July 15. 1911 



431 



FIG. 2. — G. C. GREINER LOOKING FOR A QUEEN. 



on top, or a i)ermanent device derived from 

 the peculiar construction of the hive. The 

 hive I use has a projierly constructed flat 

 cover (sometimes called honey-board), the 

 usual bee-space above the main frames; and 

 over this, resting on cleats, a telescope cov- 

 er with several inches of air-space between 

 the two. This forms a positive jirotection 

 against the melting of combs, and also 

 against the detrimental effects of frosty 

 nights. 



Until last spring, when I moved my bees 

 to their present location, I always had shade 

 for them. Although I have moved my 

 bees several times, I was always fortunate 

 enough to have apple-orchards" I could use 

 as a bee-yard; but at the same time, in plac- 

 ing my bees at the desired distances, some 

 of the rows or parts of them would ha\e to 

 take the all-day sun. As much as I watch- 

 ed the result I could never notice any differ- 

 ence in the yield of surplus honey. I had 

 extra heavy yields in the shade and extra 

 heavy yields in the sun, and light yields in 

 both places. It seems to make no dilTerence 

 with the bees. They thrive in one place as 

 well as in another; but with the apiarist, 

 who has to do the most of his outdoor work 

 during the hot summer months, it is very 

 different. A little shade, when the ther- 

 mometer hovers around 85 and 90, is very 

 acceptable. 



My present bee-yard is destitute of all 

 shade. I have planted an orchard on the 

 ground, but it will take many years before 

 any shade from that source will be available. 

 To make up the deficiency in a small way, 

 I have constructed a little tent frame aiid 

 covered the same with a canvas roof. Fig. 

 1 shows the writer taking his noon rest and 



watching his bees in the shade of his tent. 

 The whole structure is very light, and can 

 easily be carried to any place in the yard. 

 It is six feet long and takes in two hives, 

 furnishing a shady place for the operator 

 and the colony to be operated on. While it 

 would not be practical to move the tent with 

 us at all times and for all kinds of work, it 

 would be quite an accei)table acquisition in 

 certain cases, when longer jobs at single 

 hives take up our attention. In Fig. 2 the 

 writer is looking for a queen among a row 

 of nuclei. 



HOW TO AVOID ROBBERS, EVEN WHEN THERE 

 IS NO HONEV-FLOV^'. 



The tent, as it is. is intended for shade 

 only; but by providing an adjustable curtain 

 of cheese-cloth, or a similar material, it could 

 be easily transformed into a bee-tight bee- 

 tent. But I never had any use for any thing 

 of the kind. Xo matter what my work may 

 be, by being very careful about leaving any 

 temptation on the ground I have very little 

 trouVile with robbers. Even in September I 

 extract buckwheat honey and leave the 

 doors of my honey-house wide open. Of 

 course I have screen-doors, which I keep 

 closed; otherwise I should very likely be 

 troubled with some undesirable company. 

 The secret in preventing robbing with all 

 our outdoor work is simjily this: "Don't 

 give the robbers a taste." When taking 

 full combs from a hive I make every move 

 count. I do it as quickly as possible, in a 

 sort of sleight-of-hand way. The few robbers 

 that are following me up hardly know the 

 hive is o})en before the combs are in the bee- 

 tight comb-basket and the hive closed again; 

 and those that are a little too inquisitive, 

 and follow the combs in the basket, are 



