The Peet Cage. 267 
liberated. Mr. Dadant stops the cage with a plug of wood 
(Fig. 99), and when he goes to liberate the queen replaces 
the wooden stopple with one of comb, and leaves the bees 
to liberate the queen by eating out the comb. Mr. Bet- 
singer uses a larger cage, open at one end, which is pressed 
against the comb till the mouth of the cage reaches the 
middle of it. I£ I understand him, the queen is thus held 
by cage and comb till the bees liberate her. 
If, upon liberating the queen, we find that the bees 
“ball” her, that is, gather so closely about her as to form 
a compact cluster, we must at once smoke the bees off and 
re-cage the queen, else they will hold her a prisoner till 
she is dead. 
The Peet cage (Figs. 95 and 100), which is not only an 
introducing but a shipping cage, is a most valuable inven- 
tion. The back of the cage is tin (Fig. 95), and may be 
drawn out, which leaves the back of the cage entirely 
open, The pieces in front are to be tacked on in shipping. 
Fic. 100. 
Queen Cage. 
They prevent the accompanying bees from stinging any 
one who may handle the cage and also secure ventilation, 
The tin points, which turn easily, are turned at right angles 
to the cage, as shown in the figure. The cage is pressed 
close up to a smooth piece of comb containing both brood 
and honey, where it is held by the tin points, and then the 
tin back is withdrawn. The bees will soon eat under the 
comb and thus liberate the queen and almost always accept 
her. I have had such admirable. success with this cage 
