1882 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



229 



they very seldom bite througli it, if the liive- 

 covers are not leaky. True, it is not a very 

 great protection against cold, but in cool 

 weather we keep a chaff cushion over it. 



MACHINERY 



FOR MAKIINCl 

 < AiNS. 



IIONEY- 



T the present time, a great deal of in- 

 terest is being taken in the matter of 

 cans for fruit, and considerable in cans 

 for honey. Friend Wilkin, at least, has pur- 

 chased the tools for making his own honey- 

 cans, and apiarists will, in the future, very 

 likelj^ have this work done on their own 

 premises during the winter, and at other 

 seasons when they or their employes can 

 not well work in the apiary. The press 

 shown below is for stamping out the tops 

 and bottoms, and also for making deep cov- 

 ers, at one operation. 



PRESS FOB MAKING COVEFS FOR HONEY-CANS. 



We have just received one of the above 

 machines, and the workmanship pleases us 

 so well that we asked the makers, Messrs. 

 (Stiles & Parker, to lend us the ilhistration. 

 The treadle, as it goes down, moves back ; 

 and while it gives a long stroke, it at the 

 last, by a sort of toggle-joint, gives a most 

 prodigious power. The press alone costs 

 S75.0(J, and the new and improved dies cost 

 about S12.5.OO per set. AVith it the tin is cut 

 out and the edge turned up, at one single 

 stamp of the foot. Even a deep cover, like 

 those used on the Jones honey-boxes, are 

 made at a single stroke. Compared with 



the old slow ways of working, these ma- 

 chines seem almost like a sort of sleight of 

 hand or witchcraft. 



in 



•9 



Or DfiJartnicnt lor duties to be attended to 

 tlii» uioiitli. 



This department is intended for the purpose of reminding our 

 friends of tlie duties of each month. 



f SHOULD like to suggest to you a "Remindery 

 Department" in Gleanings. I think it would 

 ' at least be as important as the Growlery. Jt 

 would remind us each month of the various things 

 that arc very necessary to be done, which are very 

 often neglected for want of thought. Now, as you 

 make a good reminder in Our Homes for doing our 

 duty in a spiritual sense, which is, I think, far more 

 important than any other thing in this world, j'ou 

 could conduct a "Kemindery Department," remind- 

 ing us each month what to do with our bees. 



J. H. Thoknburg. 

 Winchester, Ind., April 13, 1883. 



You can see, friend T., that I approve 

 your suggestion, by the heading above. 

 There has been quite a call for something of. 

 the kind, for some time ; but I was deterred 

 from attempting it, because the seasons dif- 

 fer so widely where Glkanings goes. Well, 

 it hnally struck me like this: Of late, I have 

 been obliged to shift my many cares, one 

 after another, on to the shoulders of others. 

 I am now going to ask you, my friends, to 

 help make this department what it ought to 

 be. Let us remind each other of the impor- 

 tant things for each month, as we think of 

 them ; and if Ave get short suggestions from 

 (juite a number, we shall be sure to hit the 

 most of you. 1 will start it, something this 

 way: — 



In our locality it will be time to transfer, 

 with most of you, when this reaches your 

 eye. Read what is said in this number about 

 it, and directions in AB C. Those who have 

 no A B C can have a transferrinj^ sheet sent 

 them, by asking for it. During fruit-bloom, 

 give your bees every opportunity of getting 

 out and in their hives rapidly, by removing 

 all grass and weeds near the entrances. A 

 single spear of grass will often knock down 

 hundreds of bees in a day. Don't be satis- 

 lied- with pulling out a little grass now and 

 then, for it will be right in the way again, 

 after the first JMay shower. Dig the grass 

 all up for a foot around, and then put down 

 gravel or coal cinders, banking it right up 

 to the entrance ; then cover it with white 

 sand, patting it down hard, so every bee can 

 buzz right in. If you can't see them express 

 their thanks, you don't understand " bee 

 talk." Do it before they are out in the 

 morning, or use a smoker. Don't have any 

 unpleasantness about it. Leave on the chaff 

 packing and the Hill's device until they be- 

 gin to build comb under it. Do every thing 

 that ought to be done, and look into every 

 hive, and see every queen at least once a 

 week. Give some frames of drone combs to 

 the queen you wish to have rear drones. 

 After the flow from fruit-blossoms is over, 

 feed a little every day, and keep comb-build- 



