The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1882-03-01
Gagged Queens.
'Gcisc Rural Press.

ing swarms. In cases one feels afraid,
let him try a just Matched one. /
have used both. and could perceive
no difference every time was sue
cess. After using an old queen, she
should be Gagged twenty-four hours
on top of frames, if used for strange
swarm; if not, she can be re-
leased Immediately with the return
of her own swarm. In the mean
time combs can be examined and
hive made ready for her.
Before denouncing the ''new and
novel" mode of using Gagged queen,
let one try it, even "apiarians.' l
have stopped all swarms, and not lost
one that | saw in the air, even when
they had queen of their own. The
Gagged queen is as safe as among her
own bees. / have cut out Matching
bees and Gagged them and used them
without missing in single instance.
II have spare queens unfertllized, |
leave them occasionally on top of
their frames, in their own hives Gagged
where the bees have fed :hem tor
several days, or until they had lay.
ing queen. Sometimes one can get
several queens fertiliZed in the same
hive, and not loose one this way. |
have, when a swarm showed a dispo-
sition to leave, showered them with
whole bucket OF water, with wisp
broom, and often used number OF
them, with helper bringing the wa
ter. j never lost but one this sea-
son, and that was too high, before l
discovered it. l have had to chase
some fifty yards or more, although
there were plenty of bushes tor
alighting, only the water brought
them; but since l tried the new
and novel;" they were hived in short
order and extra fun all lost.
CLIPPING QUEENS
Mr. Lyon presumes rightly the
reason OF clipping the wings Of
queens, but they should not be
clipped until well satisfied that they
are laying. For fear that the ''inex-
perienced" should clip all queens as
soon as they are hatched," will say
emphaticaily don't. Queens must be
let alone until laying, not even
handled by their wings. When they
have laid a good card of eggs, and
brood is being capped over, and reg
ular, then with pair of small, sharp,
pointed scissors, without moving
The queen, lift the comb until she is
found and snip off part of one wing
as she travels over the combs. | have
some that are three years old, and
not manned in the least, and pros
life even now, and my queens are all
as valuable as any on this Pacific
coast at least l would not change
with the next best. They are all Ital,
ians and bred from the best, selected
annually. Cutting a queens wing
does not MAIN her any more than to
cut hens wing; but prevents her
leaving with the swarm, and the
swarm will not leave for good with>
out her, Before the swarm returns,
which it surely will, the hive can be
changed and made ready, time saved
and no harm done. One should have
hives easy to examine. and know their
condition inside at all times. He then
would know whether the old queen
or young one would be expected with
the swarm. If the hives are low to
the ground, as they should be, there
is no danger of loosing the old queen,
if the apiarist is on hand ; and if the
hives are good distance apart. and
the apiarist is away, when the swarm
comes out he will be apt TO find
bunch of bees on the ground, inside
OF which, not balled, will be found
the queen. Very seldom have l
missed the queen. When have, it
has been my own neglect, in not be-
ing on hand. ! have lost no swarms
after being hived. The only one that
l lost this season was one with a
young queen from a nucleus hive,
that filled her hive and swarmed, and
got away because her wing was not
clipped.
When bees get the swarming fever,
even all the rules are discarded by
them, at times, and they will not be
satisfied till they have raised queen.
have cut queen cells and given
plenty Of room, and they would build
more, and l have had to give them
foundation to build out, before they
would be satisfied.
Sometimes bees will not go into
boxes, but fill the lower part OF the
hive, when the extractor must be
used 10 give the queen room to lay
Then again the uueen will at Tim 90