1899 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



92a 



but as there was no current to carry away 

 droppings it had to be washed out several 

 times daily. 



What we have found to be the most com- 

 plete watering-place is made from a wooden 

 bucket, a piece of matched flooring ten or 

 twelve feet long, and a few stakes. With an 

 inch auger, bore a hole in the side of the buck- 

 et as near the bottom as possible. Take a 

 piece of pine and trim the end until it just 

 fits the hole water-tight. Then bore a hole in 

 the end, half an inch across, and an inch deep. 

 In the bottom of this hole make a gimlet-hole, 

 also an inch deep. Now saw off this two-inch 

 piece. This gives a round piece of pine, one 

 inch in diameter and two inches long, having 

 a hole through it lengthwise half an inch at 

 one end, and about the size of an ordinary 

 nail at the other. Use this to plug up the hole 

 in the bucket, putting the end with the large 

 hole in first, and allowing the other end to 

 project for a spout. A nail placed loosely in 

 the gimlet- hole will regulate the flow. Drive 

 three stakes in the ground to form a stand. 

 Set the bucket on these, and a shade-board 

 will complete the fountain. 



The piece of flooring placed on edge with 

 the groove up is the trough. Have one end 

 slightly elevated to give a good fall, and allow 

 the water from the fountain to drip into the 

 higher end of the trough, and run along the 

 channel. The whole should be high enough 

 so that a pan or pail can be set to catch the 

 water as it flows from the lower end. Allow 

 the water to flow freely enough to make a 

 good current along the channel. If the buck- 

 et and trough are thoroughly washed every 

 morning the current in the channel will pro- 

 vide the bees with clean water all day. 



Belmont, Ont , Sept. 9. 



COMB FOUNDATION IN SECTIONS. 



The Great Advantage of Full Sheets; Importance 



of Accurate Trimming of the Sheets; 



How to Fasten. 



BY R. F. HOI/fERMANN. 



In my experience and travels among Cana- 

 dian and United States bee-keepers I have 

 found quite a few differences in the general 

 methods adopted by the two countries ; and in 

 an occasional article which I may find time to 

 write in connection with the new work in 

 which I am engaged I may make reference to 

 some of these differences. 



In Canada I know of no well-known comb- 

 honey producer — one whose goods rank as the 

 best produced in the country — who does not use 

 full sheets of foundation in the sections. There 

 may be seasons when the bees will fill a sec- 

 tion with a starter as well as a section with a 

 full sheet of foundation ; but the successful 

 bee-keeper must lay his plans and prepare his 

 supers and equipments in such a way that the 

 bees can get the best results under all circum- 

 stances. 



I have made tests with full sheets, starters, 

 and no foundation, in sections in the same su- 



per, and with a moderate flow the bees have 

 completely filled all the sections with full 

 sheets of foundation when they had not built 

 a cell in the sections without foundation, and 

 very little more than the foundation in the 

 section with the starter ; and from experience 

 and observation I know that this was not an 

 isolated case by any means. Almost any one 

 of experience can tell by the finish of the sec- 

 tion whether the bees had a starter or a full 

 sheet to begin on. 



I am also firmly convinced that, with full 

 sheets of foundation in the sections, other 

 things being equal, the bees enter the sections 

 more readily, and are less likely to swarm 

 without going into them. This is of immense 

 advantage in the production of comb honey. 

 _ A great many are not careful enough in put- 

 ting comb foundation in the sections. The 

 best and most accurate machinery is none too 

 good in doing this. Take two bee-keepers 

 living side by side, with equally strong colo- 

 nies, and in other respects on an equal foot- 

 ing, and a little difference in the putting-in of 

 the comb foundation may put one so far be- 

 hind in the race for a prize that he can never 

 catch up. 



The comb foundation that sags the least, 

 and the lower edge of which the bee-keeper 

 knows where to find after the bees have been 

 on it for some time, is the best. With section 

 comb foundation the matter of sagging is not 

 so important ; but the Weed process has the 

 least tendency to sag, and I have never made 

 any allowance for this in sections. 



The comb foundation needs to be cut abso- 

 lutely true and accurate. It needs to be of a 

 width that, when suspended in the section, it 

 just hangs clear of the sides ; and at the same 

 time, having accomplished that object, it has 

 the least possible amount of room between the 

 edge of the foundation and the side wood of 

 the section ; and at the bottom the distance 

 can be a little greater, but it should not be 

 enough to give the bees much thought as to 

 the possibility of being able to pass through. 



What is the object of this? If the founda- 

 tion binds on the sides of the section it is like- 

 ly to be thrown out of true, and buckle it. As 

 long as this is not done it can not be too close. 

 By being near the wood the bees readily at- 

 tach the foundation : when further away they 

 not only do not attach it as quickly, but they 

 are likely to gnaw it away and make perma- 

 nent openings for themselves, which injure 

 the appearance of the comb. 



Having seen the argument used as to the 

 value of sections well filled, let me say they 

 have in this country, at least, a very practical 

 advantage over sections not so well filled. Of 

 large quantities of comb honey shipped long 

 distances, when properly packed, I have yet 

 to receive a report of broken-down sections 

 being well attached and the comb well filled 

 to the wood. In case of a jar or fall, the strain 

 is not on the fragile comb between the wood, 

 which can not give, and the weight of the 

 comb and hone}'. Next, a well filled and even 

 section sells more readily, and will often bring 

 a higher price in the market. The former 

 alone is a very decided advantage ; besides, 



