SMOKE AND SMOKERS. 



8<)-l 



SMOKE AND SMOKERS. 



times, were no such potent power as smoke 

 known V 



There have been various devices for get- 

 ting smoke on to the bees, such as, for in- 

 stance, a common tin tube having a mouth- 

 piece at one end, and a removable cap with 

 a vent at the other end for the issue of smolce. 

 Ry blowing on the mouth-piece, smoke can 



BINGHAM SMOKER. 



be forced out. Others, again, have used a 

 tin pan in which was some burning rotten 

 wood. This is put on the windward side of 

 the hive so as to blow smoke over the frames. 

 All of these, however, were miseral)le make- 

 shifts in comparison with the smokers of to- 

 day. 



It is to the credit of father Mo.ses Quinby 

 for first giving us a belloios bee-smoker. This 

 was a most decided step in advance over the 

 old methods of introducing smoke among the 

 bees. In principle his original smoker did 

 not differ essentially from the Ringham and 



in-law of Quinby, then of Mohawk, N. Y., 

 but now of Stamford, Ct., introduced bee- 

 smokers to the world on the principle of the 

 original Quinby bellows smoker, but with 

 several decided improvements. The fire- 

 cups, at the same time, were made rather 

 larger, and were ventilated in such a way 

 that a continuous draft could be maintained, 

 even when the smoker was not in use, thus 

 preventing them from going out like the old 

 original Quinby. 



Of the two smokers the Ringham is the 

 better — more reliable and more substantial- 

 ly made. While the L. C. Root smoker is 

 not made any more, the I3ingham has a very 

 large sale. It has recently been improved by 

 the addition of a detachable curved snout to 

 prevent fire dropping, a safety device (a wire 

 handle) by which the top can be removed for 

 replenishing without burning the fingers, and 

 an arrangement for burning the creosote. 



Roth smokers employ what is known as 

 the hot-blast principle— that is, the blast of 

 air from the bellows is blown through the fire. 

 This makes a heavy volume of smoke- 

 volume enough with the proper fuel to sub- 

 due the worst kind of hybrids. 



The improved Root smoker on the same 

 principle with its i ew snout is very neat 

 and substantial. The old style nozzles were 

 somewhat top heavy, having a tendency to 

 tip over or flop open at a most inconvenient 

 time. The one here shown is not only com- 

 pact in appearance, but will hold its position 

 on top of the stove without danger of top- 

 pling over, no matter how roughly used. 

 There is no reason why the nozzle or snout 

 should be huge and heavy, having a capacity 

 rarely if ever needed. The hinge is a light 



THREE SIZES OP ROOT SMOKERS. 



the L. C. Root, which were introduced later. 

 It had, however, one serious defect ; and 

 that was, it would go out, the fire-pot not 

 being properly ventilated to insure a good 

 draft. Some years after, Mr. T. F. Bingham, 

 of Earwell, Mich., and Mr. L. C. Root, son- 



skeleton stamping, yielding just enough to 

 make it fit nicely on the smoker-barrel, and 

 yet crowd the creosote out of the way. A 

 very neat wire-coil handle, which will re- 

 main cool under all circumstances, is liveted 

 securely in place on the back of the snout 



