper, in the ways mentioned on page 55, but in very many other particulars outside of the demands of the apiary. They are excellent with
which to wash windows, outside; very useful in cleaning buggies; they do
quite good work in sprinkling lawns, and gardens; they have saved many
buildings, by extinguishing fires in their incipiency. The bee-keeper
cannot afford to do without at.least one, in his apiary.

SHIPPING- CRATES.

The above cut is a perfect representation of our preferred Shipping
Crate, except that the engraver has made the bottom, which is nailed on
the outside, look as though it was larger than the Crate, which it is not,
but of its exact outside dimensions, the same as the cover.
The first Crate I ever saw, was glassed on its sides, rather than ends,
and the grooves were made in the ends of the solid end pieces, which received a glass as long as the Crate the longest way. ?ud as wide as the
crate was high. This style of glassing crates was quire expensive, and I
found unnecessarily so. I changed the method of glassing at once, cutting my grooves in the edges of the cleats, thus using glasses not over onehalf the width. I found by experience in shipping several tons of comb
honey in these Crates that there was no need for any more glass than just
enough to show the kind and quality of the contents of the crate. That
secured safety in handling, and satisfaction to the observer. Next, I
changed the cleats and glass to the ends, instead of side of the Crates, for
the following reasons:
1st. The Crate would be stronger, and cheaper.
2nd. The cleats would serve as handles, at the same time allowing
us to handle the Crate, side to us, with combs ranging to and from us.
3rd. When made in this manner, the Crate is just as long as our
storing cases are wide (which is a plump foot), and so whatever size section we use, of which the width of any given number measure one foot,
thus perfectly fitting our storing cases, the same will equally fit our
Shipping Crates.
Our one-half pound sections are of such dimensions from front to
rear, that six of them measure just the same as four of the 4i sections,
viz.: Seventeen inches. All are just 4i inches high. Yfou will see that
the Crate whose width is adapted to two of the 4i sections is equally well
adapted to three of the half pound sections. Thus we have a small,
solid shipping crate that receives 12, 4ix4ix2 sections,which are six to the
foot; 14 of the same, seven to the foot; 16 of the same, eight to the foot;
21 of the half pounds, seven to the foot; 24 of the same, eight to the foot,
and all of these five sizes perfectly fitting the Crate.

72

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

We make our Shipping Crates of white basswood, but pine or poplar
will answer very well for the purpose. I advise small Shipping Crates, as
safest in which to transport comb honey, and readiest of sale when placed
upon the market.
The question of a combined Storing Case and Shipping Crate, is one
that has been discussed much, and experimented with a little. It is one
of the subjects that I can satisfactorily decide upon, for myself, without
the trouble and expense of a trial. I feel confident that honey thus produced and negligently sent to market, would never do for my trade.
Among the many objections to storing and selling comb honey in the
same case, or crate (whichever it may be called), I will enumerate a few:
1st. A good Storing Case—one up to the modern standard—is not only
inferior to the Shipping Crate above illustrated, in nearly every respect,
but is too costly to be given away with honey sales; and any system of
selling, that confines itself to charging for or recovering the Crates, will
not stand commercial test.
2nd. Comb honey is sought largely for its fine appearance, as is proven by its commanding double the price of equally choice extracted honey,
after twenty years of acquaintance with consumers. This fact enjoins
us to neglect nothing that will improve the appearance of our surplus
combs.
To ship sections to market—that is, any market that pays good p r i c e s just as they are left by the bees, would be to lose many times more than it
costs to remove them from cases to crates, cleaning them of all propolis,
when crating.
The producer should grade his combs, know just what each Crate
contains, and represent it just as it is. Regarding this matter, I feel
confident that "the longest way around is the nearest way across."

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

73

CHAPTER XXII.
Patents.— Are t h e y Necessary?
The above is a question that I have frequently asked, both in private
conversation and through the Bee Journal. I believe there is a misconception upon the part of many, regarding the spirit of our Patent Laws.
You will often hear men, who claim and mean to be honest, say to an
inventor regarding his invention, " Is this patented?" and upon learning
that it is not, continue by saying, " T h e n I will manufacture some of
them."
The questioner evidently entertains the idea that an inventor has an
exclusive right to a patented article only after, and because, he has paid
the government $35.00. I think this is a great mistake. Every civilized
nation grants to an inventor an exclusive right to his invention for a term
of years, because it recognizes that such an exclusive right belongs to
him, which should be paid, because justice demands it, and to stimulate
invention for the benefit of its people. It recognizes that in the mental,
as well as the physical world, one has a right to at least part of the results of his own labor. The thirty-five dollars is merely the recording
fee demanded, to support the office.
The government makes no patent laws to aid extortion from her
people, but to protect inventors in their natural rights. Had the first
speaker in the above dialogue rightly understood this matter,, would he
not have said, "Will you object to my making and using your invention?"
"Can I borrow the results of your labor ! " I once entertained the idea
that possibly these principles could be so thoroughly inculcated into the
minds of the members of our fraternity, that they would all respect
each inventor of implements in our line, patent or no patent. But experience has taught me that in. our business, as in others, a few there are,
who will do right only when forced to. For this class, the Patent Laws,
like all other lawTs, are made.
The patent system is the pride of inventors and honest people in general, but the dread of him who wishes to purloin the labors of another
without giving an equivalent.
On page 620 of Gleanings in Bee Culture, its editor, Mr. Boot, pens
the following moral gem, which will make his name remembered by all
men of intelligence and integrity. He says:
" I am very glad indeed to note the disposition among bee-keepers of
forbearing to copy the works of each other, patent or no patent. The
supply dealer who would unhesitatingly copy something well known to
be the property of another, without getting the privilege of doing so, by
purchase or otherwise, would very likely lose more than he made, so
strong is the disposition of our people to give honor to whom honor is
due."
In the same periodical on page 179—1885—our state entomologist,
Prof. A. J. Cook, says of the above: " I wish to commend what you say
about inventions. We should respect them, whether patented or not."
I now believe patents are necessary to the fulfillment of justice, and
best interests of our people.

•74

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

I have had some recent personal experience, regarding the boldness
with which some of our people will appropriate the work of another, even
when requested not to do so. In two instances that have come to my notice, hive manufacturers have wronged me knowingly. To one, I gave
complete samples, free of charge, with the understanding that he was to
sell at prices quoted in my circular, furnishing equally good workmanship, etc. These promises were not carried out. He made a reduction
in the price, and a still greater one in quality.
After I had patiently and persistently labored to establish a reputation for accurate, honest work, another advertised ^Heddon's Hives,"
and sent out material in the flat, so inaccurate in dimensions as to be
practically valueless to the purchaser. Who suffered by this transaction?
I felt as though my inventions, although not patented, should be respected; that I should be consulted regarding their character and introduction.
The control of ttie manufacture of an article, should not, and does
not, in the nature of things, tend to increase its price. This control enables the manufacturer, by virtue of his greater volume of business, to
not only employ the very best workmanship and material, but to turn out
the goods at minimum cost. This secures to I im a fair compensation, at
the same time adding nothing to the outlay of the consumer.
Another point is that no man has as much pride in the excellence of
the construction of an article, as does the inventor—he who has a pride
and interest in its introduction. It is not he, but the imitator who is ignorant and careless of the proper bearing, adjustment and construction
of the new article. His only aim is profit; to-day's profit, regardless of
the profits of the future.
It is a duty, and T assure you a pleasure for me to say that I have
every reason to believe that a vast majority of our bee-keepers, need no
patent laws to force them to justice. I am mindful of the many substantial encouragements I have received, as an inventor.
Mr. A. I. Eoot requested the privilege of illustrating and "describing
my old hive, honey board, etc., in his paper, and manufacturing the same
to supply the demand of his customers. .To him, as to every person who
in like manner recognized justice in the matter, all he asked was granted, without money and without price. Mr. Root, however, sent me $100
as a token of appreciation.
Messrs. McKallep, Margrave & Co., proprietors of the Hiawatha,
Kansas, bee-hive manufactory, in like manner sent me $10, wishing to
manufacture my inventions, upon which they, too, knew I had procured
no legal exclusive right.
Do not such men as these deserve our highest respect, and will they
not receive it?
It nas been said that our inventions are merely mental evolutionary
growths. I grant it. The patent laws will grant to each inventor just
that part of that growth which belongs to him—and no more. Suppose
Mr. B. discovers a principle, but fails to make a practical application of
the same. Mr. A. does likewise. C. looks at both, and discovers a third,
which makes the first two of value to humanity. He gets the right. He
is the real benefactor of mankind.

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

75

Again it is said that if Mr. C. did not discover and monopolize the
discovery, it would be left in the great secret vault of Nature, where it
would soon be discovered by another. I grant that. I used to think that
this was one valid argument against the patent system (not patentees);
but let us look at it further: The objection raised is, that when Father
Langstroth took from this great "vault" his movable frame, he robbed it
of one great truth, and thus left us one less chance to discover; and had
he not done so, we would, ere this, have found it. I grant and believe
the last part of that sentence, but not the first. Truths are infinite in number. No matter what A, B or C takes from the vault, there is an infinity
left, and I found that a thought of this depletion arose from a stronger
desire to take what some one else had groped about after in the darkness, and
finally laid outside the vault door, than to go in likewise and meritoriously bring something else to light. When Father L. held his patent ("monopoly"), we are told there was much effort made to rob him of the results of his labor. One hive vender, who was infringing his patent, after
doing so with a set determination; going into lawsuits with him, trying
to prove priority with this same old story, "used by Mr. M. years ago,"
and failing, proposed a relief fund, which he headed with $100. Father
L. rose in his dignity and genius, and said: "Sir, I will not accept one
cent from you. I only ask what belongs to me."
All of this is about the patent system, and not patentees. A reason
why Brow^n has a moral as well as legal right to patent his inventions, is
because living under the patent system, he always has paid and likely always will pay a tribute to the inventions of others.
My main objection to the patent system has been the money lost by
the purchase of worthless inventions. Yet we should not forget the old
verse which says:
"Some people, if they had tbeir pleasure,
Because silly bargains are made;
Would deem it a rational measure,
To lay an embargo on trade."

Patent or no patent, we should always avoid buying worthless goods,
worthless either in principal or construction.
Some have come to believe that whoever asks money for a Patent
Right, is an extortionist. I think we have shown that the inventor has a
right to his inventions, the results of his labor. If he has, he certainly
has the right to sell them in such manner, and at such price as he shall
dictate, we reserving the right to purchase or not, as we think best.
The same laws that govern all other lines of traffic are all that are
needed to govern this.
•
Father Langstroth's patent, supplied him with means to introduce
his valuable inventions to the public.
Two years before its expiration, his agent came to me and found me
with hives without movable frames. For the purpose of obtaining $10
for an individual right, and I presume of enjoying the pleasure of doing
good to his fellow men, this agent carefully and minutely explained to
me the superiority of his hive and system of management. I was able to
discover it at once, and glad to exchange the $10 for what within those
two years, proved to be worth hundreds of dollars to me.

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SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

CHAPTER XXIII.
Hives.
No adequate consideration of the progress of invention as applied to
Bee-Hives, in connection with modern apiculture, can for one moment
ignore the genius of Rev. L. L. Langstroth, for it was his invention that
first made bee-culture a possible, paying business. Some idea of how intimately associated with success in our chosen pursuit, is this question
of Hives, may be gained when we reflect upon the fact, that thousands of
patents have been issued upon "improved" Hives, and yet our most successful apiarists are still seeking for a Hive better adapted to maximum
production at minimum cost. Necessity is said to be "the mother of invention." Certain it is, that the low prices of our products has compelled
the specialist to seek by every possible means, to lessen the cost of its
production. An important factor in this problem is the amount of labor
required for the attainment of definite results. For many years past I
have experimented largely with a view of lessening the labor of necessary
manipulation in the apiary; of devising some method whereby in one hour,
I might accomplish what had hitherto required two. While conducting these experiments, I ascertained that nearly all the necessary manipulation of bees, might be better and far more speedily accomplished by
handling Hives more and frames less; that many "short cuts" to the desired end, might be easily made, that were wholly impossible with the L.
frame. I also learned the great importance of a proper adjustment of
combs and the working force, in the attainment of best results; of the necessity of Hives that would admit of easy, rapid manipulation, capable
of being expanded or contracted at will, yet avoiding all extra fixtures
and complication. I am happy to say that my new Hive embodies all
these, and more desirable features. It has been thoroughly tested by
different persons, under varying conditions, who agree with me in the
claim, that the results attending its use have hitherto been unattainable.
On going into detail with this very important subject, I will first describe the L. Hive, as modified and used by myself; a modification which
has become quite popular with many of our most successful Honey producers. In recounting my efforts to arrange and manipulate this Hive
in such manner as to obtain the very best results with the least labor,
you will see how I was led to the invention and adoption of the New
Hive.

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

77

The above cut represents my modification of the Langstroth Hive.
For several years, I used the old standard L. Hive, containing 10 frames,
and portico. Since changing to 8 frames, and doing away with the portico, supplying it with the cleat and Bottom-stand, F , it has given me
much better satisfaction, for the production of both comb and extracted
honey.
Above the top of the brood chamber is shown my Honey Board G.

I will pause to describe this Honey Board, which I deem a necessity
to the easy manipulation of the Hive, and ever neat, clean condition of
the surplus sections.
It is constructed of slats, so arranged that the upper surface of the
Board contains a Bee space. There is a narrow rim all around the outer
edge, which receives the lower side of all surplus receptacles, leaving a
Bee space between their lower surface, and the general top surface of the
Honey Board. This general surface is composed of slats, so arranged as
to leave just eight f inch slots for Bee passage ways, running lengthwise
of the hive and frames, one slot exactly over the center of each top bar
below, and extending its entire length. I consider this Honey Board as
my most valuable invention connected with the above Hive. Reports
from many of our oldest and most practical Honey producers, who have
thoroughly tested it, have corroborated this opinion, formed by ten years
of experience, giving it the most rigid tests. It is in no way a detriment,
either to the bees or bee-master. We have found queen excluding
Honey Boards a practical success, and this Honey Board can be made

78

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

queen excluding by simply widening the slats, to such width as to contract
the bee-passages between them to too small a space to admit of the passage of the queen. The perforated zinc queen excluding metal can be
used in place of the slats, still retaining the bee space in the Honey Board,
and in some respects this metal is superior.
That successful producer, and eminent writer, Mr. W. Z. Hutchinson,
was the first to make my Honey Board queen excluding, by arranging its slats so as to leave only passage-ways too small to admit the queen.
I was nearly three years satisfying myself that these narrow passageways were in no way detrimental to the rapid storing of surplus honey,
and during all this time spent in experimenting with about sixty queen
excluding Honey Boards, I have been continually discovering more ?-nd
more advantages to be derived from their use. It now seems certain that
they are to unfold still more aids to our pursuit, yet unthought of. I am
quite positive that they are going to aid us greatly in queen rearing, as I
find that the Bees will tolerate two queens, or cells and queens, in the
same hive, at all times in the season, if divided by these queen excluding
Honey Boards. I think they may yet settle the drone and swarming
question.
The under side of our Honey Board has an even surface, and when
placed on the hive, rests bee space above the tops of the movable frames,
because they rest I of an inch below the top edge of the hive. This is one
of Father Langstroth's inventions, and in my estimation best of them all,
and one always to be used by the mass of our Honey producers. To better describe its value, I will quote from the specifications of his patent
papers, long since expired. Regarding this invaluable
BEE SPACE,

or shallow air chamber above the frames, he says:
"The apertures or bee passages in the Honey Board may be made
without being liable to be closed by the bees, as they so frequently are in
hives which have not this shallow air space. It will be seen that the bees
can pass into this shallow chamber from between all the ranges of comb,
and from the front and rear walls of the hive, and sides of the frames,
without even passing through the combs at all, and that they can pass
from the shallow chamber into any of the honey receptacles, without, as
in other hives, losing much time in the height of the honey harvest by
crowding through populous combs or contracted passages.
This shallow chamber, while it greatly facilitates the storage of honey in large receptacles, is specially adapted to securing it in small ones,
which usually meet with the readiest sale.
1st. The building of comb requires the bees to maintain a high temperature, and they work to the best advantage when they can economize
their animal heat; but this they cannot do in small receptacles, which
communicate with the hive through such apertures as are usually made
in its top, such apertures not admitting freely the heat and odor from
the main colony, and the bees in a small receptacle being too few to keep
up the requisite temperature. The shallow chamber, however, like the
part of a room nearest the ceiling, is in the storing season always full of
the warmest air of the hive—thus aiding to keep the smallest receptacles
full of the same.
If the large openings or bee passages are made in hives having no
shallow chamber, for'the purpose of giving a freer admission into small
receptacles, of the heat and odor of the hive, the bees often connect the
combs of the surplus receptacles with those of the main hive, making it
difficult to remove the surplus honey in a proper condition, and the queen

