1902 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



725 



QUEEN=REARING. 

 The Cell=bar and Frame. 



BY W. H. PRIDGEN. 



There is no advantage whatever in hav- 

 ing comb in the frame with the queen-cells, 

 while, on the other hand, the practice is at- 

 tended with many disadvantages, the great- 

 est being the attraction of robbers while it 

 is being handled about the apiary, and the 

 inconvenience of handling the frame gener- 

 ally. 



The illustration makes a convenient and 

 substantial frame so plain that no descrip- 

 tion is necessary, the slots in the end-bars 

 of the frame, Yz inch below the board in 

 the frame, are to admit of the easy removal 

 of the cell-bar without mashing bees when 

 the frame is covered with them. 



The bar is ^-^y~.ji inch, and is hung in 

 the slots in the frame by a round nail at 



^ 



each end, which is driven into the center of 

 the upper edge so it will hang^ with the 

 brads to which the cups are attached down, 

 and not be liable to turn to one side and 

 cause the cells to be built crooked, or to be 

 mutilated while being inserted between the 

 combs. 



By this arrangement the frame can be 

 placed on its side, the cups attached, and 

 the transfer of larvse made without remov- 

 ing the bar from the frame, though this 

 work can be more conveniently done by re- 

 moving the bar. Nevertheless, it is better 

 to have the bar pivoted for the purpose of 

 making examinations, etc., rather than 

 have it arranged so it can not be turned in 

 the frame. The brads are driven in one of 

 the 1^6-inch sides of the bar in pairs, equal 

 distance from the edges, and }% inch from 

 pair to pair, for the convenient adjustment 

 of a nursery that will be explained later. 

 The little staples driven one inch from the 



end pairs of the brads being for the attach- 

 ment of the nursery. 



The queen-cups are attached to the bar 

 by using a forming or dipping stick like. 



the end marked X in the illustration. By 

 inserting the stick into the cup, grasping 

 the base of the cup with the thumb and 

 index finger of the left hand, and pressing 

 it down on the brads with the stick and 

 left hand at the same time, to be held in 

 place with the fingers while the stick is be- 

 ing removed, and they are ready for the 

 transfer of the larvse to be made. 



With this arrangement the queen-cups 

 can be kept from the dust in bulk, and are 

 not injured by age, besides admitting of 

 the easy and convenient removal of the ripe 

 cells or the adjustment of the nursery, re- 

 moval of cups not accepted, and adding 

 those of the same age from other batches, 

 etc. The end of this illustration, marked 

 V, gives a better idea of the correct shape 

 of the transfer-stick. 



fl6.2. 



BAK KUK ALLEY STKIPS. 



This bar is constructed for the use of Al- 

 ley strips instead of dipped cups, and re- 

 moves the objection of having to have melted 

 wax to attach the strips to the bar. When 

 the two pieces are clamped together they fit 

 at the top and form a V-shaped groove cX 

 the bottom, which clamps the upper edpe 

 of the strip of comb tightly, and leaves the 

 bottom of the cells the natural shape. In- 

 stead of clamping the comb by sliding the 

 clamp in from the top as per the illustra- 

 tion, it is better to use a thin metal button 

 screwed to the main bar, and have the ends 

 of the short piece square. Then the strips 

 of comb can be adjusted on the bar, the 

 clamp or short piece pressed down on them, 

 and the buttons adjusted at each end to 

 hold all in place. 



We can not get strips of comb long enough, 

 containing larvas of the proper age, from 

 end to end, to make a whole batch; but it 

 can be cut as recommended by Mr. Allej', 

 and the ends placed together. By paying 

 attention to the number of cells to each 

 strip, and making the joints come between 

 the points at which cells are wanted, and 

 destroying two larvse, and leaving one in- 

 stead of each alternate one, as does Mr. 

 Alley, the cells will be nearer the correct 

 distance apart, and will admit of the use 

 of the same nursery used with queen-cups 

 placed ?s inch apart, besides being more 

 easily separated, when given to nuclei. 

 The use of these strips is attended with the 

 difiliculty of getting strips of any great 

 length with the eggs or larva^ of the same 

 age, unless the breeding-queen is kept in a 

 nucleus of small combs, or kept crowded 

 for laying room and emptj' clean combs be 

 given at the right time to have the eggs or 

 brood ready when wanted. And, besides, 



