1903 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



797 



stand before breaking. You see they are made now 

 out of waste scraps. I make these out of odds and 

 ends from my waste pieces after sawing out hives, etc. 



This cag-e requires 2 cents postage; but 

 in the opinion of Mr. Boomhower and some 

 others, the regular Benton, requiring only 

 1 ct. postage, is hardly large enough to send 

 queens in through the mails, and hardly 

 strong enough to stand the rough usage to 



which such packages are subjected. The 

 Boomhower cage consists of an outer case, 

 open at both ends, and covered over with 

 little strips of tin in such a way as to hold 

 the cage securely, and yet allow sufficient 

 ventilation for the bees within. If more 

 than one queen is to be sent, the case is 

 longer — saj' long enough to take two or three 

 cages. In the one shown in the illustration, 

 two cages are accommodated. The plan of 

 introducing is quite simple. A little piece 



of tin is nailed over the caudy-hole, which, 

 when turned at right angles, serves a double 

 purpose. When it revolves the candy is ex- 

 posed, and the cage is supported between 

 the combs. See large illustration. 



RAISING QUEENS A LA STANLEY; THE PLAN 



OF INTRODUCING TWO OR MORE 



VIRGINS AT A TIME. 



On page 446. May 15, we illustrated the 

 Stanley method of securing cells on horizon- 

 tal bars in brood-frames, and inclosing the 

 same in cylindrical cages of perforated 

 metal. In our last issue, page 756, we re- 

 ferred to having tested the Stanley cages. 



We now take pleasure in illustrating a 

 modification, such as we have been us- 

 ing in our yard with a great deal of plea- 

 sure and success. On page 806 of this issue 

 will be found a brood-frame with 14 virgin 

 queens hatched from as many cells, each 

 inclosed in a cylindrical perforated metal 

 cage. Our Mr. Phillips said he had some- 

 thing nice he wanted to show me, and told 

 me to bring my camera, and this is what I 

 found. In the bottom of these little cages 

 are inserted plugs of wood in which are 

 smaller plugs of candy. 



It does not matter just when these cells 

 hatch out their virgins. The queens to be 

 may come forth at different times; but they 

 are all protected in a warm brood-nest, and 

 are probably fed by the bees through the 

 perforated metal. 



Whenever virgins are needed, all we have 

 to do is to go to one of these nursery-frames 

 in a colony, take out one or more cylinders 

 of queens, and insert them into nuclei, but 

 always in pairs, as we explained on page 

 756. I asked Mr. Phillips why he did not 

 use tinned wire cloth. " Because," said he, 

 "the perforated metal holds its shape bet- 

 ter. " 



We do not use the queen-excluding metal, 

 because in some cases the cells are attack- 

 ed, and in other cases the bees can get in 

 and worry if they do not absolutely ball the 

 virgin. Our method differs from the Stan- 

 ley in that we use small perforations and 

 cylindrical wooden plugs in place of gun- 

 wads. Instead of being stuck to the cell- 

 bar with melted wax, we use a nail-point 

 that just projects through the plug of wood. 

 It is thus easy to attach these plugs to the 

 bars, and just as easy to remove them. 

 Gun-wads are very good, but they are not 

 thick enough to handle readily. 



Referring again to the illustration, it 

 maj' be interesting to note that every one of 

 the 14 cells, inclosed in as many cages, 

 hatched a virgin, bright, health}', and vig- 

 orous. 



Since writing the forgoing I have receiv- 

 ed a letter from Swarthmore, or, more ex- 

 actly, E. L. Pratt, of Swarthmore, Pa., 

 who calls my attention to the fact that he 

 has been using this dual or multiple plan 

 of virgin-queen introduction for three years, 

 and has been furnishing hollow plugs in 

 connection with the Swarthmore nursery 

 cage, for the purpo.se of allowing colonies 

 to release queens on the candy plan, for two 

 3ears. He refers me to an article written 

 by him in the American Bee-keeper for 

 March, 1903, page 77, giving in full his plan 

 for introducing two or more virgins in a 

 hive at a time. This article I had over- 

 looked. He even anticipated us in seeing 

 the very great advantage of such a plan of 

 introduction, for he says in the article re- 

 ferred to: 



Ky the above-outlined proceeding it will be seen that 

 supplies of virgins, about the correct age to fly, will be 

 constantly on hand, already introduced, waiting their 

 turn at the boxes; and if the system is followed closely 

 from five to six fertile queens will be ready for caging 

 every ten days. 



