362 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Apr. 1 



frames may the more readily be detached 

 for handling. See Fig. 1. 



These little frames, as we make them, 

 have grooves in the top and bottom bar to 

 admit a sheet of foundation, 

 which is cut just the right size 

 to fit. Six of these frames filled 

 with foundation, and fitted into 

 a standard Langstroth frame, 

 can be put down in the brood- 

 nest of a strong colony. When 

 the foundation is drawn out and 

 filled with honey the six frames 

 in one may be cleared of bees, 

 slipped out of the big frame, 

 and secured to the cover by 

 means of the bent staples as 

 already explained. When in po- 

 sition they look like the cut 

 shown in Fig. 4. The only 

 points wherein the whole ar- 

 rangement differs from the 

 Pratt is in the employment of 

 one large bent staple, in place 

 of two, and the manner of pre- 

 venting the cover from warp- 

 ing. The use of the introduc- 

 ing-cage will be explained later. 



Having the little "baby" 

 frames filled with comb and 

 honey, and attached to the cov- 

 er, we are now ready to fill with bees. A 

 lot of the mating-boxes are thus prepared, 

 and placed on the ground in two rows. Be- 

 tween these two rows is an empty hive- 

 body into which several frames of laees have 

 been shaken; but before shaking them they 

 are smoked thoroughly so they will fill them- 

 selves with honey. They are then scooped 

 up with a teacup, anywhere from 100 to 200, 

 and dumped into one of these " baby " box- 

 es. Each of the other boxes is filled in like 

 manner. Of course, the tin slide over the 



flight-hole is shoved over so as to close the 

 entrance. The bees are then left this way 

 for 24 hours, when a virgin queen is allowed 

 to run among them. Or they may be given 



Fig. 4. 



a queen-cell through the cover in the top, as 

 shown in Fig. 4; or the queen may be in- 

 troduced in a regular introducing - cage, 

 which is shoved down between the end-bars 

 as shown. It is proper to explain, however, 

 that the latter is not the Pratt cage. In- 

 stead of letting the virgins run in with the 

 chance of losing some, it may be found 

 preferable to introduce them in the cage. 

 Mr. Pratt explains, however, that, if the 

 bees are vigorously smoked and then dump- 

 ed into the little mating-boxes, and left 



FIG. 5.— PRATT'S QUEEN-REARING YARD AS EQUIPPED WITH HIS BABY NUCLEI. 



