does not pay to feed a weak colony through 

 the winter, and then get tliem robbed in the 

 spring ; at least, that has been my experi- 

 ence, so far. Robbing is something that 

 seems hard to control. The best prevent- 

 ive that 1 know of is to have no weak colo- 

 nies in the apiary, and then each hive or 

 colony has a chance to defend their homes 

 and stores. We have had a very mild, wet 

 winter ; my bees have done well. 



For the benefit of some beginners, (like 

 myself), I will give my plan of building 

 straight comb. My method will apply to 

 those who advocate natural swarmnig, (of 

 which 1 am a strong supporter). 1 think 

 bees do much better when allowed to do 

 their own swarming ; they fill their hives 

 much quicker than artificial swarms do. I 

 have examined 6 of my hives that I put 

 natural swarms in this spring, and in none 

 of them found a single crooked comb. For 

 building straight comb, I place my hive, 

 containing new swarm, on a level place 

 where I intend it to remain; then, with 

 blocks, or something suitable, raise the back 

 end about 4 inches higher than the front 

 end. I have the comb guides of frame 

 waxed witii a little warm wax. When my 

 hive is put to suit me, I regulate the frames 

 in the same and close it up. Late swarms, 

 should be given brood from strong colonies, 

 to give them a start. 



I read an article in the American Bee 

 JouRJfAL, February number, on the subject 

 of " Honey Dew," which met my approba- 

 tion. 1 think it the best article on the sub- 

 ject 1 ever read. W. T. Sears. 



Warren Co., Ky., March 13, 1878. 



For the American Bee Journal. 



How to Use Prize Boxes. 



The present season will be the first that 

 many bee-keepers will use the "prize" 

 section boxes. I have learned a thing or 

 two, that I think will be of value to those 

 having had no experience with them. The 

 first impulse will be to make the sections 

 into a box of the desired length, either by 

 "paper strips, glued on," or by some kind 

 of frame to hold glass and frames together, 

 by wedges or other means. The holes or 

 slots through most honey-boards, or tops of 

 frames, are none too large to allow the bees 

 to pass readily into the boxes; and some 

 will be very apt to put on these boxes, with 

 the wide, flat pieces on the bottom, so as to 

 cut off most of the space, into the boxes, 

 and more or less dissatisfaction will be the 

 result. 



These sections are certainly a great im- 

 provement over anything we nave had 

 before; all that is wanted is to "give the 

 bees a chance." If the honey-boards or top 

 of frames are pierced to correspond, (or 

 even a little larger than the slot-holes in tlie 

 bottom of boxes,) all will be well. The 

 majority of hives, however, are not well 

 adopted to have these boxes put on in the 

 ordinary way. 



After some experience and considerable 

 study, I have adopted what I consider " just 

 the thing." Take a common lath, 1>^ inches 

 wide, rip it into two equal pieces; plane, 

 leaving it }4 in. thick; make it of suitable 



length, according to number of frames, and 

 allowing for glass at ends. Now nail to 

 the ends of these strips a piece of lath, 

 plained edgewise. And now, tack a piece 

 of tin on the sides, the width of the end 

 pieces. This will form a very convenient 

 pan to set the sections into; and if made 

 exactly right, will hold the frames and glass 

 firmly together, and form a very neat and 

 strong box. But why this 3^ inch space 

 over the frames? 1 have 2 objects in view 

 in giving the bees this space : 



1. It will allow them all the room there is 

 to get into the boxes. 



2. They will build comb, full size of 

 frame, instead of leaving }4 inch space at the 

 bottom to run through, to get from one 

 comb to another. 



This is especially the case, when put on a 

 hive with tight frames. It you object to 

 leaving this space, and you can arrange to 

 give the bees room enough to pass readily 

 into boxes without, you can make the pan 

 in this way: Take 3 strips of tin, for sides, 

 of the desired length, turning 3^ i"» like an 

 r" Then nail the wooden piece on the 

 end, and the thing is done. It you find the 

 frames and glass fitting too loosely, fold up a 

 little brown paper and wedge in between 

 the glass and the wooden ends. 



Either of the two plans is an advantage 

 over other methods I have heard suggested 

 for holding frames while on the hive. The 

 frames occupy no more space than when 

 held together with paper strips. The hold- 

 ers are easily and cheaply made, and do not 

 stain sides of frames as with glue. 



Milan, 111. C. H. Dibbern. 



[We think the plan for holding Prize Boxes 

 on the hive, as used by friends Doolittle, 

 Betsinger and others, the best. That is, in a 



CASE TO HOLD TWO PRIZE BOXES. 



" case " 2 inches wide on the top and sides, 

 and \% inches on the bottom, to hang in the 

 hive by a projecting top-bar, as shown in 

 the cut. This keeps the outside of boxes 

 clean and nice for marketing, and the sepa- 

 rators used between each case, prevents the 

 combs from being built crooked. As they 

 use a hive similar to the Gallup— their 

 " case ".holds but two Prize Boxes, as seen by 

 the cut. If the Langstroth hive is used, 

 the case just takes three,— and seven of 

 these cases fill a story for the latter hive, 

 making 21 Prize Boxes for each. 



Another plan, and the best we have seen 

 in that line, is the Rack, as made by Sperry 

 & Chandler, holding 18 Prize Boxes, with 

 the Separators between them, marked B B 



