230 AUSTRALASIAN 



ends to come flush with the top of the sides. The shoulders 

 of the frames rest on the top of the ends, and are secured 

 from moving by the fillets. The bottom is then nailed on and 

 the box is ready for the bees. 



The greatest difficulty I have had in shipping bees has been 

 to ensure a plentiful supply of water on the voyage. I have 

 tried two methods, but neither has been as satisfactory as I 

 could have desired. First I arranged a sponge so that the 

 bees could get at it through a piece of wire cloth, and pasted 

 instructions on the box to water it every day — but this was 

 often neglected. Next I made flat zinc bottles with a tapering 

 neck ; these were filled and placed neck downwards on a piece 

 of flannel in a small shallow zinc pan tacked to the bottom of 

 the box, the bottle being secured with tacks to the side. This 

 plan was also found frequently to fail. I think the heat of the 

 boxes caused the water to evaporate too quickly ; at all events 

 the water soon disappeared. I now believe the better way will 

 be to adopt a combination of both plans ; that is, to put in one 

 or two bottles of water and to arrange a sponge on the outside 

 in the manner already desci ibed. The risk will at least be 

 diminished by such precautions. 



Old tough combs are the best to use for shipping purposes, 

 not being so liable to break as new ones. No uncapped brood 

 should be put in. nor too many bees ; neither should heavy 

 combs of honey be used ; it is better to have the food fairly 

 distributed through all the combs. The top should be screwed 

 on for greater convenience of taking it off afterwards without 

 any hammering or unnecessary jarring of the box. Full in- 

 structions for keeping the box in a cool dark place, etc ; etc., 

 should be pasted on top of each box, and if at all possible let 

 the sender, or some very careful person acting for him, see to 

 the shipping personally. 



Axiom. 



"QUEENLESS COLONIES, UNLESS SUPPLIED WITH A QUEEN, WILL 

 INEVITABLY DWINDLE AWAY, OB BE DESTROYED BY THE BEB-MOTH, OB 



by robber, bees." Langstroth, 



