122 



TWELFTH ANNUAL, REPORT OF THE 



each comb when we can just as well 

 get 6 or 7. 



I like to have a shallow super above 

 the brood nest. We try to get just as 

 many sets of comb filled with brood 

 as is possible before the honey flow 

 opens; we run for bees in breeding sea- 

 son. For extracting, the shallow frames 

 are of too sm.all capacity. 



Mr. Pyles — If Mr. Cavanagh will 

 have an extractor built so he can use 

 two frames, you get just as much 

 honey in your extractor, if you have 

 it built right. I had a little experi- 

 ence along- this line, watching other 

 people's mistakes, and I had my ex- 

 tractor ordered Avith a basket large 

 enough to hold two frames; there is 

 an advantage in having the shallow 

 fra,me all the way through. 



I do not know whether it is right for 

 me to condemn the deep frame, but I 

 w^ould not want it either in the brood- 

 nest or extracting either. 



Mr. Cavanagh — We are extracted 

 honey producers; what he says about 

 the shallow comb being the proper size 

 of the extractor basket is only a part of 

 our grievance against the shallow 

 comb. We have to handle two shallow 

 combs where we "vvoud have to handle 

 one deep one; that means a lot when 

 you are in a rush. 



When a man has deep combs he can 

 take one deep comb in each hand and 

 balance them opposite on each side 

 of the extractor. If he has two shallow 

 combs then he has to be careful or he 

 will not get it even on the other side 

 and get the two combs to balance. The 

 shallow combs are good if they are 

 handled according to the shallow comb 

 method, but for extracting I don't see 

 the advantage. 



We are not narrow in regard to hives 

 and the way we work — We work our 

 bees on a system that gives full colony 

 of bees in any kind of a hive and any 

 kind of supers, so long as we get the 

 resits. A success in dollars and cents 

 is what we want as we are keeping 

 bees for the money there is in them; 

 I say we are not narrow about it; I 

 have shallow and deep combs, and we 

 try to work with the system that gives 

 the most profit. 



Pres. Huffman — About getting the 

 bees off the combs and keeping them 

 in the hive — what kind of a brush do 

 you use, Mr. Cavanagh? 



Mr. Cavanagh — ^We use the Cogsall 

 Bee brush which we buy of Eastern 



manufacturers, who sell a much more 

 pliable brush; an essential quality. 



Pres. Huffman— Is it not a fact the 

 strain of bees have something to do 

 with it? 



Mr. Cavanagh — The easiest bees to 

 get out of the supers are black bees, 

 of course; they will run yet we don't 

 have any trouble with Italians. If you 

 can imagine the position of the honey 

 bee on the comb — ^with the roof of their 

 dwelling being torn off and smoke go- 

 ing along with it, you will understand , 

 why they will run for the bottom of the 

 hive every time. We like the fine 

 strand Cogsall brush; a heavy brusii 

 I think is cruel to the bees and is hard 

 to handle as well. This is the only 

 thing we do not buy from Dadant in the 

 way of bee-supplies. 



Pres. Huffman — I use a single 

 feather, run along the side of the comb 

 and drive down; I like it better than 

 3. queen excluder. 



Mr. Cavanagh — The reason we like 

 the Cogsall brush; is because on ac- 

 coTint of the width we can brush both 

 sides of the adjoining combs at once 

 by turning the brush at the proper 

 angle to bridge the space. 



How Many Colonies Represented. 



"How- .many colonies are represented 

 in this meeting?" 



Pres. Huffman — I think it would be 

 well to get some kind of an idea as to 

 how many colonies are represented 

 here — the reporter asked this question, 

 (2459 colonies) reported by 16; average 

 of isa; Mr. Bull and Mr. Cavanagh 

 report the largest number: SOO. 



Honey Clear of Settlings. 



"What is the best and quickest way 

 to get honey clear of settlings?" 



Mr. Bull — ^What does that mean — 

 when you are melting it? 



Pres. Huffman — ^When you first ex- 

 tract it. 



Mr. Bull — Strain it through a coarse 

 screen; take out the coarse material 

 and let the rest settle in the settling 

 tank? it is practically impossible to 

 strain honey and get it clean; it can't 

 be done. 



Mr. Dadant — ^We see a lot of thesa 

 honey strainers where you draw it off 

 in 60 lb. cans as fast as you can ex- 

 tract it; when it goes upsinddown and 

 finally comes out clear; has any one 

 used these and had any experience 

 along this line? I have always dona 

 like Mr. Bull says; strain it through a 



