84 



THE AMERICAN APICULTVRIST. 



"forecast" by Prof. Totten, of Yale Col- 

 lege, made in Boston, Sunday, March 

 20, that the world would come to an end 

 this year, and that the day of judgment 

 would begin on March 29. I really wish 

 this great event might be delayed till 

 fall, as I have made calculations on rear- 

 ing and shipping a good many Punic, 

 American Golden Carniolan and Italian 

 queen bees the coming season. Well, 

 I have lots of orders for these queens, 

 and my friends can rely on having them 

 filled unless something equally as seri- 

 ous as the ending of the world strikes 

 the Bay State apiary. 



While in Boston a short time ago a 

 dealer in honey was interviewed. The 

 Api was informed that there was lit- 

 tle or no call for honey. This dealer 

 had a large quantity in stock. It is a 

 fine lot and \Vas shipped by Vermont 

 beekeepers. 



Another "better- than-all" selfhiver 

 has been invented by an enterprising 

 beekeeper. It is one of those new-fan- 

 gled contrivances that is warranted to do 

 wonderiuUy effective work before being 

 tested. 



This invention is by Bro. Pratt. He 

 proposes to place an empty hive directly 

 in front of a full colony, and thus com- 

 pel the bees to pass the entire length of 

 the new hive to reach their coml)s. T'his 

 alone will condemn the practicability of 

 the arrangement. Then after the bees 

 enter the new hive they must find their 

 way down through some perforated 

 Mietal, and this after being obliged to do 

 the same thing at the entrance of the 

 first hive. 



Now, if any one really desires to use 

 a self-hiver in that way, that is, by plac- 

 ing the empty hive in front of the col- 

 ony, I can tell them of a much simpler 

 plan, and it will do its work ecjually as 

 well as the Pratt arrangement. It is this : 

 Arrange the empty hive in fi-ont of the 

 colony, and then place one of my drone- 

 and-queen traps at the entrance of the 

 new hive, leaving out of the trap the lit- 



tle nail that prevents the queen from re- 

 turning to the hive, as per directions 

 sent witli the traps. 



The hiver described in the April issue 

 of the Api has hived a good many swarms 

 and works perfectly, and is practical in 

 every respect. 



I have sent a number of the swarm- 

 ers to Texas, and expect reports from 

 them soon. 



As the latter swarmer is now arranged it 

 will catch every queen that issues with 

 a swarm ; she is then conducted to the 

 new home, and the bees join her on their 

 retiu-n to the hive. Now if there are 

 not bees enough to form as large a col- 

 ony as is' desired, the parent hive should 

 be removed some ten feet away'. No 

 one should object to this, as the old or 

 new colony should have a new location, 

 and it will be much better to give the 

 old hive the new stand. In this way the 

 swarm would be well stocked with abun- 

 dance of workers without in the least 

 dama2;in<? the old stock. 



I AVILL EXCHANGE QUEENS OR 

 SUPPLIES FOR BEES. 



If any reader cares to send us bees for 

 queens, drone-traps, self-hivers, advertis- 

 hig space in Api or for subscription to 

 tlie Apioultukist, we are ready for the ex- 

 cliano-e. Black, liybrids or pure Italian 

 bees in frame or box-hives will answer 

 onr purpose. Strong colonies in a healthy 

 condition, well packed, are all we demand. 

 If shipped in box-hives, the hive should 

 be inverted and the bottom covered with 

 wire-cloth, and shipped in that way. 



Seven frames in light shipping-boxes, 

 with about half the top covered with wire 

 cloth will do. If the combs are not wired, 

 apiece of wood should be placed cross- 

 Avise the hive at the bottom for the frames 

 to rest on. If the com!)S do not reach the 

 bottom-bar, the space shonld be tilled witli 

 a piece of wood 4 of an inch thick. Thus 

 packed, the combs cannot break doAvn. 



"When ready to deliver to express, dash 

 a pint of Avater on the corahs and bees. I 

 Avill pay i^'A per colony, if the distance 

 from Wenhaui is not over .500 miles. The 

 bees must be shippcul before May 15, as 

 the Aveather is likely to be too Avarm after 

 that date to send bees safely. iShii) by 

 Amtrkan Express. 



Henry Alley, Wenham, Mass. 



