THE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEW 



375 



most endless routine of shaking and 

 brushingr bees, interchanging hives and 

 brood chambers, clipping queens, etc., are 

 now obtained in the highest state of per- 

 fection in a much easier manner. 



The simple equipment is incorporated 

 in a bottom board, which is adapted for 

 use with any hive having a loose floor. 

 This bottom board is double, and wide 

 enough to accomodate two hives side by 

 side, separated by a one-inch strip. A 

 rim around the outside forms a one-inch 

 space under the frames. On each side, 

 centrally located, is a main out side 

 entrance, Yz x 1 2 inches, each leading 

 through a short covered passageway to 

 two inner entrances, each having a 

 capacity equal to the outside entrance. 

 These inner entrances are opened and 

 closed by switch levers, the inner ends 

 of which are pivoted to the bottom board, 

 and work in a socket at each end of a 

 central "frog," the outside protruding 

 from the main outside entrances. 



When a switch-lever is thrown either 

 way from a central position the inner 

 entrance to the hive on that side is closed 

 while the one to the hive on the other 

 side is opened without changing the 

 position or appearance of the outside 

 entrance, as this is always open full 

 width. 



On each end, centrally located, is an 

 auxiliary entrance '2x6 inches, pro- 

 vided with a cut-off, to be opened and 

 closed as occasion requires. 



The equipment is the same on both 

 sides, and is always in position ready for 

 instant use. It does not in the least 

 interfere with the free passage of the 

 bees, nor conflict with any manipulation 

 by the apiarist. To render the equip- 

 ment doubly effective there is a system 

 that goes with it which will be described 

 in another article. 



Perhaps a bit of history relative to one 

 colony may be of interest. This 



colony was placed upon the switch-board 

 June 18, having previously developed the 

 swarming fever to the highest pitch. On 

 the day mentioned, it cast a swarm 

 which, having a clipped queen, returned, 

 and with it a part of two other swarms 

 that were out at the time, the hive being 

 completely covered with bees. In this 

 condition it was placed upon a switch- 

 board. The next day the field bees were 

 shifted over into an empty hive by the 

 new system. Ten days later the swarm 

 thus made was reinforced by another 

 shift. At the close of the harvest, July 

 12, the field bees were shifted back into 

 the original hive, and worked for cell 

 building the rest of the season. 



July 30, the five supers on this hive, as 

 well as the one on the hive by its side, 

 were chock full of beautifully white- 

 capped honey built from foundation, 

 making 100 per cent, increase and 150 

 lbs. of honey, all within 25 days, which 

 is not so bad when we consider that the 

 yard contained 200 colonies, spring 

 count, with a far from good location. 

 The time spent in manipulation did not 

 exceed ten minutes aside from putting on 

 supers. 



This colony is a fair sample of all the 

 others that were worked by the new 

 system which shows what may be done 

 with bees by applying correct principles 

 in harmony with their instinct, which is 

 the magic key that will unlock the doors 

 of every avenue that leads to the perfect 

 control of bees with economy of labor. 



It is not often that editor Root is 

 caught napping, but judging from his 

 comments upon this plan, he has for- 

 gotten the H. P. Langdon device for 

 swarm prevention which was patented 

 and introduced a dozen or 15 years ago 

 with a great flourish of trumpets. In 

 principle, it was an exact counterpart of 

 the Hand device. Two hives were set 

 side by side, and their entrances con- 

 nected by a wooden tube. To enter their 

 hives, the bees were compelled to pass 

 through this tube, and a s'ide in the tube 

 allowed the bee keeper to throw the 

 working force of both hives into either 

 hive. The "shifting" act that friend 

 Hand performs in the bottom board, was 

 accomplished by Mr. Langdon by a con- 

 necting tube in front of the hives. That 

 is all the difference. The principle and 

 system of manipulation were exactly the 

 same as described by Bro. Hand. 



The Langdon device was illustrated and 

 described in Insect Life, a paper published 

 I believe, at Washington, D. C. and this 

 description was copied into the Review. 

 I can't give the volume, and number, as I 

 am writing this while away from home. 



It seems that Mr. Langdon made quite 

 a success of it, on a large scale, the first 

 year that he tried it, but when it was 

 sent out broadcast, the next year, it 

 proved a complete failure in the hands of 

 bee keepers in general. 



