178 BOXING AND SURPLUS HONEY. 



know how they came in the jars, when to all appearance, 

 it was a physical impossibility. I would like to give a 

 positive answer,. but cannot. I will offer a theory, how- 

 ever, which is original, and therefore open to criticism. 

 If there is any better solution of the problem, I would be 

 glad to hear it. From the 1st of June until late in the 

 fall, the moth may be found around our hives, active at 

 night but quiet by day. Her only object, probably^ is to 

 find a suitable place to deposit her eggs, where her young 

 may have food. If no proper and convenient place is 

 found, she will be content with such as she can find. The 

 eggs must be deposited somewhere, and she leaves them 

 in the cracks of the hive, in the dust at the bottom, or out- 

 side as near the entrance as she dare approach. The bees 

 running over them may accidentally attach one or more 

 to their feet or bodies, and carry them among the combs 

 where they will be left to hatch. It is not at all probable 

 that the moth ever passed through the hive, among the 

 bees, to deposit her eggs in the jars before mentioned. 

 Had these jars been left on the hive, not a larv^ would 

 have ever defaced a comb ; because, when the bees are 

 numerous, each one is removed as soon as it commences 

 its work of destruction — that is, when it works on the 

 surface, as it does in the boxes. By taking off these jars, 

 and removing the bees, all the eggs that happened to be 

 there had a fair chance." 



SUGGESTIONS FOR SECURING CHOICE SPECIMENS OF 

 HONEY. 



It is often desirable to secure some very choice specie 

 mens of honey, for exhibition or other special purposes. 

 As the suggestions given will also indicate some points 

 that will be useful in general practice, they may be of 

 value to all beginners. The first consideration is to select 

 a time when that class of blossoms which produces the 



