SMOKE AND SMOKERS. 



399 



SMOKE AND SMOKERS. 



The grate will usually keep clean; but in 

 some cases it might get stopped up, then in- 

 sert the point of a file into one of the holes 

 and lift it out as shown in Fig. 4. It can 

 then be very easily cleaned and replaced. 



HOW TO USE A SMOKER. 



Perhaps the majority of bee-keepers under- 

 stand using a smoker without any special 

 instructions, but we believe that, as a rule, 

 too much smoke is used. It is best to use just 

 as much smoke as is necessary and not any 

 more. A beginner so often stupefies the 

 bees that they become practically demor- 

 alized. It is needless to say that this is a 



- -i-i^-J^r^'- ■ 



Fig. 7.— Carrying a smoker with the little flng-er 

 when the hands are full. 



very bad plan. Yery often colony after col- 

 ony can be opened, especially when the bees 

 are working, without the use of smoke; but 

 at the same time it is well to have a smoker 

 near at hand. 



It is not considered good practice to 

 smoke bees out of comb-honey supers, as 

 they are frightened at the smell of smoke, 

 and, in their desire to save honey, uncap 

 some of the cells and thus spoil the appear- 

 ance of what might otherwise be fancy honey. 



In looking for a queen, use little or no 

 smoke, as it is very easy to set the bees 

 running all over the combs, making it next 

 to impossible to locate the queen. At such 

 times the frames should be handled slowly 



Fig. 8.— Holding a smoker between the knees while 

 manipulating frames. 



and carefully, the bee-keeper doing nothng 

 to disturb or excite the bees. 



Fig. .5 shows the most natural way of 

 holding the smoker when the cap is opent d. 

 A better hold is secured with the left hand 

 if the bellows is compressed as shown. 

 Take hold of the coiled-wire handle with the 

 right hand and it will be seen tliat the c;ip 

 can be raised very easily without the least 



Fig. 9.— Working the bellows of the smoker while 

 holding between the knees manipulating frames. 



danger of burning the fingers. A coiled- 

 wire handle remains cool, no matter how hot 

 the fire is. 



