1893 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



557 



the cell "' (italics mine), so it would seem that a 

 queen lays in a queen-ceil just the same as in 

 other cells. The position the queen must 

 assume in laying in queen-cells was one of the 

 strong points brought to bear on this matter by 

 the doubting ones. It would seem to me that 

 there should be no longrr any doubt in the 

 matter of queens depositing eggs in queen-cells. 

 Borodino, N. Y., July .5. G. M. Doolittle. 



BARRELS FOR EXTRACTED HONEY. 



PLAIN DIRECTIONS ON WHAT BAKRELS TO USE, 



HOW TO CLEANSE, HOW TO PREVENT 



LEAKAGES, ETC. 



[The following, and especially the directions 

 from Chas. Dadant & Son, is so valuable and 

 seasonable that we are glad to place it before 

 our readers. We have not produced extracted 

 honey in any quantity for years; but as the 

 Dadants have had such a large experience, we 

 have no doubt that their advice not to wax is 

 correct.] 



Please give me some advice in regard to the use 

 of barrels for storage of extracted honey. I can 

 not obtain new bariels, but lia ve the usual choice of 

 empty ones from grocery or liquor stores. I greatly 

 injured the flavor of a quantity of nice clover honey 

 last season by storing in wine-casks, thougli the 

 same had been carefully waxed in accordance witli 

 instructions in the "A B C of Bee Culture." lam 

 inclibed to favor high-wine or syrup casks, thor- 

 oughly sealed and waxed, but should like advice 

 from some one haWng experience. 



Hull, Quebec. Subscriber. 



Chas. Dadant & Son, of Hamilton, III., answer the 

 above as follows: 



We have always used second hand barrels for 

 extracted honey. Tiiose that we prefer are barrels 

 that have contained pure alcoliol. Such barrels are 

 not charred inside, but are gummed instead with a 

 preparation of glue which honey does not dissolve, 

 and they do not leak, unless they have been exposed 

 to the weather, or filled with water. 



We have also used, without unpleasant effects, 

 wliisky-barrels, but these are often charred on the 

 inside, and this must be ascertained before they 

 are used, as it is of great importance. The little 

 pieces of charcoal which become loosened from the 

 walls of the barrel mix witli the honey, and are 

 very difficult to remove, as tliey float about in the 

 honey, after having become soaked with it. Charred 

 barrels should be discarded. 



We would not advise the use of any other barrels, 

 unless they ai'e new. We will say, however, that a 

 barrel that has contained wine, molasses, or syrup, 

 may be used If it has been thoroughly cleansed. 



To cleanse a barrel thoroughly, it is best to re- 

 move one head, and some care must be exercised in 

 order to replace it in tlie same position, or the bar- 

 rel might leak. Follow these precautions: 



First mark the head and the chime, or end of 

 staves, with a chisel or some sharp instrument, so 

 that you may find tlie exact position occupied by 

 the head, wlien putting it back. Mark two places 

 so as to make sure. Then take a large gimlet and 

 screw it into the middle of the head for a handle, 

 taking care not to pierce the head through. Then 

 remove all the hoops except the top one. Tliej' may 

 also be marked, if necessary, so as to be returned to 

 the same position. When all are removed but one, 

 have some one hold the head by help of the gimlet 

 until the last hoop is off. When the barrel has been 

 cleaned, put the head back in the same position. 



We would not advise any one to use barrels with 

 any sour or smutty smell; but such barrels, in a 

 case of necessity, may be cleaned by washing them, 

 after removing the head, with a pint of oil of vitriol 

 mixed with about two gallons of water, or with a 

 little caustic lime diluted in water. But after 

 cleaning a barrel in this way, it should be again 

 washed with water, and scalded if need be. A few 

 days of exposure to the air will help. 



Old barrels, the wood of which has become soaked 

 with water, are very objectionable— the more so as 

 thev will dry when filled with honey, and in drying 

 will shrink to such an extent as to be unable to 



hold their contents. The right kind of barrels to 

 use should not leak when very dry, and that is Vhy 

 we prefer tlie alcohol-barrels to any others, as the 

 very dryest timber is used in their manufacture. 



We used to wax baiTels years ago. but abandoned 

 the practice, as we found it rather expensive and 

 inefficient. 



After emptying honey-barrels, we place them in 

 a (by shed. We do not wash them until ready to till 

 them again, and then use only a small quantity of 

 hot water. We use iron-bound barrels exclusively, 

 as the hoops may be tightened much more efficient- 

 ly than wooden hoops. We have never experienced 

 any ditliculty in procuring all the barrels we need- 

 ed, at from $1.00 to $1..50 each, even in the season of 

 18bi», when we harvested some 75 barrels of nice clo- 

 ver honey. Chas. Dadant & Son. 

 American Bee Jtmrnal. 



SELF-HIVERS. 



holtermann's improvement and system of 

 management. 



Ever since the convention of the North 

 American bee keepers at Washington, and the 

 explanations of E. R. Root, and his illustration 

 by sample of a self-hi ver, I have felt that the day 

 would undoubtedly come when this appliance 

 would be very largely used. Having carefully 

 read almost every thing that has been said 

 upon the subject in our leading bee-journals, 

 I now believe that the self-hiver has many 

 strong friends, and some who look upon its suc- 

 cess in the future with doubt. The accompany- 

 ing self-hiver, I think, is something better than 



has yet been got out. 1. The ventilation of the 

 hive by means of it is more easily secured; 

 3. The bees luive a less distance to travel; 3. 

 Although I do not think that, after the first 

 few times, bees are much inconvenienced by 

 passing through perforated metal, yet it is no 



