104 



AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



Feb. 13, 1902. 



even with the sections, which could now be wrapped up in 

 paper to keep out dust. If the package was kept right side 

 up the sections would carry as well and as safely as they 

 would in a case. 



I practiced this plan for a number of years before making 

 what might be called skeleton crates to pack small lots in. 

 Aside from the work of making them, which is small, the 

 cost of these crates is insignificant. The end-pieces were 

 made out of cheap lumber one or one-half inch thick — it did 

 not matter which — and were just the size of the outside meas- 

 urement of the sections to be put in them. For instance, 

 with standard sections these end-pieces would be 4^ inches 

 square. All the bottom or sides there were to these crates 

 was one piece l^ or 2 inches w'ide. I generally used pieces 

 of common building lath. The bottom piece was nailed 

 on so it would be in the center, and the side pieces were 

 also nailed at about the center of each side, and no top was 

 used, unless it was to go an unusually long distance, then 

 another piece of lath was nailed over the top after the sec- 

 tions were placed in. 



I used to make these crates of various lengths, to hold 

 from 3 to 12 sections. I also used these crates for years, 

 their advantage over the plan first described, being that 

 after the crates were made it was quicker and easier to put 

 the honey in safe shape to be carried, for all there was 

 to do was to put the sections in a crate, and then tie up 

 the whole in paper, the same as one would any package. 

 But the method I now practice is far superior to either of 

 these. Sections of honey can be done up simrlv with twine 

 and paper so it will tarry practically as safely, and any 

 where, as it would in a regular case. 



Before describing how tliis is done I wish to say that / did 

 not discover how to do it — the man who showed me how 

 to do up sections in this way was one who came to the 

 apiary to buy a few sections, and it may be of interest to 

 some to know that I made him a present of a 24-pound 

 case of fancy clover honey, and the next fall I sent him 

 another case. I tell this because it shows what I think of 

 the plan. 



Suppose we want to tie up 12 sections ; a stout piece 

 of twine is laid on a table, and six sections are set on top 

 of it up close to each other, so the string will be under 

 the center of each. The sections should of course be ex- 

 actly even with each other. The string is now brought up 

 over the center of the tops and six sections tied together. 

 The only secret of success about this method is to use strong 

 twine and tie them together tight. Six more sections are 

 tied together in the same way. The two rows are then set 

 close together and a string tied around the outside of the 

 whole. This last string should be tied so it will be about 

 at the center, or midway between the top and bottom of 

 the sections. If only six sections or less were to be done 

 up, after being tied as first described, the first string should 

 be tied around this one row. 



If the sections of honey have been produced without 

 using separators, care should be taken to select some for 

 the ends, one side of which the comb did not come out 

 quite even with the wood, or the strings would mar and 

 damage the outer face of the end section. 



I have known sections tied up in lots of twelve in this 

 way to be carried 20 miles over rough roads and without a 

 section moving out of place. 



Smaller lots of one row done up this way are practically 

 as safe to carry as one solid section of the same size would be. 



Southern Minnesota. 



Bees and Grapes, and Shooting Birds. 



BY "old crimes." 



Well, Mr. Editor, there is that John Hardscrabble with 

 his picture and his broad-brimmed hat, and that good old 

 smile in the American Bee-Keeper, and just as natural and 

 good looking (not handsome, by any means) as when he and 

 I were boys together. John always had that sunburst look 

 on his face, and so happy. 



But I never thought John would take to bee-keeping 

 and religion. Bee-keeping is surely a new wrinkle, and as 

 to religion and being a deacon, why, John, how did you 

 get in, anyway? It is surprising. 



Well, Mr. Editor, when John was married to his first 

 wife he lived neighbor to me, and a right hajppy couple 

 were they. A nice little wife, a nice little farm, and all 

 paid for, and that meant a great deal in those days, didn't 

 it, John ? 



