Bee Keeping - General Information

For the purpose of answering numerous questions which are asked of this department the following brief topics are included.

BREEDERS OF QUEENS

There are a large number of bee keepers who make a business of rearing queens of good stock for sale. The queens are usually sent by mail. If poor stock is all that can be obtained locally, it is recommended that such colonies be purchased and the queens removed and replaced with those obtained from a good breeder. This department can supply names of breeders, nearest the applicant, of any race raised in this country.

INTRODUCING QUEENS

When queens are shipped by mail they usually come in cages (fig. 25) which can be used for introducing. If the colony to receive the new queen has one, she must be removed and the cage inserted between the frames. The small hole leading into the candy compartment is uncovered, and the bees gradually eat through and release the queen. If queens are reared at home, a similar cage may be used for introducing. In view of the fact that disease may be transmitted in mailing cages, it is always a wise precaution to remove the new queen and destroy the accompanying workers and the cage and its contents. The queen may then be put into a clean cage without worker bees, with candy known to be free from contamination (made from honey from healthy hives), and introduced in the regular way.

Queens sold by breeders are always mated unless otherwise specified, and consequently the colony in which they are introduced has no effect on her offspring. During the active season the bees in the colony are all the offspring of the new queen in about nine weeks. Three weeks is required for the previous brood to emerge (if the colony has not been queenless), and in six weeks after all the old brood emerges most of the workers from it will have died. Queens are usually sold according to the following classification:

" Untested queen"—one that has mated, but the race of the drone is not known.

" Tested queen "—one that has mated and has been kept only long enough to show, from the markings of her progeny, that she mated with a drone of her own race.

"Breeding queen"—a tested queen which has shown points of superiority, making her desirable for breeding purposes.

DEALERS IN BEE KEEPERS' SUPPLIES

There are several manufacturers of supplies in this country who can furnish almost anything desired by the bee keeper. Some of them have agents in various parts of the country from whom supplies may be purchased, thus saving considerable in freight.

BEE KEEPERS' ASSOCIATIONS

There are a large number of associations of bee keepers in all parts of the country, formed for the betterment of the industry, and a few associations which are organized to aid the members in purchasing supplies and in selling the crops. Of these the National Bee Keepers' Association is the largest. It helps its members in obtaining their legal rights, and aids in securing legislation for the furtherance of the industry. The annual conventions are held in different parts of the country, and copies of the proceedings are sent to the members. There are also numerous State, county, and town associations, some of which publish proceedings. The names of officers of the nearest associations or of the National Bee Keepers' Association will be sent from this department on request.

LAWS AFFECTING BEEKEEPING

Disease inspection.—Various States have passed laws providing for the State or county inspection of apiaries for bee-disease control, and every bee keeper should get in touch with an inspector when disease is suspected, if one is provided. The inspectors are practical bee keepers who fully understand how to control the diseases, and are of great help in giving directions in this matter. The name of the inspector of any locality can usually be furnished, and this department is glad to aid bee keepers in reaching the proper officers.

Laws against spraying fruit trees while in bloom.—The spraying of fruit trees while in bloom is not now advised by economic entomologists, and to prevent the practice some States have passed laws making it a misdemeanor. Such spraying not only kills off honey bees, causing a loss to the bee keeper, but interferes with the proper pollination of the blossoms and is thus a detriment to the fruit grower. Bee keepers should do everything in their power to prevent the practice.

Laws against the adulteration of honey.—The national food and drugs act of 1906, and various State pure food laws, are a great aid to the bee keeper in preventing the sale of adulterated extracted honey as pure honey. Bee keepers can often aid in this work by reporting to the proper officials infringements of these laws which come to their notice.

When bees are a nuisance.—Some cities have passed ordinances prohibiting the keeping of bees in certain areas, but so far none has been able to enforce them. If bees are a nuisance in individual cases, the owner may be compelled to remove them. The National Bee Keepers' Association will help any of its members in such cases, if they are in the right, as well as in cases where bees sting horses. Bee keepers should be careful not to locate bees where they can cause any trouble of this kind.

SUPPOSED INJURY OF CROPS BY BEES

Bee keepers are often compelled to combat the idea that bees cause damage to fruit or other crops by sucking the nectar from the flower. This is not only untrue, but in many cases the bees are a great aid in the pollination of the flowers, making a good crop possible. A more frequent complaint is that bees puncture fruit and suck the juices. Bees never puncture sound fruit, but if the skin is broken by some other means bees will often suck the fruit dry. In doing it, however, they are sucking fruit which is already damaged. These and similar charges against the honey bee are prompted by a lack of information concerning their activities. Bees may, of course, become a nuisance to others through their stinging propensities, but bee keepers should not be criticized for things which their bees do not do.

JOURNALS AND BOOKS ON BEEKEEPING

The progressive bee keeper will find it to his profit to subscribe for at least one journal devoted to bee keeping. Several of these are published in the United States. The names and addresses of such journals may usually be obtained from a subscription agent for periodicals, or from a supply dealer.