DECEMBER 1, 1915 



983 



the pit around up the stairs. I shall soon 

 have to have a larger extractor, and sliould 

 like a honey-pump and a big tank upstairs 

 witli a pipe and faucet to draw ofil; from 

 below; and here's the problem: Contrary- to 

 Mr. Wilder, our early-gathered sweet-clover 

 honey granulates (if anything) -worse than 

 the late-gathered crop. The first is gener- 

 ally granulated solid before I finish the last. 



If I let it go till I get a " big tank " full I 

 shall certainly have to heat it some way. 



I have tlioughl of a steam coil or a double 

 tank with space for circulating hot water 

 between, but these would be expensive, and 

 even then would not clear the draw-off pipe. 



I shall ai)preciate any suggestions from 

 those who have had experience in this line. 

 " I've got to do sumpun." 



North Platte, Neb. 



BEE STINGING BEE LOSES STING 



BY C. E. BARTHOLOMEW 



Tins photogi'aph will no doubt settle all 

 controversy as to whether a bee loses its 

 sting when used against another bee. While 

 the writer, in company with Mr. Frank C. 

 Pellett, State Bee Inspector of Iowa, was 

 visiting the apiary of Mr. Tinsley, of Ames, 

 Iowa, a swarm Avas observed leaving the 

 hive. The three of us placed ourselves in 

 front of the hive near the entrance to ob- 

 serve if possible the nueen as she left the 

 hive to go with the swarm. She came out 

 on the alighting-board, but, frightened by 

 our presence, no doubt, returned to the hive. 



The swarm, not being accompanied by 

 the queen, began returning; but before we 

 had noticed the movement many of the bees, 

 probably because we were standing there, 

 began entering two adjacent hives. A small 

 war ensued in which many of the bees lost 

 their lives. A large number of the dead 

 bees contained the sting of their opponents; 

 and as Mr. Pellett had his camera with him 

 we fortunately obtained this photograph. 



Ames, Iowa. 



Many of the dead bees contained the sting of their 

 opponents. 



THE NEW EXTRACTING APPARATUS 



BY R. F. HOLTERMANN 



We have had another season's experience 

 with the twelve-frame honey-extractor, the 

 honey-pump, the steam-heated honey-knife, 

 and the wire-cloth bee-escape board. 



Last year we had a very poor honey 

 crop; but this year the crop was good 

 enough to give everything a fair test. I am 

 thoroughly satisfied with all. The steam- 

 heated knives are a great help in uncapping. 

 We have not lifted a pound of honey into 

 our six-feet-high honey-tanks, and the 

 twelve-frame honey-extractors with their 

 friction pulleys are doing their work quick- 

 ly and well. My son Glen removes a por- 

 tion of the honey in one side of the comb, 

 then reverses the reel and cleans that side, 



turning again and emptying the first side. 

 The saving resulting from thorough extract- 

 ing is no small item. So much for the 

 inside work. 



OUTSIDE. 



When it comes to the outside the wii-e- 

 cloth bee-escape board has simply revolu- 

 tionized the work here. We carry one bee- 

 brush for cases where there is brood in '^he 

 su])ers; and this year in extracting four 

 apiaries we came across one case where 

 there was no brood in the super, and yet the 

 beos did not pass out of it. These wire- 

 cloth bee-escape boards are an unqualified 

 success, and I say this without a moment's 

 hesitation, knowing that there have been 



