378 



CLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



May J. 



HIVE-WEIGHTS. 



WHY THEY Ain; AX ADVAXTAliK. 



During a large part of the yoar I prefer to 

 keep on eacli hive a ston(» or brie!':, weighing l:.' 

 or 1.=) lbs. In the winter this is almost a neces- 

 sity, to Iveep the covei's from blowing away. We 

 get winds hei'e sometimes that send such things 

 sailing nnh ss well weighted down. Even the 

 covers of your chatf hives are frequently blown 

 off. It seems to me, too. that I have read about 

 the boys at the Home of the Honey-bees having 

 been obliged at times to race out into the rain 

 to replace covers. In inclement weather the 

 absence of the cover for a few hours, say until 

 the interior of the hive has been saturated with 

 rain, and then frozen, is apt to result in the 

 ruin of the colony. In the winter, when the 

 apiary is not constantly under my eye, I can 

 not afford to run this risk. 



Except during the warmest summer weather, 

 a bee-hive is better for being closely sealed at 

 the top. Especially is this the case in the spring, 

 wlien we should bi? very careful that there is no 

 chance for the warm air to escape through 

 cracks around the top of the hive. Whenever 

 the cover to the brood-chamber is removed aft- 

 er cool weather has set in in the fall, a crack of 

 greater or less extent is made, which the bees 

 are unable to close until the warm weather of 

 the next spi'ing. When a weight is kept on the 

 flat board covei-. it is held down closely to the 

 hive: lumps of propolis are flattened out as they 

 soften, and the crevice closed, or reduced to the 

 smallest dimensions, making it easy for the 

 bees to close it tight. After warm wi^ather has 

 arrived this matter becomes unimportant, so 

 that, unless a cover is inclined to wai-p or twist, 

 weights are unnecessary; and during the work- 

 ing season they are laid aside, from hives that 

 are to be frequently opened. 



In practical honev production, hives need to 

 be opened so seldom that the labor of removing 

 and replacing these w(>ights is but small com- 

 pared with their advantages. If desired they 

 can be used to keep a record of the condition of 

 the hive. A brick, as used by S. W. Morrison, 

 answers this pui'pose excellently, but is hardly 

 heavy enough for a weight. There is a large 

 paving-bi'ick made here that is just the thing 

 for both purposes, and I expect to use them 

 hereafter. 



Besides the record that may be kept by plac- 

 ing them in different positions on the hive, the 

 brick mav be painted on two or three of its 

 sides, thiis more than doubling the possible 

 combinations. Whei'e any record more extend- 

 ed or permanent is d(^sired. I prefer a small 

 piece of cardboard held to the hive by a single 

 small tack, and wi'itten upon with a leadpencil. 



DEAD-AIK SPACES, AGAIX. 



I know that some claim as an advantage of 

 air-spaces as opposed to packing, that they are 

 more easily warmed up, thus allowing the bees 

 to fly sooner and oftener. It is true, that they 

 will let the heat of the sun in more readily, 

 just as thev will let the heat of the bees out 

 more readily— in both cases a disadvantage. 

 We do not want the bees to fly every time the 

 sun shines for a few minutes. As a rule, we 

 should rather discourage flying in the winter 

 and early sitring. Just enough flights to keep 

 the beesin good health is much better than to 

 have them tempted out on every appearance of 

 sunshine, to wear themselves out or be chilled 

 and lost. If the bees have been conHned long, 

 and you want them to make the most of warm 

 weather that you are afraid might not warm 

 up packed hives, remove the packing from the 

 top. and let the sun shine directly on the hive. 



Usually, though, this is lumecessary trouble, as 

 bees in packed hives will fly whenever it is 

 perfi'ctly safe for them to do so. J. A. Green. 

 Dayton. 111.. Apr. 8. 



[Yes, we do have winds, Init I do not remem- 

 ber of more than two oi' three in Ave years that 

 have been sutticient in force to raise more than 

 flfty covers, and these were replaced very soon 

 after. The covers of our Dovetailed hives, 

 where we use no enamel cloth, need neither 

 stone nor clamps to hold them down. The bees 

 will gum them so they will stick, and in open- 

 ing them we are obliged to tise the blade of a 

 knile or screwdriver to loosen them. The cov- 

 ers ihat have been blown off' for us have been 

 those of chaff' and Simplicity hives. If I found 

 it necessary to have thi; cover held down by 

 something, I believe I should prefer the light 

 malleable Van Deusen clamp, made by Dr. 

 Tinker. These exert considerable pressure, and 

 save the labor of lifting when required to re- 

 move the cover. But. hold a minute I No Van 

 Deusen clamps would hold down youi' corrugat- 

 ed iron covei's, would they ? And as Illinois is 

 a prairie State, and the winds come with vol- 

 ume and force. I shall have to give up to you. 

 Very likely I should use stones if I were in your 

 location. There is no disputing the fact, that a 

 flat flagging-stone or a paving-brick, aside 

 from its office in holding the cover down, af- 

 fords an excellent arrangement for keeping a 

 record: and the idea of painting one or both 

 sides diff'erent colors is good. But would these 

 paving-brick be heavy enough to hold the cov- 

 er down — that is, would five or six pounds be 

 sutticient? If so. I am with you. 



In regard to air-spaces, I acknowledge that, 

 theoretically, they ought not to be as good as 

 packed spaces; but some facts are coming to 

 light to show there is but very little practical 

 difference in results. Still, one swallow does 

 not make a summer. All -I desire is, that the 

 matter be agitated enough so that we shall 

 know on which side is truth and safety, as well 

 as convenience and minimum cost.] E. R. R. 



[Permit me to say something right here, 

 friend G. The Simplicity hive was planned 

 with the idea that the bees should never have 

 a chance to propolize the inside of the cover. 

 They were to be kept entirely away from the 

 cover joints by quilts or enamel sheets. You 

 see we use our' hives for queen-reaiing. They 

 are opened and the frames handled incessantly; 

 therefore we want a cover that never sticks, 

 and frames that can be picked up with one 

 hand, without a bit of jar or sticking. Now, 

 the boys have rather "sat down" on the Sim- 

 plicity hive, and a good many have discarded 

 the metal-cornered frames; yet there may be 

 quite a few, especially among those who raise 

 queens for sale, who want the old appliances 

 invented for this special purpose by your friend 

 A. I. R. See the following:] 



IN FAVOR OF THE METAL-CORNEREI> THICK- 

 TOP FRAME. 



I have been following the brood-frame ques- 

 tion with great interest, but have not dared to 

 say any thing. I admit that I have never used 

 the Hoffman or any closed or flxed frame, and 

 some may say I am not able to advise for that 

 reason. Perhaps not. But. be as it may, I 

 have 2500 heavy-top metal-top cornered frames 

 in use. and am making 3000 more of the same 

 kind for this season's use. All are to be wired 

 with full sheets of foundation. I winter in 

 packed hives, and do not expect to haul my 

 bees anv. I want a fi'ame made so that, when 

 I take hold of one to move it. even with oni- 

 hand, it will start everv time without any pry- 



