Part 4

I am going to build me a bee house of cedar logs, twenty feet by sixteen inside, stuffed with one foot of saw-dust; and I wish to know how I can give the greatest amount of ventilation in winter, without light. I want the largest amount of ventilation, combined with the largest amount of darkness; and desire to know where and how to place the ventilators, and of what material these should be made--whether of wood, iron, or lead? If possible, let us have a sketch or side view. Did I not fear that NOVICE was drowned in honey, I would ask him to have the kindness to furnish the information according to his experience. Perhaps we should send in contributions to the editor to offer a premium for a design for the best bee-wintering house, to contain a hundred hives as described above. Bee-wintering is one of the most important points in bee-culture now, and bee-keepers could well afford to contribute towards procuring the best plan of a house.

Now, dear editor, although a passenger in the sleeping car, I am for progress. Thirteen swarms from one--say one brought up to fourteen, is a true American fact. If I had set the fourteen in four hives, with ample space for boxes, it would have been a pity for my blacks to compare results. I drummed out my old hive and first swarm, and cut three pails of honey out of them. Then I returned the bees, and the gaps are again nearly closed. I wish now to say

SOMETHING ON HIVES.

Last year I made me three Price hives according to Vol. IV., page 87. On inspecting my hives, after the bees had been put in, I found in the first one all its frames lodged on one side. To obviate this, I drove small tack-nails on top sidewards, to hold the frames at proper distance apart; but this does not do. In lifting out the frames I slightly damaged brood and honey. The second hive was in order, but the combs very uneven. The third had its combs straight every time, impossible to be otherwise down to the middle; but from the middle corners down to the lower corner they were fastened together and all gone astray. Further, the crushing of bees by the honey-board annoyed me much. They are so very heavy and troublesome to handle, that I have broken up the whole concern.

Now, I have constructed a hive on the Gallup pattern, say one foot square, and use twelve frames in it. This is what I like. My combs are as straight as a piece of board, and very easy to handle. I shall stick to it. But, dear editor, I fear I have infringed on some one’s patent, and I do not like others to do the thinking, and myself to reap the harvest--which is about as criminal as stealing another man’s brains. The question is: whom have I to pay? My frames are made thus:

They hang on a rabbet, suspended by half an inch of iron wire, the thickness of an ordinary lead pencil. They are very easy to take out, and are never gummed fast. Now, do you not think I have infringed the Langstroth principle? If so, please inform me. My frames are three-quarters of an inch thick, and are very strong. I have had much trouble with frames as commonly made, when filled with honey. They are then too weak.

Finally, I have constructed

A HONEY MACHINE

according to Mr. Hubbard’s description. I had not the slightest trouble in making it. My can of zinc, eighteen inches in diameter and twenty inches high; cost three dollars. The iron wire cost one dollar, but I had more than enough. The whole cost was less than five dollars. I used the crank of a fanning-mill, to see what effect it would have, but found it too long. I was compelled to turn it with a peg half way down, which is just the thing. I can turn it as rapidly as wanted--so rapid, indeed, that the larvæ would be thrown out. I shall use no gearing. I found the machine all that could be desired, and only regret that I had it not in June. The queens might have produced some thousands of pets more, if empty cells had been provided for them. Now, something about

STRONG STOCKS.

NOVICE says if we are well-rooted anywhere it is in _strong stocks_. This, I find, is a very indefinite saying. I wish some one would give me a clear idea of what is meant by the expression _strong stocks_. Is it a large, prime swarm, or a first and a second swarm united, or any swarm well wintered and built up by spring feeding on Gallup’s system?

Ah, indeed, N. Woodworth, of Rochester, Wisconsin, on page 47, Vol. VI., has thrown a skunk in the face of the bee family. A skunk cannot stink more than that statement. Surely, he designs to see what effect it will have. Well, the best way is to let the skunk alone. The meanest bee-gum bee-keeper who manages to winter his bees so that they do not all die, has to acknowledge that bee-keeping pays; how much more can one accomplish who knows how to employ skilfully scientific means and methods?

JOSEPH DUFFELER.

_Rousseau, Wis._, August 26.

[For the American Bee Journal.]

Queen-Breeding for Improvement of Race.

MR. EDITOR:--In the September number of your excellent Journal, page 58, Mr. Alley accuses the writer of “pitching into him.” But I find he can still hold up his head and “pitch” back, as well as raise cheap queens; so he is not badly wounded. But, to be serious, I most sincerely regret that any sentence in my article, in the August number, was so worded that it was thought to be personal. It has been a favorite project with me to see the honey bee improved to its highest possible extent. And even Mr. Alley concedes the principle for which I contend. For, says he, “_I pay the highest prices for my breeding queens, and now have queens of my own raising that I would not sell for fifty dollars._” This is a higher price than I proposed for such queens, five or six times over. He says he will take my whole lot at my figures, if I have such queens as I describe. I would not like to spare them, Mr. Alley, for I value them as highly as you do _your_ best queens!

