The Peet Cage, 



267 



liberated. Mr. Dadant stops the cage with a plug of wood 

 (Fig. 99), and when he goes to Hberatc the queen replaces 

 tile wooden stopple with one of comb, and leaves the bees 

 to liberate tlie queen by eating out tlie 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. If 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, gatber 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. 



Fig. 100. 



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 tin back is withdrawn.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 



