32 



ADVANCED BEE-CUr.TURE. 



would be gained, so far as securing 

 straight combs without separators is con- 

 cerned, by having them narrower. 



Aside from the width of sections used, 

 the need of separators depends somewhat 

 upon the fixtures and methods employed, 

 but principally upon the locality. Per- 

 haps it will be asked what bearing local- 

 ity has. It has this: When the honey 

 flow commences suddenly, comes with a 

 rush while it lasts, and stops off short at 

 the end, the combs are all commenced at 

 about the same time, all grow together 

 and are alike, and are finished at the same 

 time, hence they are straight and perfect 

 — no thick, thin, or bulged combs. When 

 the honey resources, or the changes in the 

 weather, are such that the honey flow be- 

 gins slowly, or having commenced, is not 

 steady, it is difficult to secure perfect 

 combs unless separators are used. If the 

 honey flow is light at first, the bees will 

 begin work in the central sections over 

 the brood nest, and when the cells of the 

 most advanced sections have reached that 

 length where, in order to produce a 

 straight, perfect comb, they ought to be 

 sealed over, the bees do not seal them, 

 because the work in the adjoining sec- 

 tions is not sufficiently advanced to re- 

 duce the space between the combs to the 

 right distance. The bees continue to 

 draw out or lengthen the cells ot both 

 sections, aud the result is that the comb 

 of the most advanced sections is bulged 

 out, and the adjoining side of the next 

 comb is made correspondingly concave. 

 Then the outer side of this second section 

 is made convex and bulges into the next 

 section; and this series of curves is con- 

 tinued, increasing with each section, un- 

 til the outside section is reached, which 

 cannot be bulged upon the outside be- 

 cause the side of the case is in the way, 

 consequently this outside section is a slim 

 affair. 



If the first case of sections given a colo- 

 ny in the spring can be filled with partly 

 finished combs kept over from the previ- 

 ous season, I think it results iu several 

 advantages. One advantage is that by a 



little care in arranging the combs, those 

 with cells of about equal depth can be 

 placed together. The combs nearest 

 completion can be placed in the corners 

 and on the outside, and those with the 

 shortest cells in the center. By this 

 method nearly all the combs are comple- 

 ted at almost the same time and with but 

 little bulging, and by the time that an- 

 other case of sections is needed, the colo- 

 ny will have increased in numbers and 

 the flow of honey become so great that 

 work will be commenced at once on all 

 of the sections. 



So far as dispensing with separators is 

 concerned, it may be well to be a little 

 slow in giving sections, unless they can 

 be filled with comb as j ust mentioned. 

 To illustrate: I have waited, before giv- 

 ing sections to a colony, until it was over- 

 flowing with bees, and the flow of honey 

 from clover fully established. Within 

 five minutes after giving the case it was 

 full of bees and they were at work draw- 

 ing out the foundation in every section. 

 I am not inclined to indorse this method, 

 particularly if the bees are Itklians, as 

 this variety of bees is loth to store honey 

 at any great di.stance from the brood nest, 

 and every enticement should be offered to 

 induce them to begin work in the sec- 

 tions, and thus relieve the pressure upon 

 the brood nest Nothing will start bees 

 to swarming any quicker than to have no 

 place to store their honey except in their 

 brood nest. 



Aside from their cost, I know of no ob- 

 jection to the use of separators. Upon 

 the amount of surplus honey secured, I 

 believe their use has no influence. When 

 they are used there is a trifle more labor 

 until we come to crating the honey for 

 market, when the boot is on the other 

 foot, particularly so if the combs are very 

 much bulged. When no separators are 

 used a simpler form of super may be used. 



But, shall I use separators? That is 

 the question that each bee-keeper must 

 answer. If you cannot secure straight 

 combs without, yes. By straight combs 

 is not necessarially n)eant combs as 



