BEE-spoke-data/bees-v0 huggingface dataset:
The central plant must be a roomy, well ventilated and well lighted building, with arrangements for power for the extractors, elevators, saws, pump, etc. A steam plant may be installed for heating honey, rendering w.ix, for the knife and capping melter as well as for heating the building, and it should be equipped with a water system and in fact almost any equipment which makes for cleanliness and labor saving. Its interior should be so divided as to provide a separate room for each operation.
For the reader's information we can do no better than to quote a description of the central plant of the Pettit apiaries as described by Mr. Morley Pettit in the American Bee Journal.
"The building is 24 x 40 feet with walls 16 feet to the plate, and a gable roof. It is built on a concrete foundation and is two stories high with a 4 inch cement floor downstairs and a pine floor on 10 inch joists overhead. The joists are 12 feet long and meet on a middle partition, making a floor strong enough to carry almost any weight that is likely to be put on it."
"The ground floor is divided by the middle partition which stops 11 feet from one end for the garage, running across the building and extending six feet in front. This garage being about 11 x 30 feet has room for a truck and an automobile or two light trucks, as required. The other two rooms, each 12 x 29 feet are the extracting room and honey-room respectively. It is ten feet from the lower to the upper floor, giving a ceiling 9 feet in the clear. The cement foundation of walls rises four inches above the cement floor which slopes towards the middle of each room, where a bell-trap connects with the sewer. This makes washing down the floor with hose and brush, after each day's extracting or other mussy work, a pleasure to anticipate. The extracting room also has a washing sink with draining table against the middle partition near the door of the honey room. Running water, hot and cold, and steam will be on tap at the sink."
"The upstairs contains the office of the business, a luxitory with closet, and shower for the men, the carpenter shop, paint shop, foundation room, store room, etc. As far as possible I aim to have a room devoted to each line of work and use it for nothing else. Then machinery and appliances once installed need not be moved,but can be left all ready for use at a moment's notice. It is a lot of space, but that is cheaper than man-time, which is about the most expensive commodity there is in production to-day."
### Interior Arrangements
It would be impossible to give sufficient details of different interior arrangements of honey-houses without creating confusion in the minds of the reader. Naturally the arrangement will be worked out by each beekeeper as that best suited to his needs. There are, however, details of interior arrangement which, if mentioned, may be of benefit in planning.
An ideal way is to have the honey, as it comes to the house, loaded onto a tran car or else a car with overhead track which leads directly to the uncapping-can or box which should, above
Figure 59. Interior arrangement of one of M. H. Mendleson's honey-houses in California.
all, be placed in the best lighted spot in the room. Next to the uncapping box should be a dripping box for uncapped combs, and next to this the extractor, all being in such close proximity that the combs may be handled from the uncapper to the man at the extractor without unnecessary steps.
Very often the honey comes in on a cool day and may become so stiff as to be difficult in uncapping and extracting. A well heated room where these combs from the apiary may be stored and heated for a short time before going to the extracting room, will be of advantage.
There is a decided advantage in having storage room below the regular extracting room also. In this manner, extractor and uncapping box may be directly connected with storage tanks \(l_{N}\) down-pipes. Herman Rauehfuss, in Colorado, uses this method
Figure 60: A. A. Lyons of Colorado runs two power extractors in his cen!ral plant. One is going while the other is being loaded.
and has the pipes leading from the extractor and uncapping box steam jacketed so that the honey on its way down is heated. It is drawn from the settling tanks into containers before becoming cold, so that it is very slow to granulate.
Many houses have cement bases for extractors and some are made on two levels so that the extractor may be placed directly on the floor and the honey drawn off a step or two below.
Some run two extractors in combination so that one may be loading while the other is extracting, making for time saving.
Very often it may be advisable to have stove or steam generating plant for the honey knife or cappings melter outside the building to avoid heat. It is wise to have a large boiler for generating steam for the knife that it may always be hot. Very often,
Figure 61: Settling tanks and heating system are in the basement of the Sutton central plant.
with a small boiler and cold honey, steam will not be generated as first as needed.
