1898 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



909 



would be that it is too mild. There are a good 

 many in the North who are educated to prefer 

 basswood honey because of its strong minty 

 taste ; and then there are others who dislike 

 this taste, and prefer clover. But I should 

 say that bellflower would compare in body, 

 color, and flavor with the average white hon- 

 eys on the market. The consumer would 

 generally accept it as clover or basswood, al- 

 though the expert bee-keeper would be able 

 to recognize the difference. 



About Cuban competition, I suspect we'll 

 have to " grin and bear it." If honey can be 

 produced there for 2 cts. per lb., and almost 

 the year round — well, it's too big a problem 

 for me to fathom. — Ed ] 



FOUNDATION FOR SECTIONS. 



How to Cut Up in Full Sheets. 



BV F. DANZENBAKER. 



]Mr. Root: — I send you a cut of the form I 

 use in cutting foundation fo' the 4x5-inch 

 sections. P"ig. 1 shows its position with eight 

 sheets or strips of foundation placed straight 

 and even against the side of the form, with 

 the cleated follower being closed in over the 

 same. 



size, and true .square for the 4x5-inch sections. 

 When the form is taken off, the 32 pieces, just 

 enough for a super, are left on the tollower. 



The two outside scores are for trimming off 

 the bruised ends of the sheets, so that all are 

 true and smooth alike. 



Fig. 3 shows these full sheets of foundation 

 fastened only at the top of the sections, with a 

 free bee-.space under the lower edge. The 

 sheets are 3>^ to |^ in. wide, or yi to j\ less 

 than the inside width of the sections, that 

 they may swing freely until built out and 

 fastened by the bees. 



When one edge of the foundation touches 

 the section, and is fastened by the bees so it 

 does not expand with the free edge as it is 

 built out, the latter will wind or curl out to 

 the separators, and may be fastened to them, 

 marring the sections. To avoid this a hot 

 knife-blade should be passed along the full 

 side of the sheet, or the section may be held 

 on the side, and the foundation swung out on 

 the hot plate of the Daisy fastener an instant, 

 to melt off the edge so it will be as free as the 

 opposite side. With this precaution no sec- 

 tions will be fastened to the separators. If 

 the supers are level sidewise, the sections will 

 be finished as straight and true as planed 

 boards. 



No bottom starters are used or needed in 

 thin sections. In a super properly furnished 

 they are a perfect nuisance. 



Fig. 4 shows a bee-space strip y^ inch thick 

 by 4 inches long, with a U'-inch wire nail 

 through the lower end. The free end at the 

 top can be moved to suit till the super is 

 wedged up, when it will stay in place. Two 

 nails may be used if preferred. XXX shows 

 how they are placed when in use, to afford a 

 bee-space with plain sections used without 

 separators. When sections average so wide as 

 to overcrowd the super, by using a set of these 

 in place of a fence the needed room is saved 

 without trouble, as they may be used in each 

 alternate row with fences, when full sheets of 

 foundation are used in thin sections. 



Washington, D. C. 



[When Mr. Danzenbaker was here recently 

 he showed me his method of cutting founda- 

 tion up in squares. As soon as I saw it I was 

 convinced it was the best device that had yet 

 been gotten up, although somewhat similar to 

 some of the other foundation-trimmers. — Ed.] 



Fig. 2 shows the form reversed, resting on 

 the cleats of the follower. The weight of the 

 form bearing on the sheets holds them secure- 

 ly in place while the sharp thin-bladed knife 

 is drawn with very light quick strokes through 

 the scores, cutting the sheets of even uniform 



REQUEENING. 



Superiority of Good Queens in Poor Seasons; 

 Black Bees Preferred, and Why. 



BY HARRY S. HOWE. 



Mr. Editor: — One of the advantages of this 

 poorsea.son has been the chance to study more 

 closely some of the problems of bee-keeping. 

 One of the points that impress one strongly in 

 extracting an apiary in such a season is the 

 marked difference between colonies in the 

 amount of honey stored. When honey is 

 coming in fast there does not seem to be this 