I do not doubt that every man who gets a queen from Mr. Alley, or from any other man who sends the genuine breed, gets the worth of his money; but what I did mean to say, was, that if a man wishes to get the highest grade of Italians, let him get one that has been raised from the best selected stock, under the eye of an experienced apiarian, and thoroughly tested before she is used as a breeder. Then the buyer will know what he is getting, and would find his purchase cheap at twenty dollars--rather than one that was untested and raised at haphazard, at two dollars and a half.

I repeat--Let the Queen-Raising Brotherhood unite to state these facts fairly and squarely before the world; and let men who believe in sharp practice keep such things out of sight.

I, too, if ever I go into the business again, will sell queens at $2.50, sending them out as soon as they begin to lay eggs, to any number ordered, guaranteeing that all the workers shall show three yellow bands, when filled with honey. But, if tested and guaranteed as breeders, I would ask ten dollars each. If I was going to commence Italianizing an apiary, I would send to some responsible man, such as Langstroth, Colvin, Quinby, Gallup, Mrs. Tupper, or Mr. Alley; and in the room of sending $2.50, I would say, “fix your own price, but send me the best queen you can select!” for I would rather have such a one than four of average untested queens. And putting the seller upon his honor, I think I should get the _best_, where all were good.

Others may differ from me in opinion, yet I have given the public my views honestly.

Mr. George C. Silsby has my thanks for his courteous criticism of my article. Mr. J. E. Pond likewise, though he misapprehends my intention to attack any one but sharpers, who sell for pure Italians what no one, qualified to judge, would call even a good hybrid. I know nothing of Mr. Alley only through his advertisement, and of course knew nothing of the quality of his bees. But while I know nothing of him, I do know men who sent to where it was most convenient and cheapest, and straightway they became queen-breeders, and supplied the country round, in turn, with _genuine queens_. It would take an expert often, to detect a particle of Italian breed in many such colonies that I know of.

In such cases, often, the queen-breeder himself did not know that he was selling a spurious article. I may have been foolish, but I did send to Italy for stock that cost me twenty dollars each, when I could have procured stock from Mr. Langstroth for five dollars each. The same year I procured a queen from Mr. Colvin for fifteen dollars, tested, in preference; and the very next year I sent fifteen dollars to Mr. Langstroth, for a tested and superior queen, when he would have sold me an untested one for half the money. I think still that the money was well invested.

Two years ago I left the personal supervision of queen raising, and a gentleman by the name of J. L. Strong is now conducting the same apiary, at Mount Pleasant, Iowa. He has not been able to supply all his orders this season. My articles were dated from that place; but my residence is at Ottumwa, Iowa, where I am trying to fill the place of pastor of one of the Methodist Episcopal Churches of that city. I have raised just _four_ queens this season, one of which was a hybrid. These I have used in making new swarms. I have five colonies here, which still interest me greatly, although there are not many dollars and cents, as income, in the enterprise, and I take all the profits in honey for my table. So you see I am not a very formidable rival in the trade.

But, in common with the brotherhood, “_bee on the brain_,” is a chronic complaint with me, and I never shall recover from it; and every man who talks _bees_, or writes _bees_, or _raises queen bees for $2.50_, or any other price, has traits that make me regard him as a _brother_. And if I write an occasional article, don’t think I am “pitching into” some one, or writing to “show off.” Then, further, if you find my articles only half as interesting to you, as yours are to me, I shall be content. In the meantime let us raise no false expectations; but so write that we can put in the hands of the cottager, occupying a few square roods, the means of keeping, in an intelligent manner, from twenty to one hundred colonies that shall bring him as much profit as the owner of a farm reaps from his broad acres.

E. L. BRIGGS.

_Ottumwa, Iowa._

[For the American Bee Journal.]

The Economic Hive, and Gallup’s.

MR. EDITOR (and some one says that means everybody):--As I receive many letters asking what I think of the Economic Hive, mentioned and described in several numbers of the last volume of the Journal, suppose you allow me to answer them at once through the pages of the Journal. It will save me much trouble, and obviate the necessity of replying to the same questions asked over and over again, by different inquirers. Another matter I would like to speak about. I receive a great many inquiries somewhat like this--“Mr. Gallup, I am a new subscriber to the American Bee Journal.” &c., &c., and asking me for information about such and such articles, or what does such or such a writer mean, &c. Now, gentlemen, I am perfectly willing to answer your questions, but it appears to me that your very best plan would be to send the money to the publisher, and get the back numbers of the Journal. You would certainly get the worth of your money; and then you can understand what the writers mean, better than I can tell you in one short letter.

