152 



GLEAl^INGS IN BEE CULTURE 



roundings. The colonies ai'e located about 

 the i:)lace in groups convenient for opera- 

 tion and for observation in passing to and 

 fro. One long line extends toward the barn 

 and poultry-yard where duty takes us many 

 times each forenoon. Most of the colonies 

 are located on cement walks, built for the 

 purpose, thirty inches wide, with a slope of 

 one inch toward the south, and shaded by 

 lattice work and grapevines. These cement 

 foundations are spider, toad, and mouse 

 proof, and easily cleaned, and tliey add to 

 the durability of the hives. 



The colonies are usually wintered right 

 on these walks by being moved together in 

 pairs, and packed with cushions of lawn 

 clipi.)ings in tlie supers, which are support- 

 ed away from tlie top-bars by pieces of the 

 angle strijos taken from the corners of hives 

 as they come from the factory. Over the 

 covers of the hive are first placed pads of 

 wool carpet, and then the felt roofing paper. 

 We also use some winter cases as in Fig. 

 3, made from barn siding. These have drojD 

 fronts and adjustable floors, and are used 

 for chicken-coops in the summer. 



The shop was built to conform to the 

 other buildincs on the place, and is suitable 



The basket shown is a regular maa-ket basket with 

 part of a barrel-hoop nailed on for a handle. A short 

 cord with a hook on one end is tied on as shown. 

 I have tised such a basket for years to shake swarms 

 into. The basket is hung to a limb; and when the 

 bees cluster they can be carried anywhere you wish. 

 c— A. P. Lawrknce, Delton, Mich. ' 



for the work to be done in it. The lattice 

 work in front of the porch is cut out enough 

 to allow loaded supers as well as fixtured 

 ones to be stacked up when thej^ are being 

 moved out and in. The room is lighted by 

 electricity, and is fitted with every device 

 for facilitating the work. The cleaning 

 operations extend to every article connected 

 with the bees. All of this work must be 

 done early in the winter, as the pruning, 

 spraying, carpentering work, cement work, 

 etc., must be done later. We first empty 

 all the hives and supers that have to be 

 cleaned; and after repairing and painting 

 them we stack them along the wall ready for 

 the inside fixtures. We use an original de- 

 vice for cleaning fences and holders. The 

 plan is to tack two sheets of No. 3 sand- 

 paper on the edge of the fence, and then 

 with half a sheet to cover a 2 x 4 x 12-inch 

 block which is held in place on the bench 

 by cleats, as shown in Fig. 4. Every part 

 of the fences and holders, such as sides, 

 uprights, etc., may be brought rapidly over 

 the sandpaper and made as good as new or 

 better. All parts needing repairing aie laid 

 on a pile and attended to later. 



Our tools for repairing are very simple — 

 a couple of plated table-knives cut off 

 square, a tack-puller made from an old 

 file, a pair of small i^lieis, trays of nails, 

 and a fine saw. 



As soon as our twelve-foot bench is full 

 of clean fixtures they are packed away in 

 the supers aAvaiting the sections later on. 

 We do all this Avork with the shop unhealed, 

 the temperature being about 32 degrees F. 



AVhen we get ready to clean the frames, 

 if they are very much soiled we put them 

 in a kettle of Lewis lye, using two pounds 

 to eight gallons of hot water. Aftei- a few 

 iniiHites in the lye we fork them into a tub 

 of water in wliicli four ]iounds of salt has 

 been dissolved. 



For fastening foundation in sections we 

 use a Lewis foundation-fastener, and throw 

 the completed sections on a table having a 

 fence around the top to hold them. For this 

 work and for all bench work, as well as for 

 work with the bees, a pair of spectacles 

 with a 24-ineh focus are essential for the 

 use of middle-aged persons. 



CLOTHING FOR THE APIARY. 



The bee-woman, on approach of spi'ing, 

 will get her clothing ready for work. A 

 short skirt should be worn, clearing the 

 shoe-tops, and wide enougli to give free 

 motion. This should be made of brown den- 

 im. The shirt-waist should have three but- 

 tons at the waist-line on the back to hold 

 the skirt securely. Brown hose, ribbed for 

 neatness, are best. (Bovs' hose are more 



