37tli Year. 



CHICAGO, ILL., APRIL 22, 1897. 



No. 16. 



Another Nou-Swarming Device Described. 



BY DB. E. GALLUP. 



I herewith send a diagram and description of Harding's 

 Non-Swarming Device. It can be applied to any shape of 

 hive. Slit two hiver; close togethpr, side by side ; bore an inch 

 hole in the center of each hive just above the entrance, and 

 insert a tin tube 6 inches long^ Now, if I have the right un- 

 derstanding, Just before swarming time, close the main en- 

 trance to hive No. 1. All the workers come out through the 

 tube, and cannot get back, consequently they go into the ad- 

 joining hive. In about four days unclose the entrance to hive 

 No. 1, and close up hive No. 2. This throws all the workers 

 back into No. 1. You will readily see that this discourages 

 swarming, and if queen-cells are sealed, they will be torn 

 down, etc. The workers will store honey very rapidly — in 

 fact, just as fast in one hive as the other. One can trans- 

 pose the worker force and all young bees that come out for 

 their first flight, and, I think he said, about twice changing 

 was sufficient to discourage swarming for the season. 



There ought to be some arrangement to give water, also 

 for ventilation to the closed hive for the time it is closed. 

 That is my suggestion. Of course, California bee-keepers in 

 large apiaries are not troubled with too much swarming, as a 

 general rule. 



With the above explanation, and the accompanying dia- 

 gram, any one can try the experiment to suit himself. Set- 

 ting two hives together will economize ground in the apiary, 

 etc. 



There may be objections to the above plan, such as ball- 

 ing the queen by compelling so many strange bees to go into 

 another hive, yet I have not had any trouble in transferring 



Harding Non-Swarming Device. — A, Entrance-Closing Board. 



hives when bees are gathering honey rapidly. Still, there 

 will be trouble at seasons when foraging is not abundant. I 

 have lost queens by transposing to prevent robbing and to 

 strengthen up a weak colony, by not caging the queens at the 

 time, away back, years ago. Still, we have to learn every- 



thing by experience, or what others tell us. I had to learn to 

 walk by experience. 



Mr. Harding is an old, practical bee-keeper, and thinks 

 he has solved a problem that will be of value to some. 



Orange Co., Cal. 



m 



Fastening Foundation and Wiring Frames. 



BT B. F. ONDERDONK. 



The American Bee Journal is ever a welcome guest with 

 me, interesting and instructing beyond any other in our pleas- 

 ant occupation. Dr. Miller's replies are usually replete with 

 information. I note on page 103, advice as to fastening 

 foundation and wiring. I think the following a better way : 



I use a spirit lamp under a small tin basin (4 inches in 

 diameter) containing some good beeswax, keeping it well 

 melted, not too hot, and using a straight strip of tin, 7 inches 



S/oc/cs 

 c.Hcndle. 



Form for Fastening Foundation In the Sections. 



long by IJ^ inches wide. Dip what it will hold, and let the 

 wax run into the saw-kerf, by holding the frame diagonally 

 about 303. One dipping will run rapidly half the length of 

 the frame ; another dipping will finish it. I make the saw- 

 kerf 3/16 instead of V inch. 



For wiring, instead of pierced end-bars with wires run- 

 ning through (they draw into the wood and sag), use ?i-inch 

 fine wire nails run through them from the outside and turned 

 up into a hook on the inside, using a small pair of pliers. The 

 wire can be strung on the hook-uails then. 



And why did the Doctor not recommend a spur wire im- 

 bedder or the lamp scheme? I fancy an inexpert hand would 

 meet with disaster — destruction of one frame of foundation, 

 to say nothing of the vexation, will pay for the imbedder. 



I fix foundation in the sections with melted wax, fastening 

 the top and sides so there can be no swing, always using bot- 

 tom starters 14 inch wide, leaving 'i-inch space between. I 

 use a " form " for the work as per illustrations herewith, with 

 a handle in the back similar to a mason's hawk, so it can be 

 readily turned, holding the tool at an angle so the wax will 

 run readily along the foundation and wood. 



This "form" holds eight sections. Blocks should be 

 1/16 inch less in thickness than the half width of a section. 



