THE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEW 



279 



me that a man who can increase one 

 colony to 20. in a season, in New York, 

 and sell the increase at $10.00 per 

 colony, does not need to go to Jamaica to 

 find a bonanza. 



Getting Extracting Combs Cleaned Up. 



Most producers of extracted honey 

 believe it necessary to have their ex- 

 tracting combs cleaned up by the bees 

 at the close of the season. Some prac- 

 tice the plan of putting them back on the 

 hives, and others stack up the hives of 

 combs out of doors, or else allow the 

 bees access to the combs while stored in 

 the honey house. 



With only a few supers, the placing of 

 them on the hives and their removal does 

 not amount to a great deal in the way of 

 labor, but when a man has 1,000 supers 

 of combs to handle, the task assumes 

 some proportions. Even carrying them 

 out into the yard and bringing them in 

 again is no slight task. Allowing the 

 bees access to the honey house where the 

 combs are stored, saves all labor of 

 handling. 



Right here allow me to ask: Is the 

 cleaning up of these combs really 

 necessary? Is anything gained by the 

 practice? It might be answered that the 

 honey is saved. Yes, the honey is 

 removed, but is it removed at a profit? 

 Isn"t the excitement, and commotion, and 

 demoralization in the apiary, at a time 

 when the bees ought to be quieting down 

 for winter, more damage than the worth 

 of the honey? Perhaps the excitement 

 causes the consumption of as much honey 

 as is secured. 



The combs will keep over winter just 

 as well without this cleaning out. When 

 placed on the hives in the spring the 

 bees will clean them out the first thing 

 that they do. Of course, the honey will 

 candy, and the bees will consume very 

 little of it when they find it in this con- 

 dition, but they will dig it out and kick it 

 out of the hive if they don't use it. If 

 any one knows of any good reason why 

 these combs ought to to be cleaned up at 



the end of the season, let me hear from 

 him. 



Right here comes up another point: 

 If the combs are not to be cleaned, if 

 the honey that adheres to the cells after 

 their removal from the extractor is 

 really lost, then this is a big argument 

 for the use of a power-driven extractor; 

 as it leaves the combs much cleaner than 

 it is possible to clean them in turning the 

 extractor by hand. 



Samples of Brood Diseases Desired. 



Prof. Phillips, in charge of apiculture at 

 Washington, D. C, is anxious to receive 

 samples of brood diseases from all parts 

 of the United States, so he may know 

 more accurately where they occur. The 

 information is of great help in sending 

 out information concerning the treatment 

 of diseases. The department is sending 

 out the following notice: 



The Bureau of Entomology desires to 

 obtain information concerning the prev- 

 alence of brood diseases of bees in all 

 parts of the United States. If either 

 American foul brood or European foul 

 brood occurs in your vicinity, or if there 

 IS any disease of the brood which is not 

 understood, we should like to know it. 



In view of the fact that these diseases 

 are not always correctly diagnosed, it is 

 very desirable for us to obtain a sample 

 of the brood for bacteriological examina- 

 tion. If there is any disease of the brood 

 in your own apiary, or near you, we shall 

 appreciate it if you will send us a sample. 



In order that samples may reach us in 

 good condition, it is desirable that a piece 

 at least three inches square be cut from 

 the brood combs and then kept in a dry 

 place for a day or two before putting in 

 the box to mail. Samples should be sent 

 in tin or wooden boxes. Such a box will 

 be sent free on request with franks for 

 mailing so that no postage will be neces- 

 sary. Please put your name and address 

 on all samples sent in. Results of the 

 examinations will be sent out as soon as 

 possible. 



This information is desired for the 

 purpose of sending out publications on 

 these diseases to bee keepers whose 

 bees are in danger from disease, and in 

 helping with the eradication of disease in 

 any way possible. The name of the 

 individual sending the samples is not 

 made known to other bee keepers in the 



