FIFTY YEARS AMONG THE BEES 215 



colony having only one, that being placed on top of its 

 other supers. We keep watch to see which colonies 

 make the best work on "go-backs." Some seal faster 

 than others, some seal sections with extra whiteness. In 

 order to help keep track of the rate of progress, each 

 "go-back," at the time it is put on. has marked on one of 

 the middle sections the word "go-back" and the date. 

 If the super were not thus marked, the colony would get 

 more credit than it deserved when the super was re- 

 moved. 



A little later in the season the number of colonies 

 chosen for this work is limited, only those which do the 

 best being continued at it, and these are not allowed to 

 have any other supers. Generally two supers at a time 

 will be enough for a colony to have ; but sometimes three 

 will be given. As fast as one super is ready to come off 

 another takes it place. 



ROBBER-CLOTH. ^ 



Before fulfilling my promise to describe the tent- 

 escape, I must describe a robber-cloth (Fig. 75), which 

 forms an essential part of the tent-escape. I take a piece 

 of stout cotton cloth (sheeting) or burlap large enough to 

 cover a hive and hang down four inches or more at both 

 sides and at each end. This must be weighted down at the 

 side with lath, and for this purpose I take four pieces 

 of lath about as long as the hive. I lay down one piece 

 of lath with another piece on it, and one edge of the 

 cloth between the two pieces of lath. I then nail the two 

 together and clinch the nails. I use the other two pieces 

 of lath for the opposite edge of the cloth. This makes 

 a good robber-cloth just as it is, but it is better to have 

 the ends also weighted down, especially on a windy day. 

 For this purpose I make a hem in each end, and put in it 

 shot, nails, pebbles, or something of the kind, stitching 

 across the hem here and there so the weighting material 

 will not all run together at one side or the other. 