Well, here I am off the track, as sure as fate. To return; in the first place, the Economic Hive and the hive I use, are (with slight variation) substantially the same. Both can be used in the same manner, in every respect. I have used them with from ten to fifteen frames, but for general use, twelve are sufficient. All it needs is to make the hive wider or narrower, to accommodate more or less frames. In using my hive two story, I make the second story the same depth as the first. My frames hang on small three-cornered cleats instead of on rabbetings; and to make any hive into a second story box, draw the small finishing nails out of the cleats and nail them on again, low enough down to allow one-fourth of an inch space between the upper frames and the lower, without the honey-board. Now, all that is necessary to convert this into two hives, is to move those cleats back to their former places again. In placing this top box on and lowering the cleats, it leaves an inch and a quarter space between the top of the lower frames and the honey-board. Now drive four finishing nails into the sides of the hive, inside, leaving the heads project one-fourth of an inch above the frames. Then fit in an inch board and let it rest on those projecting nails. This will fill up so much of the vacant space under the honey-board.--In putting on the third story, I make my boxes so as to fit inside the hive, _on the frames_, and do not use the honey-board between the boxes and hive in any case. This third story is only used with very strong stocks.

Once more, I will say that this hive suits me, and can be used for every purpose, in forming nuclei. You can raise four queens in it, as Mr. Truesdell says, and by inserting three division boards you can make it into four small hives. The entrance on the four sides of the hive are all in the bottom board. It can be accommodated to any size of swarm, simply by using the division boards, or not, as the case requires. In short, read what Mr. Truesdell says about the hive, and also what I have previously said about it; and then read what I say in the “Annals of Bee-culture for 1870” (when it comes out) about the best method of having honey stored in combs for market--decidedly the best, in my opinion; better than any glass boxes I ever saw. In such a hive you have one adapted either to a poor honey district, or to a good one. It will accommodate the largest, as well as the smallest swarm you ever saw. It is cheap and simple. Understand, I am not cracking up this hive to make money out of it, for it is not patented, and I have no time to make any to sell.

E. GALLUP.

_Orchard, Iowa._

[For the American Bee Journal.]

The Gallup Hive.

I wonder sometimes how many bee-keepers have tried the Gallup Hive, there being so many other hives that are so highly recommended. I have made and used, now for two seasons, more than a dozen of the Gallup form of hive; and thus far I think it is good for all that Gallup claims for it. Simple in its construction, easily and cheaply made, and for one, I cannot conceive how any hive could be better adapted or more convenient to form nuclei with full sized combs, to raise queens, to equalize bees and stores, build up stocks, exchange combs promiscuously from hive to hive, &c., &c. No trouble about the frames hanging true, and I think I can handle a set of frames in the Gallup form of hive in as short a time as I can in the Langstroth standard; and I am using both. If the several parts of the Gallup hive are correctly made and put in place, it is almost air-tight; and yet any amount of air, whether much or little, can be given and regulated, even to the extent of suspending the hive in mid-air, with top and bottom off, if it were necessary. Its surplus honey arrangement can be made to suit location or fancy. I do not suppose that Novice or Grimm, or some others, would do any better by using the Gallup hive; but my circumstances are very different from theirs. And as it is of the utmost importance to me to use only one kind of hive, I intend to use the Gallup form exclusively as soon as I can, without material loss.

HENRY CRIST.

_Lake P. O., O._, Sept. 7, 1870.

* * * * *

Those that boast most, fail most, for deeds are tongue-tied.

[For the American Bee Journal.]

Palmer Brothers and the Thomas Hive.

It is due to myself and to Palmer Brothers to say that their article, so greatly in favor of my hive, was written without my knowledge and entirely upon their own responsibility.

While I feel grateful to them for their high opinion of my hive, and the impartial manner in which they have spoken of it, I may be allowed to correct two or three items in the description thereof. They have purchased the territory for these hives before the alterations of which I am about to speak were made.

“_Advantage 8th_” (see BEE JOURNAL, Vol. VI., No. 2, Aug. 1870.) “There is a passage through the bottom board, covered with wire cloth, through which the bees receive air,” &c. After five years’ experience and experimenting with the hive and the best method of ventilating, I now make the bottom board without any hole through it, preferring instead to put a hole through the rear end board of the hive, about one inch from the bottom, and covered with wire cloth. The hole is an inch and a half in diameter, and allows a circulation of air from front to rear. I consider this the best method of ventilating a hive, and in most, if not all cases, quite sufficient, and especially so with an entrance such as I use in my hive, and with which Palmer Brothers were not acquainted for reasons already stated. I will just say the entrance is so constructed, with a double zinc gauge, that it can be enlarged in a moment of time to half an inch deep and the full width of the hive, and contracted in the same time to half an inch square.

“_Advantage 16th._ The bottom slants to the front.” It may be made inclined or level, as desired by the builder.

