1S<)-J 



(;Li<:ANiNt;8 in hee culture. 



23? 



colli. i-lustiM- lip as oompiirl as ilicy ploasc. Aii- 

 otlitT part wt'io sent ill cast's T'aXSx'.., Iiavinn 

 Iwi'lvc holes in tlu>in. with partitions anaiiK«'<i 

 as in tht< other; hut with this one the candy 

 was all put in one end, live of the holes heing 

 used for the same. This jjave the hees seven 

 holes to spread out in on the start, and more 

 room as the candy was <>alen. This eagre was 

 also provided with more thoroiijih ventilation 

 than any of the others. <i 

 provided in two of tii(> 

 amount used as a whole 

 caire. while th(> extreme 

 clear through, wire cloth 



side of it. so that thp liees could come out in 

 this part of the case. and. by fanning their 

 wings, cause a circulation of air throughout the 

 whole cage, similar to tlie way they ventilate 

 their hives from the entrance. 



lod ventilation lieing 

 seven holes, to the 



in the Root-Renton 

 end hole was tiored 



being put on either 



DOOLITTLE'S FOREKiN MAIMXfi-CAGES. 



I havft been more i)articular in describing 

 this latter cage, as all the cages of this descrip- 

 tion sent proved a success, the bees and queens 

 arriving in fine condition in Australia after a 

 voyage of 11.5()(J miles, and a continement of 

 from 37 to 40 days. The candy used in all of 

 the cages was the Good candy. The candy- 

 holes in all were coated with paral'tine by pour- 

 ing the same in them, when at a very high 

 temperature. I like this better than putting 

 on with a brush, for in this way the paralitine is 

 forced into the wood to the deptli of one-six- 

 teenth of an inch or more, so there is no chance 

 for the moisture in the candy to escape. Over 

 the candy I placed a piece of thin comb founda- 



tion, pressing it into the wood all around, so 

 tliat this candy apartment would hold water 

 like a pail. Nine of the lifteen ()ueeiis were 

 sent to S. A. I{radley, Deiihani Court. New 

 South Wales; three to .las. McFarlane. iiynd- 

 liurst, Victoi'ia; two to A. Walker, liedland 

 Ray. Queensland, and one to R. .1. Cribh. {Bris- 

 bane. (.Queensland. i{oth of those, to Mr. W. 

 went alive, and were in tlat cages. Mr. W. 

 says that, of four others received from the 

 Ihiited Slates, all were dead exce|)t four work- 

 ers in o\u: cage. TIh' one to Mr. ('ribb was in a 

 flat cage, and that went through in line condi- 

 tion. Of till' three sent to .Mr. McFarlane, two 

 were in the Root-]?(Uiton cages and one in tlie 

 flat cage. The oim in the tlat cage went alive, 

 tiie two in the Ivoot-Ri'titon both dead. Of the 

 nine sent to Mr. Rradley. threes were in the 

 Rootl'.enton cage and six in the flat cages. Of 

 these, one in the Root- Renton cage went alive 

 and four in the flat cages. Six of the fifteen 

 (jueens went on tlie October stinimer. four out 

 of the six arriving dead; while of the nine sent 

 on tlie August and September steamers, seven 

 went alive. Mr. Mcl'\ writes that those sent 

 him were evidently sutlot-ated. and must have 

 been in a closer mail-bag or in a hotter part of 

 the ship than those sent him by Mr. Root, ac- 

 cording to their appearance: while Mr. B. says, 

 in speaking of my last shipment to him, "A 

 circus and menagerie came in the same vessel 

 with the queens, and all mail matter was 

 crowded into all sorts of out-of-the-way places, 

 which did not give the queens the usual chance 

 of living." Understanding this state of affairs, 

 it is a little suggestive that the four in the 

 Root-Renton cages all died, while the two in 

 the flat cages went alive. As Mr. Rradley 

 seems to be a close observer, I think some re- 

 marks of his on the different cages will be of 

 interest. Speaking of the half-inch cage he 

 says: "This cage seems to come as near per- 

 fection as possible, the bees and queens in the 

 same being as lively as if they had been con- 

 fined only a few days." Of the seven-eighths 

 cage he says: " It is very good, but would be 

 better, I think, if the air-holes were a little 

 larger, so as to allow freer ventilation." Of the 

 Root-Renton cage he says: "The objections to 

 this cage are, first, in having only one means of 

 access to the stores. In one of these cages the 

 queen was dead in the food compartment, and 

 the hole behind her was blocked with bees. 

 Second, owing to its block form it packs too 

 well, or too closely with other articles. If the 

 sides were fluted, and air-holes punched in the 

 fiutings it would be better." 



WIRE CLOTH. 



Mr. R. further says: "I should like to call 

 your attention to the green wire cloth used on 

 some of the cages. The queen and bees in these 

 cages were literally covered with a tine green 

 dust, and it was not until several days after in- 

 troduction that the qu<'ens were chsaned from 

 it — in one case, not for two weeks; and in try- 

 ing to get it otT from the (lueen. the Ijees remov- 

 ed every particle of " fuzz" from her back and 

 shoulders, leaving her as shiny as glass. Those 

 with tlie black wire cloth were perfectly clean." 



PROOF OF VALUE. 



When I started these queens for Australia I 

 had some misgivings about their being of any 

 value to those who purchased them, fearing 

 their long journey, confinement, and the neces- 

 sary abuse to which thi'y must be subjected, 

 would injure them. Rnt it would seem that 

 these misgivings were groundless, in part at 

 least, for Mr. \Valker writes that the two sent 

 him"sliowed no half work and half play, or 

 half brood and half honey in one comb, for they 



