May 21, 1903. 



THE AMHRICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



327 



it is extracted at the same time, it is apt to make streaks 

 of different shades and is not so nice as if uniform. Yet we 

 must say that a mixture of clover and fall honey — knot weed, 

 heartsease and Spanish-needle — makes a very salable arti- 

 cle, if the different grades are thoroughly mixed, and we 

 have often made such a mixture to satisfy fastidious cus- 

 tomers, but the honey must be heated and stirred to mix 

 properly, and it requires great care not to spoil its flavor in 

 heating. 



As a rule it is much the best to harvest each grade 

 separately, and so we aim to extract at least twice a year, 

 once in July and the second time in September. 



As to the honey getting too thick, there is but little 

 danger of that, and we much prefer to have it a little too 

 thick than too watery as it is sometimes, especially the first 

 crop, when it contains any basswood. IJasswood honey 

 has always given us the greatest trouble to secure it suffi- 

 ciently ripened, even if left on the hives quite a while after 

 the end of the harvest. 



We say that we always extract at the end of the crop, 

 but there are no rules without exceptions. We have had 

 seasons when it would have been out of the question to 

 keep the bees supplied with sufficient room, had we not 

 taken the honey off two, three, and even as many as five 

 times during one crop. But such seasons are rare. Yet we 

 must be prepared for them. The more scarce they are, the 

 more important it is to take advantage of the good luck. 



We have often tierred up three supers, one on top of an- 

 other, and our supers are large, containing from 55 to 65 

 pounds each. We have rarely put more than three of them 

 on top of one hive. We do not believe there is any objec- 

 tion to tiering up still more, only with a narrow hive like the 

 Sframe Langstroth, one must be very careful how they 

 are placed. The least slant to one side or the other would 

 perhaps cause the hive to tip, as the weight of the honey 

 would increase the settling to the lower side. We have no 

 use for the 8-frame hive, even for comb honey production. 

 The 10-frame hive is small enough. 



If the honey of the fall crop is left on the hive till 

 November, it may become thick enough to be inconvenient 

 to extract. As a rule it is much the best to extract the crop, 

 just as the harvest ends. By this method we not only 

 secure as ripe honey as can be had, but we also save a great 

 deal of labor, by doing the work all at one time. 



Some apiarists find it convenient to haul the supers 

 home from an out-apiary to do the extracting at leisure. 

 We do not like this method. We extract on the spot, and 

 return the supers to the hives at once. Whatever may be 

 said in favor of the method of taking the combs home, our 

 method is more expeditious and more economical. 



Regarding the removal of the brood to prevent swarm- 

 ing, we would not recommend it. This method at best 

 would only prevent the issue of a part of the natural 

 swarms, but the apiarist would have to make artificial in- 

 crease with this brood, or cause swarming with the colonies 

 to which it would be given. It would be a great deal of 

 of labor, would entail some risk, and would hardly answer 

 its purpose. 



If an apiary is properly conducted for extracted honey 

 with, large hives, and a plentiful supply of supers filled 

 with combs, there will be very little swarming, and it will 

 not prove necessary to take any measures to prevent it. 

 Ordinarily such measures would be useless, or worse than 

 useless. A colony which is at all times supplied with a 

 large quantity of empty combs, will make no preparations 

 for swarming, unless it is in an uncomfortable position, ex- 

 posed to the sun, or with too little ventilation, or with too 

 many drones. Neither will such a colony produce much 

 wax. I have seen it often stated that the bees produce wax 

 independently of their will. The quantity thus produced is 

 very small. It is only when they are compelled to remain 

 full of honey for hours and days that the small scales of 

 wax are produced, seemingly owing to the prolonged hold- 

 ing of a surplus of honey within their sac. When the 

 colony swarms, each bee takes a load, and as they find no 

 combs in their new abode they are compelled to d^rry this 

 load until a part of it has been changed to wax. The bee 

 which finds room to unload her honey-sac as soon as she 

 arrives home, produces only a minimum of wax. That is 

 one reason why the production of extracted honey is so 

 great when a full supply of combs is furnished to the col- 

 ony. Hancock Co., 111. 



