you will need 1}{ inch finishing nails to 

 fasten to the comb. 



P. S. — I have made another for trial, 

 and placed a valuable queen under it in 

 the hive since writing the above, and 

 should prefer cutting the strips of tin 

 1 inch, same as the sample ; this makes 

 the cage % inch deep so that where 

 ridges occur on the tfomb in the honey, 

 it can be pressed in % of an inch, so 

 the bees will not cut under the cage. 



Byron, N. Y., Sept. 1, 1879. 



[The objection urged by friend Moore 

 against the cage illustrated in Septem- 

 ber No. of Journal is perhaps well 

 taken ; yet, in comparison with former 

 methods of introducing, in cages, the 

 loss in brood is much more than com- 

 pensated in the eggs deposited by the 

 queen while in confinement on the 

 comb's surface, without taking into the 

 reckoning the perfect immunity of the 

 queen from danger. In every hive, at 

 least one comb can be found with a 

 level surface. One recommendation 

 for the cage illustrated is the simplicity 

 of manufacture— all the material re- 

 quired being a small piece of wire- 

 cloth, a few small nails and tacks, and 

 four little square sticks, while a pocket- 

 knife and tack-hammer constitutes the 

 " kit of tools " required. We have 

 never had a queen released from one of 

 these cages to be destroyed by the bees, 

 but feeling confident of success in the 

 introduction, have sometimes neglected 

 for several days to open the hive and 

 when finally opened, have invariably 

 found the queen released and perform- 

 ing her maternal functions. Where 

 there is much interchanging of queens 

 to be done, and convenient to a tin- 

 shop, we would recommend a round 

 surface-cage, made by using a strip of 

 tin % of an inch wide wide, and long 

 enough to form a circle say 2 inches in 

 diameter; then cover with wire-cloth, 

 soldering it at the edge to the tin. 

 These can be made at any tin-shop for 

 about 50 to 60 cents per dozen, and are 

 somewhat preferable to the square cage, 

 in that they do not necessitate selecting 

 a comb with level surface, as the queen 

 can be placed on the surface of any 

 with 2 or 3 cells of capped brood, and 2 



or 3 each with honey and empty, then 

 press on your cage, giving it a turn half 

 around, and the work is done. When 

 the bees run over and about the cage, 

 in a natural attitude, it is safe to release 

 the queen by pushing a quill, nail or 

 small peg through the comb from the 

 opposite side, or lift the cage from over 

 the queen ; but if the bees are gathered 

 on the surface of the cage, with their 

 abdomens downward bent, as if pre- 

 pared or trying to sting, better leave 

 her caged a few hours or a day 

 longer. — Ed.] \ 

 ■ ♦— »~- ^» i • 



For the American Bee Journal. 



Apiculture in Florida— No. 3. 



R. H. M'lNTYRE. 



In my last, June 16th, I did not think 

 the prospect at all favorable for a good 

 year, but it has turned out to be a very 

 good one. Our bees swarmed very lit- 

 tle in the spring, but did all through 

 the month of July. The low palmetto 

 bloom was very rich : it came in June 

 and gave them a strong start?. Then 

 the cabbage palmetto came in July and 

 was the richest it has been in this 

 vicinity for a number of years. Both 

 of the palmettoes make beautiful white 

 honey. The cabbage fully equal to 

 white clover in appearance, but has not 

 a decided flavor, and is a little thinner 

 than clover. Our honey here never 

 granulates or gets hard ; I presume it 

 would in the North in cold weather. 

 The cabbage bloom lasted fully 6 weeks 

 this year. It is now over, and with it 

 ends our honey season, although there 

 is something the bees can get almost 

 every month in the year. 



There is no month that queens do not 

 lay. If we cannot find eggs at any 

 time, we consider the colony queenless 

 and take the proper steps to furnish 

 them with a queen. 



My cheap bee house is a success. I 

 now have the posts in water, so as to 

 keep them clear from ants ; a large red 

 ant. If they make a raid on a hive 

 they are sure to win in the end, for it 

 seems as if their forces were inexhaust- 

 able; no matter how many are killed 

 there are more to fill their places. They 

 do not kill the bees, but tear their wings 

 so they cannot fly. They soon have 

 most of the colony out on the ground 

 trying to fly, while they devour the 

 honey and young bees. They do not 

 often attack a strong colony, but I have 

 known them to, and they are sure to 



