SMOKE AND SMOKERS 
08 
Sometimes beginners in their eagerness 
to test new smokers work the bellows so 
vigorously as to blow fire from the nozzle, 
and before they know it the fire-box is red- 
hot. This means, of course, that the tin 
is all burned off,, leaving the bare iron to 
rust thru in a short time. There is usually 
no need of having a hot flame in the fire¬ 
box, for this implies perfect combustion. 
The secret of getting plenty of smoke is 
to have imperfect combustion. For this 
reason it is best to use fuels that burn _ 
slowly. 
While it is impossible to avoid dropping 
a smoker once n a while, as a rule bee- 
The grate will usually keep (.lean; but in 
some cases when it gets stopped up, insert 
the point of a file into one of the holes and 
Fig. 5.—How to hold the smoker when raising 
the cap. Compress the bellows in order to give 
the fingers a firmer hold. 
lift it out. It can then be easily cleaned 
and replaced. 
Fig. 4 —It is very seldom the grate becomes so 
filled up that it. has to be cleaned; but when this 
does happen it is the work of only a moment to in¬ 
sert the point of a file in one of the holes and lift 
out the grate, as here shown. It pays to keep the 
grates clean. There are a larger number of holes 
near the outside of the grate than in the center, 
consequently the fuel burns evenly and does not 
throw sparks until it is all consumed. 
smokers are handled pretty roughly. It 
does not take long to learn to use reason¬ 
able care in handling a smoker, whereby it 
will last enough longer to pay. 
When a fuel is used in which there is a 
good deal of pitch it is sometimes difficult 
to raise the cap or nozzle after the fire is 
out and the metal has become cold. There 
are numerous instances in which the cap 
has been battered almost out of shape after 
being stuck down solid. It is always best 
where such fuel is used to raise the cap 
when putting the smoker away. If it is 
left open there will be no sticking. 
Fig. 6.—The convenience of a hook in the back 
of the bellows. The smoker is always at hand at 
a second’s notice. 
HOW TO USE A SMOKER. 
Perhaps the majority of beekeepers un¬ 
derstand using a smoker without any spe- 
