1909 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



35 



A STUDY OF THE CONDITIONS IN 

 A BOX HIVE. 



Would Not Wider Spacing of Combs Pro- 

 vide a More Natural Clustering- 

 space for Winter? 



BY J. A. CRANE. 



I have seen the question discussed as to why 

 bees often winter better in a box hive than in a 

 good chatf-paciced hive. 1 have thought often 

 on the subject, and had accepted the theory ad- 

 vanced that the frame hive allows cold drafts 

 around and over the frames. I still think that is 

 one of the main causes; but how often do we find 

 straight combs in a box hive or bee-tree.? I think 

 it is safe to say that crooked combs are the rule; 

 also that the crooks and turns and also the pop- 

 holes are so arranged by the bees, either by ac- 

 cident or intention, as to prevent almost en- 

 tirely any draft in the hive except such as the 

 bees themselves set up for ventilation or evapo- 

 rating honey. I have examined carefully all the 

 box hives I have transferred for the last two or 

 more years, and have found this to be the case in 

 every instance, although I think I have seen one 

 or two cases where the combs were about as true 

 as foundation-built combs; but in no case do I 

 recollect their being built straight away from the 

 entrances, as in our hives. 



Another thing which seems to bear on this the- 

 ory is that, no matter how few bees there may 

 be in the box colony, so far as my experience 

 goes, there is never any candied honey. This 

 spring, after severe losses I purchased a lot of box 

 hives which were a caution to look at. Two 

 had no covers whatever — only some sticks laid 

 across the tops. There were from four to six 

 mouse-holes in the sides, and the hives were so 

 rotten that I had to wrap them up in sacks to keep 

 the bees in to take them home; and I rode in fear 

 of the load collapsing before I got home. How- 

 ever, when it came to transferring I found that I 

 could have rolled the hives down hill and not got 

 the combs apart. They were built in angles and 

 circles, and fastened together in all shapes; and, 

 strange to say, there was not one cell of candied 

 honey, even away in the corners of the hive, where 

 the combs were two or more inches thick, while 

 in my chaff hives with straight combs the honey 

 is candied clear to the cluster. I transferred these 

 bees during cherry bloom, and, without trying 

 to save any but good pieces of brood, I filled 

 from four to fi e jamho frames with brood, and 

 they soon became the best colonies in my yard. 

 I have also noticed that many of the combs are 

 a great deal further apart than our regulation 

 spaces allow — from \)4 to 2}^ inches. This per- 

 mits the building of combs fat with honey at the 

 top and sides, and thinner for the brood lower 

 down, thus providing an ideal clustering-place 

 for the bees. These bees wintered with a loss of 

 only 6 per c^-nt, without even a tree for protec- 

 tion, and with a mouse-nest as large as a quart 

 measure, with two full-grown mice ruining 

 through the combs after I had drawn them seven 

 miles, while my loss was nearer sixty per cent in 

 first-class well-packed hives. 



I know we do not want such conditions in our 

 hives; but I believe if we could get nearer to 

 them through wider spacing, thus giving thick 



combs of honey around the cluster, and wide 

 spaces between combs for the cluster, with an en- 

 trance in one corner, we could pass a bad winter 

 with less loss than at present. 



I am not advocating any new system on these 

 lines; but do not these facts go to show that the 

 bees are not in a state of nature in modern hives 

 which need so much protection, while they win- 

 tered perfectly in a box little better than a potato- 

 crate when allowed to build this home after their 

 own blue prints and specification.? 



Marion, N. Y. 



UNCAPPING. 



The Angle and Speed of Blade Important; 



the Advantages of Cutting Down 



Instead of Up. 



5V F. B. CAVANAUGH. 



I wish to add to what has been said in favor of 

 the cold uncapping-knife versus the heated, and 

 in addition to cite some good reasons for cutting 

 downward. I wish also to show why it is prefer- 

 able from the standpoint of dollars and cents to 

 dispense with the hot-water device entirely. 



To keep the knife sharp is good practice; but 

 a proper inclination and speed of the cutting edge 

 are of more importance. A comparatively dull 

 knife will do clean work if a quick slanting cut 

 is made. Notice the principle of the scythe, the 

 angle of the cutting blade. Note that, even with 

 a dull blade, speed will greatly enhance the cut- 

 ting efficiency. 



Our circular saws require a certain speed for 

 highest efficiency. Why not ascertain the prop- 

 er speed for the uncapping-knife also, and then 

 approach it as nearly as possible.? 



In uncapping I invariably cut doivn'n.vard with 

 the knife-point inclined upward about 45 degrees. 

 I catch the upper nearest corner of comb surface 

 with a forward thrust, then bring the knife forci- 

 bly downward at a similiar angle, completing 

 the cut at the bottom end by bringing the blade 

 into a horizontal position. If a small strip is 

 left I catch it coming upward. 



This method requires wrist power, speed, and 

 a little skill derived from pactice. I have found 

 no advantage in very deep cutting, although the 

 beginner who aspirts to become a rapid uncapper 

 must expect to cut deep sometimes, and to run 

 the knife out occasionally, but perhaps no more 

 so than by other methods, however. Time saved 

 is money earned, and the downwaid uncappers 

 are muih the speediest. 



Now notice for a moment the mechanical ad- 

 vantages of cutting downward over cutting up- 

 ward. First comes the weight of hand, knife, 

 and capping assisting in the foimer method, im- 

 peding in the latter; second, the pressure in the 

 downward cut holds the comb solid on its sup- 

 port. The upward cut tends to unseat it. Third 

 is safety in the employment of speed while the 

 upward cutter is likely to cut the left hand if 

 much speed or force isexerted. Fourth, incutting 

 downward the cappings are thrown directly 

 downward into the receptacle instead of catching 

 on the unsealed surface of the comb. Fifth, the 

 easy and natural position of hand and wrist, and 

 downward pressure, causes much less strain r>n 



