THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



223 



For tiie American Bee Journal. 

 HOW TO PREVENT SWARMINO. 



As many inquiries liave been made respecting my improvement in an Apiary, I will 

 take this method of answering, and giving the information desired. 



My improvement in an Apiary, which was patented on the 4th of February, 1868, 

 (No. 74,GG5.) brings to the light the hitherto great mystery of bee's swarming, and 

 proves it to be a habit caused by necessity, and not an instinct. 



Two of the leading causes are heat and the loant of side room. Ilaving understood these 

 facts for tweniy-ttoo years, I can safely say, and my neighbors can all testify, that my bees 

 do not swarm. No brood or Jioney is removed to prevent it: they use all their force in stor- 

 ing surplus honey. 



My improvement in an Apiary consists in a house so constructed and ventilated as 

 to render it indispensable for keeping bees comfortable and dry in winter, the much 

 desired even temperature through the summer season, and for yielding the largest 

 amount of honey possible to be obtained from the bee, in boxes. 



FAULKNEK'b iMi'KOVEMEKT IN APIARY. 



The cellar is to be near five feet deep, and walled, iron pins fastened to the sills ; the 

 pins to rest in cups ; (tar or any nauseous ingredients should be put in the cup to keep 

 the ants out of the building) and in length sufficient to elevate the building \% inches 

 above the foundation ; a flue to extend up from the ceiling nine or ten feet, well se- 

 cured at the roof to keep the water out; two apertures or holes in the ceiling, should 

 have slides to open and close. There should be a shutter to open and close hatch in 

 the floor. When the apertures are open, the flue may be made of wood or sheet iron, 

 and wire gauze should be fastened in the top of the flue to keep bees and other insects 

 out; all hives must have two or more large ventilating holes with sieve wire over them. 



In figure 1 is represented the entrance for the bees, and lighting board, the entrance 

 % of as inch high, 12 inches wide, and increases in width, as the dotted lines show in 

 the walls on figure 1 ; for ordinary size hives entrance to be continued same width (12 

 inches) through the walls ; lighting board 20 inches wide, 24 inches long and % inch 

 thick to pass through the wall and fasten to shelves inside on which the hives rest. 

 The building n.ay be arranged inside for any kind of hive desired. A piece of board 1% 

 inches wide, % of an inch thick, 16 inches long, and notches 3 inches long, % of an 

 inch deep, secured to the entrance of the hives by means of springs made of hoop iron, 

 fastened to the wall, to decrease and increase the entrance for the bees as needed, as 

 seen on figure 5: a cheap foundation may be made, by setting posts in the ground, and 

 nailing boards to them, as seen in figure 5; then dig the cellar inside of the foundation 

 and wall it well-fashioned. Walls of the house from 7 to 10 inches thick may be filled 

 in with saw-dust or any non-conductor of heat; also the double floor should be filled 



