1910 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



325 



given up to packing rather than to a surphis 

 of exposed sections a much smaller number 

 of combs being found in an unfinished state, 

 at the close of the season. As an example, 

 a moderately strong stock was supered with 

 a crate of only 16 sections; and \\ ithin a few 

 days the nvmiber was made up to three in 

 one tier. Two were so quickly completed 

 that they were removed and replaced by two 

 others, making five in all (of sixteen each) 

 during a poor honey season, and in little 

 more than three weeks the whole 80 were 

 completed in perfect condition. Colonies 

 in other hives, supered with crates contain- 

 ing 24 sections, and having exposed sides, 

 did not finish off half the number. The 

 small crates of 16 each were within an outer 

 case, and the work was so rapid that the 

 queen had all the stock combs to herself. 

 No excluder was used; and, even if so inclin- 

 ed, she had no chance to start laying where 

 the workers were storing all the honey they 

 brought in. The crates had slatted bottoms 

 resting close on the frame-bars, and each 

 crate close on that below. 



If the bees are induced to start ofif more 

 quickly in the smaller well-protected crate 

 it stands to reason the queen is less likely to 

 be crowded out of her legitimate domain, 

 and the hive has a larger population all the 

 time, while excluders are sviperfluous. 



The twins or triplets with slatted bars may 

 be set on with a sliding motion, starting 

 from the ends of the frames; or any one used 

 to bees can place them after smoking, by a 

 gentle swaying motion that will cause any 

 stray bee to run down. 



As illustrated in the 1886 pamphlet issued 

 by me, the outer sections are set against 

 >^-inch slips tacked to the sides of the cases, 

 thus equalizing the thickness of the combs. 

 I have never found it necessary to use less 

 than l^-inch sections without sei^arators, 

 and have had no uneven or bad-shaped 

 combs built at that gauge. I have, hoM- 

 ever, alw^ays used full sheets of foundation; 

 i. e., fixed to top and two sides, but % inch 

 clear of the bottom, and I am unable to 

 agree with the editor that foundation show- 

 ing through the saw-cut is likely to give 

 comb honey a bad name. Full sheets wax- 

 ed to the top and sides certainly give combs 

 that can be shipped more safely than those 

 combs built from starters only; but the wax- 

 ing around the sides will surely be objected 

 to as much as the foundation showing 

 through without that rim of wax inside, and 

 which shows up only too well when the comb 

 is cut out. If the waxing is strong, the 

 foundation held in the saw-cut is certainly 

 far stronger for shipping to distant markets. 



If it were not for the above question of 

 marketing, and for securing the largest pos- 

 sible quantity of beautiful-looking combs 

 with even worker-finished cappings, one 

 might well agree that there is no comb hon- 

 ey to equal that started from the smallest 

 possible guide of wax, so far as the eating of 

 it is concerned. 



A diminished output, however, and a 

 large percentage of broken combs, will not 



bring much profit to the producer, nor will 

 the salesman be at all eager to repeat his 

 order for goods that do not arrive in a pre- 

 sentable or marketable condition. Hence 

 while studying the consumer as far as pos- 

 sible the producer can not alford to discard 

 the most expeditious methods of preparing 

 his sections; and I believe there is no quick- 

 er way than that of inserting the foundation 

 into sections cut through on three sides — 

 i.e., top and two sides; and, still further, by 

 having the foundation long enough to slip 

 into three or four sections in the same row 

 at one operation — a plan I have adoi)ted for 

 some 18 years; besides sending out large 

 numbers so prepared during that period, 

 without one single intimation that there 

 was any idea of artificial comb honey. 



About fourteen years ago I sent Glean- 

 ings a sample frame of three sections, cut 

 through on three sides, with the full sheet 

 of foundation across the three; but the edi- 

 tor did not seem to catch on to the idea that 

 there was a great saving of time over wax- 

 ing, and no possibility of any ill-shaped 

 combs caused by foundation falling through 

 the weight and heat of the bees. 



I have found little advantage is using high 

 side walls to super foundation, as the bees 

 almost invariably scrape off the raised por- 

 tions and start anew. I have also reason 

 to believe it is not unusual for them at the 

 same time to alter somewhat the bases of the 

 cells. We hear very little of the VanDeusen 

 flat-bottomed foundation now, but I am of 

 the opinion that that kind is least noticeable 

 in the finished product. The very thin base, 

 when altered by the bees, being "little if any 

 thicker than the natural comb, is a point 

 that brings us nearer to pleasing the'palate 

 of the consumer. 



Heathfield, Eng., Dec. 4 



A VISIT TO A CALIFORNIA APIARY. 



Prospects for the Season. 



BY MRS. H. G. AOKLIN. 



The writer took a run a few days ago out 

 to the apiary of D. J. Shultis, secretary of 

 the Los Angeles County Bee-keepers' Club. 

 This apiary, of about 325 colonies, is located 

 a short distance from the Monrovia car line 

 and Santa Anita road. The path to the 

 house leads through an orange-grove, and on 

 the morning of my visit the bees were liter- 

 ally swarming on those full-blooming trees. 



On reaching the house a young girl direct- 

 ed me to the apiary, which is a short dis- 

 tance to the north, kindly telling me to call 

 to Mr. Shultis before reaching there, and he 

 would come out; otherwise I might get stung. 

 I walked right in, but did not turn around 

 and walk right out again, as the bees were 

 too busy with orange-blossoms to pay any 

 attention to me. 



Mr. and Mrs. Shultis were bothlfas'busy 

 as they could be, trying to give the" bees 

 room by extracting a few combs from each 



