344 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



May 1. 



chamber apart, and Into one section of it I will 

 put abundant stores to last the colony through 

 the winter. The bees will be brushed from the 

 removed hive, and that will be set in the iron 

 curing-house, where no rats or mice can reach 

 them to spoil the combs, for in the spring I will 

 use them again to transform my small hive into 

 a large one, that the system I use maybe re- 

 peated again. 



SMAI.L HIVES, WHY BETTER FOR WINTERING. 



All my experience has led me to believe that 

 bees winter best in a small hive crowded full of 

 bees, and with just enough stores so there will 

 be no danger of their coming to want or being 

 scrimped during confinement. I have found, 

 by many trials, that the brood-combs are less 

 liable to mold, and will keep sweeter, when the 

 hive is crowded well with bees, and I believe 

 the bees keep more uniformly warm under such 

 conditions. And I know positively that the 

 combs and honey in the hive that is taken 

 away will be cleaner and purer when kept in 

 the honey-house than it would have been had 

 the two remained all winter with the bees in 

 them. Next spring I can at the proper time set 

 the two together again in a moment, and have 

 a large brood-nest again; and I can do this 

 easier than I can carry these big double hives 

 (or big single hives of equal weight) into the 

 cellar and out again; for I have found by expe- 

 rience, especially since age has come on, and my 

 strength has waned, that a small hive, even of 

 equal weight, is more easily carried and han- 

 dled than a large one; and I have also found 

 that a small hive requires less room in the cel- 

 lar, and that there can be many more of them 

 put into the same size of room, with less crowd- 

 ing. 



I will now call the reader of this back to 

 where I reduced my large hive, which I had 

 been using with all the advantages claimed by 

 the friends of large single hives during the 

 honey season. It is now a small hive again, 

 with all the advantages enumerated above — 

 compact, comfortable, and healthy for the bees; 

 easy to handle, and economical of room to the 

 apiarist. How can you prove to a practical, 

 intelligent bee-keeper, who has " been there," 

 that these small hives are not good when prop- 

 erly used? The combs are small, and more 

 convenient for uncapping, than large ones. Mr. 

 Dadant admits this by using small extracting- 

 combs. I simply use all one-sized small combs, 

 without losing any of the advantages of a large 

 hive, and I gain many real advantages, and 

 that without any increased cost in material or 

 labor. I planned my small "Handy " hive, es- 

 pecially for con.b honey ; but I have written 

 this article entirely in the interest of extracted; 

 and, while I believe my present conclusions are 

 correct, yet I know that the most of us mistake 

 mere superstition and prejudice for knowledge. 

 I had intended to stop experimenting ; but 



there are so many of the leading questions in 

 bee-keeping that seemingly rest on no demon- 

 strated proof that I have changed my plan, and 

 again commence the search for demonstrations 

 in every-day practical questions of profitable 

 honey -production. 



I have previously given my reasons for pre- 

 ferring a small hive for wintering and early 

 spring breeding; but for the purpose of further 

 search in this field I have at the present time 40 

 two-story hives in my cellar that have at least 

 50 lbs. of honey each. Now, my bees never 

 consume more than 8 lbs. each per colony. 

 While in winter quarters those 40 colonies will 

 be set on the summer stands, covered warmly, 

 and left just as they are. Another lot that are 

 now being wintered in single hives will be giv- 

 en another hive each at the proper time next 

 spring; another lot will be left in the single 

 hive until they swarm. All will be given the 

 most equal and careful attention throughout 

 the season. The surplus from each class will 

 be carefully weighed, and the comparative re- 

 sults ascertained. Part of these colonies of 

 each kind will be run for comb and part for ex- 

 tracted. I expect to get good results from each 

 of these classes if the s-eason is good ; but if it is 

 another poor season, I shall expect the swarms 

 in the single hive to far outstrip the others in 

 white surplus honey. Now, if friend Dadant 

 will make an equally fair trial of large and 

 small hives in his yard next summer, important 

 facts may be learned to a certainty. 



In this article I have not tried to please Dr. 

 Miller, for I have not "locked horns" with 

 friend Dadant. The doctor always seems to 

 enjoy seeing the brethren "lock horns;" but I 

 have not attempted to discredit Mr. Dadant's 

 large hives, but have tried to illustrate the use 

 of small ones; for I regard it as a poor plan to 

 try to improve our own house by pulling down 

 those of others, even if they are not the best. 



DEPTH OF COMBS; AND IS IT ADVISABLE TO 

 HAVE THEM BUILT SOLID TO THE BOT- 

 TOM-BAR? 



At another time I may try to show the supe- 

 riority of small hives for comb honey. I regard 

 the " Handy " hives, as I make and use them, 

 as well suited for use in the tiered up or double 

 form ; yet I could use the Root eight- frame 

 Dovetailed hive, as now made, with satisfacto- 

 ry results. The chief fault is its size. Eight 

 Langstroth frames make a large hive to use in 

 this way for comb horn y. Six frames would be 

 nearer right, and a couple of dummies would 

 make the change. But I prefer not to use any 

 loo!-e traps in my work if I can help it. The 

 "Handy" hives are complete in themselves, 

 without any changeable parts, and are always 

 ready for instant use in any manipulation, with- 

 out any change of parts for extracted. The 

 Dovetailed hive would work well for both super 

 and brood nest for two-story use. Any hive, to 

 be satisfactory, must be made so as to maintain 



