16 



THE AMERICAN A PIC UL TUB 1ST. 



honey is the object — and the quilt 

 now goes on top of the section case, 

 then the hive cover and shade- 

 board. Some beekeepers do not 

 use a quilt over the sections, but I 

 do, an(i to great advantage, I think. 

 In very hot w^eather tiie hive cover 

 can be wedged up so that the air 

 can pass over the quilt and relieve 

 the sufferings of the bees, and at 

 the same lime the quilt keeps them 

 in their proper place, and excludes 

 robbers. When honey is to be 

 taken with the extractor, full sized 

 supers the same as the brood-cham- 

 ber may be used, or the half depth 

 store cases, just as the fancy of the 

 apiarist leads him. The shallow 

 store comb cases are peculiarly 

 fitted for the tiering up plan, and 

 like my section cases they have the 

 regular mechanical bee space divid- 

 ed so as to have half at the top 

 and bottom of the frames. This 

 arrangement permits the setting of 

 the cases on anj' level surface with- 

 out the bottoms of the frames or 

 sections coming in contact with the 

 plane below, and mashing any bees 

 that maj' be sticking under them 

 when they are being handled. The 

 brood-cases which may be used for 

 surplus cases also, are made so as 

 to have the half bee spaces at top 

 and bottom, l)ut as they are not 

 handled in bulk the frames are al- 

 ways movable. The very best le- 

 sultscan be obtained by tiering the 

 shallow sur[)lus cases, and as they 

 are handled in bulk, while the 

 standard brood-nest-size cases 

 must be niaui[)ulated one frame at 

 a time, the former gives less and 

 lighter labor. I have found, how- 

 ever, that to use one shallow sur- 

 plus case with one standard size, 

 one gets very satisfactory results 

 being nearly a clear gain to the 

 extent of the shallow case full of 

 honey, as the bees will fdl the shal- 

 low case while they are evapora- 

 ting the nectar in the full-size sur- 

 plus case. 



There are many handy features 

 about this arrangement. When I 

 find it necessary to feed a colony 

 in the fall, I can slip a shallow case 

 with honey in the combs, under 

 the brood-chamber and my bees 

 are fed at once, and without an}' 

 disturbance or excitement. 1 col- 

 lect together the partly-filled sec- 

 tions and group them together in 

 section cases and tiei' the section 

 cases under the brood-chamber and 

 thus utilize the partly-filled sec- 

 tions as winter stores for my bees 

 and all is done without the massy 

 fuss' of feeding liquid food. 



It will be noticed that my favor- 

 ite hive and case system works with 

 a square joint. Several persons 

 have written me to know if hives, 

 cases, etc., will stay inphice on the 

 square-joint plan. 1 have to say 

 that in an experience ot eight years 

 I have never had a single case of 

 misplacement to occur by storms 

 or from any other cause. The 

 edges of the cases soon become 

 slightly propolized and stick fast 

 enough for all emergencies. 

 Christiansbnrg, Ky., Nov. 7, 1887. 



For the American Apictdturist. 



WINTEEING BEES IN LAT- 

 ITUDE 42° :^". 



A. \\. Clakk. 



Bkekkepeks diff'er greatly in 

 oi)inion regarding the i)roper con- 

 dition and preparation of their 

 colonies for successful wintering. 

 Some think brood-rearing should 

 continue as late as possible, others 

 that all brood should be hatched 

 out in September. 



Some pi'efer packing on outside 

 and some on inside of hive. 



One wants brood-nest covered 

 with a board, another with a cush- 



