1900 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



1571 



was the same. I would seek for them sever- 

 al days ill siu-cession. and after a while the 

 queen would be there, poor antl thin and 

 glossy, then in a few days she would devel- 

 op and begin laying. Since learning these 

 things I have not ])othered the nuclei for 

 about two weeks, and 1 have no more trou- 

 ble. I made a comparative test of the Ba- 

 nat Caucasians, the Caucasians, and the 

 golden Italians, with respect to honey-gath- 

 ering. I will write it up and send it to you. 

 for I think it valuable information. How- 

 ever, a real test must extend through more 

 than one season. 



Empoi'ium, Pa., Oct. 4. 



[We should l)e glad to have you give us 

 the results of your observations regarding 

 the three races. — Ed.] 



THE 



IMPORTANCE OF A LARGE 

 TRANCE IN SU3I3IER. 



EN- 



BY E. K. ROOT. 



Our readers will remember that I have 

 time and time again urged the importance of 

 having a large well-ventilated entrance in 

 the height of the season. Our neighbor. Mr. 

 Vernon Burt, is one who believes emphati- 

 cally in such ventilation. The accompany- 

 ing photo shows the kind of entrance he uses, 

 and the alighting-board that is a part of the 

 hive-stand leading from the ground to the 

 entrance of the hive. 



The camera does not show how the bees 



were hanging down under the frames, nor 

 does it show how the Hying bees would dart 

 through the entrance, striking the cluster of 

 bccs direct, without touching any part of the 

 hive. A l)ee thac is heavily laden with hon- 

 ey will prefer to bump up against its fellows 

 rather than anything else. With a deep en- 

 trance they soon learn the trick of going 

 right through the opening and alighting on 

 the bees. 



Perhaps there are some to whom this may 

 seem a little out of season, right in the mid.st 

 of winter: but this is emphatically the season 

 for getting things ready for next year. A 

 hive that will not permit of a wide entrance 

 for hot weather comes far short of l)eiug a 

 perfect hive. 



I would call attention to another thing, 

 and that is. the sloping front of the hive- 

 stand. Jn cool weather, bees will often fall 

 quite a little short of the entntnce. If a 

 slanting al:ghting-boai\l is providetl they 

 will crawl into the hive and be saveil: other- 

 wise they will lie out and perish. It pays 

 well to have hive-stands, especially those 

 with a sloping front. It is not necessary to 

 have them made of tirst-class lumber. The 

 cheapest kind of .stuff will do. The alight- 

 ing-board shown in this picture looks pretty 

 shaky; but it is good enough, and better than 

 a board perfectly smooth. 



The value of a large deep entrance in the 

 height of the season as a factor in discourag- 

 ing swarms is too well known to l)e gainsaid 

 at this day and age, so I will not discuss it 

 at this time. 



\ EIINOX BURT'S hive STAND AND ENTRANCE. 



