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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 
 
 t JMe//M %.S # 
 
 # # 
 
 ^ UNITED STATES UF AMERICA. ^ 
 
AN 
 
 IMPEOYED SYSTEM 
 
 OF PROPAGATING 
 
 THE HONEY BEE 
 
 
 %4 
 
 
 ^#lfi#^ 
 
 BY J. S. HARBISON. 
 
 SACRAMENTO : 
 
 PRINTED AT THE DEMOCRATIC STANDARD OFFTCl 
 
 1S60. 
 
 The Trade supplied by HOSS A.CK & CRAWFORD, Sacramento. 
 
To All to whom these Presents shall come, Greeting: 
 
 Whereas I^ John S Harbison, of Sacramento, 
 GaUfornui, did on the Thlrtf^.entli day of isjemher. 1859, 
 ohta'ni Letters Patent for tJie invention of a neiD and useful 
 impro cement in '3 El iEl^WlSi^ vesting in me the sole and 
 exclusive right to midce, usr-^ and vend, and to convey to 
 others the right to 7nake, use, and vend, said imprar)ement 
 in Bee HivfS : 
 
 Now, Thei{EF()RE. he it liioiviu that for the conside- 
 ration of One Dollar to me paid, the receipt of which I 
 hereby acknowledge. Thereby grant, bargain and sell, unto 
 
 of the County of and 
 
 State of , the right to 
 
 make and use said improvement, for his own personal use, 
 but not to sell or transfer to any other person ; and as a 
 condition precedent to the making and use of said i7nprove' 
 ment, the said grantee shall cause the above hlanhs to be 
 filled with his own name, and the name of the County and 
 State in ivhich he resides. 
 
 In Witness Whereof, 7 have/hereunto set my hand and 
 seal, this /<^ ^'^'.v q/" /^/^^^^^^-^^m 1S6^ 
 
 '^^..^iM<L.^^...^ 
 
AN 
 
 IMPKOYEB SYSTEM 
 
 OF PROPAGATING 
 
 THE HONEY BEE. 
 
 BY Jf S. HARBISON 
 
 SACRAMENTO : 
 
 PRINTED AT THE DEMOCRATIC STANDARD OFFICE, 
 
 1S60. 
 
SF5Z3 
 
 Enteked, according to Act of Congress, in tlic year one tliousand eight hundred 
 
 "and sixty, 
 
 BY J. S. HARBISON, 
 
 In tlic Cicrlc's Office of the District Court of the United States, for the Northern 
 District of California. 
 
ITiEF^CE 
 
 It is vrith pleasure that I am enabled to announce to tho. 
 public the discovery of a new and important impi-ovement in 
 the art of propagating the Honey Bke. And iiaving verified 
 its practical uliiity by extensive use both in llse (ipi'drlcs of 
 several pi-actical bee-keepers in this Stale, and in all our own 
 apiaries during the past two seasoi^.s, I now cull the attention 
 of the pulilic to the merits claimed for it, as well as the instruc- 
 tions for its practical operation, contained in the following 
 pages. 
 
 My invention refers to the rearing of queens, and Consists in 
 placing the conib known as woi'ker cells, in a horizonttil posi- 
 tion, 80 that the cells shall be vertical, or nearly so, by the 
 means hereinafter described. 
 
 This vertical position tends to facilitate the bibors of the 
 bees in the construction of queen cells. It also induces them to 
 rear a greater number of queens, and as perfectly developed as 
 if I'aised to supply natural swarms. 
 
 The importance of an efficient mode of raising queens to 
 supply colonies is well understood by practical apiarians, and 
 has been discussed by "Langstroth on the Honey Bee," also the 
 celebrated Iluber, in his book on the Honey Bee. And since 
 the introduction of the various movable frames for hives, it has 
 become doubly important, in order to facilitate the increase of 
 bees by dividing the colony, or forming artificial swarms; also, 
 lo supply hives known or supposed to be queenless. 
 
 It seems necessary in the economy of the beo to suspend the 
 
queen cells perpendicularly. In doing this from worker cells 
 occupying a horizontal position, the queen cell is frequently 
 projected beyond the comb to which it is attached, as shown in 
 Plate No. 3. Also in Langstroth's work, at p. 192, and comes in 
 contact with the comb adjoining, thereby endangering, and often 
 fatally injuring, the queen cells in removing the comb. 
 