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

79

being thus able to travel over the combs into the receptacles is much more
liable to enter them for breeding, than she is where the interposition of
the shallow air space would require her to leave the combs.
2d. Bees always desire to work in large numbers, so that they can
easily intercommunicate with each other, and the common arrangement
for inducing them to work in small receptacles, is opposed to this instinct,
whereas the shallow chamber affords a place of repose for multitudes of
bees engaged in secreting the wax to be used in the surplus receptacles,
and as a succession of bees are thus constantly ascending and descending,
they work in small receptacles with scarcely more isolation, and with almost as much rapidity, as though they were merely tilling the upper part
of their main hive.
This shallow chamber answers other highly important purposes: (a)
It prevents the bees from cementing the cover or honey board to the tops
of the frames or bars, thus enabling it to be more ea'sily removed when
access is wanted to the combs, (b) It enables the cover to be put over the
frames or bars with much less danger of crushing bees than if it rested
on their tops, (c) It permits the bees, when the cover is on, to pass from
comb to comb above the tops of the frames or bars, (d) It aids to keep a
feeder in cool weather filled with the warmest air of the hive, (e) It
gives an air space between the combs and the cover, thus more effectually guarding the bees against extremes of heat and cold, (f) It enables us
to give the bees better protection against dampness in their hives, as by
leaving the apertures in the cover open, in cold weather, there is a much
freer escape of moisture than when the cover rests flat upon the frames
or bars."
The above, written by Father Langstroth, more than thirty years
ago, clearly sets forth most of the great advantages of this air space in
our hives, which, after the progress made by the fraternity during this
whole period, is still considered indispensible by our most successful
apiarists, almost without exception'.
My Honey Board, as above described, containing a bee space within
itself, is, so far as I know, the only one which is so constructed as to be
perfectly adapted to brood chambers and surplus receptacles so arranged
that they can be used together without the Honey Board, preserving
proper bee spaces, etc.
I can assure my readers that several extensive critical tests have
proven beyond all doubt that the use of such a Honey Board in no way
tends to discourage the bees from entering the surplus receptacles.
During three different seasons, when our apiaries numbered hundreds of colonies, unexpected outside demands for these Honey Boards
compelled us to do without them upon about one-half of our hives, giving
us a perfect test of their usefulness and postive proof that they cause no
detrimental effects, while the break-joint principle,!, e., the arrangement
of the slats of the Honey Board, so that their centers come directly over
the passages between the brood frames, almost totally does away with
the mussy attachments of brace combs to the surplus receptacles above,
and leaves a perfect communication or passags for the heat and odor of the
hive, as well as the working bees.
Next above the Honey Board is shown my
SURPLUS CASE,

D, which contains 28 sections, 4ix4ixlf scant, or a 7 to the foot." I believe this to be the best possible style of surplus receptacle, to be used
without separators. It seems to me to be very nearly perfect. I am satisfied that I cannot make an improvement upon it. I have never seen one

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SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

suggested, that I thought was not a detriment. However, I think them
illy adapted to the use of separators. They are constructed the same exterior size of the top of the hive, of thin material, with divisions between
the tiers of sections which are as wide as the height of the sections, (4±
inches) while the sides and ends of the cases are I inch, or bee space
higher than the divisions and sections. Tin strips at the bottom, where
all pieces are even, are tacked on in such manner as to hold the sections
from sliding out of true position.
We use no glass, or outer covering to these cases, having proven by
experiment, that all such are worse than useless.
Prom two, to four of these cases (usually about three) are used on our
hives at one time. They are worked upon what is known as the
TIKRING-TJP SYSTEM,

which is as follows: When the surplus harvest seems to be
opening (which can be determined by the appearance of small pieces of
new brace combs, built between the tops of the frames and cover of the
hive) we place the Honey Board on the hive (bee space side up) and now
one case on the Honey Board, turning the dial pins as directed on page 64.
In a few days we may find this case of sections nearly two-thirds full of
honey, especially if they were well filled with comb foundation.
We now proceed to lift it off, which is a very easy task, as the narrow
edges of the case are all that touch the Honey Board, and the bee space,
above the slats, arranged on the break-joint principle, have prevented the
attachment of brace combs or propolis between the sections and anything
below them. We now place another case on the Honey Board (adjusting
the register), and place the partly filled case upon the empty one, also adjusting its register showing the date, and estimated amount of surplus it
contains.
If the honey flow is good, in a few days another case may be needed
to give the bees room to do their best, even before all the combs of the
first, or upper case, are entirely capped. Xow we adjust a third case, as
before, always putting the empty cases on the Honey Board. It is quite
likely that before more room will be needed by the bees, the upper case
first adjusted will be completed, when it can be removed and another
empty one placed under the other two, as before, and so on. This is the
Tiering-up System, and in my judgment the one destined to become universally adopted. As the surplus combs are about to be capped, this system places them in such a position to the brood-chamber, as to facilitate
speedy finishing, and bright, clean work, as bees often soil white combs
by constantly traveling over them, especially when moving directly to
them, from the darker combs of the brood-chamber. Again, opening a
gap or empty space between the brood-chamber of the hive, and what
surplus the bees have already made, seems to stimulate them to fill it
(thus connecting the apartments, with their work), just as soon as possible.
Having thus outlined this Tiering system, I will describe our method
of ridding the filled cases of the bees that adhered to them when removed from the hives. When removing them from the hives, by a
judicious use of smoke at the top, we drive more than four-fifths of the
bees down into the lower cases, and then we take the case by its handles

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

81

and by a quick, trembling motion, we shake nearly all of the remaining
bees down in front of the hive. We now carry the case, with its 50 to 100
remaining bees, to the screen house, where we stand it on end, freely admitting the light into the spaces between the combs from either side,
when within a half hour the last bee will have gone to the wire screen.
The sides of this hive are f, the ends &, bottom and cover I inch,
which thicknesses we prefer to thicker material, for other reasons besides
that it aids in making it a
READILY MOVABLE H I V E .

I believe the honey production of the future will demand light,
"Readily Movable Hives." When one comes to manage large apiaries,
pushing business upon that scale which necessitates dispatch, he will find
this Readily Movable feature of more value than all the advantages derived from such features as necessitate making hives cumbersome.
Our methods of preventing after-swarms, or increase from the same,
making increase artificially, as well as many other manipulations, appreciate such hives.
I believe that cellar, or other repository wintering, will be the general practice of the future. Here again the same demand is repeated.
I feel that I cannot urge too strongly against the use of hives that embrace any telescoping principle, i. e., so constructed as to have one story
over-lap another, so that one cannot b3 removed from the other by a lateral
movement, but must be raised up, and let down, when removing or readjusting. There should never be a dead air space or double covering
over the surplus room. Sections should never rest upon each other or on
the brood frames.
The sections should always run paralel with
the brood frames.
More recent experiments have proven that hives with smaller broodchambers are better adapted to the most economical production of comb
honey. Not only this, but at certain periods during the surplus season,
it is highly advisable, in the production of comb honey, to still more contract the breeding department to a minimum capacity.
Among other successful comb honey producers, whose large experience has taught them to use small brood-chambers, I may mention the
names of T. F. Bingham and G. M. Doolittle. On page 373 of American
Bee Journal for 1884, may be found an article from the pen of Mr. Doolittle, plainly setting forth many reasons for using small brood-chambers,
and at certain periods contracting them still smaller, when producing
comb honey. While the objects he seeks and accomplishes are nearly
identical with those sought and accomplished by the contraction method,
as practiced by myself, the fixtures and consequent manipulations adopted by him seem to me much more complicated and impractical than
those we have used.
Perhaps I cannot better describe the system, as we have practiced it
with our modification of the Langstroth hive, than to copy an article of
mine published in the American Bee Journal for 1885, page 437.
The illustration shown in this article represents my Hive as shorter
from front to rear than from side to side. This is not the case, however,
as its exterior dimensions are 13 inches in width and 19! inches in length.
(See first cut in.this chapter.)

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SUCCESS JN BEE-CULTURE.

"During the past three years I have been carefully testing a hivecontracting system, and I have found it of great value, as regards both
summer and winter success. It has become a permanent system in my
apiaries when running for comb honey, and now, after testing it for three
seasons, I feel prepared to speak of what I know.
I hive all swarms, whether first or second swarms, upon five Langstroth frames of foundation, filling up the rest of the space in an 8-frame
hive, with 2 contractors or "dummies," A, A. as shown in the illustration. I find that the queen uses thes3 five combs to that extent that I get
as much brood in them as in any 7 combs where the whole 8 are used.
The 5 combs become nearly 5 solid sheets of brood, and where they are
reversible, quite all brood. Certain it is that this contraction in no way
tends to increase the amount of honey stored, but to a great extent
tends to increase the amount stored as surplus, and decrease the quantity
stored in the brood-chamber.
This contraction also keeps much bee-bread out of the hive, leaving
it in the field, which is by far the best and most economical reservoir for
it, in this locality. With this treatment, a prime swarm commences work
in the cases at once; I usually place one case on the hive when hiving a
swarm. A second swarm usually commences in the surplus cases in 2 or
8 days after being hived.
In autumn, when the honey harvest is over, the little brood-chamber
contains but little honey and pollen (almost none at all if the bees are
German). I now have much honey in the supers that without contraction
would have been in the hive, and I am now ready to feed the colony sugar
syrup for winter. When fed, the bees are in a condition where all their
stores are accessible, and to winter with almost absolute certainty, if they
are kept warm enough. Whether the brood-chambers are almost honeyless, or partially stored, depends upon the nature and duration of the
honey-flow, and the blood of the bees. Most bee-keepers are aware of the
fact that Italians are more prone to load the brood-chamber, regardless
of the surplus department, both early and late in the season, than are the
German bees.
Wrhile the system is so nearly perfected that with any bees I
bring nearly all of the colonies out at the close of the season, so as to take
one-half or more of their winter and spring stores through the feeder, I
have it complete as far as Germans and most hybrid colonies are concerned. I am now at work with assurance of perfecting the system, so as to
bring out all brood-chambers, with any bees, in a perfect starvation condition; our honey all gone into the market, and our colonies all ready to
receive the winter food prepared by the bee-master, as their whole winter and spring stores. I believe that sugar syrup is better than honey as
spring stores, till the weather is quite warm, and till the bees can fly
daily.
I keep the bees on these 5 combs, after placing them on the summer
stands, until the spreading of the queen and the advance of the sun north
of the equator calls for more room, when. I remove the contractors, replacing 3 combs which are put in the positions occupied by the contractors, or among the combs of brood, spreading them, according to the
weather and force of the colony. When this colony swarms, I hive its
swarm on 5 combs, as above described, and then on the twentieth day after swarming, I go to the old hive and find, as a rule, a young, fertile
queen, eggs in the centre combs, and .three or more combs with considerable honey and no brood, which I remove, replacing them with the
contractors. This old colony is soon in the supers, having a 5-comb broodchamber filled solid with brood.
I have had colonies, after casting 3 swarms, at work in the supers
within 5 days after contracting. I think that the advantages of this contracting system will be seen; or it may be called an enlarging system;
that is, enlarging the brood-chamber for about 6 weeks during the time
that the queen is not only the most prolific, but when such prolificness
gives us bees to become field-workers, just when we most need them. I
think that it will also be seen, too, with what advantage reversible frames

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

83

[A A shows the two Contractors—one nearly in position, and the other just ready to go
down into'the hive.]

may be added to this system. I make the contractors by making a wide
frame just the same width all around, and just the size of the standard
Langstroth brood-frame. It is no division-board, as it has all the same
bee spaces as has the brood-frames, and thus manipulates very easily.
When the frame is made, I nail a £ inch board upon each side, and in the
middle T place a little cubic block, a little smaller than the width of the
frame; by nailing each side to this block, they will be just a little concave.
'Through all the summer days,' the contractors are kept at the same
distance from the sides of the hive and adjacent combs, as the combs are
kept from each other; but in winter I move them back close to the sides
of the hive, thus aiding as non-conductors, and giving a little more wintering room; these two points T consider non-essentials, however.
Some of the contractors I fill with chaff, some with sawdust, and I
also have 300 made of solid wood, but these are only I of an inch
thick, and each pair replaces but 2 con.bs, leaving 6 instead of 5. When 6
are used the spaces of the honey-board exactly break joints with the spaces
below, as with 8 combs; but with 5 combs I move the honey-board sidewise as much as it will go and still rest solid on the hive, and then I leave
the break-joint feature of the honey-board perfect as before. It was by
the use of this 5-comb system that I first got my best test of the great
value of the break-joint feature of the honey-board. I never knew how
much more, queens and comb would get up through where they ought
not to, till after I placed a lot of honey-boards on some contracted hives,
and in such a manner that the slots corresponded vertically instead of
breaking joints with each other.
My first thought was to have these contractors, broad-frames filled
with sections, but experience taught me, first, that we did unot need any
more surplus room with a Langstroth hive and complete Tiering-up"
system; second, it adds complication to have storing in sections going on in
the brood-chamber; and third, the honey stored there is not fit for market, at least none that I have ever seen comes up to my standard. If it
was only started there, and finished in a better place, it might do, but as
such a system complicates labor still more, why should we use the place,
when we have all the room we want without it, and in a far better and
handier position? I have not been troubled with the queen entering the
sections, when I used the honey-boards in proper position, though most
of them are not queen-excluding, the slots being f of an inch, or double
bee-space.
I notice that others have been cotemporary with me in working out
the advantages of contracting, but so far as I have read, I have not as yet
seen it systematized as a summer and winter management. I have here
endeavored to so place it before my fellow bee-keepers, and I do it with
the full conviction that we can and will yet still further lessen the detail
labor of manipulation, and keep all the advantages of this valuable system."
The advantages to be gained from this system of contraction are very
numerous, many of which were set forth by Mr. G. M. Doolittle about
one year ago in the American Bee Journal. For some reason it did not

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

84
T

at that time meet w ith much opposition. Whether because not clearly
understood, or otherwise, I am unable to say, but since the appearance of
my article as copied above, considerable opposition has been elicited. I
believe that bee-keepers at large, accord with it, in the main.
In Gleanings in Bee Culture for 1885, page 94, Mr. Doolittle, in
favor of the contracting system, remarks as follows, in answer to a beekeeper, who, when running for comb honey, proposed to hive his swarms
on a full hive of combs, and then extract honey from them:
"By so doing the bees found room to occupy all their forces; while if
only one-half or one-third as many had been given, the bees not being
able to cluster and work on these combs, would have immediately gone
into the sections, and gone to work on them. Having thus at once started in the sections, the little honey stored in the few combs below will be
carried to the sections as fast as the queen needs room for egg-laying,
and the result with me is, that at the end of 15 days from the time of hiving, the sections are well filled with honey, and the combs below a solid
mass of brood, except a little pollen and honey in the extreme upper corners of the frames. The object should be in* all cases, whether you use
combs, frames of foundation, or empty frames, to get the bees at work in
the sections immediately upon being hived. I use .six Gallup frames of
comb (equal to 5 L. frames) for the very largest swarms, while others
have but 4 or 5, according to the size of the swarm to be hived, and in
this way I always secure good results. The greatest secret of getting
comb honey is to get the sections just as near to the brood as possible ;
and any plan which allows of one or more inches of sealed honey between
the brood and sections is certainly defective.'"
In the same periodical, page 513, Mr. W. Z. Hutchinson says:
" I t does seem as though bees that have but little brood, and plenty
of combs to fill, store twice as much honey as bees with a hive full of
brood to care for."
It must be borne in mind that this system never contemplates contracting the brood-chamber to a minimum, at such time of year as when
eggs are laid by the queen will grow into bees to become gatherers during any important honey harvest occurring the same season.
Many bee-keepers seem to think that it is a great mistake, resulting
in financial loss, if we do not supply hive, combs, and nurse bees at any
and all times of year, sufficient to mature all the eggs a prolific queen
could deposit. To me this looks like the philosophy entertained by the
Indian, who, having picked up a flint, concluded economy demanded that
he have a gun made to it. We must remember that nearly all our capital
is invested outside of the queen, and while it makes no material difference whether this capital is equal to the prolificness of the queen or not,
it is very important that her prolificness should at all times during the
breeding season be fully equal to this capital. Let me quote from one
of my articles written several years ago:
"What is the object in a very prolific queen? The answer always
comes, 'to produce the greatest number of workers.' Let us look into
the matter:
If one is buying queens, they cost from one to three dollars each,
What is the purpose of tli3se purchases? Most assuredly to change the
quality and not the quantity of the workers. When the apiary is
satisfactorily stocked with the preferred blood, then one allows his bees
to rear their"own queens, and they cost not to exceed 25c. each if the beekeeper is by selection improving his stock, and if not, not to exceed 2c.
each. Now, "to get honey we want to get bees," and to get bees we must
invest capital in queens, combs, hives, yard, and necessary fixtures. Al-

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85

lowing that the queen costs the one who produces her for his own use,
25c, and all the other fixtures $2.50 per colony, we see at once that it
makes but little difference whether we have extra prolific queens or not.
I do not want it understood that I approve of any queen that is abnormally unprolific, for such is not the case. I behead all such as soon
as I find them. But right here I want to say that since I quit the encouragement of abnormally prolific queens, I hardly ever find one of the former class. I believe that there is a law in nature that covers the fecundity of queens, that the more the quantity (above the normal amount) the
poorer the quality.
Some advise us to "have extra prolific queens; put each one in a hive
containing 30 combs, then shift the combs every few days, and make her
keep them full of brood." I tried it—to my satisfaction. I found that
this method demanded an extra amount of labor—a labor that
would pay the interest at 20 per cent, on every dollar of the capital invested. So I just cut up these large, long hives, making five out of each one,
and divided those 30 combs among these hives, and reared four more
queens. Now each queen kept her six combs full of brood without
any "horse-whipping" whatever, and my colonies became automatic as
far as breeding was concerned."
"Keep your colonies strong," has been laid down as a golden rule.
If that means, keep your bees numerous in proportion to their hives and
combs, I most freely accord with that rule; but on the other hand, if we
are to understand that most profit will be realized from the capital and
labor, when invested in colonies containing greater numbers of bees, regardless of how acquired, I must dissent from accepting the rule.
It matters little how many workers you can produce from one queen,
if you must furnish brood-chamber room and many combs to be filled,
each with an unknown quantity of brood, honey and bee-bread.
It is with bees as with their product, the greatest number of bees
from the least capital and labor, is our object.
Make your brood-chambers automatic by constructing them of such
size and shape that a normally prolific queen will occupy them almost exclusively with her brood, without any tedious manipulation on your part.
In this way you will secure the greatest amount of surplus honey for the
capital and labor besfcrwed, and can if you wTish, without special effort,
bring your colonies out at the close of honey gathering, with very little
stores in their brood combs, when you can feed them sugar syrup for safe
wintering, or you can easily manipulate them so as to have your contracted brood-chamber fully stocked with natural stores, as will be explained
farther on. I will now endeavor to illustrate and describe my
R E V E R S I B L E FRAMES.

