98 BEEHIVES AND BEE KEEPERS' APPLIANCES. 



bees. The ideal cone should be wide at the base, 

 about 3 in. in length, and have the aperture at 

 the point large enough to pass two bees simul- 

 taneously. 



However, when by the use of the cone clearer, 

 owing to the lateness of the season or otherwise, 

 robbing is likely to be induced, it is safest not 

 to rely upon it at all, but to use a clearer that 

 affords the bees a direct passage back into the 

 hive without the possibility of return. This is 

 found in the Porter bee escape, obtainable for a 

 shilling of any dealer in bee goods. Fig. 90 



Fig. 91. Super-clearer Complete. 



shows it with a portion cut away to expose the 

 interior. It consists of an oblong piece of thin 

 tinplate A, in size 4j in. by 1| in., with a 1-in. 

 hole punched through near one end. To its un- 

 derside is soldered a rectangular box B, 2| in. 

 long, \\ in. wide, and \ in. deep, one end of which 

 is open. Inside this box a i_j-shaped piece c 

 is fixed, 1 in. long, 1 in. wide, and \ in (full) deep, 

 and the inner end D is bent downwards to meet 

 the bottom of box B. To the inner sides of piece 

 c are soldered two fine springs E of brass ribbon, 

 T ^. in. wide, which are bent inwards, as shown, 

 until they almost meet. To an outgoing bee these 

 springs offer little or no resistance ; to an in^oer 



