I'TKMBEK lo, 1915 



771 



A SERVICEABLE BEE-HUNTING BOX 



liY M. L. DODSON 



When Imnliiig for wild bees I use a box 

 4 X 6 X ;> inches, made out of light box 

 boards. A piece of glass is cut to fit in 

 sawcuts about Y4_ inch below the top. The 

 glass should project over one end of the box 

 about an inch to make a handhold. Two 

 blocks, each 2^2 inches, are fastened on the 

 bottom of the box. one at each end. This 

 leaves a crack one inch wide and four long. 

 A piece of window-screen four inches 

 square is bent into a V shape and tacked on 

 the ends of the blocks. Three or four holes 

 are punched in the top with a leadpencil. 

 Tliis screen forms an escape leading into 

 the box. Two piece? of old comb are put 

 on the blocks and a little sugar syrup or 

 diluteil honey is poured on tliera and the 

 box is ready for use. 



Hold the box over a bee on a flower and 

 it will soon crawl up the screen into the 

 1)0X. When you have caught a dozen or 

 inore. and they iiave started to feed on the 

 bait, release them. The}- will fly directly 

 home with their load, and evei'y bee will 

 bring back three or four more. When they 

 get well started, close the glass cover, and 

 every bee that returns will find its way up 

 through tlie screen into tlie box. 



When a sulficient number has been cap- 



tured, start with them in the direction the 

 bees have been coming from. Release a 

 few bees occasionally and keep on folloM'- 

 ing them till you come to the tree or house 

 they are in. 



They are sometimes liard to follow with 

 the eye, as thoy will circle around several 

 times before starting home. But if you can 

 keep 3'our eye on tliem till they fly directly 

 away in a sti'aight line you may be sure 

 tiiat is the right direction. 



Another way to get them started is to 

 leave the box in a sunny place for a few 

 hotirs. If there are any bees in the vicinity 

 they will soon find it, as the smell of the 

 comb attracts them. When they have start- 

 ed, close the cover and proceed the same as 

 though you had found them on flowers. 



There are times during the summer when 

 bees will not work on bait, as there is 

 plenty of nectar in the field. The fall is 

 usually the best time to hunt bees. 



If you want to save the bees be sure to 

 get them early enoush so that they can get 

 established in theii' new quarters before 

 winter. In the spring, say about fruit 

 bloom, is the best time to get them if you 

 are after the bees. 



.Jennings, Kan. 



CO-OPERATION IN NEW ZEALAND 



BY E. G. WARD 



The sixth ainiual conference of beekeep- 

 ers was held in Wellington, June 2 — 4. The 

 attendance was slightly smaller than last 

 year, but there was plenty of enthusiasm. 

 The season of 1914-'15 has been one of the 

 worst on record. In the southern districts 

 wet cold weather was the rule, and in Can- 

 terbury (middle portion of the Dominion) 

 tliei'e were j>ersislent strong northwest 

 winds day ami night for several weeks. 

 Dry weather i)revailed in the nortiiern dis- 

 tricts. One irood crop only has been se- 

 cured, and this from bees located in swampy 

 country — from nothing to half a crop for 

 the remainder. 



The conference was opened by I lie Hon. 

 H.H.Rhodes in the absence of the Premier, 

 Hon. W. F. ^[assey. He gave figures show- 

 ing that the industry is progressing on 

 satisfactory lines, and promised careful 

 consideration of any requests or sugges- 

 tions which might be offered. The presi- 

 dent. Mr. James Allan, a)>pealed to those 

 )iresent to allow " brotherly kindness " to 



prevail; and it may be said iiere I hat the 

 request found favor, for there was a mark- 

 ed absence of anything in the way of un- 

 f^haritableness. 



Tlie annual report showed that the Na- 

 tional had been instrumental in arranging 

 For the supi>ly of large quantities of honey 

 for exjiort to the Fni!ed Kingdom. Nego- 

 tiations Avere entered into with Major Nor- 

 ton, representing the Bristol and Dominion 

 Producers' Association, for the supply of 

 not less than .'U)0 Ions and not more than 

 500 tons of first-quality honej' per annum 

 for a term of three years at a satisfactory 

 price. As the National Association is not 

 a trading concern, arrangements were made 

 with the New Zealand Co-operative Honey- 

 jiroduceivs' Association. Ltd., and a contract 

 has been drawn up and signed by both 

 j)arties. 



The New Zealand Beekeepers' Journal, 

 which has now attained its first anniversary 

 of publication, was shown to be on a satis- 

 factory basis, and had fully justified its 