Power for the extractor is generally furnished by a gasoline engine. The engine should \(\ln\) bought sufficiently large so that it will carry an extra load of a second extractor or of other equipment should such be needed later.
Where electric power is available a motor install of a gas engine is desirable. The motor is cleaner, easier running and motor economical. It can be turned on when ready and stopped during intervals when desired.
I would urge upon all beekeepers, keeping a cost account of the different operations in outapiary honey production. Especially is this desirable with the use of trucks. In no other way can the beekeeper be sure that he is using the most economical system in curing for his laws. So far, beekeeping has been carried on by the hit or miss system and without any idea of costs such as have helped build up the large businesses of today.
First and Best in Its Field
The American Bee Journal, oldest bee journal in the English language is a 36 page monthly magazine profusely illustrated with photographs, showing bookkeeping in many lands, the principal honey plants, new inventions, etc.
Indispensable to every live beekeeper.
One dollar a year, worth five.
Canadian postage, 15 cents extra, foreign, 25 cents extra.
MR. PELLETT has travelled extensively throughout the United States, spending much of his time in the largest queen-rearing yards. He gives in his book many different methods of queen rearing as used by the older breeders, such as Doolittle, Pratt, Dines, Alley and others, with the variations as praetied by the present large queen breeders. The text is written clearly, making it easy for any beekeeper to raise his own queens from his best colonies.
Price, postpaid, $1.00, or with the American Bee Journal
one year, $1.75.
**American Bee Journal, Hamilton, Illinois.**
Books On Beekeeping For Sale by the American Bee Journal
LANGSTROTH ON
THE HONEY
BEE
REVISED BY DADANT.
THIS be.ck originally written
by Rev. L. L. Langroth,
the inventor of the movable
frame hive, has been revised and
kept up to date by the editor of
the American Bee Journal. It
is the one book that no be
keeper can afford to be
out. It contains careful and
accurate accounts of the life and
habits of the honey bee and the
mysteries of the hive. Full and
reliable information concerning
the detection and treatment of
disease, the sources of nectar and
polien, and the care of the agnary
throughout the year are included.
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('unada postage, 15 cents extra.
It is published in 3 foreign lan
guages, French, Spanish and
Russian, at a slightly advanced
1,000 QUESTIONS ABOUT BEES
ANSWERED BY DR. C. C. MILER.
FOR many years Doetor Miller has conducted the question and answer department
in The American Bee Journal. During that time he has answered questions
reiting to every phase of beekeeping. These questions have been sifted and
arranged by M. G. Dadant and are now offered in book form.
No matter what your problem is, you will find the answer in this book, for beekeeping of all ages and all stages of experience have brought their queries to Doetor Miller. This book is intended to supplement the regular text books on beekeeping, and will be an invaluable aid to every beekeeper, whether he be a novice or an expert.
The texts tell a connected story of bee life and the principles of honey production, while his takes up singly the many questions that confront the beekeeper in his
overyday practice in the agnary. Doeee of subjects not mentioned in the ordinary
text and special angles of many other subjects which have been overlooked elsewhere
are taken up and made clear by the most popular writer on beekeeping.
Should be included in every list of bee books.
**Attractive cloth cover; 200 pages; $1.25.**
As n premium with The American Bee Journal. Price with one year's subscription, $2.00, Canadian postage 15 cents extra.
