I<"eb. 13, 1902. 



AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL, 



103 



turn, sccrclary and Ircasiirtr. Kxccutivc Committee: V. Mc- 

 Nay, Allen BariicU, T. F. Anmdell. Viee-1'resiilents : (jro. 

 W. JirudbecU, for Los AiiKeles Coimly ; 11. E. Wilder, for 

 Riverside County; Major G. F. Mcrriam, for San Uiego ; 

 M. H. Mcndleson, for Ventura; H. C. Williamson, for San 

 Bernardino; E. A. Money, for Orange; an.d Delos Wood, for 

 Santa liarbara County. 



Appropriate resolutions in memory of Robert Wilkin, 

 R. Touoliton, and J. R. Crow, were presented, followed 

 by toucbinpr remarks by Prof. Cook and others. 



The Kcnial face of "R.unbler" Martin was missing, with 

 many inquiries in regard to his Cuban projects. 



The following il members represented 9000 colonies of 

 bees: J. E. Mclntyre, M. 11. Mcndleson, Emerson Bros., 

 G. F. Mcrriam, J. -McClure, W. B. Whittaker, Dr. D. W. 

 Edwards, Delos Wood, T. F. Arundcll, T. O. Andrews, and 

 L. T. Andrews. 



The auKMuhnent to the constitution increasing the mem- 

 bership fee to one dollar was carried, thus entitling one 

 to mcmbersliip in the State .'\ssociation and in the National 

 Association; 48 names will thus be enrolled on the latter, so 

 look out for California! 



After a harmonious and interesting session, on motion 

 and considerate action of Mrs. J. F. Mclntyre, the Association 

 adjourned ito meet next Decenrber, during ithe meeting 

 of the Southern California Teachers' Association, thus secur- 

 ing the benefit of reduced railroad rates. 



Los Angeles Co., Calif. 



Contributed Articles, i 



The Tent-Canvas and Tin Hive-Cover. 



BY T. F. BINGHAM. 



The tent-apiary probably solves the much-written-about 

 liive-cover. Bee-keepers need not be told that material from 

 trees which grows by its ability to absorb water from the 

 air and earth does not lose its affinity for water even years 

 after seasoning, when atmosphere or other conditions favor 

 absorption. 



It is practically useless to try to keep bee-hives from 

 sympathizing with the air surrounding, and within them, 

 either in a dry or damp climate. 



With the present high price of good lumber, economic 

 considerations would not seem to justify further experi- 

 ments with wooden hive-covers. No hive is complete with- 

 out an outside cover that will protect the hive proper against 

 heat and rain. Painted wood costs more if of choice and 

 valuable kinds than tin, and is of no comparative value. 

 This was one of the factors leading up to the canvas tents 

 in the photograph. Lightness, however, was the great in- 

 centive to their adoption. 



That my apiary has had no other covers than the tin 

 ■top and canvas sides since leaving the cellar last April is 

 evidence that it can be used. 



It may be further observed that such tents are a great 

 pleasure in handling when necessary ; they weigh ^lot more 

 than four pounds, and are very easy to manipulate. Of 

 course, my hives are not like any others in use, but any 

 liive having a tin top and a narrow curtain around it to 

 fall down over the sides would do away with all warping 

 features so much written about. 



The interior of my hives are practically solid and would 

 stand the out exposure as well as any, but I use the 

 outside arrangement because I think it pays. The top 

 or roof is an unplaned pine board i inch thick and 

 17 inches square. The lin roof is formed at the sides like 

 a square tin pan. by turning down the edges 1 54 inches on 

 all four sides. This tin is fastened to the board with nails 

 driven through th-e rim into the edge of the board. The 

 tent-cloth I use is the common tent-cloth used in tents for 

 hunters, etc. It is split in two lengthwise and cut into pieces 

 long enough to go loosely around the hive, and sewed 

 together so as to form a tube or bag with open ends. It is 

 fastened into or on the cover with strips of lath long enough 

 to make good corners. This lath secures a shallow chamber 

 across the top of ithe hive is inch high — dead-air space. 



