1880 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



10? 



owners of the mail. Nor was this the chief griev- 

 ance. Owing to the faulty cages the agents were 

 frequently stung by the bees, while many others 

 who saw the bees just behind a single wire gauze 

 suffered nearly as much from a perhaps not wholly 

 causeless fear that they might be. 



This ruling of the post< nice department was tilt to 

 be a severe blow to this important industry. The 

 expense df transportation was not only much in- 

 Creased, but frequently in thinly settled sections, 

 where express < lliees were still strangers, it was fa- 

 tal to the introduction of improved bees. 



Editors' state associations and individuals all be- 

 sought the postmaster general to rescind this order, 

 which worked so serious an injury to the bee-keep- 

 ing interests of the country, but urged in vain. 



At the last meeting of the National Bee-keepers' 

 Association, Prof. A. J. Cook of our agricultural col- 

 lege was appointed to make an appeal in person to 

 the postolHce department. Prof. Cook represented 

 to the department the magnitude of the bee-interest 

 in the United States, the superior excellence of 

 Italian bees, and the consequent importance that 

 they should be freely imported into every state and 

 county. He also showed how serious an obstacle 

 the ruling of the postoffice department was, especial- 

 ly in the west and south, where a limited popula- 

 tion made express offices rare and distant. He fur- 

 ther demonstrated that, while the methods of ship- 

 ping in the past migbt have been attended with in- 

 jury and inconvenience, the improved methods and 

 shipping cages of to-day were of such a character as 

 to obviate these objections. Cages were presented 

 for inspection, which contained sugar as a feed for 

 the bees, and a double wire screen, the gauze sur- 

 faces being one-fourth inch apart, so that no bee 

 could sting the person who might handle the cage. 



After due consideration, the department address- 

 ed the following communication to the Hon. Edwin 

 WillitS, representative from Michigan, who deserves 

 the thanks of all bee-keepers for his interest in the 

 matter and his efforts to secure a favorable decision: 



Postoffice Department, ) 



Office of the First Ass't P. M. Gen., V 



Wasjiincton, D. C, January 14, 1S80. ) 



Hon. Edwin WillitS, M. C, House of Representatives, 



Washington, I). C. 



Sir — The postmaster general having heard the 

 statements of the representatives of the bee-keep- 

 ers' association resp icting the ruling of the depart- 

 ment which excludes queen bees from the mails, 

 and having become satisfied that such ruling is se- 

 riously affecting an interest rapidly assuming largo 

 proportions, which interest in many localities is 

 practically denied the use of any facilities of inter- 

 communication has consented to a temporary sus- 

 pension of the ruling. 



Instructions will be given in the next number of 

 the United States official postal guide tocarry ibis 

 decision into effect, it is suggested that the bee- 

 keepers of the United States be informed through 

 the various bee-keepers' associations that the length 

 of time this suspension will continue in force will 

 depend entirely upon the fact that no harm shall re- 

 sult to any persons engaged in handling the mails, 

 from the transmission of queen bees and tl eir neces- 

 sary attendants, and the necessity which exists 

 therefore for the adoption of a box or cage which 

 shall conform as far as possible to the pro* [sions of 

 section 223 of the laws and regulations, with tin- ad- 

 ditional security of a double wire or perforated tin 

 Bcreen for cover, after i he manner of tin- one sub- 

 mitted by Prof. Cook, the representative of the na- 

 tional bee-keepers' associai ion. 



Very respectfullv, 



.1 x.Mi s II. MARB. 

 For First Assistant Postmaster General. 



Thus it will be seen that this Important concession 

 is provisional. Wo would strongly urge upon all 



breeders and shippers of queens to use only such 

 cages its are indicated above, if they send through 

 the mails. These cages can be made for a few cents, 

 and can be sent through the mails for two cents. So 

 the whole cost would be less than the simple express 

 charges alone. Any person who will endanger the 

 continuance of this privilege by mailing queens fed 

 with honey or without a double-walled screen, is do- 

 ing serious damage to the bee business and should 

 be quickly exposed by those who receive the queens. 

 With reasonable care we' may rest secure in our 

 present advantage. 



The following is an extract from the latest 

 postal guide : 



235. The Postmaster General has consented to a 

 temporary suspension of the ruling excluding 

 "queen bees" from being sent in the mails; but 

 when i iffered for mailing they must be put up in ac- 

 cordance with section £23, and so soon as they arc- 

 found to injure the person of any one handling the 

 mails, or soil the contents of the' mail pouches, this 

 order will be rescinded. 



We also copy section 223, referred to: 



PRECAUTIONS AGAINST INJURY TO THE MAILS. 



Sec. 223. Other articles of the fourth class which, 

 unless properly secured, might destroy, deface, or 

 otherwise damage ihe contents of the mail-bag. or 

 harm the person of any one engaged in the postal 

 service, may be transmitted in the mails when they 

 conform to the following conditions: 



1st. They must be placed in a bag, box, or remov- 

 able envelope made of paper, cloth, or parchment. 



2d. Such bag, box, or envelope must again be 

 placed in a box or tube made of metal or some hard 

 wood, with sliding clasp, or screw lid. 



3d. In case of articles liable to break, the inside 

 box, bag, or envelope must be surrounded by saw- 

 dust, cotton, or spongv substance. 



4ih. In case of sharp-pointed instruments, the 

 points must be capped or encased, so ihat they may 

 not by any means be liable to cut through their iti- 

 closure, and where they have blades, such blades 

 must be bound with wire, so that they shall remain 

 firmly attached to each other. 



5th. The whole must be capable of easy inspec- 

 tion. Seeds, or other articles not prohibited, which 

 are liable, from their form or nature, to 1> ss or dam- 

 age, unless specially protected, may be put up in 

 sealed envelopes, nrovided such envelopes are made 

 of material sufficiently trar sparent to show the con- 

 tents clearly, without opening. 



The cage must, in view of the ahove, he 

 not only perfectly protected, but it mnst he 

 strong. Something is demanded that you 

 can whack across the room and hack again. 

 without injury, or it will stand a chance of 

 being crushed or broken, and then we shall 

 he ruled out again. I do not know how a 

 much stronger box can he made, than on the 

 plan of our queen cages, given in the A BC. 

 We shall be obliged to omit the water, but 

 the new candy, made of 1 part confectioners 

 gra^e sugar, and :> parts coffee A, can be 

 made so as to keep soft and moist a great 

 many days, and a good supply of this with a 

 drink just before starting, and another as 

 soon as received, will, I think, make the 

 matter all right, for a trip of a week at least. 

 Put them in the mail just before it leaves, 

 and have your customers on hand to take 

 them just as soon as they come. Eor the 

 outer covering over the wire cloth, I would 

 use a ! inch board just the size of the cage, 

 and with the same sized hole, or one a little 

 smaller, cut through it. I would cover this 

 with perforated tin. because it is so much 

 more substantial than wire cloth. This cov- 

 er can be fastened temporarily with 4 wire 

 nails, or it may be tied securely in place with 

 stout wrapping paper and a cord. It must 