American Bee Journal, Hamilton, Illinois
**Books On Beekeeping For Sale by the American Bee Journal**
**PRODUCTIVE BEEKEEPING**
**BY FRANU. PELLETT**
**ONE of the latest text books on beekeeping, by the former State Apiarist of Iowa and Staff correspondent of The American Bee Journal, as its name indicates, in a book for the practical man. Easily understood by the beginner, it covers the field of practical honey production very fully and is a valuable book of reference for the extensive honey producer. The author enjoys a wide acquaintance among leading beekeopers of the United States and Canada and has described the systems of management which are successfully employed under a wide range of conditions. The best methods have been studied, sifted and excellently arranged. A Lippincott Farm Manual, 134 illustrations, 320 pages.**
**CONTENTS--**
**1. Beekeeping a Fascinating Pursuit.**
**2. The Business of Beekeeping.**
**3. Making a Start With Bees.**
**4. Arrangement of the Apiracy.**
**5. Sources of Neetar.**
**6. The Occupants of the Hive.**
**7. Increase.**
**8. Feeding.**
**Durable cloth binding. Price, $2.50, postpaid.**
**With American Bee Journal, 1 year, $3.25.**
**FIRST LESSONS IN BEEKEEPING**
**BY C. P. DADANT.**
**F NOR many years a book under the above title has been in the market. It was originally written by Thos. G. Newman, and later revised by C. P. Dadant.**
**While the present book bears the same title, it is entirely new and has been rewritten from beginning to end. Even though you have the old book, you will want the new one also, for it is a far better book than the old one ever was, and it is right up to date.**
**The senior editor of The American Bee Journal, who is the author of the New First Lensons, has spent nearly all his life in a beekeeping atmosphere. His father, the late Charles Dadant, was an investigator who became well known on both sides of the Atlantic, and whose writings have been translated into several languages. As a young man the author of First Lensone was associated with his father in honey production and assisted him in the many experiments which he conducted in his efforts to make beekeeping a practical business.**
**Of late Mr. Dadant has traveled extensively, both in Europe and America, and is familiar with the best methods of honey production and with the leading beekeopers of many countries. With a lifetime of practical experience and such unusual opportunities for observation, C. P. Dadant is especially fitted to prepare a book for the beginning beekeeper.**
**Just the things you want to know, in a style easily understood, and with many pictures to explain the text.**
**You may safely recommend First Lessons in Beekeeping to your friends.**
**200 pages, cloth, fully illustrated. Price, postpaid, $1.00. With the American Bee Journal, 1 year $1.75. Canadian postage 15 cents extra.**
[http://www.archive.org/details/cu3192400325816](http://www.archive.org/details/cu3192400325816)
## Appendix B E-K E-Fpin
Charles Nettleship White
_First-class Certificated Expert of the British Bee-keeper' Association ; Author of " Bee-keeping for Cottagers," etc. ; and Lecturer under the Technical Education Schemes of the Hauts, Cambs, like of Ely, and other County Councils_
_WITH ILLUSTRATIONS_
EDWARD ARNOLD
37, BEDFORD STREET, STRAND, W.C.
The progress of Bee-Gulture.
In writings dating from the earliest times of which we have any record, frequent allusion is made to bees and honey. As a food honey stands unrivalled for its delicate aroma, and it is also recognised as a valuable force producer. Early British History abounds in references to the keeping of bees, and to the value of the honey and wax they produce; and it may be inferred that even in those times bee-culture had assumed sufficient importance to rank as a rural industry.
The seventeenth century was very prolific in writers on bee-culture, and from that time onwards great attention has been paid to the culture of the honey-bee in rural districts. Very little real progress, however, in the art was made until the movable-comb hive was invented nearly fifty years ago. To the Rev. L. L. Langstroth in Americas, and Baron VonBerlepsch in Germany, belongs the credit for this remarkable invention, which proved the beginning of a new era in bee-keeping.
Bee-culture was henceforth a subject of absorbing interest, and, apart from the pecuniary benefit that followed its introduction, the invention has doubtless had the greatest possible influence on the development of the science as well as the art of Bee-keeping. Movable combs render the modification of the brood-nest possible to suit varying circumstances, and though in the hands of the novice, who pulls his stocks to pieees to satisfy his curiosity, they are no boon, to the great majority of bee-keepers they have been of immense advantage.
By the invention of the smoker, of which there are various forms, due to the inventive genius of American bee-keepers, another step was taken towards bringing bees under that complete control without which the bee-keeper could hardly be styled " a bee-master.'
