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CONDUCTED BY ERNEST R. ROOT. 



better. 



THE BINGHAM VEIISITS THE CLARK S.'NIOKKU. 



I liiive given the liingham smoker a 

 l)retty tliorough trial. Our boys 

 liave used it constantly in the apiary 

 every day right alongside of tlie 

 Clark. Sometimes we like the Clark 

 and sometimes tlie IJingham. Each 

 possesses points of meiit not possessed by 

 the other, and so tlie verdict has varied 

 duiing the season. 



In the course of my remarks I shall dis- 

 cuss a few of the merits and demerits of 

 each. First, let us discuss the Bingham. 

 The latter has one quite bad feature which 

 I will now illustiate by the following ex- 

 ample : 



Several days ago. as I was strolling up the 

 avenues in the apiary, 1 saw Mr. Spafford, 

 with his head down in the hive, evidently 

 pawing something out. 



'• Hello !" I said ; '• what is the matter ?'" 



Witliout very much explanation he re- 

 plied, ■' This is the third time this smoker 

 has acted this way to-day." 



'' Oh : the top fell off, did it ?" said I, as I 

 saw the smoke rolling up from between the 

 frames. 



" Yes, it has done this trick several times, 

 and let the hot coals and cinders down 

 among tiie bees ; and. as you see, it is not 

 an easy job to get them out again."' 



1 then observed that the smoker-top was 

 somewhat l)attered. 



In order to replenish the Bingham while 

 hot, we And it is necessary to strike the cone- 

 top one or two smart blows right and left, 

 until it falls off, as it is too liot to be handled 

 ordinarily when in use. After the barrel is 

 lilled, we" have to pick the top up like a hot 

 coal, and jam it into place. This alternate 

 removal and re-adjustment of the cone-top 

 as above described, caused it to become 

 somewhat battered in time, and consequent- 

 ly ill tilting. 



Several times, when Mr. Spafford had 

 lilled the smoker and crowded the top as 

 tightly as he could push it on, just as he was 

 in the act of shooting the smoke over the 

 colony the top would drop off, precipitating 

 the cinders over the frames. We have bent the 

 rim back into shape so as to make it fit l)etter, 

 but even then we have found the top was 

 liable to come off just when we jjarticularly 

 desired it not to. With the Clark, however, 

 there is no danger of the whole contents of 

 tlie smoker barrel dropping out on the bees. 



I want to state one more olijection 

 against the Bingham, and that is. that the 

 lire-box, in my judgment, is not secured 

 to tlie bellows "as tirmly as it might l)e. In- 

 deed, it seems to me our Abronia friend 

 might get up a simpler, stronger, and better 

 device for accomplishing the purpose above 

 named. We have had some little ditticulty 

 with the lire-box becoming loosened froni 

 the bellows several times during the season ; 

 and although we have re-secured it on as 

 many times, it soon works loose again. It 

 maybe we are big bunglers out here, and 



use tilings uncommonly rough ; at any rate, 

 the foregoing has been our experience. 



Notwithstanding the two objections which 

 1 have named above, I can not help but like 

 it for the following reasons ; vi/. : 



First, in action it is instantaneous. A 

 slight movement of the bellows causes the 

 smoke to puff out in a gentle whiff. Second, 

 it sends out a strong, dense volume of smoke ; 

 and a very little working of the bellows 

 starts the smoke immediately. Third, there 

 are no tubes to become clogged with soot. 

 Fourth, the construction of the bellows-valve 

 is such that it will not fill up so as to 

 "wheeze." Filth, I like a cylindrical fire- 

 box better than I do a conical, because it is 

 easier to get long stuff into. In general, 

 the hot-blast principle gives rather denser 

 smoke. 



Having now considered some of the good 

 and bad features of the liingham smoker, 

 let us discuss the Clark in the same way. I 

 have already hinted at some of the defects . 

 in the latter, tiie most obvious of which are 

 these: First, the blast-tube, as now con- 

 structed, lifter continued use, will liecome 

 clogged with soot, unless cleaned often. 

 This objection, however, we hope to remedy 

 before another season. Second, after sev- 

 eral months' use, the valve, in consequence 

 of sooty accumulations, sometimes •' wheez- 

 es,'" instead of letting the air in freely. 

 This, like the former defect, we hope to 

 correct. The points of excellence in the 

 Clark, as we see them, are as follows ; viz.: 

 First, it is cheaper than the other smoker. 

 Second, the sliding door permits easier fill- 

 ing, and likewise easier lighting. Simply 

 a lighted matcii. placed opposite the hole 

 made by the sliding door being partially 

 closed, will light the smoker. Tiie opera- 

 tion of igniting the fuel in the Bingham is 

 more ditTicult, so it seems to me. When- 

 ever I go out in the apiary and want to ex- 

 amine two or three colonies, I always pick 

 up the Clark, because I can light it and get 

 it well going in less time than it takes me 

 to tell you. Third, the Clark is emphatical- 

 ly a long-range weapon. It will shoot a 



' blast of smoke a long distance — rather 

 further than the hot-blast smokers. Fourth. 

 ;is the blast of air does not pass through the 

 fire, it has little tendency to throw sjiarks 

 or fire. Fifth, the fire-box is heated but 

 \ ery little. In the Bingham I have had 

 the fiames shoot out six or eight inches 

 from Uie nozzle, and at the same time the 

 fire-box was ;ilmost red-hot. Now, having 



, stated the good and bad features as they 

 occur to me in both smokers, perhaps you 

 will inquire which smoker I would prefer. 

 Candidly. I don't know. They are both 

 good smokers. If the bees are hybrids, and 

 are very cross, I think I should father pie- 

 fer the Bingham : but if the bees are gentle, 

 like the Italians, and I am desirous of get- 

 ting my smoker ready just as soon as i>os- 

 sible. I should pick up the Clark. 



'J HE TACK SYSTEM, AXD I'-V WHOM FIRST 

 SUGGESTED. 



In last issue, in speaking of tiie ii.<e of 



tacks to indicate the condition of the col- 



: onv, I stated that I Ijorrowed the idea from 



