600 



GLEANINGS iK 6EE CULTURE 



Oct. 1 



grocers ship grapes in from California, pack- 

 ed in cork, so I tried to have them save it for 

 me. But they had so little that they did not 

 care to bother, and threw it away. Last 

 year I thought of a wholesale fruit-dealer 

 and went to him. He said he usually gave 

 away and threw away several wagonloads 

 every year. He then had on hand nine bar- 

 rels, and I bought the whole lot — barrels, 

 cork, and all — for $4.50. This was enough 

 for 60 cushions. I mention this so that any 

 bee-keeper living near a city may know 

 where to get cork. 



We found the greatest trouble with the 

 cork was that it was hard to make it stay in 

 place, for it would run from one corner to 

 the other as the cushion was handled. This 

 was overcome by sewing it through and ty- 

 ing it with string the same as a quilt. To 

 fasten them into the top of the telescope cap 

 I paint the inside of the telescope and put 

 the cushion in, and then press it down on 

 the hive. When the paint is dry the cushion 

 is held there permanently. Fig. 2. For cush- 

 ions I get sugar or coffee bags made of bur- 

 lap. I get them from the grocers for 2;4 cts. 

 apiece. By cutting off the end a few inches 

 they just fit a ten-frame hive. 



Now, the point I wish to emphasize is this: 

 The top of the hive must be the warmest 

 part or the moisture will condense there; 

 and all winter long water will continue to 

 drop on the cluster of bees. It does not take 

 much thinking to know the results. The 

 sides and bottom of the hive must be kept 

 cold so the moisture will collect there and 

 run out of the entrance. The reason that 

 the old large cases packed with shavings 

 failed was that the sides were as warm as the 

 top, and the moisture condensed at the top 

 as well as the sides. 



To test this still further I left a few hives 

 with no covering on top, except the regular 

 hive-cover, till the middle of January. One 

 cold day I examined these and found that all 

 the tops of the frames were wet, and water 

 was standing on several of them. On one 

 frame was a little puddle of water; and as I 

 opened the hive the water ran down the side 

 on the frame directly on to the cluster of 

 bees. Those with telescope caps and cork 

 cushions were as dry as could be, and the 

 moisture had condensed on the bottom and 

 sides of the hive. I use the thin super cover 

 on top of the hive, and let the bees seal it 

 tight. 



This plan is as beneficial in summer as in 

 winter, as it keeps off the hot sun. Last 

 summer the comb melted down in several 

 hives that were unprotected, and the bees 

 had to suspend work there. On cold morn- 

 ings, also, the bees will work much better in 

 a hive that is protected in the manner de- 

 scribed. In the illustration it will be seen 

 that I use a super with shallow extracting- 

 frames full of honey for winter. I have tried 

 two hive-bodies as well as this, but like the 

 one hive and super plan the best for early 

 spring breeding, as well as in winter, as will 

 be given in a future article. For winter it is 

 especially good, for the reason that it gives 



a cross-passage for the bees right in the cen- 

 ter of the cluster. 

 Vincennes, Ind. 



FIELD MEETING AT HAYDENVILLE, 



MASS. 



BY A. E. WILCUTT. 



I am sending you some pictures taken at 

 the meeting of bee-keepers at Haydenville, 

 Mass.; also a clipping from a local paper. I 

 am sending three pictures which you can 

 use if suitable. 



Swift River, Mass., July 27. 



A meeting' in tlie interest of bee-keeping was held 

 Saturday, July 10, at the apiary of W. M. Purrington. 

 in Haydenville, under the auspices of the State Board 

 of Agriculture and the Massachusetts Experiment Sta- 

 tion. The attendance numbered about 100, and much 

 interest was shown in the discussion. The principal 

 address was made by Dr. Burton N. Gates, whose sub- 

 ject was " The New Bee-keeping, the Possibilities in 

 Massachusetts." Dr. Gates spoke on the improved 

 methods of bee-keeping and extension of the industry, 

 which he considered both possible and profitable. Dr. 

 W. P. Brooks, of the Amherst Agricultural College, 

 gave some of his experiences, and Herbert Gary, of 

 Colrain, exhibited specimens of queen-bees and sam- 

 ples of honey. He also showed an improved shipping- 

 case. Dinner was served at noon by the women of the 

 Congregational Church, in the vestry. 



In the afternoon a Hampshire, Hampden, and Frank- 

 lin association of bee-keepers was organized by elec- 

 tion of the following officers: President, Prof. W. P. 

 Brooks, of Amherst; vice-presidents, F. A. Bardwell, 

 of Amherst; E. A. Loveland, of Greenfield; H. F. 

 Wright, of Agawam; secretary and treasurer, VV. M. 

 Purrington. The association will be devoted to the 

 promotion of bee culture, which Dr. Gates considers 

 as feasible in Western Massachusetts as in Vermont; 

 the conditions in Vermont are held to be second to 

 none except those of some sections in New York. The 

 association will endeavor to secure State inspection of 

 hives with a view to the extermination of foul brood, 

 which has become troublesome in some sections of 

 this State. 



» ■ ^ ' » 



TAKING OFF HONEY. 



How to Determine Whether Supers are 



Ready to Come off, Without Tearing 



the Hive Apart. 



BY E. R. ROOT. 



When one runs a series of outyards it is 

 necessary, so far as practicable, to use short 

 cuts. All false motions should be eliminated, 

 and the work should be so planned that there 

 will be no unnecessary running from one 

 end of the yard to the other. 



A good many, in working for extracted 

 honey, operate on the tier-up principle, 

 leaving the supers all on the hives until the 

 season is over. By that time it is important 

 that robbers be given no opportunity to help 

 themselves to sweets, when the honey is 

 taken off; but before doing so the condition 

 of the supers should be determined in ad- 

 vance. 



Our south yard was run for extracted 

 honey in shallow supers. As we were short 

 of help, it was handled almost entirely by 

 our editorial force. In order to keep ahead 

 of the bees it was necessary to make an ex- 

 amination of the supers from time to time. 

 Toward the early part of the season we 

 would place the empty supers under those 



