304 



Basswood or the linden does not grow 

 here, and the clovers— the very best bee 

 pasturage plants— have not as yet been 

 acclimated here. As the country be- 

 comes settled up and more thoroughly 

 cultivated in the various cereals, fruits 

 and pasture plants, bee-keeping will 

 progress accordingly, but at present no 

 extensive establishment will flourish 

 except in the cotton growing regions, 

 and we must be content with a few 

 colonies in any one locality. 



For trie American Bee Journal. 



My Winter-Protector Hive. 



HIRAM ROOP. 



Thinking some of the readers of the 

 Bee Journal, may wish to see a cut 

 and description of my winter-protector 

 hive, I furnish the following descrip- 

 tion of it. After using nearly all the 

 hives I ever heard of, this is my favor- 



Roop's Winter-Protector Hive. 



ite : The frames are 10x10 in., inside 

 measure. I have found that bees win- 

 ter and spring better in this size of 

 frame than in any other. If the colony 

 be crowded upon as many combs as 

 they can well cover, with the division 

 cushion and side chambers rilled with 

 sawdust or chaff, they will winter well 

 every time, even if placed on the top of 

 buildings, fences, or in fact anywhere. 

 This hive is also a non-swarmer, if the 

 colony be started in the side chamber 

 at the right time. It has four side 

 compartments and one rear compart- 

 ment, with three frames in each, mak- 



ing 15 frames around the hive proper. 

 The latter takes 12 of these 10x10 in. 

 frames. I had 12 colonies in this hive 

 last season, and they gave me less 

 trouble and more honey than any other 

 24 colonies. I use 10x10 frames in all 

 my hives. It is public property, and 

 all may freely use it, who desire to. 

 Carson City, Mich., May 18, 1879. 



For tne American Bee Journal. 



Shipping Bees— Their Endurance. 



GEORGE E. STEELE. 



I have lately had a little experience in 

 shipping bees, and can probably uive your 

 readers the best time on record. They were 

 transported 242 miles, all the way as freight, 

 and were exactly two weeks in confinement. 

 Take off the express !— no use for that now. 

 But be sure and have every man understand, 

 in the first place, that he is to make all the 

 mistakes he can. No other need apply. 



But how about the bees ? I sent to James 

 Heddon, of Howagiac, Mich., for 4 colonies 

 of his best Italians, knowing, too, that his 

 frames were just the size I wanted, which 

 is a point gained. He shipped them pre- 

 cisely as ordered, taking much care in se- 

 lecting, packing and shipping. How they 

 came as freight and the long delay, I will 

 not stop to explain. It is the packing which 

 is most important. The entrances were 

 fastened by the entrance blocks nailed over 

 them ; the frames nailed down at each end 

 and cemented by propolis besides. Frames 

 should not be disturbed just before ship- 

 ping. On top of the frames, at one end, was 

 fastened a large piece of burlap or coarse 

 cloth, folded several times and saturated 

 with water just before starting. This will 

 give a supply of water for any ordinary 

 journey. The upper stories and covers 

 were sent separately, and in place a frame 

 2 in. deep covering the entire top of the 

 hive, was nailed on, having a covering of 

 wire cloth. Across the center of this was a 

 narrow strip strongly nailed on outside to 

 prevent benighted express or freight men 

 from piling one hive on another and smoth- 

 ering the little travelers, as well as to afford 

 a sort of handle to lift the package by. 



Result : Owing to all the above precau- 

 tions, notwithstanding fate at one time 

 seemed to be against them, the bees arrived 

 in quite good order. Larvse and eggs were 

 mostly out, either hatched or destroyed, 

 and a mass of rubbish in the bottom, but 

 the queens were alive, and so many bees, 1 

 wondered where they could all have kept 

 themselves— a small amount of honey. In 

 an hour from opening them some were 

 bringing in pollen, and the next day eirgs 

 and honey were scattered "promiscus." 

 Not a broken comb could be found. I sup- 

 pose Friend Heddon does not believe in 

 "predestination," but when he packs bees 

 it means " destination " to them, no mat- 

 ter what mistakes are made in transit. 



Elk Rapids, Mich., June 11, 1879. 



