1898. 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



691 



THE PLAIN SECTION AND FENCE. 



Some of you know what we have been doing in reference 

 to plain sections. I wish to explain what the plain section is : 

 It Is simply a section which has the sides made of the same 

 width throughout; in other words, it is a section without bee- 

 ways. We called it the " no-bee-way " section for a time. I 

 saw those sections in use In New Yorlj State a year or so ago, 

 when I was through it. They were getting more money for 

 honey in those sections, and those who were using them were 

 very enthusiastic concerning them. 



In order to make the use of these sections practicable, we 

 have put something In to tal<e the place of the bee-ways. If 

 separators are used, then the separators have to have cleats 

 upon them. I have a section here that I have tried to make 

 into the form of a plain section, and you can see that it is 

 perfectly straight around the edges, with no bee-ways. I 

 have here a fence to illustrate what I mean by the separator 

 having cleats upon It. The fence is made something after 

 this nature, with cleats on both sides 2/12 inch thick, or it 

 may be ^s Inch thick. We put cleats on each side. That is 

 supposed to be made up of slats placed about 3/16 Inch 

 apart. A series of these sections set down In the case, and 

 then one of these fences, with cleats running down on either 



Ernest R. Root. 



side, Is put in. The sides of the section come opposite the 

 cleats on the separator. If you nail a piece of wood on either 

 side you make a perfectly tight box of it. 



In this way we get rid of about 25 percent of the wood In 

 the sections — making the separator that is a little more ex- 

 pensive, and putting the cleat on the separator. We have 

 overcome the difficulty of having such a large case. We save 

 about 25 percent of the room in the shipping-case ; yet the 

 sections hold as much honey as they did before. We also 

 have the honey closer to the face of the box. When the honey 

 is put In, the capping appears almost even with the box, and 

 the section itself seems to be fuller. 



I found in New York State that these sections would sell 

 better. This year we happened to send to acominission house 

 In Columbus about 1,500 pounds of comb honey, and in that 

 was a case of the plain sections. We thought nothing about 

 it until we got a letter from them saying that they had that 

 case of sections, and had taken it around to their customers, 

 supposing they were all the same, had taken a great many 

 orders, and that they were very much disappointed when they 

 found they were not all alike ; that they would like to get a 

 thousand eases of plain sections, as they would sell more 

 readily. You understand that they did not know anything 

 about the plain sections ; It was simply that they were better 

 looking, and they wanted a thousand cases of them. That is 

 one of the recent developments that came up for this year. 

 The advantages are that there Is less wood and less weight in 

 the shipping-case ; the surplus wood is put on the separator 

 itself. 



Dr. Miller — Was that case of plain sections yon speak of, 

 square or oblong sections? 



E. R. Root — Square. If It had been sent with oblong sec- 

 tions we would not have known whether the advantage was 

 in the shape or in the style of the section. It must have been 

 the appearance of the section itself that made the difference. 

 Mr. S. T. Pettit, of Canada, has something similar, and he 

 finds that with this freer communication he gets better-filled 

 sections. The object Is to get the sections filled on the outside 

 row — to get them as well filled as those on the inside row of 

 the super. With the fence we attempt to accomplish that, 

 and I think the honey is going to be whiter, too. I shall show 

 in the next number of our journal a photograph showing the 

 honey in the ordinary plain section and also In the old style 

 section, and you will note that that in the plain section is a 

 good deal whiter. 



Mr. Stilson — In regard to the shipment of those sections 

 built on that style, is it necessary to put in a fence between 

 the rows of sections in shipping? 



E. R. Root — No, sir ; we have had thousands of pounds 

 shipt without anything between them whatever. 



Mr. Stilson — About two weeks ago I saw a shipment of 

 2,000 pounds of honey, and about half of it was ruine(^ by 

 being shipt in that manner. When the cases were handled It 

 broke the capping and ruined nearly the whole shipment. 



E. R. Root — Was that in plain sections? 



Mr. Stilson — Yes, sir. 



E. R. Root — I have not found any cases where there was 

 that trouble. The thickness of the cleats has quite a good 

 deal to do with It. There is a possibllitv that it might in some 

 instances do that. Did they put fences In the shipping-cases ? 



Mr. Stilson — No, sir; there was no separation whatever; 

 it.was just put In close together, and it masht down. It was 

 just simply one mess of mush. 



E. R. Root — I have been watching for things of that kind, 

 but haven't found anything yet. If there is more than 2/12 

 loch of thickness, then I think there Is almost sure to be the 

 trouble you speak of. 



Mr. Masters — Are the cases filled full of those sections ? 



E. R. Root— Yes, sir. 



Mr. Masters — How do you get hold of the sections to get 

 them out? 



E. R. Root — Usually shipping-cases are made so that 

 there is a "follower" in them at the back of the case. The 

 cases are made so as to take several different sizes of sections. 

 If there Is any space left In the case It is taken up by means 

 of the follower. Back of that, If there Is any space, pieces of 

 newspaper may be folded and placed to fill the space and act 

 as a sort of cushion. The newspaper is rolled up and put 

 down behind the follower In the shipping-case. That protects 

 the honey from getting jammed. 



Dr. Miller— Do you consider it necessary to have separa- 

 tors in shipping-cases ? 



E. R. Root — No. We thought at one time it was neces- 

 sary ; but now I do not think It is. They can be put in or 

 not, as one sees fit. 



Mr. Stilson — Have you ever used the plain sections with a 

 fence or separator, shut tight both top and bottom, and a hole 

 in the bottom of the section for the bees to enter ? 



E. R. Root — I never have ; no, sir. 



Mr. Stilson — I saw some a little while ago. It was a sur- 

 prise to me, the manner In which they were filled. I had 

 never seen them used until this year. They were filled clear 

 down to the bottom, and every corner was filled all the way 

 through. The auger-hole was filled and capt clear down. 



Mr. Stilson exhibited some of the sections filled with 

 honey, which showed the conditions he spoke of. 



E R Root — Speaking ab3ut getting the sections full — the 

 claim was made earlier in the season that the plain sections 

 would be filled out better than the ordinary. So far as I have 

 seen they are. I am inclined to think that the greatest point 

 in that Is to get the sheets of foundation large enough. It Is 

 very necessary to have the starters go clear across. I am told 

 by Mr. Danzenbaker that that is the reason he gets his sec- 

 tions filled out so nicely. I have also been consulting with 

 quite a number of others, and I find that the matter of having 

 the foundation go clear out to the sides of the section does 

 away with pop-holes. 



Dr. Miller — Mr. Danzenbaker Insists it Is better not to 

 have the foundation go clear to the bottom. 



E. R. Root — I meant to say that the foundation does not 

 go clear to the bottom, but clear to the sides. 



Dr. Miller — Will you please tell us what you use where 

 Mr. Pettit has his divider ? 



E. R. Root — We have a fence. 



Dr. Miller — And of course you have a wedge In there. 



E. R. Root— Yes, sir. 



