SHIPPING AND TRANSPORTING BEES. 307 
CHAPTER XI. 
SHrprinc AND TRANSPORTING Bess. 
587. In shipping colonies of bees by rail, it is not neces- 
sary to give them much ventilation, if they are sent during 
the cool weather of Spring. We have successfully shipped 
hundreds of colonies to-all parts of the U. S., in early 
Spring, with no other ventilation than was afforded by the 
joints of a rough block nailed over the entrance of the hive. 
But, if the weather is warm, and the colony populous, plenty 
of air is needed. We usually replace the bottom board by 
a wire-cloth-frame protected by slats. The entrance should 
never be covered with wire-cloth, but should be entirely 
closed, for the old bees will worry themselves trying to get 
through it, and it will soon be clogged with dead bees. 
They should be given as much air as needed with the least 
possible amount of light. 
When the colony is so populous, that draught through the 
hive cannot injure the brood, we nail a screen over the 
frames also, and shade it with a board nailed on slats, run- 
ning across the ends of the hive. The closing of the portico 
alone, if there is one, with wire-cloth, is not practical, as a 
part of the swarm crowds into it and bars the ventilation. 
588. The frames should, of course, be securely fastened 
in their places. For this purpose, Mr. Root uses sticks, or 
slats, of the depth of the hive, that fit between the frames 
and hold them. 
New combs had better not be shipped at all. If there is 
plenty of fresh honey, we would advise the extracting of all 
that is unsealed, previous to shipment. When there is brood 
in every comb, and the weather is warm, it is safer to 
remove a part of the brood, and put frames of dry comb 