 But the most serious objection to these overhanging queen 
 cells is the curved position in which the queen is reared, render- 
 ing her development frequentljMmperfect 3 also, when bees are, 
 by the removal of their queen, compelled to rear young ones, 
 they frequently construct the cells near the edge of the combs, 
 and barely within the cluster of the bees, thus exposing them to 
 chill, whereby they are often destroj'ed. 
 
 These difficulties are fully overcome by the use of the vertical 
 QUEEN NURSERY, as per patent, granted to me, and dated Decem- 
 ber 13th, 1859: "Patent No. 26,431. Improvement in Bee 
 Hives. What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by 
 letters patent is, placing the bee comb known as worker ceil, in 
 a horizontal or nearly horizontal position, so that the cells shall 
 be vertical or nearly vertical, instead of horizontal, b}^ the means 
 or their equivalent substantially, as set forth and represented. 
 
 John S. Harbison." 
 
 P. S. I hereby tender to all ministers of the gospel and 
 editors of newspapers throughout the United States, the right 
 of the above for their own personal use, free of cost. 
 
 In order to enable others to construct and use said invention, 
 together with its practical application, I have embodied in the 
 following pages full directions for the same, and annexed a 
 license entitling the purchaser to the personal use and benefit, 
 on the terms therein set forth. 
 
 J. S. II. 
 
ATsT IMPR.OVED SYSTEM 
 
 OF 
 
 PEOPAGATIM THE HOIEY BEE 
 
 FORMATION OF COLONIES. 
 
 The proper time to commence colonizing is from one 
 to two weeks earlier than natural swarms leave the 
 parent hive, and to continue two months.* This depends 
 on the season, and varies in different localities; the 
 nearest approximation to the time would be from eight 
 to ten weeks from the times that they commence to carry 
 in pollen from the willows and other sources of early 
 pasturage, or as soon as Drones make their appearance 
 in considerable numbers. In Sacramento and vicinity 
 they commence to carry in pollen about the first of 
 February; and the first swarms for the past three years 
 have emerged from the first to the fifteenth of April. 
 In Oregon and Washington Territory, the commence- 
 ment of the swarming season is probably from three to 
 six weeks later, while in the latitude of Los Angeles, 
 California, it is from two to four weeks earlier. 
 
 *This is as late as it is safe to form them, unless there is abundant pasturage or 
 feeding is resorted to, in which ease colonies may be formed to do well as late as 
 the middle of July ; also, the number of colonies that should be made from a hive 
 depends almost entirely on the amount and continuance of pasturage. For, while 
 in one place an increase of one or two colonies is all that can be made,-there are 
 others where from five to eight can be made and all do well. 
 
Feame IIiyes being alone well adapted for the pur- 
 pose of colonizing, the directions hereafter given refers 
 only to theh^ nse, yet the invention can be applied to 
 all style of hives. 
 
 Suppose the owner of five hives of bees finds on the 
 twenty-second day of March, that his bees are becoming 
 crowded in the hives, and from the favorableness of the 
 season, believes they Avould swarm early in the following 
 month. Then let him proceed to make a primary 
 divide,'-' and form a Queen Nursery in the queenless 
 division. For this purpose, choose one of the hives that 
 is strong and likely to have the most brood. (There 
 shoukl be at least five sheets of comb containing brood 
 in the hive selected for this purpose.) 
 
 If the hives used have their frames suspended from 
 rabbets at the top as the Langstroth Hive, then remote 
 the cap, also the honey boxes and honey board. If the 
 frames a^^e glued fast with propo'is, they are to be pried 
 loose, and are then to be moved each a little towards one 
 side, in order to make room for taking out the first frame. 
 But if the frames are inserted from the side and held 
 adjusted by means of tenons and grooves, as the Harbison 
 Hive, open the door and lid, remove the honey boxes, 
 chamber floor, (honey board,) and glass frame. The 
 operator should now stand with his left side close to the 
 hive. The front tenons of four frames are first to be 
 raised out of the grooves in the front board; then move 
 three of them further from the side one to give space 
 for it to be removed first. Then with the left hand take 
 hold of the corner of the frame resting against the front 
 
 *Onc primary divide witli queen nursery formed, can be dcjoended on to supply 
 from four to eiglit embryo queens. I liave Iiad as liigh as fourteen in one section, 
 and frequently nine to eleven, and as high as twenty in a hive. The number 
 depends mainly on the proper arrangement of the comb, the age of the eggs and 
 larvaj, as well as a numerous family of bees and abundant pasturage. 
 
