REPORT OF THE ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST 251 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



practice is to be strongly condemned, as the honey taken out of a brood chamber, or 

 out of extracting frames where brood is present is not fit for human food. 



On November 8, all colonies were weighed and found to be in good condition. 

 They were then put into their winter quarters. 



Introducing Queens. 



Eight queens have been introduced during the season, four on the Benton plan 

 and four with frames of brood taken from several hives. All queens belonging to the 

 colonies that were to receive the imported queens, were removed 24 hours before intro- 

 ducing the new queens. 



ONE METHOD — ' BENTON INTRODUCING CAGE.' 



The Benton mailing and introducing cage is ordinarily used in this country. It 

 consists of an oblong block of wood with three holes bored nearly through, one of the 

 end holes being filled with good candy, and the other two being left for the occupancy 

 of the bees and queen. On the back of the cover are printed directions for introducing 

 a new queen into a hive, and at each end of the cage is a small hole bored through the 

 end of the block of wood, but which in the mails is stopped by a cork. One hole is 

 for the admission of the bees and queen preparatory to mailing, and the other for the 

 liberation of the queen, by the bees eating out the oandy in the course of 20 to 30 hours, 

 thus releasing her in a natural way. When the cage is received, the cork covering the 

 candy is to be removed, as well as the wooden cover over the wire cloth. The cage 

 is then carefully placed on top of the frames, so that the wire cloth be over the space 

 betweetJ two frames in the centre of the brood-nest. The queen will then be released 

 by the bees in the manner explained. 



I would advise all to have extra cages for introducing, so that no disease may bt) 

 brought in with the queen. See that the cage you introduce with is thoroughly cleaned, 

 and have fresh food made from your own honey placed in the cage in readiness. Then 

 remove the queen and bees from the cage they were received in, to the one prepared 

 for them and follow the above directions. 



IIoiu to Mal-e Honey and Sugar Thick for Feeding. 



Take good thick honey and heat (not boil) it until it becomes very thin, and then 

 stir pulverized sugar into it. After stirring in all the sugar the honey will absorb, 

 take the mixture out of the vessel, and thoroughly knead it with the hands'. The 

 Irneading will make it more pliable and soft, so that it will absorb or take up mor,^ 

 sugar. For summer use it should be worked, while mixing in a little more sugar, until 

 the dough is so stiff as to be hard to work; it sliould then be allowed to stand for a 

 day or two; and, if still so soft as to run, a little more sugar should be kneaded in. 

 A good deal will depend upon the season of the year; there should be more sugar in 

 proportion to the honey in Avarm weather than in cool weather. 



ANOTHER JIETHOD OF INTRODUCING QUEENS. 



Select a strong colony, remove the wooden cover of the hive, and place a fine wirei 

 netting over the tops of the brood frames to shut in the bees; place on top of this 

 wire cloth a brood chamber with four frames of well sealed brood, selected from 

 different hives, with young bees just hatching out, but with no unsealed brood. Put 

 the queen in this brood chamber, which should then be closed bee-tight, and kept over 

 the strong colony four or five days. By that time a respectable force of young workers 

 will have hatched; the hive may now be placed on the stand where it is to remain, 

 the entrance being made large enough for only one bee to pass at a time, as a pre- 

 caution aganist robbing. The entrance may be widened as the colony gets stronger. 

 This latter plan has never failed with me. 



John Fixter. 



