FIFTY YBABS AMONG THE BEES 193 



and so that it may be convenient to have all the credit on one 

 spot. If a super containing 24 sections is taken from a colony, 

 the number 24 is entered over its first line. Then when another 

 24 sections is tiikeu fioni Ihnl colony, -|-24 is written after the 

 first 24, and whatever number is taken each time, that number 

 is put down with the plus sign preceding. Sometimes it happens 

 that a super partly filled is taken from one hive and put on 

 another. Suppose it is estimated that the super contains the 

 equivalent of 7 sections, and that it is taken from No. 21 and 

 given to No. 45. At No. 21 will be entered -\-7, and at No. 45 

 will be entered — 7. At the end of the season the whole will be 

 summed up. In an extra good year, an average colony may 

 have some such account as this : 24-|-48-|-48 — 7-|-24-|-16 equals 

 153. But the minus sign very seldom occurs. 



WHEELING SUPERS IN". 



At the home apiary, the piles of supers are generally left 

 till nightfall, so the bees will have abundance of time to be fully 

 out. Then they are taken on a wheelbarrow to the honey-room 

 (Fig. 74). 



You will notice that the wheelbarrow is innocent of any 

 box or tray. It is a common railroad barrow, with the tray 

 removed. In this shape it is very convenient for wheeling- 

 supers or stove-wood, the principal uses to which it is put. 

 When desired the tray can be replaced to be used for other 

 purposes. 



HAULING SUPERS FROM OUT-APIART. 



At the out-apiaries the supers must be loaded on tne wagon, 

 and sometimes at the close of the season that is a rather ticklish 

 job. When we go to the apiary in the morning, we drive pretty 

 close to the place where the piles of supers are to be — much 

 closer than it will bo safe to take the horses at the close of the 

 day's work when the bees are thoroughly stirred up — and after 

 the horses are unhitched the wagon is taken by hand to the mosi 

 convenient spot for loading on the supers. 