Well, John had a little vineyard, too, and we came near 



having a quarrel over it. You see, John came over to my 

 house one morning rather hot in the face, and, said he, "See. 

 here, Mr. Grimes, your bees are eating up all our grapes." 

 "Do tell," said I, "but, John, let's not get hot about it ; let's 

 go over and see about it." 



And what do you think we found? About five bees 

 on his hundred vines. 



"Why, John," said I, "it will take those five bees a 

 long time to eat up all of those grapes. 



"Why, Grimes," said he, "just look at this whole cluster 

 — every grape full of punctures." 



"But, John, you do not believe that a few bees made 

 those big holes, do you? You just watch out early in the 

 morning and you will find that the linnets and other birds 

 are puncturing your grapes; and, of course, when the juice 

 begins to run, the bees go for it, and I am surprised that 

 there are not more bees here." 



My e.xplanation looked so reasont,.ble that John cooled 

 down considerably, and said he would watch out for those 

 linnets. John was an honest chap, and in a few days he 

 came over and said, "Brother Grimes. I will have to give 

 up ; there are more birds than bees after my grapes, and 

 now I am going to shoot the pesky things." 



For the next week or two, or until the grapes were 

 harvested, there was a shot-gun fusillade over at John's every 

 morning. 



I knew it would do no good to talk to him while in his 

 destructive mood, but after the grapes were all off to market 

 I went over one evening and we had a talk. 



I said, "John, how did you come out with your grapes, 

 birds, and the shot-gun?" 



"All right, I guess," said John. "I shot an everlasting 

 nvunber of linnets, orioles and sich." 



".\nd, John, you missed some, I suppose?" 



"Yes, we can't hit every time. Yes, yes ; but I did not 

 go to see how many." 



"John, how much did you get for your grapes?" 



"Well, times are awful dull, and there is a big crop of 

 grapes, and prices are low, so I got only 3 cents for them." 



"Now, John, do you think if the birds had been let 

 alone they would have destroyed 100 pounds of grapes?" 



"Well, neighbor Grimes, that is a hard question to an- 

 swer ; but the fact is, it does not seem as though they 

 would." 



"And now, John, how much ammunition did you use?" 



"Why, goodness, I had not thought of that; I guess I 

 used about $3 worth." 



"And, John Hardscrabble, in order to save $3 worth of 

 grapes you fired away $3 worth of powder and shot. You 

 furthermore killed some of our best friends. Then, you know 

 the IBible says that you must give the birds a portion of the 

 crop, it is by right theirs." 



"Why, neighbor Grimes. I never thought of it in that 

 way. I do not believe I will fool away any more ammu- 

 nition that way." 



"You see, John, I had some experience in that line 

 myself. You know king-birds catch bees, and I shot lots 

 of them around my apiary. Opr ypar I was .ifritid th(>y 

 might catch my young queens when on their wedding-flight. 

 But, after all, nobody has ever proved that they catch 

 queen-bees; besides, my queens mate now just as well 

 when there are numerous king-birds as they did when I 

 used the gun. I really think a few king-birds do very 

 little harm to a large apiary, and for every bee they catch 

 I have no doubt they catch some other insect that is not the 

 friend of man. " 



But now, John Hardscrabble — I suppose I ought to 

 call you deacon but it sounds so queer — I am glad to 

 know that you are prospering, but until I hear from you I 

 shall wonder and wonder how you happened to take up bee- 

 keeping. 



And then, deacon in a church — you must have fallen in, 

 John. 



9? 



Introducing Qiueens with Tobacco-Smolie— Other 



Important Matters. 



BY FRANCISCO BROWN. 



There is something wrong with the tobacco method of 

 introducing queens as mentioned in the Colorado convention 

 report, on page 601 (1901). I have introduced a great many 

 queens with tobacco-smoke, and have yet to lose my first 

 one. Last season I introduced 40 that came in three ship- 

 ments by mail, three to five days en route, and were intro- 

 duced to various conditions of colonies, some just made 



