THE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEW 



23S 



apex of the triangle a V-'^ch hole is 

 bored to receive the tin tube, which should 

 open at its lower end into the triangular 

 recess in the lower block. 



If using the standard hives, we make 

 tin tubes ^4x10 inches, with an opening 

 )sxlO extending from one end to the 

 other; or tubes of perforated tin would 

 probably be a little better. We wax the 

 tubes inside to give the bees a foothold, or 

 they may bs given a coat of thin paint 

 and sanded. We make these tubes by 

 nailing on a piece of 4x4. 12 inches long, 

 two strips -'4X^4x12. just -'4 inch apart, 

 side by side. Lay over this opening be- 

 tween the two strips a piece of tin about 

 2*4x10 inches. On this lay a round steel 

 rod ?4xl2; force the rod down, carrying 

 the tin into the depression between the 

 two strips ■^4x'4xl2. We now have 

 trough-shaped pieces of tin. 10 inches 

 long. With a mallet pound down over the 

 rod the projecting edges of the tin, then 

 remove the rod and tin tube, pull out the 

 rod, and shape the tube by a few taps of 

 the mallet until the opening between the 

 edges is about "sxlO inches. To keep 



trate the machine for our benefit. Mr. 

 Dudley has his tin tubes made at the tin 

 shop. 



THE DUDLEY TUBE. 



this crack of the right size, a drop of 

 solder might be attached at ends and 

 middle. Wax or paint and sand the tubes 

 inside. Doubtless the machine hinted at, 

 in the December '06 Review, by C. W. 

 Dayton, would form these tubes more 

 rapidly and do a much better job. Per- 

 haps Mr. Dayton will describe and illus- 



HOW THE TUBE IS USED. 



With a supply of these fixtures we go 

 into one of our comb honey yards. Here 

 is a strong colony which we will treat on 

 the new plan. We find the queen, put 

 her with the frame of brood on which she 

 IS found, (after destroying any queen-cells 

 that may be on this frame) into a new 

 hive-body. Fill out this new hive body 

 by putting on each outside, a frame of 

 honey and pollen; then five frames with 

 starters or full sheets of foundation in the 

 remaining space. Usually we have used 

 starters, but during 1906 we used mostly 

 full sheets of foundation — had to, to get 

 worker combs. At this stage of the pro- 

 cess Mr. Dudley uses three thick dum- 

 mies, one frame of brood bees, and queen, 

 and four frames with starters, and has 

 been very successful in getting worker 

 comb, so 1 think his plan of temporary 

 contraction with these tube swarms 

 worthy of trial. Into an outside comb of 

 the old brood-nest we pour some water, 

 und instead of replacing its lid we use a 

 bottom-board for a lid. On this bottom- 

 board we set the new brood-nest prepared 

 as above, the bottom-board of the new 

 hive forming a bee-tight lid to the old 

 brood-nest. Now nail over the old en- 

 trance the double entrance block with the 



