82 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Jan. 15 



to say nothing of all the other benefits which 

 one secures. 



SPLIT SECTIONS A LA HAND, VERSUS THE 



REGULAR STYLE OF SECTION WITH A 



FULL SHEET OF FOUNDATION 



CUT TO FIT. 



Dr. C. C. Miller has commented quite at 

 length on the subject of split sections as dis- 

 cussed by J. E Hand and H. H. R. on page 

 18. As there is hardly space to admit the 

 whole discussion in his regular department 

 of Stray Straws we are placing it here at 

 this time in order that the reader may get 

 the benefit of further discussion before the 

 question is forgotten. Dr. Miller writes: 



Split sections, as compared with putting in founda- 

 tion with hot wax, are well discussed by H. H. R., p. 

 18. Pardon the egotism if I suggest something better 

 than either— bottom starters. 



First, let me say that the objection to the appear- 

 ance of split sections, if I am rightly informed, is a 

 very serious one in England, where they are more 

 used. I feel sure that, if my sections had a split with 

 the wax showing through on top and sides, it would 

 reduce the price very much more than 50 cts. a thou- 

 sand. That one objection gives the preference to the 

 hot- wax plan. 



But compare either plan with bottom starters. If 

 a section is fastened securely at top and bottom it 

 must ship safely, even if it dees not touch either side. 

 The bottom starter as well as the top starter is fas- 

 tened just as securely as by the hot-wax plan, for it is 

 the hot-wax plan. How about the sides? Well, I do 

 not think you could tell by the looks of my sections 

 whether the sides had been hot-waxed or not ; so, as 

 far as safety in shipment and looks are concerned. I 

 believe hot-waxing a full sheet has no advantage over 

 the bottom starters. The only question, then, is as 

 to comparative cost of labor in putting in. You esti- 

 mate the time for hot-waxirg at about 200 an hour. 

 Possibly an expert might do better than that. But 

 an expert will put top and bottom starters in 480 sec- 

 tions in an hour. A single piece to fill the whole sec- 

 tion must be cut with great exactness. 



A one-piece section is not always exactly square 

 until forced square in the super. If foundation is 

 hot-waxed in a section that is a little out of true, and 

 it is then crowded square in the super, there will be 

 trouble. A variation of Va itch or more in cutting top 

 and bottom starters will make no trouble, and there 

 will be no trouble with a se ction somewhat out of true. 



When the secJon comes into the consumer's hands, 

 if there is any preference it will be in favor of the 

 bottom starters, for the hot wax poured all around 

 ought to make it just a little harder to cut the section 

 clean from the wood. 



Against bottom starters it must be said that more 

 skill is needed in using the hot plate, or an occasion- 

 al top starter may drop before the bees can fasten it, 

 while any slouch can make it secure by daubing on 

 enough wax with the other plan. Your honor, we 

 here rest the case. 



The objection raised by Dr. Miller as to 

 the unpopularity of these sections in Eng- 

 land is a very serious one We raised this 

 point with Mr. Hand in private correspond- 

 ence some months ago, stating that, in our 

 opinion, such sections, if sold largely in this 

 country, would give rise to the old comb- 

 honey canard, because the consumer, not 

 understanding the nature of foundation and 

 its uses, would be likely to jump to the con- 

 clusion that the contents of the section were 

 "manufactured," because he could see un- 

 deniably the handiwork of man. The foun- 

 dation projecting through the wood on three 

 sides would be almost sure to arouse his 

 suspicions. 



In relation to this point Mr. Hand wrote 

 that he had found no trouble whatever; but 

 we feel firmly convinced that, if such sec- 



tions ever become popular with bee-keepers, 

 we shall have to be constantly "explain- 

 ing " and always on the defensive. 



But this is not the only point. Such a 

 section, with foundation projecting through 

 the top and sides, is unsightly compared 

 with the neat clean face of the regular sec- 

 tion. That fact will hardly admit of argu- 

 ment. 



In this connection a valuable article on the 

 subject has just come from E. F. Atwater, 

 Meridian, Idaho; and while we have not the 

 space to give the whole of it in this issue 

 we wish to present herewith the part having 

 an especial bearing on this question. We 

 expect to publish in our next issue some en- 

 gravings made from photographs which he 

 sent. On the subject of starters, he says: 



As I was the first in this part of the West to use 

 sections containing a full sheet of foundation fastened 

 on all four sides, and as that experience has covered 

 several years, extending in part to the present, I feel 

 qualified to say something about the results. In 

 many cases the results are all that could be desired — 

 beautiful slabs of honey without hole or blemish to 

 mar their beauty. But here the (as yet) inevitable 

 sagging propensities of all surplus foundation on the 

 market, in hot weather, is a factor with which we 

 must reckon. A full sheet of foundation as usually 

 used, attached at top only, with i";; to H inch space 

 below it, will usually sag evenly, resulting in a comb 

 even and smooth of surface. But if the foundation 

 completely fills the section, being attached at all four 

 sides, then when the sheet does sag, a bulge usually 

 occurs somewhere near the bottom ; and the bees, 

 when the comb needs capping, are often unable to 

 puzzle out a satisfactory solution of the problem; a 

 depression or small uncapped area results, besides a 

 tendency toward comb attachments to the separator. 



But the downward sagging does not constitute the 

 only difficulty Under the manipulation (or " mandi- 

 bleation") of the wax- workers, the sheet of founda- 

 tion enlarges transversely, resulting all too often in 

 another bulge in the foundation, and giving rise to 

 another problem which is too difficult of solution for 

 the untaught instinct of the bees, and this results in 

 another blemish on the face of the finished comb. 



In some localities the sagging of the foun- 

 dation is undoubtedly more of a problem 

 than in others. Wherever full sheets of 

 foundation fastened on all four sides with 

 hot wax are found to sag and buckle, we 

 should expect that the same trouble would be 

 found with foundation secured on the split- 

 section plan. At any rate, it is quite im- 

 portant in these days that we make as 

 few changes as possible in our bee-hive ap- 

 pliances. Where regular goods and regular 

 outfits already in use can be made to do the 

 work it would be folly to go to the expense 

 of a change. In the case of the problem un- 

 der consideration, we would say by all means 

 stick to the regular section that one is using. 

 We will shortly illustrate how any one, with 

 home-made appliances costing only a few 

 cents, can fasten full sheets, cut to a fit, into 

 the section, and do a neat and perfect job. 



Be sure to read about what the glucose in- 

 terests are trying to do in pulling the wool 

 over the eyes of President Roosevelt and 

 Secretary Wilson on the subject of calling 

 glucose "corn syrup." It is to your inter- 

 est to write at once to Secretary Wilson and 

 to Dr. Wiley. Do it now. There is not a 

 minute to lose. 



