How To Start An Observation Hive

With both glass sides of the observation hive removed, take a frame of sealed brood from one of your strongest hives. It will be advisable to have some honey and pollen along the top and end bars for feed. Slide this frame down into the hive from the top and see that the top bar rests securely on the frame rest and that the bottom bar fits into the clip.

Observation hives stop the traffic wherever displayed.

Place a queen that has just been received from a queen breeder, in her cage next to the brood, removing the cork or cardboard so that the bees can quickly chew through the candy and set her free. Place the glass sides in position and shake in on the frame the bees from three other frames of brood, making sure not to get the queen. Next slip a shallow frame into place or 4 filled sections with their holder and put on the cover.

inch threaded nipple into the hole at the bottom of the hive with a lock nut on either end of the threads so that they can be clamped tightly to the bottom board. Then make further pipe connections through the wall or window frame, making the route as short as possible and not over 8 feet in total length, but be sure to get the outlet above the heads of pedestrians. Make all of the pipe connections tight and solid except for the first 90 degree elbow that connects the special pipe nipple supplied with the hive, which should be loose enough so that the hive can be swung around horizontally to the wall so that it will take a minimum of space when not on demonstration.

An observation hive may be housed by itself, in real style when desirable.

This observation hive has the bees piped to the outside and is arranged so that it can be swung against the wall, when not being displayed, to save space.

The above procedure is to be followed if you plan to make a temporary exhibit at a fair during which time the bees will be shut up only 4 or 5 days and then released. If you wish to make a permanent observation hive for your office or store proceed as follows: screw the half

Proceed to stock the hive as described above and if the bees do not start coming out the entrance in nice weather within two or three hours it may be necessary to remove part of the pipe extension to let the bees come out so as to teach them the route. Once they find the way out of even a complicated system of bends and turns they will continue to come and go by this route.

During cool nights it will be advisable to cover the observation hives and when the working force dies down open the hive and replace the brood frame with a solid frame of brood that is about to hatch, keeping the same queen and as many of the worker bees as possible in the observation hive. Soon the bees will start hatching out and will replenish the field force. If you shake in bees from another colony it will be necessary to cage your queen and re-introduce her to the bees.

This is probably the finest bee hive in the world. It was built by E. S. Williams, St. Petersburg, Florida, who spent 6 months constructing it. It holds two standard 10 frame hive bodies and a bottom board. The second story lifts off for hive manipulations. It is wired for 110 volt current, has window shades and curtains. The front plastic doors swing easily and fit snugly. There is a flag pole, also a sign, that is not pictured here. This has been displayed at the Kentucky and Florida State Fairs. It is unusual items like this that make a few fair exhibits stand out.

Labels

Do not sell or even give away any of your honey without a label bearing your name and address. If you have some off grade honey add 20% water and one sulfa tablet to each one gallon of the mixture and feed it back to the bees for brood rearing. Do not spoil your market by selling dark or strong honey in retail containers.

Most states have Pure Food laws requiring that all products offered for sale must be properly labeled, stating the contents, the net weight and the name and address of the packer. Even if it was not a requirement you would be foolish to market your crop without labels because of their great advertising value. People like to return again and again for products that they especially enjoy.

Most people prefer the light colored, mild flavored honeys which are normally produced in the spring and early summer from the clovers, etc. There are some people, especially in the South who are used to the darker colored, stronger flavored types such as Spanish needle, buckwheat, etc.

It is advisable for you to separate your honey and label it differently and explain the difference to your customers, when possible.

This is a very popular label with beekeepers. A popular heading for this label is BEE MAID and under this heading many different colors and flavors of honey are packed. In the blank space at the bottom is printed the net weight, your name and address, etc.

It is not wise, however, to use the wording PURE CLOVER HONEY or PURE SPANISH NEEDLE HONEY as it will be impossible for you to prove that the honey is entirely from any one bloom. It will be better to use the wording, pure spring honey, pure clover blend honey, pure wild flower honey, pure mountain honey, pure michigan honey, etc.

Most beekeepers prefer to use the word PURE on their labels although it is not required by law. You could use your surname as: JACKSON'S HONEY, and it would have to be pure. It is well to use a descriptive word when possible such, as GREEN MOUNTAIN HONEY.

Labeling comb honey in sections or frames is not so easy but there is normally space on the wrapper, section or frame if you really want it put there.

Use the same design on your road-side signs as on your honey labels for a real tie-in on sales.

Bee supply houses normally stock 5 colored lithographed labels onto which they will print your name, address and net weight. At the time this book is being printed the cost of 250 such labels is about $3. 00 to $4. 00 with your name imprinted on them with only small increases for lots of 500 and 1, 000. These labels are cheaper and much finer appearing than those you might secure in equally small lots from small job printers.

The American Honey Institute

The AMERICAN HONEY INSTITUTE is a nationally supported organization supported by manufacturers of bee supplies, commercial honey packers and the beekeepers themselves. Its function is to promote the sale and use of honey and distribute information and literature to all interested parties.

While the Institute does not buy and sell honey, it is of great indirect help in the sale of all honey through its many promotional projects.

The Institute publishes many pamphlets and books on the use of honey in the home (as well as booklets for the commercial bakers) which contain tested and authoritative recipes. These pamphlets are printed in vast quantities and can be bought cheaper than you can have them printed locally. Every pound of honey sold at retail should have one of these leaflets attached to it by a rubber band.

The Institute also promotes a National Honey Week in October of each year and can supply at a minimum cost posters and various advertising aids that will help you then and at all seasons to sell your honey locally.

The Institute can also furnish beekeepers with many retail honey selling helps. It is your Institute to make use of and the more use you make of it the greater will be your success. Take advantage of this great institution that is supported by all of the leaders in the beekeeping industry. Simply write,

The American Honey Institute, Madison 3, Wisconsin

Ask them to send you their free price list of the various honey selling helps.