160 



TSE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEW. 



bining the advantages of both the hot and 

 cold blast styles. The accompanying cut 

 will give a fair idea '^f its construction. 



okane's double-valve smokee. 



As the bellows opens, the air enters 

 through valve No. 1. As the bellows is 

 closed, the air is forced through valve No. 2, 

 through the closed end of the air chamber 

 and through the connecting tube, directly 

 into the fire barrel. As soon as the air in 

 the bellows is exhausted, valve No. 2 closes, 

 thus shutting out smoke and sparks from 

 the bellows, and valve No. 1 opens admit- 

 ting a fresh supply of air. When not in use, 

 valve No. 2 is always closed, and the fire 

 gets air from through the opening near the 

 top or upper end of the air chamber. 



It will be seen that by this arrangement a 

 continuous passage is formed from the liel- 

 lows to the fire chamber, thus enabling the 

 operator to blow the fire and drive out the 

 smoke with a strong blast ; at the same time, 

 smoke, sparks and soot are shut out of the 

 bellows, while the fire has a direct draft 

 when the smoker is not in use. 



It may be asked why this smoker has not 

 been put upon the market. Mr, Crane says 

 that so many smokers being already on the 

 market, and this one being expensive to 

 make, he doubted if the sales would be snfii- 

 cient to pay for the trouble. 



As a cold blast smoker, the Clark is objec- 

 tionable on account of its being a '* breech 

 loader." The fire in a smoker ought to be at 

 the bottom of the fire box, with the fresh 

 fuel above. With the fire at the top, the 

 danger of blowing out or dropping sparks is 

 greatly increased. The Hill cold blast smo- 

 ker overcomes this objection, as it also does 

 that of being obliged to hold the fire box in 

 such a position, when driving smoke down- 

 ■wards, that sparks may drop out. 



But enough has been said to start the dis- 

 cussion ; now let smoker makers and users 

 criticise and comment, and contribute their 

 views for the July issue. 



Some Argaments in Favor of Setting Bees 

 Out of the Cellar Early in the Spring. 



A great many advise keeping the bees in 

 the cellar as late as possible in the spring, in 

 order to avoid the cold spells that are almost 

 certain to come. I am satisfied that for this 

 locality it is better to take them out as soon 

 as it is warm enough for them to have a 

 cleansing flight, and then protect them. Mr. 

 N. D. West so clearly sets forth the reason 

 why this plan (of taking them out early) is 

 advisable, that I copy from Gleanings what 

 he has to say upon this point: 



" I find that most bee-keepers say, ' Keep 

 the bees in the cellar until natural pollen is 

 ready for them.' With the hive that I use. 

 I must differ with them for this reason: 

 Bees will remain quiet, and winter well in 

 the cellar for about four months ; and if 

 kept in five months, more will die or get 

 weak— the last month, more than all the 

 first four months. I have set bees out at all 

 times from Feb. 1 to May 7. This is too 

 early and too late. But any time after the 

 l.^th of March, when the weather is fine, so 

 the bees can get a good cleansing flight, and 

 if no snow is on the ground, is the time to 

 take bees out of the cellar. But, oh ! we 

 want a day when the bees will not waste 

 much in their first flight. If we knew the 

 weather would he fine in a day or two after, 

 it would be best to carry them out at night, 

 or on a cool day, (we do so with our out- 

 yards, if the day is such when we get there), 

 then they do not fly until it is warm enough. 

 After our bees have had one or two flights 