While the reversing of brood combs will produce no ill effects whatever, numerous are the advantages arising from such reversal; some of
which aid us materially in accomplishing the desired results which are
partially accomplished in the contracting system, above described.
When using frames even no deeper than the standard Langstroth,
you know how the bees (especially Italians) will persist in crowding the
queen by storing honey that ought to go into the surplus department,
along the upper edge of the brood combs, just under the top bar, andfarther down in the upper corners, till by actual measurement we find
that nearly one-fourth of each frame, and sometimes more, is occupied
with honey.

86

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

Now if we reverse the frame containing a comb so filled, we place
the honey in an unusual position; in a place usually occupied with
brood, and when this is done in the breeding season, when the bees are
not inclined to decrease their.quantity of brood, this honey will be immediately removed to the surplus department, and soon the frame will be
one solid sheet of brood, which is a glad sight to the bee-keeper whose experience has taught him the value of a compact brood nest, free from honey.
It is also true that reversing the combs late in the season, just at the
time when brood rearing is giving way to filling the cells with winter
stores from the last honey yielding flowers, will equally tend toward the
complete filling of the combs with honey.
But there is another decided advantage to be enjoyed by one, if never
but one, reversal. After the comb is completed, and is so attached to
the frame at the top and part way down the end-bars as to be satisfactory to the bees, it will be found much more satisfying to the beemaster to have such comb as perfectly attached to the entire end pieces
and bottom-bar. Such a straight, all-worker comb on wires, thus solidly
built, is "a thing of beauty and a joy forever" to the apiarist who has had
experience with hordes of useless, drones (some of inferior blood, thus
much worse than useless), combs breaking down, queens hiding between
the bottom of the comb a id bottom-bar, bees sticking there when trying
to brush and shake them from the combs, etc.
Since the subject of reversing brood-combs has been agitating the
minds of bee-keepers, numerous are the styles of frames made and proposed for that purpose. It is with these frames as with hives, honey-extractors and other implements, utterly impossible to devise any one style
of reversible frame that will possess all the advantages of all other styles.
About one and one-half years ago I devised the style of reversible
brood-frame, as shown by the illustrations. I. made 8,000 of them entirely for my own use, and succeeded in getting about one-half of them.into
use the first season. 1 have tested them two seasons, and like them well

Fig. 1.
(The above cut is imperfect, as it does not show the inner top bar of the
inner frame. Pig. 2 will illustrate the true construction of the frame.)
At a glance, almost any one can estimate the extra cost of constructing such a frame. I believe this frame to be worth several times more
than the extra cost, above the common non-reversible frame if we
should never reverse it but once.
Again, I much prefer this frame to the old style, even if I never reversed it at all.
1. l a m not troubled with sagging top-bars; and the outer bar, the
one which governs the uniformity of the bee-space, or Langstroth shal-

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

87

low air-chamber below the honey-board, never sags. If the inner top-bar
sags, it does little harm, and when reversed, the sag is thus corrected as
it straightens back to place, and the new top-bar (just from the bottom)
will not sag. In reversing, I either shake off the bees or revolve the inner
frame very slowly. I generally prefer to shake off the bulk of the bees,
and I have found that on an average I spent five minutes to each hive
(counting opening and closing) in performing the reversal of all the eight
frames. Bits of comb and propolis bother but little, as the sharp corners
of the wood pieces shave them away like a pair of shears.
2. It will be noticed in Eig. 1 that while the top and bottom bars of
this frame position with the hive the same as other frames, the ends do
not, and in this difference I find an improvement. It will also be noticed
that the short end-piece is tapering, regarding its thickness. Xow, as
the whole end positions to the hive, the top is I of an inch away from the
hive end, the bottom of the short piece f of an inch, and all below that, t
of an inch away. This large opening, while it greatly facilitates the

Fig. 2.
rapid and easy withdrawal or insertion of the frame, is in no way objectionable, as there is no danger of the bees building combs in even so large
and handy a space where such space is no higher up than shown in the
illustration.
. While this frame is of slightly less surface capacity than the standard Langstroth frame, it has a greater brood capacity when reversed, and
fits the same hive as .the standard.
While I prefer this style of reversible frame, to any other, for Langstroth style of hives, I shall abandon it with the hive.

88

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

CHAPTER XXIV.
Our N e w Hive.
Many bee-keepers who have followed me in my past inventions, in
trying to improve upon the Langstroth hive, and old system of management, and have adopted my new style of that hive, and of using it, and
many of whom number their colonies by the hundred, may b3 surprised
when they learn that I have been experimenting with, and have adopted
an entirely different style of hive, and am at present supplanting the old
with the new, in my own apiaries, numbering 450 colonies.
Since the time when Father Langstroth gave us his valuable inventions, much progress has been made in our chosen pursuit. His discoveries were so far in advance of his time, that while rapid and long strides
have been made, in every other department of the pursuit, few, indeed,
have been the improvements in hives. We have been able to improve upon some of the parts of his hive, but nearly all of the popular hives of today, embrace little else than his inventions. I think the same
cannot be said of the new hive I am about to describe; a hive that after
subjecting to practical tests, has become the decided choice, of all who
have used it.
'Necessity is the mother of invention," it is said, and the great influx into the business of honey production, causing decline in prices, necessitates the use of such implements and methods—especially in hives—
as will give us the greatest amount of surplus honey, for the amount of
capital and labor invested.
Some of us have grown from boyhood to manhood, hand in hand with
this pursuit, and while we are often complimented upon our thorough
knowledge of the business, it is usually forgotten that we have as signally failed to become skilled in any other branch of industry. Such
is the case, however, and after the best part of a life-time has been spent
in any pursuit, when that pursuit languishes, circumstances tending to
make it less profitable, the wise do not hastily desert it, adopting a stranger, but work the more persistently to counteract the detrimental influences, by bringing every possible advantage to bear upon the business.
This has been our aim. in the invention of the New Hive. Only time can
fully demonstrate to what extent we have succeeded in meeting this almost universal demand.

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

89

The above cut, though it makes the cases appear disproportionately
high, will aid us in describing our New Hive; a hive which
in many features, as well as its system of management, differs from anything of which I have ever seen or heard, although I have read nearly allot' the books devoted to bee-culture, and have nearly every copy of
all the periodicals ever published in the United States, upon the subject.
In viewing the cut, you will notice that the brood-chamber, as well as
the surplus department, is composed of two or more
HORIZONTAL SECTIONS,

or departments, each containing a full set of eight frames, each department
being not only u reversible," or, more properly termed, invertible, but
each part perfectly interchangeable with every other.
After having enjoyed the immense advantages accruing from the
Tiering system as applied to surplus cases, the idea came to my mind,
that equal advantages could be realized from the application of the same,
principle, to the brood department.
But this is not all. In practicing the "contraction method," and trying to overcome its imperfections, while enjoying its many advantages,
I was firmly impressed that it would give us much more perfectly and
completely, the results desired, if we could make the contraction by taking away the top of the brood-chamber, rather than its sidas.

m

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

Following up this suggestion, I determined to make a hive whose
brood-chamber should be in two or more horizontal sections, or departments.
The question next arose, "what shall be the style, size and shape of
these cases constituting the brood-chamber, and of what style, number
and adjustment shall be their frames?"
After consulting the recorded experience of others, as well as my
own, I determined to make each brood-chamber part, the same width and
length as that of my old hive, using the same thickness of lumber for
ends and sides, and make the depth such as would give each part the
same comb capacity as is contained in five standard L. frames.
By careful computation, I found that my cases, to hold the frames,
would need to be 51 inches high, while the frames themselves would be
bee-space less in depth, or 5 | inches, outside measure.
The next problem to be solved was, "what style of frame and frame
adjustment, shall I use?" I pondered long upon this question. I was
not forgetful of the many advantages peculiar to the "Laterally Movable
Frames," nor of corresponding disadvantages of "Fixed Frames," as commonly used. I was mindful of the fact that each style of frame had its
own peculiar advantages and disadvantages, and that many of us had
decided that, all things considered, the Laterally Movable Frames gave
us most advantages, though many of our most successful honey producers, among whom may be named T. F . Bingham, Chas. Dadant &
Son, and the Hetheringtons, preferred and successfully used frames with
closed end bars.
I had also learned the advantages accruing from "reversing" or inverting combs, and determined that, notwithstanding each section or part
of my new brood-chamber complete with its 8 shallow frames, was reversible, and reversing each part with its frames, all together, would be the
common practice, I would have each brood-frame separately reversible.
The result was that I adopted a plain, simple frame, with simple and
practical adjustment, that not only gave the advantages desired, but by
virtue of its shallowness, reversibleness and the valuable use of comb
foundation for comb guides, removes nearly all the objectionable features
resulting from the use of closed-end frames, at the same time giving us
more than the usual advantages gained by their use, by virtue of the
method of adjustment, and manner in which they are secured in proper
position.
I will now proceed to describe the frames and method of adjustment
in the case, which consists of one horizontal section or department of the
brood-chamber. First, a brief description of the case, which is 13xl9|x5f
inches, outside measure, the end pieces being of I and the s|de pieces of I
inch lumber (after being dressed on both sides), the long pieces being
nailed to the short ones. Before nailing the pieces together, however, a
rabbet is cut in each edge of each piece. Supposing the pieces to stand
up edgewise, the rabbet is cut downward three-sixteenths of an inch and
back from the inner side of the board f inch in the side pieces, and i inch
in the end pieces, which leaves f inch of wood outside the rabbet on each
of the four pieces.

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

91

The above cut, also imperfect, failing to show the rabbet in the top
edge of the cases, will perhaps aid the reader to better understand my
description.
After the four pieces are nailed together and form the case, we nail
a strip of tin, I inch wide and 12 inches long, down snugly into the rabbet
on one and. the same edge of each of the end pieces. You will see that
this strip of tin projects inward into the case I inch, and is up from what
we will now call the bottom edge, three-sixteenths of an inch. We now
have two small strips of wood ixfx5f, which we nail in the corners
of the case, onto one of the side pieces, the I side down, and centrally located in the case, as regards the top and bottom. These cleats
are called ''offsets;" they are not new, and not essentially a part of my
invention.
In the opposite side of the case, centrally located up and down, as
close to the end of the side nieces as will cause the hole to come through
just close along beside the end pieces, we bore two f holes, and cut a
thread in them, turning in a wood thumb-screw (See cut). The eight little
openings at the corners are filled with small blocks, tacked in. JSTow the
case is complete.
Our brood frames are made as follows: The end pieces are | x l | x 5 | .
Top and bottom-bars 1x13-16x18 1-16. They are "dovetailed," or
notched at the corners, like surplus section boxes, so that wdien driven
together, their exact outside measure is 5|xl8 1-16, while their case is
5|xl8i,.inside measure.
When dropped down onto the tin rests, they fit the case loosely by
1-16 of an inch in length, and position so as to leave 3-16, or one-half bee
space, above and below their top and bottom bars, which are just alikeIn other words, they are centrally located within the case, wrhich being bee space deeper than the frames, leaves just one-half bee space
above, and the same below them.
It will be seen that the end pieces of these frames are 9-16 wider than
the tops and bottoms, hence the spaces between the top and bottom-bars
will always be 9-16 of an inch. When the 8 frames are in position in the
case, turn up the thumb-screws, and by virtue of the "offsets" and these
screws, the end pieces of both outside frames wall be held i inch from
the sides of the case, which leaves the same space between the top bars
of the outside frames and the sides of the case, that exists between the

m

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

top bars themselves, which gives the bees a chance and directs them to
make the outside combs of the same thickness of the others.
The reader will also see that the tops and bottoms of the frames come
just even with the rabbets in the edges of all the pieces that form the
cases, and that wherever said cases find a resting place, they have a bearing of but f inch, all around. After once using hive-stories, or cases,
that have such narrow b3arings, I predict that no one would be persuaded to return to the old seven-eights bearings. With the f bearing, one
can adjust stories to the bottom board, or to each other, in less than onehalf the time usually required, and with far less liability of crushing bees.
This important advantage is the only reason for all the rabbets, except
the two that hold the tin rests. Our
BOTTOM-BOARD,

you will notice, is made almost exactly like our old one, except
that it is not fast to the hive, but complete within itself. We take
the same board that we use for the bottom of the old hive, viz: 13x22|x|.
and cleat it at each extreme end with cleats 13xlixf, nailed edgewise to
the bottom-board. By observing the cut, you will see how the bottomstand is made, and how7 the bottom-board fits the same. The cleats of #
the bottom-board touch the narrower end pieces of the bottom-stand, just
a trifle before the bottom-board proper, touches its wider side pieces.
Such a bearing causes the weight of the hive to assist the cleats in always
keeping the bottom-board perfectly straight.
You will also notice that the upper surface of the bottom-board is
provided writh cleats, which are tacked to it in such manner as.to form
a large bee space of over 1 inch, under the brood frames and over the bottom-board. The two side cleats are just 19! inches long, and are beveled,
so that their top surface is f wide, and their lower surface I wide, and
they are f high. The object of the bevel is to give them a very solid
bearing.
The cut will show you that they are nailed on flush with the back
end, and are just as long as the hive. Another cleat of the same pattern,
and proper length, runs across the back end, between the two side cleats.
You will observe the hand-holds in the cases, as well as the place cut
away in the bottom-stand, which admits of a sure and quick grasp of the
bottom-board, when desired to remove it with the hive. The

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

93

HONEY-BO AKD,

with the new hive, is made just like our old one (see cuts), except that
instead of having its bee space all on one side, it is one-half on each side,
and a honey board thus constructed is stronger than any other. The
queen excluding metal, works into these one-half bee-space honey-boards
most admirably, and for all I can see at present, we had better use the
metal, when we use queen excluding honey-boards. We may be able to
make wood answer for queen excluding, but as yet, all have failed to do
so, satisfactorily. The
COVER

is of the same outside dimensions as the hive; is off lumber, cleated with
I cleats, and small cleats fx3-16 are tacked ail around its lower extreme
outer edge, so that it, too, has a one-half bee space in its under side. You
will now see that all the cases and the honey-board, each contain a onehalf bee-space on each side, and consequently are perfectly reversible at will,
without adding to, or taking anything/from them; simply turn them over.
The bottom board and cover could also have been constructed to reverse^
or invert, but not to any advantage that would have compensated for the
necessary loss of a greater durability and other advantages gained by
its present construction. I need say nothing of the
'
SURPLUS CASES;

further than that they are constructed on the same plan as are the
brood-chamber cases, just described. They are proper depth for receiving a wide-frame, constructed just like the brood frame described, except
with top, bottom and end bars, whose widths exactly correspond with the
widths of the top, bottom and end pieces of the 7 to the foot sections, •
mentioned on page 63.
Each surplus case is also invertible at will, like the brood cases, having
the screws to hold the wide-frames fast, and is as properly one side up as
the other.

Above is illustrated the style of the wide-frame, showing how the
sections are adjusted within it. This cut is also imperfect, making the
frame appear the same width all around, while really the top and bottom
are I inch narrower than the end pieces. Our surplus case receives seven
of them at once, holding a tier of 28 sections. Each wide-frame is supplied with a tin separator in the ordinary way, as shown in the cut.
These wide-frames are also notched at their corners, the same as are
the brood frames, and after they are driven together, we tack on our tin
separators in a most perfectly taut manner, as follows:
Lay the frame on a board, with cleats tacked to the same, to guide
the frame to a true square. Now spring inward, the top and bottom bars,
which tends to slightly shorten the frame. Now tack on the separator,
and when the frame is removed, it will forever hold it true, and the tin
will be taut as a drum head.

U

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTUEE.

