54 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Jan. 15. 



THE FENCE AND PLAIN SECTION IN ONTARIO. 



As promised in my last I attended the On- 

 tario B. K. Association at Hamilton, and took 

 the new fence separator and no-bee-way sec- 

 tions for exhibition and criticism, in order to 

 find out the good and bad points, if any. The 

 attendance was, of course, larger than at our 

 local association meeting ; and, as a result, a 

 greater diversity of opinion occurred regard- 

 ing them. No valid objections, however, were 

 presented, nor any thing new, except what I 

 have already given you. vSome thought a sec- 

 tion 1 Yz inches all round would hold too near- 

 ly a pound for their market, and thoiight it 

 impossible to satisfy all as to the exact size 

 each should use. Quite a number^ neverthe- 

 less, concluded to give the new combination a 

 trial the coming season. F. A. Gemmill. 



vStratford, Ont., Dec. 13. 



DRAWN FOUNDATION, SECTIONS, AND FENCE. 



The drawn foundation you sent me the past 

 season was put into sections just at the close 

 of our main honey-flow. The super was filled 

 out with sections with starters. The deep cell 

 foundation was filled and completed, while 

 those with starters were scarcely touched; but 

 you could very readily detect toughness in the 

 eating thereof. 



I am much pleased with the new fence sepa- 

 rator, having tested a few the past season. I 

 believe the "fence and new-style section are 

 what bee-keepers are wanting, to avoid so many 

 partlv filled vessels in storing and shipping. 



W. J. COPELAND. 



Fetzerton, Tenn., Dec. 7. 



A HONEY SOCIABLE. 



As we had some 4000 or 4500 lbs. of honey, 

 and each section had to be cleaned before mar- 

 keting, as is the custom with all bee-keepers 

 (I guess) we thought we would ask the ladies 

 of the Christian Church, who meet around 

 one day in each week, in the capacity of a so- 

 ciable 'or "aid societv," at sewing, quilting, 

 or other similar work. They thus promote so- 

 ciability, and raise something to help pay their 

 pastor's salary, and help those who need help. 

 They signified a willingness to come, and come 

 they did, soine twenty of them, and a sweet 

 time we did have. Some was here by 9 o'clock, 

 and they worked well with hand and tongue. 

 Of course, we needed to oversee the work and 

 get them started right. Considering every 

 thing, they did the work well, and cleaned 

 about 1500 lbs. that day. I got dinner for 

 them, and paid the society i?2.00 besides. 

 They did not ask any thing but their dinner, 

 as each one works a'll she has a mind to, and 

 pays her 10 cts. to the society, so they were 

 well pleased with their day's work. They 

 paid about 84.00, and we all had a very pleas- 

 ant time, and closed with prayer. 



Each one wore a calico dress and apron, 

 and brought a sharp pocket-knife. Some lit- 

 tle honey was injured, but not any more than 

 when I hire a woman to do the work ; and so 

 much of it was done all in one day that I 

 thought I should have to have them another 

 year, as they requested. 



For such a gathering, ever}' thing should be 

 in readiness before they come, so that the own- 

 er of the honey can have a little leisure to 

 keep watch and see that the work is done 

 right — not only to be started right, but see to 

 it clear to the close, that it is not slighted or 

 injured. Unless we do that work our own 

 selves, it is hard to get honey prepared for 

 market without being defaced in some way. 

 The honey should be set in piles in the center 

 of warm rooms, so the workers can sit around 

 the pile ; and when sections are cleaned we 

 pile them up on division-boards in piles back 

 against the wall, and carry them away. 1 like 

 them set the same way up they come out of 

 the super, not turned on to their side. Each 

 one had a board to lay on her lap, to catch the 

 wax and shavings. A division-board we use in 

 the hive with a cleat clear around it makes a 

 good board to use. Mrs. L. C. Axtell. 



Roseville, 111., Dec. 13. 



A. L. C, Mich.— We do not think it would 

 be practicable to do without separators in the 

 case of plain sections. Separators could be 

 dispensed with in connection with the old- 

 style two-bee-way sections, but not with the 

 no-bee-way, because if there is a slight bulg- 

 ing it would be impossible to case the 

 honey. 



P. I)., Kan. — The circular you send is about 

 the same old thing that used to be issued some 

 twenty years ago by one Lizzie E. Cotton. 

 There is nothing new or modern about it. It 

 is not based on convenience, and certainly no 

 practical bee-keeper of to-day would think of 

 adopting it. Some twenty years ago Mrs. 

 Cotton used to sell the book and recipes for 

 §20.00 ; but now a relative of hers has come 

 down a peg — S4.00. 



F. B., Quebec. — The object of having the 

 end cleats in our fences longer than the mid- 

 dle cleats, was for the purpose of support, for 

 the fence is supported on these cleats as they 

 drop down between the section-holder bot- 

 toms, and are supported on the tin strips. 

 Our issue for Jan. 1st, Trade Notes depart- 

 ment, will, I think, make this plain to you. 

 The object of dropping the middle cleats down 

 a bee-space on the top slat is to discourage the 

 bees from making holes in the corners of the 

 sections. When these cleats drop down a 

 bee-space, the chance of having the honey 

 filled clear out to the corners of the sections 

 is .very much greater. 



F. E. K., Mil!?!. — I do not really know how 

 you can avoid dampness in your cellar unless 

 you go to the expense of putting in a good 

 drain to take away surplus water. But expe- 

 rience has shown that dampness is not neces- 

 sarily an obstacle to successful wintering. The 



