THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



67 



the strength of stock. But some judg- 

 ment must be used not to crowd theciueen 

 too hard for room to deposit more or less 

 egffs, or she will go above to surplus 

 boxes. Some one will want to know if 

 we can keep such stocks from swarming. 

 We answer, no; if the season is a good 

 one for honey, you will get a swarm from 

 them about the first of August, but not 

 till they have filled two or more sets of 

 bo.xes, and if they do swarm we will find 

 some place for them to till some more 

 boxes, as we can unite them to any swarm 

 in the j^ard that has room for them. 



We now propose to consider how 

 much increase is wanted, and if 

 but a small number is needed, and 

 surplus is the object, we shall proceed as 

 follows : From seven to eight days (and 

 here let me say that date of swarming 

 should be made on each hive) will be the 

 right time. There are now no eggs or 

 larvae for the bees to construct queen cells 

 from ; overhaul anj- such stock ; shake 

 off all the bees, cut out every queen cell 

 —be sure j^ou get everj'- one, for this is 

 important; now remove all combs from 

 the hive that contains the most honey, fill 

 in with capped brood, put on your boxes, 

 and run into this hive a big swarm. Do 

 it in this way: Hive your swarm to be 

 united and set it close to the one to be 

 run into ; leave it till nearly dark, then 

 raise hive one inch in front on blocks, 

 bring on your platform and shake down 

 swarm eighteen or twenty inches in front; 

 they will travel in just like any other 

 swarm, and your job is done. Now we 

 have a stock stronger than it was before, 

 casting its swarm. Now, if the flowers 

 are yielding honey, you will get some. 

 Follow up this plan until you have re- 

 turned a big swarm to each hive. But 

 should swarming continue you may have 

 to make some more new swarms. 



What shall we do with the combs that 

 are removed from time to time containing 

 honey ? Extract and give to your brood 

 stock, or keep them in reserve, as they 

 may be wanted later in the season. Sup- 

 pose I should hive ten or fifteen swarms 

 in August, and I have but two empty 

 hives, I will use them and return all the 

 rest, after removing all queen cells ; but do 

 not run a swarm back to its own hive, as in 

 many cases it does not satisfy them, and 

 often comes out again. 



Some may be disposed to inquire what 

 is gained by this method. We answer, 

 first, that we have but a very small 

 amount of drone comb built, as all our 

 brood stocks built worker combs; and 

 secondly, that our stocks are- all very 

 strong, and all receptacles are filled very 

 quickly, so that the honey has a much 

 cleaner and finer appearance. And lastly, 

 we are satisfied that a much larger 

 amount of surplus is the result. 



Another plan given by us can be found 



in February number of the American 

 Bee Journal for 1872. On doubling 

 stocks we still practice this plan more or 

 less, and have found nothing better. On 

 tliis plan we have more than trebled on 

 our surplus. 



We have united hundreds of swarms in 

 this way, and in but a very few cases had 

 to resort to scenting them with pepper- 

 mint or anything else. 



In conclusion, we sometimes think it 

 would be better if writers would say more 

 on the subject of " Honey, and how to 

 obtain it," not extracted alone, but nice 

 comb honey ; but few articles appear di- 

 rectly on this one subject, the most im- 

 portant of all. I confess I keep bees for 

 one object and no other — dollars and 

 cents. 



T T^TT'PT TT'Tl 



Jackson, Mich., Feb. 3, 1876. 



For the American Bee Journal. 

 How to Make It. 



INSTRUCTIONS FOR MAKING THE STAR 

 MOVABLE COMB BEE HIVE. 



As I have been using the Star Bee Hive 

 for some time, and as it is very simple and 

 easily constructed and gives very satis- 

 factory results in yield of honey and in- 

 crease of stocks, and combines all the 

 good points necessary in a bee hive, and 

 leaves out all the bad points, useless ap- 

 pendages, etc., I will endeavor to give in- 

 structions for making it. For the body 

 of the hive take two boards, ISj^ inches 

 long and lli^ in. wide for the ends, and 

 two boards 18 inches long and llj^ inches 

 wide for the sides ; the latter to be rab- 

 bited one-half inch wide and one-half 

 inch deep ; and if a deeper rabbit is 

 desired, the boards must be as much 

 wider as the rabbits are deeper. Then 

 nail these boards up solid with several 

 nails at each corner, letting the side boards 

 in a little at the top, just so the top bar of 

 a frame will fit in a littte loose ; this will 

 make the body of the hive a little wider 

 at the bottom than it is at the top, so that 

 if any frame is a little out of square, the 

 bottom corner will not be so apt to touch 

 the side of the hive and be glued fast. 

 The bottom board should be 1514" inches 

 wide and 30 inches long, and should be 

 nailed on tight, letting it be even with the 

 back end of the hive and projecting ten 

 inches in front of the hive for a lighting 

 board. The entrance should be one-fourth 

 inch high and about four or five inches 

 long. Ventilation should be made by 

 boring a number of one-inch holes in the 

 front end boards and kept closed up tight, 

 except when it is necessary to open them, 

 or a part of them, to prevent the bees 

 clustering on the outside of the hives in 

 hot weather. The cap should be about 

 two or three inches high, and large 