These wide-frame-cases are one story high, and j;»re worked upon the
Tiering-up system. They are the same length as the brood cases; trie
ends are rabbeted the same, to receive the tin rests, and narrow the resting surface; but their width is greater than the width of the brood cases,
except at their edges, which are the same, by virtue of an outside bevel,
which also narrows their f sides to the regular I rest.
The cover fits the honey board, surplus and brood cases, all equally
perfect. The thumb-screws turn up very easily and quickly, and their
power is so much greater than one might imagine, that when set against
the frames, if the case be inverted, so as to lose all use of the tin rests,
the screws prove ten times sufficient. The tins are used to hold the frames
to proper position when adjusting them to the case, or removing them for
overhauling the brood department, for minute inspection. ,
Although these are "fixed frames," they are readily removed, by simply
loosening the screws. I will endeavor to explain how we overcome the
usual difficulties accompanying such frames. By virtue of the exceeding
shallowness of our frames, and the use of comb foundation, we procure
combs almost perfectly straight. The greatest trouble usually arises
from uneven combs—combs irregular at their tops, just above the cells
occupied with brood. This occurs mainly from the fact that where bees
use combs for storing, they leave only about I inch space between them,
while those used for brood are about twice that distance apart. These
shallow frames, and the practice of inverting and interchanging the cases
containing them, gives us straight, uniform combs throughout, and completely filled with brood nearly all the time when we manipulate them.
Among the important advantages of this peculiarly constructed brood
chamber is the one of perfect
INTERCHANGEABLENESS

of all its horizontal cases, or parts.
The reader will remember at just what time in the year we used eight
combs, and at what time five combs, in our L. hives, when practicing the
contraction method, ^ou will now observe that when we use one brood
case only, we are contracted to an equivalent of live L. combs, and when
we use two such cases, we are giving brooding space equal to ten L.
combs, and so on.
]STowwe use in our brood department one case, or two cases, at the
same, time we are using five combs, or eight combs, with the old hive, when
practicing contraction. The new hive and its system of management
is a great improvement over the old, for the following reasons:
1st. When contracting the new brood-chamber, we divide it horizontally, instead of vertically, taking away its top, rather than sides,
giving us all the advantages of a very shallow hive, with brood close up to
the top bars, and directly under all parts of the surplus case. This extremely shallow brood department settles the brace-comb problem, as
with it, the bees will build scarcely any of these braces, on the tops of the
upper bars of such shallow frames.
2nd.- We make the change from the capacity of the ten L. frame
hive, to five L. frames, almost instantaneously, and without exposure
to robbers should there be any abroad.

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

96

3rd. When enlarging, by adding to the brood department (when the
queen needs more room in spring) by the new method we not only perform the work thus quickly, but we place the empty case of combs under
the case of brood; and while downward is the natural direction in which
the queen tends to spread her brood nest, upward is the direction taken
by heat, and this settles the question of "danger in spreading brood,"
should the temperature suddenly fall. Although we have made an addition to our brood-chamber which doubles its capacity and places the
empty combs just where the queen will most readily occupy them, wre
have spread no brood.
Regarding the advantages of shallow combs, let me extract from
Father Langstroth's article in the American Bee Journal for 1883, page
490:
"The broad and low shape, in addition to giving the much desired top
surface for surplus honey receptacles, has the following advantages:
It is obviously much better adapted to the use of upper stories, than
taller hives. It seems more natural to bees to place their stores over
their central brood-nest, than anywhere else. Why should bees attempt,
the difficult work of upward comb building, against the law of gravity, by
which their suspended combs are kept in a perpendicular position, while
they have ample side room for building them in the natural way? Why,
I say, do they act thus, unless it is most in accordance with their instincts
to place.their stores above their brood-nest?
If honey, to have its choicest flavor, ought not to be extracted—as the
Dadants and other of our leading apiarists assert—before it has been
capped, and if when all bee-work is most pressing, more colonies can be
taken care of by piling hive upon hive, filled with empty combs—to be
emptied when more leisure comes—then the advantages of shallow hives
are easy to be seen.
Long and shallow frames are more convenient for most of our necessary manipulations.
In handling them the arms take a natural and easy, instead of a
cramped position.
With such frames the eye commands the whole surface of a comb, in
searching for tiie queen, etc., without that uncomfortable craning of the
neck which deep frames compel.
As has been already explained, there is less danger of hurting bees in
removing or.replacing the shallow frames.
Less motion, and of course less time, is needed to take out or put
back such frames."
While years of practical experience has taught me the truthfulness
of the above statements, together with other important advantages accruing from the use of shallow frames, I have also become firmly convinced that the very shallowest combs used by any of us, are just as safe
upon wdiich to winter our colonies. If you will consult Mr. Bingham,
who for more than a quarter of a century has continually used a broodchamber containing eight combs, whose length is all of 22 inches, and
depth but 4£ and 5 inches; using these hives beside others of all depths, I
think he will tell you that the idea that shallow combs are not as well
adapted to safely wintering their colonies, as deeper ones, is one of the
greatest mistakes of bee-keepers.
My experience of 17 winters with the use of combs, varying in depth
from 4£ to 20 inches, stands in favor of the shallow combs, for wintering;
accidentally so, I believe, however, for I feel quite sure that the wintering problem does not hinge upon the depth of the combs employed, and
that it has little or nothing" to do with it.

96

SUCCESS IN: BEE-C ULTVRE.

In the past extremely severe winter, during the great mortality in
other apiaries as well as my own, when I lost three-fourths of my colonies, one in the long shallow combs (whose depth is but 4£ inches) came
through the trying ordeal, proving to be the strongest colony in my yard,
with one exception. This colony was wintered out-doors with one-half
the thickness of packing used about the others. I have wintered in these
combs, out-doors, thus packed, eight winters, and lost but once, which is
better than the average of my apiaries during that time. Though in my
latitude, I shall adhere to cellar wintering, with any hive, were I iiirtending to leave my colonies on their summer stands, I should employ
but one brood case of the new hive, for the purpose.
If, however, others may differ with me, preferring hives even deeper
than the standard Langstroth, if they will use two brood cases they will
have just such a hive; the bee-space betwean the two sets of frames' serving as winter passage-ways through and among the combs. It becomes
obvious that the brood department of this hive can be made in one story,
of any length, breadth or depth, preferred; and while losing the advantages of tiering and interchanging in the brood department, the other advantages enumerated, may be enjoyed.
Having the brood-chamber in two horizontal sections, or parts, admitting of interchanging the upper with the lower portion, at will, for
the purposes specified, placing the part containing the most honey, below, putting both in a new position, produces many of the same results
and advantages given us by inverting, and is made complete by reversing
one or both of the parts, as their condition may direct, when making the
interchange.
The system of interchanging, admits of using more than two sets of
the frames in the brood department, if any should so desire, and whatever number is used, it enables the bee-master to keep his surplus cases
and honey-board, always next to his brood.
After three years of careful experimenting, I much prefer to have
my brood-chamber no larger than two cases at any time of year, and no
larger than one case after the colony swarms, till up to the time the
queen's capacity is equal to more room, the following spring; a time when
the use of such capacity will give us strong colonies for surplus storing.
I have found the advantages of contracted brood-chambers to be so great,
that I much prefer to use them at all times when a greater laying capacity given the queen, is of no special value.
Let us return to the subject of surplus cases, and discuss for a moment the question of wide-frames and separators, vs. section cases. As
before stated in this chapter, I think that the light section case, generally known as "Heddon's Case," is the best non-separator case extant, and
I believe such is generally admitted. These cases, made to hold surplus
section boxes without frames or separators, have become popular with
practical honey producers, who, before adopting and testing them, had
used wide-frames and. separators. In every case that has come to my
knowledge, however, the wide-frames used by the gentlemen mentioned,
were two-story; i. e., deep enough to hold two tiers of 4i sections; two
separators being attached to each frame. These frames, as well as the
cases containing them, were heavy and bungling, their shape illy adapt-

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97

ing them to fit each other or be keyed up snugly together. This was not
all: The worst feature regarding these two-story supers, was that they
were not at all adapted to the tiering method, and invited the bees to
commence their surplus work too far from the brood.
During the past four seasons, while using many of my favorite nonseparator ed cases, I have also used by their side several hundred one-story
wide-frame cases, with separators, and have become a convert to them.
I know that each style of case possesses advantages over the other, and I
feel certain that any practical honey producer who will thoroughly test
my new style of wide-frame case, will agree with me that it is, everything considered, the best of all.
It is not only equally well adapted to the tiering method, but is constructed so that all its separators are straight and taut; so that its frames
are at all times pressed so tightly that no room is left for propolis, or beeglue, and otherwise arranged to avoid gluing; slip out of the cases all in a
body, when the screws are loosened. Thus we have reserved all the advantages of wide-frames and separators, at the same time discarding
nearly all their disadvantages.
The above is reason enough for changing our preference, but that is
not all. This style of surplus case is alone eminently adapted to
R E V E R S I N G SECTIONS.

For two years we have been testing the practice of reversing our surplus section boxes. As one might guess, the same law which governs the
operations of bees when their brood combs are reversed, or inverted,
equally applies to their actions when reversing their surplus combs.
If you watch the progress in a surplus case, and when you find the
least developed comb is worked out to that extent that it has a firm, broad
bearing on the top piece, and its sides are attached to the side pieces of the
section, at least part way down, if you now invert the surplus case with
all its contents, work will go speedily forward; for inverting hastens capping, and when the combs are completed, they are not only beautiful to
behold, and most substantial to ship, but allow the purchaser to notice
no objectionable tare. The section itself becomes almost obscured, as it
were. Their shipping qualities, however, are of greatest importance.
It sometimes happens, especially when honey is coming in more
slowly, that the bees will taper off and completely cap over some of
the surplus combs before they have built others to sufficient size to bear
inverting without great danger of lopping over sidewise.
These differences are confined to different positions, reckoned sidewise in the case, and it is usually the sections in the outside wide-frames
wrhich are behind in development.
Notwithstanding my new cases can be reversed and as properly adjusted, with a single motion, each wide-frame is also perfectly invertable,
and in the few cases in which we have found this slow development in
the two outside frames, we have quickly loosened the screws, inverted
thsee two frames, again turned up the screws, then inverted the whole
case, leaving these outside combs again as we found them, with the others
all inverted.
A word in regard to the cause of bees neglecting their outside surplus
combs, as compared to their work upon the others.

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SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

If the reader has ever constructed a hive whose surplus department
was wider than the brood-chamber, jutting out over the same, he has noticed the partial neglect paid by the bees, to the surplus boxes which
rested over wood, instead of comb.
Now this same difference made by the bees, between wood and comb,
they will also make between combs of honey and combs of brood, and
with our 8 frame L. hive, we notice far less of this neglect of the side
surplus combs, than we noticed when using 10 frame hives. This is one
objection to the method of contracting by replacing the side combs of L.
brood-chambers with fillers or dummies; with the new hive, however, the
method of contraction is such that all the combs of the brood-chamber
are filled with brood.
We have constructed this hive for reversing, in two different ways;
the one described in the preceding pages, and as follows, either carrying
out the principles upon which our invention is based.
In the first that we made we cut no rabbets in the edges of the cases,
using them with full width bearings, and we tacked the tin rests or stops,
at the extreme bottom of the case. The frames rested flush with one
side of the case, and full bee-space below the other. The cover was fiat,
i. e., without containing any half bee-space; the honey-board of the old
style, flat on one side and full bee-space on the other, and the cleats on
the bottom-board \ inch higher.
After inverting a case, we had to loosen its thumb-screws, and placing it crosswise of the lower case, or bottom-board, push the frames
through to the other side, again tightening the screws.
Notwithstanding I devised both methods at nearly the same time, I
first chose this latter one, because it admitted of using the old cover,
honey-board, and old style of non-reversible cases, greatly favoring those
who had many of them on hand. After more experience, however, I
changed my choice to the plan first described and illustrated by the cuts,
which I now very much prefer, and expect to use exclusively in the future.
To adjust one of our old cases to the new hive, we only have to make
a honey-board with a half bee-space on one side, and whole bee-space on
the other; or we can use the new honey-board by building up one side to
a full bee-space, by tacking on strips of proper width and i inch in thickness.
Bees can pass through our one-half bee-space of three-sixteenths of
an inch, but we would not advise so small a space for general ••use, because
it will be more readily filled with comb and propolis. I presume the
reader understands that whether the brood or surplus department consists, one or both, of one or more cases, the honey-board is always kept
between the two departments.
While introducing our old style hive to the public, we have many
times been asked if there was not danger of the cases being blown off,
and rain leaking in, where stories did not over-lap, but simply rested flat
upon each other, touching only at their edges.
I will here answer by saying that, although we have so used them for
years, and during that time sold thousands of these hives to others, we
have neither experienced, nor received reports of any such trouble.

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99

Hive-stories, to handle easily, should at once admit of a lateral movement, which "telescoping" stories will not do. I look upon this point as
a very important one, in the proper construction of hives.
G E N E R A L MANAGEMENT.

I will endeavor to outline the system of management, to which the
New Hive is adapted; a system that it is believed, will give us the best
results, with the greatest economy of time and labor. Before going
further, I will quote again from Mr. Hutchinson, in the "Country Gentleman," as evidence of the fact that our brightest producers will welcome just such a hive and system as the one we are describing:
"The thought and energy of the whole bee-keeping world appears to
be directed toward the invention of a reversible frame. Strange as it
may appear, scarcely any thought is given toward the invention of a reversible hive. It is the writer's opinion that this idea of reversal will yet
develop a reversible hive; it will not stop with a reversible frame. It is,
perhaps, natural that invention should progress step by step,-but when
the advantages of a reversible hive over a reversible frame are so obvious,
it is really deplorable that so much should be wasted upon an intermediate
step. It is possible that bee-keepers are so backward in this because they
know that the adoption of a reversible hive would necessitate the casting
aside of the hives now in use. Perhaps another reason is, that a reversible hive will require a different style of frame from the ordinary hanging one, and bee-keepers argue that this style of frame must be preserved,
because it is so much more easily handled/ Those who have been following this line of thought would do well to consider whether the time is
not near at hand when hives, not frames, will be manipulated.
A beginner in bee-keeping always handles the combs of the broodnest more than does the veteran. Until he opens the hive and makes an
examination, he cannot tell whether there is a queen in the hive, whether
she is laying, whether honey is coming in, or whether the bees are starving; while the practiced bee-keeper, like the experienced physician, can
judge of internal conditions by observing external symptoms. Many of
our most successful apiarists do not disturb the brood-nest from one
year's end to the other. The Heddon method of preventing after-swarming is an illustration of how we shall yet learn to manage bees by manipulating hives instead of frames. It is not necessary or advisable in making a reversible hive, or in so managing bees as to avoid handling the
combs, that movable combs be discarded, as there are times, when a colony is queenless, or short of stores, or something of that sort, when movable combs are a great convenience; but to think that combs must be
moved, all through the working season, simply because they can be
moved, is a wrong idea.
When we have learned to manage an apiary by means of "movable
hives" (?) then the work of raising honey will be much nearer automatic,
and it will be more profitable for experienced apiarists to establish out
apiaries. When this time arrives, and the successful wintering of bees
has become an established fact, bee-keeping will become more of a specialty than ever."
The above perfectly illustrates many of the basic truths underlying
the superiority of the system of management connected with this hive.
One year ago, I was visiting a well known and justly celebrated honey
producer, and while overlooking his fine, large apiary, he remarked as
follows:
"In those three back rows, there are forty-five hives in excellent condition, not one of which have been opened in five years."
At that date the hives consisted of the brood-chambers only, and it
was of them that he spoke. Those colonies were managed for surplus

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BEE-CULTURE.

only, and worked by a bee-master of twenty years7 experience, and had,
I think, yielded a larger profit on the capital and labor expended, than
any equal number of colonies in the country. Here we have practical experience similar to my own, verifying the statements made by Mr Hutchinson. I have no doubt but that many important manipulations were
made with those forty-five hives, but none of the purposes of these manipulations necessitated moving the frames. ~No favors were ever shown
robbers. Very, little time was employed for any manipulation.
I have so constructed the ISTew Hive, that natural swarms can be
hived, increase made artificially, queen cells all cut out, queens found, or
their laying determined, the combs almost or quite cleared of all bees,
queens or cells introduced, brood-chambers contracted or enlarged, combs
all inverted, prime swarms prevented or discouraged, after-swarming
prevented, and many other useful manipulations performed in less than
one-fourth the time usually employed, because we do it all without the
necessity of handling the frames.
It is true that the special comb honey producer, even with this hive,
will, in rare instances, need to move the brood-frames, and when he does,
he will find them among the very easiest of removal and re-adjustment.
They are combs of brood, not honey. He will find that in their removal
from, and replacing in, the case, their arrangement with each other and
the case, reduces the danger of crushing bees, or the pains needed to prevent the same, to the minimum. You will remember that the frames are
only about five inches deep, outside measure, and the top and bottom
pieces just the width of the thickness of worker brood combs. Also that
the ends of the frames fit each other and the ends of the case snugly.
Bees cannot go between or behind them.
After a case has been inverted, you will find the combs built out solid
in these frames. There will then be no ledges, or open places in which
bees can lodge. There will be only nine straight ranges between the
eight combs and sides of the case. These openings will be a little over
one-half inch in width.
Suppose now that we are approaching our hive, and wish to find the
queen. We puff a small volume of smoke across the entrance, to drive
in and subdue the guards; lift the cover, blow a whiff of smoke down into
the surplus case, or cases. Now lift them with the honey-board, from
the brood-case, pour a volume of smoke onto the top of the brood-frames,
and wait a moment, and usually by lifting the case you will see your
queen on the bottom-board. When she fails to run down, puff once more
upon the tops of the frames and shake your case over a shade-board, in
front of the hive, and your queen and nearly every bee will be found on
that board. We have done this on very many occasions, and always with
the same results; and we do the work in less time than you have taken to
read our description of procedure.
If we wish to clip queen-cells (something we do not practice), we pick
up our case, shake out the bees, and standing the case on end, we can see
every cell from one side or the other, and cut out every one with a common pocket-knife, and do it in less time than we can get out the first
frame from our common hives, in many instances.
As wre can, almost with a motion, divest a case of practically all of

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101

its bees, and the cases being so shallow and comb spaces equally open on
each side, you will perceive with what ease and dispatch we can perform
nearly every necessary manipulation. During the short period that we
employ two brood-cases, wre sometimes have to handle, the second one to
complete our work.
For shade, during the heated season, we use a board two feet wide
and three feet long. These we sometimes cut from wide boards, but oftener form them by cleating two or more boards together. Our hives
front east, and the shade-boards rest lengthwise on the hive, about centrally situated, but sidewise we place the north edge of the board even
with the north side of the hive, allowing all its extra width to project
over on the south, or sunny side. This board shades the hive, except in
early morn, and just before sunset. We hold the shade-board in place by
the use of a stone weighing about fifteen pounds, and we find that we can
handle this stone with ease, and very much quicker than we could manipulate hooks or other devices to hold the board in place.
Our surplus registers being always on the north side of the cases, are
never obscured by this shade-board.
Among other important advantages gained by this system of manipulation, I wish to call the reader's attention to three: The sudden admission of light from both sides of the case (an admission which is complete, owing to the shallowness of the combs, and wide opening between
them) is almost equal to smoke, in its tendency to subdue the bees.
Again: the practical bee-keeper has observed how immediately bees
willingly yield to manipulation, giving up all attempts to protect their
stores, when suddenly shaken from their combs. The bees that attack
us, are usually from the combs not yet shaken. With our system we
pinch no bees, nor otherwise irritate them; and when we shake them from
the case, they at once give up all ideas of opposition, lying quiet, and
completely subdued.
Another no less important feature connected with the system, is the
very slight exposure of the combs to robbers, during any ordinary manipulation. Since* the introduction of our surplus cases and one-story
wide-frame supers, we have been able to remove them, and shake out
nearly all the bees, without exposure to robbers. Now. we have gained
much of the same advantages, as applied to the brood department.
years ago, I learned that for ease and effectiveness in dislodging the
foothold of bees, whether shaking them from a single frame of comb, or
out of a case, a trembling, vibratory motion, added to an easy, jerking
movement, was the best.
If you have carefully followed our description of how we work our
old style of hive, for comb honey, on the contraction and tiering system,
you now understand howr we manage the New Hive for the same results.
We have also shown how we can accomplish many desired ends, by the
tiering of brood and surplus departments, and howr we can accomplish
nearly all that is desirable, by handling cases, rather than frames.
You can now guess how well adapted and easy of manipulation is the
Newr Hive

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FOR E X T R A C T E D H O N E Y .

