1903 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



681 



For washing- the inside of the extractor, 

 uncapping--can, or the inside of honey-cans, 

 we take off the nozzle so that the sprayer 

 will throw a small strong stream, stick the 

 pipe into the article to be washed, and thus 

 thoroughly rinse every crack and corner. 

 The same little machine can, of course, be 

 used as a fire- extinguisher in emergencies; 

 and the man with a well-equipped honey- 

 house would be unwise not to make some 

 provision for such accidents. 



WiLMON Nfavell. 



College Station, Texas, June 1. 



[Some years ago we used a spraj^-pump 

 for throwing water on swarms while in the 

 air, and it was very effective in driving 

 them from one point to another and in forc- 

 ing them to cluster. On several occesions 

 when swarms were disposed to "light out" 

 to the woods we succeeded in heading them 

 off by spraying those in front. We found 

 we could drive them almost like a flock of 

 sheep. After wetting them down we increas- 

 ed their avoirdupois and interfered with 

 their flying, with the result that they would 

 very soon cluster on some convenient tree or 

 bush. 



We never tried spraying to stop robbing, 

 but I am inclined to think it might be used 

 eft'ectivel}'. — Ed.] 



PREPARING SHEETS OF WAX FOR THE FOUN- 

 DATION-MILL; AN EXCELLENT PLAN. 



Formerl}', in making foundation I always 

 dreaded the job of dipping the sheets. It 

 was slow, and not satisfactor}-. The most 

 trouble was to get them of the same thick- 

 ness, and most of them would cause trouble 

 bv turning sidewise in the mill. Now I do 

 differently; and if it takes more "elbow 

 grease" it is a great satisfaction to roll 

 out foundation by the yard without any 

 hitch. I proceed thus: I strain my melted 

 wax in a large pan or box, with plenty of 

 water in the bottom, to the thickness of '4 

 to ]2 inch. When cold T cut it in strips as 

 wide as the foundation desired. These 

 sheets of wax will be of an even thickness; 

 and when I am ready to run them through 

 the mill I set them in the sun or warm 

 water till they are pliable and soft. I keep 

 the rollers cool with plenty of cold water, 

 and have no more trouble. A. Levvraz. 



Francis, Fla., June 8. 



[Your plan of preparing the sheets will 

 give more even thickness of wax, but the 

 process will be much slower. — Ed.] 



SWARMS for shallow BROOD-CHAMBER. 



I notice E. N. Woodward's article, p. 484, 

 and your comment. Let me give you a 

 leaf from my own experience. My father 

 kept bees, using the old fashioned box 

 gum. With the first L. frame hives he 

 used he had Woodward's experience ex- 

 actl}'. His bees wanted no new-fangled 

 contrivance. Those old gums are a thing 

 of the past; but I have been experimenting 

 with the Daczenbaker hive, and, behold. 



my bees are going through the same antics. 

 A swarm that will have nothing to do with 

 a Danzenbaker hive will settle down in a 

 L. frame as contentedly as you please. 

 Doesn't it look as thouph the trouble is 

 simply a different style of hive from what 

 the bees have been accustomed to? I shall 

 continue hiving my best swarms in the 

 Danzenbaker hives, for I am having the best 

 success for honey with ihem after they get 

 settled. It takes a little more care, that is 

 all. Chas. L. Simmons. 



Strong City, Kan., June 12. 



[I still believe that this apparent prefer- 

 ence on the part of swarms is only acciden- 

 tal. We have been and are now hiving 

 shaken swarms in deep and shallow frames, 

 and can not see that the beer, dislike one 

 more than the other. Another season may 

 afford you an experience directly opposite. 

 In a word, the shape of the hive has little 

 or no effect on swarms. So far as the bees 

 are concerned they would as soon have one 

 as the other. But the shape of the hive 

 has every thing to do in the matter of con- 

 venience of the operator, and a good deal 

 to do with the marketability of the honey 

 produced. — Ed.] 



is tarred PAPER objectionable FOR USE 



in a honey- room? 



I have prepared a small room to keep my 

 honey in, and in order tokeep out the ants and 

 bees I have lined it with building-paper. 

 Now I am afraid thesmell will givethehoney 

 a bad taste. What do you think about it? 

 Is there something to kill the smell of the 

 paper used? If {fas tar is used, will the 

 smell hurt the honey? 



Cockeysville, Md. Geo. W. Canoles. 



[The slight odor from tarred paper we do 

 not think would in any wise hurt the flavor 

 of comb honey. One of our honey-rooms 

 has been lined with this material for years, 

 and we have never had any trouble what- 

 ever. — Ed.] 



excelsior smoker FUEL, AND HOW TO 



prepare. 



Referring to my last letter and to your 

 answer of the 16th, I would say that you 

 would find smokers easier lighted and han- 

 dled by sending out directions for lighting 

 about as follows: 



Common packing excelsior, easily found 

 back of nearly every village store, makes 

 one of the best fuels for smokers. Take a 

 small roll about the size of a walnut, then light 

 it. Then drop it into the smoker, give it a 

 few puffs, then roll up more excelsior into 

 balls about as big as will cram into the 

 smoker, giving it an occasional puff, and 

 this fuel will last for hours, especially in 

 the larper smokers. 



The excelsior is quite easily obtained, is 

 splendid, if for no other purpose than sim- 

 ply starting the fire, after which any fuel 

 suitable to the location or convenience of the 

 user can be used. B. C. Hall. 



Elmwood, 111. 



