216 



THE BEE-KEEPER'S REVIEW 



moth are pretty well destroyed by a low 

 temperature. In other cases the majority 

 of the eggs are saved in hives where the 

 heat of the baes has kept it from being 

 destroyed by the normally low tempera- 

 tures. This being the case, as a rule the 

 first combs which fall a victim to the bee- 

 moth are brood-chambers in which the 

 bees have died during winter or spring. 

 How shall this be prevented? 



Instead of doing as, years ago, I did, 

 and as many instruct now, closing up the 

 brood-chambers and supers, keeping the 

 moth from entering as far as possible, I 

 now let the air circulate freely through 

 the combs, letting the light in, and thus 

 making non-existent the favorite condi- 

 tions of the moth. 



Last year, owing to the failure of the 

 white honey crop, with some 8,000 combs, 

 without a bee upon them for ten months, 

 I did not lose one from the moth, but they 

 were put in supers or hives with the bot- 

 tom board and cover removed piled up in 

 open break joint style under cover, and 

 sun light indirectly and air directly given 

 access to them. The combs were, of 

 course, kept apart in each super or brood- 

 chamber. This is the experience of other 

 years, and to me the bee-moth is no 

 longer a troublesome pest under such 

 conditions. 



I may say. however, that I sent out a 

 dozen hives with combs having cover and 

 bottom boards, and the entrances closed, 

 ail l;eing ready upon removal of entrance- 

 blocks for colonies which had been bar- 

 gained for. The majority of these combs 

 were destroyed by the moth. 



I am, of course, quite aware that pollen 

 in combs adds to the danger; but even 

 then, in our more northerly climate, at 

 least, the ravages of the bee-moth can be 

 kept in check by exposure to light and air. 



UNCAPPING COMB5. 



Some Hints on the Construction of an 

 Uncapping Can. 



The season for uncapping honey is now 

 at hand, and any hints that will help in 

 the v/ork ought to be welcome. That very 

 practicle and ingenious bee-keeper, Mr. 

 C. W. Dayton, of California, contributes 

 some excellent advice and hints to Glean- 

 ings and from them 1 make the following 

 extracts: - 



While 1 am waiting to hear some dis- 



cussion from, others on the question of 

 honey-knives there will be time to look 

 into the matter of uncapping utensils. 

 The Dadant can is all right for 50 to 75 

 colonies, except that it do3s not permit of 

 the feet of the operator extending under 

 it, and on this account the workman is 

 compelled to remain at a distance from 

 the can. This is a fault which needs cor- 

 rection. It is, indeed, restful to lean for- 

 ward against the cappings-receptacle, 

 and it is especially the case where there 

 are many hours of steady work. Where 

 the outside helper has bent over the hives 

 a long time in taking out combs of honey 

 and feels as if a seat would rest his 

 weary self, if he can help uncap and lean 

 against the capping-can it is as good as 

 half a seat, and a little longer space of 

 time will give sufficient restfulness. 



A capping-can should be at leasr 26 

 inches in diameter, so that two persons 

 can work. For 200 to SOO colonies it 

 should not be less than S4 or 35 inches 

 in diameter. It needs that size for two 

 persons working steadily. I know that 

 they can get along with more cramped 

 conditions for a while at first. But a 

 larger can costs but a few cents more, 

 any way. 



There are a great many large wooden 

 boxes in use in this state which ought to 

 be pitched out of the back door, but a 

 round, convenient metal box instead, hav- 

 ing a nicely fitting cover to keep out flies, 

 bees, and vermin when not in use. Such 

 a one 1 have had in use for the past ten 

 or fifteen years, and I know all about its 

 advantages. 



A lO-inch space under the cap-can 

 will admit of a pail or a five-gallon can 

 being laid down on its side, and having a 

 3x3-inch hole cut in its side. The cap- 

 can should be set to draining every even- 

 ing, or during working hours, and the 

 nunev poured into the extracror where it 

 will Tind its way into the tanks with the 

 regular run o^ honey. 



When cappings accumulate in the cap- 

 ping-can, and get in liiC way of the 

 working, they are taken out and pounded 

 down hard in a tank with considerable 

 honey adhering to them. This keeps 

 moths from working in the cappings until 

 they are ready to have the wax rendered 

 from them, whether it should be a year 

 or several years thereafter. 1 leave the 

 melting of the wax until there is plenty 

 of leisure time, and good fires in the 

 kitchen stove in winter, nnr] there are 

 plenty of bee journals and '^ooks to be 

 read. Don't fuss with such .hingswhen 

 there is .plenty of out-side ;«piary work, 

 such as extracting honey or rearing 



