M. Quinby, St. Johnsville, N. Y.
It seems to us Mr. Q. writes a little unkindly, but perhaps we deserve it. In a matter of so much importance there should be no arguing, and no strife. Even should there be a test trial of the two hives, made by two experts, the result would be of little use to our rising bee-keepers. The question is, how will the people at large succeed best. At present we really know of no better way than for those who are undecided, to try one hive of each kind; what suits your neighbor exactly, may not suit you. Our having the Corners for sale, should make no difference in our opinion, and we try not to let it, but we cannot help wondering if Capt. Hetherington has ever tried a hive with these Corners.
In the Am. Agriculturist for Feb., the Quinby hive is described with illustrations. The frame differs a little from the one we described last month, in having the top bar also, dropped a little below the ends of the side pieces; also, the top and bottom bars are both alike and lighter. Dimensions there given are, uprights, 11×1½×½. Top and bottom, 18⅜×⅜, cut from inch boards. Ends are nailed firmly with finishing nails into top and bottom but projecting beyond them as has been mentioned, ¼ inch. The hoop iron hooks to hold the frames in an upright position, if they be used, can probably be bought cheaper of Mr. Q. than they can be made. The sides and top of the hive are made of ½ inch boards, planed smoothly, just the size of the frames, with cleats nailed on each end to prevent warping. The bottom board is 11×20×1, also cleated on under side to prevent warping. Mr. Q. says tie all together with a stout rubber cord, but it seems to us this cannot prove a very durable fastening.
SOME HOME MADE “NEW IDEAS,” SPECIALLY ADAPTED TO NOVICES.
BY R. L. JOINER.
Friend novice:—Enclosed find 75 cents for the next year’s crop of “Gleanings.” I have just sewed 1874 together and I would not take $5.00 for it if I couldn’t get another. My bees are sound asleep in their pit at present, and will remain there until about “St. Pathrick’s day in the mornin’.” I took the precaution this fall of planking the top and sides of the pit, also of putting two doors in the front end, something as described in Dec. Gleanings. My observing neighbors tell me that I had better have let well enough alone, and buried them in the dirt as usual, but I thought a permanent place if as successful, would be better. If you remember, I used to have trouble about my bees swarming as soon as strong. Well as you told me, I found regular and thorough extracting a perfect remedy, but I soon had my hives jam full of brood. The two story plan was “no good,” as my hives are practically three story ones now. I did not want to get new hives and I could see no way of building a story, like Pat’s house “on behint.” I solved the difficulty in this manner, I moved the hive half its width to the right or left and set another hive exactly like it, by its side, with the entrance the same way, and took half of the combs from the old stock and placed them in (without any care which hive had the Queen) and filled up each with empty combs, and run them through the height of the season in that manner, supplying the Queenless one with brood from the other as I extracted, and carefully destroying all Queen cells as I extracted each week. Of course I only practised this with Queens that were very prolific and had their hives boiling over with bees, and united again as soon as honey failed and the brood was sufficiently contracted. I foresee and forebear all the objections that will be urged to this plan, and the main one will be, “Why didn’t you let your Queenless hive hatch a Queen?” Well, I’ll tell you, I wanted to see how much honey I could get from 25 stocks of bees even if some of the stocks did live in what we call out West a “double house.” I don’t pretend that it is any better than the “long idea” plan, except that when I wanted to contract my stock I had no “empty rooms” to carry into winter quarters. I am satisfied that the mammoth yields are from mammoth colonies. My yield is called enormous here but is small to what some report. I started with 17 colonies that had to be fed until June 15th. I increased by dividing, to 25 Queens, and gave 3 of them, double colonies as before described. I got 2150 lbs. of honey, 2000 lbs. of which was choice, and put 24 colonies into winter quarters well supplied with stores. I wasted the time of four of the best, for four weeks of the best part of the season trying to get some box honey. All I got for my trouble, was my pains, and the natural swarms, which I summarily returned, after throwing those honey boxes as far as I could send them, extracting every one of their sealed combs full of honey and destroying their queen cells. Let those who can, raise box honey, I had rather raise extracted for 4c per lb. than to wait all summer for box honey and then get none, for a dollar a pound. The boxes were put on “according to Hoyle,” they had nice starters, they were tight, and all right every way only the bees would not move in. I am afraid they are the Novice breed and aren’t in the box honey business. After I took off the boxes and took their honey, didn’t they work though?
Well Novice, I’ve spun this yarn long enough now and am not half done, if you get tired reading why throw the whole away. If I ever come within fifty miles of Medina I am going to stop and see you and bore you worse than I do by letter. I’ll tell you how I sold my honey.
Wyoming, Wis. Dec. 16th, 1874.