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THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



For the American Bee Journal. 



Separators or no Separators. 



L. C. WHITING. 



Can we dispense with them ? This 

 question must be answered by each 

 Dee-keeper for himself. If he lias 

 only a few colonies, and expects to 

 sell his lioney to his neiglibois, he 

 may get more honey with less labor 

 without separators ; but when he has 

 to go into the market and compete 

 witli others, the straisrht combs and 

 well cleaned sections, well crated, will 

 sell first at a remunerative price. 



I experimented with a few colonies 

 last season, and out of 700 pounds 

 stored without separators, at least 

 100 pounds was so bulged that it 

 could not be crated, and much of the 

 balance liad to be worked in with 

 that stored with separators. 



To get rid of this 100 pound^ cost 

 me more time tlian live times the 

 amount of straight combs. 



Some of our merchants bought a 

 lot of honey in the cap, just as the 

 bees stored it without separators. 

 They did not know how to get it out ; 

 they pulled the tops of some off in 

 doing so. Many sections were at- 

 tached more or less to others, and 

 honey was on every thing. The bees 

 soon found it out, and made it lively 

 for a time. The result was that they 

 did not care for honey, especially in 

 that shape. 



One ot our best bee-keepers, a few 

 days since, said if had only honey put 

 up in that shape to compete with, he 

 should be sure of his success. 



The way that suits me the best is, 

 to put on a part of the sections at 

 first witliout any separators. After 

 the bees have these well started, 

 divide them, putting a part in each 

 row of sections, and put in the separa- 

 tors. This induces the bees to work 

 in each row of sections. I also change 

 partly filled sections, bees and all, to 

 other colonies, if they are slow in en- 

 tering the sections. If the How of 

 honey continues, they are almost sure 

 to work in the sections and leave the 

 room below for brood. One of my 

 neighbors, who has great success in 

 getting a large yield of honey in sec- 

 tions, does not use the extractors, but 

 changes the brood combs, putting 

 those filled witli honey in the centre 

 of the hive, and the uncapped brood 

 to the outside, and changing it back 

 to the centre wlieu it is ready to 

 hatch, always keeping open brood in 

 the outside combs. 



He certainly has strong colonies, 

 and secures a large yield of honey. 

 Success in all these manipulations de- 

 pends largely on the good iudgment 

 ot the bee-keeper. " The right thing 

 at the right time," is what is wanted. 

 The queen, during the How of honey, 

 should have no more brood combs than 

 she can keep full of brood and eggs. 



East Saginaw, Mich., May 26, 1883. 



ror the American Bee JoumaL 



Fastening Comb Foundation. 



J. S. DUNCAN. 



After trying many of the various 

 methods of fastening comb founda- 

 tion in sections, that has been des- 

 cribed in the Bee Journal, they be- 

 ing slow and tedious, and not suituig 

 me, I have constructed a fastener 

 that has worked witli perfect satis- 

 faction, and will try and describe it so 

 that others can make one. 



It is constructed as follows : A 

 board about 7x12, with holes mortised 

 near the centre, 3 inches apart; two 

 standards are tenoned to fit these 

 mortises, and wedged tightly. The 

 front or presser standard is 3 inches 

 high ; the lever standard 2 inches 

 high. These standards are dovetailed 

 on top, and have holes bored for 

 joints of levers; two levers are fitted 

 to these dovetails and fastened with 

 bolts ; one lever 9 inches long, and a 

 hole 2 inches from one end ; one lever 

 •5 inches long, and a hole in the cen- 

 tre, and a tenon on one end to take 

 the presser, the long lever lifted to 

 the short staiulard and applied under 

 the end of the short lever; a rubber 

 band or spring, from the board to the 



Comb Foundation Fastener. 



