250 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Apr. 15 



they are quieted down. Then with a smoker 

 well going he is to go to the hive and subdue 

 them. In such cases, where there has been an 

 accident, and bees killed or combs broken, the 

 work becomes more complicated, for many of 

 the bees are likely to take wing when smoked, 

 and be in a stinging mood while in the air. Un- 

 der these circumstances we alternate between 

 smoking the bees in the air and those in the hive 

 until most of the flying ones have settled down; 

 then the work proceeds where it left off. It is a 

 little humiliating to run from a colony of bees 

 that one is handling; but beginners often have 

 trouble, so that I am obliged to tell them to go 

 into the honey-house until the colony becomes 

 quiet. 



One of the most serious accidents that ever oc- 

 curred in our yards was when honey was being 

 removed. Our new helper, not having had much 

 experience, did not make sure that the frames in 

 the lower story were cut loose from those in the 

 super, so when he attempted to lift off this super 

 two of the lower frames were lifted up with it. 

 Not knowing what was the trouble, the super 

 was lowered on the hive and a second attempt 

 made to lift it off without giving any more smoke. 

 By this time many beei had been killed, and 

 the e is nothing that will so enrage bees as this. 

 We noticed the predicament and ordered a re- 

 treat, otherwise there would have been a case of 

 hard stinging. An experienced bee-keeper, after 

 lowering the super back on the hive, would have 

 smoked the bees well and then have made sure 

 that the two sets of frames were entirely separate 

 before a second attempt was made. 



A bee- keeper who does not know how to use 

 smoke, or who does not take the precaution to 

 work carefully, will always have cross bees. I 

 have been in yards where the bees were so cross 

 that it was almost impossible to stay there a min- 

 ute without having protection for the head and 

 hands. In other yards of bees of the same strain, 

 and under the same circumstances, one could 

 work all day with no protection whatever, and 

 still receive no stings. The difference is all in 

 the intelligent use of smoke and in the careful 

 handling of the bees. 



HOW TO TRANSFER. 



In a former article I told of buying four colo- 

 nies of bees in Metcalfe hives. Ordinary Jumbo 

 frames would be similar to those in these Met- 

 calfe hives if they stood on end. In other words, 

 the top-bars were shorter than the end-bars. The 

 combs were fairly straight in the frames so that 

 they were much easier to transfer than if they 

 had been built in box hives, or criss-cross, as 

 they sometimes are in frame hives if no starters 

 are provided at the top of the frames for guides. 

 When ready to transfer a table should be secur- 

 ed, preferably in a honey-house away from rob- 

 ber bees. A bottom-board should be in readi- 

 ness also to lay the combs on that are to be trans- 

 ferred to new frames. Blow a little smoke into 

 the entrance of the hive to be transferred, and re- 

 move the cover, giving a little smoke also over 

 the tops of the frames. As the work progresses, 

 there is apt to be more or less jarring of the hive, 

 and more smoke will be needed, so the smoker 

 should be kept in good condition and in a con- 

 venient place where it can be had at a moment's 

 notice. 



As it is a frame hive that is being transferred, 

 pry the frames apart so that the first comb may 

 be easily removed, and then shake most of the 

 bees from it in front of the hive, brushing off, 

 with a Coggshall bee-brush, the few that remain. 

 In the case of box hives it is usually necessary 

 to pry off one side of the hive and then cut out 

 the combs to be transferred. Since the combs 

 are not usually attached to the bottom of a box 

 hive it is well to turn it upside down and remove 

 the bottom-board. Then with a long knife cut 

 the combs loose from one side of the hive and re- 

 move that side. When the combs are buih in 

 cornetwise I remove two sides of the box so that 

 they can be taken out easily. 



When the combs are free from bees, place them, 

 one at a time, on the board in the honey-house 

 and lay the new frame on top of it in order to get 

 the exact size. A thin case-knife is the best tool 

 for trimming the combs. They should be cut 

 just a little larger than the inside of the frames so 

 that they can be crowded in. The frame con- 

 taining the comb may then be turned on edge by 

 tilting up the board (frame and all) to keep the 

 comb from falling out until the frame is vertical. 

 Then wrap comb and f'ame with fine wire; and 

 when the bees have the comb well fastened in the 

 frame, some time afterv^ard, this wire may be cut 

 along the top-bar and pulled out without remov- 

 ing any of the frames. 



As soon as one new frame is filled with old comb 

 it is placed in the new hive, which should now 

 stand where the old one did, the old hi\e being 

 moved a rod or so to one side. From this time 

 on, all of the bees should be brushed into the 

 new hi\e; and when all the combs are transferred, 

 the bees that are left in the old hive can be dump- 

 ed before the entrance of the new one. One will 

 usually get from four to six worker combs from 

 an old hive, and the rest of the space in the new 

 hive should be filled with frames containing full 

 sheets of foundation. It would not do to use 

 frames with starters only, for the bees would 

 build drone comb, as will be explained in a fur- 

 ther article. 



The above plan was the orthodox method of 

 transferiing at the time I began bee-keeping. 

 Since then we have used other and better methods. 

 Later on I will describe our up-to-date plan for 

 transferring as it is done during the honey season. 



Remus, Mich. 



[If every reader of Gleanings could make a 

 visit to one of Mr. To>^nsend's yards he would 

 more clearly see the wisdom of the advice given 

 abo' e Though nearly all the bees are hybrids, 

 they seem more like gentle Italians — simply be- 

 cause of the care used in handling them. Mr. 

 Townsend moves slowly, but he accomplishes a 

 great deal. W( en a man is bending o\er a hive, 

 " haste makes waste. " — Ed.] 



SECOND-HAND CANS VS. NEW; USE NEW CANS 

 ONLY. 



Our experience is, never use second-hand cans, 

 excepting in cases when they are sent to a local 

 market, and a person knows the cans. Cans left 

 over from one season to another, having had hon- 

 ey in, 19 times out of 20 will rust. Use nothing 

 but nenu cans is what we advise. 



El Toro, Cal. Aliso Apiary. 



