70 FORTY YEARS AMONG THE BEES. 



never needing to be cleaned, while those who like the 

 strong blast will be willing to spend the time occasionally 

 cleaning the Crane. 



CLEATS ON SMOKERS. 



Using a smoker all day long is a hard thing on the 

 muscles that work the bellows, and the stiffer the spring 

 of the bellows the more tiresome the work. But unless 

 the spring be quite stiff, the smoker will drop out of the 

 hand when the grasp is relaxed so as to allow the bellows 

 to open. I think it was W. L. Coggshall who suggested 

 little cleats on the smoker, and these cleats have given 

 great satisfaction. They are merely strips of wood one- 

 fourth inch by one-eighth, extending across the upper 

 end of each bellows-board and half way down the sides 

 (Fig. 80). The sharp edges of the cleats cling to the 

 fingers, allowing the spring to be — I don't know just how 

 much weaker, but I should guess only half as strong as 

 without the cleats. Some smokers are made with a chan- 

 nel cut in the bellows-board, but that doesn't begin to 

 compare with the cleats. 



SMOKER-FUEL. 



It is a matter of much importance to have plenty 

 of the right fuel and lighting material. Time is precious 

 during the busy season, and it is trying on the temper 

 to have to spend much time getting a smoker started, or 

 relighting it when it has gone out. There are a great 

 many different things that can be used for fuel, and it is 

 largely a matter of convenience as to what is best for 

 each one. Pine needles, rotten wood, sound wood, ex- 

 celsior rammed down hard, planer shavings, greasy cot- 

 ton-waste thrown awav along the railroad, peat, rags, 

 corn-cobs, old bags — in fact almost anything that will 

 burn may be used in a smoker. Whatever is used, how- 



