104 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTUEE. 



i^KK. 



a. I use a cover with a 3 inch space, like the lid of 

 a trunk, because it makes a dead-air space, which 

 prevents the too great heat of the sun on the 

 combs, d. By using enamel cloth. 



Louisiana. E. C. P. L. Viallon. 



After much experience with telescope covers I 

 have settled upon a flat cover like the Dovetailed, 

 only the under surface is entirely flat. 1 don't like 

 the cleat projecting- downward, b. i\, or %. c. I 

 think the disadvantages overbalance the advan- 

 tages. 



Illinois. N. C. C. Miller. 



The covers of my hives are calculated only to 

 turn the rain. The covers for the brood-nest and 

 the honey-boxes are the same, and independent of 

 the outside cover. The outside upper story is part 

 of our hive, like the outside cover. They protect 

 the arrangement of the surplus honey inside, what- 

 ever that arrangement be. 



Ohio. S. W. C. F. MCTH. 



a. No; no telescoping business whatever. You 

 can not handle the hives rapidly with the telescop- 

 ing or beveled arrangement, b. Scant '« inch. c. 

 No; you should use no cloths, quilts, or any thing 

 of the kind, in connection with your cover. Use a 

 flat cover with the proper bee-space between it and 

 the tops of the brood-frames, d. I do not use any 

 such cover. Those who do use the pestering and 

 annoying quilts or cloths must manipulate bees 

 more slowly. 



Michigan. S w. James Heddon. 



a. I use a gable roof to my hive-caps, which rests 

 on rabbets. I do not like to have covers set over 

 the hives telescope fashion, as one is too liable to 

 disturb the bees when removing the cap. b. I be- 

 lieve i\. is the proper distance. I have experiment- 

 ed somewhat in this mutter, c. Yes. d. By using a 

 honey-board or a brood-box cover as called by some, 

 inside the cap. We do not all call things by their 

 right names. What I call a honey-board is what 

 some call a cover; and what some call a honey- 

 board I call a queen-excluder. Which is which? 



Vermont. N. W. A. E. Manum. 



The telescope cover is better than the bevel 

 edged; but a flat cover resting on a level-topped 

 three-inch wall is better yet. b. Depends on the 

 kind of fixtures used. I like the top-bars just level 

 with the top of the hive. c. The cushion on top is 

 a valuable addition when wintering outdoors; but 

 it can be used without deep covers— both with an 

 upper story and without, d. My supers go on in 

 spite of the burr-combs, unless they have got very 

 tall. In that case I cut them off and take my pay 

 in wax. 



Ohio. N. W. E. E. Hasty. 



a. I prefer a flat cover, fitting evenly on the top 

 of the hive. b. About ,';; of an inch; if anything, 

 less instead of more. c. Tf you winter outdoors, 

 packing only on top, it might be an advantage; but 

 for such packing, an extra case can be substituted. 

 The advantage, we think, would be in favor of the 

 extra case. 



d. Where a deep cover is used, and enamel cloth 

 well down on the frames, burr-combs are not built 

 to any extent. If the enamel cloth is removed fre- 

 quently, burr-combs will be built, and will have to 

 be broken down. 



New York. E. Rambler. 



a. Most of our Gallup hives have covers nailed on 

 two cleats, the length of the hives. The cleats are 

 one inch thick, using lumber )i inch in thickness. 

 The grain of the wood runs across the hive, making 

 a strong and light cover, b. We aim to have ours 

 ?8 inch. c. I should say no, unless to cover the 

 comb-honey arrangements. It might pay in cool 

 seasons, in the production of comb honey, d. We 

 do not let ours have room above the brood-frames 

 until surplus arrangements are on. 



Wisconsin. S. W. S. 1. Freeborn. 



a. We prefer the cover larger than the hive, and 

 resting on square slats nailed outside. The combs 

 are thus better protected against rain and moths, 

 whose eggs are laid from the outside, where 

 the propolis is in reach of the female moth. b. Our 

 cover is 8 inches deep, so as to give room for every 

 emergency; for instance, in feeding bees; to ac- 

 cumulate straw, sawdust, or dry leaves on the top 

 of the combs for winter; to protect the surplus 

 boxes, etc. d. As we put on the frames, an oil cloth 

 covered by a straw mat; and as these rest on the 

 frames, the bees have but little if any occasion to 

 build any brace-combs, or burr-combs, as they are 

 called, above. It is when there is a space above the 

 frames that the bees build these combs. 



Illinois. N. W. Dadant & Son. 



a. Nearly all bee-keepers prefer such hives as 

 they have become accustomed to using; and for 

 that reason, if no other, I prefer the old-fashioned 

 telescope cover, at the same time fully appreciat- 

 ing some of the objections to them. I used a few 

 flat covers during one season only, and they were 

 on ill-made hives; so my judgment, as between 

 those two styles, is of little practical value. 1 have 

 had in use, during the past two years, several hun- 

 dred covers, 3 inches deep, fitted on beveled-edge 

 hives, and I very decidedly dislike them. b. From 

 2 to I) inches, depending somewhat on other fixtures 

 of the hive. c. No, not as a rule. d. When using 

 covers more than a bee-space above the framesi 

 enameled cloth is almost an absolute necessity for 

 the purpose indicated. 



Cuba. O. O. POPPLETON. 



If I am correct, the present general pref- 

 erence seems to be for a flat wooden cover 

 resting on the top of the hive, so as to come 

 just a bee-space above the tops of the 

 frames. I used a similar arrangement near- 

 ly twenty years ago ; but the workmanship 

 was probably poor, for my covers warped, 

 and robbers pushed their way under, so that 

 I then decided I never wanted any more of 

 that sort. A good many are now using 

 eight-frame hives, like our new Dovetailed 

 hive, and this makes it much easier to have 

 covers that fit bee-tight, because a narrow 

 board is used, and it is not so difficult to 

 crate it so firmly that it can not be warped. 

 The covers that made me so much trouble, 

 set over the second story of the old Lang- 

 stroth hive ; and as this second story was 

 wide enough to slip over the ten-frame 

 lower story , it took a pretty wide board for a 

 cover. I believe we are indebted to friend 

 Ileddon— at least to a considerable extent — 

 for the new order of things in the matter of 

 covers. With the flat cover, enamel cloth, 

 quilts, burlap, and every thing of that kind, 

 can be discarded, except when we prepare 

 the bees for winter. 



