58 FORTY YEARS AMONG THE BEES. 



strengthens it, so it makes a g-ood seat for one who doesn't 

 like a low seat. 



HIVE-TOOLS. 



Of all the hive-tools I have tried, I like best the 

 Muench tool (Fig. 20). Its broad semi-circular end with 

 sharp edge can hardly be excelled for the purpose of 

 raising covers and supers, and when the other end is 

 thrust between two frames, a quarter turn separates the 

 frames with the least nossible effort. Beside the hive- 

 tool for opening the hive and starting the frames, if the 

 hives are to be cleaned out another tool is needed. 



After trying a number of dififerent things for hive- 

 cleaners, I have been best satisfied with a hatchet, the 

 handle sawed short, so that it will not be in the way when 

 working in the bottom of the hive, the edge dull and 

 a perfectly straight line, and the outside part of the blade 

 also ground to a straight line and at right angles with the 

 edge. This right-angled corner is to clean out the corners 

 of the hive. In cleaning, the hatchet is moved rapidly 

 back and forth, or rather from side to side, the blade 

 being held at right angles to the surface being cleaned. 

 The weight of the hatchet is quite a help, something like 

 a fly-wheel in machinery. 



It would be a nice thing to clean the propolis out of 

 all hives every spring, because I am in a region for 

 profitable propolis production if it ever comes to be a sta- 

 ple article of commerce ; but it takes some time to clean 

 the hives, and it is not done every spring. 



CLEANING HIVES. 



If the hives are to be cleaned, an empty clean hive 

 is ready in advance. The empty hive is placed at right 

 angles to the hive to be overhauled, the back end of the 

 empty hive near the front end of the other hive, thus 

 leaving plenty of room for my seat beside the full hive, 

 and leaving the empty hive within easy reach. 