Step by step advances were made in designing and improving appliances, by means of which the bee-keeper is enabled to reap the large harvests so often recorded, until there now appears little room for further exercise of the inventive faculty. The "Little Wonder " extractor, invented by the late C. N. Abbott, was, in its day, considered a marvellous machine, in that the combs were emptied of their contents by centrifugal force, in order to be returned to the hives for refilling. A cylinder extractor next came into favour, and, though many excellent machines are now produced, the " Cowan," as improved in America, may be said to most nearly approach perfection.
Then noting the loss of honey to the bee-keeper when comb-building took place, inventive genius gave the foundation mill, and sheets of wax with impressions of worker cells to be rapidly converted by the bees into perfect combs.
For many years disease has, in England and in other countries, decimated apiaries and made the dread of infection a powerful deterrent to the spread of apiculture. But scientific research has resulted in bee-keepers becoming conversant with the origin, propagation, prevention, and cure of the only disease that need be feared.
The strides that have been made in apicultural knowledge have in great measure been due to those who, by their writings and advocacy through the British and affiliated Associations, have assisted in making " Bee-keeping " what it now is, one of the most important and not the least valuable of the minor rural industries. In 1874 the late Mr. C. N. Abbott started the first Bee-Journal, and plain and earnest advocacy helped forward the work very materially. With the establishment of the British Bee-keepers' Association a very powerful means was provided for doing good work, which, with the cooperation of the affiliated Associations, has been energetically carried forward by all, from the Baroness Burdett-Coutts, who presides over the central Association, to the coutager who pays his 1s. subscription.
By means of its great exhibitions, held annually in connection with the Royal Agricultural and other shows, the British Bee-keepers' Association brings prominently before thousands of visitors the capabilities of an industry that is comparatively speaking neglected by the agricultural, who is directly as well as indirectly calculated to benefit by its extension. To the various shows judges and examiners are sent by the British Bee-keepers' Association, and now it is possible for any one who takes sufficient interest in the work to pass the three examinations, and at least earn a certificate testifying to the ability of its possessor, not only to assist in, or direct the operations of an apiary, but to fill the position of lecturer under the Technical Education Schemes of the various County Councils.
## Chapter I _Bees and Flowers_.
No one who has watched the busy bee fitting from flower to flower can fail to have been struck with the idea that it has some special duty to perform while gathering from the nectaries of flowers the sweetness that is to be used as a food for itself and for the myriads of other bees in the colony from which it has flown. In the economy of nature it is not too much to say that there is not a busier insect, or one which is directly as well as indirectly of more value to the agricultural.
Bees and flowers are inseparable. Flowers are fertilised almost wholly by wind and insect agency, but by far the greater number require the visits of insects for the proper fertilisation of bloom. Man's efforts to improve nature by cross-fertilisation would be of little avail without the bee. That it wasintended for the bee to play an important part in the fertilisation of bloom, is evident from the arrangement of the flowers. The bees must rub against the pollen, and so carry it away to the other flowers, while they are searching for nectar secreted at the bottom of the flower. The nectaries are usually placed so as to secure fertilisation, while the stigma is protected in order that the rain shall not wash away the sweet secretion covering it. To prevent self-fertilisation the stamens and pistils are on different flowers, or, when both are on the same flower, the former are not in a receptive condition at a time when the latter are ripe, and scatter their pollen. When a bee enters a flower in search of nectar, if the anthers are ripe, the pollen is scattered over its body, and adheres to it. Subsequently some of this pollen is left adhering to the stigmata of other flowers, thus effecting proper fertilisation while the bulk is taken to the hive where it is used as a food.
The colour of the flower as well as the nectar is in itself a provision for attracting insects. Sir John Lubbock has at much pains tested the preference of bees for coloured flowers. Again, the odour of certain crops is most powerful and certainly attractive. In passing along a road the traveller recognises the presence of bean or clover fields long before he reaches them, by the scent borne upon the breeze, and this is undoubtedly detected by bees much more readily than by human beings.
