THE AUSTRALIAN BEEKEEPERS’ JOURNAL. 
107 
ones. Another plan is to remove the unfini- 
shed case entire, to store the sealed sections, 
and having placed the unfinished ones in the 
boxes of tiie *• Raynor divisional rack," each 
of which holds seven, to return them to the 
centre of the hive, covering the exposed out- 
side frames with strips of board, carpet, or 
felt. Sections completed should be stored in 
a dry and rather dark room, and overed with 
canvas, net, or muslin, to keep them free from 
dust and flies, and to allow the air to circulate 
freely around them ; by such means granula- 
tion may to a great extent be prevented. The 
temperature of such a room should not be 
allowed to fall below 60 Fahr. 
Remnciny Section-rate* — 1. Some appear 
to experience a difficulty in removing cases 
entire ; and 2, one correspondent complains 
bitterly of burning his fingers while endeavour- 
ing to carry out our suggestion of steeping a 
doth in carbolic solution and spreading it 
over the super To the former we reply that 
when the operation is performed according to 
our directions, in no single case have we met 
with the Slightest difficulty, or suffered from a 
single sting 
Not to recapitulate, let reference be made to 
our last hints, 8th July, p, 30 J. Hut if smoke 
be preferred to carbolic solution, let the bees 
at home be driven down wards from the sec- 
tions, and the whole case be removed while 
gently raising it by leverage during the 
smoking, and carrying it indoors as directed. 
Never smoke at a distance, or the bees will be 
driven into the sections; act quietly, and let 
there be no j irring, no hurry. Following 
these directions, we rarely either get a sting 
or irritate the bees 
Where several cases are " tiered up,” one 
above the other, the uppermost case must be 
first removed, then the next in order in like 
manner; plenty of smoke being used, and the 
help of an assistant. The use of a veil gives 
confidence, but keep the hands uncovered, 
and, if afraid of stings, spray them with a 
very weak solution of carbolic acid. Working 
in all weathers with uncovered hands, and 
using the above-named solution, the skin 
becomes tough and hard, but very brown — 
O ye nymphs— and stings, if implanted — 
which they very rarely arc — give us neither 
concern nor inconvenience. Being case- 
hardened, moreover, we can wring out a 
cloth, when steeped in the prescribed solu- 
tion, without blistering our hands — in fact, 
with perfect impunity. We have frequently 
warned our readers of the dangerous nature 
of carbolic acid — and we cannot always be 
repealing warnings; when, therefore, com- 
plaint is made of blistering hands and skin, 
we can only suggest that more care should be 
used. Surely it is possible to find some mean* 
of squeezing dry a cloth without plunging the 
hands into the solution. In case of accident, 
n little oil rubbed on the spot immediately 
will prevent ill effects. Two ounces of 
carbolic acid, the same quantity of glycerine, 
and a quart of hot water, will mix well, and 
is the safest solution for general purposes; 
but it will blister the skin. In removing 
sections, we much prefer it to smoke, and it is 
more effective. A long and strong goose-quill 
soaked in the above, wiped dry and passed 
between the sections, will quickly dislodge 
every bee, and will leave neither scent, 
flavour, nor any other ill effects behind. 
When the section-cases are removed, a few 
passes of the feather over the tops of the 
frames, no matter how crowded they may be 
with bees, will cause every bee to disappear 
at once, and, what is more, will take all the 
sting out of them . — British Bee Journal, 
22nd July, 1886. 
NOTES AND NEWS. 
Observation of Floweri ritiled by Bee *. — 
September — Wallflowers (moderately ;) beans, 
white mustard (largely ;) small pink Mesem- 
bryanthemum Rargely ;) Pittosporum (very 
few ;) wattles (freely ;) Cape Broom (freely ;) 
single camclios (very largely.) 
The Bu*y Bee. 
I iie bee is one of the most wonderful insects 
in all creation. A whole lifetime can be spent 
in studying its habits and still all will not be 
known. \\ e will cite one or two instances in 
whieh Prof. M'Lain’s labours are liable to 
prove a great value. It is known that the 
tongue of the honey bee is not sufficiently long 
to reach and gather the sweets of red clover. 
I hat plant is only fertilised imperfectly 
through the workings of the bumble bee. The 
sweets of the red clover art’ pure and of fine 
flavour, and would greatly aid to quantity and 
quality of honey, if it could only be gotten at 
by the honey bee. The question was — how to 
go to work to accomplish this end. The red 
cover bios -o ins could not be induced to change 
, their form for the benefit of the bee, and so it 
became evident that the bee must undergo a 
change. Its tongue must be lengthened It 
would be impossible, and owing to the extreme 
warmth of the insect's latter end, dangerous to 
catch each individual bee and try to stretch its 
tongue 
I iie professor thought long over the matter, 
and arrived at a much better plan than this. 
He arranged a fine wire screen, and on a 
smooth surface beneath this he spreada a thin 
