214 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



DOUBLE-LENGTH SECTIONS CUT IN TWO 



Furnishing the Bees a Larger Frame in which to Make Comb Honey 



BY ELMER GRESSMAN 



I have often had combs of honey built in 

 frames as straight as a board, with nice 

 white cappings, and have wished that it 

 were only in sections, so that I might reaUze 

 the price of fancy comb honey. I have tr:ed 

 selling the large combs at a reduced price, 

 but with poor success. 



I have quite a trade in extracted honey 

 in 5 and 10 lb. pails, but some years ago 

 some of my customers inquired for comb 

 honey. Most of them belonged to the class 

 who are trying to reduce the high cost of 

 living; and being in sympathy with their 

 efforts I took along some nice shallow 

 frames of honey, which I offered at a ven' 

 reasonable sum, not including the weight of 

 the frame, which I figured out, so there 

 would be no excuse not to buy. My liber- 

 ality was not appreciated, however, for al- 

 most every one said, "Oh my ! those are too 

 large. I wanted it in those little boxes." 



After explaining that it was harder to 

 produce it in little boxes, and listening to 

 their numerous objections, I made up my 

 mind that I was not equal to a woman in an 

 argument, even in my own line. So I went 

 home with part of my shallow honey a sad- 

 der but wiser man. That started me to 

 thinking night and da}'. I thought that, if 

 the combs were half as large, perhaps I 



Gressman's super for producing honey in double-lenjth sections. After 

 the frames are full the f 'iir-' - lire nit in two 'n the middle, and the frames 

 taken apart. The fourth side of each section is then pressed on, and the 

 section is ready fur tlit market. 



ouuld keep up my end of the argument ; but 

 1 found later there was no argument needed. 

 Never have 1 had a complaint about the 

 large size of the section. 



The difference in the cost of producing 

 comb and extracted honey is getting greater 

 every year. We see all kinds of inventions 

 to aid in cheapening the production of ex- 

 tracted honey; but if one looks back he will 

 find there has been very little done to im- 

 prove on the production of comb honey. 

 For tliis reason it can easily be seen wliy 

 the drift has been so strong toward ex- 

 tracted honey. 



We all know that bees will not work in 

 sections as well as in extracting-frames, and 

 that they are still more averse to them if 

 the sections are divided off by sepaiaturs. 

 I think my invention will be easily under- 

 stood by the aid of the illustration here- 

 with produced. The sectional frames are 

 made by pressing together six dovetailed 

 ])ieces to make a long section which can be 

 cut apart in the middle to make two later 

 on. Of course the dovetails must be made 

 so they will come right. There is a small 

 metal stay to support the top section strip. 

 This stay causes a dei^ression in the surface 

 of the comb right where it should be cut 

 later on, and then the extra sides of the 

 sections are pressed 

 on. making two com- 

 plete boxes of honey 

 from one frame. These 

 are then put in a reg- 

 ular shipping-case to 

 dizain for a few days. 

 The shipping - case 

 should have a tin tray 

 in the bottom while 

 draining to catch the 

 drip, and exchanged 

 later for a paper one. 

 There is very little 

 work about the whole 

 process, as the section- 

 al frames can be as- 

 sembled very rapidly 

 witli my press. There 

 is no necessity of put- 

 ting the sections back 

 on the hive for the 

 bees to finish them, as 

 the artificial side is 

 hardly noticeable. The 

 stay causes a nice 



