508 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



pure bees-wax is suitable for their use, hence its use is in no sense 

 an adulteration even when used in market comb honey. The cell 

 bases marked on this foundation are worker size. Hence drone 

 comb is prevented, and it also causes the combs to be built straight 

 and where the bee-keeper wishes them. 



I prefer a tin frame dovetailed hive and have a model here. The 

 chief essential for a hive is that it be readily accessible in every part, 

 and can be contracted or enlarged to any desired size, and all parts 

 interchangeable, not only in itself, but with other hives in the same 

 apiary. 



In i>roducing comb honey, an especially constructed "super" is 

 used in order that the little honey boxes or sections may be left 

 clean and the bees will build straight combs in them. Frames, 

 called ''section holders" and frames called "separators" are used to 

 hold the section and between each row, respectively. For "extract- 

 ed" or liquid honey, another hive body is used, or one of the same 

 patern only not so deep. The honey is produced in large combs 

 from which it is removed by a centrifugal machine called an "ex- 

 tractor," and the combs may be used repeatedly. Comb honey is 

 less economical and requires more skill to produce than extracted, 

 and is hence more expensive. 



Honey is removed from the hive now by the use of what ace 

 known as bee escapes, a devise set in a board which goes between 

 the hive and super which it is desired to remove. The bees pass 

 through the escape but cannot return. Placed on a hive in the 

 afternoon the super will generally be ready to remove and be en- 

 tirely free of bees bj' the next morning. 



Swarming is the most objectionable thing in the production of 

 hone}'. Formerly, our success with bees depended upon the num- 

 ber of swarms hived. Now the bee-keeper wishes to prevent 

 swarming as much as possible. To do this the first step is to clip 

 the queen's wings to prevent her going away with a swarm of close 

 issue, and this also serves in a measure in identifying the queen. 

 We know also that bees build queen cells before they swarm and 

 we can prevent the swarming by repeatedly removing these cells. 

 However, when bees once determine to swarm they "sulk" until they 

 have accomplished it. Hence, it is gnerally better to satisfy them 

 when in that condition. The practice of "shook" or "shaken" swarm- 

 ing does the work. When a colony is found ready to swarm most 

 of the bees and queen are shaken into a new hive containing only 

 frames of foundation on the old stand. They go to work at once 

 like a new swarm. The remaining bees and brood may be disposed 

 of in different ways, depending upon whether increase is dsired 

 or not. By this practice swarming can be pretty generally controlled. 



Honey is a valuable food, being partially digested by the bee. 

 It is used on the table as a syrup but unfortunately is too often 

 considered a luxury. Hone}^ readily absorbs moisture and for that 

 reason is much used by large bakeries because by retaining moisture 

 it makes stale cakes seem fresh. Only the cheaper grades of honey 

 are used for this purpose. 



MR. BLACK: How about the bees damaging grapes? 



MR. BARCLAY: I don't believe the bees can damage grapes. 

 Where the bee gets into trouble is that hornets or birds make a 

 hole in the grape and the bee will go there to get honey. The bees 



