io8 



THE BEE-KBEPERS' REVIEW 



close sections, and closed separators, 

 when instinct leads them to form only 

 one large bunch for mutual heat and wax- 

 elaboration. We have not only divided 

 them off into little apartments, 4.}4 x 4'4^, 

 but have fixed the corners so that it is al- 

 most impossible for the bees to get into 

 them in large numbers. My ideal sec- 

 tion would be so made that the projec- 

 tions would be, not at the corners, 

 but in the middle of the sides; and 

 these projections should be only long 

 enough to keep the sections in place; 

 something as shown in the accompany- 

 ing sketch. We are working in the 



STYLE OF SECTION IN WHICH THE BEES 

 HAVE FREE ACCESS TO THE COR- 

 NERS, THUS SECURING MORE 

 PERFECT FILLING OF 

 THE SAME, 

 right direction when we use slat or fence 

 separators, but we keep up the trouble by 

 putting the upright cleats from top to 

 bottom, then cutting off each section 

 from its neighbor the same as before. 



The third part of our defence, quantity, 

 is not a point that admits of much argu- 

 ment. It is like some other things we 

 may know without knowing the reason; 

 but is it really necessary for us to always 

 know the reaso?t for a thing to make use 

 of the fact? Farmeis for many years 



knew that land plaster was beneficial to 

 clover, and yet scientists are not now 

 sure why it is so. Shall a farmer wait for 

 the scientist to tell him zc/iv, before he 

 uses it? The value of manure on farm 

 crops has been demonstrated jears and 

 years ago, and yet science can not tell 

 just why it is so ? Shall the farmer burn 

 his manuie pile until tardy science catch- 

 es up with him? The knowing why is 

 a matter of knowledge which may or may 

 not be of commercial advantage to the 

 producer, let us rather demonstate the 

 jfacf and retain that. But can not we find 

 some of the why in the facts above stated 

 in regard to i}^ and 2 lb. sections; or in 

 the fact that the comb surface is increas- 

 ed while the weight remains the same, 

 hence, evaporation goes on faster, ^nd 

 therefore the honey ripens quicker? 



In ansA-ering the most conmion argu- 

 ment against tall sections, viz., cost of 

 extra supers, we will ignore the first point 

 in their favor, i. e., better appearance, 

 and take only the last two, finish and 

 quantity. I think, from extended obser- 

 vation at the apiar}^ of Mr. Mendelson, 

 who had 4x5 sections by the ton, that 

 the grade was raised on at least 10 per 

 cent. But, to be moderate, we will cut 

 that in two, and call it 5 per cent.; and 

 the 10 per cent, of increase of yield we 

 will also halve, so, on a 50-lb. yield, we 

 would have 2 }4 cents gain for grade, and 

 25 cents for j'ield; which would give us a 

 gain of 2'j}i cents. Can a man afford to 

 lose 27 >^ cents to save the cost of a 15 

 cent super ? 



Richland Center, Wis. IMar. 8, 1900. 



PRING MANAGEMENT AND 

 COMB HONEY PRODUC- 

 TION. BY G. W. M'GUIRE. 



The warm spring sun has 

 again waked our bees from their long 

 slumber and repose, and the wide awake 

 bee-keeper should now lay aside every 

 weight, and gird on the whole armor, as 

 these are golden moments, and a little 