A frame of lath or pieces the length of each side is 

 fastened to the lower edge of the canvas, so it will drop 



loosely over the interior or main hive. No paint is rc<iuircd 

 if the tin is good enough so it will not rust, if the tin re- 

 ceives a coat of oil every sprinv; it won't rust, and will not 

 absorb the sun's heal. 



It seems strange that sonu: pf those bcc-kccpcrs that 

 have had trouble with combs meltmg down in the sun have 

 not tried unpainle<l tin for a roof, or even sides of tin. Tin 

 does not absQrb much heat from the sun. It is a thousand 

 times better than any painted wood or iron. A tin-covered 

 hive would not only be moisture-proof, but sun-proof, and 

 about as cheap as choice lumber. 



Clare Co., Mich., Dec. 9, igoi. 



No-Drip Sliipplns!-Case.s How to Prepare. Tliem. 



BY C. DAVt.Nl-ORT. 



A bee-keeper who was at my place in 1900, when I 

 was putting no-drip shipping-cases together, said I could 

 put two together in less time than he could one. He con- 

 sidered these cases a great nuisance on account of the time 

 it took him to make the paper tray and nail in the cleats 

 or strips the right distance apart in the bottom. If the 

 paper is heavy enough it can be shaped into a tray over a 

 board in the way that has before been described. But with 

 the kind of paper that has been sent out with some of these 

 cases of lajte, it will not, after being formed around the 

 board, stay in shape long enough to place it in the case. 

 This can be overcome by using a wet or damp cloth to press 

 and form the paper around the board. But I now practice a 

 much quicker and easier way. I have a board of such size 

 that it will just easily fit down inside the cases, the corners 

 on the lower side are slightly rounded and made very smooth 

 and the sharp edge of the wdiole corners are made smooth 

 with fine sand-paper. The corners, except slightly on the 

 bottom side, are not cut oflr — simply smoothed. Insignificant 

 as the details may appear they are important. 



To put the paper in a case I lay a sheet down on the 

 table and lay the board, rounded corners down, on the top 

 of it so the paper will project evenly all around it. I then 

 raise the paper up and hold it tightly against each end of 

 the board. The paper and board are now placed over the 

 case, and with the board the paper is pressed down to the 

 bottom of the case. These trays can in this manner be 

 placed in very rapidly, and no matter what kind of paper 

 is used it will stay in position. Simple as this seems, there 

 is a knack about it, as some who may spoil a fevv dozen 

 sheets of paper and spend a few hours' time in learning will 

 be ready to acknowledge. 



To nail the strips the right distance apart in the bot- 

 tom. I use two. strips the length of the case, these being 

 marked to show where the center cleats should be nailed. 

 I first nail in the two end cleats, then place in the center 

 ones, and then lav in the two long strips on top of them, 

 one on each side, and the marks on these show iust where 

 the center cleats should be nailed. A very short-handled 

 hnmnier makes the nailinq- of these much easier, as does 

 starting the nails or staples in the cleats before they are 

 placed in the case. 



PUTTING UP SECTIONS OF HONEY FOR THE HOME RETAIL TR.\DE. 



The visitor mentioned was also interested in the way 

 I put up section honey for retail trade. I have for many 

 years sold several thousand pounds of honey each season in 

 small amounts. Part of this is sold at the apiary to people 

 who call for it, and part of it is carried to customers who 

 reside in towns near my home, many of the latter taking 

 a whole case of comb honey each fall, and where a full 

 case is taken I usually furnish a tight and convenient case to 

 keep it in. But at the house and in town a good deal is 

 sold to persons who buy but a few sections at a time, and to 

 furnish a regular case for a few sections is of course out 

 of the question, and sections are, unless one knows how. 

 very difficult to wrap and tie up in paper so the honey Avill 

 not' get broken and mashed up when it is carried for a 

 number of miles over rough country roads. 



The way I first did to insure these small lots carrying 

 safely was to take as many sections as might be ordered 

 and set them up close and evenlv together on a table, then 

 over their tops I would lay a thin piece of wood — usually 

 a discarded separator — then very small wire nails would 

 be driven down through these thin strips on top into the 

 section: 3 nails were driven through into each section, the 

 whole then turned bottom side up and another strip nailed 

 on the bottom side in the same way. These separators, or 

 whatever might be used, were then trimmed or cut oflf 



