THOUSAND ANSWERS 217 



Q. I want to take a few swarms with me to Minnesota about 

 July 30. The car will likely be on the road about a week. How 

 shall I prepare the bees for shipment? (Illinois.) 



A. The frames in your hives must be fastened so they cannot 

 move about, although that is not necessary if you have frames 

 with fixed distance, as you probably have. If the entrances to 

 your hives are two inches deep, closing them with wire-cloth may 

 give all the needed ventilation. Otherwise better have the entire 

 top covered with wire-cloth by means of a frame an inch or two 

 deep. With only a few hives, you can have each one on the floor, 

 kept in place by cleats nailed onto the floor. If the weather is 

 very hot, sprinkle the bees with water every little while. 



Q. How about fixing bees in the hives to be s'hipped 1,500 

 miles by rail? How shall I go about it to do a good job, so there 

 will be no bees getting out, and how should they sit in the car — ■ 

 lengthwise? 



A. To make a good job of it is something of an undertaking, 

 In brief, you will use wire-cloth for ventilation, having the en- 

 trance closed with it, and having a frame the size of the top of 

 the hive covered with wire-cloth, which frame you will fasten 

 upon the top of the hive with four wood-screws. You will put the 

 hives in the car with the frames running in the same direction as 

 the rails of the railroad, nailing strips on the bottom of the car 

 so the lower tier of hives cannot shake about. You must not set 

 the upper tiers of hives piled up directly upon one another, for 

 that would stop ventilation; but over the lower tiers you will 

 put 2x2 or 2x4 scantling, running across the car, on which to rest 

 the upper tiers, thus leaving a space for ventilation. You will 

 probably use a cattle-car, which favors ventilation; and you will 

 see to it that you can get at all the hives to spray the bees with 

 water when they become excited and heated. 



Shipping-Cases. — Q. Do ' you get shipping-cases returned? 

 A. No. 



Shipping Comb Honey. — Q. I write for a little information in 

 regard to shipping honey to Chicago, or other large cities. Is it 

 necessary to enclose the shipping cases in extra strong boxes, or 

 will they stand the rough handling without extra casing? 



A. If section honey is sent in shipping-cases without any 

 outside protection there is danger that it may not go safely. No 

 need to put the cases in heavy boxes that are close. Crates, or 

 carriers, as they are called, should be used, which are more or less 



