202 Shipping Queens. 



their queens a cheap market in which to purchase, and, best 

 of all, weeds out of the business all but the most skillful, 

 cautious, and honest breeders. Only skillful men can make 

 it pay. Only cautious, honest men can find a market for 

 their stock. We know that men are making a handsome 

 profit in the business and at the same time are giving excel- 

 lent satisfaction. This is the best argument' in favor of any 

 business. I repeat, then, that the beginner better purchase 

 ' ' dollar queens" of some reliable breeder — one who has made 

 queen rearing a success for years, and given general satisfaction. 



I have feared that this ' ' cheap queen " traffic would crush 

 the hard efibrt, requiring study, time, money, and the most 

 cautious experiment and observation, necessary to give us a 

 very superior race of bees. There is reason to hope now that 

 it will, at most, only delay it. Enterprising apiarists see in 

 this the greatest promise for improved apiculture, and already 

 are moving forward. Enterprising bee-keepers will purchase 

 and pay well for the bee of the future that gives siare evidence 

 of superior excellence. One thing is certain, " dollar queens " 

 are in the market, and are in demand ; so, whether the busi- 

 ness tends to our good or evil, as rational men we must accept 

 the situation and niake the most of things as they exist. 



Let me urge, however, upon the progressive apiarist, < that 

 there is no possible doubt but that the bees of the future will 

 be immensely superior to those of to-day. Man can and will 

 advance here as he has in breeding all other stock. If the 

 obstacles in the way are greater because of the peculiar nat- 

 ural history of the bee, then the triumph, when it comes, will 

 be greater, and the success more praiseworthy. 



TO SHIP QUEENS. 



For shipping queens the character of the shipping cage and 

 of the food are of first importance. Nothing serves better 

 for a cage. than Peet's cage (Fig. 85), already mentioned. 

 As will be seen the bees are covered with a double screen — 

 one of wire, the other (removed in the figure) of wood. 

 These are separated one-fourth of an inch. The food should 

 never be honey. This may daub the queen and cause her 

 death. If the food consists of hard candy, then the cage 

 must contain a bottle of water, the cork of which has a small 

 opening, through which is passed a small cotton string. 



