138 



THE AMERICAN BEE-KEEPER. 



Aur/Hsf 



views, that though not necessarily 

 fraudulent, it is an unwise practice, 

 reacting to the detriment of the ship- 

 per. 



HIVE COVERS. 



At the Colorado Bee-Keepers' con- 

 vention R. C Akin truthfully remarked 

 that the wax in sections is sometimes 

 brought almost to the melting point be- 

 neath a sirgle board cover. Quoting 

 this from the American Bee Journal, 

 Dr. Miller, in Gleanings, comments: 

 "Every now and then it comes to light 

 that some practical bee-keeper is using 

 a cover with dead air space, covered 

 with tin, and it seems a little strange 

 that manufacturers offer nothing of the 

 kind." 



Although there has been much writ- 

 ten upon this subject, we believe it 

 may yet be discussed with profit, as 

 there are still styles of covers manu 

 factured and sold, which in theory and 

 pictures appear to embody desirable 

 features, though practically a failure 

 in every way. 



The essential points in a hive cover 

 are: It must be a "lawful" roof — one 

 that is in fact a protection from storm 

 — a roof that will shed all the rain, all 

 the time. It should be close-fitting, in 

 direct contact with the hive all around, 

 and yet so constructed that it may be 

 adjusted without force or jar. It should 

 be a non-conductor of heat, and afford 

 a ready means of providing ventilation 

 through the hive when desired. As 

 with all else about the apiary, it should 

 offer no secluded harbor to vermin. 

 When used over sections, it is of im- 

 portance that an accurate bee-space be 

 maintained, hence the necessity of a 

 rigid and substantial cover, one that 

 will not spring and warp out of shape, 

 inviting propolis at this time, and af. 

 other times tempting robbers as well. 



There is one pattern of the venti- 

 lated variety of lids constructed of 

 three-eights and three-sixteenths stuff 

 that has had quite an extensive sale, 



which in our experience has been an 

 intolerable nuisance. Ventilation is a 

 most desirable feature in a hive cover 

 where exposed to the sun, but we can- 

 not afford to sacrifice all other good 

 points to secure this one, as has been 

 done in the case referred to. Such 

 wafer-like boards, with the moisture 

 of the colony below and the heated air 

 above, supported only by inserting the 

 ends into saw-kerfs in the end cleats, 

 and nails driven squarely through the 

 thin boards which constitute the roof, 

 is a source of endless annoyance. What 

 less efficient device could be contrived 

 as a cover? A good lid cannot be made 

 from such fragile material. The only 

 point that we can truthfully note in 

 their favor is that they are necessarily 

 "short-lived," fortunately necessitating 

 an early change. 



As to the merits of the ventilated 

 Higginsville cover, brought out a few 



HIGGINSVILI.E VENTILATED COVER 



years ago, we can not speak from ex- 

 perience, though its advantages over 

 the former style are evident. Having, 

 as it does, heavier material as a roof, a 

 more substantial method of cleating 

 and a firm centre support to the thin, 

 lower boards. We have in use, how- 

 ever, quite a number of the ordinary 

 Higginsville covers, in connection with 

 a cleated honey-board, which we as- 

 sume is similar to the inner cleated 

 cover used by Mr. Akin, and the com- 

 bination is a very satisfactory cover- 

 ing, second only, in our opinion, to a 

 flat lid and honey-board, of which we 

 have also about one hundred in use. 



The rude, sectional sketch herewith 

 shown, may serve to illustrate the ar- 

 rangement which we use and prefer to 

 all other styles yet tried. The lid, a, is 

 a solid board seven-eighths thick, the 

 ends being let into snug-fitting grooves 

 in the end cleats of one and one-eighth 

 inch stuff, two and one-fourth wide, 



