June 8, 1905 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL 



405 



handling the fiery viands. But what about 

 the linings of their stomachs^ 



May be those two "boys" would better 

 stay at home, or else talie their " best girls " 

 along to look after them, and help defend 



them from the laternal as well as external 

 dangers that those lively Texans seem to be 

 preparing for their guests! 



The rest of us can take along a supply of 

 " Dr. Gaudy's Famous Catnip Honey." 



iT 



V: 



0ur Bcc Keeping; Sisten 



Conducted by Emma M. Wilson, Marengo, 111. 



"\ 



J 



Honey-Paste for Chapped Hands 



Honey-paste for chapped hands is made by 

 combining the white of an egg, one teaspoon- 

 ful of glycerin, one ounce of honey and 

 ground barley. — Mme. Qui Vive, in Chicago 

 Record-Herald. 



Honey-Mufflns 



Sift together 3 cupfuls of flour, }i a tea- 

 spoonful of salt, and 2 teaspoonfuls Inking 

 powder. Beat the yolks of 2 eggs very light, 

 add 2 level tablespoonfuls butter (melted), 

 and ''4 of a cup of milk and same of extracted 

 hooey. Stir the liquid into the flour, beating 

 to a smooth hatter. Beat the whites of the 

 eggs to a stitr froth and fold them in. Bake 

 in muffin-rings placed on a griddle. — Grand 

 Rapids (Mich.) Post. 



Hive-Making at Home Explained 



As to whether or not it will pay to manu- 

 facture one's own hives depends altogether 

 upon how one is situated and upon what kind 

 of machinery he has at hand. Certainly it 

 will not pay to put them up without some 

 kind of special machinery, for not only is 

 labor worth too much, but the average bee- 

 keeper, unless an accomplished workman be- 

 sides, would be unable to make corners, 

 frames, and other parts to compare with those 

 cut out in factories equipped for the purpose. 

 But such apparatus as is needed in hive-mak- 

 ing is not expensive nor difficult to run, and 

 where a bee-keeper has the necessary time to 

 spare, with upwards of 30 colonies to provide 

 for, it would probably pay him well to invest 

 a little in hive-cutting machinery. 



Although we have kept bees for a number 

 of years, averaging 50 colonies to twice that 

 number, we have never had a factory-made 

 hive on the premises. Nor would I exchange 

 the ones we are using for any offered by the 

 best bee-supply house in existence. 



Our first start of bees was bought from an 

 old man who made his own hives much as we 

 make ours now. With the 3 colonies bought 



we also bought a half-dozen hives in the flat. 

 These were sufficient for the first season, and 

 by the time the next came around we were 

 prepared to put up hives for ourselves and our 

 neighbor bee-keepers. The machinery I will 

 endeavor to describe, also give first cost as far 

 as money invested is concerned. 



Some kind of power was of course the first 

 essential. Jfy husband fortunately owned a 

 small-sized horse-power, which he used for 

 sawing stove-wood, and other kinds of light 

 work on the farm. These, at that time, could 

 be secured quite cheaply of thresher-men, who 

 had discarded them for the more popular 

 steam outfit. This one has been re-framed, I 

 believe; but this did not represent any con- 

 siderable expense. 



Having the power and a jack with belt, the 

 only thing necessary to buy was the cutting 

 machinery. Two 7-inch circular saws, one a 

 cut-off and the other a rip-saw, were ordered 

 through a local hardware merchant. These 

 cost in the neighborhood of $3, the exact 

 amount I have forgotten now. Although "- 

 inch saws will do quite nicely, 8-inch we have 

 since found would be much better. A little 

 framing material and suitable lumber for 

 table and carriage was all that was bought 

 besides. 



Carpenter tools abound here, the master 

 being what may well be called a " handy 

 man." During the winter, when farm work 

 was not pressing, the wood parts were made 

 and put together. An ingenious contrivance, 

 which may be adjusted instantly to any meas- 

 urements, insures square ends and perfect- 

 fitting joints. Square and saws (other than 

 those belonging to the machine) are never 

 needed. Any kind, size, and make of hive, 

 with any style of frame, can be cut accurately, 

 rapidly, and with comparative ease. Two 

 horses are generally used, though, perhaps, 

 one would be suffloient; at any rate for a 

 short run. 



This machine does not cut dovetailed cor- 

 ners, of course, but instead we make what are 

 called "halved corners." These are nailed 

 from both sides, and are really all that could 

 be desired. We have never had one spread or 

 warp away from the joint. For our own 

 hives we use the V-shaped top-bar and self- 

 spacing frames. These the machine cuts as 

 readily as the old-fashioned thick top-bars. 



Even hand-holes are cut out when so wanted. 

 Supers of all kinds are as easily made as hives. 

