204 



THE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEW. 



May there not be much in the plan and 

 managment of the house apiary as regards 

 the comfort and pleasure of the apiarist? I 

 suspect this is one of the main causes why 

 house apiaries are unpopular; therefore I 

 will give you my experience. 



<'Ai'i'inN<i A s\\\Ki\T I'lii.iM 'inn: iioiisK \riAia 



BY MEANS OF A SWAKM CATCHEK. 



My house is 8x10, by 6 feet high and ac- 

 commodates 24 colonies, ten on each side 

 and four on one end. The studding is 2x3, 

 spaced 22 inches apart. Inch square cleats 

 3 inches long are nailed on each side of the 

 studding at the floor and 30 inches above. A 

 board the width of the studding rests on 

 these cleats with two 3 inch pieces nailed 

 upright on this board with a board 12 inches 

 long nailed on top of the upright. A " long 

 idea" hive nine feet six inches long, sixteen 

 inches wide and depth to suit frame, is built 

 on each side and divided into five apart- 

 ments by grooved division boards, leaving a 

 space of two inches between each hive. The 

 entrances are cut in the side boards, 10 

 inches by %, at the center of each hive. 

 Bottom boards are nailed on and placed in 

 position, resting ou a cleat at each end. The 

 spaces back of the hives and between them 

 are packed with shavings and boards fitted 

 in on top, making every part complete. A 

 dummy or adjusting board is used in front 

 of each hive, the frames running lengthwise 



of the house or hive. A 2 inch cone escape is 

 placed at the back of each hive. Abundance 

 of light comes in from a revolving window 

 in the south end of the house. A GO foot sub- 

 earth ventilator enters through the floor and 

 a ventilator passes out at top of house. The 

 floor is carpeted, which greatly prevents the 

 jarring of the beee, especially during cold 

 weatlier. 



We produce comb honey and manipulate 

 as follows: First, we catch the swarm, 

 usually as it leaves the parent hive, with my 

 good wife's invention, a swarm catcher, 

 which is a small frame box covered with 

 light oil cloth( oiled surface inside) and hav- 

 ing a wire screen door at the large end. As 

 the swarm passes out we place the open end 

 of catcher at the entrance of the hive. The 

 bees cluster ou the wire screen. We then 

 sprinkle them a little through the wire cloth. 

 This cools and quiets the bees and the fever 

 subsides. We now place in position what 

 we call a feed board. This board resembles 

 a threshing machine feed board. On each 

 side is a wire hook to fasten into small 

 staples placed in the alighting board. A 

 standard, hinged to the under side of the 

 feed board, has a nail driven into the lower 

 side and tiled sharp and when swung 

 against the house it will remain and sup- 

 port the feed board. We next pick up the 

 catcher and slip out the wire cloth screen, 

 when a little jar will land every bee upon 

 the feed board at the entrance of the hive, 

 and the thing is accompolished. These two 

 devices ( catcher and feed board ) are worth 

 very much to the bee fraternity, so far as 

 comfort in catching and hiving swarms are 

 concerned. To manipulate this hive, I put 

 in as many frames as desired, and slip the 

 adjusting board to suit. 



In preparing for winter, a cushion is placed 

 between the front of the hive and adjusting 

 board and a cushion on top of brood frames, 

 when all is very complete, handy of excess to 

 feed or examine; sheltered from the storms 

 of winter and frosts of spring, which are two 

 features worthy ot the apiarist's attention. 



In manipulating the house apiary I have 

 not received a dozen stings, except from the 

 crushing of bees, for the past four years, and 

 1 have both hybrids and pure blood. Smoke 

 is seldom applied. As I raise a good many 

 queens I find the house all that could be de- 

 sired for this delightful branch of apicul- 

 ture, and I may claim to be the first to use 

 the three appliances mentioned above. 



