MANUAL OF THE APIARY. 187 



We now cover the open chamber with fine wire-cloth, put 

 in our queen and fifteen or twenty bees, and she is ready to 

 ship. Any uncapped honey to daub the queen is almost sure 

 to prove fatal. When it is desirable to send queens bv mail, 

 it will be necessary to provision the cage with sugar or candy, 

 and cover with two pieces of wire gauze separated by at 



Fig. 57. 





least one-fourth of an mcu [^s ig. 57) ; then queens can be sent 

 by mail, to all sections of our country, for three cents each. 

 No one should presume, on any account, to send a queen hy 

 mail, unless the queeii-cage is covered ■ hy this double screen, 

 and is provisioned loith sugar instead of honey. If shippers 

 neglect these precautions, and the mails become daubed, or 

 the mail agents stung, we shall again lose the privilege of 

 sending queens by mail. Such an order will in future be 

 beyond recall, hence any carelessness that endangers this 

 privilege will be virtually criminal. If it is thought neces- 

 sary to place vials of water in cages when shipping long 

 distances, the bees must be sent by express, as such packages 

 are not mailable. 



TO MOVE COLONIES. 



Should we desire to purchase Italian or other colonies, the 

 only requisites to safe transport are : A wire-cloth cover for 

 ventilation, secure fastening of the frames so they cannot 

 possibly move, and combs old enough so .that they shall not 

 break down and fall out. I would never advise moving bees 

 in winter, though it has often been done with entire safety. 

 I should wish the bees to have a flight very soon after such 

 disturbance. 



