EXTKACTOE. 



187 



EXTEACTOR. 



The most convenient plan, however, for 

 disposing of the hot honey and wax that run 

 from the melter is to have the stream pass 

 directly into an Aikin honey and wax sepa- 

 rator, a diagram of which is sho^vn herewith. 

 The wax being lighter than honey floats on 

 the top of it and may be drawn off when it 

 reaches a certain level, if desired. The hon- 

 ey being heavier than the wax settles to the 

 bottom and nms down under the division in 

 the can and from thence up and out of the 

 honey outlet as indicated. 



We have found that this separator works 

 well in every way except that the wax has a 

 tendency to chill somewhat, and to over- 

 come this difficulty we enclose the separator 

 ill :i V fK^iVn 1 r-.x I;;;vi- 5r:i 1i lit r^ vrrw^'h a 



I 



1 



A 



WAX 



•SeOIMENT 



Slw^cum 



Honey 



B 1 



funnel through one end to allow the honey 

 and wax to run in from the melter. The 

 wooden box confines the heat enough so that 

 there is no chilling of the wax. and by the 

 next morning all the wax may be lifted off 

 in one solid cake, which needs only scraping 

 on the bottom to make it in good shape for 

 market. The qualilv of the wax secured in 

 this way is very good, being practically equal 

 to that secured from a solar wax-extractor 



The capping-melter shown in the engrav. 

 ing is 1-5 inches in diameter and Vs inches 

 high, and the water-jacket holds about a pail 

 of water. This is about as lar?e a melter as 

 can be operated over a single-burner gaso- 

 line-stove. If more cap h city is needed it 

 would be advisable to use an oval-shapied 

 melter. perhaps of the size of a large wash- 

 boiler, and a two-burner stove. 



The value of a capping-melter is at once 

 apparent, for it is impossible with ordinary 

 methods to get all of the honey out of the 

 cappings : and besides the honey saved, there 

 is a great saving in time and labor, the wax 

 beingautomaticaUy rendered in good shape 

 for market as fast as the honey is extracted. 

 In an apiary of any size this saving of hon- 

 ey and labor will soon pay for ah outfit of 

 this kind. .Almost any tinsmith can con- 

 MTTuct a melter as described, of heavy tin, or 



the machines can be obtained direct from 

 dealers. 



Besides melting cappings, these double 

 cans are excellent for liquefying candied 

 honey on a small scale. On account of the 

 water-jacket there is no danger of burning 

 the honey, and that which liquefies runs out 

 immediately so that it is not subjected to 

 the heat longer than is really necessary. 



rXCAPPIXG-KXIVES. 



There are two forms of uncapping-knives 

 used. One, the No'S'ice, has a thin flexible 

 blade, made of steel. The other, the Bing- 



THE XOVICE HOXET-KSTFE. 



ham, has a thick flat trowel-shaijed un- 

 yielding blade having edges beveled on the 

 under side. The first mentioned wiU do 

 uncapping, and is very handy for scraping 

 bottom-boards or removing burr-combs on 

 the inside of the hive. Being thin and flex- 

 ible it will fit curved surfaces : but for un- 

 capping only it is in no sense to be com- 

 pared with the Bingham. 



An improved form of the Bingham knife 

 is shown in the next illustration. The shank 

 connecting the knife and the blade has cir- 

 cular projections on each .side forming a 

 part of the shank, and folded at right angles 

 so as to afford a good solid grip to the thumb 

 and fore finger. As the blade is on a differ- 

 ent plane from the handle, one can get a 

 better grip, and a closer one to the blade, il 



BIXGMAM mPBOVED TTXCAPPIXG-KXIFE. 



he can grasp the shank itself. Experience 

 also shows it is an advantage to have the 

 handle flattened in such a way as to give a 

 good solid hold. 



HOW TO USE rXCAPPIXG-KSnVES. 



The blade should have a keen edge and be 

 frequently sharpened to get the best results. 

 Grasp the knife as shown in the illustration 



