16 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



Januaey, 1918 



Fig. 4. — Before nailing the queen-excluder on the 

 hive two cleats are tacked across to hold the brood- 

 frames in position. 



sageway of a hive packed thus will be 

 rather devious, for the entrance of the inner 

 hive is opposite the side of the outer hive. 

 The bees will go in at one corner, pass along 

 for a distance of a few inches, and then 

 turn to the right under the frames now stood 

 on end. 



Whichever of these two methods is used, 

 we should be glad to see tried out in dif- 

 ferent localities this plan of wintering with 

 frames on end. The first allusion we find 

 to this style of wintering is by Moses Quin- 



by in the American Agriculturist, p. 447, 

 Dec, 1870. The following is the plan as 

 there given: 



' ' For the benefit of those using the Quinby 

 hive, or any. other hive in which the frames 

 are supported by the bottom-board, I wish 

 to say now that they may be arranged for 

 winter with but very little trouble, and com- 

 bine all the advantages of the straw hive, 

 with manj' others, for outdoor wintering. 

 First, prepare the bottom-board by securing 

 ventilation thru it in such a manner that it 

 will not become obstructed by any dead bees 

 that happen to drop. Then arrange a pas- 

 sageway for the bees from near the center 

 to the outside entrance. Next get out a 

 atrip, one inch by 1%, one foot long, and 

 nail, a strip of hoop iron on one edge, pro- 

 jecting 14 inch. This will support the frames 

 in the same manner as usual. Lay this 

 across the bottom and set one end of the 

 frames on it, hooking fast to the hoop iron, 

 keeping the same relative position of combs, 

 and all the frames will stand just the other 

 way — across the hive — and be about four 

 inches from every side of the hive. Cover 

 the top of the frames with canvas, and then 

 fill with soft straw, hay, or chaff, or even 

 dry sawdust, closely packed, even full. Open 

 one of the ventilators near the top, and all 

 the moisture will pass so very slowly 

 thru the straw that most of the heat will 

 be retained near the bees; and if they are 

 in good condition to start with they will 

 be not only safe but very comfortable all 

 winter. ' ' 



W^< 



250 LONG IDEA HIVES 



Some of the Ad-vantages of Hiues 



Capable of Horizontal Expansion 



Compared to Standard Hi-ves 



By Freeman E. Reeder 



E have 

 low used 

 the Long 

 Idea hive for a 

 sufficient time to 

 make us quite 

 certain that we 

 shall like it. 

 Two hundred 

 and fifty col- 

 onies is the greatest number we have ever 

 had; but we should like to have three hun- 

 dred in this style of hive next summer. 



When the queen is old, and the surplus 

 combs contain drone-cells, we are obliged to 

 use excluders. Ordinarily we keep the 

 brood-nest in the center of the hive, use two 

 division-boards, and give the colony room 

 whenever needed. It is always easy to give 

 more room, as there are thirty-two frames, 

 11/4 inches from center to center. Near the 

 close of the honey season we shift the few 

 •remaining combs of brood and honey and. 

 give the bees a comb to catch any last drib- 

 ble of honey that may be gathered. 



We do not attempt to produce much comb 

 honey with this hive, altho it is possible to 

 do so by using wide frames to hold the sec- 

 tions and keeping one frame of foundation 



next to the 

 brood. Or if de- 

 sired a super 

 may be used di- 

 rectly over the 

 brood-nest, and 

 shifted later to 

 one side for the 

 bees to cap. 

 Swarming i s 

 still a question, altho we think we are 

 better prepared to handle this problem with 

 the Long Idea hive than with one that 

 must be tiered up. We certainly are saved 

 a great deal of heavy lifting. With our 

 old hives, giving room in the spring always 

 used to bother me; but not so with these 

 hives in which one or more combs can be 

 given at pleasure. The inside covers are 

 in three parts; and it is a simple matter 

 to give them ventilation above. In addition 

 to the ventilation we find young queens and 

 plenty of comb room helps to keep down 

 swarming. 



Unless we were able to move our bees we 

 should be compelled to go out of the business 

 entirely. We have found an easy way of 

 moving, even with this size of hive. Before 

 the time to start, the bees are prepared by 



