GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



cold weathei% or if the bees are not slielter- 

 ed, I contract the entrances down to one 

 inch. All the trays have % x % entrances 

 which correspond with the entrances of the 

 winter case. 



My losses with this method for the past 



f onr years are less than 2 per cent ; further- 

 more, the colonies come thru very strong. 

 I have found new honey stored in the butter- 

 chip over the brood-frame as early as May 

 10. 



Mio, Mich. 



A SANE AND SENSIBLE BEE DEMONSTRATION 



BY JOSEPH GRAY 



There is no question but that live bees 

 properly handled make most telling adver- 

 tisements at county or state fairs. It is the 

 purpose of this article to set forth a sensible 

 exhibit that will always draw a crowd, and 

 yet give the lecturer time to become calm 

 enough to command the attention of his 

 audience without resorting to silly stunts 

 that raise a laugh but do not impi-ess the 

 mind. 



PREPARING THE BEES. 



Two colonies of bees will rob and fight, if 

 the day is not just right ; therefore one only 

 should be used, and it should be selected for 

 its gentleness. Having the colony selected, 

 the next point is to secure the queen, two 

 drones, and four workers in a cage 2x3 

 inches, and Yg deep ; glass one side, and 

 screen on the opposite side. Take care to 

 have the cage supplied with sufficient candy 

 and of the right consistency. The next step 

 is to prepare the colony. This should be 

 fljxed up in a traveling-hive made from an 

 ordinary ten-frame body with a one-inch 

 space underneath the frames and a floor- 

 board securely nailed on. The entrance 

 should be arranged so that it may be quick- 

 ly closed and fastened with one screw. A 

 ventilated cover with handle completes the 

 traveling-box along with a square of canvas 

 for a quilt. 



The combs should be well built and wired 

 — neither too new nor too old. One comb 

 should contain a portion of drone-cells and 

 a couple of queen-cells. These are easily 

 produced by taking two old cells and fitting 

 into the comb a few days previous. The 

 bees Avill tear down a live queen-cell, but 

 will build in an empty queen-cell. Only a 

 moderate amount of honey must be left in 

 the hive, and it should be mostly sealed. 

 The colony ought to be removed to a new 

 stand two days prior to the show, so that 

 most of the field workers will be left at 

 home. It is the old fielders that do most of 

 the stinging. Nearly all the brood should 

 be removed, reserving only one or two 

 combs that are necessary for show work. 

 Such a colony does not have too many bees 

 to travel with nor to handle. 



ABOUT THE TENT. 



A tent should be secured, slightly off from 

 the main stream of visitors, but sufficienth 

 near to a scheduled exhibition ring so that, 

 when the crowd turns from the ring, the 

 people will be ready for the bee exhibit. 

 The tent can be made of 4 panels 12 feet by 

 8 feet, the top half net or screen, the bottom 

 canvas or board. It is well to put guy- 

 ropes at the corners; for the pressure is 

 often very great if a crowd of 1000 gathers 

 round. 



The hive should stand on a packing-case 

 rolled into the center. The bees should be 

 given free flights, either the day previous or 

 early on the morning of the show. This 

 enables them to locate and use the open top, 

 to go and come. 



MAKING AN ARTIFICIAL SWARM ON AN ARTI- 

 FICIAL TREE. 



When ready for the demonstration, pre- 

 pare two or thi-ee carbolized cloths full 

 strength (dry, not wet). Place the hive on 

 the ground and adjust an artificial " bush." 

 Plere in Imperial Valley I use either the 

 bough of a willow or Cottonwood trimmed 

 neatly and susj^ended from wires overhead 

 so that it will just touch the middle of the 

 table or box. Put on the veil. Don't be 

 foolish about this — at least until you are 

 sure of the temper of the bees. Have extra 

 buttons on the cuffs so that you can button 

 the sleeves tightly around the wrists. You 

 may not need these preparations, but yet 

 you may. 



Open the hive, using the smoker. Hang 

 the cage with the queen in the bush. The 

 hive, being one comb short of its full num- 

 ber, is easy to manipulate. As rapidly as 

 possible take out each comb and shake (not 

 brush) the bees on to the table. As the 

 crowd is increasing the air will be full of 

 bees. Cover up the hive. Calmly lay a 

 carbolized cloth at the edge of the bees on 

 the table, and put another cloth on the 

 oi^posite side. The bees will begin to run 

 like a flock of sheep toward the bush. You 

 can drive them and turn them, at your will. 

 Pick up a baby bee and throw it into the 

 center of the bush. Urge up a few strag- 



