GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Aug. 1 



A WHEELBARROW WITH PNEUMATIC TIRFS. 



Reading the writings of Mr. Doolittle, 

 p. 327, leads me to write of an improvement 

 in moving bees, combs, frames of wired 

 foundation, and things fragile, needing 

 freedom from jar in moving, which I find 

 very satisfactory, and have intended giv- 

 ing before. It is an improvement and 

 not an original invention, for it is but a 

 wheelbarrow. Instead of a heavy iron- 

 tired wheel in front, bumping and jarring 

 along, we have a pneumatic-tired bicycle- 

 wheel hung upon springs, which takes out 

 that little nervous jolt so irritating to bees, 

 and which breaks down comb and founda- 

 tion in cool weather. A wheelbarrow is 

 too common a thing to need details of con- 

 struction; but 3s they must be made differ- 

 ent for a bicycle-wheel, perhaps I had bet- 

 ter give the dimensions which I used. 



The wheel was a 28-inch one. This is 

 quite a large barrow-wheel, but it bears 

 out all you say on page 1013, 1903, in re- 

 gard to small wheels. For a frame get a 

 piece of plank, the best timber you can get. 

 I used white oak, well seasoned, 1% inches 

 thick. Rip out two side-pieces IJs inches 

 wide (if you want crooked handles don't 

 forget to allow) , and dress up. For springs 

 use a light flat spring, crooked and twist- 

 ed as shown in the drawing. 



know that pneumatic tires have a resilience 

 and a smoothness of running that is equaled 

 by nothing else. A solid iron tire can not 

 be compared to it in the least, even though 

 the wheels of such vehicles have good easy 

 springs. A pneumatic tire will run over 

 small obstructions without producing a tre- 

 mor to the vehicle it is carrying— something 

 an iron- tired vehicle can not do. I do not 

 know but we ought to furnish bee-keepers 

 with wheelbarrows having pneumatic tires, 

 at an extra pi ice. I wonder if there would 

 be a demand for 'them. At all events, one 

 can go to the nearest bicyclt -repair shop 

 and get a bicycle-wheel, hub and all, prob- 

 ably, for three or four dollars. By making 

 special springs or forks, if they are not suit- 

 able on the regular wheelbarrow, the pneu- 

 matic-tired wheel can be substituted very 

 easily. In moving craies of comb honey 

 07er ground none too smooth, especially 

 crates containing combs attached on only 

 two or three sides, the pneumatic- tired 

 wheelbarrow would be far superior to any 

 other carrier. — Ed.] 



Take your wheel and frame to the best 

 blacksmith you have, for it is quite a fussy 

 job to get the wheel to line up true. For 

 me I should prefer to have the springs bolt- 

 ed on top, as suggested in the drawing, in- 

 stead of bottom, as is usually done, for it 

 lowers the platform, making it just 14 

 inches from the ground. While it will not 

 hold up as much as some wheelbarrows, it 

 will easily carry two colonies, and I have 

 carried three. 1 tested the wheel I used to 

 170 pounds, and, counting the amount lifted 

 by the handles, I think I am safi in saying 

 they will carry 250. Be sure to use good 

 timber for side pieces, for I have gi%'en 

 light dimensions. G. A. Bostwick. 



Verbank Village, N. Y. 



[This is one of the best ideas that has 

 been offered for a long time in these col- 

 umns. Those of us who have had any 

 thing to do with automobiles or bicycles 



HIVING BACK SWARMS BY SHAKING. 



In your issue of June 15, p. 600, Mr. 

 Hand speaks of hiving back swarms by 

 shaking them oft in front of the old hive after 

 they have been hived in an- 

 other hive for 48 hours. I 

 should like to know if this 

 method will work satisfacto- 

 rily with first swarms of the 

 season. I notice he speaks of 

 its being July when he tried 

 this plan, rathtr late in the 

 season, and possibly the bees 

 had swarmed earlier in the 

 season, and these were sec- 

 ond or after swarms ; also, 

 what is done with the queen 

 that is with the swarm that 

 is sent back into the hive? Is 

 she killed or allowed to re- 

 turn with the swarm ? 



A. T. Zimmerman. 

 Washta, la., June 25. 



[This was forwarded to Mr. Hand, who 

 replies :] 



Replying to the above inquiry, will say the 

 swarms mentioned were first swarms, and 

 the queens were allowed to run in with the 

 bees — simply hive the swarm by the side of 

 the parent colony, and after 48 hours shake 

 the bees out of the new hive in front of the 

 parent hive from which they first issued. 

 Swarms so treated will stay a week or 

 more, and work equal to a first swarm. I 

 do not claim this as a sure prevention cf 

 increase in all locations, but especially 

 recommend it for swarms that issue late in 

 the season, leaving partly filled sections on 

 the parent colony which could not be used 

 on the new hive. I am using a modifica- 

 tion of this system the present season, with 

 splendid success. J. E. Hand. 



Birmingham, O. 