The Premluirs offered this week are well worth working 

 for. Look at the m. 



Putting Unfinished Comb Honey on the 

 Market. 



BY FRANK COVBRDALE. 



AS I was listening with interest to the discussion which 

 took place at the Chicago convention, Pres. York said 

 that he had received honey in the comb only half filled 

 and half capped. This should never be. Is not a nice comb, 

 that fills a section, after being extracted, worth at least 6 

 cents? And is not the honey, after being extracted, a 

 lighter color, and also a first-class honey for table use ? 



Besides, those sections of nice combs, which are left 

 over, are a power to get all the colonies into the supers at 

 the earliest possible date — a thing of as much moment to 

 every comb-honey producer as " money in the bank." 



There surely ought to be no honey sent to market until 

 it is finished ; it not only hurts the trade in general, but he 

 or she who ships it will suffer more or less in future deal- 

 ings. When I sell to a firm once I want to sell to it again. 

 And, by the way, all my shipments have gone to one firm 

 for the last 5 or 6 years, at satisfactory prices. Such a 

 state of affairs is very satisfactory to me, and should be to 

 every producer of this most healthful sweet. I have seen a 

 great deal of dissatisfaction come to light along this line. 



I am sorry to say that it is very hard to get honey put up 

 well enough so that it will do to stamp a £^ood name on it. 

 However, I never stamp my name on my cases, because I 

 sell direct to the wholesale house, in car-lots, and the firm, 

 somehow, never forgets me. 



If I wished a greater number of little orders, I would 

 put my name on every case. Suppose I should case with 

 several half-filled, half-capped sections, which on reaching 

 its destination would be sold at 20 cents per section, would 

 it not be embarassing for the grocer ? Through that honey 

 the grocer would either gain custom or lose it. 



Let me emphasize in strongest terms that it does not 

 pay to ship this kind of honey to any market, at any price. 

 I have tried it, but never had a chance the second time, so I 

 have come to the conclusion that it is better to extract all 

 this kind of honey, except that which I sell at home. 



Selling honey at home, at a lower price, will soon gain 

 trade similar to that of extracted honey. Still, as the price 

 is nearly up to finished combs, better extract them, selling to 

 this trade only inferior-shaped combs, and at a lower price. 



Jackson Co., Iowa. 



Growing Timber in Germany— Lumber for 

 Hives and Other Supplies. 



BY F. GRKINER. 



PERHAPS every observer is aware that the destruction 

 of the pine forests is going on at a rapid rate. The 

 gravity of the situation is not fully recognized by the 

 general public, for no new tracts of timber are being 

 planted. 



In European countries a regular system of forestry is 

 practiced. The large estates have their timberlands divided 

 into a certain number of squares. When one is cleared off 

 another is planted. The thinning-out process goes on 

 from the time the pine seedlings are large enough to answer 

 for bean-poles, till the trees have reached a diameter of one 

 foot or more. Thus the country produces what timber is 

 needed. We, in America, have not yet arrived at this point. 

 We keep slashing into the timber, right and left, with no 

 regard to consequences. It is not impossible or improbable 

 that, in the future — how near, is a speculation — we may 

 have to resort to other materials for hive-making. We are 

 not entirely dependent upon pine lumber for our hives and 

 supplies ; if it should come to the worst, we could use clay, 

 plaster of Paris, brick, straw or paper-pulp ; but it would be 

 well for us to look the matter squarely in the face, and be 

 more economical with the material on hand. Quantities of 

 good material are annually burned up, which might be 

 saved. 



Pine lumber is not the only kind suitable for our use. 

 In fact, basswood timber has already taken the place wher- 

 ever practicable, as, for instance, in manufacturing sec- 

 tions, shipping-cases, inside fixtures, etc.; but the supply of 

 basswood will, in all probability, hold out no longer than 

 the pine. Other timbers that come in for our consideration, 

 are whitewood, chestnut, butternut, cedar, and probably 

 other timber. Whitewood might be used for hive-bodies ; 

 it answers well, and could be used for all inside work except 



