764 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



(iiie of the out-apiaries of F. A. Ticknor, Austin, Minn., who has 

 been a, beekeeper for 55 years. 



and to loosen the straightest comb and lift 

 it out. 



I soon thought I was going- to get along 

 nicely, when I began to find hives where 

 the combs, not content with one frame, 

 would bend otf on the one adjoining; and 

 some, perhajjs joined three or more frames 

 together. It began to look as though "bee 

 insi^ection" was not going to prove a snap 

 by any means; but I found that, where I 

 could not get into a frame hive from the 

 top, I could tip it up, break out the bot- 

 tom-bar of the frame, and take out a 

 brood-comb, and inspect. 



The second day I was out I found box 

 hives made of grocery boxes, and frame 

 hives with the covers nailed on top so that 



they could not be re- 

 moved with any tool I 

 had with me. The hives 

 were set in long rows 

 about four inches apart, 

 and in all sorts of ways. 

 On the third day 1 went 

 home thoroughly tired 

 out and generally dis- 

 gusted — probably not 

 more so, however, than 

 some of the beekeepers 

 I had met. One ol these 

 was quite a character, 

 and afforded me some 

 amusement. I was told 

 before meeting him that 

 he might not let me look 

 his bees over; but I 

 found lum willing ^jrovided it cost him 

 nothing. He stood at a respectful and safe 

 distance to watch the inspector examine his 

 ten colonies — seven in frame hives with 

 honey-boards nailed on securely, two in 

 grocery boxes, and one in a hollow log. By 

 cutting away branches of bushes I was able 

 to get at all of them, and my work was 

 quickly done. I assured my friend that his 

 bees were free from disease, and his api- 

 ai'ian prospects for the future were bright. 

 He then proceeded to give me an ac(;ount 

 of his past successes in beekeeping. 



"Three years ago," said he, "I was sit- 

 ting there on the i^iazza, and I looks up, 

 and I say a swarm! Give me my gun! 

 I shoots 'em! They come down and lights 



Fig. 2. — An out-apiary located in the midst of 160 acres of white clover, the 



seen in the foreground. 



of which may be 



