1244 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Oct. 1 



and some two or three: they were hybrids, 

 and hustlers too. Now, ever since I can re- 

 member 1 have associated in my mind the 

 word "hyln-id" with the words "cross," 

 "sting." "stings," etc.: and when 1 remark- 

 ed that 1 never saw or heard of such gentle 

 hybrids Mr. Townsend said, in that quiet 

 way of his, "Well. I have always thought 

 that the gentleness depended almost as much 

 upon the handling as upon the race." i 

 could not help feeling that he was right when 

 I saw the careful way in which he worked. 

 He is in no sense a lightning operator, but 

 at the same time he can accomplish a good 

 deal in a day too. He believes that conliniicd 

 careful handling will make any bees gentle, 

 and that time is saved in the long run. 



CLEAUING THE SUPERS OF BEES. 



When i-eady to take off a super of extract- 

 ing-coml)s he carefully removes the cover 

 and blows smoke down between the frames. 

 This is continued until aljout 90 per cent of 

 the bees have gone down, when the upper 

 story is (juickly removed before the bees 

 have time to return, and is set to one side. 

 By the time the frames are lifted out to 

 In-ush (notice there is no tiresome shaking 

 with this methotl) there are but few bees on 

 them, and this part of the work then is great- 

 ly simplitied. 



" Right here there is a kink connected with 

 the l)rushing of frames that is worth men- 

 tioning. It is not nt^i-essarv *^o turn the 

 frame over after brushing one side, for both 



FIG. 5 — E. D. TOWNSEND SHOWING HOW TO HOLD A FKAME WHILE BRUSHING IT. 



