THE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEW. 



103 



little time being taken iu reversing. Ours 

 was made to order, for us, by Mr. Newcomb, 

 and was similar in all respects to the Stanley 

 pattern, except that it had gearing and a 

 brake, both of which are indispensable in all 

 large macliiues. 1 liked the working of this 

 machine the best of any I have ever used, 

 and should I ever order another machine for 

 use in large apiary, should get one similar to 

 It. 



One man, a native Cuban, and not a very 

 strong person either, uncajiped and extracted 

 on some days from 1..500 to 2,000 pounds a 

 day, and could easily have done the same 

 amount of work every day had the work 

 been there to do. 



You are right in saying that the most tire- 

 some part of raising extracted honey is in 

 getting the bees off the combs, and I am in 

 hopes the bee-escape will help us out of it, 

 but so far as I know this is yet to be tested. 

 I find that two persons working together 

 can get bees off the combs easier and more 

 economically than if each worked alone — 

 one to shake each comb and brush one side 

 free from bees while the other brushes the 

 other side with one hand and uses the 

 smoker with the other. If too much 

 smoke is used, the honey "is liable to be 

 injured in flavor. I know one entire crop of 

 honey that acquired quite a smoky flavor 

 this way. 



As for the best general method of working 

 for extracted honey, I inefer to use what is 

 known as the " single story " system ; as I 

 think that I not only keep enough better 

 knowledge and control of the condition and 

 needs of each colony, but that the actual 

 yield of surplus honey much more than pays 

 for the extra labor that method requires. 

 This applies more especially where l)ees are 

 kept under such conditions as are usual iu 

 the northern states. But, under the condi- 

 tions we found in Cuba, 1 should use double 

 story hives. I have had no practical experi- 

 ence with what is known as the Dadant 

 method, the one you favor so strongly in 

 your editorial, and may I ask whether your 

 views have been formed from a large actual 

 use of that method, or from theory only ? 

 But in using both single and double story 

 hives I long since took a decided liking for 

 large over small hives. I want no small, re- 

 stricted brood chambers when working for 

 extracted honey. 



You say that the key to success in caring 

 for extracted honey, to preserve its fine 

 qualities, is " Exclusion from the air." 

 This is not correct iu ordinary seasons in 

 the dry climate of Iowa, but is an impera- 

 tive necessity in Cuba and here in Florida, 

 as in both these places the finest qualities of 

 honey would be utterly ruined by a three 

 months exposure to the air. Even comb 

 honey can be kept, off ihe hive, but a short 

 time. I presume the s^ime conditions prevail 

 with you in Michigan I nt to a less extent, as 

 well as in all sections near large bodies of 

 water. Nearly or quite all extracted honey 

 contains, when first taken, no matter how 

 well cured it may have been in the hive, a 

 suiall amount of thin or watery honey. 

 This thin honey, or water, will, if run into 

 dishes or barrels from the extractor, and 



sealed up, rise to the top, and will candy 

 much slower if at all, and should always be 

 removed before licjuifying the balance, or it 

 will impart a bad flavor to all. To obviate 

 this I always use deep cans, at least three or 

 four feet deep, into which honey is run from 

 the extractor and allowed to stand over 

 night, at least, longer if possible. This al- 

 lows all the thin honey to rise to the top, 

 when the noney is drawn from the bot- 

 tom, leaving several inches in the can 

 undrawn. This is a very important point 

 in handling extracted honey, and deserv- 

 es more attention than has yet been given 

 it. 



Before commencing this article I thought 

 to devote some of it to a discussion with you 

 on those points you make in your editorial 

 referring to the great superiority of honey 

 that has been cured in the hive over that well 

 cured outside, but think best not to do so, 

 as neither of us have ever made any really 

 scientific investigation of this matter, and 

 there is little practical value in discussing 

 theories. Your views seem to have been 

 largely formed from comparing honey cured 

 in the hive with that cured in open vessels 

 outside. A little thought will, I think, con- 

 vince any one that the comparison is of little 

 value, as the former method is much the best 

 for purposes of evaporation only. Correct 

 comparisons can only be made between 

 methods o! equal evaporating powers. I un- 

 derstand Prof. Cooke is charged with the 

 duty of making scientific investigation of 

 questions connected with bee culture, and as 

 this is a very important point, I would sug- 

 gest that he be asked to examine it. I would 

 suggest that al)out the middle of the main 

 honey harvest near at hand, that he insert a 

 number of sections tilled with empty comb 

 in the middle of some of his supers, so all 

 will be filled at the same time with the same 

 quality of honey. That part of these be left 

 on strong colonies for several weeks until as 

 well cured as bees can do it, that the others 

 be removed as soon as filled before much 

 curing, the honey extracted and then thor- 

 oughly but slowly evaporated by artificial 

 means. I would suggest the Solar Wax Ex- 

 tractor as one of the methods to be used. 

 Samples of these honeys can then be given a 

 thorough chemical test, and can also be sub- 

 mitted to some of our best experts for their 

 judgement. 



Hawks Park, Fla. 



April 30, Wm. 



Wide Top and Bottom Bars : Honey Ripened 



in the Hive is Best but Costs the Most ; 



Storing Extracted Honey in Combs. 



W. T. F. PETTY, 



IRIEND HUTCHINSON :— I am very 



glad you mentioned what Mr. Drew, 



of Iowa, had to say about wide top 



bars projecting beyond the comb sur- 



"greatly increasing llie labor in uncap- 



