February, ipio. 



American Hee Journal 



often digs into the wood. This end of 

 the tool is also fine in cleaning out a 

 hive, scraping a cover, or cleaning off 

 an excluder, or any work of that kind. 

 The middle part of the tool is 1 1-16 

 inches wide, and 7-32 thick. The 

 -smaller end is 1% inches long and % 

 inch broad, with rounded edges, and 7- 

 32 thick, terminating like a screw- 

 driver. This end is excellent in taking 

 out dummies, loosening frames, etc. In 

 loosening up the frames just stick the 

 end of the tool between the frames, 

 give it a twist, and it pries the frames 

 apart every time without marring the 

 wood in the least, as it has no sharp 



edges. This end of the tool is very 

 handy when you want to destroy 

 queen-cells, dig out a worm, or things 

 of that kind. 



Another score in favor of this hive- 

 tool is that it is so light and easy to 

 handle, the whole tool being only 8!i 

 inches long — just the right size to carry 

 in my apron pocket. 



If you think I am giving it too high 

 praise, just get one and use it for a 

 while, then try to get along without it. 

 and if you feel as forlorn as I did when 

 I lost mine for about a week, you will 

 not think I have said any too much in 

 its praise. 



r^ 



ioutficriT^ 



Conducted bv LOUIS H. i_il', LL. New Hr„„„.t.;i., i, 



Prospects for 1910 



The 1910 prospects in Texas are bet- 

 ter than they have been for many 

 years. Lots of rain, cold weather, 

 s/iozc and ice have made the outlook 

 fine for a bountiful crop of honey. 



shall be my greatest pleasure to serve 

 as well as I know how. Put me to 

 work; tell me what you want me to do 

 — why you wanted me in this place — 

 and I shall be there, "Johnny-on-the- 

 spot." I thank you all for the honor. 



Spring Examination of Bees 



Our spring e.xaminations consist of 

 visiting every yard the first warm days 

 in January and Februarj', and seeing 

 that every colony has sufficient stores 

 for the spring brood-rearing period 

 until new honey can be had. To do 

 this, the shallow supers that are on all 

 of our hives at all times, are simply 

 tilted up ; a glance gives an idea of the 

 condition of the cluster and the stores 

 below, while we "feel "the amount of 

 stores in the supers when they are 

 tilted back. We leave part of the win- 

 ter stores in a super on each colony. 

 Some may not need this, while others 

 may run short. It is thus easy for us 

 to exchange the supers of the two, and, 

 presto, how easy it is to feed the needy 

 ones! 



Caring for the weak and needless 

 colonies, and taking of notes finishes 

 this work for another month. 



Tliat New National Secretary 



It did not take the writer long to 

 hear that some of his friends had 

 pressed him into service, and a service 

 which he is not sure he can perform as 

 well as may be expected of him. Fur- 

 ther, it was a surprise for me to hear 

 of such a thing, not even expecting that 

 a fellow " way down South," and in 

 such an out-of-the-way place, had the 

 least bit of a " show." 



Since it has happened, and since I 

 know it was the wish of the members 

 that I should serve as their secretary, 

 and the place was not sought by my- 

 self in the least— especially since I have 

 already too many irons in the fire— it 



Bulk Comb Honey Production 



Athough a/iy hive already in use can 

 be used for bulk comb honey produc- 

 tion, there are somr that are bcllo- 

 adapted for this than others. And since 

 my object of this month's article shall 



Fio. I.— ScHOLL's Bottom-Board, 



be to answer a number of enquiries, I 

 shall endeavor to explain in detail. 



" Starting anew, what kind of hive 

 would you adopt or advise for others 

 to adopt, if bulk comb honey is to be 

 produced?" are questions that have 

 been asked me a large number of times. 



For the beginner who does not know 

 what he wants, or such as may not stay 

 in the business, and who may later sell 

 theiroutfit.it may be well 'to advise 

 the regular lU-frame Langstroth size of 

 hive-body for brood-chambers, as these 

 are standard goods, and it is always 

 easier to dispose of bees in such stan- 

 dard hives. I say it might be better. I 

 am of the opinion that the time is not 

 far away when certain dh'isible brood- 

 thambir lih'cs will be just as much stan- 

 dard hives as any other; and for this 

 reason I am not sure but what it might 

 be just as well for all who contemplate 

 getting new hives, if they think they 

 prefer the divisible hives with their 



many advantages, to adopt such hives 

 as well, instead of putting money into 

 deep-bodied hives, which may be re- 

 gretted later, (That is what I have 

 done.) The advantages in the different 

 manipulations of the shallow hives over 



KiG. 



-SCHOLI.'s HiVE-COVER. 



deeper ones are many, and one is en- 

 abled to accomplish things with much 

 less labor and a saving in time that 

 cannot be accomplished with deep- 

 frame hives. And since this is espe- 

 cially true in bulk-comb-honey produc- 

 tion this point has been mentioned, and 

 it is a part of the answer to the ques- 

 tion. 



My hive is one of the simplest. There 

 are only 3 different parts— the floor, 

 cover, and a shallow body with shal- 

 low frames. Of the latter, as many 

 can be used to the hives as needed, yet 

 they are always the same kind, whether 

 used for brood-chambers or supers, for 

 comb honey or for extracted honey. 

 The hive is one of simplicity itself. 



Although I^am an advocate of fac- 

 tory-made goods, because they are so 

 much more accurately made, fit better, 

 and give better satisfaction all around, 

 I have made my own bottom-boards 

 and covers; this because I can make 

 them much cheaper, cost less in the 

 first place, and last longer in the sec- 

 ond place. But all other parts are fac- 

 tory-made — supers and frames. I have 

 made some, and have bought many 

 home-made hives of various styles, but 

 all have more or less defects, and I do 

 not want these in my hive-bodies and 

 supers. 



The bottoms are made of our com- 

 mon native yellow pine lumber, which 

 is much more durable than white pine, 

 and is much cheaper. As made (Fig. 



Fig. 3.— Scnoi.i.'s Frame akd Sh.m,low 

 Story. 



