92 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Ape. 



In the middle, sharpen the points and crook them so 

 that they will Ciitch under a stick in the bottom board. 

 Hun a handspike through the loops, drop one of the 

 rods each side ot the hive, and adjnst the hooks into 

 the bottom board; then placing our arms under each 

 end of tlie handspike, we can carry the hive, suspend- 

 ed between us, down the steej) hatch- way stet)s, much 

 more easily and saiely than by the old way. 

 J. II. P., l>aukliu, N. Y. 



We would suggest that to prevent ths irons 

 from'slidiug ai)oat on the handspike, the lat- 

 ter implement be replaced by a piece of wood 

 2}.2 or o feet long, having handles at each end, 

 like the handles to spades and shovels, and 

 that the eyes to the irons be linked into cor- 

 responding eyes in this piece of wood. We 

 shall thus have only one implement, instead 

 of the two irons, and It can be very quickly 

 hooked securely under any hive. The Sim- 

 plicities, and all hives with movable bottoms, 

 can readily be carried about with it. The 

 ehaft" hives do not need it, for one can lift them 

 handily by taking hold of the eaves. Besides 

 they never need carrying about, unless it is 

 daring swarming time to \)in an (anpty hive in 

 its place when the bees are returning. 



A "TALK" AKOiJT HIVKS. 



eXOE more I attack you for the purpse ol benefit- 

 ) ing myself by your superabundant knowledge 



"-' of bee-culture (no llattery intended). [Of course 

 not]. Before many weeks elapse I desire to make up 

 a number of model hives, can you, therefore, Rive me 

 your opinion on the following points : 



Would a hive made with double ends and space 

 Idled with chaff, with entrance for bees through one 

 of these ends, be suflicienc to jirotect the swarm from 

 the intense summer sun ? [^^'e think it would.] If 

 not, how do you think pole beans or some kind of veg- 

 etable ot rank growth, would answer in lieu of the 

 srape vine ? [Have been used, and do tirst rate if you 

 do not neglect to train them.] Why could not the 

 necessary number of frames in a Standard hive be 

 turned half wav rounrl and made to rest on temporary 

 rods passed Ihrougli the hive and thus placed, be 

 l)acked for wintering on every side and on top with 

 chaff cushions ? [Has been done ; no objection only 

 the trouble.] If this plan woidd work tlien I should, 

 'd' course, give up the idea of a hive with double ends, 

 as bd'ore described ? Why would not the ina:erial 

 \ised in the construction of the berry baskets, cut the 

 right thickness, \nake excellent Iraracs and section 

 boxes? The wood is beach, I believe. I will send 

 you a sample by to-day's mail. [Are used, but are 

 more expensive than our sections, whej you get 

 starters in, etc.] I am a Dentist ami have an excel- 

 lent dental lathe. Could one of the circular saws you 

 advertise be used in connection with this lathe tor 

 iight sawing? [Very easily.] I see by mohl of the 

 cats of different a|)iaries wliich you have ])rinted, that 

 vjf; s/trtrfi? is afforded the hives. Is shade, therefore, 

 .•\b.=olutely essential y [Not absolutely. J'arties men- 

 tioned cover their hives with boards in very hot 

 weather.] 



In conclusion, let me say, that your '•Home Talks" 

 in Gleanings draw me very near to you, and have, 

 (u more than one occasion, caused me to act and 

 choose "the betterpart, which cannot be taU(>n away."' 

 «!od Idess you in the good work. W. G. I'hklj'.s. 



Milford, Del., Jan. 11, 1877. 



Yoin- last remarks, friend P., have made us 

 f?el quite talkative, and in regard to the hive 





with double ends, we should say, that its 

 greatest objection is that it cannot well be 

 used as an upper story. Avoid it as you may, 

 the hive now coming into demand, is one with 

 two stories, and both alike. This necessitates 

 a shallovv' frame, and we cannot turn a frame 

 around for winter as you suggest unless the 

 hive is wider than it is long. If you follow 

 out the idea, you will arrive at the Chafi' hive, 

 and this, in connection with the Simplicities, 

 for temporary purposes for shipping the honey 

 in, etc., will answer every possible need, and 

 we, at present, need both in every apiary. If 

 it should transpire that it will not pay to win- 

 ter bees in the latter, they will prove of excel- 

 lent service for summer use, and shipping both 

 btes and honey in. 



FI>N. [VEA CHIN BOS, NAT!5.;llSAIi AMD ARTI- 



Fflt'BAB> COi'^f JS. Ani2) FEEI>EW«i 



KKKS CL4I!*I»JNGS. 



BEE-KEEI'ER that I met since corning to La., 

 /f-;\\ says ail the fdn. he used broke down after bc- 

 I ing lengthencri out and iilled with brood; still 

 it may have been made when you were using paralhne. 

 Have you had any trouble with fdn. l)reaking down 

 after being finished and filled with brood, when tiic 

 fdn. was made of beeswax ? I should think the manu- 

 facture of the small Idn. machines by Mr. W., would 

 stop the sale of f<3n. to a great extent, as most bee- 

 keeiiers that have much to buy, will be apt to get a 

 small machine and make it themselves. A good liouej' 

 season is reason enough for jour not being troubled 

 with brood or 'poUen in fdn. in section boxes. 



You speak of Mr. Doolitile's jMishing a knife through 

 a piece ol natural comb, and say, "of course it found 

 but little obstruction," as if aU natural comb was ten- 

 der, which is not the case by any means. The honey 

 made from the Tietie, which blooms in Florida from 

 the middle of Feb. to the 1st of March, is first quality, 

 but the comb is very tough— the centre unusually so — 

 and very thick. East year, at Shreveport, the comb 

 made in the spring was very tough, but that made in 

 June and July was tender. Might not some yellow- 

 wax make tough fdn., and that made from honey of 

 difl'erent plants, be tender? You also mention in an- 

 other No., of its being something new, to know that 

 l)ees would use cappings or pieces ol comb, to build 

 new comb. Twelve years ago, in Ohio, I had a small 

 swarm come olf in July, that I ])ut in a box hive, with 

 a glass At the back, full size of the hive, to observe the 

 bees. To assist this small swarm so late in the season, 

 I placed pieces of comb honey on the bottom board, 

 and watched them thiough the glass. After taking 

 the honej', they took the comb to pieces and cavrieil it 

 to the top of the hive, where I saw ihcm itse U to help 

 build their new comb. It was a curiosity to me at the 

 time, but I tlid not suppose it was anything new to 

 older bee-keepers. G. 11. Caulin. 



Bayou Goula, La., Dec, 10, 1876. 



The only test of pure wa.x that we know of, 

 is to hang a sheet of fdn., made from the sus- 

 pected was, in the hive, and if it stretches, we 

 condemn it at once. We never had any brootl 

 coinbs Ijreak down, but have had })aranino 

 combs do so when filled and sealed over. 



The sale of the small machines has certainly 

 spoiled wdiat would probably have been a fine 

 trade for us, but friend C. do you fear we shall 

 lose in the end by studying the wants of our 

 customers ? While their v/ax is right at haml, 

 it wou'd be too bad to ask them to eocd'it half 



