1909 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



365 



the bees to build cells on the outer edge that 

 is left. Let us see how much difference that 

 makes in the matter of room. 



If full combs are used, containing worker- 

 cells built out to the normal depth, and the 

 combs are spaced Ps from center to center, 

 there will be a space of h inch between 

 combs for the bees to build cells in. But if 

 the comb given be only partly built down, 

 the bees will have all the space between the 

 two combs on either side, or 1% inches. 

 That's nearly four times as much space as 

 they have between combs when all combs 

 are fully built out. The fact is, that with 

 these combs only partly built down I have 

 no trouble with poor cells, and I have never 

 fully understood why. Perhaps your view 

 explains it. But I don't know how to answer 

 Messrs. Taylor and Hutchinson if they make 

 the reply I have attributed to them. 



Marengo, 111. 



PRACTICAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR BE- 

 GINNERS. 



Folding Sections and Putting in Founda- 

 tion. 



BY E. D. TOWNSEND. 



When folding sections, if any noise is 

 heard, as of the wood breaking at the V 

 groove, the section is too dry, and the whole 

 stock should be dampened before more of 

 them are folded. Even if the wood is not 

 dry enough to break entirely at the V groove, 

 it is weakened if this crackling noise is 

 heard, and will always be fragile. 



When the wood is in just the right condi- 

 tion the section should fold without a parti- 

 cle of breaking at the point where tne V 

 groove cuts nearly through. If the work is 

 done during the wet season or early spring, 

 especially it the sections were kept in a room 

 where there was no fire, it is probable that 

 no dampening will be necessary. If this 

 wood is not in the right condition, however, 

 all of the sections must be dampened to pre- 

 vent breakage or frail corners. 



There is quite a knack in dampening sec- 

 tions so that they will be perfectly square 

 when folded. It is very necessary that the 

 section, when folded, shall be square on ac- 

 count of the full sheets of foundation to be 

 put into them, as will be explained later. 

 At one time we poured hot water from a tea- 

 kettle into the V grooves of the sections be- 

 fore removing them from the crate. We 

 placed the crate on edge and removed the 

 side in order to expose all of the V grooves 

 so that the hot water from the kettle could 

 follow clear through all of the five hundred 

 sections. We found that this method caused 

 the sections to swell to such an extent that 

 they could hardly be bent around sufficient- 

 ly to get the notched ends together. 



HOW TO DAMPEN SECTIONS SO THEV WILL 

 F-OLD PROPERLY. 



If the weather is dry, as it is likely to be in 

 summer, or if there was a fire in the room 



where the sections were stored, the folding 

 can not be properly done unless these sec- 

 tions are dampened. To do this, remove 

 enough of the crating to expose all the V 

 grooves in the outside layer oi sections, and 

 then group the crates together and cover 

 them with a wet blanket, which has been 

 wrung out so that no water can drip from it. 

 The next morning the sections will be in 

 first-class shape to fold. 



The above method is the one to follow dur- 

 ing a very dry time in summer, or whenever 

 the sections for any cause are bone-dry. 

 Very frequently sections need but little 

 dampening to be in good condition; and in 

 such cases a little water should be sprinkled 

 upon a dry blanket, using judgment as to the 

 amount needed. A little experience along 

 this line will make every thing work nicely. 



FOLDING SECTIONS. 



To be sure that the sections will be square 

 after they are folded, a section-press is es- 

 sential. This device forces the notched ends 

 of the section together while every corner is 

 held true and square. Properly made sec- 

 tions put together with a press of some good 

 make will give very little trouble about being 

 diamond-shaped, etc., especially if the direc- 

 tions for dampening, as given above, are 

 closely followed. 



The folding of the sections and the putting 

 in of the foundation determine to a great ex- 

 tent the quality of the honey that is to be 

 produced. There is entirely too much of the 

 ordinary kind of comb honey on the market, 

 and the price is so low that there is absolute- 

 ly no profit in producing it. Extra good 

 comb honey should be produced, and then a 

 good fair price asked for it. During the sea- 

 son of 1906 the writer produced comb honey 

 that retailed for 33 cts. a pound, and at the 

 same time there was considerable comb hon- 

 ey on the market that could be bought for 

 one-third this price. It did not cost very 

 much more per pound to produce the better 

 grade, and it therefore is plainly evident 

 which was the more profitable — the U-cent 

 or the 33-cent grade. 



PUTTING IN FULL SHEETS OF FOUNDATION. 



A diamond-shaped sheet of foundation will 

 not fit a square section. The piece should 

 be cut with the corners perfectly square, and 

 wide enough so that it will slip into the sec- 

 tion without crowding. The piece should 

 not be so deep as to come nearer than a 

 plump quarter of an inch from the bottom of 

 the section when fastened in. The piece 

 must hang true in the center of the section, 

 or the best results can not be attained. The 

 test comes when the section is squared up 

 when placed in the super; for if it is diamond- 

 shaped the foundation will be thrown over 

 against one side when the sections are 

 squared up, for one edge of the foundation 

 striking the side of the section will throw the 

 other lower corner against the separator. 

 The section does not nave to be very much 

 out of true for this to take place, and such a 

 section is a complete failure so far as comb 

 honey is concerned, for it will never be sal- 



