730 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



and German blacks). 

 The hives are paint- 

 ed a dazzling white, 

 and thus afford a good 

 backgTound for the 

 colors characteristic of 

 the different races. 



On the other side of 

 the decoration bed 

 mentioned is a stand 

 with colonies for ex- 

 ]ierimental purposes 

 that may be seen in 

 Fig. 9. In the fore- 

 ground of this photo a 

 very interesting water- 

 ing-device is shown 

 tliat supplies clean 

 water for the bees 

 when in need of it, as 

 in early spring. On an 

 unpolished plate of 

 granite, placed toward 



the south, at an angle of 45 degrees, fall 

 drops of water from a pipe having 12 out- 

 lets. The plate of granite absorbs the rays 

 of the sun so thoi'oughly that the tempera- 

 ture of the down-flowing water rises soon 

 to about 76 F., while the temperature of 

 the air does not rise above 43 F. 



A very important point in favor of this 

 watering device is the ease with Avhich it 

 can be kept clean. As the water is constant- 



11. A small modp' uee-house of the common German type. 



ly flowing, the danger of infection is very 

 remote. 



Owing to the fact that in this country 

 a great number of different constructions 

 of hives are in use, the institute maintains 

 a special stand (No. 1, Fig. 1) where bees 

 are kept in the more important types of 

 hives side by side. Thus visitors and stu- 

 dents have an oj^portunity to compare the 

 advantages and peculiarities of the dif- 

 ferent systems. Each hive bears a small 

 plate furnishing all necessary information 

 as to the internal construction of the hive. 



On this continent most beekeepers pre- 

 fer to put their bees into bee-houses. Usual- 

 ly these bee-houses are properly built and 

 neatly kept. Fig. 11 sliows a small model 

 bee-house of the common German type. It 

 contains five stands of bees, the hives be- 

 ing placed closely side by side. The sjDace 

 immediately above the hives is filled with 

 hanging windows and flap windows. Above 



g. Different rares of bees side by side ; 9. Beestand for experimental purposes, and the special watering 

 device; 10. Bees in different styles of hives. 



