74 



THE AMEBIC AN APICULTURIST. 



of the same race than between the 

 average of different races. An in- 

 telligent apiarist in my employ 

 estimated one queen in the yard 

 he worked, to be worth $100 just 

 to rear queens from for our own 

 use, in producing comb hone^^ 



This queen was sufficiently pro- 

 lific, while her progeu}' were gentle 

 and better honey gathei-ers and 

 comb builders than any other bees 

 in a yard of one hundred and thir- 

 ty-five colonies, and have main- 

 tained these traits for three succes- 

 sive years. 



It is well to be on the lookout 

 for such queens and when found to 

 rear our queens from them so far 

 as can be done. 



We must have a movable-frame 

 hive, not more than nine or ten 

 inches deep. If the honey season 

 is long, a large brood-chamber may 

 be best ; but, if the season is short, 

 a brood-chamber of ver^' moderate 

 dimensions is a necessity if we 

 would secure much surplus comb 

 honey. I use the Langstroth frame, 

 from seven to eleven in each hive. 



SECTION CLAMPS AND SEPARATORS. 



For a clamp for holding sections, 

 I prefer one of my own invention 

 and not in general use. It holds 

 twenty-four one-pound sections, 

 but can be made larger if desired. 

 It is very convenient, and keeps 

 the sections cleaner than any other 

 I have seen. Separators are es- 

 sential, if fancy white combs of 

 even weight and thickness are to 

 be secured. There is nothing so 

 cheap or desirable as those made of 

 soft pine. A clamp of this size 

 is as large as even a large colony 

 will occupy early in the season and 

 when more room is wanted it is 

 better to raise up and insert anoth- 

 er clamp under the first. To se- 

 cure snowy combs, it is necessary 

 that the comb should l)e built, 

 filled, finished and removed quickly. 



Sections made of white i)oplar 



are best, and I prefer the size 

 4fX4|Xl| inches. 



In some markets a section 3|X 

 4|xn inches would suit better. 

 Sections should l)e made and filled 

 with nice clean starters or light 

 foundation before warm weather 

 begins. If filled with worker foun- 

 dation there will be no danger of 

 drone-brood being started in them, 

 which is often an important con- 

 sideration. 



FASTENING FOUNDATION IN SECTIONS. 



In fastening in foundation, I pre- 

 fer to use beeswax one part, and 

 paraffine three parts, melted to- 

 gether and with a teaspoon run- 

 ning a little along the edge of the 

 foundation, and fastening it to the 

 top of section. This mixture works 

 much better than clear beeswax, 

 and it takes much less of it, and 

 seems to me is a much better way 

 than mashing the foundations 

 against the section. An active 

 man can, with melted wax, put in 

 1500 starters in a day, and pack 

 the sections in clamps read}^ for 

 the hives, and if well done they 

 will stand almost any amount of 

 shaking or jolting without break- 

 ing loose, which is important where 

 the sections are to be taken, some 

 miles over rough roads for use. 



WINTERING BEES. 



Much of one's success will de- 

 pend on how bees are wintered. 

 If well Avintered, it is usuall}' an 

 easy matter to get them strong b}'' 

 clover time. 



I have wintered ni}' bees most 

 extensively out-of-doors in double- 

 walled hives. 



All that is essential is a good 

 colou}^ of bees, twenty to twenty- 

 five pounds of good honey or sugar 

 S3'rui), and the brood-nest made 

 small by the use of division-boards 

 and thoroughly packed on all sides, 

 top and bottom also, with wool, 

 chaff, sawdust, leaves or fine shav- 



