THE AUSTRALIAN BEEKEEPERS’ JOURNAL. 
105 
with a loss of nearly the whole apiary, anil 
the few colonies remaining are mostly weak, 
or perhaps we have a part of the few weak, 
and a part strong. If many weak colonies 
are on our hands, and we are not anxious to 
augment our numbers, probably the best way 
would be to unite them till all are in compara- 
tively good condition. But it more often 
happens that, when we have many weak 
colonies, we are the most anxious to save them 
all, if possible, for we get many weak colonies 
only alter a heavy loss during winter, in which 
case we are desirous to increase all we can, so 
os to utilise our empty combs before the moths 
destroy them. 
Many ways have been devised to give 
strength to these weak colonies, so as to keep 
them along till settled warm weather comes, 
so that they could build up ; but most of them 
have proven failures when put in practice. 
The most general plan is that of giving 
hatching brood from the strong coionics to 
them ; but, os a rule, this results in a loss of a 
part, if not all, of the brood ; for the amount 
given must generally of necessity be more 
than the weak colony can cover and keep 
warm, while the young bees so hatched seem 
to lack the necessary vitality among so few- 
old ones to keep the warmth up during cold 
nights; hence it oftens happens that all perish 
together. If brood is given, it is belter to 
adopt the plan the Editor did several years 
ago, which was, to take a cake or biscuit 
cutter, and cut out a small portion of a frame 
of brood, and all of that just gnawing through 
the cells, and insert this in the weak hive in 
the eomb, which the few- bees cover. How- 
ever, this does uot always work, Ha the Editor 
well knows ; besides, it mutilates the combs 
so as to spoil their bcuuty, and when wired 
frames are used, it is out of the question 
altogether. 
Well, after all my trials, I have at >a*t 
struck on a plan which has so far worked to 
perfection, and by it I am able to put a weak 
colony right “on its feet” without materially- 
injuring the strong ones. The plan is this 
Take the wire-cloth box 1 have before described 
in QUanwgi. Bet haps 1 had better describe it 
again here, so that the new subscribers can 
make one. Make a box of any size to suit you (I 
use one holding about six quarts,) and cover the 
two sides with wire-cloth. Through the top 
bore a hole to admit the small end of a large 
funnel, such as is used by those who sell bees 
hy the pound, and make a slide to covvr this 
hole after the funnel is removed. Now pro- 
ceed to your strongest colony (if you have no 
such, one should be bought, il possible, ns it 
will pay largely on the investment,) and look 
it over till you tind tile queen. But the frnme 
she is on aside from the others, no as to make 
it impossible to get her in your box, when you 
will select a frame well covered with bees (or 
two partly covered.) Now drum lightly on 
this frame so as to cause the bees to fill them- 
selves with honey, and set it down by the hive. 
While the bees are Ailing themselves, put back 
the frame having the queen on, and adjust the 
hive, except leaving a space lor the frame 
which the bees are on. As soon as they arc 
well filled, adjust the funnel in the box, when 
they aie to be shaken down through the 
funnel, and the box closed with the slide. 
After putting the frame back in the hive, 
and closing it, the box of bees is to be 
carried to a warm room and a blanket thrown 
over the box to keep it dark, when it is to 
stand three or four hours, During this time 
the bees will realise their queenless con- 
dition, and set up a great buzzing, telling 
plainly of their loss. Now go to the weak 
colony you wish to strengthen, and get their 
queen, which is to be put in with the bees in 
the box. To do this, set the box down 
suddenly, so that all the bees will go to the 
bottom ; then quickly draw the slide and drop 
in the queen, closing it again. Cover up 
again and leave until about sunset, or three or 
four hours more, when the bees will be found 
clustered compactly like a swarm. Now goto 
the colony from which you got the bees, and 
get a frame of hatching brood, without bees, 
and put it in the hive containing the weak 
colony, when you will at once hive the bees 
from the box on it. If the evening is at all 
cool, I shake the bees from the box right on 
top of the frames so that none shall get 
chilled. I think all will see the “ why ” of 
the plan, without my explaining further. 
O. M. Doolittle. 
Borodino, N.Y., April, 1886. 
Friend 1)., your plan will work all right, 
without any question ; but you will excuse me 
for suggesting thnt there is too much machi- 
nery ubout it to suit our work. If 1 wanted to 
strengthen u colony during apple-bloom, or at 
any time when the bees are working fairly, I 
would just lift the frame-brood, bets, and all, 
out of auv hive that could spare it, during the 
middle of the day, when most of the bees are 
in the fte.d», and" set it in the hive that needs 
strengthening. 1 would be careful that the 
frame did not contain very much unsealed 
brood, however. As most of the Hying bees 
are in the fields, the bees cov* ring the combs 
in the middle of the day will be, os u rule, 
young ones ; and with us, such a Irame of 
bees will not quarrel, nor be quarrelled with, 
one time in ten. Ju»t set them quietly 
between the combs of the weak hive, and le't 
them get acquainted at their leisure. If they 
