GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



February, 1919 



FROM THE FIELD OF EXPERIENCE 



should diseard these old ones, even tho the 

 bees have made enough each year to buy a 

 new one. Boxes with boards tongued and 

 grooved should be secured, so in case there 

 are no boards wide enough for the bodies 

 they can be spliced. I made the ends dou- 

 ble. This keeps them from gaping at the 

 corners; and by taking out the two outside 

 combs, putting in division-boards, and pack- 

 ing, they make a good hive for winter in a 

 moderate climate. I have bought boxes for 

 15 cents, each of which would make a com- 

 plete hive except the frames, which I al- 

 ways bought factory-made. 



When the bees began to increase faster 

 than I had time from my main business to 

 make hives for, complete hive bodies were 

 bought, making at home only the bottom- 

 boards and covers. The illustration will 

 show how these were made. Notice the 

 hive-stand and bottom-board combined. 

 They are very convenient, even tho they 

 are somewhat heavier. "When the pieces 

 of the stand rot from resting on the ground, 

 others can soon be nailed on. A cheap 

 grade of roofing helps to make a cover 

 which does not leak. By making the covers 

 deep, two blocks of wood or pieces of 

 brick may be placed underneath on top of 

 the inner cover, thus doing away with the 

 shade-board. For winter I place newspapers 

 over the inner cover, filling deep covers 

 with leaves. With a little e»re one can 

 turn them over the hive without spilling 

 out the leaves. 



If vou have all the work vou can do at 



good wages, perhaps this plan will not ap- 

 peal to you; but with an hour or two a day 

 of spare time, and a love for the bees, it is 

 regarded only as a pleasure. My apiary has 

 increased from the two-frame nucleus 

 bought in the spring of 1912 to more than 

 100 colonies, and they are nearly all in hives 

 made as described. The bees have paid all 

 expenses for hives and supers, built a work- 

 shop and honey-house, bought an extractor, 

 besides some Liberty bonds, and all the 

 work was done aside from my regular busi- 

 ness. This is not so wonderful from a busi- 

 ness standpoint, but with the i:)leasure added 

 it is worth while. Wm. Bair. 



Odon, Ind. 



[There is no reason why homemade hives 

 may not be made by those who have time, if 

 such hives are made standard, and if the 

 beekeeper is a good enough carpenter to 

 make them exactly true. Otherwise home- 

 made hives are a long-drawn-out nuisance. 

 —Editor.] 



a — 3 ^ Sb . =t!3 



HOW HE WINTERS HIS BEES 



A Homemade Hive-cover that Lasts for Many 

 Years 



As you can see by the accompanying pic- 

 tures of my beeyard, I believe in protection, 

 both as to windbreaks and packing. The 

 tight board fence is but six feet high, but 

 the yards are narrow and short, being di- 

 vided off in sections. I have about 200 colo- 

 nies of bees at present, all in first-class con- 



Olsen's beejards are narrow and short, divided by wind-protection fences. 



