THE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEW. 



usually close the entrance, as I seldom 

 have occasion to move Ijees at a time 

 when the entrance alone will aflFonl suffi- 

 cient ventilation. In some cases the en- 

 trance might he large encmgh to furnish 

 sufficient air if the bees would keep away 

 from it; hut the}' crowd against it so 

 closely as to practically close it. With a 

 large .surf.ice of wire cloth is the only 

 way that bees can be given sufficient ven 

 tilatiou when moved in warm weather. — 

 Ed. J 



\ T.ALK AROIT HIVES. 



\ \eternn Describes the Broo(l-Chninl)ers. 



Covers, and even the Hox-Hives that 



he Prefers; and gives Reasons. 



C. DAVENPORT. 



I H.AVKbeen engaged to write a series 

 i of articles for the Review, giving the 

 main details of the methods which I 

 j)ractice iif producing that matchless 

 sweet — comb honey. While I appreciate 

 the honor of being asked to contribute to 

 a journal holding the place occupied by 

 the Review, I have, upon giving the 

 matter mature consideration, some re,gret 

 that I entered into such an agreement. 

 This feeling arises from a doubt of my 

 ability to write any thing that will be of 

 much value to the advanced class of bee- 

 keepers who, I believe, largely compose 

 the readers of the Review. To be sure, 

 I have, for manv years, produced comb 

 honey by the ton each season; last year 

 having a trifle over 4,OfX) pounds, it be- 

 ing the smallest crop I ever had since be- 

 ing engaged in the pursuit in a large way, 

 but I feel that my success is largely due 

 to a good locality and hard work rather 

 than to any special ability on my part. 

 But, as I have learned much about bees 

 from the writings of others, I am willing, 

 in turn, to write any tiling that may he 

 of benefit to others. These "others" 



will, I fear, I>e l)eginners; or, at most, 

 tho.se who have been in the bu.siness but 

 a short time; therefore, in this first arti- 

 cle, it will, perhaps, not be out of place 

 to say .something about hives. 



IIi\-esare a very important factor in 

 our pursuit; and, with a first class modern 

 hive, I believe that a skillful apiarist, one 

 who thoroughly understands his locality 

 in respect totlie time and duration of its 

 honey flows, can, as a rule, secure at 

 least //i/rr finirs the amount of surplus 

 than he could with old fashioned do.k 

 hives. \\'ith a modern hive the apiarist 

 not only has control of the brood cham- 

 ber, but the improved surplus arrange- 

 ments, especially the tiering up feature, 

 by which we can give the right amount 

 of room as needed, enables bees to store 

 larger quantities of honey. Often, in this 

 locality, at least, when honey is coming 

 in freely, the weather, especially at night, 

 i.-' so cool that, with a large amount of 

 .surplus room given at one time, it would 

 not be possible for the bees to keep up the 

 necessary degree of heat for comb build- 

 ing. On the other hand, in hot weather, 

 our present surplus arrangements give so 

 much better ventilation that the bees are 

 able to continue their work at times when 

 thev would l)e forced from the old style 

 of surplus arrangelnents on account of 

 tlie heat. 



The best size of hive is a subject that 

 was much discussed .some time ago; and, 

 to some extent, the discussion is kept up 

 right along, for, like a well known ghost, 

 it seems to be a subject that "will not 

 down." I believe that the majorit}' of 

 the large, practical bee-keepers of the 

 Northern States prefer a small, or medium 

 sized hive for the production of comb 

 honey. Aside from the size, there are a 

 number of kinds or styles in use; all of 

 which, no doubt, have both good and bad 

 points. I never used many double-walled 

 hives; as my experience in the out-door 

 wintering of bees convinced me that, for 

 ;ny locality, it is .safer and cheaper to win- 

 ter them under ground. As to protect- 

 ing colonies in chaff, or double-walled 



