1910 



(iI.EANINGS IN BEE CULTIHE 



7»9 



Fig^. ^4 



AIKEN'S HONEY-WAGON. 



from A to B, Fig. 1, is made of sheet metal. 

 I used No. 16 galvanized iron, making two 

 pieces by cutting in two a slieet 3 ft. wide. 

 These metal pieces readily bend around the 

 circle and give great strength to support the 

 weight that comes over the front axle. The 

 part from C to A may be made of metal or 

 of wood. 



The side board D, Fig. 2, is bolted fast to 

 the circular sheet iron just over the front 

 axle. As the iron recedes i ..ward from each 

 side, spaces are left into which boards are 

 fitted and securely fastened to both the side 

 board D and the iron, thus forming a shelf 

 or ledge on each side on which the seat rests. 

 The seat may be detachable or stationary. 

 After trying both ways I prefer the detach- 

 able seat. In one of my wagons the front 

 wheels are 38 inches high and the rear ones 

 42; in the other, 36 and 38 inches respective- 

 ly. Of course, lower wheels would be all 

 right. To get in at the front I climb up 

 over the doubletree, using the hound or gear 

 for a step. This would not be quite suitable 

 for a common passenger wagon, but is all 

 right for a business affair. 



Another special feature of this wacon is 

 the back end, which is shown. in Fig. 3. 

 Note that the vehicle has a hack cover, and 

 that the sides are canvased in tight up to 

 the part out under for the front wheels, 

 .lust behind the seat is a curtain which may 



be let down, closing the front end of the 

 box, and at the back are two screen doors, 

 which, when closed, make a bee- tight com- 

 partment. The reason for having tioo doors 

 is that, when a door is only half as wide as 

 the opening, a slight racking of the door- 

 frame out of square will not leave a crack 

 large enough for bees to pass. Moreover, 

 when the doors are open they do not swing 

 out far enough to be in the way. A catch 

 at the top holds one door and the other 

 one latches on to it. 



Over the doors is a box used as a trap, each 

 door being provided with an escape-hole at 

 the top that lets the bees up through a cone 

 into this box, which is just a plain wooden 

 afTair with a wire front. It is made detach- 

 able from the wagon so it can be taken down 

 in a moment. When moving colonics of 

 bees, if a leak occurs those that take wing 

 and tly to the door are soon caught in the 

 box; or, when taking off supers, if a few i>ees 

 are left on the combs when put in the wag- 

 on they are soon trapped, as are also any 

 robbers that get in. Without trying such a 

 device as this, no one realizes what a lot of 

 trouble it saves. I have put leaky hi\es in 

 a wagon without making any attempt at 

 closing them. I move right along and there 

 is no trouble from flying bees. Most jieopie 

 would be surprised at the comjiaratively few 

 bees that take wing when left open in the 