“_Advantage 18th._ One, two, or four boxes may be used.” Six square boxes, suitable for market, may be used.

“_Disadvantage 3d._ The improvements are worse than useless, to one who will not properly use them.” This is true of all frame hives. If a bee-keeper intends to let his bees die, with no attention on his part, he certainly will save the expense of improvements by setting them in a hollow log.

To those parties who may purchase territory I will send a sample hive, paying all charges to the line. See advertisement, and make an offer.

J. H. THOMAS.

_Brooklin, Ontario._

[For the American Bee Journal.]

Bee Cholera.

MR. EDITOR:--I see that many persons have lost their bees by what is called Bee Cholera. I have had some bees die with the same disease. I then took a colony after one half the bees were dead, ventilated the hive well, and carried it into the stove room, and kept it there the space of eight days. It is now a strong colony. I suppose the heat of the room evaporated some of the water in the honey.

B. R. HOPKINS.

_Tyrone, Pa._

[For the American Bee Journal.]

Hive for Nuclei.

The experience of a single season satisfies me well with a hive for nuclei, made by simply taking the ordinary Langstroth hive, separating it into six compartments, and making the entrances face in different directions, in this manner:

Nos. 1 and 6 have the entrances at the back end of the sides, at the upper corner. Nos. 2 and 5 have a hole bored through the bottom, and the bottom board channelled, making the entrances come out underneath the front end of the sides at the _lower_ corner. The entrance of No. 3 is in front, at the regular entrance; and No. 4 has an entrance at the back end.

“But will not the queens enter the wrong compartment, on returning from their excursions?” I have raised fifteen or twenty in a hive of this kind, and have never lost any.

Instead of a honey board, a strip of board covers each division separately, so that each nucleus can be examined without disturbing the others.

The ordinary frame is used, and the principal advantage of the hive consists in the mutual warmth gained.

I think it pays to keep reserve queens constantly on hand; and I mean to try whether I cannot winter a few queens in this way.

I have raised some queens by letting the nucleus have brood to start queen cells from; but they have been slow coming to maturity; and after they have laid a few eggs, they are sometimes discarded and a young queen raised from the brood. The trouble seems to be that where queen cells are started by a small cluster of bees, they do not feed the grubs plentifully enough, and when the queen hatches out not a particle of royal jelly is found in the cell. Whereas, when a strong colony raises a queen, the cell will contain a large quantity of jelly after the young queen emerges. To obtain good queens, I take the following plan. I take a frame containing only eggs laid by my best queen, and put it into an empty hive, and set this in the place of a strong colony. Cells will be started and the grubs liberally fed, and as soon as they are sealed over, I cut them out and give them to the nuclei. I then give the hive a laying queen, and two or more frames of sealed brood, according to the time of year, and have a good colony.

I am waiting patiently for NOVICE to invent a machine for making straight worker comb; for as yet I have found no way of securing all worker comb, except to have it built by a weak colony. My bees build some drone comb of very strong, even if their queen is not a month old; and they will build worker comb, _whilst raising queens_, if WEAK ENOUGH.

C. C. MILLER.

_Marengo, Ill._, Aug. 30, 1870.

[For the American Bee Journal.]

Around among Apiaries.

MR. EDITOR:--As I have been visiting among bee-keeping friends, I will give you a few lines that may interest some of your readers. The season here has been very variable in the yield of honey from the clover blossoms and also from honey dew.

I made a short visit to Hess & Co.’s apiary, some ten miles from Fulton, on the Iowa side of the Mississippi, who have about one hundred and eighty colonies. Their bees did not yield much white clover or basswood honey, but did well on honey dew. The honey from the latter is very dark and sticky, and to most persons is of poor flavor. Their bees did not swarm much this season, though they are surrounded with all the early flowering trees, such as soft maple and hard elm, willow, and all other kinds natural to our soil, alike on the islands, bottoms, and uplands.

I next visited Marvin & Bros., of St. Charles, Ill. Their apiary numbers one hundred and seventy-five to two hundred stocks. Their bees have not done anything to speak of, and from appearance and prospects, they will have to be fed to go through the winter. There was hardly any rain here from the last of March to the last of June. White clover blossomed very little, and Alsike was almost a failure from the drouth. It did not grow tall enough to be cut for seed, where it did come into bloom. But Messrs. Marvin are not discouraged. They think there is a good time coming yet for bees, though it be not this season. They have some of the great Rocky Mountain bee plant growing, but it has not done anything for them since they have had it. It is now in full bloom, yet very seldom a bee lights on it.

I also made a brief call on M. M. Baldridge, the secretary of the great National Bee Hive Company, at St. Charles. His bees will likewise have to be fed, to go safely through the winter, if fall pasturage do not supply sufficient honey for their need. Mr. Baldridge is doing a considerable business in manufacturing honey emptying machines, now that the demand for beehives is over for this year.