1899 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



921 



with wire cloth, and the entrance covered with 

 the same. 



Where there is to be much moving, an en- 

 trance ventilator should be prepared that can 

 be put on and taken off rapidly, and that can 

 be laid away when not in use, and not become 

 damaged. The best that has come to my no- 

 tice is the one used by my night companion, 

 Mr. Gabfast, and made as follows : 



Take a good sound piece of pine or any oth- 

 er lumber that is not easily split, 3 4 ' inch thick, 

 \y 2 inches wide, and the entire length of the 

 entrance, which in this case is the whole width 

 of the hive. Cut out a greater portion of the 

 side, leaving three points as shown in the cut; 

 tack a piece of wire cloth permanently to this, 

 bending the lower portion of the wire cloth to 

 an angle.* 



When hives are to be tiered up as was the 

 case with our load, a spacing and holding rack 

 is placed between the tiers, and this gives 

 plenty of ventilation to the under hives. 



Another ventilating rim as used by some of 

 our bee-men is made with side ventilation. In 

 this case the rim becomes a box about six 

 inches deep, with a board top, but openings 

 are cut in the sides and ends, and covered 

 with wire cloth. This gives plenty of venti- 

 lation, and there is no danger of its being cut 

 off from above. 



Then there is still another protection in very 

 hot weather. With the aforesaid ventilation, 

 provide a generous shade — a piece of cotton 

 cloth suspended by a light framework. The 

 air circulates freely under it, while the pene- 

 trating rays of the semi-tropic sun are held in 

 abeyance ; and still further comfort for the 

 bees is secured by occasionally sprinkling the 

 cloth with water. No one can realize until he 

 has tried it what a soothing effect this has 

 upon the bees. Our boss had such a shade 

 for use in moving, and Mr. Gabfast and I ex- 

 pected that he would order it up when the 



* There seems to be something wrong here with the 

 cut, as it coes not tally with the description ; and hav- 

 ing just returned from my trip it is too late to correct 

 it.— Ed. 



moon came out in its full effulgence ; but the 

 boss had so many things to think of that he 

 forgot this one. 



Another factor in the moving of bees suc- 

 cessfully is the driver. He should be a bee- 

 keeper. No matter how well made the hives 

 may be, or how particular the owner may be 

 in closing them, some little corner will spring 

 loose in a load of fifty hives, and now and 

 then a bee will be discovered crawling around 

 in the night or flying in daylight. If the 

 driver is afraid of bees, there is consterna- 

 tion at once, and a resultant damage to the 

 bee-keeper. I have known a case where near- 

 ly a whole load of colonies of bees were smoth- 

 ered from the ignorant panic that possessed a 

 driver. Get a bee-keeper driver by all means. 

 Of course, there was no panicky feeling about 

 Mr. Gabfast ; and, even if he was inclined 

 that way, he did not stop talking long enough 

 to allow the panic to get the upper hand. 



About midnight we passed through the little 

 hamlet of Encinas. The quietness of night 

 and a brilliant moonlight prevailed, and the 

 little one-horse hotel and saloon showed out 

 in strong relief against the hills in the back- 

 ground. Close to the entrance there was a 

 watering-trough, and the boss ordered a halt 

 for the purpose of watering the thirsty horses. 



Directly over the trough was a board that 

 bore this inscription : " While your horses are 

 drinking, do not forget yourself." 



"Why, of course I won't," said I; and I 

 pulled out a cup and drank the beautiful pure 

 water. 



"Why," said Mr. Gabfast, "that sign 

 means that, while the horses are drinking wa- 

 ter, you must go within and take a drink of 

 beer. ' ' 



"That's so, Mr. Gabfast; but if I did I 

 should feel that I was more of a brute than 

 these sensible horses. Water is a good enough 

 beverage for the horses and me." 



I noticed that the boss was looking at the 

 notice very earnestly, then at the saloon, 

 which was dark and silent. As he drove ahead 

 he kept sending longing glances to the rear. 

 There was an immense live-oak tree a little 

 beyond this saloon, and the boss suddenly de- 

 cided to camp under it. 



"Why, Mr. Boss, we shall have to drive 

 many miles in the sun if we delay here." 



