Mower County transcript., 1908-05-13
BEE KEEPERS COLUMN.
BY F. A. TICKNOR,

Al uleCuSSluS cueSp aTClcloS as CON-
pared with better grade how often and
how easy it is for the purchaser to be
deceived in what is really the best for
his use. l purchased my first honey
extracter with the horizontal crank and
gear that could be quickly lifted up
and the reel easily removed without
the use of tools. found no fault with
it, but parted with it and bought one
OF the upright gear that requires a
wrench to keep the set screws tight
and TO- remove the reel. / have tried
to obtain another of tho first pattern
but have been informed that they don't
make that kind any more. The cheap
er article has run the more practical
one off the market. The honey board
made by Mr.. Langstroth contained three
entrances across the top of the hive
body and was tive-eighths of an inch
thick with cleats upon the ends so that
the entire surplus arrangement could
be removed at one time very conven-
lent arrangement when access to the
brood chamber was desirable. With
three'eighths inch top bar of the
brood frames and three-eigbths inch
air space or chamber between this top
bar and tho honey board and one-eighth
inch thick honey section made 4 divi-
sion of ~ inches between the combs
of the brood chamber and the working
space of the honey sections. This
separation had tendency to keep the
bees from readily entering and COM
mencing business in the surplus boxes.
l corrected this trouble by using lath
or wider strip Of the same thickness
just the length ul15 inches) between
the sides of the hive and resting direct
ly upon the top bars of the brood
frames. Finding that the spaces for
entrance were sufficient for an air
chamber. by this arrangement these
spaces can be made for any size honey
sections and only as many rows of sec.
tions should be put on at time as the
bees can spare the heat from the brood
nest to produce comb building. The en-.
frances not in use can be covered by a
similar strip thus con6ning the bees to
the brood chamber and such sections
as the strength of the colony require
adding row of sections as the colony
increases in strength and working
capacity and tier them up if found
necessary. I have often had 12 rows
of sections of Z to the row of 5x5 honey
sections on large working colony at
enc time. With the cheaper construc.
ton the honey sections are put into the
cover and when any are put on it must
be the entire super filled with .sectio1s q
which takes large amount OF heat
from the breeding nest and causes the
bees to cluster over their brood to keep
up the necessary amount of warmth,
and thus delaying early commencement
of comb honey making.
Another very important feature of
the hive is that the surplus boxes or
sections are protected from out side
change Of temperature (cold and heat)
by the double wall and dead air space
between the cover and sections making
a vast difference to the bees in comb
building over the single wall or so call
ed super with the sections in the cover.
This advantage alone in the Lang.
stroth hive is worth more than its en-.
tire cost. | contended fatty for these
ideas at the state fair against over fif.
teen competitors and won the 1st prize