GLEANINQS IN BEE CULTURE 



jmiiy sent me a sample of a new absorbent 

 cover made from liax fiber, claiming these 

 covers would absorb all moisture in the 

 hive, and that no more moldy combs would 

 be found. T at once ordered enough of 

 these combs for all my hives. They were 

 put on the hives tAvo weeks before the bees 

 went into the cellar. Here I might also 

 mention that all our bees are covered in the 

 fall with tar paper, just as soon as we can 

 take off the extracting-super, and we think 

 it pays well. Bees that are covered with tar 

 paper can be kept out longer than if not 

 covered. Then, too, if an unexpected snow- 

 .storm comes during the night, your bees are 

 still dry and snug. 'Very often we have 

 stormy weather in November, while in De- 

 cember it is nice, and bees still can have an 

 occasional fliglit. These are the reasons why 

 we cover our bees with tar paper. 



But, to go back to my subject, seventy- 

 five colonies went into winter quarters Dec. 

 10. I left olf the regular covers and sub- 

 stituted these flax covers. They were con- 

 fined just four months, and after examin- 



ing in the spring I was gratified to see that, 

 among the seventy-five colonies, not a single 

 wet or moldy comb was found. All the 

 colonies were alive, and all the hives were 

 as clean and dry as they could be. After 

 all those four months of confinement, about 

 two quarts of dead bees were swept up in 

 all. 



This proves beyond a doubt that these 

 flax-fiber covers are of great value where 

 bees are wintered in the cellar, and espe- 

 cially where a cellar is damp and cold. 

 They are also fine outside for spring pro- 

 tection providing one uses the metal-roof 

 covers. If used with the excelsior cover 

 they are of no value, as they are the same 

 width as the hive. If a hard rain comes it 

 strikes the edges of the cover and soaks 

 the cover like a sponge. They cannot be 

 left on all summer, as the bees glue them 

 down so that they break when you want 

 to take them off. As I said above, however, 

 when one winters his bees in the cellar they 

 are indispensable, and the cost is so low 

 that it pays well to use them. 



La Crescent, Minn. 



A WHEEL HOE CONVERTED INTO A SPRING WHEELBARROW 



BY F. J. LEE 



The picture shows my spring wheelbar- 

 row for taking bees in and out of the cellar. 

 I used to hire a man to help me, and one 

 of us had to go backward some thirty feet 

 tlirough the furnace-room to the bee-cellar. 

 With the spring barrow I can take the bees 

 out easier alone. 



Every beekeeper has or should have a 

 garden, and a wheel hoe or seeder to work 



it. Here is how to change the wheel hoe to 

 a wheelbarrow. Turn it bottom side up; 

 take oft' the hoe or rake; take off the han- 

 dles; turn thern over; bolt them on again. 

 Take two sticks for legs, and two pieces of 

 lath for braces. Two small bolts will fasten 

 the legs to the handles, and four one-inch 

 screws the braces. Now cut six pieces of 

 board 18 inches long. Hunt up six old 



A light spring wheelbarrow made from a wheel hoe — just right for carrying hives into the cellar. 



