156 



THE AMERICAN BEE-KEEPER 



August 



them to my advantage by way of turn- 

 ing this honey into bees, or, as in case 

 of shal<en-oflf colonies, by turning it into 

 nice section honey. But it never goes 

 into the sections unless there is a yield 

 from the fields, for there must always 

 be a flow of honey from the flowers in 

 order that what is in the combs in 

 the brood-chamber be carried above. 

 Otherwise the honey which is in the 

 way of the queen will be removed only 

 to be turned out in the shape of bees. 



BEE-ESCAPES. 



Following Mr. Applegate's article is 

 one on "Clearing Supers of Bees," by 

 S. M. Keeler, in which friend Keeler 

 gives the good, old-fashioned way of 

 clearing supers of bees. I felt that it 

 was necessary for me to emphasize the 

 four words used above, as I am writing 

 up the "good things,'' you know; but 

 there is such a thing as having some- 

 thing which was good in the past super- 

 seded by something which is better for 

 the present, and bee-escapes are 

 certainly among the things which are 

 better. I am led to think that fricMul 

 Keeler is not familiar with the use of 

 bee-escapes, and perhaps quite a few of 

 the readers of The Bee-kp:ei'er are not: 

 and as I often have requests to tell how 

 I use them, 1 wil give the reader just 

 how I do it. Before doing this allow 

 me to say that the bee-escape is the one 

 thing which has simplified the produc- 

 tion of comb-honey more than anything 

 else during the past decade. So far I 

 prefer the Porter escape to any other 

 which I have tri(;d, as it is perfectly 

 sure. After a bee passes it, that bee 

 nor any other can ever go back to the 

 super again. But to the plan. Have 

 the escapes fixed in the escape-boards, 

 as per directions from the manufactu- 

 rers, and have from five to fifty of these 

 boards, according to your needs and 

 colonies kept. Take a board with 

 escape in plac(% your smoker, a chisel 

 or screw-driver and a wooden wedge 

 made of % inch pine, the same being a 

 foot long and two inches thick at big 



end. Now, with the chisel pry the 

 super from the hive enough so you can 

 insert the thin end of the wedge, till 

 there is a crack of one-eighth of an inch 

 between super and hive, when smoke is 

 to be blown in this crack. Next, push 

 the wedge in till you have the super 

 raisc^d an inch, when you will blow 

 in smoke again till the bees run up into 

 the super and down into the hive. Now 

 grasp the escape-board with one hand 

 and the super above the wedge with 

 the other, lifting till the super stands 

 at an angle of forty-five degrees or more 

 with the hive, when the escape-board 

 is put under as far as it will go, and the 

 super lowered on to it. You do not 

 have to touch the wedge in doing this, 

 as the big end is so much heavier than 

 the other that it falls to the ground out 

 of the way as soon as the super is lifted 

 off of it. Slide the super fully over the 

 escape-board and the board (and super 

 on it) fully over the hive, and the 

 work is done by lifting only one end or 

 side of the super. This way saves the 

 twice lifting (off and then on again) 

 of the super usually employed, which is 

 always very exhausting to any one not 

 a giant in strength. Now go about 

 your business for from twenty-four 

 hours to a week, according as you have 

 other work to do. when you can go and 

 take off that super free of bees, without 

 brushing, or any fussin the honey-room. 



But. oh, dear nicl here I have only 

 noticed tiie tluNu; first articles and my 

 space is all used up. I wil! have to tell 

 fewer stories myself in the future, if 1 

 do mucli emphasizing. 



Borodino. N.Y.. Julv 10. 1000. 



Our readers are invited to take advan- 

 tag<' of our present arrangement which 

 provides that one dollar in cash or one 

 Italian (pieen of choice stock, goes each 

 month to eacli of the two persons send- 

 ing us th(> most interesting or instructive 

 letter for publication, b'ifty cents each 

 for tiie two next best letters. It is not 

 necessary tlnit you say they are sent in 

 competition for the cash or queens; if 

 the matter is found ■•available"' the 

 premiums will be promptly forwarded 

 with our thanks. tf 



