ISii.l 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



137 



their toe-nails in to climb up, if they should 

 bring in such "dead loads '" as to fall short of 

 the entrance (which provision was entirely 

 unnecessary this year, as a gimlet-hole might 

 have answered for alighting and entering). 

 The three-cornered block formerly used for an 

 alighting-board is sawed in two to make en- 

 trance-blocks, sawing a little piece out of the 

 middle as shown in the picture. It is shown 



nearly closed, as used to keep out robbers. IJnt 

 the most important feature is the tray to hold 

 the top packing. The chaff cushion is all right 

 for the old-style chaff hive. The old chaff hive 

 admits of its being tucked down snugly in the 

 corner so as to prevent drafts, yet secures per- 

 fect ventilation up through the middle of the 

 chaff, because all dampness can pass off at 

 once, owing to the spore betireen the ciis}iion 

 and the roof. Now, this requiren)ent is not 

 met with the cushion in the Dovetailed chaff 

 hive. The inside of the cover will become wet 

 and moldy, as also the cushion. This tray se- 

 cures all the conditions connected with the use 

 of cushions in the old-style chaff hive. 



Ten years ago I visited Mr. J. S. Hill, at Mt. 

 Healthy, O. He is the author of the Hill de- 

 vice. I visited a few days with Mr. Muth, and 

 he told me I must not fail to go to see Mr. Hill, 

 as he had the best-kept apiary in the State. 

 When I saw it I concluded Mr. Muth was not 

 far out of the way. He had a hundred or more 

 colonies in Langstroth hives: no grass was per- 

 mitted in the apiary, but he had a stalk of flax 

 to shade each hive. This was in the fall, and 

 he was just cutting down the dead stalks. 

 Each hive was provided with a Hill device and 

 tray. I did not notice how his were made, but 

 ril tell how I made mine. Either the sides or 

 the ends should be 6 inches high, so as only to 

 let the cover telescope over the rim-piece one 

 inch. I made the sides from the crating the 

 hives came in. The ends should be short 

 enough so the sides can be nailed on to them, 

 and leave the tray ^4 inch less each way than 

 the inside dimensions of the cover. The boards 

 for the ends should be sawed oft' perfectly 

 straight, otherwise the tray will be diamond- 

 shaped, and the cover won't slip on and oft' 

 freely. It would be better to have the ends cut 

 at the factory, as it bothers "some folks" to 

 saw a board oft' accurately. 



To cut the burlap for the bottom, spread it 

 out, and, taking the tray for a guide, cut an 

 inch larger all around. To nail on. lay on a 

 table or bench: put the burlap in with the 

 edge sticking up in the inside, and fasten with 

 thin strips, say I4 by 1 inch, clamping the cloth 

 fast. It takes but a few nails this way. A 

 brick laid under while nailing will make it 

 loos'' enough to cover the Hill device, or what- 

 ever is used across the frames for a winter- 

 passage. 



For packing I shall use maple leaves for the 

 tray, as they are easy to get— no grain mixed 

 in to entice the mice to make nests, etc. In 

 the spring they may be thrown away and fresh 

 ones got in the fall. 



While discussing the matter of hives, I wish 

 to call your attention to a point I mentioned to 

 you three or four years ago. I told you that 

 your Hat covers for the Dovetailed hives were 

 too thick. Mine were only ^^ and ^^ inch 

 thick. You were afraid the thin cover would 

 warp worse than the thick ones. Well, after 

 having had an opportunity to compare them 

 since then. I want to repeat what I said then, 

 that the thin cover will not warp or wind near- 

 ly as much as the thick ones. You see, there is 

 not as much wood to strain on the end pieces, 

 which are just as heavy as those on the thick 

 ones. In proof of this I will say I have covers 

 only ;^H inch that I have used at least ten years, 

 that are still as straight as ever. I don't ihlnk 

 1 should like the Higginsville cover as well as 

 these. 



Oberlin, O., Dec. 1, 1894. 



[The tray may possibly give better results 

 than the simple cushion: but as we have had 

 good results with the latter, we have given it 

 the preference in our catalog. The tray, if 

 made of rough three-eighths crating, would be 

 cheaper than the cushion, and would be easier 

 to pack. We do not as a rule ship the hives 

 with cushions, as each bee-keeper is supposed 

 to fix up for himself what he likes best. I com- 

 mend Mr. Fowls' arrangement. Aboitt that 

 three-eighths-inch cover, I should like to hear 

 from others who may be using them. I have 

 been afraid that they would check. — Ed.] 



BY G.M.DOOLITTLE.BOROOINO.N.Y. 



liiiiiiruniiiiiinHiiiiimmmiim. niiiinn.ii . 



LAYING CAPACITY OF (QUEENS. 



(Juesti07i.—l see that very many of our most 

 practical apiarists are recommending eight 

 Langstroth frames as the right size of brood- 

 chamber for a strong colony of bees. Such 

 eight-frame Langstroth hive, if entirely occu- 

 pied with worker comb, contains IKiS square 

 inches of comb, or about .58,400 cells. From 

 this we must deduct at least 10 per cent of the 

 space for the usual supply of honey and pollen, 

 leaving about 5:.',,i0() cells. Allowing 21 days 

 for the bee to hatch, and one day for the bees 



