294 



AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL, 



May 11, 1899. 



under favorable conditions, while the latter, no matter how 

 adverse the conditions are, will have but two slight ridges of 

 glue — one on each side of the insets. 



As I am afraid practical machines for cleaning sections 

 will not be in general use at least this season, for the bene- 

 fit of beginners only I am going to say a few words about 

 cleaning sections by hand, for I can remember the time 

 when I could not clean nearly as many as I can now. 



Most of those new to this work hold the section in one 

 hand while cleaning it, and I even know a man who had 

 produced tons of comb honey who said he knew no better 

 way. It is, however, quicker and easier to clean a section 

 if it rests on a solid bench, and if much of this work is to be 

 done two benches of different heights, so that one can 

 change off and work both standing up and sitting down, 

 are a great help. On top of the bench tack a piece of board 

 that is two or three inches wide, four or five long, and about 

 yk of an inch thick. Have it back a few inches from the 

 front of the bench. Stand the section on this strip so that 

 the front projects over it a trifle, then scrape up and down, 

 not across the top. The object of the thin board on top of 

 the bench is to let the edge of the section project over it so 

 that the knife can reach clear down. Of course, the same 

 effect can be obtained bj' letting the section project over the 

 edge of the bench itself, but if this is done their is nothing 

 to catch or stop the downward strokes of the knife; and 

 this makes it harder work for me. Some, tho, prefer to let 

 the section project over the edge of the bench itself. 



There is quite a knack about cleaning sections by rest- 

 ing them on a bench or table, but after it is acquired one 

 can, if the sections are badh- stuck up, clean at least a third 

 more than by holding them loose in the left hand. 



I prefer a knife the blade of which is stiff enough so 

 that there is no spring in it whatever. Mine are made 

 from small flat files; one edge is drawn down thin and 

 sharp, and the Other is left thick, and is ground square 

 across ; this edge is used mostly for cleaning the edges of 

 the sections. The knives are long enough so they will 

 reach clear across and clean the edges of two sides at once. 



Southern Minnesota. 



An Experience with a Queen and Nucleus. 



BY EDWIN BEVINS. 



I HAD an experience with a queen and nucleus last fall 

 which was a little out of the ordinary, and which mav be 

 worth relating. Early in October I found a colony 

 queenless, and resolved to re-queen by first giving the 

 queen to a nucleus of hatching brood, and then gradually 

 changing the frames of the colony to the hive of the 

 nucleus. 



Looking around among the colonies in the yard I found 

 where the frames of Ixrood could be easily gotten, and then 

 sent for a queen. As there were evidences that a few bees 

 had hatcht from the combs, I did not fear any trouble, altho 

 I thought it might be a little late in the season for such 

 operations. 



When the queen arrived I was so ill that I could hardly 

 crawl from the liouse to the bee-yard, but as there was no 

 one else around who knew what to do. I had to go. An as- 

 sistant helpt me to get the frames of brood and put them 

 into another hive, and then I had him place the hive over 

 the hive of the queenless bees, first putting a frame with 

 wirecloth nailed to both sides between the two hives. Then 

 I releast the queen and escort by turning back one end of 

 the wire covering of the cage. The cage was left on the 

 wire covering of the frame close to the frames of brood. 

 Then I crawled back to my bed. 



About the third day after, feeling a little better, it oc- 

 curred to me that I would better look after my queen and 

 nucleus. I was not g^reatly surprised to find that no bees 

 had hatcht. but was surprised to find the queen in the cage 

 instead of on the combs. I made her get there, and re- 

 moved the cage from the hive, and then felt a little puzzled 

 about what to do next. What I did do was to take the 

 frame of wirecloth awaj-, thus admitting the bees of the 

 colony to the combs of the nucleus. I knew this would be 

 all right for the brood, but did not know how it would be 

 for the queen. 



By this time I was used up, and again crawled back to 

 my bed. It was two or three weeks before I could get out 

 again, but the first thing I did was to find out what had be- 

 come of my queen. I found the brood in the two frames of 

 the upper story all hatcht out as expected, and, looking- 



further, I found sealed brood in several frames of the lower 

 story. 



Ordinarily there 'is no risk in introducing queens on 

 frames of hatching brood. What rendered it hazardous in 

 this instance was the coolness of the weather which pre- 

 vented the hatching of the brood. 



