116 



GLEA^fLN'GS IX BEE CULTUEE. 



April 



trouble ; but if we admit it to be a fungoid 

 growth, as the best authorities tell us. I do 

 not know how it can originate without the 

 germs or seed being brought by some means, 

 from some locality where it prevails, like 

 small pox. and other diseases of like nature. 

 The theory of spontaneous generation of 

 either plant or animal life has, for ages, over 

 and over again fallen to the ground, when 

 the experiments were made with suflBcient 

 <yre ; therefore 1 think we may feel sure it 

 will never come into our vicinity, unless it 

 is brought in. Some parts of York State. 

 Michigan. "Wisconsin and some other states, 

 have been affected with it so many years, 

 that it is liable to break out at almost any 

 time, and it may be a hard matter many 

 times to decide whence it comes : but if we 

 are prompt, destroying or cleansing all dis- 

 eased cells the very moment we discover 

 them, I think we need have little fear or 

 trouble. It is quite likely that the evils of 

 this malady, like the moth troubles, are 

 greatly exaggerated by careless and shift- 

 less bee-keepers. Box hive bee-keepers, 

 even now, will tell the most doleful stories 

 of how the moth has ruined all their hopes 

 and apiaries, while one who is at home with 

 bees, khows that the owner is much more at 

 fault, than the poor much abused miller. 



There is so much ''clamoring"' from begin- 

 ners for something ahoid transferring, that I 

 shall have to beg -pardon of the rest ofyofiufor 

 repeating the directions just this once: then it 

 icill go into the A B C, and that ^cill end it. 

 It seems almost impossible to tal:e up this de- 

 partment in its alphabetical order, as Iicotdd 

 pjrefer to d". 



TB.ATTSFERKZZa'G-. I firmly believe 

 every one of our readers can do their own 

 transferring, and do it nicely, if they will 

 only make up their minds that they icill suc- 

 ceed. If you are awkward and inexperi- 

 enced, it will take you longer, that is all. 



It has so often been said that the best 

 time is diuing the period of fruit blossoms, 

 that it seems almost needless to repeat 

 it. Be sure that you have cleared away all 

 rubbish from about your box hive or gimi. 

 for a space of at least 6 feet all round. We 

 would decidedly prefer to have the hive 

 stand directly on the ground with all rough 

 and uneven places filled up with sawdust 

 nicely stamped down. Make it so clean and 

 tidy that you can find a needle if you should 

 drop it. and be sure you leave no cracks or 

 crevices in which the qiieen or bees may 

 hide or crawl. Make all these arrangements 

 several days beforehand if possible, so that 



the bees may be well acquainted with all the 

 surroundings and be full at work ; remember 

 we wish to choose a time when as many bees 

 as possible are out at work, for they Mill 

 then be nicely out of the way. About 10 

 o'clock A. M. A\ill probably be the best time 

 if it is a warm, still day. Get all your appli- 

 ances in readiness, ever\"thing you can think 

 of that you may need, and some other things 

 too, perhaps. You will want a fine-toothed 

 saw, a hammer, a chisel to cut nails in the 

 old hive, tacks, and thin strips of pine, im- 

 less you have the transferring clasps, a large 

 board to lay the combs upon, (the cover to a 

 Simplicity hive does '"tip top,") an old table 

 cloth or sheet folded up to lay under the 

 combs to prevent bumping the heads of the 

 unhatched brood too severely, a honey knife 

 or a couple of them, (if you have none get a 

 couple of of long thin-bladed bread or butch- 

 er knives), and lastly a basin of water and a 

 towel to keep ever\i;hing washed up clean. 

 Now. as I have said before, this is really, a 

 great part of it, women's work, and If you 

 cannot persuade your wife or sister, or some 

 good friend among the sex to help, you are 

 not fit to be a bee-keeper. In saying this we 

 take it for granted that women, the world 

 over, are ready and willing to assist in any 

 useful work, if they are treated as fellow 

 beings and equals. The operation of trans- 

 ferring will afford you an excellent oppor- 

 tunity to show your assistant many of the 

 wonders of the bee-hive, and in the role of 

 teacher, you may discover that you are stim- 

 ulating yourself to a degree of skill that you 

 would not be likely to attain otherwise. 



A bellows smoker will be very handy, but 

 if you have not one. inake a smoke of some 

 bits of rotten wood in a pan ; blow a little 

 smoke in at the entrance of the hive, but do 

 not get the sawdust on fire. Tip the old 

 hive over backward, and blow in a little 

 more smoke to drive the bees down among 

 the combs, let it stand there, and place the 

 new hive so that the entrance is exactly in 

 the place of the old one : put a large news- 

 paper in front of the entrance on the ground, 

 and let one edge lie under the entrance to 

 the new hive. The returning bees, laden 

 with pollen and honey, are now alighting 

 and going into the hive and out again in 

 dismay at finding it empty. We now want 

 to get one comb in for them, to let them 

 know that it is their old home. Move the 

 old hive back a little farther so as to get 

 all round it, and give them a little more 

 smoke whenever they seem disposed to be 

 obstreperous : and now comes the trial of 



