152 



THE AMERICAN BEE-KEEI Ell. 



aries. I can only speak for the ex- 

 tractor method with experience, which 

 is perfectly satisfactory to me. 



My next progressive step with the 

 aid of zinc is to assist in queen rear- 

 ing. 



How annoying to find one queen, 

 just hatched, out with a swarm, or all 

 other cells torn down. 



I made a number of zinc cages, the 

 object of which was to allow the bees 

 to pass out and in to give the inclosed 

 cell all necessary care and to have the 

 queens hatched all caged. 



A cell of any age may be placed in 

 the cage upon wire arranged for the 

 purpose, and by dividing an L frame 

 into three sections by two strips hori- 

 zontally nailed in frame. We can 

 place six cages upon each section, 

 making eighteen in each frame. So 

 you see a great many queens can be 

 reared in one hive at a time, and you 

 may get them as desired. Last season 

 was my first experience with them and 

 the result was very satisfactory. Any 

 cells I wished to preserve were placed 

 in cage and as they were hatched I 

 could select or reject them, which is 

 an advantage I did not appreciate un- 

 til I used the cage. 



My next plan was to make a section 

 honey box with movable tin sides with 

 zinc bottom, with a fly-hole out of sec- 

 tion case, and by the use of one box 

 we can rear queens and have them 

 fertilized and begin to lay caged in 

 single honey box. 



Next came to my mind the idea of 

 a zinc division board, thinking that it 

 would be more effective for many pur- 

 poses than solid wood. For fertilizing 

 queens we have only to insert the zinc 

 board between the outside comb pro- 



vided with cell or virgin queen with 

 entrance provided and we soon have a 

 laying queen. Thus we can, with a 

 few hives arranged in this way, secure 

 the fertilization of a large number of 

 queens in a short space of time with- 

 out Interfering with the full hive any 

 more than to rear a queen in an upper 

 chamber. 



Two or more queens may be kept in 

 one hive by the use of zinc division 

 boards. The boards may be made of 

 very thin lumber with narrow strips 

 of zinc to save expense. 



In the foregoing I have avoided as 

 much as possible entering into any 

 discussion of management only as it 

 came in contact with the new uses of 

 perforated zinc. Yours Respectfully, 

 F. H. Cyrenitjs, 



UNITING BEES. 



The uniting of weak colonies is a 

 matter of some considerable import- 

 ance, especially in the fall, when pre- 

 parations for winter are being made. 



From various causes and reasons, 

 many colonies are found after the 

 honey season is over, that are too weak 

 to withstand a cold winter in their 

 present condition, and it becomes ab- 

 solutely necessary to strengthen them 

 in some way in order to save them 



In the early part of the season it is 

 easy enough to stock weak colonies up 

 by giving them brood from others; but 

 after the advent of cold weather 

 this course is impracticable, and some 

 other must be pursued. 



The expert finds the matter of win- 

 tering easy enough, but the beginner 

 as a rule looks upon it as a serious job, 

 and one that he is somewhat doubtful 

 about undertaking 



The chief trouble found in uniting, 



