208 



THE AMERICAN BEE-KEEPER 



Novcmlter 



of the hive will be necessary. I have 

 quite a quantity of such screens on 

 hand and ready for use. Each consists 

 of a frame the size of the hive and made 

 out of strips of lumber one inch square. 

 Regular wire-screen is nailed over it. 

 These frames are secured to the hive each 

 by two wire-nails, which are not quite 

 driven home, but left sticking out far 

 enough so they may be drawn easily by 

 a claw-hammer. 



My hives all have loose bottom-boards, 

 ft is most essential to have them fasten- 

 ed solidly. The VanDusen hive-clamp, 

 which I use, is not suiificient unless 

 each bottom-board is provided with 

 dowel-pins, one on each side. A small 

 wire nail, driven from the under side 

 through the bottom-board and entering 

 the lower edge of the hive by about 

 three-eighths of an inch, is sufficient. 

 When drawn down by the clamp the 

 hive cannot shift back or forth on its 

 bottom-board. 



We now have our hives in shape to 

 load. The next thing for consideration 

 is the wagon. Bees and honey should 

 always be moved on springs; for heavy 

 loads an ordinary lumber-wagon with a 

 good set of springs, is all right. For 

 long distance moves I would load as 

 aiany colonies upon a wagon as could 

 !ie carried on it with safety. This 

 would necessitate building a suitable 

 rack. I do all my moving with a one- 

 horse wagon and I do not tier up my 

 hives. Eighteen colonies will make a 

 good load for horse and wagon. I have 

 i)uilt a long, low wagon-box and fitted 

 on a light, simple rack whereon I place 

 ihe eighteen colonies without difficulty. 

 The hive cov<>rs and othiu- fixtures may 

 be placed in the box under the hives 

 when it is advisable not to leave them 

 on the hives. 



Selecting cool days, bees may be 

 moved in day-time just as well as 

 at night; but during hot weather. 

 as. for instanee, when taking bees into 

 ouckwheat pasture, I prefer a moonlight 

 'light, and I aim to get the be(^s onto 



their new stands by the time they 

 would otherwise be ready to commence 

 their day's labor. 



While discussing the subject of mov- 

 ing bees, putting them into winter re- 

 positories or cellars, would also be a 

 proper one for consideration at this 

 time. 



In order to have this job go off pleas- 

 antly, I prefer leaving on the bottom- 

 boards and closing up the entrances 

 while moving to the cellar.' I rather 

 prefer leaving the bottom-boards on all 

 winter, but place a two-inch rim, the 

 exact size of the hive, under each brood- 

 chamber. I do this several weeks be- 

 fore it is time to cellar the bees. These 

 rims answer another purpose: When 

 moving bees during hot weather, I 

 fasten one of them with the screen- 

 board, as mentioned before, on top of 

 each hive, giving the bees a chance to 

 cluster in the space thus formed. 



To reduce the size of the entrance, in 

 particular during spring, I use a strip 

 of pine lumber one inch square. It is 

 exactly as long as the entrance and 

 when turned a quarter way and pushed 

 against the hive tight, closes it up and 

 prevents any bees from escaping. These 

 blocks need no fastening, for we handle 

 the hives carefully. When the time has 

 arrived to take the bees to the cellar, 

 which is about the last week in Novem- 

 ber, I hitch myself to my spring wheel- 

 barrow. This is covered four or six 

 fold with an old, clean, wollen horse 

 blanket, which acts as a spring itself 

 and lessens any jar occurring from 

 placing the hives thereon. Two colon- 

 iesare loaded on at a time and wheeled 

 up to the cellar door, or right into the 

 cellar, if same is nearly on a level with 

 the ground. It is pretty hard work for 

 one man to carry a large number of 

 hives into the cellar alone; but I found 

 it very difficult to procure suitable help 

 for such work. Peoph' not familiar 

 with the nature of bees do this work 

 not to my liUing. Tin- wiiacking. 

 knocking. shunming and banging 



