540 



Gr.EANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



Auguste Malachowski giving his daughters a lesson on bees. 



ment to modify the laws that are now in 

 force to suit their wants better. They want 

 a fonl-brood law, and especially a law to 

 protect the beekeepers from artificial honey 

 and the unfair competition of inferior for- 

 eign honey from Cuba and South America. 

 The union, according to previous arrange- 

 ments, was to be effected this year in Berlin 



at the Great Fair. This would have been 

 the event of the year; but, alas! the leaders 

 agreed to disagree. Every one connected 

 with the endeavor to unify blames the other 

 fellow. This is sad ; but it is hoped that 

 this consummation, devoutly to be wished, 

 has only been postponed. 

 Germany, Nov. 22. 



CAUSING SWARMING BEES TO CLUSTER IN A BOX 



BY AUGUSTE DE MALACHOWSKI 



T"p to the present time I have practiced 

 ai'tificial swarming; but this year I let the 

 bees swarm naturally. T inclose several 

 photos to illustrate my plans. To trap a 

 swarm is the easiest of all things; and the 

 swarm has no time to cry for quarter, for it 

 finds itself already hou.sed. I proceed in 

 the following manner. 



T have a pole about 10 feet long, from 

 which is suspended a sort of triangular box 

 with one old frame inside. When the swarm 

 issues I rub this box with a plant — a mint 

 (Menflia aquaPica). I hold this contrivance 

 in the midst of the flying bees, and the 

 sw^arn: stops immediately. This plan is very 

 simple and practical. I carry away my box, 

 open one of my hives, give it a slight blow. 



and, presto! all my bees are hived. To retain 

 them I always exercise care to give them a 

 frame of brood. I advise all beekeopcrs 

 who practice natural swarming to follow 

 these directions, and then they will not have 

 to attend the severe school of experience by 

 caging a swarm perched high in a tree. 



In all this season I have trapped thirty 

 swarms; and I trapped them all, without 

 exception, with the aid of Mentha aquatica. 

 and generally even by hand. Spectators 

 have looked with wonder fo see the bees 

 m.ass themselves around me, humming, and 

 alighting on my hands, my person, and even 

 crawling into my vest pocket. As the people 

 of my country are superstitious they looked 

 on me as a sorcerer, I hope that, with the 



