506 



„.<fH#: 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



Aug. 15 



BURGESS' OVERHEAD TRACK FOR HIVE LIFTING AND MOVING. 



case where the bees were clustered out in 

 front. They were flying merrily, and very 

 much at work. Contrary to what Dr. Miller 

 reports, we observed that they were utiliz- 

 ing the back and side entrances as well as 

 the main entrance, although it was easy to be 

 seen that the latter was used more frequent- 

 ly than any of the other three. In Fig. 3 the 

 camera caught a number of bees just ready 

 to take wing at these side and end openings, 

 for the bees were flying quite freely from 

 all sides of the hive. 



Of course, merely raising the hives up on 

 four blocks alone will not prevent or discour- 

 age swarming. The bees must be given 

 plenty of room before swarming-cells are 

 started. They should also be given a reason- 

 able amount of shade. In Fig. 3 one will see 

 that Mr. Burt has some old telescope covers 

 that he formerly used on double-walled chaff 

 hives. These are a good deal larger than the 

 present hives, and, when placed over the su- 

 pers, they project on the front and rear and 

 on the sides enough to give a reasonable 

 amount of shade. In the middle of the day 

 the hive is fairly well shaded. 



Fig. 4 is a rather interesting case of a pros- 

 perous colony with a good-sized entrance 

 that has a good force of guards pretty well 

 over the alighting-board. Robbers had been 

 nosing about. Their large wide entrance 

 made it necessary for them to deploy their 

 force in such a way as to repel any invasion 

 ■hat might take place. Wnile the camera 

 was being adjusted we observed how, every 

 now and then, one of these sentinels would 



dart quickly into the air, seize a would-be 

 robber, and give it such a tussle that it would 

 conclude it had better go hence. Whenever 

 we see a strong colony with its bees scatter- 

 ed over the alighting-board like this there is 

 a comfortable feeling that that colony can 

 resist any kind of attack that may be put up- 

 on it. It knows its strength, and stands 

 ready to defend its home by a force of senti- 

 nels that are willing to die for it. 



A HIVE-LIFTING AND HIVE-SHIFTING 

 DEVICE. 



BY LOUIS F. BURGESS. 



The hives in my apiary are arranged in 

 two rows, back to back, facing east and west, 

 and with an alley 30 inches wide between the 

 rear ends of the hives. They are not arrang- 

 ed at even intervals in the rows, but, as will 

 be seen by reference to the sketch, are in 

 groups of fours, leaving a good open space 

 at one side of each hive for convenience in 

 operation. 



Stout chestnut posts are well set in a row 

 on the middle line in the rear of the hives. 

 These are 10 feet apart, 8 feet high, and have 

 cross-arms mortised, bolted, and braced to 

 them a foot below their upper ends. These 

 arms are of hard pine, 1 a3j/2 in., and are 4 

 feet long. They sustain the long longitudi- 

 nal rails, which are of the same material, but 

 one inch wider, to give more strength. A 

 metal track is laid on top of the rail, and a 



