i66 



THE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEW. 



this? Isn't it because the strong colon}' 

 is suffering from the accumulation of its 

 own heat — that generated by itself — that 

 cannot escape fast enough ? If this be 

 true, why isn't a chaff hive the most in- 

 sufferably hot place imaginable for a col- 

 ony of bees in hot weather ? Possibly the 

 point is just here; the bees in the chaff 

 hive have to contend with their own heat 

 only, while those in the single-wall hive 

 have that from the sun in addition to 

 their own. The thick walls act as a sort 

 of an absorbent of heat; taking it up and 

 retaining it during the day and gradu- 

 ally giving it up during the cool of 

 night. Let this be as it may, a colon)^ can 

 be kept the coolest in a thin-wall hive in 

 the shade. How do we keep cool in hot 

 weather? We wear thin clothing and lie 

 in the hammock in the shade. A colon}- 

 of bees is a living, heat producing body, 

 and can be kept cool in the same manner 

 that we keep our bodies cool, viz., let its 

 clothing (hive) be thin, with a free circu- 

 lation of air upon all sides, above and be- 

 low, and protect it from the sun's rays. 



The color of the hive has a great bear- 

 ing upon the necessity for shade. Black, 

 or a dark color, absorbs heat, while it is 

 reflected or repelled by white. I have 

 seen the combs melt down in an old weath- 

 er-beaten hive that stood in the sun, but 

 I never saw them melt in hives painted 

 white, even if standing in the sun. 



There is stil' another jjoint that has a 

 bearing upon the question inider discus- 

 sion, and that is the circulation of air 

 about the hive. I have read of combs 

 melting down in hives standing in shade 

 so dense that the sun never shone upon 

 them. The trouble was that growing corn 

 on one side, and dense brush upon the 

 other, made it so close that no air circula- 

 ted. 



Shade is not needed in the spring, fall, 

 morning or evening. The only time that 

 it is needed, if it is needed, is in the mid- 

 dle of our hottest days; and some tempo- 

 rary, quickly adjustable, easily removable 

 shade is preferable to an attempt to fur- 



nish a permanent shade by growing ever- 

 greens, grape vines and the like. In fact, 

 a permanent shade like that furnished by 

 an evergreen, is an injury in spring, rob- 

 bing the bees of the benefit to be derived 

 from the heat of the sun. In fact, I know 

 of nothingjbetter than a light board, 2x3 

 feet in size, laid upon the top of the hive. 

 One of the longest edges of the board is 

 placed parallel and even with the North 

 edge of the top of the hive, the opposite 

 edge of the board projecting beyond the 

 South edge of the hive. This shades the 

 hive when shade is needed, and only when 

 it is needed — in the middle of the day. 

 In a windy situation it may be necessary 

 to lay a brick or stone upon this board to 

 keep it in place. Don't imagine that 

 hooks or something of the kind will be 

 preferable for holding the shade boards in 

 place. A weight is the simplest, cheapest 

 and most convenient. I make these shade 

 boards by nailing the thick ends of shin- 

 gles to a piece of inch board four inches 

 wide and two feet long. They cost only 

 five cents each, and in the fall I t 'ckthem 

 together and make packing boxes for 

 packing the bees. 



For the comfort of the apiarist, it is 

 well to have a few scattering trees in the 

 apiary, but let their branches be trimmed 

 to such a height that they will not be 

 knocking off his hat or gouging his eyes. 



Perhaps this whole matter of shade 

 might be summed up something as fol- 

 lows: If the apiary is located where the 

 cool breezes can fan the heating sides of 

 the hives, wafting away the heat ere it 

 accumulates, and a broad generous en- 

 trance is furnished each tidy, white hive, 

 I am persuaded that shade is not so very 

 essential. If the hives are dark in color, or 

 the apiary is located where there is not a 

 free circulation of air, I feel sure that 

 shade is an absolute necessity to prevent 

 the combs from melting, if for nothing 

 else. 



Fmxt. Mich., May 10, 1899. 



