GLKANTNGS IN REK CULTURr, 



Mr. Luke, of Jefferson Co., Ind., and a part of liis bees. 



on the lower edges or have a fringe of 

 drone-cells and more of the same in the 

 lower corners. By measure we find that an 

 area equal to a frame and a half is thus 

 wasted. In other words, he gives to drone 

 comb about double the surface given by (). 

 M. P., and loses the area of half a comb by 

 unoccupied space. The amount of honey 

 and pollen is much the same as in 0. M. 

 P.'s, except that the two outer combs are 

 all or nearly all honey and pollen. 



By measure and estimate we find Brock's 

 ten combs when in use have available for 

 worker brood the equivalent of but seven 

 perfect combs of the 0. M. P. capacity, or 

 47,600 cells. 



Brock doesn't like the showing, but has 

 to admit its truth. To make him feel bet- 

 ter we will take him with us to Oppenheim- 

 er's. 



O.'s " twelve-frames " look immense be- 

 side 0. M. P.'s " eights," yet there does not 

 seem to be much more hustle, except of 

 drones. We open up some hives, and here 

 is what we find. (Really it is a shame to 

 expose 0., but after all it is best for every- 

 body concerned.) Some of O.'s combs are 

 built from starters, some from full sheets, 

 some wired and some not. The two outer 

 combs contain only honey and i^ollen. The 

 other combs contain many drone-cells, some- 

 times a strip along the lower edge two 

 to three inches wide; also spots of them 

 here and there over the surfaces. The brood 



in these combs is not in solid sheets, as in 

 Brock's or 0. M. P.'s, except in the combs 

 where wired frames of foundation chanced 

 to have been used. Pollen and honey are 

 found in patches here and there among the 

 brood ; and where the foundation has 

 stretched, wide strips along the top-bars are 

 filled with honey. By measure and estimate 

 we find that 0. has the equivalent of but 

 seven combs of the 0. M. P. type. 



To be sure, his queens have more room to 

 lay; but it is in drone-cells, and hence a 

 loss to him. And Oppenheimer is mad, and 

 insists that his combs are as good as the av- 

 erage run of combs. He is right, there; but 

 the " average " is lower than what a hen 

 lays an egg on daily. 



By a little figuring, we shall find the 

 available worker-cells in tlie three typical 

 classes of combs to be as follows : 



0. M. P.'s " Best," 6460. 



Brock's " Good," 5950. 



Oppenheimer's " Average," 4760. 



But more brood is produced in the same 

 worker-cell area of " Best " and " Good " 

 combs than in the " Average," so the latter 

 are even poorer than the figures indicate. 



That is a long way around to reach the 

 point; but the longest way around is the 

 nearest way home, or is so reported by per- 

 sons not really strictly sober. 



One of the boys will say that his queens 

 keep only an eight-frame hive properly full 

 of brood, while his neighbor says it takes 



