EXTRACTING UNSEALED 



.^905. THE AMERICAN BEE-KEEPER. il 



6 grand lot. They never get foul straightforward dealings). He is quite 

 Dt srood." ^s much a stranger to me as Prof. 



Il This expert came and called on Frank Benton, and I would not have 

 a ne and we had a long talk together, written this at all, only I feel it is- 

 li md before he left he ordered five my duty to bear testimony to the 

 ifl swarms (which he took away on his truth as I have found it in my twelve 

 bicycle a few days later) to put in years' experience, and to stand up for 

 -other infected apiaries in his district, my dear little friends, the "Punic bees." 

 He found my statement true as to I can never sit still and hear them 

 foul brood and he asked if I would "ridiculed" and "spoken evil of," as 

 supply him with twenty or thirty they do not deserve it, for they have 

 swarms the next season; and he told been good, faithful and valuable to 

 ime later that he had ordered and ob- me, and I verily believe they will be 

 •tained queens of Mr. Hewitt, as I ot the same value to any other bee- 

 advised him, and that he was more keeper who gives them a fair and hon- 

 than pleased with these Funics. He est trial. 

 was quite converted. Cornwall, England, Nov. 14, 1904. 



4. Honey Gatherers.— They are 

 grand workers and will be out, busy, 

 very early and late, and even in misty, 

 dull weather, when other bees will HONEY, 



not venture outside their entrance; ^ 



and this refers to honey gathering in 



sections, supers or for extracting. gy p^.^^ ^ Parker. 



I have never had, in all my experi- 

 ?nce a single crate of sections or a -ir wR. EDITOR:— I read with much 

 super injured in any way by bee IWI interest the article by Mr. O. O. 

 glue." I have been a great exhibitor xtj. poppig^on in your September 

 for many years in large county [^^^^Q^ entitled "A Popular Fallacy." 

 shows, in the Royal shovvs of all -p^ ^^ ^{^^ this question of extract- 

 England, in colonial exhibitions; and j^^g honey before it is entirely sealed 

 I consider my exhibits have been j^^ ^^ some extent, a question of lo- 

 judged at these shows by first-class ^ality. 



eminent judges, and I have taken a j know nothing of the conditions 



great many first prizes^ and medals, governing the production of honey 



beating many "experts" in leading j^^ q^^^ ^^^^ Florida, except what I 



shows, which, I think, proves (lar ^^^^ ^^^^ ^^ northern Santa Bar- 



, better than pages of correspondence) ^^^.^ county, California, and in Ivan- 



that these "poor despised Funics are j^^^ county, Nevada, honey could not 



a grand race of bees, which do their |^^ -j^^^. ^^ ^■^^^ j^j^^g ^^^^jl sealed with- 



work well, and are in every way an ^^^^ materially lessening the output, 



advantage and benefit to a bee- -^^^ ^^ly jg ^j-^jg ^rue, but the quality 



keeper. . of honey would not be improved. In 



5. Swarming.— In a large apiary, ^^^^ ^.1^^^^ localities, the flow often 

 like mine, I have found, as a rule, that (,Qj^es o^ quick, and it behooves the 

 about one for two at the most) out of apiarist to make the most of it. In 

 the lot will have the "swarming fever Lo^pac, Cal., I practice starting the 

 md throw five, six and even seven extractor when the combs are sealed 

 ;warms and hatch several _ dozen ^^1^^^^ to the middle, or one-half of 

 queens; but the large majority will ^■^^ surface of the comb. This honey 

 take readily to their supers (sec- j^ ^■^^^ allowed to stand in the three- 

 tional or otherwise) and give a ^^^ canvas-covered tank and evapo- 

 ?oodly harvest. I have taken as ^^^^ until it attains the proper con- 

 much as 185 (one hundred and eighty- gigtency. In most cases the bees 

 five) pounds of comb honey from one .^^ould occupy from three to five days 

 hive, gathered in twenty-seven clear ^^ complete sealing these combs 

 'days. That I am contented with. There is where the gain comes from. 



I do not know Mr. Hewitt person- The honey can ripen just as well in 

 illy (although I deal with him in the tank as in the hive, and the ma- 

 Punic bees, and can most highly rec- jority of the bees are not compelled 

 ommend him for his honest and to lay idle, or resort to the brood 



