294 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Aug, 



lower ends are nailed to the outside of the frames 

 to which are fastened the upper ends of the shingles 

 forming' the lower stories. 



The "gable ends" of the cap or roof are made of 

 % lumber, and between their upper edges are fasten- 

 ed cross pieces, to which is nailed the shingle roof. 

 The roof is fastened at one side with hinges, and 

 when I tip it back to open the hive, the flag-staff 

 strikes the ground, and supports the roof in a prop- 

 er position. 



I painted, or rather whitewashed, the hive with 

 skim milk and water lime, and then "painted on" 

 some corner boards and a cornice with skim milk 

 and Venitian red. A nice bod of sawdust was made 

 in front of our house, this little "tenement house" 

 was placed upon it, and then four "families" moved, 

 or rather were moved, into it. 



I have, as yet, had but little experience with tene- 

 ment hives, and cannot say whether I shall like 

 them or not; but I know I shall like the ordinary, 

 two story, chaff hives, with the walls made of shin- 

 gles. The plan of making an ordinary, two story, 

 shingle, chaff hive is so nearly like that given for 

 the construction of the shingle-chaff, tenement hive, 

 that any further description would be superfluous. 



Sometime ago a correspondent in Gleanings told 

 how he made some cheap chaff hives out of pieces 

 split from an oak log; but, in this locality, cull 

 shingles can be bought cheaper than the pieces 

 could be split. la the May No., Stephen Young de- 

 scribes a shingle roof for.chaff hives, and I have been 

 "awfully afraid" that somebody would get to making 

 whole hives out of shingles, and thus spoil my "story" 

 before I "could get round to tell it." 



One thing in favor of shingle-chaff hives is the 

 eheapnes^ of the materials from which they are 

 constructed; while they can be painted or white- 

 washed so as to give them a very neat appearance. 

 Another point in favor of their construction is that, 

 although a buzz saw is a convenience, it is not a 

 necessity; and the great mass of bee keepers can 

 make them during the leisure of their winter hours. 

 W. Z. Hutchinson. 



Rogersville, Genesee Co., Mich. 



I did notice those shingle covered build- 

 ings, friend II., and I have several times 

 thought of shingle covered chaff hives ; but 

 I must confess I never thought of a shingle 

 covered tenement chaff hive, until you sug- 

 gested it. Since reading your article, I have 

 had one made, and, although not just like 

 yours, it presents very much the same ap- 

 pearance. The roof is not steep, and there- 

 fore perhaps a little lighter, and I am very 

 much pleased to find that I can get at any 

 one of the four hives with the greatest ease, 

 by simply sliding the cover backward in any 

 direction. In fact, it is easier to uncover 

 than either the ordinary chaff or Simplicity 

 hives. Just at present, we are thinking 

 very strongly of having enough of them 

 made (25) to contain 100 colonies. We have 

 made ours of shingles that we sell for $1.75 

 per M. 



CHEAP PAINT. 



In regard to the cheap paint; about ten 

 years ago I painted an out building with 

 water lime and sweet new milk (couldn't get 

 enough skim milk), and it has a very fair 

 color on it yet. The lime and milk makes a 

 very fair stone color. Put it on with a white 

 wash brush. Work must be rough. 



%vmUem^ 



[This department is to bo kept for the benefit of 

 those who are dissatisfied; and when anything is 

 amiss, I hope you will "talk right out." As a rule 

 we will omit names and addresses, to avoid being 

 too personal.] 



SHAD begun to think we were getting 

 over the necessity of a Growlery de- 

 ' partment, especially, in regard to lum- 

 ber work ; but alas! it seems there is to be 

 "no peace for the wicked'' 1 , even in this 

 world. My friend says I have been giving 

 all smooth letters; I am afraid he is right ; 

 but, really, I have not had any very rough 

 ones lately. Let us by all means have both 

 sides ; I prefer to be blamed more than I 

 deserve, rather than to have more praise 

 than is due. 



I received the hives I ordered of you, with the 

 other fixtures, about May 13th; and as poor a lot of 

 stuff, I hope I shall never see again. I thought, 

 from the looks of the two hives 1 had of you all 

 nailed, that I could depend on 'you for good stock; 

 but I think your idea must be, that hives in the flat 

 are also in the rough. 1 had to use smoothing plane 

 on nearly all the hives; the joints were not square; 

 some ends were % inch too long, and had to be 

 dressed down; the covers were also very rough ou 

 the face side and edges; some of the frames were 

 dove-tailed so they would not go together even; the 

 slats in honey rack were too wide for the gauge 

 strip, and they all had to be taken off, making the 

 frame very narrow. The so called prize boxes take 

 the rag' off from the lot. I will send you one ae a 

 sample: the 5J4, narrow pieces were 133 pieces 

 short; but don't send them, for I would not pay the 

 freight on them to have them, if I had not paid for 

 thi' sections. I had samples from others, and they 

 were all way ahead of those you sent. The lumber 

 you used for those hives was not even second clear; 

 and, as for your cold blast smoker, it is useless. I 

 would as soon take a piece of punk, such as the boys 

 use on the 4th, and try to blow through it. I was 

 never more disgusted with a lot of stuff in my life. 

 Sou tell in Gleanings how nice you fix every thing, 

 all cut to a length and thickness, but it is all paper 

 work, nothing more. 



I see a good many soapy letters in Gleanings, but 

 this is not that kind. Perhaps you would do better 

 by me, if I sent that kind of a letter aslhave known 

 of your doing. 1 bought my bees of you in the tirst 

 place, the order amounting to $25. I sent to you 

 last season for a queen, and you sent my order off to 

 some one who sent me a worthless queen, and a 

 neighbor of mine sent to you for one in two days, 

 and got a nice one. Now I am obliged to buy 

 another. I don't think you have dealt squarely 

 with me at all. You have 80 cts. due me and the 

 lack on sections should be about 75 cts.: so please 

 send me a queen. If you should send mo 1 wo, it 

 would be no more than justice. J. W. S. 



Bethel, Conn., July 11, 1879. 



I thank you, friend S., for your criticism, 

 and myself and the foreman of the wood 

 work have examined into every point men- 

 tioned. In regard to our set up and painted 

 hives being better, there is certainly a mis- 

 take; as "Uncle Nat.," who puts up the 

 hives, always selects the poorest in the pile, 

 because his daily practice has probably 

 given him more skill than the average bee 

 keeper possesses. To be sure, he uses a 

 smooth plane, and in the directions for put- 

 ting up hives, I have so advised you to do, 

 although very fair hives can be made with- 

 out one. We have, this season, used No. 1 

 barn boards for the body of the hives. Re- 

 member we could not possibly use clear 

 lumber at the very low prices we ask, nor is 

 it necessary. A hive, such as we furnish 



