GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Mab 



body. When it is all in nice working trim, 

 send me a description of it. 



Very often, the readiest way of getting a 

 swarm, especially if you are away from home 

 and without tools, is to cut off the limb on 

 which they are clustered and carry them 

 where you like. If the limb is small, you 

 can cut it with a stout knife; but if large, a 

 saw will be needed. The teeth should be 

 tine, that there be not too much jarring, and 

 it would be well to make a slight cut first on 

 the under side, that the bark may not hang 

 when you get it nearly off. 





CARRYING HOME A SWARM OF BEES, BY 

 SAWING OFF THE LIMB. 



A small pruning saw, such as is shown in 

 the picture, is very convenient for getting in 

 between the limbs; if bolted to a pole, all 

 the better. When the limb begins to fall, 

 catch it with a pitchfork, or get some one to 

 do it for you. If you catch it properly with 

 the fork, you can let it down very quietly. 

 I have carried a swarm of bees on a limb. ] 

 of a mile or more, without any trouble. 

 Where the limb cannot well be cut, or the 

 cutting would mar a valuable tree, I often 

 get a basket and tie some twigs to the bot- 

 tom on the inside, then hold them over the 

 cluster and with another twig, make the bees 

 climb up into it. and carry them home, giv- 



ing the owner of the tree a dollar or half a 

 dollar for the bees, according to the season, 

 or as we can agree. 



HIVING BEES BY MACHINERY. 



A friend sends us a model of a machine 

 for taking down swarms. As it is ingeni- 

 ous and a curiosity, if nothing more, I have 

 had our engraver make a copy of it. 



MACHINE FOR 

 SWARMS. 



TAKING POWX 



The machine is made for hiving bees: it is 10 feet 

 high, and can be made higher if wanted; it is so 

 light that (in*' man or boy can carry it easily, and it 

 only cost a lew cents to make it. Sot it with the 

 cross pieces on the ground, and with the little pul- 

 ley up: then turn your crank so as to let the table 

 tor the hive slide clown: put your bee hive on it, and 

 turn your crank until the hive is right up to the 

 bees that have lighted on the tree or bush; put a 

 pin in one of the holes to keep the crank from turn- 

 ing- back, then get up on the ladder and start them 

 to going in: when they are in, pull the pin out and 

 let them down slowly, and set* hem where you wish 

 to have them. 



I had one in ire during the summer, and I think 

 it is real fun to hive bees with it. Joiian .Tackix. 



Bell Plain, Wis., .Ian. 0, 1879. 



I tear it is too much machinery, friend J., 

 but we will let our readers try it if they 

 wish, and they can then report. 



The following, in regard to Simplicity see! ions, is 

 from J. Oatman i: sons' catalogue: 



DOVETAILED SECTIONS, 



Four and one fourth by four ami one fourth inch- 

 es, eight of which lib a Langstroih frame, are 

 very desirable for trade in many places. The local 

 trade in X. Y. closed out the entire stock of honeyin 

 these sections, this season, long before much of a 

 hole had been made in the prize box honey, or any 

 other style, on the market. Dealers informed us 

 much more could have been readily sold at 20 cents, 

 had it been in stock. This style is very convenient 

 for those using- Langstroth or Simplicity hives, from 

 the fact that they may be started in the body of the 

 hive below, and raised to the upper story to finish 

 when well started. 



