98 



THE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEW. 



get the matter down to a fine point, taking 

 the seasons as they average, are there ten 

 days in our northern states that a shade 

 board is really necessary ? 



This (luestion of shade boards is of great 

 interest to those liaving out apiaries where, 

 during a portion of the time, no one is on 

 hand to replace them if blown off, as they 

 surely will be in many exposed positions. 



The shade board is an expense and a nui- 

 sance. That 's the individual and collective 

 opinion of the 



Ramelee. 



Fruit Trees and Light Boards for Shade. 



C. H. DIBBERN. 



MHAVE sometimes been surprised in 

 reading articles by well known apiarists 

 advocating "no shade" for bee hives. 

 It is perhaps true, as it is of most good 

 things, that the sliading business can be 

 overdone, but that a reasonable amount of 

 shade is beneficial, if not absolutely neces- 

 sary, I firmly believe. Some bee keepers 

 advocate a light board fence, on the north 

 and west sides of the ajjiary, for a wind 

 break, and a shade board for each hive, 

 which may do for the bees ; but what a place 

 is that for a person to hive bees on a sultry 

 June day when the mercury dances about 

 100°? 



I have experimented a good deal in shading 

 hives, both by trees and various kinds of 

 covers, and have finally decided that fruit 

 trees, such as the plum, cherry, peach and 

 apple, make the best shade, as well as being 

 valuable for their fruit. Most of our native 

 trees make a good shade, but they grow too 

 tall, and, in time, give trouble in getting 

 swarms out of them. My apiary is located 

 in a grove of box elders, but it requires a 

 good deal of trimming, and, on that account, 

 were I to start anew, I would plant low 

 growing fruit trees. 



I also use trees, trimmed to make a screen, 

 on a division line, to compel the bees to fly 

 straight up, and not interfere with my neigh- 

 bor working in the adjoining lot. 



During many years I have had some hives 

 that stood nearly all the time in the sun, 

 while others were entirely in the shade, and 

 I never could tell that it made any difference 

 as to the bees doing well. ( )f course, we 

 want as much sunshine as possible on the 

 hives, early in spring, and late in fall, and 

 the leaves seem to come and go just about 

 the right time to afford this. 



One season, before I had any trees for 

 shade, I lost over twenty swarms by their 

 going to the woods; some leaving hives, brood 

 and honey, after being hived nearly a week. 

 Since I have had shade I have had no 

 trouble on that account. 



I have also tried many of the different 

 shade boards, and like a liglit board, that 

 fully covers the hive, as well as any. A flat 

 board, however, does not shed water very 

 well, unless the hives are tilted forward. A 

 very nice shade can be made by nailing 

 shingles to a 2x2 in. piece forming a regular 

 roof, and nailing lath on the under side to 



rest on the hive. Such a cover answers the 

 purpose, is neat, light, and not likely to be 

 blown ott'. 

 Milan, III., May 27, 188<). 



"What Shade Upon the Entrances May do in 

 Winter.— Asparagus for Shade. 



E. E. HASTY. 



I HERE is one point connected with this 

 matter of sun and shade which is sel- 

 dom Tiientioned, and that is the curious 

 result of unequal shading at entrances 

 when bees take a flight in winter. In an 

 apiary where all the hives face the east, turn 

 one around so it will face the west and it is 

 liable to get extra strong in bees at the c.r- 

 ■jjcnsc of the other Jiives. The way this comes 

 about seems to be as follows : Along about 

 eleven o'clock bees come out for an airing 

 from most of the hives. At that time the 

 sun is shining into their doorways, and things 

 are pleasant there : but a little later the en- 

 trances are shaded and rather chilly. Many 

 of the bees linger out, and when they finally 

 conclude that they must go in somewhere 

 they make for the place where there is the 

 warmest and liveliest doorway. This of 

 course is the hive where the entrance is on 

 the western side. Bees seldom guard their 

 doors much in winter. Where one chooses 

 to go in, there he goes in. I'm inclined to 

 think that all hives should be faced to the 

 south when fixed for winter. I am quite 

 sure that any object which shades one en- 

 trance more than the adjacent one is liable 

 to deplete tliat hive of its bees. The tenden- 

 cy to rush like school-boys to the spot where 

 the crowd is merriest seems very strong in 

 winter. It has been spoken of as a great 

 puzzle why two colonies as like as two peas,, 

 so often come out so very different in spring.. 

 This is one of the reasons — the bees of No. 1 

 desert to No. 2 on pleasant winter days. As 

 weak colonies can seldom have such a merry 

 crowd at their doors as strong colonies have, 

 they are pretty sure to suffer relatively from 

 this cause. In fact, when the attempt must 

 be made to winter weak colonies out of 

 doors, I think it would pay to carry them to 

 a different spot twenty rods away from their 

 strong neighbors. 



My summer shade is asjiaragus ; but I am 

 not going to blow its trumpet very loudly. 

 For the first few years it is vexatious because 

 it wont stand up as it ought. Strong old 

 stools of asparagus, however, will stand 

 against anytliing short of a hurricane. The 

 main trouble is that too many precious hours 

 must be spent in shearing it to keep it de- 

 cently in shape. If left to itself it will grow 

 all over the hive and make manipulation 

 almost impracticable. 



There seems to be considerable room for 

 further invention before we shall have the 

 best form of non-living shade. Meantime I 

 incline pretty strongly to such double walls 

 and roofs as sliall need no shade at all. But 

 even then, if the hives are to face the south, 

 I should pity the little fellows so, roasting 

 alive in their doorways, that I should be for 

 giving them at least a few inches of cotton 

 awning stretched on a wire. 

 RioHABDs, ( )Hio, May 27, 1889. 



