570 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



Sept. 15 



PERMANENT STAND WITH SIDES REMOVED, SHOWING POSITION OF HIVES, SUMMER AND 



WINTER. 



FIRELESS-COOKER WINTERING-BOXES. 



Packing-cases for Winter which Can 

 Stored Away in the Flat during 

 Warm Weather. 



be 



BY DANA F. DOW. 



The veteran bee-keeper who reads this 

 title may indulge in a hearty laugh, and won- 

 der what these "fool amateurs " will think 

 of next. Nevertheless, this article may in- 

 terest those who keep a small number of 

 colonies and are forced to winter them out 

 of doors in a cold climate. 



Here in Eastern Massachusetts (six miles 

 from Mr. Alley's former home), where the 

 temperature in winter is very variable, and 

 may drop to 15 degrees below zero, the ques- 

 tion of adequate winter protection is an im- 

 poilant one. Looking about for some con- 

 venient method, I found none that quite 

 suited me. Chaff hives, tenement hives, 

 and outside cases are all good, but are either 

 cumbersome or require the hives to be mov- 

 ed in the fall and back again-in the spring, 

 or make necessary manipulations difficult. 



In trying to solve the problem I hit upon 

 the idea of a permanent double hive stand 

 which could be used all the year round, be- 

 ing easily converted into a box for winter 

 protection, the hives standing always in the 

 same position. Applying the principle of 

 the "fireless cooker," that is, retaining the 

 natural heat by means of thick packing ma- 

 terial, the bees are made so comfortable that 

 they can easily reach the sealed stores out- 

 side the cluster without being chilled. 



Hay (not too coarse in (luality ) is an ex- 



cellent material with which to pack a bee 

 box, and, unlike loose ground cork or saw 

 dust, is not a nuisance, but can be readily 

 packed or unpacked in a few minutes. 



Having Danzenbaker hives I made the 

 box-bodies deep enough to take in a second 

 story with a regular cover, and then have a 

 few inches to spare. There is a space of one 

 foot between the hives (in the future I shall 

 make it less), four inches at the back and 

 sides, and six inches in front. A bridge con- 

 nects the hive entrance with the opening in 

 the box. the Danzenbaker alighting-board 

 being left on and triangular blocks used to 

 contract the entrance in the coldest weather. 



By means of hinges the sides of the box- 

 body are attached to the back, and the front 

 is fastened to them in turn bv two hooks 

 and screw-eyes at each end, thus making a 

 box which can be folded up and stored away 

 flat in the summer without taking up unnec- 

 essary space. 



In order to shed water perfectly the box- 

 body telescopes down over the stand an inch, 

 while the cover comes down over the box 

 about three inches. Some objection may be 

 made to a flat cover; but a strip of roofing- 

 paper makes it water-tight, while a slight 

 pitch given to the stand causes any water to 

 run off quickly. This cover is most economi- 

 cal of space, and can be raised and pushed 

 either way in order to get at a colony, or re- 

 moved entirely when necessary. 



I will now show you how this kind of stand 

 operates in this locality. During September 

 we have a heavy flow of goldenroa honey, 

 the bees working freely in second stories, 

 and making a fine lot of sealed combs for 

 winter stores. This goldenrod honey, by the 



