FORTY YEARS AMONG THE BEES. 75 



needed. But if all the bees are to be cleaned off, and 

 the combs are not very light, then brushing must be re- 

 sorted to. I know of no brush better than one made of 

 some growing plant, such as asparagus, sweet clover, 

 goldenrod, aster, etc. No little bit of a thing, but a good, 

 big bunch, well tied together with a string (Fig. 27). 



But like many a thing that costs nothing, these weed 

 brushes are too expensive, for they dry up so that a fresh 

 one must be made every day, and that takes a good deal 

 of time. So I generally use a Coggshall brush (Fig. 28). 

 The essential thing about a Coggshall brush is that it 

 must be made of long broom-corn with a very thin brush, 

 and not trimmed at all at the ends. One of these is 

 always in the tool-basket. 



Of course no shaking or pounding of combs is admissi- 

 ble if queen-cells are on the combs that are considered 

 of any value. 



TOOL-BASKET. 



The tool-basket spoken of is simply a common splint 

 basket (Fig. 29). At different times I have had differ- 

 ent arrangements for carrying the things most generally 

 needed, at least two different tool-boxes having been 

 made for that special purpose with separate compart- 

 ments for the various articles. But the basket is lighter, 

 and although things get a little mixed up in it, it seems 

 to have the preference at present. At one time I tried to 

 keep an outfit at each apiary — smoker, hive-tools, etc. — 

 so that there should be no need to carry anything from 

 one apiary to another, but one gets used to tools and pre- 

 fers to use the same ones day after day, so the basket is 

 used. 



CONTENTS OF TOOL-BASKET. 



Of course, the number of objects carried in a basket 

 must be somewhat limited. The bulkiest part is the 

 apron, sleeves and gloves of my assistant. The record- 



