THE AUSTRALIAN BEEKEEPERS’ JOURNAL. 
153 
only fourteen Black queens at present, the 
remainder are pure Italians, the majority 
mated with Black drones. I keep my bees in 
an open shed, ten feet wide and five feet high 
to the wall plate, with a gangway up the 
centre, a row of hives on each side, the hives 
eighteen inches apart. I use in the brood 
chamber a frame, loj-in. deep by 11-in. wide, 
inside measurement, twelve frames below, and 
eleven in the supers, 11-in. wide by 5-in. 
deep, inside, from one to three tiers of frames 
as required. I am just going to try 1-lb. 
sections for the first time. The swarming 
season here usually commences in September, 
and closes in March. My bets have just now 
got a very severe attack of the swarming 
fever, in spite of three tiers of frames over the 
brood chamber, the covers raised, and an 
entrance twelve inches wide and half-an-inch 
deep. The hives have more brood in them 
now than at any previous time this season ; I 
increase by dividing. Our honey is chiefly 
from the different varieties of eucalypti and 
ti-tree. Of the latter there are four varieties ; 
of the former, many ; but I do not know there 
botanical names. Last winter my bees filled 
their hives late in July from ihe ti-trees and 
flooded gums. According to my experience 
the ti-trees are the greatest honey-yielders 
here. [ believe I was the first to use the 
frame-hive on the Clarence, and the first to 
import Italian bees. I cannot say what an 
iverage yield is, as I have worked more for 
increase. Last season my best Italians stored 
ten pounds of rurplus honey per week for 
several weeks in succession. The bees are 
very busy just now with the bloodwoods and 
the late maize. 1 manufacture my own founda- 
tion, press it between engraved plates ; hut 
the process is slow and not satisfactory. I 
wish to try the rollers. G. Green. 
Palmer’s Channel, Clarence River. 
Correspondence. 
transferring from box hives 
SIMPLIFIED. 
No. 55. — Anyone possessing bees in boxes, 
intending to rob honey from them at this 
present season, would do well to provide 
frame hives to transfer bees and brood into, 
and so^ large colonies nicely settled for next 
season's work, and at same time gave a little 
“sight into the system of manipulation. 
The transfer of bees to another box in the 
usual method of drumming having been 
accomplished, and the honey having been 
secured, the question arises what to do with 
the brood comb, which is usually thrown 
away, and means very considerable loss to the 
colony as well as to the proprietor. To save 
tins, and at the same time transfer brood and 
bees to a Langstroth or other frame hive, 
proceed as follows : — “ Procure 20 strips of 
wood, 9-in. long by |-in. wide, and j-in. 
thick. Spiko in this wire nails through these 
at distances of lj-in. from ends, and from 
each other — which will give five nails at equal 
distances in each piece — with a fine 4-in. brad, 
tack five of these strips on to a frame, spike 
inward. The quantity above mentioned will 
supply four frames, which should be sufficient 
to hold most of the good brood necessary to 
transfer. Now take the combs with brood 
that have been cut out from this box hive, 
and lay them for the projecting nails in the 
frame, and the whole frame fitted up by a 
little trimming by a sharp knife. Have also 
on hand for each frame so treated two pieces 
of wood same size, also spiked with nails, 
equal in length to the frame, say, 17 i inches 
— these to be tacked on longitudinally on the 
other side of frame after brood is fixed, and so 
hold the pieces of comb firmly in the frames. 
This being done, the frames may he hung in 
the hive alternately, with frames supplied 
with foundation starters — the bees hanging in 
clusters in the other box may then be dumped 
down at the entrance of the hive, into which 
they will at once run, care being taken that 
a wide board or cloth be made flush with the 
entrance of the hive, so that no obstacle 
prevents their running directly into the hive, 
they being too full of honey to do any stecple- 
eliasing. Do not transfer any drone comb or 
honeycomb ; the first is not needed, and if 
food is required better give it a week later, or 
after things have settled down a bit. The 
sticks may be all removed in a week’s time, 
the bees having made all fast and solid, so do 
not fasten on so firmly. — Yours, &c., 
L. T. Chambers. 
FACTORY REPORT. 
No. 50. — Since starting machinery in Sep- 
tember last to present date, I have made and 
sold, chiefly iu Victoria, about 2000 hives — 
most of which have gone ont in retail lots to 
beginners. I find the greatest interest exhi- 
bited, both by amateurs and those who have 
been keeping bees for years, and the desire to 
work upon improved principles is daily mani- 
festing itself, and by next season 1 trust an 
increased interest may be excited in the 
frame hive. I have given the 8 frame Bush 
Hive a good trial, and am satisfied that it is a 
handy hive, and will give satisfaction. I am 
now making for my own use, next season, a 
shallow hive, a la Heddon, witli a fixed frame 
and a divided brood nest ; to carry any 
quantity of brood or section-boxes ; all parte 
to be capable of alternation in position. I 
feel sure for box honey this is the thing — 
easy to get boxes started. Although I don’t 
believe iu tile principle of reversing the 
possibility of interchange in position is a great 
gain. Section boxes have been in demand, and 
the machine has had to run pretty frequently. 
Comb foundation — much called for. Have 