short lever, brings it back to place, 

 when the pressure is removed. The 

 presser is 3x4 inches (or any size to 

 suit the section used), with a hole 

 mortised near one side, and fastened 

 on tenon, with a pin, and so fitted that 

 when a two-inch section is under the 

 presser and gnaged against the stan- 

 dard, the presser will strike about ;s 

 on the section, or so that the founda- 

 tion will hang in the centre of the 

 section when inverted. The bottom 

 of the presser being rounded so as not 

 to cut the foundation, and made of 

 soft wood to hold moisture. In using 

 grooved sections, place the founda- 

 tion just over the groove; press 

 slightly, to make it stick; slide under 

 the presser, till the section strikes 

 the standard ; i)ress on the lever and 

 the job is done. I prefer sections not 

 grooved ; in using them, make a 

 foundation gauge with two pieces of 

 sections ; one projecting over the 

 other, and tacked to a board ; slide 

 the section under the projection, and 

 lay on the foundation to the guage. 



This press is very convenient, as it 

 requires no clamps or screws to 

 fasten it to the table, as the pressure 

 is applied at both ends at the same 

 time. With this machine you can 

 fasten foundation just as fast as you 

 can handle the sections. Tlie foun- 

 dation sticks best when it is firm 

 enough to handle good, and is not 

 soft ; keep the presser well wet with 



soap water or honey, and you can 

 fasten .50 starters without any stick- 

 ing. Apiece of tin, with the edges 

 folded up, and several folds of cloth 

 in it, makes a good pad for wetting 

 the pre.sser. 

 Browning. Mo., June 12, 1883. 



Read at the Maine Bee-Keepera' Association. 



Spring Management of Bees. 



H. li. CIIAP3IAN. 



In presenting this [laper, I shall en- 

 deavor to give only an outline of the 

 subject, for, if I should go into all the 

 points and particulars, it would take 

 too much time ; besides I do not feel 

 capable. 



In a well managed apiary, spring 

 management will include 3 months- 

 April May and June. If bees are 

 properly cared for in the fall, they will 

 need but little attention before April. 

 Examine all your bees the first warm 

 day in April, to see if they have suflic- 

 ient stores. I would notadvise having 

 much honey in the center at this time 

 of the year, as the queen will be 

 crowded for room. The tw'o middle 

 combs should be empty, or nearly so, 

 and if the bees go into winter quarters 

 as strong as they should, such will be 

 the case. If any colonies are found 

 sliort in stores, give them a comb of 

 honey saved the fall before, or sugar. 

 Take away all unnecessary combs, 

 confining the bees on as few as they 

 can cover. Make the entrance small ; 

 many leave it open the whole width ; 

 this is wrong. What would you think 

 of a nuui who insisted on having a 

 door half the width of his house and 

 twice as high as his head, and open 

 all the titne V Bees must be kept 

 warm during the chilly weather of 

 spring. Examiiie your locality to see 

 when the flowers blossom that pro- 

 duce an abundance of honey, then 

 have every colony in the best working 

 condition possible ; to accomplish this, 

 feeding should be resorted to. 



Outdoor feeding is preferable if you 

 are not troubled with other people's 

 bees, but if you are, then feed in the 

 hive. Maple syrup has proved excel- 

 lent for out-door feeding, as it does 

 not stimulate robbing. To start them 

 to work on it, put a little honey on 

 the feeder, and it will make you laugh 

 to see the little fellows carry it off. 

 Keep the feeders full ; the bees will 

 not carry off more than they want. If 

 you wish to feed in the hive, place 

 two strips three-eighths thick upon the 

 feeder : in this cover, insert a tube 

 made of wood— place the feeder across 

 the ends of the frames, then lay on 

 your quilt and chaff, and it is ready 

 for use. I do not like sugar candy 

 for feed, as the bees will tear down 

 and carry out a large part of it. 



When the combs become well filled 

 with brood, they should be spread 

 and an empty comb inserted, taking 

 care not to spread too fast. Every 

 colony should have a good laying 

 queen. C2uinby said, "The introduc- 

 tion of a mature fertile queen to a 

 colony two weeks sooner than when 

 they swarm naturally, is an advantage 

 sutiicient to pay for the extra trouble. 



