1888 



GLEANINGS IN JJEE CULTURE. 



479 



broad -brimined hat keeps the veil in the right 

 place. 



Perhaps you may think that, if I were to work 

 among hybrids, the result would nave been differ- 

 ent. Last fall I went out into Geauga Co. to help 

 put some black and hybrid bees into winter quar- 

 ters; and although wc had so little time to do the 

 work that we did not pay much respect as to their 

 preference tor being kept quiet, and tlie bees were 

 as thick as she descrilies, still 1 met with the same 

 result. So I wish to give my advice to those women 

 who have to work among the sweet little busybod- 

 ies, day after day, which is: If you wish to be com- 

 fortable and also look reasonably well, send to A. I. 

 Root for a linen hat, of which you may see a cut in 

 GiiEANiNG.^i, page Vm, 1886, and a description of the 

 same by Ernest on page 30, 1887, and I have no 

 doubt that he will send you one by mail for a small 

 sum. Now, Mr. Root, if you will kindly give the 

 amount that you can send them for by mail, you 

 will oblige me as well as your other readers. 



Although it is too early to make any definite 

 statement about the condition of the bees, so far 

 as I know they have wintered very well. 



Bedford, O., Apr. 16, 1888. Dema Bennett. 



Many thanks for sug,s;estions, my good 

 friend. There is a little circumstance con- 

 nected with the point you criticise, that it 

 may be well to mention. In that article 

 you allude to, I did not intend to say that 

 Mrs. Axtell had the best arrangement ; and 

 when I saw how the compositor had set it 

 up, I was quite emphatic in saying that it 

 would never do to let that go out in that 

 shape ; but some way or other it did go to 

 press, and the journals were all printed in 

 just that way. I felt very much inclined to 

 make a fuss about it ; but we concluded to 

 wait and see whether anybody noticed it. 

 No one has written about it that I know of. 

 except \ourself ; and as our blunder was tlie 

 means of bringing up this excellent article 

 of yours on the subject of head-gear, I think 

 we will not need to feel so badly about it 

 after all. Thanks for the kind words you 

 say in regard to our hat for bee-keepers. 

 The idea belongs entirely to Ernest ; and 

 although we have never given them a place 

 in our price list, such a trade has sprung up 

 for them that we have already sold several 

 gross. See Our Own Apiary elsewhere. 

 ^ I ^ ^ 



A BEE-HIVE ON WHEELS. 



DESIGNED TO BE MOVED ABOUT AS PASTURAGE 

 DEMANDS. 



fllE following description of a portable 

 apiary (with cut) from the Leipzic 

 Bienen-Zeitung will surely interest our 

 readers. The very excellent transla- 

 tion is furnished by L. F. Dintelman, 

 Belleville, 111. To him also we are indebted 

 for calling our attention to the matter. The 

 writer of the article is Gustave Sigle, of 

 Feuerbach, near Stuttgart. He says : 



Scarcity of pasture, as well as the proximity of 

 the Stuttgart eugarreflnery, forced me to travel. 

 With many strong colonies this is always attended 

 with trouble and expense; for hives that can be 

 handled by one or two men will give the laden 

 wagon a rather shaky load; and as to nailing; the 

 hives together, this never suited me. 



I had, therefore, four-story hives constructed, 

 which were, however, when fully colonized, too 

 heavy, requiring the help of four to six men to 

 readily handle 100 to 150 colonies. The loading, 

 placing in the field, and reloading on the wagons, 

 always cost me too much in time and money and 

 labor; I therefore decided upon the construction of 

 portable bee-hives. As the two wagons, complete- 

 ly furnished, successfully accomplished the tlrst 

 five trips, I was besought on all sides to give the 

 following description of the wagon, which I do to 

 the best of my ability: 



A HOUSE-APIAIIY ON WHEEI.S. 



The wagon is a so called skeleton wagon, with 

 free axles, and has, consequently, a level platform. 

 There is, for the better handling of the colonies, an 

 offset 30 cm. deep, in the platform center, running 

 to within ].2') cm. of the front end, to allow for the 

 clearance of the front wheels. 



There are side and cross springs, to give us 

 smooth riding as possible, and to avoid sudden jar- 

 rings. A good brake is also attached. The frame 

 is thoroughly braced (to prevent all contractions 

 whatever) with strong iron rods<" The tongue is 

 easil3' removed. The roof is constructed similar to 

 a car-roof, the supports being formed of angle 

 iron. The hives need only to be pushed, like draw- 

 ers, in between these supports. 



The height, from bottom to roof, is 1.5.5 m., 2 

 three-Story normal hives and one one-story hive 

 just fllling this space. The length is 4.10 m.. allow- 

 ing the placing of 3 four-stories with a space of 36 

 cm. between same. The two entrances on the 

 front and on each side prevent the commingling of 

 the bees. 



The foui"-stories, which are not removed from the 

 wagon, are double-walled, being 1.30 m. long. The 

 aisles, of 36 cm. on the sides, are closed immediate- 

 ly back of the entrances, which are divided in its 

 center, to give an opening to each colony. The 

 width of the wagon is 3 m. The hives, being 50 cm. 

 wide, leave a space of 1 m. in the center, which 

 proves sufficient to work in. At the front and 

 rear, a glass door with blinds is attached. The en- 

 trance is easier, on account of the depression in the 

 platform from the rear, where also is placed a stair 

 of two risers. For protection against rain, an awn- 

 ing made of sheet iron, painted, and provided with 

 spouting, is attached, which can be easily taken 

 apart in 8 pieces, and removed before starting on a 

 journey. For the protection of the bees and the 

 wheels, a cloth is stretched from the entrances to 

 the ground. The bees are i-eady for moving at all 



