FIFTY YEARS AMONG THE BEES 49 



get them away as soon as possible, so as to have advan- 

 tage of the spring pasturage at the out-apiaries, but some- 

 times the condition of the roads causes delay. I first 

 hauled four colonies at a time on a one-horse wagon, 

 which you may imagine was very slow work. That was 

 years ago, and the number has been gradually increased 

 until now 40 or 50 colonies are taken at a load. 



WAGON FOR HAULING. 



After several changes, I used for a good while a com- 

 mon farm-wagon with heavy springs put under the box. 

 Nine colonies were put in the box; then a rack (Fig. 15) 

 (made in two parts for convenience in handling) was put 

 on the box, and 22 colonies were set on the rack, making 

 31 colonies in a load. After that I used a flat hay-rack 

 or a drayman's platform, taking 40 or 50 colonies at a 

 load. 



PREPARATION FOR HAULING. ' ] 



All the hives have fixed-distance frames, so no prep- 

 aration is needed in the way of fastenins; frames in place 

 before hauling. The only thing to do is to fasten the cover 

 and close the entrance. The cover is fastened to the hive 

 by two staples (the same as those used to fasten the bot- 

 tom-board to the hive) one staple at the middle on each 

 side. Hives that were brought from the out-apiaries the 

 previous fall have the covers already fastened, for they 

 have never been opened since coming home, unless they 

 were so light as to need feeding. If things were always 

 done just right, there never would be any opened because 

 suspiciously light : but things ar not always done just 

 right. 



ENTRANCE-CLOSERS. 



The entrance is of course closed with wire-cloth, and 

 after trying a good many entrance-closers I have settled 



