272 



THE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEW 



J. A. Sproat's winter packing cases, open ready for packing. 



end. and two in the middle to keep the 

 bottom off the ground. It is then lev- 

 eled with a pocket level as the hives 

 are to remain in these boxes until fruit 

 bloom, and longer if the weather re- 

 mains cool. 



The hives are now placed on this 

 bottom board, as close together as they 

 will go. The front is then set in place 

 and the ends hooked to it. The bridges 

 or little boxes to provide an entrance 

 are next put in place. These provide an 

 opening 1 1/2x6 in. long, leaving an en- 

 trance to the hive proper of -J^xG in. 

 The back side is now put in place and 

 hooked, the staples being driven so as 

 to hook rather tight, making the box 

 quite rigid. 



Now a piece of building paper is cut 

 about nine feet long, and then cut 

 lengthwise, making two long strips 

 which are put next to the hives and 

 folded over the ends and top, both 

 front and rear. The strips will lack 

 about four or five inches of coming to- 



gether on top of the hives, leaving a 

 space across the center of each hive 

 for upward ventilation, and for the 

 moisture to escape. 



Xow for the packing. Taking my 

 two-wheeled cart made from ])inder- 

 truck wheels so as to be low, having 

 handles about fi\e feet long, I go to 

 a box that is full of chaff, and with a 

 hook that is used for lifting the hives 

 onto the wide bottom lioard, 1 lift up 

 one end of the box of chaff and run 

 the two-wheeled cart under. The cart 

 is made wide enough so the wheels are 

 outside of the box. This box of chaff 

 is now wheeled to the box of hives, and 

 the packing shoveled in with a scoop- 

 shovel. When enough is in to hll level 

 with the top of the hives, pressing it 

 down firmly with the hands, two pieces 

 of burlap, wider and longer than the 

 box, are placed over the hives, lapping 

 them about sixteen inches in the middle. 

 More chaff is then shoveled in, until 

 it is eight or nine inches thick on top. 



