40 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



[August, 



until the bees had cleaned her off, that we might 

 promptly check any disposition to smother or 

 stinjj her. When the bees on this frame had dis- 

 covered her royalty and evidently accepted her, 

 we replaced the frame in the centre of the hive, 

 filled up with the other frames — feeding as be- 

 fore for several days. A subsequent examina- 

 tion showed that she was accepted, and the 

 stock is now doing finely. 



I have introduced a large number of queens 

 and very rarely lose one. I usually deprive the 

 stock of its black queen, and suspend the cage 

 containing the Italian, confined by a piece of 

 cotton or muslin, between two brood-combs, and 

 feed two or three times a day, until the bees re- 

 lease her, by eating through the cotton cloth, 

 which they generally do within forty-eight 

 hours. 



We like this plan, as it seldom fails, is easily 

 done, and the hive remains qneenless only two 

 or three days. AVe do not think that any one 

 method will always succeed, as the condition of 

 stocks varies so much. Would recommend libe- 

 ral feeding, as bees are less disposed to sting the 

 new queen, and more willing to receive her, if 

 kept full of liquid sweets. Am not in favor of 

 the tobacco-stupefying process, although it gen- 

 erally succeeds. Think moderate chloroforming 

 much preferable ; but scarcely ever have occa- 

 sion to resort to such desperate methods. 



Geo. S. Silsby. 



Winterport, Me., June 14, 1871. 



[For the American Bee Journal.] 



Patent Hives. 



Mr. Editor : — The welcome visitor— the May 

 number of the Bee Journal — is received. The 

 first thing we see is some one blowing his horn 

 about his hive. There is Mr. A., speaking of the 

 Bay State Hive as being far superior to any in 

 use. We all know there are as good hives in use 

 as Mr. A. dares to bring before the public. But 

 if he don't watch Novice, he will hit him a rap 

 across the knuckles, as he did Mr. Hazen. It 

 looks as if Mr. A. would like to sell some more 

 territory for his Bay State Hive.* If he does, 

 Mr. Editor, there are advertising columns in the 

 Journal for this purpose. Let the Bay State 

 Hive remain in the Bay State — where it was 

 hatched. 



There are too many patent bee-hive men blow- 

 ing around, and misleading the public with their 

 worthless trash. There ought to be a fair trial 

 given to those hives, and then the one that 

 proved to be the best, should have the credit. 

 How is it that before Mr. Langsti'oth invented 

 the movable frame hive, these men were all as 

 quiet as mice ? But no sooner did he bring the 

 hidden mystery to light, than, presto, every one 

 became an "inventor" (so-called), and the 

 country was flooded with these wonderful things, 

 agreeing only in being infringements of j\Ir. Lang- 

 stroth's patent. But, say some, we improved on 



his patent ! Yes, in the way of moth trap, fly 

 holes, etc., which are as big humbugs as ever 

 were brought before the public. 



Now let me tell you one thing, and it is this : 

 As soon as a man begins to speak of moth-proof 

 hives and moth traps, set him down as an igno- 

 ramus or something worse. It is farcical for 

 them to claim that they improved by the applica- 

 tion of a moth trap. Who first invented the 

 very best and only real moth trap ? Was it not 

 Mr. Langstroth, when he invented the movable 

 frame hive, that gives you control of the bees 

 and all their enemies ? What more do you want 

 for this purpose than the movable frames? 



As to where you place the surplus honey 

 boxes, that depends on circumstances, and ordi- 

 narily is of no more value than a row of pins. / 

 want siu'i^lus honey boxes on the top of the hive, 

 instead of at its side, back, bottom, or anywhere 

 else. 



I close by wishing success to the American Bee 

 Journal, to Mr. Langstroth, and to all deserving 

 bee-keepers. 



Halif.vx, 2d. 



* Mr. A. has no patent, and of course no ter- 

 ritory, to sell. — [Ed. 



[For the American Bee Journal.] 



Improved Thomas Hive. 



Mr. Editor : — As I observe you have readers 

 who use the "Thomas" hive, they may be in- 

 terested in an alteration I have made, which, 

 without expense, has much increased its value. I 

 am not recommending the hive as superior to 

 many others ; but only writing for the benefit of 

 those who already have these hives in their api- 

 aries, and do not wish to incur all the inconve- 

 niences of a variety of hives in the same yard. 



I have always found the slanting bottom of 

 the frames a great objection, as the combs could 

 never be turned end for end. It is quite a simple 

 operation to shake off the bees, and cut down 

 the longer side to the same length as the shorter 

 one. 1 then saw off the bottom of the hive, so 

 that the bottom of the frames will be only half 

 an inch from the floor, when the hive is used 

 without the bottom ]iiece. The bottom is now 

 to be securely nailed at its sides, holding the 

 bottom board in its original position. The but- 

 tons are removed and placed on the side of the 

 hi'. e, so as to hold it in position when it is placed 

 on this movable bottom piece. The entrance 

 hole is now made above the cross bar, instead of 

 under, as formerly, but is closed when the hive 

 is on its movable bottom, for that is now en- 

 tirely open in front. 



When the hives are thus prepared, I put a 

 second hive on the top of the first (of course 

 without its movable bottom), and divide the 

 frames, placing four in each hive, and empty 

 frames between them. My stocks, in ten days, 

 filled the new frames with worker combs. I 

 thus gained the whole strength of the colony, to 

 make this new comb, instead of only a i^ortion 

 of them, as is the case with a swarm ; and when 

 filled with brood and mostly capped, I make a 

 new stock with the old queen and a fair propor- 

 tion of the bees — giving them one of tlie hives and 

 most of the brood. The old stock is very strong, 



