THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



313 



For the Amerlran Ree .lournat. 



Description of my Hive. 



O, I. WILLIS. 



I make my liives about 3 inclies 

 deeper tlian the frames, which are 

 10x15 iiuhes, inside measure. 1 nail 

 on the side of the hive, in each cor- 

 ner, 1 inch strips lOij inches higli. 

 To these strips I nail laths about I4 

 inch apart, and then till with straw or 

 chatT back of this, putting on a plate 

 or strips reaching from one corner 

 post (U- strip, to the otlier, thus mak- 

 ing a 4-inch, iiermanent, chaff wall. 

 Then put metal rests on these end 

 plates for the frames to rest upon. My 

 frames run lengthwise of the hive 1 

 make a passage way for the bees un- 

 der one of the chaff walls. 



For winter preparation, I take out 

 all of the frames except -5 or H. and 

 put them in the centre of the hive, 

 and slip luv division-boards upon both 

 sides of the frames, which leaves 

 about 4 inches on either side. These 

 spaces I fill with chaff or straw, and 

 also on top of the frames. Thus the 

 bees are completely encased in straw 

 or chaff. 



It is considerable work to prepare 

 them in this way ; but then, I think it 

 pays every time. It is a great satis- 

 faction to me to see ray 28 colonies so 

 snuglv packed in this way. They all 

 came" through this extreme cold 

 winter so nicely. Packed in this way, 

 th« brood-cliaml)er is kept perfectly 

 dry and warm. 



My frames are closed ends, and top 

 and bottom narrow, so they can be 

 slipped up snugly together for packing, 

 and yet not cru.sh the bees. I liave in 

 my liiind a device that can be used 

 with narrow frames, to prevent them 

 from coming together and crushing 

 the bees. 



The advantages of this hive for 

 summer use is: 1. In the spring, as 

 soon as the weather becomes warm, I 

 take out the straw or chaff on the top 

 and sides, and enlarge my hive to the 

 capacity of lu frames, as the bees 

 need them. 



2. It is so much easier to get to the 

 frames than in a hive where they 

 come up flush to the ends, and are 

 stuck fast with propolis. With the 

 frames resting on metal rests on the 

 end plates, 3 inches from the ends of 

 the hive, it is impossible for the bees 

 to fasten them. 



3. With the walls of the hive run- 

 ning 3 inches above the frames, and 

 the roof made with a 3-inch strip 

 on the sides, it gives plenty of room 

 for a case of sections inside, without 

 adding a second story ; though if it is 

 desired to add a second set of frames, 

 I only need to put on a super or large 

 section, and I have a complete two- 

 story liive for extracting. The Root 

 chaff-hive, as I understand it, is al- 

 ways a two-story. This. I think, 

 would be an objection. Another ad- 

 vantage in having the sides, and ends 

 also, run 3 inches above the frames, is 

 that it gives room for cliafT for winter 

 packing. 



I have always had a great deal of 

 trouble in fastening foundation in the 



brood frames. Last season I experi- 

 mented bv putting it down to the bot- 

 tom-bar, and leaving the space above ; 

 in this way it needs no rubbing down 

 to the frame, or melted wax, or any 

 fastening at all, other than the wires. 

 The bees will run little fastenings 

 along the wires at the top, and fasten 

 them 10 the top bar, and tlien fill the 

 spaces between. In this way I get a 

 solid comi) tor extracting 



I slant the roof of the hive like that 

 of a house, and use shingles, double 

 course, painting them well. This 

 makes a roof tliat will not crack or 

 leak, and will last for years. 



Farmer City, 111, 



Woodstock, Ont., Convention. 



Tlie bee-keepers of Oxford County, 

 Out., held their first general meeting 

 at Woodstock, on Saturday, April Ut, 

 at 10:30 a. m. After the routine busi- 

 ness was disposed of. President J. B. 

 Hall gave a report of his visit to To- 

 ronto in reference to the passage of a 

 Bill relative to bees affected with foul 

 brood. 



A motion was passed authorizing 

 the secretary to correspond with the 

 secretary of the Ontario association, 

 with a view to bringing about such 

 united effort as will result in the pas- 

 sage of such a law. 



The meeting adjourned till 1 p. m. 



After the calling of the roll in the 

 afternoon, the question of spring 

 management of bees was taken up. 



