134 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



Feb. 23, 190S. 



comb-honey production is to have our colonies very strong 

 at the dawn of the season. This may, and often will, require 

 stimulated feeding. I would always have the supers in place 

 at the very commencement of the honey-flow. It is an ad- 

 vantage also if the swarming is past for that season. In case 



PROF. A. J. COOK. 



the latter is not true, we can attain the same results by 

 working for very strong colonies. If necessary, we can 

 unite to accomplish this. 



I do not think that any one who works for comb honey 

 can afford to dispense with foundation. I always reach the 

 best success with thin foundation, and while I often use full 

 sheets, I do not find that this is necessary. Neither did I 

 ever find very great advantage in using starters both above 

 and below, in the section. 



In case the apiarist produces extracted honey exclusively, 

 there is little to be said except, of course, it is always desira- 

 ble to keep one's colonies strong and in the very best thrift. 

 I do think, however, that it is generally best not to extract 

 until the bees commence to cap the honey. No one can ever 

 afford to put thin or unripe honey on the market. Such honey 

 is very apt to ferment. It always lacks body, and is always 

 deficient in flavor. It is true, however, that I have produced 

 very excellent extracted honey, which I removed from the 

 combs before it was ripened. But in this case, it was kept 

 for a long time in a warm room, in rather shallow vessels, 

 and thus evaporation continued even after the honey was 

 taken from the comb. The evils arising from marketing un- 

 ripe honey are so great that no one can ever afford to be 

 guilty of such misdoing. 



FOUL-BROOD LAW IN CALIFORNIA. 



We are having quite a controversy in two or three coun- 

 ties of California over the matter of bee-inspectors enforcing 

 the foul-brood law. We probably have as excellent a law 

 as any State in the Union. This law makes it the duty of the 

 Supervisors, upon the receipt of a petition of a certain num- 

 ber of bee-keepers, to appoint a foul-brood inspector, whose 

 duty it shall be thoroughly to inspect all the apiaries of his 

 county, and in case foul brood is present to eradicate it. The 

 inspector is well paid, and, as the supervisors have no object 

 to do other than the best for their constituents, competent 

 men have usually been secured. 



The difficulty in the matter comes from the fact of our 

 "off years" in this State. The past season there was no 

 honey gathered at all in most localities. Men who are not 

 very well informed regarding foul brood are loth to pay for 

 treatment when they see no chance for gain ahead. The in- 

 spector, too, knows how ready bees are to rob from each 

 Other when no honey is being gathered ; knows also how dan- 



gerous it is to work with bees at such times, from the fact 

 that robbing is so likely to be induced, and so is quite likely to 

 decide that he will do nothing at all ; and he finds the most 

 of his bee-keeping friends are quite willing that he should 

 desist from treatment. We should remember, however, at 

 such times that the possibility — nay, probability — of robbing 

 brings great danger into any community where there is any 

 foul brood at all in existence. 



First, the enforced idleness of the bees makes them ever 

 ready to plunder the other and weaker colonies. The colonies 

 infested with foul brood are almost certain to be weak, and 

 thus we have every condition for the rapid spread of this 

 serious malady. It seems to me it is much the wiser course 

 to eradicate the disease entirely during this let up of the 

 honey-flow. Yet it is certainly true that the foul-brood in- 

 spectoi must exercise very great caution or he will get the 

 bees to robbing, and surely make a bad matter worse. It 

 is, however, perfectly easy and practicable, by spreading a 

 canvas beneath the hive, and surrounding the latter by a 

 good bee-tent, to make all necessary examination with no 

 trouble from bee-stings, no danger of robbing, and no scat- 

 tering which would otherwise induce robbing and very likely 

 scatter the germs of the fell disease which it is the purpose 

 to destroy. Just two things are necessary: A wise, com- 

 petent inspector, and most careful manipulation. 



Los Angeles Co., Calif. 



Separators Nailed to Wide Frames. 



BY G. M. DOOLITTLE. 



A correspondent wishes me to give my views on wide 

 frames with separators nailed to them, and closes his letter 

 in these words : 



"Is this not as good as anything I can have? And can- 

 not the separators be cleaned of propolis as easily as can 

 wooden separators, even the new fences, as they are 

 called? Please tell us of these matters through the American 

 Bee Journal." 



I have used wide frames with separators nailed to them 

 for the past thirty years, and so far I see no reason for 

 changing my surplus arrangement. During this time I have 

 been trying everything that has been advocated as better 

 than the above ; but after a careful testing of each and all, 

 I have every time come to the conclusion that, for me, noth- 

 ing is as good as tin separators nailed to wide frames. And, 



G. M. DOOWTTLE. 



as my honey has always brought as much as, or a cent or two 

 more a pound than, the biggest market quotations, I see no 

 reason why I could secure better prices were I to change 

 my mode of securing surplus. 



After a careful experimenting all along tlirough these years, 



