154 BEEHIVES AND SEE KEEPERS' APPLIANCES. 



of plain tinplate for the top. This may be about 

 2i in. by \\ in., having a hole \\ in. by \ in. in its 

 centre, into which the cage fits and is soldered, 

 leaving a little bit projecting at the back, which is 

 turned over a pin and acts as a hinge for the top 

 door. This may now be made of tinplate \\ in. 

 by j in. a hinge formed at the back by turning 

 up the tinplate over a fine piece of wire or a 

 pin, and fitted to the part of the cage projecting 

 above the flange. 



A door for the bottom can be made of wire, 

 bent into the form of Fig. 149, the two wires 

 being \ in. apart, and the distance being Ij in. 

 from centre to centre of the loops, that is, from 

 the single loop at the left to the line joining 



Fig. 151. 

 Figs. 150 and 151. Driving Irons. 



the pair of loops to the right. This door may now 

 be fastened to the cage by passing a pin through 

 the lower right-hand corner of the cage, so as also 

 to pass through the two loops of the door. Some 

 provision should be made, either by washers or a 

 couple of twists of fine wire, to keep the door in 

 the centre of the cage ; otherwise it might move 

 against the side, and allow the bees to have access 

 to the imprisoned queen. A light wire hooked on 

 to the front loop, and passing with slight friction 

 through a hole in the flange, completes the cage. 

 The queen is released by pressing down this wire, 

 which projects about an inch above the flange, and 

 ends in a loop. 



Driving irons are shown by Figs 150 and 151. 

 It would be advisable to make a great number of 



