takes out, brushing back the adhering bees, 

 and replaces it with an empty one. This 

 frame he puts in the centre of the empty 

 hive, covers over tlie tops of tlie frames 

 with clotli, to confine the bees to the brood 

 chamber, and proceeds to liive the swarm. 

 He never damages liis fruit trees by cut- 

 ting off limbs, nor does he cut limbs else- 

 where unless the cluster is so high as to be 

 out of reach; but with a tin dipper or pan 

 he dips the bees off and pours them down 

 at the entrance, when they go in with a 

 rush. After dipping off all he can, a little 

 jar to dislodge the balance finishes the job. 

 A few minutes waiting for them to get 

 quiet and then lie carries the hive to the lo- 

 cation selected for it. All this can be done 

 very quickly by a little experience. The 

 frame of honey and brood will prevent the 

 bees deserting their hive, and will secure 

 them against want in case of bad weather. 

 With this straight comb he also secures 

 combs built parallel, and straight combs are 

 of great importance in manipulating the 

 hive. 



For the American Bee Journal. 



California Items. 



Editor Journal :— Bee men here must 

 use the American Bee Journal for an 

 interchange of their views. It is as much 

 for the interest of the apiarist to have a 

 special medium devoted to their wants as 

 any of the trades or professions. 



THE HONEY CROP. 



Southern California bee men are now in 

 the midst of their honey harvest ; or, per- 

 haps, on the last half. And a pretty correct 

 opinion can be formed of the comparative 

 amount of honey that will be made. As 

 much honey will be made this year as in 

 any former year, in proportion to the 

 amount of bees started in with ; but, tlie 

 great loss of bees last year will bring the 

 actual amount of honey put upon the mar- 

 ket far below what it was 2 years ago. 



The season has been a month later than 

 an average one, and will continue much 

 longer, especially along the cost. The bee 

 feed here is almost continuous from March 

 until October, and of the very best kind.— 

 Some of our honey-producing plants bloom 

 twice. The mahogany is now in bloom, to 

 some extent, for the second time, and also 

 the barberry. I think it makes very fine 

 honey, but not so white as the sage. 



QUEEN LAYING IN BOXES. 



It is said by our bee men that there has 

 been an unusual tendency for the bees to 

 swarm this year, and that there has been 

 much trouble experienced with the queens 

 occupying the surplus boxes. I have heard 

 it suggested that it is in consequence of its 

 being unusually cool ; the queen chosing 

 the top box because it is warmer. I would 

 like to hear the opinion of some experienced 

 bee men, through the American Bee 

 Journal, as ■ to the effect of the honey or 

 division-board between the two boxes, upon 

 the queens using the top box for a brood 

 chamber. 



extracted honey. 



Much has been written as to the relative 

 merits of comb and extracted lioney. It is 

 my opinion that the lovers of comb honey 

 will adhere to their preference for comb 

 honey just so long as extracted honey is put 

 upon the market, slung out of uncapped 

 combs and not evaporated. I was a little 

 surprised, that so good authority as Prof. 

 Cook should recommend bee men to extract 

 their honey before it was capped, and giv- 

 ing no mode of ripening or bringing it to 

 the same state as capped honey ; and as an 

 inducement for them to do so, said that the 

 men at the College liked it about as well as 

 capped honey. All I can say is, there is no 

 •accounting for people's tastes ! 



I will admit that it is for the interest of 

 honey-producers to extract their honey 

 before it is capped, for it takes my bees 

 longer to evaporate and cap their honey 

 than it does to store it ; and during this 

 time, they are comparatively idle. If I had 

 no means of reducing my honey to the con- 

 sistency of capped honey, I would prefer to 

 let my bees do it, a;id take my chances in 

 the market with inferior honey, than to 

 flood it with slops, and then grumble be- 

 cause people would prefer comb honey to 

 extracted. 



I have so arranged my Sun Evaporator, 

 (that some have pronounced a failure), that 

 1 can, without expense, evaporate all the 

 water from my honey, or as much of it as is 

 necessary. My evaporator is 5x10 ft., and 

 10 inches deep, covered with sky-light win- 

 dows, set on an angle of one foot in three ; 

 this will take the water off on the under 

 side of the glass, and by springing the glass 

 apart a little at the top, the water will run 

 out on top of the next glass below. 



I have made a simple extractor for ex- 

 tracting the drone brood. I uncap it the 

 same as honey, and then throw it out. It 

 makes good cliicken feed— not foul brood, 

 but brood for fowls. 



comb foundation. 



I must add one more testimony in favor of 

 comb foundation. We purchased a machine, 

 and after experimenting and making other 

 appliances that should accompany a ma- 

 chine, we succeeded in making good founda- 

 tion. I think the makers of the machine 

 are not explicit enough in their instructions 

 for the use of it. Perhaps they think to de- 

 tail fully what is required to manipulate it 

 might deter some from buying. 



BINGHAM'S smoker. 



I sent for one of Bingham's Standard 

 Smokers, and I was so disappointed in its 

 real worth that I immediately ordered a 

 dozen for my neighbors. Every bee man 

 that sees it says get me one, so i have con- 

 cluded to take the agency for them and keep 

 them on hand. 



returning A swarm. 



The 1st of June we had a vere large 

 swarm of bees come out; put them in a box; 

 they immediately went to work making 

 comb and the queen to laying eggs. The 

 third day all came out and went on to a bush. 

 We put them back and they have done re- 