A direct introduction of the queen to the queenless bees 

 in the beginning might have been as successful, but I have 

 had manj- losses by trying to introduce direct to the bees 

 that have been for some time queenless. Probablj' the pres- 

 ence of the brood, and the fact that everything in both 

 hives had become scented alike, helpt to insure the queen a 

 kindly reception. Decatur Co., Iowa. 



Holding' the Breath While Handling Bees. 



BV \. P. RAYMOND. 



MOST bee-keepers, probably, have discovered that noth- 

 ing is so offensive to bees, and so angers them, as a 

 person's breath. 



If an J' one doubts this he can easily convince himself bj' 

 removing from a hive a comb covered with bees, and breath- 

 ing upon them. I think just one trial will be sufficient to 

 remove his doubts as to the truthfulness of the above asser- 

 tion. 



Very early in my experience in handling bees, I began 

 and continued the practice of holding: m.V breath while look- 

 ing for queens upon a comb, or while peering into a hive for 

 the same purpose — in fact, while performing any other dif- 

 ficult task that had a tendency to anger the bees. I thought 

 I saw good results from doing this, consequently, as I said 

 before, I continued the practice until it finally became to me 

 " second nature," as it were. Whenever I was engaged in 

 removing combs from or returning them to a hive, I would 

 find myself unconsciously holding my breath, especially if 

 the bees were inclined to be irritable. Of course, it would 

 become necessary to breathe occasionally, but when doing 

 so I would turn my head aside so the bees would not observe 

 the least effects of my respiration. By first filling the 

 lungs, a person may, after a little practice, hold the breath 

 for nearly or quite half a minute without inconvenience. 



My only reason for holding the breath while handling 

 bees was simply to prevent angering them ; but recently I 

 came across the following item in the Minneapolis Journal 

 Almanac for 1897, which, if true, sheds more light upon the 

 subject, and, also, maybe another explanation for the seem- 

 ing good results I experienced from the practice. I have 

 not as yet tested this theory as relating to stings, conse- 

 quently I cannot vouch for its truthfulness, but I give be- 

 low the article in its entirety for what it may be worth. I 

 am unable to give the name of the author. Here it is : 



JUST SIMPLY STOP BREATHING. 



*' It is a fact not fjenerally known that if a person holds his breath 

 wasps and bees ma3' be handled with impunity. The skin practically 

 becomes a coat of mail a«"ainst which the insects vainly drive their 

 stingos. The moment a particle of air escapes from the lun^s the sting's 

 will penetrate. In explanation of this curious fact, a well-known physi- 

 cian advances the theory that holding the breath partially closes the 

 pores of the skin, and thus leaves no openings for attack. This interest- 

 ing- statement explains and enhances the value of a practice I have fol- 

 lowed for the prevention of colds. For many years my occupation took 

 nie to crowded political and labor meetings, g-enerally held in rooms des- 

 titute of anj- means of ventilation. The heat was intense, the air fetid 

 and poisonous. I have left such meetings bathed in perspiration and 

 pluTiged into the chill air of a winter's night, thereby running the risk of 

 catching the severest cold. Yet, strange to say, I enjoyed a singular im- 

 munity from such aggravating ailments. .\t the first touch of cold air I 

 took a deep inspiration, and then held my breath for half a minute, in the 

 meantime walking as fast as I could. During that half minute the pores 

 of the skin were closed against the chilling atmosphere, and by the time 

 the lungs called for reinvigoration, the body had considerably cooled, 

 and the risk of a chill w-as over. I recommended the practice to public 

 speakers, vocalists, entertainers, and those who are obliged to frequent 

 unduly heated rooms. In my own case the practice never failed, and 

 altho I fully believe in its value, I never understood the reason of it until 

 a learned scientist came forward w-ith the remarkable theory that while 

 holding the breath the skin could be maintained impenetrable to the 

 sting of a bee." 



Holding the breath to avoid colds has been practiced, I 

 think, by many persons with good results. What is nearl3' 

 or quite as good, when emerging from an over-heated room 

 into the cold, crisp atmosphere of winter, is to close the 

 mouth for a few moments and breathe thru the nostrils, as 

 the air thereby becomes partially warmed before coming in 

 contact with the lungs. 



If holding the breath is a sure preventive of bee-stings, 

 every bee-keeper should be acquainted with the fact. Sup- 

 pose you try it, this spring. Clark Co., Wis. 