board, and with the right hand tlie outer corner. Now 
 raise the left hand, carrying the frame upwards and 
 outwards, moving on the fulcrum, nntil free from its 
 rest in the sill. The movements should be slow and 
 gentle, yet no time should be unnecessarily wasted. 
 Now place this frame in an empty hive ready at hand, 
 then take hold of the second frame in the same manner 
 as before described, and turn the comb with the left 
 hand sufficiently to keep it from rubbing the bees and 
 adjacent comb, then by the upward and outward move- 
 ment it is freed from its rest (without jar,) the same as 
 the first one — each of the other frames are removed in 
 the same manner, part being placed in the hive with the 
 previous one, and the others are to be stepped over into 
 the vacancies first formed. 
 
 FIND THE QUEEN. 
 
 A sharp v/atch is to be kept for the queen from the 
 first opening of the parent hive, and if found, place her 
 in the new hive, but if not found by looking the combs 
 once over, then spread a sheet on the ground and take 
 the combs, one by one, and with a quick motion shake 
 the bees on it. In handling cjmbs, care should be taken 
 to keep them with one edga upright to prevent break- 
 ing. The Queen wall most likely be found in the cluster 
 on the sheet, sometimes she crawls off the combs and is 
 found on the inside of the hive.* When found, place 
 
 * Sometimes it is diflicult or requires too much time to find the Queen 
 among so large a mass of bees as should occupy a hive suitable for a primary 
 division, in which case divide the combs so that about half of the brood as 
 well as half of the bees are given to each hive. (Regard should also be had 
 to a division of stores.) However, before adjusting the combs to their places, 
 sections of combs should be arranged in each hive, as directed at page 8. 
 This is necessary, as it is not known which hive the Queen is in. The one 
 she is in will not build any Queen cells, while the other one will. Hence, 
 on opening either hive after three days have elapsed, her whereabouts is 
 readily determined. 
 
her in the new hive, then examine the combs and 
 choose one half of the most mature brood combs and 
 place them in the hive with the Queen. One sheet of 
 comb containing stores should be placed first at the side 
 and the brood j)laced compactly adjoining. The empty 
 frames are added, and the hive is ready to receive its 
 share of the bees. 
 
 QUEEN NURSERY FORMED. 
 
 The other half of the brood combs, in which are 
 principally eggs and young larvae, together with the 
 remainder of the store combs, is to occupy the original 
 hive after the vertical Queen Nursery is formed, as fol- 
 lows : Take a comb newly built '^' and choose that por- 
 tion of it in which eggs and a small portion of newlj^ 
 hatched larvae is found, and with a knife cut out from 
 the central portion of one or two sections, as shown in 
 Plate No. 1. 
 
 // is one of the sections which is cut three inches 
 long and seven-eighths of an inch deep. The ends are 
 cut square, then three-eighths of an inch from either 
 end cut down three-fourths of an inch, and take out the 
 piece, leaving a shoulder three-eighths broad on either 
 end for the section or nursery to rest upon. This being 
 placed with the mouths of the cells downwards or ver- 
 
 *As it is sometimes difficult to find a newly built comb sufficiently large for 
 turning the section in the same, it answers equally well to cut the apertures 
 in old comb and insert sections of new built comb containing eggs taken from 
 any other hive. In the spring of the year it would be necessary in order to 
 get new comb, to remove a sheet of the old or a portion thereof, from the 
 center of the hive about ten days before making the primary division; this 
 would give the bees room to build, which they would do, provided they were 
 strong and the pasturage good. The reason why new comb is best for rearing 
 Qneens in is, the absence of cocoons, on which account the bees build a much 
 larger number than they do when compelled to use the cells containing cocoons. 
 Eggs laid by a Queen one year old are better fur rearing Queens from than those 
 laid by one bred the same year. 
 
ticallj, as shown in the figure, leaving a space, as shown 
 at ?', which gives room for developing Queens in a per- 
 fectly straight and natural po. ition two combs should 
 be so prepared, then a store comb is first placed at one 
 side of the hive and the combs prepared as above, placed 
 
 (Plate 1.) 
 
 next to it and the balance of the brood, and then the 
 store combs next to these, in a compact manner; an 
 empty frame is added, and the whole covered with a 
 cloth which reaches over the top and down the sides to 
 the bottom board. 
 
