iHE BEE-REEPERS' REVIEW. 



227 



comba. Will Mr. Aspinwall tell us hia ex- 

 perience and viewB regarding the absence 

 of drones preventing swarming? 



The Valae of Drawn Combs in Sections. 



Here is an article copied from Gleanings. 

 It was contributed bv our old friend and 

 correspondent, B. Taylor. I copy the arti- 

 cle for two reasons. First, it contains time- 

 ly and valuable information, and, secondly, 

 it contains some criticisms on my views 

 recently expressed in some articles publish- 

 ed in the American Bee Journal, and I think 

 that the criticisms are more the result of 

 misunderstanding than of real difference of 

 opinion. Bro. Taylor says : — 



'* In reply to the questions of Deans & 

 Merrill I will explain that the chief reason 

 for using two pieces of foundation in each 

 section is, that thereby we can induce the 

 bees to build the combs solid to the bottom 

 as well as the tops of the sections. When a 

 piftglefull sheet is U'^ed, the pieces must not 

 come nearer than }^ inch of the bottom of 

 the section, because the foundation stretch- 

 es as the bees work it out ; and if the pieces 

 come near or touch the bottom there would 

 be no room for it to stretch ; yet, settle it 

 would ; and to find room it would buckle to 

 one side and make the surface of the honey 

 untrue. I now have all my comb honey 

 built solid to all parts of the sections. The 

 comb is finished to about ^g inch from the 

 edges of the sections, and sealed solid clear 

 up to the wood, and the surface of the comb 

 is as smooth and true as a planed board. I 

 do it by using full sheets of foundation in 

 two pieces, in connection with narrow sec- 

 tions ( 1^2 inches ), and the handy slotted 

 and cleated separators ; and the three means 

 here mentioned are all vital if we are to be 

 certain to have perfect work. 



Section honey produced in this way not 

 only looks extremely nice, but, if crated and 

 packed properly, it may be shipped by freight 

 in lC)0-ponnd lots or over, with greatest 

 safety. Now, mind you, this fine finished 

 honey does not cost one farthing more to 

 produce than the miserable, ragged, half- 

 sealed stuff that is to be found in every city 

 and country store. It is true, the handy 

 slotted separators cost each more than com- 

 mon tin or wood ones ; but as I use only 

 three of them in a 24-section T case, and as 

 a set of them will, if made as my own are, 

 and used with proper care, l^st a life time, 

 they are cheaper than those in common use 

 in the end. 



Some bee-keepers use and argue for start- 

 ers of foundation in sections because of the 

 cost of full sheets. I never count the cost 

 producing a crop of honev except in con- 

 nection with the profits. If, at the end of 

 the season, the balance is on the right side 

 of the ledger. I care not for outlay ; and. 

 friends, I will here tell you that old stingy 



cheap ways of doing things are past, never 

 to return. I shall use more than $100 worth 

 of sugar in my apiary this season, and I ex- 

 pect to produce yilt-edged honey at less 

 cost than old-fashioned rost-fearing bee- 

 keepers will produce their poor goods. 



In using two pieces of foundation I cut 

 the bottom piece IJ'.j inches long for 4J^ 

 sections and '.^ inch wide; and I prefer 

 heavy foundation for these bottom pieces, 

 so it will not lop over when warm. The top 

 piece is cut the same length, and wide enough 

 to come Ja inch from the f^ottom piece. 

 This is necessary to give the top piece room 

 to stretch in working out ; and I fa-ten the 

 found tion with melted wax in a way that it 

 is sure to stick, and exactly in the center of 

 thp section. 



Before closing this article I must say a 

 word in regard to the importance of sections 

 of drawn combs in securing the white hon- 

 ey in sections. In that splendid article of 

 W. Z. Hutchinson's, on ' Producing Comb 

 Honev. ' in the American Bee Journal for 

 April 16, 1866, he says : 



If the flow should open very suddenly, or, at 

 least, become very prof use soon alter it opens, 

 stieete of foundation in the sections may be as 

 good as drawn combs ; but when it comes on 

 gradually, drawn combs, or, at least, a few 

 sections of such in each super as "bait," as it 

 is called, are a decided advantage If I could 

 have my choice, however, I should be glad to 

 have all the sections in the first super filled 

 with drawn, or partly drawn, combs. I have 

 seen seasons in which I was well satisfied that a 

 case of partly drawn sections of comb to give a 

 colony at first meant just one more case of 

 finished honey. A colony given a case of combs 

 would have those combs filled, and be com- 

 menced npon a second case of sections by the 

 titne that a colony given simply foundation had 

 mnde a start. This difference is more noticahle 

 with Italians than with blacks. The Italians 

 cling to the brood-nest until actually forced out 

 of it. If a bee hatches, and the queen doe.sn't 

 stand ready to put iu an egg, it is qaite likely to 

 be filled with honey, (iive such a colony a case 

 of sections filled with partly drawn combs, and 

 the bees will store honey in the combs just about 

 as readily as in the combs below— a long time 

 before they will draw out foundation in the 

 sections. Combs in the sections relieve_ the 

 pre.ssure npon the brood-nest. More brood is the 

 result. Yes, and it starts the bees to storing 

 above the brood-nest and. having made a 

 start, they are sure to c mtinue it. Con- 

 sidering ttie value of drawn combs for this 

 purpose, I should not try, to any great extent, 

 to restrict the number of unfinished sections at 

 the end of the season. 



While I regard Mr. H's article as a whole 

 as one of the best that has ever appeared on 

 producing comb honey, yet I am quite sure 

 he has made some slight mistakes, and I will 

 point them out. I have had more experience, 

 doubtless, in using drawn combs in sections 

 than any other honey-producer, and I know 

 that brother Hutchinson iswroig in saying, 

 'If the flow should open very suddenlv, or. 

 at least, become verv orofuse soon after it 

 opens, sheets of foundation may be as good 

 as drawn combs. ' After years of experience 

 I know that there is no time in which 

 drawn combs can be u-edto ouch good effect 

 as at the rush that comes with the opening 

 of the basBwood harvest. This seldom lasts 