Dr. Duncan said that, as a rule, 

 strong colonies will take care of them- 

 selves if they have sufficient food. 



Mr. Hall said that weak colonies 

 seldom paid for building up with 

 brood taken from stronger colonies ; 

 while to stimulate with feeding would 

 induce robbing to a great extent. As 

 a rule he believed it best to let each 

 colony stand on its own strength and 

 resources, and if any failed to come 

 up to the standard of excellence de- 

 sired, double up and introduce a new 

 queen, or give a queen cell. 



Mr. Fritli said that management 

 should begin in September, as the 

 condition of the bees in the spring de- 

 pended on tliat they were in when put 

 into winter (juarters. 



Mr. Elpore did not favor building 

 up weak colonies, by taking bees or 

 brood from stronger ones. 



Mr. Emigh said he thought plenty 

 of food and heat were tfie principal 

 requisites to secure strong colonies in 

 the spring. 



The question of spring feeding, or 

 stimulation to induce breeding, was 

 taken up, when the general impres- 

 sion seemed to be, that it did not pay 

 until the weather became warm, and 

 the season pretty well advanced. 



Mr. Shannon said that bee-papers 

 advanced the idea that as a general 

 tiling bees wintered inside were more 

 subject to spring dwindling than those 

 wintered out-of-doors; but he would 

 like to hear the subject discussed. 



Mr. Ilall thought the cause for the 

 idea being entertained, was due more 

 to the fact that when colonies were 

 taken out in the spring, they usually 

 were very full of bees, a large portion 



of which were old and ready to die, 

 wldle lliose wintered out-of-doors al- 

 lowed the old bees more opportunity 

 to come out, hence the dwindling was 

 less perceptible. 



Mr. Emigh said he found that late 

 feeding was sure to induce dampness. 



^Nlr. Frith spoke on the meteoro- 

 logical effects of air, showing that 

 when a current of ('ool air was allowed 

 to pass through a bee-house or cellar, 

 when it came in contact with the 

 warm air inside, it expanded, thereby 

 absorbing dampness, leaving the 

 house in a dry and proper condition. 



A high temperature was considered 

 far preferable in wintering, as there 

 was less danger from diarrhoea by 

 honey that was not sealed or ripe 

 wheii going into winter quarters. 

 From .>5" to 60° was considered the 

 most desirable temperature. 



Mr. Tennant said his bees had eaten 

 an nnusTially large quantity of honey 

 in wintering. The temperature of 

 his cellar aver;iged less than 4.5-',but he 

 thought if the temperature had been 

 higher, less honey would have been 

 consumed. 



Mr. Hall thought pollen was very 

 useful, and served as an important 

 factor in successful wintering. 



The disease of foul brood in bees 

 was next discussed. , 



Dr. Duncan made a clear and in- 

 telligent exposition of the disease 

 and its cure. When the question : 

 " Is there any known cause for foul 

 brood?" was elicited, Mr. Hall re- 

 plied that there were many theories, 

 but no positively known cause. 



It was considered best to destroy 

 bees affected with foul brood rather 

 than attempt a cure, as it would in 

 all probability be the cheapest in the 

 end. 



The best method of increase was the 

 next subject discussed. 



Mr. Emigh thought if the colonies 

 were doubled, that would be a suf- 

 ficient increase, and would advise in- 

 crease by natural swarming. 



Mr. Mali^olm said for those wishing 

 increase, rather tliah take off honey, it 

 would be safe to increase two, or even 

 tlu-ee fold, if the season were favor- 

 able. 



M. S. Schell explained his method 

 of securing an increase of colonies 

 during the last season, wliich was 

 simply by making nucleus taken from 

 the strongest and giving them cap- 

 ped queen-cells or young queens 

 reared from the best colonies, taking 

 special precautions to keep the nu- 

 cleus warm. 



The following question was next 

 placed on the table by Dr. Duncan : 

 From which colonies will we receive 

 the most lioney ; the ones that are 

 prevented from swarming as much as 

 possible, or those that are allowed to 

 increase a reasonable amount V 



Messrs. Hall and Emigh were both 

 of the opini(m that taking the aver- 

 age season, tlie rao.st honey would be 

 received from the colonies that were 

 allowed to increase; of course the 

 honey taken from the new colonies 

 being included with the old one. 



In reference to making a display of 

 honey at the fall Agricultural Exhi- 

 bition, it was resolved that the ex 



