THE AUSTRALIAN BEEKEEPERS’ JOURNAL. 
9 
conclusion that it was a swarm of bees, when 
the whole family became seized with excite- 
ment as to how they were to be canght, and, 
as none of us had ever seen a swarm before, 
various were the suggestions made. However, 
a happy thought took possession of us. Our 
maid came from Echuea, or rather from the 
bush in that direction. Had she ever caught 
bees? She had, as she told us in answer to 
the query. Oh, yes, we used to catch them 
and put them into a pickle bottle, but they 
wouldn’t stop, so that style of hiving did not 
suit. But some of us had heard that if we 
got a box, stick a stick through it and smeared 
the sides inside with cream and sugar they 
would go in ; but that did not answer. So 
being in a hurry to go, and having an idea 
that I might cut off the branch and so put 
them in, I essayed to do it, but an accidental 
knock with the saw settled the matter by 
shaking nearly all the cluster off the bough 
into the box, which was put under to catch' 
the branch when it fell. So I turned it over, 
got another box to stand it on, and the job 
was finished. How we were brave enough to 
face such a job was a marvel afterwards, and, 
what was more remarkable, none of us got a 
sting. Well, having got the bees, in due time, 
we wanted the honey. Various were the people 
interviewed and questions asked. How shall 
we get the honey ? When is the time ? 
What hour in the day ? See. So having 
found in answer that we had to get another 
box and place on the one containing the bees, 
having previously inverted it, and to start at 
dusk. One evening in December we essayed 
to accomplish the task. Turned up the box 
of bees, placed the other on it, put a cloth 
round to keep the bees in, and commenced 
hammering the lower box. In about five 
minutes, moving suddenly, I felt something 
like a thorn from a rosebush sticking in my 
leg behind. Gave a kick to clear the branch 
away, when a host of other thorns began 
to stick, and I discovered my mistake and found 
the thorns were stings and" a number of bees 
crawling up my leg. It was now getting dark, 
so I hurried in, had a light brought, and got 
some of the stings extracted and made a fresh 
start, when somehow the cloth got off from 
round the boxes, put my hand over the hole 
in my excitement with a result more painful 
than pleasant. However, still persevered, 
placed the new box on the old stand, got a 
light, for it was now quite dark, and tried to 
get the honey ; found the bees had not all 
gone, so having heard smoke was a good thing 
to shift them with, procured some rags and 
commenced smoking them out, but instead of 
coming out they all went further in. Began 
to get discouraged but thought if I took the 
box to pieces I would get along better, so 
ripped off the side, threw it down, and moved 
on, took cut some comb, got Ihe bees nearly 
all off and moved on again, finally leaving the 
box in pieces strewn on the course, moved, 
together with bees, comb, honey, and 
burning rags, with net result about 21bs. of 
honey, and stings beyond count, thus ended 
our first experience of bee-keeping. But we 
have altered all that now, for, from that 
swarm we have about thirty hives on the 
moveable frame system and are still increasing 
our numbers, and as a moral would advise all 
intending bee-keepers to have the same 
pattern and never rob bees at night. 
CORRESPONDENCE. 
[To the Editor of the Bee Journal.") 
Dear Sir, — In my estimation there is 
nothing more capable of advancing the 
interests of beekeeping than a bee journal. 
Periodical meetings are certainly inestimable, 
but they' cannot often be frequented by mem- 
bers who live at a distance. Not so with the 
journal, for every one may read it who wishes, 
it often happens that I meet with incidents 
which I should like to communicate to my 
fellow-beekeepers, so that I may hear their 
opinion on certain subjects ; but in absence of 
a journal it cannot be done. For instance, 
something happened in my apiary only a few 
days ago. It was a very' hot day, the bees 
were swarming, and a great number were 
attracted by a stove pipe. As there was fire 
in at the time I endeavoured to dislodge them 
by directing a stream of water there, but in 
vain. As the next morning the fire would 
not burn, on examining the pipe I found it 
was literally chocked with dead bees. I do 
not know what attracted them, unless it was 
melted wax and resin on the stove. 
Another little, but very interesting, incident 
occurred to me at queen-rearing. I had inserted 
a nearly matured cell into a hive which I had 
made previously queenless, but had omitted 
the day of insertion. I knew that the young 
queen was alive in the cell from the sound. 
I waited several days, and as she did not make 
her appearance I concluded that she was now 
dead in the ceil. I took out the frame, intend- 
ing to remove the cell, but as soon as the knife 
touched the roy'al cradle the young princess 
began to pipe so loud that I knew at once she 
was alive and well. I opened the lid, she 
crawled into my hand, and was immediately 
introduced to her waiting subjects. 
Another occurrence took place on this wise. 
One day I caged a queen, with the intent to 
breed a better one. Just a week after, when I 
about to remove the cage, I found the queen 
dead in it. This astonished me. I searched 
