164 FIFTY YEARS AMONG THE BEES 



in something else, and think the five minutes not up when 

 double that time has passed ; but having the time meas- 

 ured out, he is free to read or do anything else between 

 times. At each five minutes, the w^atcher, who is sitting 

 at the middle of the middle row, rises, glances along the 

 back row to the north end ; then, along the middle row to 

 the north end ; then, stepping forward, glances along the 

 front row to the north end ; then along the same row to 

 the south end ; then to the south end of the middle row ; 

 and lastly to the south end of the back row. All this has 

 taken less time than it takes to write it, and the watcher 

 is ready to sit down till another five minutes is up. 



If, however, unusual commotion is seen — and, sight- 

 ing along the rows in this way, it can easily be seen — the 

 watcher goes to the hive for a closer look. Up to the 

 middle of the day or later, there is not often much ex- 

 citement, unless there be a swarm ; but after this time so 

 many colonies take their play-spells that the watcher 

 needs to spend most of his time on his feet. 



ONE-CENT CAGES. 



The watcher is provided with a number of queen- 

 cages. These are easily made and the material costs less 

 than a cent apiece. I take a pine block, 5xlx^-inch, and 

 wrap around it a piece of wire-cloth 4 inches square. The 

 wire-cloth is allowed to project at one end of the block a 

 half inch. The four sides of this projecting end are bent 

 down upon the end of the stick and hammered down tight 

 into place. A piece of fine wire about 10 inches long is 

 wrapped around the wire-cloth, about an inch from the 

 open end, which will be about the middle of the stick, and 

 the ends of the wire twisted together. I then pull out the 

 block, trim ofif the corners of the end a little so that it will 

 easily enter the cage, slide the stick in and out of the cage 

 a number of times so that it will work easily, and the 

 thing is complete (Fig. 65). When not in use, the block 

 is pushed clear in, so as to preserve the shape of the cage. 

 Such cages can be carried in the pocket without danger 

 of being injured. 