^i 10 
 
 The Bees are now to be equally divided tetween 
 tlie two hives, and the glass frame and honey board 
 put to their pLace, and the hives closed up and the 
 apertures arranged lor the egress and ingress of the 
 bees. The hives are then to be placed ; the one on 
 the right and the other on the left side of where the 
 original one stood, and may be placed within a few 
 inches of each other. 
 
 This prdiary divide is best performed in the eve- 
 ning, about one hour before sundown, yet it will do 
 at any time of day. They should be watched for the 
 first few hours that they fly, to see that a proper pro- 
 portion of them enters each hive. If more are found 
 to enter one than the other, move the one that most 
 enters further away and the other nearer to the phice 
 where the original hive stood ; if this still does not effect 
 the object, close the entrance of tlie strong one for about 
 two hours and force the remaining bees to enter the 
 weak one. When the apertures are again opened, a 
 board or cloth may be placed so as to change the appear- 
 ance of tlie one receiving more than their share of bees. 
 
 The Bees nmv finding themselves without a Queen, 
 but in possession of the means to rear young ones, 
 quickly commence to enlarge and build downwards a 
 number of the c lis containing eggs, at the same time 
 the young larvce is supplied with a quantity of whitish 
 matter, called royal jelly, whicli is of a slightly acid, 
 pungent taste, and is difiorent from the food on which 
 the common brood are fed. These royal cells are sealed, 
 a part of them on the sixth, and the balance on the 
 seventh day from the time of forming the nursery. 
 When the cells are finished, they present the appear- 
 
11 
 
 ance shown in Plate No. 2. The Queen cells are shown 
 at y, the Yvorker brood emerging as seen at h. The 
 
 (Plate 3.) 
 
 V 
 
 
 1 
 
 y 
 
 uv^* 
 
 Queen cells are straight and occupy a pendent position. 
 The Queens are larger and more perfectly developed, 
 and a greater number are reared by this m^ethod than 
 when the colony is left to rear them as shown in Plate 
 No. 3. (7 is the Queen cells being built outwards and 
 downwards, so that the young Queens grow in a curved 
 position; this being an unnatural shape, the Queen is 
 
12 
 
 not as large or well developed as when raised in straight 
 cells, as previously shown. 
 
 (Plate 3.) 
 
 When Queen cells are built on the edge of a comb 
 (as is often the case,) they frequently suffer from cold, 
 which retards, and in many cases entirely destroys 
 them. This danger is avoided by the vertical nursery 
 being arranged so that it occupies the center of the 
 cluster of the bees, by which means a chill is avoided. 
 
 The bees seldom if ever remove an eofar from one cell 
 to another for the purpose of development; hence it is 
 obvious that they are seldom in a position suitable for 
 straight cells, unless so arranged by the bee-keeper. 
 This plan is also found to produce more and as per- 
 fectly developed Queens as if raised to supplj^ natural 
 sv/arms. 
 
 Date the Hive containing the Queen Nursery with 
 the day it was formed, in a conspicuous manner, and in 
 ten days from this time the most advanced of the em- 
 bryo Queens are sufficiently mature to be used in colo- 
 nies now to be formed, or given to hives supposed to be 
 queenless. The less advanced ones can be used on the 
 
13 
 
 eleventh day. But it is not safe to let tliem remain for 
 a longer period, as the first young Queen out would 
 destroy the remaining ones. (See Plate No. 4.) iVis 
 the cells whence a Queen has emerged ; o cells destroyed 
 "by her. 
 
 (Plate 4.) 
 
 i^^*'*' ^^:\^\ 
 
 -,^\T>V<^ \V 
 
 IT 
 
 i^Xo 
 
 Li^-^-\^ 
 
 ^^ 
 
 When iJie royal cells are mature, as above described, 
 select a hive that is strong and filled with brood in all 
 stages, open it and remove the combs in the same 
 manner as directed in the primary division, then choose 
 two combs, one of which should contain a large amount 
 of mature brood and the other eggs and young larvae. 
 (Plate 5.) A Queen cell is taken from the nurs- 
 
 ery, (see Plate No. 5.) Now wdth a 
 knife make an aperture in the center 
 of the comb having eggs, etc., and 
 insert the Queen cell in it, (see Plate 
 No. 6,) which shows the appearance 
 of the comb with the Queen cell in it 
 after being in the colony two days. 
 At m is seen the foundation of a new Queen cell which 
 contains larvse ; this the bees commence and continue 
 to build until the emerging of the supplied embryo 
 Queen; and in case the latter fails, then this one sup- 
 plies the loss. Care must be taken in handling the cells 
 not to jar or dent them, also not to expose them so as 
 

