1877. 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



243 



it ever falls down, it will be higher than be- 

 fore. The bellows is simply a strip of strong 

 leather, tacked to tlie edges of two square 

 boards. That we may liave nothing to get 

 out of rig, we dispense with valves entirely, 

 and have simply a hole cut in the bottom of 

 the ''kettle,"' to match a similar one, in the 

 upper board of the bellows. By removing 

 the upper part, we can kindle a fire with 

 coals, or with some matches and sticks, as 

 easily as we could in the fire place, and when 

 the chimney is on,, it will burn almost any- 

 thing, chips, rags, or sound or rotten wood, 

 and it is not very important whether it is 

 wet or dry. After being once filled, it will 

 burn several hours, and I do not know that 

 any directions are needed for using it. If 

 you wish to drive the smoke into any hive, 

 first blow out the ashes, for if we are obliged 

 to smoke our bees, we wish to give them 

 clean smoke, and nothing else, and then 

 blow the smoke just where you want it. 

 The shape of the upper part, or funnel, is 

 such that there is very little danger of any 

 fire getting out, even if no wire cloth is used 

 over the mouth, and if you first give it a puff 

 to dislodge any loose matter, there will be 

 very little chance of blowing ashes or fire 

 among the bees. 



One of the greatest objections to using 

 burning rags, rotten wood, or anything else, 

 in the hand, or in an open dish, is that sparks 

 may get on the quilt, in the sawdust, or 

 where they may do harm about the apiary. 

 A visitor once showed me how I could use 

 a piece of rotten wood in my hand, and in 

 less than 24 hours, I got the sawdust on fire, 

 and biirned up one of my best colonies. Dur- 

 ing dry hot summer weather, it behooves us 

 to be very careful. In the smoker, as shown 

 in the engraving, the fuel is so safely en- 

 closed, that it can be put away, even while 

 it contains fire ; and if undisturbed it will 

 smoulder away slowly, until wanted. A few 

 puffs will then give a brisk smoke, almost 

 instantly. 



Now aside from its good qualities for sub- 

 duing bees, this smoker is a most excellent 

 device for entertaining children. If you 

 hold it by the upper board, and tap lighly on 

 the under one, it will send out the beautiful 

 revolving rings of smoke, that our artist has 

 attempted to picture. When making the 

 machine, I had no idea of pi-oducing this 

 Avell known philosoiihical curiosity, and up- 

 on setting the first one made, down a little 

 hastily, the spinning ring that ascended, en- 

 larging as it went up, forcibly reminded me 

 of the genii of old, who came out of the cop- 



per cup. 



There is one more item in regard to these 

 smokers, but my wife has forbidden me to 

 mention it. As she has gone away to-day, 1 

 enjoy an unusual amount of liberty, and 

 liave conluded to take the risk. Many of 

 you perhaps know that much tJiought has 

 been spent in devising some means of hand- 

 ling refractory children. Shutting tiiem up 

 in a dark room, drenching them witli cold 

 water, and the like, have serious objections, 



but a bellows smoker do you not see the 



pointy After they are perfectly subdued, 

 have promised to be good, and have got 

 through wiping their eyes, you can show 

 them the rings of smoke, just to make every- 

 thing all pleasant again, "you know." 



The price of the smoker will be 75 cents, 

 or sent by mail in a stout wooden box $1.00. 

 A larger size will be made for $1.00 should 

 it be called for. As there are many careless 

 people in this world of ours, the folks who 

 live at our house included, we sliall keep 

 constantly on hand all the different parts, 

 ready to send by mail. If you get excited 

 and leave your smoker where it may be 

 stepped on, we will send you a new tin case, 

 for a few cents, or a new leather, if you 

 should leave it out in the rain. As it is all 

 put together with screws, anybody can take 



it apart. 



■ — • ♦ » 



The colony mentioned on page 248, that would not 

 rear a queen, built a fine lot of queen cells, as soon 

 as the queer looking worker was removed. 



I AM very glad indeed, to tell you I think there will 

 be no difficulty in furnishing dollar queens from im- 

 ported mothers, as light as any we have, and yet as 

 good honey gatherers as the dark ones. At least two 

 of our Importation "fill the bill," but it may be diffi- 

 cult to send out many of them, before another 



season. 



« ♦ • 



Now be sure you have no bees starve out and de- 

 sert their hives about this time of the year, for it is a 

 vast deal easier to go through the apiary and exam- 

 ine every stock and nucleus, than to chase after a 

 single one that deserts for want of food. Run no 

 risks, but if you find one that will probably be out in 

 the course of a month, commence feeding it noiv, or 

 unite it with another. Do not guess, but be sure 

 they have an abundance. If you have more than 

 you can take good care of, sell them or give them 

 away 7wu', rather than keep them half starved until 

 spring, and then let them die. I have had some bit- 

 ter experience of my own in the matter. If we go 

 right to work this minute, getting our colonies ready 

 for winter, I think it possible, with the light we now 

 have, to winter without loss. Put j'our bees on as 

 few combs as possible, get these combs heavy with 

 solid sealed stores, and I will tell you what farther 

 to do next month. It is much easier to go bee-hunt- 

 iiiy (ir \isitin<i-, than to stiij- at home and fuss with 

 cross lices, after the honey season is over, but "busi- 

 ness tirst, and pleasure afterward," is to be the mot- 

 to of the bee-keeper. 



