32 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



[Aug. 



rather that it is gathered from plants, the nat- 

 ural production of which it is. 



Accepting this idea of Hoppe-Seyler, it must 

 follow that all the wax, used in the construction 

 of the combs, must be gathered, and should be 

 found in the pollen or in the gathered-in nec- 

 tar, since pollen and honey (excepting water 

 and propolis) are the only matter borne into the 

 hive by the bees. 



By a careful examination of the gathered 

 pollen, published in the before-mentioned 

 treatise, it was made evident that the wax could 

 not possibly be brought into the hive Avith the 

 pollen. It is well known that bees when fed on 

 wax-free honey will shortly begin to build 

 comb, and that if pollen be mingled with the 

 wax-free honey the wax-building will still go 

 on, hence it is plain that the wax must be pro- 

 duced not from the pollen but from the bee 

 itself. 



[to be continued.] 

 ♦-♦ 



[For the American Bee Journal.] 



Cheap Hives and Winter Protection. 



In this latitude, 39° 30', and district, southern 

 Ohio, the question of the best plan of wintering 

 bees is a very difficult one to answer, with any 

 certainty. The range of the thermemeter in 

 ordinary winters from the middle of November 

 to the middle of March is 10 "ax 60°, and in ex- 

 ceptional seasons, 25° a x 70° Fh. Sometimes for 

 one or two weeks continuously in December or 

 January 50° a 60° and higher. Therefore, to 

 winter in close repositories, either in cellars, or 

 above ground, where the bees are not free to fly 

 in suitable weather, is very difficult, if not im- 

 possible, to do successfully ; and if left on their 

 summer stands, without protection, if the win- 

 ter is severe, many swarms perish, and most 

 that survive come out with but few bees, and 

 little honey. 



In conversation with a friend of experience 

 in bee culture about these difficulties, he sug- 

 gested making a framework of convenient length 

 to hold, say three tier of frames, one above the 

 other, according to the accompanying plan, 

 each colony having its distinct place, permitting 

 examination, and all in compact form, so that 

 they can be covered at will, and be in the best 

 shape for retaining heat, at the same time hav- 

 ing all the ventilation needed. Extending this 

 idea, based on the fact that the different colo- 

 nies, in close proximity and breathing the same 

 atmosphere, would dwell peaceably together; 1 

 queried whether I could not have a hive in 

 which a numljer of swarms, not only could 

 winter together, but work togethei-, at least 

 along side of each other. I had a hive made as 

 follows: the floor 12x2 feet, box for frames 

 111^ ft. x 15 in. wide x 13 in. deep. The top is 

 beveled off sharply, to aline only, for the frames 

 to rest on, so that they can only be lightly fast- 

 ened, and there is jjlenty of space beneath to 



take hold of the ends of the frames. Front and 

 rear strips rising respectively two and four 

 inches higher than the top of the frames, with 

 ends to fit, are screwed or nailed around the 

 top of the frame box, to form a chamber above 

 the frames, and support for the covers, five in 

 all, and together, of same size as floor. The top 

 of this upper chamber is also beveled to avoid 

 crashing any bees when the covers are replaced. 

 To give winter jjrotection, a strip of board three 

 inches wide, raised one half inch to aflford pas- 

 sage, is laid upon the floor in front, and upon 

 this an outer box made around the hive, of 

 height, front and rear, to suit the slope of the 

 roof, and size, to leave two inches alight- 

 ing space on the floor in front, the space between 

 the boxes to be filled with any convenient non- 

 conductor of heat. To use as a two story hive, 

 make a second box of suitable size and shape, 

 and set on the lower, keeping it in place by 

 standards, four or six in number, screwed or 

 otherwise fastened to the lower box. To pre- 

 vent the hive spreading in the middle, nail a 

 small block in front and rear, andput through, 

 near the top a one-fourth inch iron rod with 

 head and thumbscrew. 



About May 1, I placed six swarms, with hive- 

 frames of comb eacli in the hive, sprinkling all 

 first with sweetened water, scented with ess. 

 pep ; and for further protection separated the 

 colonies by frames covered with wire gauze. 

 There was a good deal of commotion the first 

 day, occasioned by change of hive, and slight 

 change of location, but after that time, all went 

 quietly as before the bees were transferred. 

 After two days I took out the wire frame 

 between two colonies, and in a week had all 

 out, without any difficulty occurring. I used 

 the extractor only occasionally in this hive to 

 prevent the filling of the brood comb too much 

 with honey, and supplied the bees with empty 

 frames for surplus honey outside the brood 

 combs as fast as they were able to fill them. 

 About June 1, I took out one colony, as they 

 were o-etting crowded. It was soon evident that 

 the colony at either end was inclined to_ work 

 towards its neighbors, rather than to its own 

 end of the hive ; and as they neared each other, 

 to throw out wings of coml) across the open 

 space. These were cut off, and used as squides 

 on empty frames. When the gaps were filled, 

 the bees of adjoining colonies used indifferently 

 the same exits, and I have no doubt mingled in 

 their work. All have kept their separate queens 

 and brood, and there seems no danger of queens 

 trespassing on each others territory. If the 

 hive is used as a one story hive, I would make 

 the tops of the frames fit closely with a segment 

 of a circle cut out of one side of each at the 

 middle for winter passage, across the frames, 

 under the covering, to be closed in summpr, un- 

 less boxes are to be placed for surplus honey, in 

 which case as many openings could be made as 

 necessary. The tops of the frames should also 



