756 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



8ept. 



0ai^ 0WN J^pi^^Y. 



WEBSTER'S FUMIGATOU. OR SMOKING IlEES WITH- 

 OUT SMOKE. 



fHE above lumi^ator has arrived, and lias been 

 tried in "Our Own Apiary." It has the ap- 

 pearance of any ordinary smoker. The bar- 

 rel, however, is made of zinc, I suppose, to 

 resist the action of the chemical agent used, 

 and is so fastened to the bellows that it can be 

 quickly removed at pleasure. To facilitate han- 

 dling-, the b-"rrel is also fastened a little to one side. 

 Tn order that you may more clearly understand, 1 

 submit a diagram of the Webster fumigator. 



At the lower end, you observe, 

 is a cap. The same detached is 

 shown at the upper left-hand 

 corner. To the rim of the cap 

 are soldered four wires, hooked 

 at their ends. In tliese Avires is 

 secured a sponge. This sponge 

 is moistened with 50 or fiO drops 

 I of the ag-ent, and on being slip- 

 jied into the barrel of the fumi- 

 gator the apiarist is ready for 

 work. Accompanying- each 

 Avnt^TKit's I TMioATOR. smoker is a bottle of the ,ag-ent, 

 which, I should say, ought to last a season. 



WIM, TriE WEBSTER FlTMKiATOIt WORK AS SATIS- 

 FACTORILY AS THE OUDINARV SMOKER? 



After having prepared the fumigator as given in 

 the directions, I first tried it on mjself, inhaling as 

 much of the odor as I could. Did I experience any 

 disagreeable etlects? Not at all, nor was it even 

 unpleasant to me. " Well," said I to the apiarist, 

 "that wouldn't drive even a fiy, let alone vicious 

 bees." We selected a cross colony, opened it, and 

 gave then a few whilfs. Yes, it did drive them 

 down some, but not like smoke. We then tried the 

 fumigator upon gentle Italians. The etlect was the 

 same as before. For vicious bees, the directions 

 saj', " Add four or five drops of ammonia to the 

 sponge." On the following day I added the am- 

 monia as directed, and the results were much more 

 satisfactory, and I then opened and examined with 

 it .50 or fiO colonies very successfully. Once or twice, 

 from force of habit, I found my hand jerking back 

 involuntarily when my hand came in contact with 

 the barrel of the fumigator, that member not clear- 

 ly recognizing the difference betw,fen a hot smoker 

 and a cold fumigator. No, it does not have to 

 be handled like hot cakes. It can be picked up 

 without fear of being burned; there is no danger 

 of its setting anything on fire by contact or sparks; 

 neither does it go out. It is always ready, and re- 

 quires neither matches nor a dusty litter. I have 

 briefly summed Its good features, now let us con- 

 sider its bad points: The fumigator drives bees to 

 some little extent, and many of the operations con- 

 necteil with bees are assisted by it; but for real 

 conquering .and quickness of effect, smoke is far 

 superior. Why? Because smoke is much more se- 

 vere, and one good puff from the Clark, to my no- 

 tion, is equal to half a dozen whitfs from the fumi- 

 gator. The odor from the latter is not pungent 

 enough, even with the ammonia, .and fdid not suc- 

 ceed in making it conquer vicious bees. I recollect 

 in opening one hive of hybrids I had to lay aside 

 my fumigator and bring to bear the smoker. I 

 need hardly say that two or three putfs of the latter 



made the little rascals succumb. Again, the agent 

 used in the fumigator is a liquid of the consistency 

 of ihin syrup, and is very "sticky stuff." Of course, 

 1 got my fingers all daubed, and to get it off seemed 

 to baffle even soap and water. Now, I have found 

 from my observation that luit all men are neat; and 

 if my memory serves me rightly, Mrs. Root, in my 

 hearing, has expressed a similar opinion. I con- 

 clude, Ihei-efore, in the light of this fact, that ire 

 must have nothing stii:ky about a smoker. 



THE ODOR FROM THE FUMIGATOR. 



There is a \'ery strong odor about the agent used 

 in the fumigator (not pungent, mind you), and the 

 scent has a way of clinging to the clothing-, like to- 

 bacco from a smoking-car. During one forenoon 

 that I used the fumigator, my clothing had acquir- 

 ed this scent, which smells, as neaily as I can de- 

 scribe, like carbolic acid !ind tar, of which, indeed, 

 I believe it is made. Yes, my clothing, hives, and, 

 I was about to say, that portion of the apiary where 

 T worked, smelled of fhat stuff. It so thoroughly de- 

 stroyed my sense of smell for foul brood, fhat, in 

 fhe afternoon, I used fhe Clark. When I arrived 

 home that noon, Mrs. Koot exclaimed, "Why, where 

 have you been? you smell of creosote." Yes, it is 

 true, my clothing did carry the odor of far and car- 

 bolic acid, ihough I would say fhat was not at all of- 

 fensive. 



Now, I have endeavored to state candidly the 

 good and bad points with fhe fumigator invented 

 and sold by W. n. Webster, of Workingham, Eng. I 

 can not say fhat I think it will fake fhe idace of 

 smoke as yet, but I think our English friend has 

 taken a stride in the right direction. 



FITEI, FOR THE CLAIiK SMOKER. 



In anolher column our friend .1. A. Green tells 

 what and how he prepares fuel for smokei's. I see 

 be uses successfully planer shavings in fhe Clark 

 smoker. Our experience has been much more fa- 

 vorable so far with the basswood snwrlust. men- 

 tioned on page .Vil. With the latter it is a common 

 thing for us to make the smoker last fr.r half a day 

 without refilling. To do this wo prepare the fuel as 

 follows, for since our last report we have learned 

 some new kinks in fllling: Invert the smoker (if 

 you are using- a Clark) and drop upon the grate 

 some light rotten elm; next dro]) a lighted match 

 upon fhis wood;* work the bellows until the rotten 

 wood is all ablaze, and then drop over fhisafhin 

 layer of finely broken rotten wood. Work the bel- 

 lows meantime, and fill with basswood sawdust 

 mixed with a few pieces of rotten wood. There, 

 now, just see what a volume of blue smoke you 

 have! When not in use during Ihe half-day or so, 

 the Clark as thus prepared will die down, but not 

 go out; for yo\i know sawdust will smoulder for a 

 great length f)f time. A few vigorous puffs will 

 quickly develop a large quanfify of smoke. With 

 this sawdust smoke I think T should not be afraid 

 to "tackle" the most vicious Eastern bees, without 

 veil or ofher protection. Tn fact, neither has the 

 apiarist noi- myself when at work in fhe npiary had 

 occasion, with one or two exceptions this summer, 

 to resort to the veil; but we have smoke, mind you 

 — (nough to make you cry. 



BEES ROARING ON RED CLOVER. 



While working among fhe bees the ofher day, I 



saw that they were bringing in a large quantity of 



light-colored honey. Tasting it I detected the un- 



*1 tliink that I should prefer to liglit the snioker as lecoiii- 

 luendetl by J. A. Green; see page 723. 



