252 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



Apr. 15 



from the regular bottoms, placing a J^ x ^ 

 X 20-inch strip on either side, on top of the 

 regular ^ ferring-strips on which the hives 

 have stood during winter. This gives a vent 

 IX inches deep across the front of the hive, 

 and a % vent of the same width at the rear. 

 The strips, of course, close the sides solidly, 

 and allow the air to pass under the frames, 

 only from the front or the back. A stone 

 or block placed at the entrance for the pur- 

 pose of venting the hive is not sufficient, be- 

 cause it does not allow a current of air to 

 pass freely under and up through the combs. 

 Nor is it advisable to put four ferring-sticks, 

 one under each corner of the hive, because 

 the weight during the season might cause 

 the bottom-board to become warped so that 

 it would not fit well later when setting the 

 hive down for winter. 



We have found that an eight-frame L. 

 hive makes too small a brood-nest for our 

 average queens; but with a regular shallow 

 extracting-super, the frames of which con- 

 tain combs built from full sheets of founda- 

 tion placed on top, plenty of room is afford- 

 ed. One or more storing-supers should be 

 put above this a short time before the hon- 

 ey-flow. 



We have no apiaries that we run solely 

 for extracted honey; but we produce it along 

 through our bulk-comb-honey apiaries. 



In the production of bulk comb honey, 

 at least one-third of the crop must be ex- 

 tracted, as about this amount is used for 

 pouring over the comb in packing. Any 

 which is left will supply customers who pre- 

 fer extracted honey. We usually produce 

 a little more in order to avoid having to 

 meet this demand later by extracting from 

 beautiful combs; so at least one-third of our 

 shallow extracting-supers contain ready- 

 built combs carried over from season to sea- 

 son. One of these is placed on each hive, 

 next to the brood-nest, which, as stated, 

 consists of one eight-frame L. hive and one 

 shallow extracting-super. This hastens 

 matters by giving the bees a chance to store 

 without first having to build comb. The 

 strongest colonies are given additional su- 

 pers containing full sheets of foundation in 

 case they may be needed before we get 

 around again, which is five days later. If 

 swarming is expected in the least when we 

 place this super, we raise the one next to 

 the hive which we call our "brood " super, 

 and see that there are no queen-cells start- 

 ed. If there are we tear them out and mark 

 the hive. 



In ordinary seasons, with this arrange- 

 ment, very little if any swarming may be 

 expected at the beginning of the honey- 

 flow; but if the weather should turn cold, or 

 there should be constant rains, thus keep- 

 ing the bees in confinement in their hives, 

 they are apt to have a desire to swarm, be- 

 cause they have nothing else to do. 



On our next round, supers are added 

 wherever they may be needed before our re- 

 turn in five days again. But on each round, 

 before any supers are added, we tip up the 

 brood-supers to see if any queen-cells have 



been started. This is quickly done; and if 

 any preparation has been made for swarm- 

 ing it is easily detected and removed; for, 

 as a rule, bees will not start queen-cells on 

 the brood-frames near the bottom of hives 

 thus ventilated. But if they do start cells, 

 some will surely be found in the brood-su- 

 pers. 



This is not all that is done to prevent 

 swarming; for on our rounds if we find any 

 honey being capped in the first storingrsu- 

 per, it is removed and placed in the one 

 above, and frames of foundation are insert- 

 ed in its place. If the bees are storing most- 

 ly in combs in the center, they are usually 

 placed on the outside of the super, and those 

 less finished are placed in a central position, 

 usually between frames of foundation which 

 are exchanged for those where capping has 

 been started. No combs of sealed honey 

 are allowed to remain next to the brood-su- 

 per. If all the honey in the first super is 

 about ready to be capped, we raise it and 

 slip the next super under it and put a bait 

 or two in it if the bees have not already be- 

 gun to work it. At the close of the flow the 

 bees are allowed to fill all remaining supers 

 without much manipulation. 



So far as we are able, all honey is remov- 

 ed as fast as it is sealed and is packed and 

 put on the market. The first honey is al- 

 ways stored in the darker combs, which jire 

 carried over from season to season, these be- 

 ing put on first, and all this is extracted and 

 placed in large tanks; and a few days later 

 it is in good condition to be dr.awn oflf, ready 

 for packing bulk comb honey. 



Late in the afternoon all supers contain- 

 ing empty combs are given to the bees at 

 the home yard, where extracting and pack- 

 ing are done. By morning these are clean- 

 ed up, removed, and distributed again in 

 out-apiaries as we visit them. If they were 

 not cleaned up they might excite robbing, 

 and cause trouble in removing and loading. 



As soon as the combs suitable for bulk 

 comb honey are cut out, the frames are 

 cleaned, and full sheets of foundation put 

 in, then they are again carried out and dis- 

 tributed. This process is repeated until the 

 end of the season, when they are stored at 

 the packing-house, ready to be put in order 

 for the next flow. 



Cordele, Ga. 



» ■ ^ I » 



SHALLOW VS. DEEP SUPERS. 



BY ALFRED L. HARTL. 



Many apiarists consider the style of the 

 super of little consequence — that is, wheth- 

 er it is of the standard Langstroth or shal- 

 low type; but in my opinion this matter is 

 very important. I have used both in the 

 same apiary to determine the relative mer- 

 its of each, and the best results have inva- 

 riably been secured from the shallow-frame 

 supers. When giving a medium-sized colo- 

 ny such a large surplus apartment as a 

 Langstroth super at once, the bees hesitate 

 about entering and beginning work, for they 



