48 
A YEAR AMONG THE BEES. 
ting it- where the thermometer showed a temperature of 100° 
and upward, I felt safe in trying a bottom starter of at least 
%-ineh. I mean that the starter measured %-inch before 
fastened in the section. I put in some thousands of this size 
and I am, so far, pleased with them. I have, however, tried 
them only one season, and that a very poor one, so that most 
of them remain unfilled. 
The upper starter was of such size that a space of not more 
than 34-ineh was left between the upper and lower starters. 
I tried some yi-'vaa h or less, but in some cases, at least, the 
bees seemed to think such a little starter had no business 
there, and tore it down. A few supers had bottom starters 
measuring 1 inch; I hadn’t faith enough to try many of so 
large size. These, however, worked perfectly well and I 
shall hereafter use nothing less, and will experiment further 
perhaps, to see how much larger can be used. I do not know 
however, that there would be any gain in having the bottom 
starter larger. 
As fast as the sections are filled with starters they are 
piled up on boards, as before, and afterward filled into 
supers. The separators are put in at the same time, and the 
supers piled up in the store-room till needed to put on the 
hives. 
There is a feeling of real satisfaction in seeing the larger 
part of the store-room filled with piles of supers ready to go 
on the hives. How many times I have counted them and 
admired the nice even piles reaching to the ceiling ! Per- 
haps I should not appreciate them so much if I had not, years 
ago, felt the annoyance of running out of sections or founda- 
tion right in the middle of the honey season, waiting days 
for it, and the honey wasting. Now, however, I am favored 
in being so near to that reliable firm, Thos. ft. Newman & 
Sou, that I can get any thing in the line of supplies in half a 
day. 
