June 18, 1885. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
515 
animals, by judicious selection of parents most objectionable 
features in a race may be gradually caused to disappear, or 
in another case any qualities not possessed by the race in 
general may be obtained by this careful selection. Why 
cannot the same be effected with regard to bees ? Swarming 
is to many an objectionable feature in bee-keeping. Increase 
of stocks is not desired. Let, then, some experienced person 
say whether this change in the habits of the bee may not be 
effected by care on the part of the apiculturist: such care in 
the end, after some generations have passed by, effecting a 
radical change in the very nature of the bees, and giving them 
no inclination to swarm unless compelled either by extra¬ 
ordinary neglect on the part of the bee-master or the un¬ 
fortunate death in the honey season of the queen mother 
reigning in the hive. 
Mr. A. Pettigrew stated in his treatise on the subject 
that supers do not prevent swarming. Is that to be con¬ 
sidered correct ? To attempt to speak in opposition to so 
great an authority might be presumption if the intention were 
to upset his theory ; but as it is only intended to enlarge 
upon his theory it cannot be considered anything more than 
attempt to prove his rule therein laid down by an exception. 
If I have a hive in May very strong in bees and do not wish 
to obtain an increase of stock, the course I adopt, and advise 
others to make trial of, is to put on, say, a 101b. super, which, if 
the stock be ready for storing surplus honey and of good size, 
will in ten days’ time be about two thirds full of comb and 
the bees be crowded so as to induce them to think of swarm¬ 
ing. If, however, this nearly filled super be lifted up and 
another placed beneath it, the bees will by this increase of 
storage room be kept fully employed. They will gradually 
complete the first-put-on super, which may then be removed, 
the second placed one then being on the top and another 
placed beneath it, and so on until the honey season draws to 
an end, when the supers may be stored away as they are gradu¬ 
ally finished, no fresh ones being placed on the hive. This 
plan, then, if carefully followed out so that the bees are never 
overcrowded, will in most cases entirely prevent the sending 
forth of swarms; but if the supers be placed but one day too 
late the mania may and generally does set in, and when the 
bees are determined man’s attempt to upset their decision is 
futile, and generally ends in a great and costly waste of time 
when honey being most abundant the profits of the bee¬ 
keeper ought to be daily accruing. 
This management, taught by Mr. Payne in days gone by, 
proved to be useful, and known to be successful, cannot for 
simplicity be equalled, and can surely not be objected to on 
the score of trouble by even the most enthusiastic followers 
of the bar-frame system with their queen-cell excision, queen 
cages, and other attempts to frustrate what is, after all, the 
natural instinct of the bees to accomplish the perpetuation of 
their species. 
This is not theoretical only, but is at my own apiary in 
practical use, giving a good illustration of its advantages. 
Last year the success was complete, not a swarm being 
thrown. This year my stocks were ready, all of them, in 
the last week in April, to work in supers; in fact, did begin 
to work in them, but were compelled to desist by the bitterly 
unseasonable weather of that time. In the meantime I 
fed them regularly. On the 23rd of last month the weather 
changed, and all supers were again replaced, and wonder¬ 
fully well they have worked in them since, many containing 
sealed combs. One stock is at full work in 63 lb. sections, 
another in a 40 lb. super, and others in supers suited to the 
size of their hives and their individual circumstances. There 
is no sign of swarming. One not supered in order to try the 
method swarmed in May. —Felix. 
THE LATE REV. H. R. PEEL. 
The Committee of the British Bee-keep°rs’ Association, at their meeting 
held on the 10th inst., Thos. W. Cowan, Esq., in the chair, unanimously 
passed the following resolution :— 
“ The Committee of the B.B.K.A., having learnt with the deepest regre^ 
of the death of the Rev. Herbert R. Peel, desires to place on record the 
sense it entertains of the irreparable loss the nation, the B.B.K.A., and his 
personal friends, have sustained by his premature and most lamentable 
decease. For many years he acted as Hon. Secretary to the Association, 
and threw himself into the work with an ability, energy, and tact that 
could not bs surpassed, sparing neither time, trouble, nor expense to extend 
a knowledge of scientific bee-keeping amongst all classes throughout every 
part of England and Wales. 
“ To him the establishment of County Associations affiliated to the 
British Bee-keepers’ Association in nearly every county in England and 
Wales is mainly due, and to this organisation must be attributed in a very 
great degree the advance in the general knowledge of bee-keeping through¬ 
out his native land, which has placed England in so short a time at least on 
an equality with other countries. 
“ All this work was done from a sincere desire for the public good and 
the promotion of the general welfare of the community. 
“ The Committee, in expressing their sincerest sympathy with Mrs. 
