17 



super, to carry the honey from the wet combs in the super, 

 and to store it in the brood combs. When the combs in the 

 super are quite dry, the tin shde is pushed back over the 

 hole, so that the only exit for the bees is through the escape. 

 In this way the super is freed from bees, and can then be 

 taken off and stored away ready for use the following season. 

 The most profitable system is to work for extracted honey. 

 It takes from 10 to 20 lb. of honey to make one pound of 

 beeswax, so that when a section is sold the bee-keeper parts 

 with a valuable asset in the form of wax, the latter being 

 consumed with the honey. Shallow combs can be used for an 

 unlimited number of years. They are always clean, as brood 

 rearing is not allowed to take place in them, and the longer 

 they are used the tougher and stronger they become. It will 

 therefore be seen that for every pound of wax in the form of 

 comb already built which is given to the bees for filling, a 

 considerable amount of honey is saved. An economy in the 

 time and labour spent by the bees in comb construction is 

 also effected. 



Subduing and Handling Bees. — The chief attributes 

 necessary for handling bees successfully, and with the 

 minimum number of stings, are a knowledge of the habits 

 of the bee, firm but gentle movements, adequate protection of 

 the manipulator and proper subjugation of the bees. 



The only protection necessary is a veil for the face (Fig. 8). 

 This is made of black mosquito netting, with an elastic band 

 both top and bottom, fitting tightly round the crown of the 

 hat and under the collar of the coat to prevent the ingress of 

 the bees. This gives confidence, and also prevents the dis- 

 figurement which would be caused by stings received on the 

 face. Gloves should not be worn as they conduce to clumsi- 

 ness, which will irritate the bees. Tight fitting garments to 

 prevent the bees creeping underneath sleeves or up the trousers 

 are also essential. 



Subjugation is carried out by frightening the bees. When 

 frightened they gorge themselves with honey, and in this 

 condition are not inclined to sting. For this purpose one of 

 two subjugators can be used — a smoker (Fig. 9) or a carbolic 

 cloth. The former consists of a tin cylinder having a conical 

 nozzle, open at the pointed end. This is fastened to a pair of 

 bellows with a connection between the two at the back. 

 Ordinaiy thick brown paper, corrugated paper, or fustian, is 

 rolled into a cartridge, lighted, and placed in the furnace of 

 the smoker, with the lighted end downwards. When the 

 bellows are worked a volume of smoke is emitted from the 

 nozzle and can be driven in any direction. A carbolic cloth 

 is made by sprinkling a piece of calico, the size of the quilt, 

 with a solution of one...Mrt Calvert's No. 5 carbolic acid to 

 two"paftf~6T''WSIei\ When not m use this is kept m an air- 

 ""liiKrtin*'Box m order that it should not lose its odour. 



