THE BEE-KKKPERS' REVIEW. 



297 



true, then Prof. Tracy must be wrong in 

 saying that the temperature of an incu- 

 bator should be 105°. Surely, some of 

 the readers of the Review have used an 

 incubator for hatching chickens, and they 

 can give us the temperature that is used, 

 (^f course, my failures might l;ave arisen 

 from some other cause than that of low 

 temperilure. It does seem, however, 

 that if il is practicable to use colonies of 

 bees as incubators for hatching chickens, 

 that it might be much cheaper, and re- 

 quire less attention, than the use of an in- 

 cubator; especially for those who wish to 

 go into the business on a limited scale. 



F.ALL LAKE OF HONEY. 



Har\esling, Storing and Cratinjj. 



A crop of fine honey may be ruined or 

 greatly lessened in value by lack of 

 knowledge or care in the harve.sting, 

 storing and crating. The following ad- 

 vice that I cop3' from the American Bee 

 Journal was written by F. A. Snell, of 

 Illinois. It contains nothing so very new 

 or startling, but is a repetition of those 

 things that need to be fairly drilled into 

 the minds of some before they will be 

 heeded. Mr. Snell says: — 



"I go through my apiary twice each 

 week during a good flow, and note the 

 progress being ma le in the supers, as I 

 can (juickly do, as every super has an 

 observation glass through which I can at 

 a glance see what is being done. All 

 completed supers are removed from the 

 hives at each time, freed of bees, and 

 taken to the honey-room adjoining the 

 bee-vard. .\t this time, if more room is 

 needed it is given each colony requir- 

 ing it. 



"To have the ho ley in the best shape to 

 sell, it should be removed from the hives 

 as so5n as all is capped over. The beauti- 

 ful cappings are then white and very in- 

 viting. If allowed to remain long after 

 being capped in the hives the cappings 

 become darkened by the bees, and the 

 appearance is injured. 



".\s the summer harvest, which here is 

 secured from white and alsike clover, and 



basswood, nears its close, less surplus 

 room should be given, for by the con- 

 traction of .space in the supers more 

 combs will be coinj)leled than' in the 

 larger space, and I desire to get all the 

 finest comb honey ])ossible. At the close 

 of surplus gathering from the above 

 sources, all the supers should be removed 

 from the hives, cleared of bees, and 

 stored in the honey-house. 



"For the correct storing of surplus 

 honey a warm, dry and airy r(3om is 

 essential. There sliouUl be windows at 

 least on two sides of the room to admit 

 light and a good circulation. The win- 

 dows should be opposite, and I think 

 preferably at the enst and west sides of 

 llie room. The building shoidd not be 

 shaded, and should be painted a dark 

 red or .some dark color, so as to draw 

 heat. The hot, dry air of summer will in 

 motion do much to still better ripen the 

 hone} . Screens of fine wire should be 

 tacked on the outside of the window- 

 Cfsing at the bottom and sides, and a 

 J^-inch space left at the top by full width 

 of the window, and extend about one 

 foot above the window. This will allow 

 any bees that may be carried in with the 

 honey to escape at the top. and will also 

 exclude all bees, flies and millers. 



"The building .should be one foot or 

 inore above ground, so no dampness may 

 be caused from beneath. The windows 

 should be left open on all pleasant days 

 in summer. Of coursp, the honey-room 

 should be mouse-proof. A strong rack 

 should be made on which to place the 

 honey, and preferablv at one side or end 

 of the room, as it will so least interfere 

 with working room. The rack should be 

 one foot above the floor, so the air may 

 freelv pass under it. A row of cases 

 should first be put on, and on top of 

 these at the front and back strips one 

 inch square should be placed; and this 

 should be continued in the same way un- 

 til the space is filled to the ceiling of the 

 room, if necessary. 



"All of the finest honey should be 

 stored in a body, and that not so fine by 

 itself. .\t the time the honey is taken in 

 I place it to one side, and the next morn- 

 ing clean off the ])ropolis from the sup- 

 ers and boxes, so far as we can, and tier 

 it up on the rack in the proper place. 



"By -Storing the honev as above stated, 

 the hot air circulates freely all through 

 between the cases and boxes, just as it 

 should do to ripen the honey more fully. 

 The honey is thus left tmtil time for 

 crating to market, which is of neccessity 

 after the close of the summer harvest. 



