474 



GI.EANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



June 15. 



'these facts in mind, and being industrious, 

 like the bee, Mr. Brodbeck soon had a re- 

 spectable apiary. 



Bees are not allowed within the city limits ; 

 but there is no law to prevent the location of 

 an apiary on the border, where they can get 

 the benefit of the shade-tree pasturage, which 

 is of value here in the city. In locating an 

 apiary near the city, the factor of land value 

 comes in. The bee-keeper can not spread his 

 apiary over valuable land. The rent would be 

 more than the ordinary bee-keeper could pay 

 and retain a profit. Therefore Mr. Brodbeck 's 

 apiary is located in narrow quarters, and close 

 to one of those little eucalyptus groves so 

 common in and near the city. The reader 

 will observe from a mere glance at the picture 

 herewith presented that Mr. B. is a scientific 

 bee-keeper. 



A hive in this 

 hot climate 

 warps less and 

 lasts longer if 

 kept well paint- 

 ed ; and while 

 in some locali- 

 ties an unp:4int- 

 ed hive may be 

 desirable, here 

 such hives will 

 absorb heat and 

 melt the combs, 

 many times, 

 where a hive 

 painted white 

 will save them, 

 lead and the 

 dispenses with 



brodbkck's hive. 



Mr. Brodbeck uses white 

 brush freely ; and as he 

 those unsightly rocks that nearly all Califor- 

 nia bee-keepers think a necessary adjunct to 

 the hive-cover, his apiary presents a neat ap- 

 pearance. 



After putting together all of the pros and 

 cons that enter into the successful production 

 of honey, Mr. B. has adopted a hive that takes 

 a Hoffman frame 16?^^ inches in length and 7 

 inches in depth. Nine of these frames and a 

 division-board fit the hive. His reasoning and 

 Mr. Danzenbaker's seem to run along the 

 same line, which again verifies the old adage 

 about "great minds." The Rambler suggest- 

 ed to Mr. B. that he might as well adopt the 

 Heddon hive and done with it, and use the 

 best hive extant. But our friend resented the 

 advice ; and in order to have peace in the 

 family the matter was not pressed. It is my 

 opinion, however, that Mr. B. got just as near 

 to the Heddon hive as he could and not in- 

 fringe on the patent. We always have a quar- 

 rel over this matter, and probably the matter 

 will never be adjusted between us. In the 

 construction of the hive itself Mr. B. has made 

 a very neat improvement in the lock corner. 

 The upper projection on the sides of the hive 

 is shortened so as to fit against the thin por- 

 tion rabbeted out for the frame-support. This 

 insures the better nailing of the thin portion 

 of the end, and a thorough nailing is necessa- 

 ry in this climate to prevent the warping of 

 the corners. This improvement has been 

 adopted by both of our local hive manufactur- 



ers, and meets with the general approval of 

 bee-keepers who use the lock-corner hives. 



Mr. B. has made several other little im- 

 provements and short cuts in the management 

 of bees. His sun extractor is a little different 

 from the general order, in having a deep 

 receptacle at the end for the honey and wax 

 to collect. The honey in such a receptacle is 

 not much colored by the heat of the sun, and 

 this is a desirable point gained. 



The Hoffman frame was adopted in this 

 apiary from the fact that the apiary was to be 

 worked on the migratory plan. While the 

 city location is excellent for the m intering of 

 bees and for building up an apiary, it is not a 

 good location during the summer months 

 unless there has been a light rainfall. In the 

 latter event the bees are not sent into the 

 rural wilds. They are better off in the city. 



Ivike all extensive bee-keepers, Mr. B. has 

 an accumulation of bee-fixings, and his shop 

 is a very pleasant place in which to spend an 

 hour; as the old adage has it, " Everything is 

 in apple-pie order." It may take time and 

 much puttering to keep things so, but in the 

 end we believe that it paj's better than to fol- 

 low the careless and slipshod method. 



Although Mr. B. is an all round enthusiastic 

 bee-keeper he does not allow that to interfere 

 with his various fads, the principal of which 

 is English terriers. He cl dms to have the 

 best-bred dogs on the continent, also claims 

 they are the best-behaved canines in the city. 

 He vigorously resents my assertion that they 

 are cross bull pups. I will compromise the 

 matter, however, and call them terrors. Wit- 

 ness my experience. 



brodbeck's terrors. 



One day I visited the before-mentioned 

 shop. As I approached there was a rattling 

 of materials within; and, thinking to surprise 

 Mr. B., whom I supposed was at work within, 

 I put my face to the little window, and shout- 