For this purpose we supply ourselves with an ample number of brood
cases, for each colony. After deciding how many of these cases we wish
to devote to breeding, and how many to surplus honey, wTe place a queenexcluding honey-board, as before described, between the cases devoted to
the different purposes. We produce the very best of extracted honey in
these shallow cases by the tiering-up method, as described by Mr. Dadant
in his able little work on "Extracted Honey," and practiced by.ourselves
over twelve years ago, with shallow L, frame supers, used upon full
depth hives, upon the same tiering plan.
By years of experience, we well know the superiority of this method
of raising extracted honey for sweet sauce. When using the L. frames
exclusively, and shipping most of my extracted honey to manufacturers,
to save complication regarding size of frames, I preferred one story of
the same size frames, for my surplus department; but now there is no
sale for "unripe" honey, and as I am choosing shallow frames for my
brood-cases, I certainly again advise, and shall practice using all frames
alike, and upon the tiering system, to which these frames are so well
adapted. When extracting, the bees can be removed from the cases by
shaking, and all the frames removed from the case at once, by laying it
upon our. honey table, and loosening the thumb-screws, when the, case can
be lifted from all the combs, with a single motion.
When commencing the use of this style of hive for extracting, as
with others it becomes necessary, of course, to have combs built in your
frames; a work which we greatly facilitate by the use of comb foundation. We wire these little frames with No. 30 plated wire, and fill them
with full sheets of foundation, the same as we have done with the L.
frames, as described on pages 62 and 63. As our top-bars are quite thin,
(for which there are good reasons) we place between them in central position and pressed into one side of the foundation, the slim metal standard which has been used in L. frames for some years, which was given to
the public, I believe, by Mr. Root, of Medina.
You will see that our extracting cases are precisely like the broodcases, and can at any time be used for either purpose; or in other words,
we use a series of brood-cases for extracting purposes, worked upon the
tiering plan, using queen excluding honey-boards to limit the queen to
any given number, according to the season; or she may be allowed to
range at-will through all the cases, as has been the former practice; which,
while it has a tendency to discourage swarming, it can by no means be
depended upon to entirely prevent it in my location, consequently I much
prefer to confine the queen to one or two cases, much the same as we do
when producing comb honey.
In locations similar to my own, where we have an autumn harvest
consisting of amber-colored honey, which brings very nearly as much in
the extracted form as in combs, I have found it advisable, even with the
old style of hive, to prepare them a double outfit of surplus receptacles;
one for comb honey, as before described, and another consisting of eight
regular L. combs in a super of the same size of the brood-chamber. At
the close of the wrhite honey harvest, all receptacles for comb honey would

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103

be removed, the extracting supers taking their place for securing the fall
crop.
With the new style of hive, we use the extra brood-cases in the same
way and at the same time we formerly used the old extracting supers.
While I practice hiving swarms upon foundation, in one of the broodcases, with one or two section cases above, when I wish to add a second
case to this colony, the following spring, I much prefer to have combs,
rather than foundation, and these we will have on hand, having had them
drawn during the preceding fall harvest.
Without consuming space in giving the reasons, I think the reader
now understands the construction and method of manipulation connected with this hive, sufficiently to realize its adaptability to queen-rearing, and hiving second swarms whenever the bee-keeper desires rapid increase.
In the preceding chapter we spoke of contraction as a means of bringing the brood-chamber at the close of honey gathering, out in an almost
honeyless condition, which placed the same amount of honey in the surplus receptacles that otherwise would have been in the brood combs.
The reader will not fail to realize that this contraction, when
practiced with the New Hive, will more perfectly accomplish that desired
end. He will also see how well adapted is this arrangement, to
wintering his bees upon natural stores, without feeding at all; for he can
at any time during the season and during the honey flow from any variety of blossoms whose nectar he may consider safest for winter stores,
quickly fill a brood-case of combs with said preferred honey, laying the
same away until just at the close of brood-rearing, when, he can transfer
the bees into it in one minute by placing it upon their stand and shaking
them all out of their case, letting them run into the new one; or it may
be placed on top of the old one, and most of the bees be driven up into
it with smoke, the remainder being shaken from the old case as before, or the old case may be left under the full one throughout the winter, if they are to be wintered on the summer stand, and the bee-keeper
fancies they will be safer with greater comb depth. In either case the
stores will be always accessible.
I think the reader will plainly see that this arrangement for a beehive, is most eminently adapted to the speedy accomplishment of almost
any desired end pertaining to the winter or summer management of bees.
Although we gain most profit from the production of light honey,
by selling it in the comb, we have not failed to realize that during our
most copious honey flows we meet with loss that the extracted honey
producer does not surfer, from the fact that our wax-working bees cannot construct combs fast enough to furnish storage room for the field
workers.
Many have endeavored to overcome this loss by extracting from their
brood-chambers, which have usually heretofore been so large that much
of their comb capacity has been occupied with honey representing idle
capital. It proved, however, that such a practice only tended to change
our crop of honey from comb, to the extracted form, as the bees immediately re-filled the empty combs before the queen could occupy them,

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SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

and if the bee-master again extracted them, again they would be re-filled,
the bees at the same time, more or less withdrawing their forces from the
surplus department; thus their efforts to prevent the loss, were futile.
The arrangement of the New Hive is perfectly adapted to overcoming
this difficulty.
When our basswood blossoms begin to secrete nectar in quantities
beyond the capacity of our comb builders, we place a brood section of
empty combs on. top of our surplus cases, all being interchangeable and
perfectly fitting each other. The completed storage room given in this
position, catches the overflow, and at the same time does not discourage
the completion of the surplus section combs, as does extracting from the
brood-chamber. This brood, or extracting case, can be removed at any
stage of its development preferred by the bee-keeper (we usually leave it
till about one-half of the cells are capped over), then taken to the honeyhouse and extracted at once if the combs are needed, or placed on end
with sides left open, in which there is no better place off the hives for
honey to "ripen" to its most perfect consistency.
Though Ave have never made or used such, we think an extractor
should be constructed to take eight of these shallow frames at once. They
should rest lengthwise in a vertical position, hanging by the projection of
one of their end bars, the lower projection passing under the wire frame
rest, and all can be turned around without lifting out of the machine.
These shallow combs contain many less hollows, or sunken places,
which greatly facilitates the uncapping process.
This fact and others which favor their adaptability to the extractor,
we think more than overcomes the disadvantage resulting from the
greater number to handle.
I believe that by virtue of the style and method of adjustment of the
bottom-board, cases and honey-board, that by using the latter, made
queen-exclading, we can place them in such way as to control swarming,
and flight of drones, without the serious objections realized by the use of
entrance attachments, which we have enumerated on pages 22 and 23.
If you place one of the queen-excluding honey-boards on the bottomboard, and the brood cases upon it, you will preserve proper bee-spaces
throughout, and force all bees to pass through the honey-board, in leaving or entering the hive. The drones and queen cannot leave or enter the
cases. By experiment we found that this arrangement did not retard
ventilation, nor in any way disturb the normal tranquility of the colony:
but farther than this, we have not experimented. What shall we do
with our imprisoned drones? How can we catch our queens, when they
attempt to go out with the swarms?
I have faith in a simple arrangement, for catching and holding them
imprisoned, in a movable box, adjusted to the side of the brood-chamber,
near the front end, but not in front of the entrance; thus in no way retarding ventilation, or egress and ingress of the workers. As soon as
perfected and tested, it will be publicly described, and attached to the
New Hive, if proven a practical success.
Although of plain and simple construction, I have not in the foregoing, aimed to give a detailed description of the New Hive; one intended to guide to accurately manufacturing the same.

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105

Had I endeavored to do so, I should have failed to impart all the
knowledge required to warrant all of our bee-keepers, who might so desire, in attempting to construct the hive, perfect in all its essential features. The only safe guide—-the only one upon which I wish to place its
reputation—is a complete and perfect sample to work from.
I have endeavored to describe the hive and system of manipulation adapted to it, sufficiently to impart to my readers, in so far as possible, that same knowledge of its superiority, that is possessed by myself
and the few others who have practically tested it.
I trust that nearly all of my readers now comprehend the ease, comfort and dispatch with which an apiary can be managed to a dollar and
cent success, with all its colonies in our new style of hive.
I trust that you realize the many advantages that always belonged to
all styles of "fixed frames," and that in the arrangement of this hive,
nearly all of their former disadvantages have been obviated.
The depth of the cases is such that six inch pine lumber, if it runs
fall width and is dry, will be suitable for their construction. This is no
small item, as pine of that width can be purchased of much better quality, at the same price of wider lumber.
The construction of this hive is not adapted to inaccurate work; all
parts should be well made, of good material, and exact measurements.
The hive and method of management is so peculiar, and different
from all others, that I do not predict for it a very easy or rapid introduction. Experience has taught me that the advantages realized in its practical use, are far greater than will be conceived by the theorizing of our
most practical honey producers.
Last season I employed a bright apiarist, of many years' experience,
to assist us for a few weeks during the rush of storing and queen-rearing.
The first day in the apiary, he curiously looked over and handled some of
the New Hives. He shook his head, and remarked: ; t I do not like your
New Hive." A wreek later, he said: CT have handled several of your
New Hives to-day, and I like them pretty well; much better than I
thought I should." A few days passed, and said he: " I have come to
like your New Hives better than anything I ever handled before."
Nearly a week passed again, when one evening, sitting on our veranda,
after supper, talking of other subjects, after a silence of some minutes,
he'looked down to the ground in a reflective manner, and said what I
hope may prove true: u To-day I have handled many of your New Hives,
and I am now forced to the conclusion that they are destined to revolutionize the production of comb honey."
I have no fears but that time and experience will cause bee-keepers
to give it all the credit that belongs to it, and further than this, I should
not and do not desire.
I have procured a patent upon the New Hive, and in the chapter on
the subject of "patents," may be found my reasons for so doing. I have
been encouraged to do so by many of the best men of our brotherhood.
In a private letter, dated Sept. 30th, 1885, Father Langstroth pens the
following, which I publish by his permission:
u
H e wrho makes an important invention and patents it, is a public

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benefactor, and no one wrho calls himself an honest man, should attempt
to infringe upon his rights."
But for the occasional dishonest bee-keeper, no patent would be necessary; but I believe that the final interest of the great mass of honorable
apiarists, as well as that of my own, demands the expense and trouble of
the patent referred to.
Mr. Hutchinson, wrho, during the past season, thoroughly tested the
New Hive, writes me that he finds it greatly superior to anything he has
hitherto used, and now expects to use it to the exclusion of all other hives,
in the future.
I do not claim perfection for this hive. After all my study and experimenting, it may still be open for improvement. I doubt, however,
if any hive can be made, that will be equally good, unless it embraces
some of its essential features.
In these chapters on hives, I have, in keeping with the spirit of this
book, outlined only such construction and manipulation as I have found
to be best. I have not aimed to discuss the merits and faults of implements and methods that I consider inferior. I have written from the
standpoint of my own observation and experience.

C H A P T E R XXV.
"Wintering 1 .
Have we yet found a satisfactory solution to this problem? I do not
know just how to answer such a question. If it is a fact that we can carry safely through the winter and spring, any or all of our colonies, with
as great certainty as we can winter our cows and horses, does that warrant us in answering the question in the affirmative? If so, I will say
'•yes/'

But it still remains a fact, that while we have learned howT to accomplish the above, we do not yet know just where the line may be drawn,
between all the conditions that are, and that are not, necessary to the attainment of that very desirable result.
My past experiments compel the belief that I can winter my colonies
with certainty, but just how to do so with the least trouble and expense,
still remains an important problem for future experiments.
I feel positive that if I take a normal colony of bees, after all storing
from natural sources is over, and exchange their combs for those containing neither pollen nor honey, and then feed them with a sufficient
amount of properly prepared sugar syrup, place them in a cellar early,
and keep the temperature at the proper point, their safe wintering becomes a practical certainty; but I am of the opinion that almost as good
results can be attained, with less trouble; results of greater value, in pro-

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portion to their cost. The verification or disproval of the correctness of
this opinion will be sought in my future experiments with this problem.
In canvassing this very important and much mooted subject, I think
it is not necessary to try to prove that our only cause of winter loss,
worthy of mention, is bee diarrhoea, for I think that all have so conceded.
The first question before us then, is what is the cause of bee diarrhoea? This disease seems to be of the intestines, caused by a too long
retention of fecal accumulations. Certain it is that these accumulations
could not take place unless the substance forming them was contained in
the food of the bees, because chemical analysis shows the matter to be
such as could come from no other source.
The next question to be solved, is whether the great variation in different colonies, regarding these accumulations, is due to difference in
food or different surroundings.
The preponderance of evidence greatly favors the ditl'erence-in-food
theory. Hundreds of bee-keepers have had colonies sick and dying, close
beside others in perfect health, after they had fixed the conditions of
temperature, humidity and ventilation, the same with all.
This gave rise to the opinion that the cause oi the malady was due to
"fall honey;" "boneset honey;" -"sour honey;" "honey dew," etc., etc.
Chemical analysis, however, proved that the fecal matter consisted mainly or entirely of pollen and water. Experience also showed that the virulence of the disease was in proportion to the predominance of pollen
grains, contained in the fecal mass. Tliese and other observations gave
rise to what is known as
T H E POLLEN T H E O R Y ; .

a theory which is credited to the author, and has been much discussed
throughout our periodicals devoted to bee-culture. I, too, had ample evidence that the cause of the disease was contained in the food, and
began to ponder on the subject.
I called to mind the fact that honey was a highly oxygenized food;
that pollen was as highly nitrogenized; that these two greatly varying
substances, so radical in their elementary principles, were the only food
for our bees, and how well the one fitted their confined state, while the
other equally served their demands while growing or repairing the waste
of tissue caused by exertion. I also remembered how utterly unfit was
either, to serve the purpose of the other. I then grasped the idea
that possibly the consumption of nitrogen in confinement, was the cause
of all the trouble, and that this element was taken when the bees consumed honey (by way of its floating pollen), or in much greater proportion when they consumed bee-bread. I put this forth as a theory only,
hoping that a discussion upon it would lead many others into the investigation. As time passed, and opportunity offered a partial test, more and
more plausible this hypothesis appeared. Last winter gave us a chance
for better testing this, as well as other theories, and I offer you the following from my experience, as bearing upon the subject.
In the autumn of 1884,1 placed bees in two cellars; one containing
40, and the other 91 colonies. The old cellar containing the 40 colonies,
was at all times very dry, while the new one containing the 91, was very
damp. .Both cellars were allowed to become quite too cold, to test the