Peel and his sorrowing relatives, beg to assure them that the recollection of 
Mr. Peel and his many good deeds will be ever present with them, and his 
name will always be associated with the progress and extension of bee 
culture in England. 
“ They trust that the consciousness of the good effected by Mr. Peel will 
afford his relatives some consolation under the sudden and grievous blow 
which has fallen upon them.” 
It was further resolved that some steps should he taken to raise a fund 
for the purpose of carrying out those objects which were dear to Mr. Peel, 
and thereby to perpetuate his memory. The following resolution was 
carried unanimously:— 
“ That bee-keepers and others be invited to subscribe for the purpose 
of raising a fund in memory of the late Rev. H. R. Peel, to be invested, and 
the interest to be devoted annually, triennially, or at such other interval of 
time as the Committee of the British Bee-keepers’ Association may from 
time to time think fit, to a prize or prizes to be given to cottagers in con¬ 
nection with the advancement of bee-keeping in the United Kingdom. 
MOVING BEES IN THE SPRING. 
Spring is usually the best season to buy and to move bees, for the 
hives have then less honey and less brood than at most other seasons. In 
moving them three things are essential:—1, That they have good ventila¬ 
tion. 2, That the combs be securely fastened so that they cannot shake 
about. 3, That the bees be securely fastened in. With bees in box-hives 
all that is necessary, as a rule, is to turn the hive bottom-side up, letting 
it stand on its top, and then to tack wire-cloth securely over the bottom or 
open end. In these box-hives the combs are securely fastened by the bees 
to the top and sides, and cannot shake about. And if the hive is trans¬ 
ported standing on its top, the open bottom will give ventilation, and the 
wire-cloth will confine the bees. 
Hives with moveable combs must have the comb3 so fastened that they 
cannot shake. If such combs have not been lifted from the hives, nor 
their fastenings broken loose, since the previous year, they can often be 
transported some distance without any other fastening than what the bees 
gave the combs the previous fall. The gluing done by the bees, and the 
little supports they often build between the combs, are sufficient, with 
careful handling, to hold the combs in place. But it is best to be very 
careful about this. 
If there is any doubt about the combs being secure, better take the 
trouble to fasten them rather than have them strike together and kill the 
bees in transit. If most of the combs are secured, and only now and then 
a loose one, the loose ones can be fastened by boring the ends of the top 
bar with a bradawl and setting a small wire nail through the top bar into the 
hive. But when most of the frames are loose, or when the bees are to be 
sent some distance, with danger of rough handling, it is always best to take 
special measures to fasten the frames both at top and bottom. To fasten 
at bottom I use a bent wire. Have screws or nails set in a board so that as 
you wind the wire from one to the other to make a series of angles like the 
letter W. When this is of the right length to stretch across the hive cut 
it off, leaving the ends about three-fourths of an inch long. Now put this 
wire in the bottom of an empty hive, putting it at a right angle with the 
direction in which the frames hang. Drive the ends of the wire into the 
sides of the hive, and, if necessary, fasten the wire at two or three points 
on the bottom board by using very small staples, like blind staples. The wire 
will then stand with its projecting parts upright. Now lift the frames of 
comb of the colony you wish to transport from the old hive and hang them 
into the prepared hive, with the bottom bar of each frame hanging down 
into one of the open angles of the wire. The wire projecting upon each 
side of it, will prevent the frame from swinging. 
To keep the tops of the frames from jarring together, a thin strip of 
wood of the right length can be prepared by driving nails through it so 
that they project about an inch. Then lay this strip across the tops of the 
frames, with the nails projecting down between the frames, and fasten the 
strip at each end to the hive. The projecting nails between the frames will 
keep them in place. Now cover the whole top of the hive with wire-cloth, 
leaving off honey-board or quilt or enamelled cloth, or whatever you use to 
cover the tops of the frames, letting the whole top of the hive have no 
other cover except the wire-cloth. The wire-cloth confines the bees per¬ 
fectly, it gives abundant ventilation, even in the hottest weather, and. it 
allows the bees to be seer, by everybody. This last is an important point 
in sending bees by express. The average porter has an intense horror of 
stings. Now, if he sees a whole colony of bees with nothing between him¬ 
self and them except the wire-cloth, he will handle those hives with the 
most tender care. 
Then at evening, when all bees are in the hives, nail a strip across the 
entrance, which will effectually shut them in. Of course it is understood 
that enough honey is in the combs for the use of the bees. It is a good 
plan, especially in warm weather, as you are preparing the hives for sh,- 
rnent, to lift up one of the empty outside combs, hold it horizontally, P 
pour evenly over the surface from a pint to a quart of water. The wand 
will mostly run into the cells, and when the comb is hung back willst ater 
them, and will give the bees needed water during the journey. I have shipped 