 4 
 
 
 
 ^-- 
 f^^^ 
 
 <^ti 
 
 
 ^^«\ 
 ^-'V. 
 
 to become cold. And they should be so arranged as 
 not to come in contact with the adjoining comb. Let 
 tlie bees remain clustered on the comb;<, but if they are 
 in the way of inserting the Queen cell, brush them 
 gently Avith a quill out of the w\ay. Watch carefully 
 for the Queen, and if found, return her to the hive 
 Avhence she was taken. The two combs containing 
 brood (in one of which is the Queen cell,) are to be 
 placed in a hive ready at hand/^ and at one side, then 
 one comb containing stores is added, together with an 
 empty frame. There being three combs taken out of 
 
 *The hives should be cool at the time the colonies are placed in them, and 
 particular care taken to shield them from the rays of the sun until they havo 
 their liberty. In fact, the sun should be excluded from the hives entirely, when 
 the temperature is above seventy-five degrees. In early spring and at times 
 when a low temperature prevails, it is best to let the sun shine directly on the 
 hives, which vill give greater vitality and assist in developing the brood. 
 
15 
 
 the old hive, there should also be one-third of the bees 
 taken to compose the new colony. Now cover the 
 frames with a cloth. The hive is then closed, and the 
 apertures shut, to prevent the escape of the baes. 
 The ventilators are then opened and the hive set in a 
 cool and shaded place till evening, when it is to bo 
 moved to a distance of one mile or more, when the 
 apertures for the bees' entrance are to be opened, giv- 
 ing: them their liberty. 
 
 The vacancy in the old hive is filled with empty frames 
 and then closed up, except the place for egress. If it 
 is intended that the colony is to remain in the apiary 
 where formed, instead of removing it to a distance, it ia 
 to be forn.cd the same as nbove, except that both combs 
 should contain mature brood instead of eggs and larvgG ; 
 the Queen cell should be inserted in the center of the 
 comb where a portion of the brood have emerged, as 
 shown in Plate No. 7. The young bees are also to be 
 separated from the old ones.=-= This is done by shaking 
 them from the combs on a sheet, the old ones take wing 
 and return to the parent hive, while the young ones 
 remain on the sheet. One-third of the bees should 
 remain and be put in the new hive having the combs as 
 previously arranged; before putting the bees in the 
 hive, they ore to be examined to find if the Queen is 
 among them, and if found, return her to the hive from 
 which she was taken. 
 
 * During the season of rapid breeding, which is in the spring and early sum- 
 mer, bees" that are in a thrifty condition and have a fertile Queen, are found 
 to have eggs and brood in all stages during a greater portion of the year, but 
 they usually occupy a large proportion of their combs with a generation^ of 
 nearly the same age. Hence when they emerge, the hive is in a fit condition 
 to form colonies from as above ; while if delayed a few days later, these young 
 bees will have marked the exact position of their home, consequently, if after- 
 wards taken to form colonies and are left in the same apiary, will, when they 
 take wing, return to the familiar spot. 
 
16 
 
 (Plate 7.) 
 
 
 iii, 
 
 ^^i>; 
 
 '#> 
 
 '1 
 
 l%> 
 
 
 >' -^S>« 
 
 The Hi ye containing the Colony is then to be closed 
 lip, and with the ventilators open, set in a cool place as 
 above directed. As soon as it is dark it should be set 
 on the stand and the apertures opened for the working 
 of the bees. Do not open the door or remove the 
 frames for the first six daj's, for if done, many of the 
 bees will take wing and return to the parent hive. By 
 this time the Queen and most of the brood have emerged 
 from the cells. The hive is then to be opened and all 
 the bees are to be shaken or brushed from the two 
 brood combs, which are now nearly empty. If many 
 bees are found, proceed as follows : open any strong 
 hive and choose two or three combs, (according to the 
 strength of the colony they are to be placed in,) having 
 eggs and young brood. All the bees are to be gently 
 
17 
 
 brushed from the combs with a wing or quill. Then 
 after one comb containing ample stores is placed in one 
 side of the hive containing the colony, the former are 
 to be placed adjoining with two empty frames added, 
 and the whole covered with a cloth and the hive closed, 
 except the apertures for egress and ingress. 
 
