1 Dec., 1901.) QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 557 
few swarms at times since, and last year, when one gave me bother, I got a 
big garden syringe with a fine rose, and gave them some water with good 
results. Curiously enough, this week I came across the following in the 
American Agriculturist on the same subject, and, as this is the swarming time 
of the year, perhaps it may be of value to some of the readers of Garden and 
Field, so I send it along as my share to the mutual benefit paper. It is by 
F. G. Herman, New Jersey, and he says :— 
In hiving swarms it often happens that the bees are persistent in taking 
wing, when they are dumped in front of their new hive, instead of crawling 
into it. I have had a few swarms go back and cluster on the same limb after 
they had been carried to the hive two and three times. I recently tried a 
little spraying on a few swarms to overcome this difficulty, and with very good 
results. While the bees are yet hanging on the tree take a small spray pump 
or syringe, and wet the cluster with one or two quarts of cold water. 
Then take your swarm-catcher, run it up under the cluster, get them 
into it, and they will cling together while you carry them to the hive. When 
dumped in front of it, they will not readily take wing, but will run into it. 
Swarms that have been hived a few hours-and seem restless, or cluster mostly 
on the outside of their hive, can also be made more comfortable by giving them 
a little spraying. Bees need a great quantity of water during summer, and 
the beekeeper can supply their needs in a few minutes, where it would require 
hours for the bees to gather it themselves. 
A SELF-CLOSING GATE. 
Take an ordinary gate and attach hinges as shown (to be made from old 
wagon or buggy tire), so that the same will work easily on the post. Then 
attach trace chain at brace, and also to post on reverse side from gate. By 
opening the gate the chain is wound round the post, raising the gate about 
8 inches. It will close by its own weight. The hinges are cheaply and easily 
made and attached, using only two small bolts on each. If people will adopt 
this hinge and method of swinging a gate they will have no further trouble 
by having gates left open. I have used three now for four years (writes a 
correspondent of Farm and Ranch), and have had no trouble. Before it was 
nearly impossible for me to keep them closed. The gate is suspended by the 
chain, and the brace is for the purpose of letting the weight come on all 
four slats, and should be about 18 inches from the rear of the gate. 
