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GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



July 15 



General 

 Correspondence 



EXTENSIVE EXTRACTED - HONEY PRO- 

 DUCTION. 



Hot or Cold Uncappiag-knives; More Hon- 

 ey and Cleaner-extracted Combs when 

 the Power Outfits are Used; the Dr. Mil- 

 ler Foundation Splints a Success; How 

 they Save Foundation and Prevent Comb 

 Breakages. 



BY H. E. CROWTHERS. 



You ask for reports as to the desirability 

 of hot or cold knives for uncapping. We use 

 both at times, owing entirely to the condi- 

 tion of the honey. For recently gathered 

 honey, extracted directly as taken from the 

 hives, we use a cold knife; and for the larger 

 share of our honey we prefer it. With ex- 

 tra-thick gummy honey, and especially if it 

 is not as warm as it should be, a hot knife 

 seems to be necessary. With a hot clean 

 knife we are always sure to get a clean cut- 

 ting edge at the start; and with a draw cut, 

 either up or down, it is certain to go further 

 than a cold knife would; and the smoothness 

 of the job has considerable to do with the 

 quality of work the extractor can do and the 

 quantity of honey that will be left sticking to 

 the combs with honey of this kind. 



THE ADVANTAGE OF LARGE POWER EXTRACT- 

 ORS OVER THE SMALL ONES DRIVEN 

 BY HAND POWER. 



Right here comes the advantage of having 

 a large power-driven extractor, for it is pos- 

 sible to get the combs much cleaner of hon- 

 ey, with less damage to- them, than with a 

 smaller machine. We used a two-frame ex- 

 tractor at one yard last year, and in extract- 

 ing less honey we broke many more combs 

 than with the larger machine (epctractor of 

 six-frame capacity) . 



The large machine was run about 240 rev- 

 olutions of the baskets per minute, with a 

 one-horse gasoline-engine. The outfit is very 

 satisfactory. The can of our machine is two 

 inches larger than standard, allowing plenty 

 of room to see when the honey stops flying 

 to the side of the can, and also to provide 

 room for the reel's free motion without strik- 

 ing the honey bunched up on the sides of 

 the can, as 1 have often seen it do with the 

 regular can, greatly retarding the reel and 

 increasing the work of turning in proportion. 



The brakes on those large machines are 

 entirely too weak to stand the strain. They 

 should be made stronger. Ours gave out be- 

 fore we had extracted 15,000 lbs. of honey. 



SPLINTS FOR EXTRACTING-COMBS. 



The use of splints with foundation is a big 

 advantage, right at this time, in stiffening 

 the combs at their weakest point, which is 

 two inches below the top-bar. We used 

 some in several different ways last year, and 

 will use them on all full sheets this year with 



two wires and four splints about five inches 

 long for Langstroth irames. Of course, the 

 main advantage in their use is in the preven- 

 tion of sag in the foundation, and the secur- 

 ing of worker-cells in the upper part of the 

 frame instead of sagged cells that are not fit 

 for worker brood-cells. It will pay to use 

 splints for the one advantage of stiffening 

 the comb for extracting, because they save 

 the combs from breakage. 



In our experience last year there was no 

 trouble caused by bees gnawing at the lower 

 end of the sphnts; but I see no use for the 

 full-length splint, and the short ones are 

 easier and more quickly applied. 



Light brood foundation with splints gives 

 a much stronger comb for extracting the first 

 time than wired medium brood foundation. 



REMOVING FULL COMBS FROM THE HIVES. 



The best plan for taking extracting-combs 

 of honey from the hives that we have tried 

 is this: Instead of each operator taking a hive 

 by himself and smoking, removing, shaking, 

 and brushing, two men working together 

 pull out the combs and give them one good 

 shake and pass them on to the third man be- 

 side the wheelbarrow, who brushes off the 

 remaining bees and loads them in extra 

 bodies on the barrow. This seems to save 

 lots of time, and makes it easier for all. 

 There is no time wasted in reaching for the 

 dangling brush at every comb. 



While the brusher wheels in the load, the 

 next hive is made ready for business, and 

 the brood-nest of the colony last visited put 

 in shape. When enough is in for a good inin, 

 all hands work together inside. 



SECOND-HAND HONEY-CANS. 



About second-hand honey-cans, we have 

 bought a great many more than we have us- 

 ed or will buy in the future, unless a differ- 

 ent brand puts in an appearance. New cans 

 are cheaper in the end so far as our experi- 

 ence goes. 



There are altogether too many of the old 

 cans that will be found unfit, generally from 

 rust on the inside, for it takes very little rust 

 to spoil a can for honey. 



Parma, Idaho. 



[We regard this as one of the best articles 

 we have received this season. Why, it 

 fairly scintillates with practical suggestions. 

 We have asked our correspondent to send 

 us further communications; for with his ex- 

 tensive experience and plain and forcible 

 way of writing he no doubt could give us 

 many a valuable hint. 



As an evidence of the practical make-up 

 of the man we should like to draw attention 

 to one paragraph regarding his method of 

 taking the combs out of the hive and con- 

 veying them to the extractor. He has so 

 arranged his help as to avoid all false mo- 

 tions, to the extent that no time is lost. As 

 he well says, when one man works by him- 

 self he must bring into play a variety of tools. 

 To pick up one and then the other entails a 

 loss of time. Now he is using the bee-smo- 

 ker, and next a hive-tool, and, later on, feel- 