 The two combs taken from the colony are put in the 
 hive in exchange for the brood combs removed."^' But 
 if the colony is found to be weak, choose two combs 
 with mature brood instead of eggs and young brood. 
 From six to ten days after this last change, the colony 
 will be found to have a fertile Queen,f or if the first 
 embryo Queen has failed, sealed Queens will be found 
 in the combs. If found to have a fertile Queen, the 
 organization is complete and all that is wanted after- 
 wards is to add empty frames or suitable combs, and 
 see that the combs are built straight. 
 
 Colonies formed and h^ft in the same apiary do not 
 work much for the first week ; this is owing to the fact 
 that the bees are too young to go forth to labor in the 
 fields. As there is but little labor to be performed in 
 the hive, all that is wanted is to maintain the animal 
 heat to develop the brood. On the sixth day, when 
 the combs are exchanged as directed, they will have 
 commenced work. Keceiving young brood at this time, 
 stimulates them and gives them profitable employment. 
 And having a young Queen, before they commence comb 
 
 *The objects of interclianging combs are 1st, to strengthen the colony. 2d. 
 If the embryo Queen supplied has fliiled to emerge or is afterwards lost, it gives 
 the bees the means of rearing another. 3d. The combs which would otherwise 
 remain empty for a period of ten days, is immediately replenished with eggs, 
 making a difference of half a generation's increase. And still another advan- 
 tage gained by interchanging is the keeping the bees in the colony as profitably 
 employed in maturing the brood as if they were in possession of a fertile Queen. 
 
 t Twenty-three days is the shortest time, and twenty-eight is the extreme limit 
 for a Queen to become fertile from the time she is hatched from the egg. 
 
18 
 
 building, (which they do about this time,) they build 
 worker cells, most of which are supplied with eggs as 
 soon as the Queen becomes fertile. 
 
 The hive containing the Queen Nursery having a 
 large amount of mature workers, will build drone comb 
 during the time they are queenless, but as soon as a 
 Queen emerges they change and build worker comb, at 
 which time the drone comb should be removed. But 
 the hive having the old Queen continues their labors 
 with increased vigor and fill up the vacancy mostly Avith 
 worker comb, using it both for breeding and laying up 
 stores. 
 
 The advantage gained by moving colonies to a dist- 
 ance as previously directed, are these, Jirst^ it saves 
 time, there being no need of separating the young bees 
 from the old, being moved such a distance as to prevent 
 their returning to the parent hive, which many of them 
 would do if formed and left in the same apiary. 
 
 Second. The colonies can be placed some distance 
 apart, obviating the danger of the young Queen enter- 
 ing the wrong hive, as is frequently the case when 
 packed closely on the stands. When the Queens be- 
 come fertile, these colonies may be returned to the 
 original apiary and placed in compact order without 
 serious disadvantage. When formed as described above, 
 it is safe to remove colonies a distance of from one to 
 ten miles in a spring wagon, if deferred until the cool 
 of the evening or morning. 
 
 The Hive containing the Queen Nursery having a 
 lar^^e amount of bees, is suitable to divide on tiie tenth 
 dav from its formation. The combs from which the 
 brood has emerged should be changed for combs having 
 young brood. But no more should be placed in any 
 
19 
 
 liive than there are bees to cover, so as to prevent a 
 chill. Divide equally, giving a royal cell to each. The 
 hives are to be properly arranged, to allow egress and 
 ingress, and placed near each other, one on the right 
 and the other on the left of the original position ; these 
 subdivisions are to be treated in the same manner as 
 directed for other colonies. 
 
 All Colonies having young Queens about to emerge 
 and standing in the immediate vicinity of other hives, 
 should be conspicuously marked, to enable the young 
 Queen to regain her own home on returning from her 
 serial amorous excursions. This takes place within 
 from seven to ten days from her birth. The marking 
 is best done by placing a board, one end resting on the 
 place of alighting and the other on the ground in a 
 slanting position. Yfhen a number of colonies are to 
 be thus marked, let the boards be of different colors. 
 Cloth can be used to good advantage to alternate. 
 
 As SOON as tJie Queens are fertile, let these marks be 
 removed; this will show at a glance if any remain un- 
 fruitful. 
 
 To build up weak colonies at any time, take a sheet 
 of mature brood from any hive th^at is full, and give to 
 them; being sure to have all hives full of comb and 
 stores at the close of the season. 
 
