33b 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Apr. 1 



as here. A young- generation has dropped 

 the fight; and a month ago the later and 

 more progressive editor of L^ Apiculteur de- 

 cided to open his columns freely to the new 

 ideas, and asked for apicultural contribu- 

 tions of the son cf the man who had once been 

 reviled by this same paper for his views. 

 Hamilton, 111., Feb. 24. 



[Yes, indeed, your most respected father 

 was persecuted for telling the truth; and it 

 is pleasant to know that time has fully vin- 

 dicated him, in the very journal that op- 

 posed him so strenuous!}'. It seems, though, 

 as if nearly all good things must be op- 

 posed at the beginning. A recent example 

 is the plain section and fence, both of which 

 are coming more and more into use. The 

 Italian bee was opposed on its first intro- 

 duction, and at one time your father and 

 Langstroth were almost their only defend- 

 ers. There are numerous other examples 

 that might be given it it were necessary. — 

 Ed.] 



CHEAP HOME-MADE WINTER-CASES. 



BY F. GREINER. 



One of the problems at the present time 

 before us bee-keepers who are in the busi- 

 ness for the money that is in it, and for ob- 

 taining the means to clothe and feed our 

 families, is, how to get our hives and other 

 fixtures as cheaply as possible. As far as 

 the sections are concerned, of course we 



are at the mercy of the manufacturing con- 

 cerns and lumber-dealers; but when it 

 comes to winter- cases for the protection of 

 our bees, we can often pick up boxes at the 

 drygocds stores very reasonably, which will 

 answer well for packing single-walled 

 hives. The two boxes in the center of the 

 large photo were originally one, and cost 

 me 40 cents. It was cut into in such a 

 manner as to give sufficient room for plac- 

 ing, in the back one, four hives (two side 

 and side, and two high), in the front one, 

 only two hives side and side. Two covers 

 had to be made and covered with roofing- 

 paper. To hold them from blowing ofiF I 

 have just piled the hive covers on, which, 

 with the snow and all, has proved sufficient. 



At the extreme right of the picture is 

 shown another manner of using up odds 

 and ends of lumber for winter cases. I had 

 a number of large boxes lying around, in 

 which fruit-trees had been shipped. These 

 were worked up at leisure hours. Origi- 

 nally the box shown was intended for four 

 colonies, but is used now f ;r only two. I 

 should have made it a little higher, and put 

 in the hives two high. This would have 

 been cheaper and just as effective. As will 

 be seen. I have made use of the four regu- 

 lar telescope hive-covers as the roof for the 

 box, just adding a ridge-board. 



The two hives in the foreground are pro- 

 tected only with tarred paper and a heavy 

 packing over the frames. 



The hives shown in the picture are located 

 in one of my out\ ards. 



A PART OF GRHINER'S OUTDOOR-PACKED BEES. 



