834 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



June 15 



HOW TO HANDLE BEES IN CLOSED- 

 END FRAMES. 



The Right and AVrong Way. 



BY E. R. ROOT. 



[Considerable interest is now being manifested in 

 the subject of closed-end frames — especially so, as 

 tbey have made so good a showing this backward 

 spring. A good many have the idea that they are not 

 only difficult to handle, but awful bee- smashers. In 

 the hands of some people, perhaps the charge would 

 be sustained; but, like every thing else, there is a 

 right and a wrong way to handle them. As this has 

 been fully explained (at least for one type of this 

 frame) in a new booklet entirely rewritten by E. R. 

 Root, entitled "Facts About Bees," we have thought 

 best to reproduce here a chapter or two together with 

 the special illustrations that were prepared, explain- 

 ing the whole process. — Ed.1 



smoke into this gap. Now give the screw- 

 driver a slight downward pressure, thus mak- 

 ing the gap wider. Blow in a little more 

 smoke. Leave the screwdriver in place, with 

 the right hand gently lifting the cover of the 

 hive. We say "gently," because this is very 

 important. A quick nervous jerky motion 

 is liable to cause the bees to lly out and sting. 

 As the cover is being lifted, with one hand 

 blow a little smoke — not much — over the tops 

 of the frames. Lay the cover down in the 

 rear of the hive, bottom vipward. If there is 

 a super on the hive remove this in precisely 

 the same way, prying the screwdriver be- 

 tween it and the lower part of the hive, in 

 the mean time using a little smoke. The su- 

 per should now be set down on the cover in 

 such a way that the diagonally opposite cor- 

 ners just rest on the cleats. This will leave 

 a space of about ^ inch between the super 

 and the cover. 



In handling bees, always make it a point 

 to avoid killing or smashing them. A bee 

 that is crushed carelessly is liable, by its lit- 

 tle squeals, to start the other bees. 



Well, now we are ready to remove a comb. 

 Pick up the screwdriver with one hand and 



MANNER OF SETTING A HIVE ON A HIVE-COVER IN SUCH A WAY AS NOT TO KILL BEES; 

 HOW A FRAME CAN BE LEANED AGAINST THE LEG. 



We will assume that you have a colony of 

 bees in a hive, and that the same have been 

 placed in the back yard. You will now de- 

 sire to know how to open a hive and how to 

 handle it. To open the hive blow three or 

 four puffs of smoke into the entrance of the 

 hive. This is to drive back the guards. 

 With a screwdriver or hive tool enter the blade 

 between the cover and the top of the hive or 

 super as the case may be. Keep on crowd- 

 ing the blade until a little gap of about a 

 sixteenth of an inch is formed. Blow a little 



the smoker with the other. Enter the blade 

 between a pair of frames, and give it a slight 

 twist, blowing a little smoke down between; 

 next loosen the follower, after which it may 

 be removed. Break the connections on each 

 side of the frame to be removed, then set 

 down the smoker and the screwdriver. With 

 the balls of the fore fingers passed down be- 

 tween the ends of the hive and the frame, 

 grab hold of the end-bars of the loosened 

 frame. Very slowly lift iu upward. If you 

 find it still sticks, pry the frames on each 



