420 HONEY PKODDCTION. 



in the habit of ''tiering out," instead of ''tiering up;" 

 that is, they put the empty or unflnished sections in the 

 middle of the super, removing all that are filled, or placing 

 them on the outside. This is an increase of labor, but some 

 hold I hat it pays. Mr. Doolittle, in his practical pamphlet, 

 "My Management," explains that, at the close of the honey 

 season, he reduces the number of sections on the hive, by 

 narrowing up the surplus room, with a division board, which 

 he calls a " follower." Mr. Doolittle uses both side and 

 top-storing in his hives. 



" As the cases are raised from the sides at this time, the fol- 

 lower is moved up, so as to shut the bees out of half the side 

 cases, unless in case of some extremely populous colony. By 

 this means the working force is thrown into a more compact 

 space, the result of which is a tendency toward completing the 

 sections they have commenced work in, rather than building 

 comb in more. After a week I go over the whole yard again, this 

 time shutting the bees out of the side boxes entirely, which 

 throws the full force of the bees into the top boxes, and, although 

 the honey-season may now be over, by getting this force of bees 

 all together they will cap the partly-filled boxes, where they 

 otherwise would not. This gives sections lighter in weight, but 

 makes much more of our crop in a salable form." 



736. It very often happens that the bees fasten the comb 

 only at the top of the section. For safe transportation it 

 is very important that it should be fastened to the section 

 wall, all around. To secure this, not only do Apiarists use 

 foundation (674), but some have devised "reversible" 

 section cases. When the sections are turned over, the 

 empty space now at the top, seems unnatural to the bees, 

 and they hasten to fill it, making a solid comb in the sec- 

 tion. But this is not the only method. 



"Years ago my sections were always filled so full by the bees, 

 that tJiey carried very securely in transportation. Afterwards I 

 began to have trouble from combs breaking down. It was due, 

 perhaps, mainly to the bees having too much surplus room. 

 Some sections would be filled with a nice comb of honey, not 



