1904-05- 



THE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEW. 



a few more colonies, and the results 

 will be the same. 



METHODS MUST BE ADAPTED TO 

 HIRED HELP. 



Any system of working- out-apiaries 

 must be so simple that hired help, 

 with a moderate amount of experience, 

 can readily understand and put in 

 practice all of the necessary manip- 

 ulations for the production of a crop 

 of honey. 



MOVING BEES TO AN OUT-YARD. 



May is the month in which we try 

 to g-et all our moving- done. At this 

 season of the year nearly all of the 

 old bees have dropped off and the 

 young bees are not so numerous as 

 they will be later. The honey is also 

 g-etting low, thus leaving the colonies 

 the lightest of any time of the year. 

 Select a cool time (we usually get 

 more than we need at this season of 

 the year), and nail screens over the 

 strong colonies; the moderate and 

 weak ones will go all right with the 

 covers on. Of course, you will nail a 

 strip of wood over the entrance. I 

 prefer a flat rack to move bees on; 

 something like a hay-rack. Mine is 

 seven feet wide and seventeen feet long, 

 with a seat in front built in such a 

 manner that it does not take up any 

 room from the rack. I use bolster 

 springs that will hold up 4,000 pounds, 

 and put springs and rack on a low- 

 wheeled wagon so the wheels can 

 turn under the rack. With this rig 

 50 colonies can be moved at one load 

 without decking up; or 40 of the chaff- 

 packed hives can be taken at a load. 

 A few years ago I thought I had to do 

 my moving in the night, but, of late, 

 I have found that it could be done as 

 well, or better, in the daytime. 



HAVE A CAUTION — HAVE A CARE! 



We will now suppose you are loaded 

 and ready to start. See that you have 

 a hammer and some nails of different 



sizes, as well as some rags and cotton 

 batting to stop any leaks that may 

 occur. Of course, you will have your 

 smoker in good order, ready to use 

 with the first signs of bees getting out. 

 After you have driven a fourth of a 

 mile, if a few get out they usually do 

 no harm; they just make a few circles 

 to mark their location and are left be- 

 hind. Still, I would rather none of 

 them would not get out. 



IN CASE OF ACCIDENT, 



Instruct your teamster to take the 

 team off as quickly as possible, while 

 you use the smoke on the bees. 



Arriving at your destination, do not 

 leave the bees standing in the sun, but 

 make it your first business, after un- 

 hitching the team, to unload. After 

 the bees are set on their stands (previ- 

 ously prepared) the next thing to do 

 is to open the entrances and put on 

 the covers. The screens can be re- 

 moved at your leisure. 



SELECTING THE LOCATION. 



My bees are all on rented ground. 

 I select the location, and then try to 

 find some well-sheltered spot; and, as 

 there is to be no watching for swarms, 

 I prefer to have the bees quite a dis- 

 tance from any house, where there is 

 not likely to be much team-work near. 



PAINTING HIVES IN THE SPRING. 



I do all my own painting of hives 

 during the spring months. Do not 

 think of painting during cold weather; 

 it will not be satisfactory. Select a 

 good brand of pure prepared white 

 paint for outside use. If you have not 

 had quite a lot of experience, you will 

 do much better with the ready-mixed 

 paints than to try to mix it yourself. 



We are now near the honey season ; 

 and in my next I will explain my 

 method of putting on upper stories, 

 extracting, and handling the crop of 

 honey. 



Remus, Mich., Dec. 7, 1903. 



