THE AUSTRALIAN - BEEKEEPERS’ JOURNAL. 
i 
Miller does. In the spring I break off the out- 
side of the combs. 
Several spoke of leaving the partly-finished 
combs until the dark honey harvest. 
THE ZINC QUEEN-EXCLUDER. 
Mr. A. I. Root said that the first size of perfo- 
rated zinc that he made was too small ; it 
troubled even the workers to get through. The 
next size was a little too large, and queens 
could probably squeeze through it. He now 
makes a size between the other two, which was 
probably the correct size. He said that he once 
had trouble with brace-combs being built to the 
bottoms of sections. He could not believe that 
a honey-board would allow him to take off a 
super, slick and clean, as Mr. Heddcn said that 
it would. He thought that we all ought to be 
thankful to Mr. Heddon for his persistence in 
bringing the honey-board before the public. 
Mr. Heddon called attention to the discussion 
thot took place last winter at the meeting of the 
Michigan Bee-Keepers’ Association, in regard to 
the number and size of openings needed in a 
honey-board. Two rows of perforations had 
proved sufficient. He believed that one row 
would be sufficient for a strong colony. One 
row of perforation in each strip of zinc was 
certainly more passage-way than was needed. 
MARKETING HONEY. 
R. A. Burnett— It is a fact that honey is sold 
only in a small way in warm weather. Honey 
does not carry so well in hot weather as in 
moderately cool weather. It leaks more, and 
soils the cases. October and November appear 
to be the best months for shipping, It is the 
privilege of the consignor to limit the price. 
It certainly relieves the commission man of 
much responsibilily. Sometimes it results in 
gain, sometimes in loss. The pound section 
seems to have driven out about all other sizes. 
The 60-pound, square tin-can, jacketed with 
wood, is the best for shipping extracted honey. 
There is no leakage, and the honey is kept per- 
fectly. 
HONEY-BOARDS. 
President Miller said that he had experienced 
some trouble the past season by bees building 
brace-combs above the slatted honey-boards. 
He could not say why they had done so. He 
looked upon the honey-board as a great inven- 
tion, but had hopes that it might yet be dis- 
carded. 
Mr. Heddon asked upon what he based his 
hopes. 
The President could not say, but thought 
that more wonderful things than this had 
occurred. 
Mr. Heddon did not believe that, so long as 
the instinct of the bees remained as at present,- 
the honey-board would be discarded. 
W- T. F. Petty reported that he had used 
thick top-bars, and very few brace-combs were 
built above them — so few that no honey-board 
was needed. 
J. A. Green had had brace-combs built over all 
zinc honey-boards, but it was the result of their 
sagging. 
Chas. H. Green had used top-bars I of an 
inch square. It lessened the number of brace- 
combs, but not to such an extent that honey- 
boards could be dispensed with. 
Mr. Heddon — When I began using the 
Langstroth hive, the top-bars were 1J wide, 
which made the openings between the top-bars 
a trifle over J of an inch. I had much trouble 
by the bees building brace-eombs and wax 
between the top-bars. I reduced the top-bars 
in width, and was surprised to see that less 
combs were built between the top-bars, but more 
above them. 
A. I. Root had had the same experience. He 
reduced the top-bars in width, by cutting them 
down with a jack-plane. 
J. A. Green — I once bought some bees in hives 
having frames with J square top-bars. The 
bees filled the spaces between them with hard 
wax, and built just as many brace-combs above 
them, as in the other hives. 
Mr. Heddon — I do not see how Dr. Miller can 
think that the honey-board will ever be 
abandoned. I would be just as glad as any one 
to lay it aside, but I do not see how it can be 
done. 
President Miller — The experience of Mr. 
Petty is a pointer in that direction. 
Mr. Heddon — Yes, but the experience of 
these other men is a pointer in the opposite 
direction. Then there is this much about it, 
what he calls a “ few ” brace-combs, I might 
call a good many. 
Mr. Petty — I have 150 colonies, and I will 
admit that I never used the honey-board, 
simply because I have seen no necessity for it. 
GETTING BEES OUT OF SECTIONS. 
Some member said that he had read in the 
American Bee Journal that Mr. Heddon had 
some method of gelting bees out of supers with- 
out removing the supers from the hive, and he 
would be glad if he would disclose this secret. 
Mr. Heddon — I decline. 
President Miller mentioned the plan of dt v- 
ing out as many bees as possible with smoke, 
then piling 8 or 10 supers on ODe hive, and 
having one person work the smoke vigorously 
upon the upper super, which will drive the bees 
down, when a second person snatches it off be- 
fore the bees have time to return. 
Chas. H. Green spoke of leaning the case 
against the side of the hive, and allowing the 
bees to crawl back into the hive. This is an 
excellent plan when robbers do not trouble. 
J. A. Green spoke a favorable word for the 
“ Reese escape.” 
Mr. Heddon was again urged to disclose his 
plan. 
Mr. Heddon — Mr. President, may I speak 
right out in meeting. 
President Miller — Yes. 
Mr. Heddon — Well, this invention is partly 
that of my son, and so thoroughly has he been 
