SHIPPING BEES TO CALIFORNIA. 255 



strips ou either side. This served as a vacant cham- 

 ber for the bees to occupy when suffering from 

 extreme heat in hot latitudes. Proper openings were 

 made on each side, and covered with wire cloth, to 

 give a current of air through the box, which, with 

 the addition of the vacant air chamber, is twelve by 

 fifteen inches long and six inches in height. Two 

 of these formed one package, one set on top of the 

 other, being covered with oiled cloth to keep out wet, 

 and securely fastened with heavy twine, forming a 

 loop at the top, which served as a handle to carry 

 them by. A package of this kind, consisting of two 

 colonies, measures less than one and a half cubic 

 feet, being a great saving over ordinary sized hives, 

 as freight and charges are estimated by the foot from 

 New York to San Francisco, and at such high rates 

 that every foot saved in size is important. 



Our improved movable comb hive being perfected 

 by J. S. Harbison, of the firm of W. C. & J. S. Har- 

 bison, soou after arriving with the bees they were 

 transferred, and worked in them very successfully and 

 satisfactorily. 



SECOND SHIPMENT, HOW PREPARED. . 



Our first shipment of bees to California being 

 successful and profitable, we resolved to prepare a 

 larger lot, and ship them the following .year, but in 

 a little different form from the first lot, retaining the 

 same general principles in a more convenient and 

 practical shape ; in short, we determined to transfer 

 bees, with their combs, &c. from common box hives 



