1500 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Dec. 15 









AN OUTYARD OF W. L. COGGSHALL, SHOWING TENEMENT HIVE USED. PHOTO BY VERNE MORTON. 



HIS INTENSIVE METHODS. 



The boys are all trained to work rapidly, even 

 if a few stings are received; for it must be re- 

 membered that the Coggshall "lightning opera- 

 tors " all wear sting-proof suits and veils, long 

 sleeves reaching down somewhat in the form of a 

 fingerless glove protecting the hands but not the 

 fingers, for the fingers are seldom attacked. The 

 combs are brushed and shaken to free them from 

 bees. Bee-escapes would be impracticable with 

 the method in use by Mr. Coggshall, for the rea- 

 son that it is impracticable for any one to go to 

 the outyard and put on bee-escapes the night be- 

 fore. 



This rapid method of taking off the honey 

 naturally irritates the bees, and this has an ad- 

 vantage in one way at least, for the yards are sel- 

 dom or never molested by thieves; for should a 

 tramp or other person not familiar with the Cogg- 



RESIDENCE AND FARM BUILDINGS OF W. L. COGGSHALL, GRO 

 TON, N. Y. — PHOTO BY VERNE MORTON 



shall bees attempt to help himself he would meet 

 with a "warm reception." 



COGGSHALL AND THE VICIOUS BULL. 



At one time a vicious bull felt inclined to give 

 Mr. Coggshall more or less trouble every time 

 he attempted to go to a certain yard, for he had 

 to cross the field to get to the bees. Now, Mr. 

 Coggshall knew the temperament of his pets; but 

 Mr. Bull followed him up and began pawing the 

 air as if about to make a rush. Our friend edged 

 along toward his apiary until he got near one of 

 his hives. In the mean time the bull was closing 

 in, apparently awaiting a favorable opportunity 

 to make a charge. Mr. Coggshall grabbed up, 

 at the strategic moment, a hive from its bot- 

 tom-board, rushed at the bull, and threw it vio- 

 lently on the ground. The frames, well covered 

 with bees, were of the unspaced type, and fell in 

 a tangled heap on the ground within a few feet of 

 old Taurus. The effect was al- 

 most instantaneous. The bull 

 changed his roar; he sniffed and 

 snorted, rubbed his nose in the 

 ojrass, then wheeled, raised his tail, 

 and started on a mad run away 

 from his little tormentors, a sad- 

 der and wiser bull, leaving Mr. 

 Coggshall in undisputed possession 

 of the field. Never after that time 

 did that bull venture to interfere; 

 and even when teased to make an- 

 other attack he was " mighty 

 tame " as the boys said. 



HOW COGGSHALL TAKES OFF HIS 

 HONEY. 



But, to return, I said the combs 

 are brushed and shaken from the 

 hives. They are next set down 

 into hive-bodies on a wheelbarrow 

 or hive-cart. When I visited him 

 he had four of such hive-bodies 

 standing on a two-wheeled cart. 



