48 FORTY YEARS AMONG TIIK BEES. 



When the bees are being carried out, if any are 

 noted as suspiciously light, they are marked, and the 

 next day frames of honey are given them. If, unfor- 

 tunately, these are not to be had, sections of honey are put 

 in the hive in wide frames. 



HAULING BEES. 



As soon as the bees have had a good flight, those not 

 in the home apiary are ready to be hauled away. I like to 

 get them away as soon as possible, so as to have advan- 

 tage of the spring pasturage at the out-apiaries, 

 but sometimes the condition of the roads causes delay. 

 I first hauled four colonies at a time on a one-horse 

 wagon, which you mav imagine was very slow work. 

 That was years ago, and the number has been grad- 

 ually increased until now 31 colonies are taken at a load 

 (Fig, 14). 



WAGON FOR HAULING. 



A common lumber-wagon is used with heavy springs 

 put under the box ; nine colonies are put in the box ; then 

 a rack (Fig. 15) (made in two parts for convenience in 

 handling) is put on the box, and 22 colonies are set on 

 the rack. Of the outfit the rack is the only thing that 

 belongs to me, the rest I borrow of a very obliging 

 brother-in-law, Ghordis Stull. 



PREPARATION FOR HAULING. 



All the hives have fixed-distance frames, so no prep- 

 aration is needed in the way of fastening frames in place 

 before hauling. The only thing to do is to fasten the cover 

 and close the entrance. The cover is fastened to the hive 

 by two staples (the same as those used to fasten the bot- 

 tom-board to the hive) one staple at the middle on each 

 side. Hives that were brought from the out-apiaries the 

 previous fall have the covers already fastened, for they 