 There is, in fact, no wood article except sec- 

 tions, which we buy from bee-supply houses. 



One man with two horses can easily cut out 

 and pack .'(i to 30 hives, with frames and 

 supers, in an ordinary working day, while 

 two men — one at the machine and one to move 

 and pack uway the parts as cut— could turn 

 out nearly twice that number. 



Shippin^'-cases, poultry-crates, and numer- 

 ous other such things are cut out and made 

 at home. Our neighbors never think of buy- 

 ing hives from bee-supply houses, as we can 

 furnish them as needed, and at even lower 

 prices. This trade, however, we do not solicit, 

 furnishing them only as an accommodation. 



As to the cost of hives made thus, it is evi- 

 dent that this is represented altogether by cost 

 of lumber. For hive-bodies and covers it is 

 usually necessary to buy high-priced lumber, 

 costing perhaps from $-tO to .*50 per thousand. 

 For bottom-boards, made with inclined 

 alighting board, narrower and cheaper lum- 

 ber can be used. Supers can also be made of 

 narrower lumber, though of quality equal to 

 the hive-bodies. Frames are largely out from 

 short pieces and waste strips left from other 

 parts of tht hives. Only best quality lumber 

 is used for them, whether waste pieces or not. 

 Common !•., -story S-frame Langstroth hives 

 will usually cost from 65 to To cents each for 

 material, covers and bottoms included, of 

 course. But this is for best quality of lum- 

 ber at ordinary retail prices. Nailing and 

 painting costs perhaps 10 cents more per hive. 

 Whether or not it pays, any one can decide 

 for himself, but we shall continue to make 

 what hives are required for use in our own 

 apiary, at any rate. 



To any one desiring to put in such machin- 

 ery as that described above, I would say that 

 many practical hints may be obtained from 

 the " A B C of Bee Culture." With this 

 book at hand any man handy with carpenter 

 tools should be able to build a very satis- 

 factory hive-cutting apparatus. I would say, 

 however, that ours is somewhat more com- 

 plicated and of greater capacity than the 

 small machines described there. 



Perhaps some may like to know where this 

 machine is used and kept when not in use. 

 Like all other farmers in this vicinity, we 

 have toliacco-curing sheds on the farm, and 

 the .saw parts are both used and stored in one 

 of these. The power is set up outside for use 

 there, and the rod driving the belt is run 

 through or under one of the small side doors 

 provided for in curing the tobacco. Any 

 good-sized work-shop would accommodate 

 the saws and frame parts without difficulty. 

 (Mrs.) Millie Honakek. 



Vernon Co., Wis. 



[The " A B C of Bee Culture " can be had 

 for $1,30, postpaid, or for $2.00 the book will 

 be sent with the American Bee Journal one 

 year. Address all orders to the American Bee 

 .Journal, 334 Dearborn St., Chicago, 111.— 

 Editor.] 



-V (£ontrtbuteb -f 

 ^ Special Clrttcles 



=% 



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" The Cloistering Hive and the Cloistral 

 Method" 



BY C. 1'. DADANT 



'T'lIE above is the title of a book which is just now attract- 



I ing the attention of the bee-keepers in France. The 



authors, .1. M. and .1. B. Gouttefangeas, here describe 



their method with a number of cuts. The book is in the 



French language. 



Cloisters, convents, monasteries, hermitages, belong mainly 

 to the Old World. Here they are. It is therefore not aston- 

 ishing that the ideas emitted originate in the Old World, and 



that this title sounds strange to our ears. One of the authors 

 describes his home, where he has practiced the method which 

 his book recommends : 



"The Hermitage is an antique monastery perched at 1100 meters 

 of altitude [3600 feetj.dn the midst of a large forest of beautiful pine 

 trees. The summers are charming here, but the winters are long and 

 rigorous, nothing can be heard but the noise of the wind among the 

 trees and sometimes the shrill piping of the titmouse, but during the 

 night there are powerful screams, well harmonized with the savage 

 nature of this rustic spot, the piercing voice of the owls which seek 

 for one another or hunt for their prey. They have their nest just 

 above my room in the mansard of a spacious attic, and I have given 

 them full permission to establish there their gracefid family. They 

 are my friends; they are also the friends of my bees; they destroy 

 more rodents than all the cats of the canton, and the rodents are the 

 enemies of the bees ; the enemies of my enemies are my friends." 



The cloistering hive is provided with an apparatus for 

 closing it up while at the same time letting a current of air 

 pass freely through without admittinK light. This apparatus 

 is composed of pipes in the shape of chimneys or (lues pierced 

 with holes and placed in an ante-chamber or portico, where 

 the bees congregate when there is any desire on their part of 

 taking wing. 



In Auvergne, the home of the authors, it is customary 



