1905 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



75 



Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the hive- 

 stand and bottom-board detached, showing 

 details of construction of the upper and 

 under side of the bottom-board A and of the 

 stand. It will be observed that the flexible 

 wire spring D is self-adjusting to any angle 

 of the bottom-board A required in en- 

 larging or contracting the entrance to the 

 hive, it being sufficiently yielding for this 

 purpose, and at the same time rigid to the 

 extent of holding the rear end of the bottom- 

 board A firmly against the under side of 

 the rear portion of the upper inside rim 

 F, Fig. 1. It will also be observed that the 

 bail-like support C may be inclined at any 

 desired angle for the purpose of lowering or 

 raising the front end of bottom-board A to 

 enlarge or contract the entrance to hive, and 

 that, when closing the hive and stand, the 

 bail-like support C is pulled forward until its 

 upper part drops into the rabbet of the front 

 sill H (rabbet shows in Fig. 2, but is not let- 

 tered) , thus permitting the bottom-board A 

 to be dropped to lower position where it rests 

 snugly upon the upper surface of the lower 

 inside rim into which the bail-like support C 

 hinges. 



Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the com- 

 bined hive-stand and bottom-board adjusted 

 for ordinary outdoor or summer use, with 

 bottom-board A in highest position, resting 

 snugly against the shoulder formed by the 

 upper inside rim F; the front board B in po- 

 sition as an alighting-board, and the flexible 

 wire support D shown by dotted line. The 

 separate view of the alighting-board B, Fig. 

 3, shows the loops by means of which it is 

 coupled to the bottom-board A by engage- 

 ment with the corresponding hooks G, Fig. 

 3. It will be observed that the front board 



FIG. 3.— hershiser's bottom-board and 



HIVE AS PREPARED FOR SUMMER USE. 



(alighting-board) B is provided with a sub- 

 stantial cleat the full length of its under 

 side, joined in such position as will support 

 it at the proper angle when in use as an 

 alighting-board, and also to lock the bottom- 

 board A securely in its lower position when 

 used as a front board to confine the colony 

 of bees within the hive and stand. 



Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the 



bottom-board A lowered and the alighting- 

 board B inserted as a front board, which 

 closes up the hive and stand as used in cel- 

 lar wintering or in the transportation of 

 bees. The bottom-board A is held securely 

 in place by the cleat just beneath the flexi- 

 ble wire spring D and by the cleat on the 

 front board B, shown on the under side 



FIG. 4.— HIVE-STAND AS ADAPTED FOR CEL- 

 LAR USE. 



thereof in Fig. 3. When so closed, the bot- 

 tom-board A rests snugly on the cleats form- 

 ing the lower inside rim into which the bail- 

 like support C is hinged at sides of the stand, 

 thus making it impossible for the bottom- 

 board A to get shifted from its place while 

 the front board B is inserted. A small ring 

 fastened midway of the lower edge of the 

 front board B, as shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 4, 

 is convenient in inserting and withdrawing 

 it. The front board B may be held in place 

 by means of a button, or by a wire key 

 dropped through eyelets screwed into the 

 front of the stand just above the upper and 

 below the lower margins of the front board 

 B. Devices for holding the front board B in 

 place, when stand is closed, are not shown 

 in the engravings. 



The wire-cloth screen at sides of stand, as 

 shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4 is for the purpose 

 of giving needed ventilation at all times 

 when the colony of bees is inclosed. 



A few of the desired objects to be attained 

 by the use of this combined hive-stand and 

 bottom-board may be summarized as follows : 



First, in wintering in the cellar or special 

 repository the bees are confined within the 

 hive, and the compartment below formed by 

 the inclosed stand. Thus there will be no 

 dead bees littering the cellar floor. Many 

 bees which become uneasy, and disengage 

 themselves from the cluster, but which have 

 sufficient vitality to pass the winter, will not 

 die at such time, because of the ease with 

 which they can reunite with the cluster. 

 These uneasy bees would surely die on the 

 cellar floor if they could get away from the 

 hive. By the use of this device the bees 

 will come through the winter with the 

 greatest possible numerical strength and vi- 

 tality. Operatives will not be stung when 

 placing the bees in the cpllnr or rc^rcv'-^^ 



