VOL. VI. 



JULY, 1896. 



NO. 7. 



Using Empty Qombs. 



BV (i. M. DOOLITTLE. 



As I hear of (|uite a loss of bees in 

 certain localities and, thinking that 

 not all perhaps who read the pages of 

 the American Bee-Keeper, realize the 

 value of (Mupty combs, I am led to 

 give a few expi'iirnents with them, 

 and otlVr a few suggestions which 

 may be of benefit to some of those 

 who are just starting in bee-keeping, 

 nnd to those who have empty cnmbs 

 from colonies which have died the 

 j)ast winter, if not to those who have 

 wintered their bees well and having 

 much experience along apricultnral 

 lines. Wlien I fii'st began keeping 

 bses 1 was short of combs, and as my 

 bees would persist in building more 

 or less drone comb, I was often oblig- 

 ed to work colonies for comb honey 

 with as few as six <!:illup frames in a 

 hive, hi M\)SO days it nas ihought 

 that :i iiiv • •■lUviuid r;..-}'.> ^ l.-.-i.; 

 2, U«<0 . iil.>i' iiiciici in I i . 



rinil 1 i .. i ', . :,■! r. .'I ud-..|> 

 franici . aJ.Jo. ;- Ui ri <? tia'^dic 

 workor . ■ -aj I, M\l \ <\ j W ujo 

 nootlio'-). .hich is jhI/ about one- 



half tiie number that it takes to fill a 

 hive of 2,000 cubic inches. In this 

 way I was compelled to lay the found- 

 ation of what is known as the con- 

 tract system, and the success attained 

 by the use of these few combs led me 

 to give the matter in print, styling it 

 as a successful plan. As I wished to 

 make the most of my new swarms, 

 they were allowed to build comb in 

 the brood department to the hive till 

 the yield of honey came on plentiful- 

 ly, at which time the sections were 

 put on, s.fter shutting the bees (by 

 m nins of dummies) on to as many 

 combs as they had complete up to 

 this time. Thus in 1874-5 obtained 

 an average of over 100 pounds of hon- 

 ey each year per colony. Full frames 

 of drone comb were taken away as 

 fast as built, before my bees had 

 luatured in ihem ; and in this way I 

 obtained .starters for using iu the sec- 

 •inns, tiUiug ^Hfn^ cuiiroly full, to bo 

 ^Lii- d in tlio -^rncr of the -jiu-pl h 

 dt^parnM-Mii .rv"^' •"''TaiJ;"'' 30'.?lio>i ;, th'u 

 •ici- iring :wty • '.k In -iTae 3?-'t..>ni. 

 T< "oa-ie •jocd ar.-bi ^it those •, '>)r3 

 f :a.i • ' oio par iil/ 'li'fl with v">i!:,>r 

 and dr ne omb, I cut out the Iroae 

 -omb and 'Itted the 'orUer from an- 

 other frame in the vacant place left, 



