100 



THE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEW. 



swarm is hived in a contracted brood nest, 

 the frames of which contain only foundation 

 or starters (no drawn comb) and the supers 

 are transferred to the uewly hived swarm, 

 the queen will almost invariably invade the 

 the sections unless restrained by an excluder. 

 As Ernest says, "There is a screw loose 

 somewhere" with this California man. If 

 all the circumstances were known, I think 

 the cause of the trouble might be pointed 

 out. 



Another Queen Cage. — The Dixie. 



Last mouth the Review contained an ad- 

 vertisment of the above cage, made by J. M. 

 Jenkins, Wetumpka, Ala., and I intended to 

 notice it editorially, but I am glad I did not, 

 as I now find, in Glcanings,so much better a 

 notice than I could have written. It was 

 written by Mr. .Jenkins himself, at the re- 

 quest of Mr. Root, and reads as follows:— 



"I believe the Dixie queen-cage is little 

 enough and big enough, simple enough, 

 cheap enough, light enough (1 oz.), has 

 rooms enough, and all that. I also think the 

 printed directions about right for the guid- 

 ance of the timid novice, and the other fel- 

 lows don't need any. So far as I know, this 

 is the only cage that has contents, breeder's 

 address, etc., printed on it; and I believe the 

 request to the postmaster, 'Deliver quick,' 

 may at times expedite matters, especially in 

 the country, where the consignee may live a 

 few miles away, and the queen or 'word' may 

 bo sent by some wayfarer. This printed re- 

 quest, and notice of contents, gives the coun- 

 try i)08tmaster a pointer as to the care he 

 sliould take of it, and the desirability of 

 effectiag a speedy delivery. Some of its best 

 features were borrowed from other pages, 

 especially your Benton cage. 



"While I am about it, I might say I like to 

 see the printed name and address of the in- 

 dividual or firm doing a business, on every 

 letter, wrapper, package, or shipment he, she, 

 or it sends out by mail or otherwise; for, be- 

 sides the little feeling of pride in it, a knowl- 

 edge of the sender sometimes enables the 

 postal and railroad folks to correct errors 

 and straighten things that 'ain't' straight, 

 and thereby save loss or long delay; and it is 

 a way of advertising too." 



Paper for Covering Hive Covers. 

 I prefer hives so small that the cover can 

 be made of one board. Such covers, proper- 

 ly cleated and painted, I have used for years 

 and found them entirely satisfactory. But 

 some bee-keepers wish for larger hives, and 

 must use covers of more then one board. To 

 get a joint that is weather proof is well nigh 



impossible. To remedy the difficulty such 

 covers have been covered with tin. They have 

 also been covered with paper, and the paper 

 kept painted. Mr. C. V. Coffin tells, in 

 Gleanings, of having excellent success with 

 Fay's ceiling manilla. Here is what he 

 says; — 



"Several years ago, early in my bee-keep- 

 ing experience, my Simplicity covers crack- 

 ed in the sun, and began to leak. So far I 

 had purchased no tin, and, having some 

 pieces of Fay's manilla at hand, I fitted it to 

 the covers just as you do your tin, except 

 that it was first made wet and pliant, then 

 pasted on, and tacked around the corners 

 and sides. After it was dry it was painted 

 two coats, and since that day it has had the 

 same treatment the tin covers have had, and 

 you would have to look very closely to de- 

 tect these covers from the tin ones. They 

 have never leaked, and, so far as I can see, 

 are as satisfactory as the others. 



Now, this is^ whst this manufacturer sells 

 as inside, or ceiling felt; he makes a roofing- 

 felt of still better material, all ready painted, 

 for roofing houses; and I have thought that 

 this latter could be used, not only for the 

 purpose above named, but also, perhaps, in 

 making Ernest's light cases for outdoor win- 

 tering; then, if the cases could be so con- 

 structed as to nest together when not in use, 

 by having the shape somewhat like some of 

 your honey-buckets, or even like a house- 

 roof, it might prove quite an acquisition in 

 your climate. Bnt as I am totally unfamil- 

 iar with this branch of bee-keeping I will 

 venture only a suggestion as to the above 

 material. I am sure it is of very lasting and 

 weather-resisting character. I think the 

 firm is now \V. F. Fay & Co., Camden, New 

 Jersey. The cost of ceiling-manilla is one 

 cent per square foot. I inclose a bit of the 

 ceiling, such as I used." 



The Best Bee Escapes. 



Bee escapes will probably be used to a 

 greater extent this season than ever before, 

 and, in giving them a trial, it is well to start 

 out with the best. I have never used bee es- 

 capes, as I had no honey to remove last year, 

 but all who have tried the Porter spring es- 

 cape in competition with other styles, un- 

 hesitatingly give it the preference. S. A. 

 Shuck has recently published his experience 

 in the matter, in Gleaninys, and I quote the 

 part bearing upon the different styles: — 



"During the season of 18!K) I removed all 

 my comb hones', about ,2.'i(X) lbs., from the 

 hives by the use of escapes, and experienced 

 less inconvenience and annoyance by robbers 

 or bees in my honey-house than I have fre- 

 quently experienced in removing a couple of 

 hundred pounds l)y the old method of smok- 

 ing, shaking, and brushing of the bees from 

 the supers. 



