SEPTEMBER 15. 1915 



Sweiison's coiubinatiou hive ))olloin, valualjlc for ventilating, ami also fui- niovini? bees. 



THE BEST BOTTOM -BOARD THAT I HAVE TRIED 



IJY ED. SWENSEN 



There has heeii so much written on differ- 

 ent bolioui-boai'ds tiiat I will describe the 

 uiie 1 think tills the bill the best of any. 

 This one can also be used as a feeder; but 

 since I prefer the friction-top honey-pail 

 desciibed by J. L. Byer I will merely say 

 that, by inserting" a dripiiing-pan with a 

 iloat in it. it makes a good feeder for cer- 

 tain times. 



The bottom is very simple. It is made 

 4 inches deep, with the back nailed in solid; 

 but the front piece is hinged so it can be 

 let down and used as an alig'hting-board. 

 rhis piece has two hive-hooks which hook 

 on to the side pieces to hold it in place 

 when raised. 



There is no floor nailed in solid, but a 

 board of %-inch material with a rim around 

 that slides in or out, which can be raised or 

 lowered as occasion requires. This board 

 is used in early fall, winter, and spring. 

 In the winter it is lowered so as to give a 

 deep elustering-si^ace under the frames, 

 whicli seems to be their choice when condi- 

 tions permit. It is al.'^o impossible for the 

 entrance to become clogged with dead bees, 

 as the entrance is over 3 inches above the 

 bottom. 



In the spring it is again raised so as to 

 make less room for the bees to keep warm; 

 tlien when warn; weather sets in this board 

 is slipped ont and a screen frame put in 



place. Two two-inch pieces are nailed on 

 the under side of this screen frame which 

 hold it together; and they also raise it up 

 oft' from the hive-stand so the air can circu- 

 late through the hive when the screen is in. 

 This screen is tacked on to a rim which has 

 two headless lath nails partly driven in on 

 both sides, which slides in saw-kerfs cut 

 into the side pieces for that purpose. 



The front part of this screen can be 

 lowered so as to form an incline; or if the 

 bees are inclined to build comb below the 

 frames the screen can be raised so there 

 will be only a bee-space between the frame 

 and the screen, when it will still serve its 

 purpose as a ventilator. Or it can be low- 

 ered so as to give a three-inch space below 

 for moving to and from out-apiaries, or in 

 summer, as extra means for ventilation, 

 which may be necessary to help prevent 

 swarming. 



The entrance-block I use is a four-inch 

 piece % inch thick with a V groove cut 

 into it and a piece of screen tacked on one 

 side. This also serves as an alighting-board. 

 Tliis is slipped in or out to regidate the 

 size of tlie entrance; and by shoving it far 

 enough the entrance can be entirely closed, 

 '.-'hich is very handy in moving bees. As 

 we have the screen bottom we need not 

 -vorry about the bees sutfocating. The 

 photograph shows clearly liow it works. 



Spring Valley, Afinn. 



THE DEMAND FOR HONEY, AND METHODS OF STIMULATING IT 



DV ^VSAS E. HOWAKI) 



The demand for honey is increasing, and 

 it is from all classes of people. I try to 

 educate my customers by demonstrating 

 and advertising that honey is not a luxury 

 but a necessarv and economical food. 



^«Iy first vciitnre was in disposing of a 

 surjdus crop which did not move to my sat- 

 isfaction in my neighborhood. Unknown 

 to m.y hnsband, who had belittled (he possi- 

 bilities, T sallied forth on a pleasant after- 