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endurance of bees with sugar syrup; the temperature in the old cellar
was down as low as 10 and 15 degrees above zero, in the new, damp cellar,
as low as 25 degrees. The old cellar contained bees with sugar syrup
only, and of its 40 colonies, all but five died, with no symptoms of diarrhoea in any hive. The new, damp cellar, containing the 91 colonies, had
73 colonies without pollen or honey—sugar syrup only—10 colonies with
little pollen, and stores of part honey and part sugar syrup, and 8 colonies having all natural stores. This cellar was so damp that mold collected on the alighting-boards and between the combs, on the under side
of the covers, etc. About one-third of the colonies had upward ventilation by way of nails pushed under the board covers; the other two-thirds
had no upward ventilation wdiatever. In numerous hives, water could
be seen running out on the alighting-board. If the covers of those hives
which were tight down, were lifted and turned up edgewise, water would
run from them. I n spring, the health of the 91 colonies stood thus: Of
the 8 on natural stores, 6 died with diarrhoea, and the other 2 came
out in good condition. All were treated alike with no upward ventilation. Of the 10 with little bee-bread and mixed stores, 8 lived, while 2
died. Of the remaining 73, with nothing in the combs but pure sugar
syrup, not one showed any signs of diarrhoea, whatever.
I will now state how matters stood with the out-door colonies of this
same home apiary. I had 49 colonies, each on 6 American frames with
combs, in tenement hives, that in summer contain 19 combs, all resting
horizontally. On either side of the 6 combs and bees, was a 2-inch chaff,
cloth-sided division-cushion; over all, in sthe upper story, was a large
chaff cushion, about 6 inches thick. These hives were painted white,
and rested high, so that they were above the most of the snow. Twentyfive of them contained no honey, and only a cell of pollen here and there,
and were well supplied with sugar syrup; 24 contained a little honey and
bee-bread, and all the rest of the food was sugar syrup. I had no idea of
losing any of these colonies, but in this I was in error, for every one died.
Among the 25 there was scarcely a sign of disease; the combs were clean
and nice. Among the other 24, there was occasional symptoms of diarrhoea, here and there, but nothing to amount to anything. 1 have had
colonies show many times more symptoms of disease and survive, and
come up strong for the June honey harvest. None of these colonies died
of diarrhoea. Of wiiat did they die? Cold, too long continued; and those
in the old, cold cellar did the same. But how in a cellar? Cold is a giant
in a cellar. Why? Because it continues; there is no ray of sunlight, no
immediate raising of temperature, or chance for the bees to change position. What degree can bees stand? That depends upon the duration.
Here is the important point that too many of us have overlooked. Forty
degrees below, can be endured for a short time, but 10 to 15 degrees above,
will kill bees if continued, diarrhoea or no diarrhoea.
It is the temperature within the hive, that effects the bees, and it requires time for the temperature without to effect the temperature within.
In this same yard stood 17 colonies lower down and packed warmer
than the 49 just referred to, all being on full natural stores of honey and
pollen, and in the regular 8-frame Langstroth hives. Ail but two,
died. All of them had diarrhoea badly. Not until we could remove bee-

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diarrhoea, could we get a clear view of any other causes which might result in the death of our bees.
Just to the left stood 73 colonies packed like the above 17; these
had little pollen in their combs, and stores of a mixture of sugar and
honey, just the same as the 10 referred to in the new, damp cellar. They,
like the 17, were low down, and were pretty well covered with snow during the severe weather. Of these 73 colonies, about one-half survived.
Of my out-apiary of 208 colonies, all packed, and all on natural stores,
nearly all died.
But let us go farther. Not satisfied with this, I began sending specimens of excreta to Prof. Cook. The first specimen was excreta from a
radical case of diarrhoea, with bees all dead, one among the eight which
died in the new cellar. T also enclosed some pollen from the comb contained in the frame from whose top-bar I took the excreta. The Professor answered as follows: " I have subjected the pollen to a very careful examination with a one-sixth objective. 1 find several kinds of pollen
grains, two of which are by far the most common. One is oval, rather
pointed, with a longitudinal slit and numerous projections; the other is
globular and thickly set with projections much like those in the
other. I then studied the excreta, and had some one else made the
change, I should have stoutly maintained that the objects were the same
that I had just studied. The kinds of pollen were exactly the same in
style and markings. The pollen you sent had been liberally appropriated
by the bees whose excreta you sent."
I will here state that no attempt at breeding had been made by this
colony. I will quote from another letter from Prof. Cook: " I went to a
neighbor's bees, all of which are dead, and I took three with long, black,
turgid bodies and dissected out their alimentary canal as before. The
'stomach and intestines were fairly bursting with repletion; slight pressure sent the black, odorous excreta flying. This was almost one exclusive mass of pollen-grains held in a watery mixture.'*
Before further considering the pollen theory, let us discuss other conditions which are supposed to bear directly upon the problem.
VENTILATION.

Notwithstanding much stress has been placed upon "pure air" for
bees, I have long thought that success in wintering, rested almost entirely outside of ventilation. I have, seen so many colonies come from
most illy ventilated repositories, in splendid condition, and had so many
reports of like nature from reliable sources, that I am forced to regard
that question of minor importance.
Last winter T received a letter from Mr. Boomhower, of New York—
a bee-keeper who winters his bees with greatest success—from which I
quote the following:
"All ventilators to bee-cellars are a damage and amount to nothing.
This has been proven to me over and over again."
In response to a question bearing directly on this subject. Prof. Cook
sends me the following:
"Bees certainly use air all winter; if wintering well, very little will
do—perhaps simply what is in the hive—but unless they are kept very
quiet, they would need more."

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In my opinion, this quietude is dependent upon temperature and
food. In our Mich. State Bulletin, No. 8. the Professor, among other
wise and useful instructions, presents to bee-keepers the following:
"Ventilation has also been much discussed, and various theories have
been offered, yet the physiologist, and especially the physio-entomologist, will not be easily persuaded that insects whose functional activity
is so slight that a minimum of food supplies their wants, stand in need
of much air. One year at the College 1 sealed a large colony of bees with
ice frozen solid at the entrance of the hive, and yet the coiony wintered
exceptionally well. This colony remained for more than three months
entombed in a snow bank. As the hive was glued or propolized at the
top, we can see that the ventilation was slight indeed. Thus physiology
and experience both show that under the best conditions, little heed need
be given to ventilation. While bees do not hibernate in the sense of becoming totally inactive, yet they may and should have their vital activity kept at the minimum, else they will need air and quite ample ventilation. 7 As we have already seen, cold or heat—that is a temperature much
below or above 45 degrees P.—arouses bees, excites nutrition, and of
course would necessitate more food and oxygen, and so more ventilation.
Unless we can keep the bees then, in just the condition to enforce quiet,
we must arrange for ample ventilation.
It goes without saying, that the temperature inside a hive, in which
bees are wintering, must generally be warmer than that outside the same.
The fact that bees do not hibernate, establishes this truth. The thermometer confirms it. We know that moisture is sure to collect on a cool
surface; but water dripping upon bees cannot be healthful. The disturbance and the wetting would both be injurious. To winter bees then
with the best success needs a covering that is not a good conductor of
heat. Experiments on quite an extended scale have shown me that this
is not all theory.
We see then that the requisites to success in wintering bees are:
enough good food, uniform temperature without the hives at about 45
degrees F., slight ventilation, and a cover to the hive which is a non-conductor of heat."
Mr. W. H. Shirley, of Millgrove, Mich., relates an instance of his observation, where a farmer neighbor determined to smother some
colonies of bees to get rid of them and to get their honey. With moist
blue clay he hermetically sealed the hives, and left them for 48 hours,
when he concluded the bees must be dead; but when the hives were
opened, to his surprise and chagrin, they were not only alive, but showed
no signs of any ill effects, whatever. This was early in the month of
September.
I might occupy pages with just such instances, going to show that
bees, when in a state of quietude, or repose, use almost no air at all.
I present these extreme views regarding ventilation, because I think
they are correct, and that future experience will so prove them; but if
your experience teaches you that I am mistaken, follow it, and go no
farther with mine, than merely to experiment.
MOISTURE.

My last winter's report, above presented, again strikingly illustrates
the fact that humidity is not harmful to bees, as many suppose. In all
my varied experience and observation, I have been unable to discover
any ill effects from dampness, of itself. From Prof. Cook's Bulletin, already referred to, I quote the following:
" I t would seem that a damp atmosphere, which, as we all know, is favorable to the growth and development of fungi, and inimical to health

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

Ill

in higher animals, would be harmful to bees. It has been found, however, that in many cases, even during the terribly disastrous winters like
the past one, bees have wintered remarkably well in very damp cellars.
Thus while we may presume that a very damp atmosphere is not the best,
yet we may safely assert, other things being all favorable, that it of itself
will not carry the seeds of mortality with it."
CONFINEMENT.

At one time a few bee-keepers were inclined to look upon confinement as the prime cause of bee diarrhoea. We have ample evidence that
such cannot be true. While it is a fact that frequent flights afford opportunity for our bees to discharge any intestinal accumulations that
may have taken place, yet it is a demonstrated fact that confinement
need not necessarily result in an accumulation of feces. I believe it is
possible to keep bees confined for one year or more, and keep them in
perfect health. While in the quiescent state, time has little tendency to
exhaust their vitality. Practically, the age of a bee depends upon the
amount of exertion it has undergone. I have no doubt but that I could
have safely kept the 73 colonies', before referred to, in the cellar, two•>
three, or more months longer.
In an article by Mr. Hilas D. Davis, entitled "The Wintering Problem Solved," published on page 234 of the American Bee Journal for
1885, we find the following paragraph:
"On Nov. lo, 1882, I put into the cellar a number of colonies of bees,
in old hives with movable frames, which were fed on sugar syrup. By
some mistake one colony was left in the cellar until June 29,1883, when T
was informed that there were bees in the cellar; and upon examination
I was astonished to find the colony in a perfectly healthy condition, lively, and no traces of diarrhoea, which was remarkable, as the colony, which
was a small one, had been confined about 224 days, and was removed from
the cellar when my other bees were nearly done swarming. It was
amusing to see what a grand flight they had after their long winter's repose."
Some of our bee-keepers believe that if our colonies do not breed late
in autumn, but go into winter quarters with, older bees, their chances to
winter well are thereby lessened; that they are thus more liable to "Spring
Dwindle," Such has not been my experience. Older bees seem more
inclined to seek the desired state of repose. Mr. A. E. Manum, of Bristol, Vermont, who keeps nearly 1,000 colonies, and is very successful in
wintering, writes me that he prefers to have no bees hatched later than
September.
Bees do not grow old with time, but from exertion. Colonies that
have not bred late have not exerted themselves like those that have. The
rearing of young bees is always at the expense of the vitality of the older
ones. In the quiescent state scarcely any of their vitality is lost. JSTo
matter if the youngest bee in the hive was hatched September 1st, because none were hatched later, she has preserved her vitality, hence her
age, and if she passes the winter in quiescence, she will last until her hive
is populous. Bees preserve their vitality (age) wonderfully during autumn, when conditions are such as to discourage breeding. The converse
of this proposition is equally true.

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BEE-CULTURE.

HIBERNATION.

Do bees hibernate? My esteemed friend, Rev. W. F. Clarke, of
G-uelph, Ontario, who has long been interested in apiculture, and once
owned and edited the American Bee Journal, surprised our fraternity by
presenting in his ever clear and forcible style, what is known as u T h e
Hibernation Theory."
We at first understood him to believe that our honey bees mi<>ht, and
did, when wintering successfully, enter that dormant state in which we
find wasps and some other insects, and of course a lively controversy
arose. By consulting "Chambers" regarding the true definition of the
word, we find that the state of repose which our honey bees enter, closely borders upon hibernation. Had we so understood the meaning of the
term, there would have been little to discuss, as we have for years been
familiar with that quiescent state which bees assume when wintering
successfully.
We do not, however, consider this quiescent, or semi-hibernating
state, a cause, but an effect of successful wintering and its conditions.
That bees can pass the winter in confinement, and in a stale of activity,
and build up to good colonies by the following summer, I have had positive proof; but such conditions do not denote perfect wintering, in my
experience.
Whatever induces quiesence, also causes successful wintering, for
bees in a diseased and distressed condition, will not remain quiet.
If you step out into our apiary at the approach of freezing weather
and lift the cover from a hive, you will notice that the bees are snugly
clustered, lying perfectly motionless. As you raise the cover, they respond by raising their abdomens and wings, but at once recline to their
normal position, and should you immediately replace the cover, excluding
the light and cooler air, this quiescence will continue. It is a condition
induced by a certain temperature, and when that temperature changes,
going either higher or lower, to a sufficient degree, just as soon as its influence is felt by the bees, they arouse to activity. If the change is to a
sufficiently higher degree, they at once propose to go out, look around,
and see if any useful employment can be found. If, on the other hand,
the temperature falls below a certain point, the bees becoming uncomfortably cool, at once arouse and begin raising the temperature by exercising. "Jhis exertion calls for larger quantities of food, and if their food
is not free from improper substances, such excessive consumption will
soon overload the intestines with fecal matter, resulting in bee diarrhoea.
While it is evident that cold plays a very important part in causing
this disease, yet we know there is still another cause, because we have
many times witnessed perfect health in one colony, and disease in another, though sitting side by side in the same kind of hives, with like
preparations and in the. same repository. Where can the difference be,
except in the food?
As already stated, I am quite positive that there is where it is to be
found, and I believe that the difference in food, regarding its wintering
qualities, depends upon the amount of nitrogen it contains. I believe
that some kinds of honey, in certain seasons, contain much more nitrogen (in the form of floating pollen) than others, or the same in other sea-

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sons; and I believe this accounts, in part, for the different results we obtain when all conditions are apparently equal. It also accounts for the
fact that pure cane sugar syrup (which contains no nitrogen and more
oxygen than honey) has proven the best of all winter food for bees. But
this is not all.
I am quite confident that when bees are exercising during their summer work, or in winter, to keep up temperature, such exercise calls for
nitrogenous food, and they instinctively consume it, if within reach. By
careful examination I have found that in cases where I fed sugar syrup
in dry, clean combs, and left these colonies exposed to severe cold, that
in every case where there was just a cell of bee-bread here and there,
wiiich was overlooked or trusted with the bees, they have emptied every
one within their reach.
Bee-bread is replete with nitrogen, the tissue-making food; is mainly
of pollen, and diarrhoetic excreta is composed of the same. Whether this
pollen theory be correct or not, my experience bears much testimony in
its favor, and I know of no other theory fully accounting for our winter
losses, or I might say, bee diarrhoea, which will cover all the facts, as
they have been presented to me. Certain it is that it is correct, or else
the whole problem rests alone upon temperature, and in either case the
directions given for always wintering safely, will insure that result.
But are all of those conditions necessary? I think not. I believe
that in most seasons our bees gather honey sufficiently clear to winter
upon it successfully, especially if the temperature is kept at that point
which necessitates only a minimum consumption of it. 1 also believe
that bees will not consume bee-bread during confinement, if the temperature is kept at a point that necessitates no activity on their part.
In this connection, Prof. Cook writes as follows, in the bulletin before referred to:
"If the cellar become too cold or too hot, in either case the bees become disturbed, and then I feel certain after many experiments that the
bees are safer with no pollen."
They must have bee-bread to form into chime, if they rear young,
whether in confinement or otherwise, but this kind of bee-bread consumption does not result in fecal accumulations. I will again quote from
Prof. Cook. He says:
"The fecal mass is mostly in the intestines; sometimes it is so abundant as also to crowd the true stomach. It is not likely that the alimentary canal back of the honey stomach, and true stomach, are ever used to
form the larval food; I think not, back of the sucking or honey stomach.
If the pollen is used up for larval bee-food, it could not appear in the
feces."
This accords with the facts connected with our experience. There
are a few of our bee-keepers, some of whom are careful observers, who
believe in what is known as
T H E DRY-FECES T H E O R Y ,

which contemplates that bees, in healthy condition, with temperature,
humidity and ventilation, all favorable, from time to time as necessity
requires, discharge fecal accumulations in a dry state, and that pollen is

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a normal, wholesome food for bees during confinement, and is not within
itself, a cause of bee diarrhoea, even when so consumed, because these
frequent dry discharges prevent any excessive accumulations; Prof.
Cook thinks—and my observations accord with his opinions—that bees
never normally void in their hives feces that is either wet or dry. He
says, that although he has made repeated examinations, he could never
find dry feces in a bee.
On several occasions I have seen bees voiding (always outside of their
hives) feces that was solid enough to remain in a round and elongated
form> until it would dry in the sun; but these bees were always more or
less diseased, though not always irrecoverably so. The colonies that I
told you had nothing but pure syrup, although exposed to such a low
temperature came out in spring, after a confinement of 151 days, in perfect health. Their bodies were apparently no larger than when placed
in the cellar the previous autumn; on their first flight they contained
nothing to void. .Not a speck of anything could be found on the while
hives. By carefully observing them in range with the sunlight, nothing,
not even water, could be seen passing from them. As further evidence
that physical exertion causes bees to consume pollen, and that pollen is
what forms fecal accumulations, I will call attention to the fact that during the working season, when in harmony with this theory, bees are daily
consuming larger quantities of it, if we confine them for only a short
time, abdominal distention with fecal matter, always ensues.
We have now set forth many of our reasons for believing in the pollen theory, at the same time endeavoring to make it clear to the reader
that whether or not we are correct regarding that belief, either in detail or the general principles of the theory, we still as firmly believe
that we can winter any normal colony of bees, with as great certainty,
as our horse or cow; for if that theory proves erroneous, then as already
stated, I believe the problem hinges entirely upon temperature.
I will now endeavor to outline our chosen methods of complying with
the laws governing success, as we believe in them and have so set forth
in the foregoing. Out-door wintering can certainly boast of but two advantages; first, that it may, in favorable seasons in this latitude, allow
the bees frequent flights, and second, that it saves the labor of carrying
the colonies in and out of repositories. I think that I have shown that
after we have secured the conditions of safe wintering, safe in all winters, no winter flights are needed, and could only effect injury to the
bees, by exhausting just so much more of their vitality.
Again, if our colonies are to be left on their summer stands, we must
go far south of here, before it is safe to so leave them, without extra protection, and this necessitates far more labor than that of carrying them
in and out of the cellar. It is urged that a cellar or above-ground repository, costs more than packing boxes, for outside protection. This is
more than offset by the value of the room for other uses in summer.
Such room is just what we need. It is also argued that outside packing
is very useful during spring, after all bees are on their summer stands;
that it serves to prevent
''SPRING-DWINDLING."

