18&J 



(JLEA^iNGS IK 13EE OtjLtUitE. 



56? 



oil them.— We are glad to hear of your ex- 

 periment in regard to the ants, and the way 

 in which they sting. 



SUNDAY SWARMING. 



GETTING A SWATliM FKOM A HIGH TREE. 



tNE Sundaj' a large swarm of bees came out 

 and settled very low upon a peach-tree limb. 

 It stayed about tuo hours, and then started 

 off toward the cast. If it iiad been a week 

 day we could have hived it. llefore this, all 

 swarms that came out on Sunday stayed till Mon- 

 day; but this one did not. so we went to work next 

 Monday morning- with sad hearts. Pa went to work 

 in the orchard, and sent my brothers and me to hoe 

 in the garden, and told us when we got done to go 

 where he was. Just as we got done in the garden 

 at 11 o'clock, we heard a loud hum which sounded 

 like bees passing over. Brother Fiiniey ran out at 

 the back of the wateimclon patch, and found a 

 large swarm of bees in the top of a high white-oak 

 tree. Pa said it was almost too late for them to 

 leave, and told us to work till twelve o'clock and 

 then we could hive them. 1 was looking all the 

 time for them to liy away, and 1 tell yon 1 did not 

 eat a very hearty dinner that day. 



I was soon seen climbing up the tree, with some 

 rope in my hand. The rope was made last to the 

 limb, then to the tree. Mother was at the foot of 

 the tree, while my brothc^rs cut. Pa was not in sight. 

 When the limb was sawed otT, the rope broke and 

 the limb fell down, and there was a little scattering 

 out at the root of the tree, especially among the 

 younger boys. These words were often repeated: 

 " Are they stinging you much';'" No answer. Aft- 

 er a while, "Are they stinging you niuehV Why 

 don't you answer';-" 



At last it eame. "I was shutting nij- moutli to 

 keep the bees out. They are tlyiiig all (j\ er me, and 

 stinging me on the head." 



One of the boys was soon seen running toward 

 the house, with one eye larger than the other. Fin- 

 ney kindly gave me the swarm. They settled on a 

 smaller limb. I got another rope, then tied it to the 

 limb aiul sawed it off and let it down and hived them, 

 and they lived and did well. 



After a while I sent f.iM for half a pound of bees 

 and a queen; but when they arrived they were all 

 dead but the (lueen and a few bees. 1 put them in 

 a hive with a frame of brood, and nc.\t morning I 

 went to see how they were getting along, but they 

 were gone. On looking around I saw a few bees 

 crawling in the grass, so I looked for the queen, but 

 in vain. So I went to the house, feeling very sad— 

 nioney gone and bees gone, and no money to send 

 for any more. I guess you know how 1 felt. 



About 11 A. M., mother said that the bees kep 

 Hying around the house land told me to look after 

 them. When I looked, where do you think I found 

 them? On the top of the house, under a board! 

 We hived them aud moved an old colony, and t^et 

 the new one in its place, which made it a strong 

 colony ; so now I have three colonies of Italian bee 

 and all doing well. B. J. Tapf.ev. 



Coluiidius, Miss. 



Tliank you, my friend, for your graphic 

 and Interesting letter ; but it seems to me 

 there would be no harm in hiving bees tliat 

 settled upon a peach-tree limb, even if it 



?rere Sunday. Of course, I should not want 

 to go up into a tall tree with ropes, etc., on 

 the Sabbath. The point you make, in regard 

 to being sure that you have a rope that will 

 not break, is a good one. I have heard of 

 just such mishaps before. The foliage on a 

 large limb is pretty heavy, and you want a 

 good stout rope. If your half-po"und of bees 

 arrived mostly dead, the man who sent them 

 to you certainly ought to credit you with 

 their value ; at least, that is tlie way we do 

 business. You very properly went to work 

 as well as you could to save" the queen, so 

 the shipper ought to feel grateful to you for 

 saving him so much, even if the bees did die. 



A SIMPLE DEVICE FOE EXCLUDING 

 DRONES. 



A DROXE-E.YCf-UDER MADE OF A SINGLE PIECE OF 

 WOOD. 



T MAIL to you what I call a drone-excluding de- 

 (Jr vice. I think it ahead of Alley's in every way; 

 ^r handy to make, cheap, nothing to rust. Place 

 "^ it at the front of hive, tack it so the drones can 

 not move it, then see them come out of the 

 tube. When they come back they alight on the 

 hive, or at the entrance of hive. They will never 

 find the place where they got out. Try it and see; 

 if it is of any use to you or any other man, let him 

 have it. You see, I trapped wild turkeys. This is the 

 same, only the drones come out to be killed, while 

 the turkeys went in. Bees are doing finely. 



B. F. Spaki-ord. 

 Morning Sun, Iowa, July ~*7, 1.S8."). 



uJ 



DRONE-EXCLUliER. 



Tiie friends will iKttice that this device 

 is made entirely of wood. The stjuare tube 

 is H -N * inch at the large end, and i inch 

 square at the small end. The hole is abotit 

 A inch stpiare ; but 1 piesuiue a round hole, 

 cut square and funnel shape at each end, 

 would answer equally well. The arm pro- 

 jects o inches. A notch is cut in one side of 

 this arm deep enough to let the worker-bees 

 through, but exclude the drones. The de- 

 vice has to be placed over the enti'ance of 

 the hive, and fastened so it can not be mov- 

 ed away. The worker-bees in going out can 

 go through the tube or under the bar, as they 

 choose. The drones, finding themselves un- 

 able to get uniler the bar. will gradually 

 work along until they go out of the tube, 

 and I can readily believe they will never 

 think of going back the way they got out. 

 Tliese devices should be made at a price not 

 to exceed 10 cents each. If wanted by mail 

 the postage will be 5 cents extra. I should 

 be glad to have friend S. tell us how long he 

 has used this arrangement . aud how it an- 

 swers under all ciniiinsl:iHres. I suppose 

 we sliould have to have metal for the bee- 

 space, if we expect to restrain the queen as 

 well as the drones; but wood will answer 

 perfectly well for drones only. 



