THE USES OF WOOD 



601 



states hollow cypress knees 

 served as bee hives on some of 

 the plantations where negroes 

 had charge of the bees and saw 

 to it that the honey was periodi- 

 cally collected and made use of. 

 Similar cypress knee hives were 

 in use in southern Illinois in 

 1820, as is learned from the book 

 of an Englishman who traveled 

 in America during that year. 

 The cypress knee is a peculiar 

 growth or excrescence rising 

 from the roots of the tree where 

 the ground is covered with water 

 most of the time. The knees 

 are slender, hollow cones six 

 inches or more in diameter at 

 the base and tapering to a point. 

 The largest may have capacities 

 of six or eight gallons, or even 

 more, and bees accepted them as 

 domiciles, if placed within reach. 

 They were rather poor excuses 

 and were less convenient even 

 than hollow logs which were 

 often used side by side with the knee hives. As the 

 hollow log gums and the cypress knees went out of use 

 they were succeeded by a bee hive made of boards nailed 

 together to form a box, which was a little better than 

 the hollow log; at least, it looked better. The next im- 

 provement consisted of a little box set on top of the 

 large one. The top box was called a "cap." The bees 



Loadin 

 hundrei 

 is up-to-date 



f hives of bees at the 

 colonies were hauled 



BEE BUSINESS WELL CONDUCTED 



This is a Kansas scene and shows how bees are cared for by the owner 

 for the safety and comfort of his bee workers. Hives are made of high class 

 C. Pellett, Hamilton, Illinois. 



TRANSPORTATION PROBLEM SOLVED 



Dadant apiaries near Hamilton, Illinois, for a thirty mile haul. Five 

 on trucks and in 1919 they produced twenty tons of honey. Everything 

 (Photograph by Frank C. Pellett, Hamilton, Illinois.) 



filled it with honey after the hive was full sometimes 

 before. The owner took the honey in the cap, as his 

 portion, and left the swarm in possession of that in the 

 main hive. A vigorous swarm in the climate of the 

 northern states wants thirty pounds or more of honey as 

 the winter supply, but a little less will do in the South 

 where the winters are shorter. When the owner took 

 one cap he set another in its 

 place, if he believed that the 

 swarm could fill another before 

 the close of the season, and thus 

 he doubled his share. 



Bee keepers now do much bet- 

 ter than formerly for their faith- 

 ful workers. Decent hives are 

 provided for the swarms, and 

 the larger amount and better 

 grade of honey received pays 

 well for the attention bestowed 

 on the workers. Frames which 

 are sometimes called honey 

 boxes, are made for the comb, 

 each frame four or five inches 

 square. One fits beside another 

 in such a way that when one set 

 of frames has been filled with 

 honey, they can be lifted out and 

 empty frames can be inserted in 

 their places without disturbing 

 the others. This arrangement is 

 advantageous in more ways than 

 one. The clean, fine squares of 

 honeycomb may each be handled 



who takes pains to provide 

 wood. (Photograph by Frank 