I am confident that such dwindling is always a result of imperfect

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wintering, for I have never seen or heard of a case, when the bees had
passed the period of confinement, in a healthy condition. [ believe that
bees that spring dwindle, had the diarrhoea, though in many cases the
fecal accumulations were not great enough to cause evacuations in or
about the hive; the same taking place away in the air.
The intestines are diseased, however, thus lessening the vitality of the
bees to such an extent that they cannot survive long enough to duplicate
their numbers with young bees, unless the weather is most favorable.
In this locality, all healthy colonies, will, after being placed upon their
summer stands, not only protect the brood they may have when set out,
but also take care of all that develops from day to day, as fast as we care
to have breeding progress.
With wholesome food, and proper temperature, it is neither necessary nor advisable to remove our colonies from their repositories, where in
the quiescent state they rest unconscious of the swift winged flight of
time, till the struggles of winter giving place to spring, are past and
flowers in bloom, affording- fresh pollen and perhaps nectar, for the
workers.
If we lived in a locality where this was not the case, we should in
spring, pack the top of our ~New Hive (the bottom of which is protected
by the bottom-stand), and as it is so very shallow it would be nearly all
protected. We would simply remove the cover, put on the honey board,
spread a paper over this, place an empty case on top of all, fill it with
saw-dust, replace the cover and the work is done. Paper and saw-dust
• are all the extras needed.
The evenness and height of temperature upon which that vitalitysaving, quiet condition depends, cannot be maintained out-doors. I
never saw a colony of bees that had wintered perfectly out-of-doors. I have
wintered 500 colonies out, and saved nearly all and all came up in good
condition for the honey harvest. This is not perfection however, but
may be some ways from it, and toward diarrhoea and death.
When a colony enters the quiescent state at the approach of cold
weather and remains in that condition without interruption till the flowers bloom again, consuming a minimum of food, presenting abdomens no
larger than when confinement began, discharging no feces on first flight,
then they have wintered perfectly; but this cannot be accomplished outdoors, nor anywhere, unless the food is perfect; in my opinion, free from
nitrogen—pollen.
My numerous experiments in out-door wintering, have led me to prefer a plan that may properly be called a combination of the clamp and
packing systems.
We place our hives in a row about four inches apart, all fronting
south, eight of them constituting a clamp. The front ends are about
four inches from the ground, the: back ends about seven inches, all on the
same level. Out of some old refuse lumber, we rip some pieces two
feet long and four inches wide; point these pieces at one end and drive
them into the ground between the hives at their fronts, nearly on a level
with the tops of the hives; get a board 18 inches wide and 12 feet long;
place it on the hive edgewise, its lower edge resting just back of the
stakes; select another board the same length, and 24 inches wide, placing

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it edgewise upon the ground six inches back of the back ends of the hives.
You can now take shade-boards, or other short pieces, and nail across the
ends of these boards from their top to bottom edges, when you will
have your eight hives so surrounded with walls that you can pack dry
sawdust, chaff, forest leaves or other suitable non-conducting material
about eight or ten inches thick at the outside of the outside hives, six inches thick behind, and five to ten inches thick over their tops. Now we
lay two tiers of shade-boards, breaking joints with each other, on the top
for a roof, and as the front is several inches higher than the back, the
backward pitch will carry off the water. We also wedge the packing between the hives, and the stakes at their front ends hold it from running
out in front. These boards may be whole, or narrow ones cleated together. As we use shade-boards for ends and roof, these flat boards are our
only additional fixtures.
The tops can be packed as we prefer; either above the board covers,
as glued fast by the bees, or upon the absorbant plan with covers removed and clothes laid over in their place. Now your eight hives are well
packed except their fronts, which we protect as follows: We take shade
boards, or we may take one continuous board, twelve feet long, and fifteen or eighteen inches wide, and lean it up against the hives and over
their entrances at an angle of about forty-five degrees. This leaves a triangular opening all along in front of their entrances, which we stop up
at ea^ch end with hay or straw. We now pile hay or straw all over this
leaning front board and well out at the ends, reaching up as high as the
top of the clamp, and about two feet out in front of the leaning board.
As soon as it snows, and covers up the hay or straw, the fronts of your
hives are also well protected.
But this is not all; the air furnished the hives must come in slowly,
becoming more or less tempered by the earth and warmth of the clamp.
Much as with cellar wintering, the air which enters the entrances of the
hives, is also protected. I t matters not how deep may be the snow, nor
how much covered with ice, the ventilation is always ample. In locations
where but little snow may be expected, I would advise making up the deficiency with greater quantities of the hay or straw.
These clamps should be formed some little time before the bees cease
flying. We bring our colonies together in autumn, again spreading them
apart in spring, causing them always to mark their new location by the
precautions given on page 29. The front boards and hay should not be
adjusted until you do not care to have your bees fly any longer. If, during the winter, favorable weather occurs, and you wish your bees to fly,
pull forward your hay and front board, when the sun will immediately
warm up the front ends of your hives and entrances, the front board and
hay serving as an alighting place for bees that may drop down. This is
our favorite out-door method of protection; still I prefer in-door wintering, and a cellar to all other repositories.
The question now arises, how shall we arrange our hives in the cellar? This problem is one that I am arranging to experiment with during
the coming winter. I think it matters but little. Certain it is, that an
even temperature within our hives, is preferable. The more non-conducting are they and their arrangement, the better they are for the main-

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

117

tainance of that even temperature. Also for a higher degree; consequently, I favor leaving the covers tight upon the hives, as sealed by the
bees, pitching them forward, and leaving the entrance wide open.
For our New Hives we have constructed a two inch rim, that we place
under each one, thus supplying that space between the bottoms of the
frames and bottom-board. Of what value this may prove, only experience can decide. It is not a new device, and while many speak in its favor, none object to it. It certainly will not produce nor prevent bee diarrhoea, but yet may be worthy of our adoption with this style of hive.
I shall pile my hives in tiers, one upon another (the strongest
colonies at the bottom), as high as I can reach, placing the first
tier upon the bottom of the cellar, and expect as perfect success
with one tier as another, for such was my last winter's experience. We have before spoken of Repository Ventilation, and Moisture.
For our coming winter's experiments our colonies will contain stores of
all kinds of honey, and of pure cane sugar syrup. We feed the syrup
from the large feeder described on pages 56 and QQ. We prepare it as
follows:
Into a boiling-pan put three pounds of water, heating it until it boils,
and with a wooden paddle stir this boiling water as you sift into it ten
pounds of granulated sugar. When it is all dissolved, and the syrup is
boiling, pour in one-half tea-cupful of water, in which has previously
been dissolved a level tea-spoonful of tartaric acid. Stir it a moment
longer, and then remove it from the fire. The amount of water, acid and
sugar mentioned in the above way of preparing the syrup, is given merely as a proportion. I boil half a barrel of sugar at one time, on a common cook-stove, in a flat copper boiler made for the purpose, and which
covers the entire top of the stove. Feed the syrup while warm (not hot),
if convenient.
It will not crystallize if the acid is used in the proportion
mentioned, is of full strength, and the syrup boiled as directed. It
is at once, when cool, of the consistency of well-ripened honey, and
as the bees receive, store and seal it readily, I know of no reason why it
is best to feed it thinner, and depend upon them to evaporate out a portion of the water.
The best time to feed the syrup is at once—as soon as you are satisfied that all gathering of natural stores is past.
In the chapters on "Hives" we described our method of management,
that brought our colonies out at the close of honey-gathering in a condition to feed, without first having to extract honey from their combs. In
this chapter I have also mentioned exchanging empty combs for their full
ones, and feeding syrup into them, in cases where the contraction system
was not practiced.
I do not like this plan nearly as well as the summer method of keeping natural stores out of the brood-chamber, as it increases labor and exposure to robbers. It also frequently necessitates feeding too late in the
season.
I think that when for any reason the bee-keeper desires to winter his
bees upon natural stores, the method of selecting such stores, as given in
the chapter on the New Hive, is a very good one to practice.

118

SUCCESS. IN BEE-CULTURE.

Some twelve years ago wTe used bows over the frames, to admit of
winter passage-ways for the bees, but were never positive that they were
of any value. Neither am I sure that absorbants over our bees in winter
are advantageous. Drs. Southard & Ranney of Kalamazoo, Mich., who
are very successful in out-door wintering, practice packing chaff over
their board covers glued tightly by the bees. They also give very little
lower ventilation. During the past severe winter of 1884-5, they carried
their large apiary through with almost no loss.
All of our colonies in the New Hives are now in our bee-cellar, each
in one case. About one-half of the hives have the narrow rims under
them, and one-half are without them. All are wintering perfectly. It
is a pleasure to carry these light, fixed-frame hives into the cellar.
This chapter, like the book in general, is written from the standpoint of my own latitude and experience, and while I disclaim a perfect
understanding of the problem, I do believe we have practically mastered it.

-•-•-•-

CHAPTER XXVI.
Adopting Apiculture.
When one has decided to adopt bee-keeping as a business, the question may then well be asked, "how shall I commence?" I will give you
my opinions regarding the subject—opinions based on experience.
In these remarks I shall suppose that the sole purpose of adopting
our pursuit, is that of making money at a reasonably agreeable calling.
For all other classes I have nothing to say. But now let me consider the
best way to get properly started in the business. With this, like all other
pursuits, the very first acquisition needed is a knowledge of its laws and
principles. With this knowledge you will know how to choose a good
field. You will know enough to choose one that is unoccupied, and that
you can likely hold sole possession of. Besides these basic principles,
you will have an understanding of the detail manipulation of the apiary.
Now, in my judgment, the best way to get possession of this
knowledge, which is absolutely necessary to success, is to do just as you
would if you were going to practice law, ship building, rearing silk
worms or speckled trout, viz: Engage yourself with some experienced
and successful man of the same calling, and with him and his fixtures
study the business both in theory and practice. You will get your theory from the best literature upon the subject, and social converse with
your employer. This will increase your talent. You will get your practical knowledge, made up of thousands of methods, styles and movements, by working at the business and among his fixtures. That knowledge will increase your tact. Now, the reason why I suggested the sue-

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

119

cessful man only, is because this tact is usually found in company with
success—in fact it is a parent of success, and is to a considerable degree catching, and the ways and means adopted by the man of tact, are
authors of success.
During this apprenticeship you must mingle your thought with your
labor in a proper degree, for in this business you are as much a student
as an apprentice. After you have spent one or two seasons (according to
your aptitude) in this way, you are competent to start in the business,
with a capital that will support you and yours, and command your best
mental and physical efforts, for most of the year. If you have not the
capital, you are fitted to command wages in advance of the common laborer, and if acquaintance has inspired your employer with full faith in
your integrity, you can likely get all the capital you need, to accompany
your strength and skill. Many offer bees for-sale, but I want to tell you
that if I could get competent, honest men to work for me, at wages hinted at above, or work an apiary on shares, I could make more by not selling a bee, but placing my surplus stocks in another unoccupied field, with
this employe to handle them.
I give it as my solemn conviction, that no man should ever attempt
this business that has failed in all others ia which he has been engaged.
That bees do not "work for nothing and board themselves;" that "small
children" and "invalids" are not eminently adapted to honey production.
Experience has taught me that if there is any business in this world that
demands industry, skill and tact, to insure success, it is this of ours. By
attending conventions, visiting bee-keepers, and entertaining many who
visit me, I have learned that successful apiarists, as a class, are more
than ordinarily wide awake and intelligent.
The beginner almost invariably wants to know how many pounds of
surplus honey he may expect from a hive, in a good season. Why don't
he ask how many pounds in a bad one? Really, why don't he say how
much is honey worth on the markets of the world? Is it likely to hold
up to that figure? How much do you think it costs to produce honey per
ton? Do you know of any good, unoccupied fields? About how many
pounds of surplus do you think such a field would yield annually, on an
average? What would be the best number of colonies to keep to secure
it? and a whole lot of such questions as these.
Xow, honor bright, would not these questions be more likely to be correctly answered by some experienced producer than any one else? If I
should hear a young man asking questions like these, 1 would feel sure
that he had served at least a year with some experienced apiarist, and not
in vain, either.
I believe that no business is less adapted to becoming a side issue or
adjunct to some other, than this of ours. On the other hand, I think it
will become a specialty with the successful ones, and these men will be
men of energy, intelligence and tact.
The days of dabbling along with two or four colonies; picking up bee
wisdom; throwing away one and making another style of hive every year,
are nearly over.
Seventeen years ago I began bee-keeping in this way. The production of honey has increased many fold since that time, and the profits of

120

SUCCESS IN

BEE-CULTURE.

the same have greatly decreased. Had they been no greater then than
now, I think my attempts at apiculture would have proven a failure. I
am positive that had I then apprenticed myself to some such successful
apiarist as Adam Grimm, whom it is said cleared $10,000 in one year,
from his large apiaries, I would, ere this, have no further need for bees,
nor their product.
For years past our state agricultural college has had, attached to the
general course, an experimental apiary, conducted by Prof. A. J. Cook,
our state professor of entomology; a gentleman whom, I believe, stands
at the head of his profession, and is very enthusiastic regarding this part
of it—the honey bee. While this school offers a fine opportunity for certain kinds of experiments, as well as thoroughly learning the physiology
and character of bees, I cannot conceive that it offers as great advantages
for at once learning how to produce honey at a profit, as does the large,
practical apiary. It might be well, for those who are able, to take two
courses in the study of our pursuit; first, at the Agricultural College and
then in the apiary; but if, for any reason, only one course can be taken,
I must say that I consider the practical apiary course not only first choice,
but almost a necessity. For four or five years past, Mr. D. A. Jones, of
Canada, and myself, have received from many times the number of applications, a limited number of
STUDENT-APPRENTICES,

and this experience has the better qualified me to judge of its benefits.
We are, however, not alone in our ideas of the immense advantages of
such a course, The constant solicitations received for skillful help in the
apiary, and that, too, from our most successful apiarists, argues plainly
that these men are of the same opinion. Neither are these opinions confined to our own land; for I have repeatedly had applications for my students from foreign countries. Very few of these calls could be satisfactorily answered, for whatever may be the student's idea, when soliciting
a situation in the apiary, he is sure to embark in the business for himself
if by any possibility he can command the necessary capital.
This is not the only evidence of the favorable opinions of our most
successful bee-keepers. I will quote from four of our noted producers
and writers. Mr. W. Z. Hutchinson says:
"If a man wishes to engage in bee-keeping as a specialty, and make
money out of it, he cannot do better than to take a season's instruction
with a practical apiarist in a-practical working apiary."
Dr. C. C. Miller of Illinois says that "whoever purposes to make beekeeping a business, may save himself years of discomfiture and failure,
by spending a season in the apiary, as an apprentice."
Mr. E. J. Oatman of the same state, also a large and most successful
honey producer, says: " I would rather, by far, employ a man after such
a season's schooling, than take him after his futile efforts of five years of
independent experiment."
Kev. W. F. Clarke, before referred to, a man to whom nature and
years have given a keen insight into the affairs of life, says that he
"should like to have just such a chance to learn the business, and should
try to get it, were he not parson, and editor as to life-work."

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

121

While I can most heartily recommend a season spent in the practical
working apiary, with a successful honey producer and competent teacher,
as being the best and cheapest wTay to become a successful apiarist, I am
far from urging any person to enter our already well filled ranks.
Could I accomplish the aim of this little work, viz: lend material
aid to those now in the business, both in multiplying their colonies by
successfully wintering, and increasing their honey crop by way of improved implements and methods, it is my opinion that there would soon
be produced all the honey that consumers will pay for at a price making
its production worthy of our attention. Before concluding, I will repeat,
that I am firmly convinced that only the energetic, faithful, and intelligent, will be apt--to succeed as honey producers.
If you possess these qualifications and thoroughly learn the business,
these important truths will be your warranty of success. YTou will have
but a limited number of mankind as competitors, and these will be men
who are not willing and do not need to devote their mental and physical
energy to that which yields a precarious income.

CHAPTER XXVII. '
Books and Periodicals.
As a factor in the development and progress of the world's industries, the books and periodicals devoted thereto have, in modern times
played an important part. I know of no industry, however humble, thajt
has not a special literature of its own devoted to the advancement of th^
financial interest of those therein engaged. In the light of the accumulated experience and practical knowledge of those engaged in any business, substantial and steady progress is made. Our own chosen pursuit
is no exception to this rule, but is rather a striking confirmation of it, for
the almost wonderful advance in apicultural science during the past two
decades, is largely due to the interchange of thought and experiment
through the medium of our bee-periodicals.
At the head of our apistical literature, both in point of age of publication and mature practical thought, stands the ''American Bee-Journal,"
as bright and fresh and newsy as wheii the master hand of Samuel Wagner was at the editorial helm. In tracing the career of this Journal back
to its birth in 1860,1 find that it has been an earnest advocate of the
right, and has ever striven for the best interest of its patrons. No childish prattle or selfish hurrah-boy enthusiasm, seeking to augment the
already crowded ranks of a pursuit with a class of people whose embarkation therein meant failure and financial ruin to themselves and embarrassment to those already embarked, has marked its course. A remittance of $1.00 to Thos. G. Xewman & Son, 925 West Madison St., Chicago,

122

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

111., will secure its weekly visits for one year, and I know of no investment in bee-literature that will pay such satisfactory dividends to the
intelligent apiarist.
"Gleanings in Bee-Culture," is published semi-monthly at Medina,
Ohio, by A. I. Root; price $1.00 per year. Although younger in years
than the American Bee-Journal (just mentioned) Gleanings is a valuable
addition to our periodicals, and well worth its subscription price.
The "Bee-Keepers' Magazine," by Aspinwall & Treadwell, 16 Thomas St., N . Y.—is a regular visitor, and I should not like to dispense with
it. Monthly, at $1.00 per year.
•
•
There are several other American publications of more or less note
and vitality, which do not reach me, hence I have no knowledge of their
special claims to public patronage.
Just over the line, in the "Queen's Dominions," D. A. Jones, of Beeton, Ontario, has started the weekly "Canadian Bee-Journal," at $1.00
per year, which gives promise of usefulness to its readers.
BOOKS.

