SMOKE AND SMOKERS 



396 



SMOKE AND SMOKERS. 



RELATIVE MEKITS OF THE HOT AND COLD 

 BLAST SMOKERS. 



For a large volume of dense smoke, the 

 hot-blast smokers are far superior. There 

 was a time when tlie cold-blast bid fair to 



CLARK COLD-BLAST S3I0KKK. 



run nut the hot-blast. The former was 

 thought to have the advantage of being 

 cheaper, using the fuel more slowly, and 

 sending a culd blast of air upon the bees. 



COLD-BLAST PRINCIPLE ILLt'STRATED. 



But we doubt if this last feature is an im- 

 provement after all. Cold-blasts are used 

 principally by bee-keepers having few col- 

 onies, the more extensive ones finding the 

 hot-blast preferable. 



One must work the bellows of a cold-blast 

 almost constantly in order to get a smoke 

 ilense enough to subdue bees. Even then 

 the force is too strong; while a hot-blast 

 furnishes a gentle whiff of strong smoke 

 that will conquer. 



FUEL FOR SMOKERS. 



It will be unnecessary to give directions 

 for using these hot or cold blast smokers, 

 as printed directions accompany all smokers 

 sent out by each manufacturer ; yet it may 

 be well to allude to the different kinds of 

 fuel that have been used. Eotten wood is 

 good, and accessible to all, but it burns out 



too rapidly. In the Clark we prefer a kind 

 of stringy sawdust packed solid that comes 

 from the hand-boles made in making hives. 

 Mr. Bingham recommends sound hard 

 wood for his smoker. Dr. Miller and some 

 others prefer turning-lathe hard- wood shav- 

 ings, or, if these are not available, itlaner 

 shavings. In certain localities peat can be 

 obtained very cheaidy, and it makes an ex- 

 cellent fuel. Some use old rags ; others old 

 discai (led hive-quilts that are covered with 

 propolis. These last make a very pungent 

 subduing smoke. In some parts of the 

 South, dry pine needles are used. One's lo- 

 cality as w^ell as notions will decide what 

 fuel to use. 



W. L. Coggshall, one of the most exten- 

 sive bee-keepers in the world, uses a special 

 fuel made out of old phosphate-sacks rolled 

 around a half-inch stick, tied at regular in- 

 tervals, and then chopped into convenient 

 lengths with a sharp ax". The rolls should, 



Fig. 2.-Choppiug' up rolls of burlap for smoker- 

 fuel. Au old sack is rolled up, tied at intervals, 

 and then cut in pieces between the string's. 



of coiu"se, be of the right diameter and 

 length to tit inside the smoker used. The 

 sacking must not be rolled too tightly nor 

 made too snug a fit, or else it will choke the 

 draft and put out the smoker. The reader 

 is, therefore, recommended to make a few 

 experimental rolls before he makes up a lot 

 for a season's use. 



To facilitate lighting with a match, one 

 end of the roll is dipped half an inch into a 

 solution of saltpeter, and allowed to dry. If 

 a little red lead be sprinkled in the solution 

 it will be very easy to tell which end of the 

 roll is for lightins. 