 THE CALIFORNIA BEE HIVE 
 
 Was patented Jaiiaaiy 4th, 1S59, to J. S. Harbison. 
 
 The above Hive was awarded the first premium at the Cali- 
 fornia State Fnir, held in Marjsville in 1859. The first premium 
 was al^o awarded at the Industrial Exhibition of the Mechanics' 
 Institute of Siui Francisco for the same year. 
 
 TliG f)llowing extract is from the Report of Special Com- 
 
20 
 
 mittee, No. 24, on Bee Hives, published in the Transactions of 
 California State Agricultural Society for the year 1859 : 
 
 "AYe would next report in reference to Mr. Harbison's Hive. 
 This Hive is a California invention, and combines the great 
 requisites necessary to the successful raising of Bees, namely : 
 having perfect control of the combs, by means of the sectional 
 frame, which is so adjusted that it is firmly held at proper fixed 
 distances, and can be removed without the least jar; it also has 
 the inclined bottom, and there are no useless parts to form a 
 harbor for worms, or accumulation of filth, to facilitate their 
 increase. 
 
 " While the Hive is constructed on natural principles, giving 
 proper depth of comb, enabling the Bees to concentrate the 
 animal heat to the best advantage, thereby insuring a largo 
 increase of Bees, and consequently of honey, the ventilation is 
 on a new principle, so arranged as to admit air without light, 
 when required, and be reduced or increased easily. 
 
 '^ The surplus honey-box is made in sections, so that while 
 the largest yield of honey is obtained, it is yet separated in 
 small parcels, in a beautiful shape for the table. 
 
 ''Your committee award to the Harbison Hive the first pre- 
 mium ; and also would recommend to the Executive Committee 
 that they award him a special premium for his ingenious inven- 
 tion of so useful an article in our State."* 
 
 For Hives, Individual, Township, Count}^ or State, Eights for 
 the above Hive in all the States and Territories (except those 
 hereafter named.) apply either to \Y. C. Harbison, Chenango, 
 Lawrence Co., Pa., to A. Stewart, Fallston, Beaver Co., Pa., or 
 to the undersigned. 
 
 In the State of Iowa, to J. H. Dickey, Bellvue, Jackson Co., 
 Iowa. 
 
 In the State of Michigan, Indiana and Kentucky, to A. F. 
 Moon, Paw-Paw, Van Buren Co., Michigan. 
 
 In New Jersey, or adjoining territory, to George Henry 
 Hammonton, Atlantic Co., N. J. In Kansas Territory, to Jo- 
 seph P. LocKEY, Spring Hill, Johnson Co., Kansas. 
 
 In Oregon and Washington Territories, and Siski^'ou Co., Cal- 
 ifornia, to W. C. Myer, Ashland Mills, Jackson Co., Oregon, or 
 the undersigned. 
 
 Hives and Eights are also for sale by the following Agents 
 in (California : 
 
 Thomas Ogg Shaw, San Francisco; Samuel Morrison, Santa 
 Clara; C. C. Warner, Stockton; E. A. Sherman, Los Angeles; 
 Jacob Y. Hoag, Washington, Yolo Co.; B. II. Hoag, Na}3a ; E. 
 Y/. Winchell, 'Millerton,' Frezno Co.; G. \( . Eamsdell, Marys- 
 ville; Blewbaugh k Harris, Folsoin ; James Clark, lone Citv. 
 
 J. S. & W. C. HAEBISON. 
 
 Sacramento, Cal. 
 
 * Since the above was in type, the first premium has been aAvardecl to this hive 
 at the District Fa;rs held reBpective]y at Mar^-svillc and Stockton. 
 
Persons wishing to procure Bees to com?nence the 
 business of Bee Keeping, will do well to visit different 
 Apiaries, and thus by comparison be able to select choice 
 stocks to the exclusion of all others. 
 
 THE 
 
 BEE KEEPER'S 
 
 DIRECTORY 
 
 IS THE TITLE OF 
 
 ^n ^Uudiaied K^^ on Sm^ 
 
 iiV'hich I am now preparing, and expect to have piib- 
 ished within the present year. The dehay in the 
 )ubHcation of the above work, which was promised 
 jarly in the season, has been caused by a temporary 
 OSS of my health, which is now in a measure restored. 
 
 J. S. HAEBISOK 
 
 Jacramento, Sept. 1860. 
 
0002 843 490 
 
 
 
 
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