"The Hive and Honey Bee," by Father Langstroth, and the "Mysteries of Bee-Keeping." by Father M. Quimby, were the pioneer works,
from which modern apiculture has sprung. To the labors of these two
veteran apiarists, are we all indebted for the inception of scientific methods and devices, which have placed our pursuit upon a substantial, practical basis, immeasurably in advance of the empiricism of the past. No
practical system had been formulated by their predecessors; definite results were unknown.
* In more recent years, the accumulated results attained by the fraternity have been preserved for us in such admirable books as Prof. A. J.
Cook's "Manual of the Apiary," Mr. Thos. G. Newman's "Bees and Honey," King's "Bee-Keeper's Text Book," Mr. A. I. Root's "A, B, C, of
Bee-Culture," Mr. L. C Root's "Quimby's New Bee-Keeping," Chas. Dadant's little pamphlet upon "Extracted Honey," Mr. Henry Alley's
"Handy Book," particularly devoted to queen rearing, etc.

^'^P^

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

123

Odds and Ends.

[Under this head, I have grouped a few facts, either not mentioned
elsewhere in these pages, or which seem to be deserving of the emphasis
of repetition.]

It hath been said by him of olden time, "keep your stocks strong;" but
I say unto you, tw don't let your colonies remain queenless."

A friend asks me: "Have you ever mixed bees from different queens,
with a view of increasing their vigor and energy as honey gatherers? If
not, try exchanging frames of hatching brood, and note the result."

There is a vast difference in the quality of the tinned wire, used in
wiring foundation in brood frames; that which is soft and pliable being
much better than the hard, brittle "variety."

Have you ever, in your visions of the "sweet bye and bye," caught
glimpses of that elysian "field" where the industrious gatherer of propolis
shall find his "occupation gone," and the "wicked (bee) cease from troubling?" If so, just lubricate all hive bearings with tallow, rubbing it well
into the wrood, and enjoy the luxury of removing covers, supers, honey
cases, etc., in the "twinkling of an eye," without a snap, jar or bee-protest.

It is good policy to keep hives well painted. The mineral paints,
with the addition of a little white lead, make the cheapest and most durable coating for hives, of which we have any knowledge.

The term, "bee-space," does not only denote a space at will admit
of the passage of a bee, but it refers to that space in which bees are least
inclined to build brace-combs or place propolis, or bee-glue; which is a
scant 1 of an inch.

The wire embedder, illustrated on page 63, is the invention of C. M.
Ruland, Eockton, 111.

124

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

The business of honey producing has never received the respect that
it merits, neither from our government nor many of her individual members. While we are glad to be able to say that we are each year receiving more and more of the respect and attention we have long deserved;
still we are at all times liable to unjust encroachments upon our industry; because, until quite recently, bee-keeping has not been a business-of
any importance. To protect ourselves against these unjust legal attacks^
we have formed a Bee-Keepers' Union which, it seems to me, all friends
of the pursuit should join. For particulars, address THOS. G. N E W M A N ,
Manager, 925, W. Madison St., Chicago.

If judgment be used in selecting material and manufacturing hives,
very excellent ones can be made out of second or third class lumber. I t
is not wise, and I believe not common, to use first class boards in the
manufacture of first class hives. The same is true regarding the tvork^
manship; while it should be good, ail pieces being smooth and accurately
cut, it is bad economy to spend the time required to smooth and polish a
hive until it resembles cabinet work.

I wish to impress the reader's mind with the following sentiments,
which I feel positive are truths:
First, beyond the matter of food, the problem of safely wintering
bees rests almost wholly with temperature. Second, bees winter as safely upon shallow as upon deep combs. Third, they build combs and fill
them with honey as readily and speedily in our smallest surplus receptacles, as in our largest ones.

I think we may correctly say that a honey field, or apiarian area, is
one ordinarily nearly circular, having a diameter of nearly six miles; the
apiary located at its center. 1 think we may call an area occupied when
it contains'a bee-keeper Who keeps, or intends to keep within it, onehundred or more colonies. I feel that I cannot too strongly urge you not
to attempt bee-keeping within an already occupied area.

SUCCESS JA7 BEE-CULTURE.

125

GENERAL INDEX.
smoker, fuel f o r — - — 5 3 , 57, 58
PAGE
best size of
•*•
53
Apiculture, little connection
Bingham's the best
53
with farming
9|
cut "of.
57
better for blacksmith...
9|
veil(see protectors)
adopting
118
tent
'.
55
how to adopt
118, 119, 120|
56
who should adopt
119, 120 conveniences of
size and construction of
56
American Bee-Journal
13, 16
objections to
56
price reduced
122
78, 79
Alley, Henry
28 Bee-space, its great value
what is it?
128
After swarms, prevention of. .23, 24
Father Langstroth's invenAcid in winter stores
.. 85|
tion
78. 79
to prevent crystalization
36
107. 108
Artificial pasturage
431Bee-diarrhoea
122
when it pays...
42l Bee-keeper's Magazine.
122
what plants pay b e s t . . . . . . . 4 3 , 44; •Bees and Honey"
•Bee keeper's Text Book" . . . . 122
Adulteration
different opinions on
46 Bees mixed from various hives.. 123
Adulterate, bee keepers do not.. 46 Books and periodicals
121
it does not pay to
46 Boomhower, Mr
109
Apiarian supply-trade
49 Bingham T. ¥. ..
52, 81
what stimulated the.
50, 51 Birds as enemies
.. 38
Breeding, how stimulated
35
requires tact, energy and per
severence to be successful
14
In
. 50 Capping combs
52 Cyprian bees
12, 13, 15
Apiarian implements
49 Carniolan bees
12, 13, 15
who should make
who should buy.T.'..''.'.'.'.'.''..' 49 Cook, Prof. A. J., 4, 109,110,113,120
illy constructed.
49 ^ L , 122 , .
, N
,„ ^
by express
freight
51, 52 Crates (see shipping crates)
52
49, 71
71
cut of
by
51.
Comb-foundation... .54, 60, 61, 62, 63
Apiarian supplies
prefer Given...
61
how to order
50, 51
great advantages of
54, 62
weight of
54
A B 0 of Bee Culture
122
how fastened... .54, 61, 62, 63. 67
Aspinwall and Tread well
122
Contracting L. hive....... .82, 83, 103
Bee-keeping, as a business
advantages of
82, 83
can be made a success,
illustrated
83
in a small way
8|
dummies for
82, 83
as a specialty
8
123
as related to mechanics
8 Colonies, strong.
how kept strong
84, 85
for women.
10
Ill
Bees, age of worker
12 Confinement
112, 120
varieties of
12, 13,14 Clarke, Rev. W . F
122
crossing the races
14, 15| Canadian Bee-Journal
value of
16j
on shares
16,17 Division of labor
8
subduing
17 Drone cells
11
careless handling of
18 Drones, time required to develscared by ,,moke
18| ope
11
size of..'
22, 23
their use
11
how to make them mark new
age of
12
locations
29
selection of
26
Bee enemies
38 Dzierzon
39
diseases.
38 Daclant, Chas. & Son
60, 102
u
paralysis
38 Dadant's Extracted Honey"... 122
moths
38, 40Doolittle, G. M
81, 83, 84
smoker
52 Davis, Hilas D
Ill

126

SUCCESS'IN

BEE-CULTURE.

patented
68
Hive, improved L a n g s t r o t h
77
E x t r a c t o r , honey
7, 531
cut of
. . . . . 77
m a n y styles of
53
bottom stand for
77
prefer u p r i g h t gearing f o r . . . 59j
honey board for
77
1
for t h e special list
—
59
readily movable
81
excelsior
59
small brood c h a m b e r preferfor n e w hive
104
able
81
prefer large can
60j
contraction of (see contracwax, cut of
70
tion)
our new i l l u s t r a t e d —
89
False inducements
10|
brood c h a m b e r of horizontal
F e r t i l e workers, w h e n they apsections.
89, 90
pear
33
frames for
90
look like others
.. 33
reversible
90, 99
how they lay in t h e cells
33
surplus cases for
91, 93
prove a g r e a t annoyance
33
case illustrated.
91
how to get rid of
.33, 34
honey-board
91, 93
Feeding.
34
b o t t o m board i l l u s t r a t e d — 92
to promote breeding
34
b o t t o m s t a n d for, illustrated 92
for winter s t o r e s . .
34
size of p a r t s
. 90, 91, 92, 93
sugar syrup
35
93
wide frames for, c u t of
honey to finish s e c t i o n s . . . 35, 36j
description of
.93, 94
stimulative
35!
surplus cases for, reversible
Feeders
56, 57,
how contracted.
94 98
old style, cut of
how enlarged
95
new style, cut of
F a t h e r L a n g s t r o t h on shalF o u l blood
38, 39,
low
95
Dzierzon's remedy
for winter
.95, 96
fast spreading
40
to fit former case to
98
I t a l i a n s less liable to
39, 40
general m a n a g e m e n t o f . . . . . 99
how developed
40
seldom need opening
1C0
how cured
39, 40
finding green in.
100
F o u n t a i n p u m p a necessity
20, 551
clipping queen cell's in
100
Whitman's
*..... 55, 70
bees easily ha)idled in.
101
for hiving swarms
55
shade for
101
will last a lifetime
55
for extracted honey
102, 103
illustrated
70
quickly m a n i p u l a t e d 99,103, 105
perfectly m a d e
70
for e x t r a honey,
flow
104
for w a s h i n g windows
71
honey extractor f o r . .
104
cleaning buggies
71
should be m a d e from sample
for lawns a n d gardens
71
only
105
for extinguishing fires
71
m u s t be made accurately
105
patented
105
G e r m a n bees
12,13, 14,15,21. 281
tested by
106
Given press illustrated
61 Honey board, H u t c h i n s o n
cuts of
77
m a k e s best foundation
60, 61
description of
77, 78
Gleanings in Bee Culture
122
queen excluding
78
new style illustrated
91
H o n e y , early price of
7
n e w style reversible . . . —
91
raising for one's own u s e . . . .
7
new style described
. 93
comb or extracted, which
t o control s w a r m i n g
104
pays best
44, 45
122
as a sauce
47 " H a n d y Book," Alley's
112
in q u a n t i t y
47, H i b e r n a t i o n
H y b r i d bees
13, 14, 15
keep local demand supplied
with
47 H u t c h i n s o n , W . Z., 24, 61, 78, 84, 99,
106, 120
ripe
45
8
extracted
451 I m p r o v e m e n t s
13,14,15, 21
comb
45, 48, 49j I t a l i a n bees
19
styles of packages for
48 49|Increase
artificial
20
Honey-knife, B i n g h a m ' s
53
plan N o . 1
20, 21
c u t of
68

D r y foeces theory

.113, 114

8UCCESS IK
plan N o . 2 . . . . ,
prevention of
Italianizing

20, 21
22, 23
31 32

BEE-CULTURE.

127

best for all...
..74. 75
favored by F a t h e r L a n g stroth
75
Pollen theory
107, 108, 109
Jones, D. A
. . . . . 1 2 0 , 122 Propolis, how avoided
123
P a i n t for hives
123
Lamp nursury
28, 55
keeps uniform t e m p e r a t u r e 27 Queen, fertile
11
large uniform queens come
cages, how made
55
from
27
her capacity
11
cut of
69
eggs of, when they h a t c h . . . 11
L a n g s t r o t h , F a t h e r (of m o d e r n
j
cells, position of
11
apiculture)
42, 122|
a t will
28
hive and honey bee
42, 122
how fertilized
—
11
price of
16
Mixed h u s b a n d r y
_ ..
8
clipping wings of
25
Malonev, George
13
rearing,.. .25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31
My friend, 4, 19, 20, 21, 25. 26, 27, 31 ueen-rearing
• 33, 34, 36, 37, 47, 48, 50, 51, 52|
under s w a r m i n g impulse
27
53,54, 55,56, 57
artificial
26
Mellilot clover
43, 44
our preferred m e t h o d , 27, 28, 29
M a r k e t i n g in old t i m e s . . .
47
30, 31
in modern
47, 48, 49 Queens to breed from
27
t h r o u g h commission m e n . . . 48
prolifkmess of
84, 85
too early
49
cost of..
84, 85
Market distant
47, 48
introducing virgin
30
home
47, 48
danger in introducing
30
preparing f o r . . .
48
introducing fertile
31
when to
48 Quimby, M . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 6 , 39, 52, 122
Manum,A. E
Ill
Miller, C. C
120 Reversible-frames
.21, 85
"'Mysteries of B e e - k e e p i n g "
122
cutsoi
02, 86, 87,
" M a n u a l of the A p i a r y "
122 Reversing, advantages of
Ruland, C M
123
N a t u r a l history
11 Root, A . 1
28, 43, 54, 64, 102, 122
N a t u r e a blind force
I2i Removing bees
29
faulty
12 Robbing, how encouraged
36, 37
Nuclei
20|
how to prevent.
36, 37
forming
28, 29 Register, honey
54,64, 101
N e w m a n , Tiros. G
4, 43, 122!
illustrated
04
N e w m a n , T h o s . G. & Son
59, 121'
how used
64, 65
queen
54, 55, 64
Osborn, A. W
13
wood block preferable
55
Overstocking, b u t little k n o w n
how to record
• 55
about
41, 421
statistical reports on
42 Specialty
8,9
Opening hives unnecessarily, 99, 100 Supply and d e m a n d
....
10
Oatman, E. J
120 Success d e m a n d s , t a c t a n d inOdd s and E n d s
123;
dustry...
10
ISyrianbees.
12, 13
P r i c e of honey fluctuates
10]Subduing bees
. . . . 17
Physiology, bee
11!Smoking bees
18
Pleurisy, excellent honey plant, 28 Smoke n o t h a r m f u l
18
43, 44
Swarming
19
Protectors, face..,
55, 69
n a t u r a l objectionable
19
illustrated
69J S w a r m s , n a t u r a l how to m a n a g e 20
material for
55, 69'
prevention of
22, 23, 24
convenience of
55, 69 Shipping crates, small sell b e s t , 49
best color for
69
56
when to wear t h e m
55,
small, ship safer
49, 56
P a t e n t s are they necessary
73 Smoker (see bee-smoker)
evidence of civilization
73 Sections, surplus.
54
a necessity
...
74
advantages of reversing
. . 97

128

SUCCESS IN BEE-CULTURE.

i lb
49
modern.........
..32, 33
sizes of....
,
54, 68
10
best wood for
54, 64Unoccupied fields.
all dove-tail preferred
54 Vick, James
8
4ix4i a standard
63
12
Separators
54 Varieties of bees
Screen house
56, 65|
Ventilation
109, 110
how made and used
.56, 65Wintering, the problem solved, 106
why better than tent
56, 65
in cellar....
114, 115
prevents robbing
56 65
out door...
115, 116. 117
Surplus case, cut of.
77
feeding for
117
description of....
. . . . . 79, 80
absorbents for
118
how tiered up
80
pollen theory....... .107,108, 109
Heddon's o l d . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 6 , 97
experiments in, 107, 108,109, 111
"
new
91
breeding...:..-..
.-• 109
two story objectionable
96, 97| moisture.
.110, 111
advantages of tiering
87
ventilation......
109, 110
Shade for hives,
!
"
101
confinement
Ill
Shirley, W. H
110|
old bees for.
Ill
Spring dwindling
114
hibernation
110, 112
causes of
115|
temperature for, 106, 108, 110,
Student-apprentices..
120
[112 to 118
Worker cells.
11
Terry, T. B
.63, 123
Temperature for green rearing, 28| Wiring tool (cut)
.63, 123
Transferring, old method
.' 32' Wire for frames.
IOSTIDEIH: T O

oiEar^iFariEDiRs..
PAGE

Artificial Pasturage.
Adulteration
Apiarian Supply Trade
Apiarian Implements
Adopting Apiculture ..
....
Bee-Keeping as a Business
Bees on Shares
Bee-Enemies
Books and Periodicals
Comb or Extracted Honey?.
Fertile-Workers
Feeding
Hives
Hives, New
Italianizing.
Increase
Marketing
Natural History
Overstocking
Patents; Are They Necessary?
Queen-Rearing
Robbing
Subduing Bees
Transferring
Varieties of Bees ....,
Value of Bees
Wintering
4

'.

.

...

,...'
,
—,

43 to 44
46 to 47
49 to 52
. . . 52 to 72
118 to 121
7 to 10
. . . . 16 to 17
38 to 40
.121 to 122
44 to 45
33 to 34
34 to 36
76 to 87
88 to 106
31 to 32
19 to 25
47 to 49
11 to 12
. . . 41 to 43
— 73 to 75
25 to 31
36 to 37
17 to 19
— 32 to 33
12 to 15
16
.106 to 118