The influence of bees in the production of fruit is sometimes very great. In California there are extensive cherry orchards, and the crops have recently been far from satisfactory, though years ago abundance of fruit was gathered. The failure of the crops was attributed by some to winds and rains, but the Messrs. Bassford, of Cherry Glen, Vaca Valley, Solano County, attributed it to the absence of bees, for they had remarked that when wild bees were plentiful in the valley the crops were good. To test the matter they placed several colonies of bees in their orchards in 1890. The result was striking ; their crop was good while others were entire or partial failures. In 1891 they had sixty-five colonies of bees, and Mr. H. Bassford, writing to the _Entomologist_, said, " Our crop was good this season, and we attribute it to the bees. Since we have been keeping bees our crop has been much larger than formerly ; while those nearest us, five miles away, where no bees are kept, have produced light crops." Mr. Cheshire, in " Bees and Bee-keeping," draws attention very forcibly to the necessity for bees in the fertilisation of apple bloom. " The apple," he says, " as its blossom indicates, is strictly a fusion of five fruits into one--hence called _pseudosyncarpous_--and demands for its production in perfection no less than five independent fertilisations. If none are effected, the calyx, which really forms the flesh of the fruit, instead of swelling, dries and soon drops. An apple often develops, however, though imperfectly, if four only of the stigmas have been pollen dusted ; but it rarely hangs long enough to ripen. The first severe storm sends it to the pigs as a wind-fall. I had two hundred apples, that had dropped during a gale, gathered promiscuously for a lecture illustration ; and the cause of falling in every case but eight was traceable to imperfect fertilisation. These fruits may be generally known by a deformity--one part has failed to grow because there has been no diversion of nutrition towards it. Cutting it across with a knife, we find its hollow cheek lies opposite the unfertilised dissepiment."
The American poet Bryant, who was a keen observer of Nature and her work, says in "' The Planting of the Apple Tree "':
"What plant we in this apple tree?
Sweets for a hundred flowery springs,
To load the May-winds' restless wings ;
When from the orchard now he pours
Its fragrance at our open doors
A world of blossom for the bee."
The effect of the introduction of the bubble-bee into New Zealand forms the most convincing proof of the importance of insects as fertilisers of bloom. Previous to 1881, when the first attempt to introduce these bees to the colony was made, though crops of red-clover were grown, no seed was produced. In December, 1883, and January, 1884, 55 bubble-bees packed in dry moss were sent to New Zealand, but all died. In the autumn of 1884 special precautions were taken in the packing of 282 shipped in November and 260 in December, and they were liberated near Christchurch in January and February, 1885. The following year Mr. S. C. Farr, Hon. Sec. of the Acclimatisation Society of Christchurch, writing of these bees, says their number is legion, and they abound over a radius of one hundred miles from Christchurch. In several cases the farmers, who previously had been unable to produce red-clover seed reported their crops to be full of seed.
Professor Cooke, a noted American apiarian, is responsible for the following : "Inasmuch as red-clover can only be fertilised by the bumble-bee, a gentleman has made this statement : the safety of England depends upon the number of cats she keeps. He proves his proposition thus : without the aid of the bumble-bees the red-clover cannot be fertilised. Bumble-bees make their nests on the ground, where they are the prey of mice. Cats destroy the mice and give the bees a chance to live. Hence he reasons, no cats, many mice ; many mice, no bumble-bees ; no bees, no clover ; no cattle ; no cattle, no beef ; and without beef where would the Englishman be?"
With regard to the value of the bee as a fertiliser, Darwin says, when speaking of their visits to clover and heartsease, " No bees, no seed ; no seed, no increase of flower. The more visits from the bees the more seeds from the flower ; the more seeds from the flower the more flowers from the seed." He also gives the following result of an experiment : "Twenty heads of white clover, visited by the bees, produced 2,990 seeds ; while twenty heads so protected that bees could not visit them produced not one seed."
## Chapter 2. \(Why\)\(Keep\)\(Bes\)?