DOULTRY & BEES

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 423, 2 June 1904, Page 8

DOULTRY & BEES

HOMEMADE BROODER. It Is Effective and Constrastod en Simple and at the Same Tfcsto Correct Principles. ____ *S* A plan is shown herewith that gives a brooder constructed on simple and at the same time correct principles. The diagram (-Fig. 1) is very nearly selfexplanatory. A box three feet square or thereabouts' has in the bottom a brooder lamp or stove. Above this is a sheet of sheet iron as large as the inside of the box and 1 supported at the four sides, and by an iron prop near the lamp, if it is inclined to sag. Make the edges air-tight with cement, so that no fumes from the lamp can get up above the sheet iron. Have a sheet iron drum made aw indicated in Fig 3 and set this into the brooder floor, Ailing in the rest of the floor about the drum with cement, that there may be no danger from fire. The drum need not be over six inches in height. It hae a half dozen openings under the top, as shown in the sketch. When the

CROSS SECTION OF BROODER. CORNER AND DRUM.

lamp is lighted air enters at one side, above the sheet iron, is heated and rices in the drum, passing out through the openings into the chick chamber, and is diffused about it. Three or four ventilating holes are in the wall near the floor for the exit of cold air. This gives a constant movement of warm air into the brooder. These openings can be partly closed when desired. An opening in the side near- the bottom of the lamp chamber and £fae near the top en the opposite sides give fresh air for the lamp and an exit for its fumes. The lamp is inserted through a small door in the side of the box. One whole side of the brooder chamber is a drop door, for the easy sweeping out of the floor. The top (in door) can have a pane of glass in it, so one may see the chicks and the thermometer hanging against one side. Glass on two sides gives light. The top must fit very tightly. If this brooder is to be used out of doors a roof must be added, a.* indicated by dotted lines. The corner?of the brooder are cut off, as seen ir Fig. 2, so that the chicks may no crowd into them and the weak bt trampled upon and smothered'by the stronger, should the chamber ever become cold.—Farm and Home. -

NOTES FOR JbEEKE^BESS. "Witt good management it costs little to keep a few hives of bees.

Do not neglect to look for the queens or brocd when opening the hives in the spring.

No matter when bees are moved, they should be fastened up 60 that none can escape.

To a very considerable ertent spring dwindling is the result of poor winter management. Have the entrance to the hives and the vicinity around them clean and convenient for the bees to get out and in readily.

The life of bees during the workingseason- is very short, and it requires, r. good laying queen to keep up the force of bees in the hive.

The proper time to transfer bees frorr box hives to movable frames is early ir the spring, before the comb becomer heavy with brood and honey. Hives should be located in good sea son in whatever particular locatio they are expected to occupy in read" ness to receive the swarms as the*, come off.

If any colonies are found too Weak in the spring to take care of a frame of brood give them bees from the strongest colonies, but be careful notto give them the que«n

\\ ben the weather gets warm enough for the bees to fly without becoming chilled give them finely ground cornmeal, wheat or the finer parts of sifted ground oats. \

The secret of large honey crops is strong colonies and plenty of room for the bees to store honey. Give each frame in the hive exactly one and a half inches of space. Do not open the hires to excite the bees when it is too cold for them to fly. The best time to remove surplus for brood frames is after three days of good honey weather. Do not open the hives to excite that bees when it- is too cold for them to> fly. The best time to remove surplus for brood frames is after two orthresr. days of good honey weather. |

If in the spring any of the coloniesare found without queens give them • frame of brood. Do not allow the colonies to rear queens until drones ara hatched to insure mating.—St. Loufjs. Republic. j\