PEARCE METHOD OF BEE-KEEPING 



CHAPTER II 



A Preliminary Explanation for the Benefit of Beginners 

 in Bee Keeping, and Others. 



In handling bees by bee keepers in general, there has 

 been about four ways resorted to for the purpose of getting 

 the bees through the season in a successful manner. The 

 first that I will mention is to put the bees in a single hive 

 body, with 8 to 12 frames, of the Langstroth or regulation 

 dimension. This hive is left on the summer stand or place 

 where it stood all through the year without much of any 

 .protectian. Others not being satisfied with this method, 

 resort to some kind of packing about the hives, either put 

 about the hives in the Fall and removing it in the Spring, or 

 by having a permanent case attached to the hives to remain 

 through the whole year, such as the original Root double 

 hive and the modifications of it that have come down to the 

 present time. Then some few, but this class has not been 

 large, have tried burying their bees in a trench somewhat 

 as they would for vegetables. 



Then another and much larger class, put their bees into 

 cellars, below ground. All of these people use a single hive 

 body for keeping their bees in. And without saying any- 

 thing about the merits of any of these four methods for the 

 present, I wish to bring to your notice the four places and 

 ways that I use in my method of handling bees, which is 

 known as the Pearce Method of bee keeping, in buildings 

 above ground. The first place I will mention where they may 

 be kept is in a bam or stable loft. The next is in house 

 attics as kept in cities, next in poultry houses. Then in a 

 house or shell, built especially for the bees. In all these 

 ways, the bees are kept in two of the regulation hives, each 

 hive being the same size and shape as the hive used by those 

 who keep their bees below ground and out of doors. Thus 

 you will observe that I use a hive with just double the 

 capacity of my brother bee-keepers generally. These two 

 hive bodies are used one above the other, making a tall hive 

 that is divisable and may be made into two hives and used 

 by others or put together as we use it. This little prelimi- 

 nary explanation will serve to show every one the different 

 places and ways in most common use by the bee-keeping 

 fraternity. Therefore, without saying anything about the 

 merits of any of these different ways, leaving that for later 

 on I will proceed at once to tell you about a model bee house 

 or shelter for your bees, so you can build one or more like it, 

 as this is important. 



