1910 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



185 



N' 



steam uncapping-knife.— A gallon can over a double 

 flat-wick oil-stove furnishes the steam necessary. 



way of an uncapping-machine. However, 

 although all of his combs are built on wired 

 foundation, not one in four, he says, answers 

 to the above requirements Even when a 

 comb is reasonably straight, he points out 

 that one side is often slightly bulged while 

 the other is correspondingly depressed, the 

 result being that one side is uncapped per- 

 fectly while the other is untouched. 



In our own extracting we also have given 

 the Ferguson uncapping-machine a trial, 

 and we agree perfectly with Mr Hutchinson. 

 We have not tried all of the uncapping-ma- 

 chines that have been described and illus- 

 trated; but in our opinion there are a few 

 objections that will hold true with all. We 

 believe that the mere cutting of the cappings 

 and getting rid of them is only a part of the 

 problem that presents itself. Thp real prob- 

 lem is to uncap the depressed surfaces without 

 complicated mechanism, the expense of which 

 is prohibitory. We are sure that an uncap- 

 ping-machine may be built, and probably is 

 built, which will uncap in a satisfactory man- 



ner; but the question is, are such machines 

 practicable? For the majority of combs, 

 even should the machine do the work, it is 

 probable that individual attention would 

 need to be given to take care of the depres- 

 sions, and we very much doubt whether 

 much faster work could be done, in view of 

 this, than a skilled operator can do with a 

 good uncapping knife. 



THE STEAM-HEATED UNCAPPING KNIFE.* 



For several years we have believed that 

 the steam-heated knife is the best solution 

 of the uncapping problem; but we have hes- 

 itated to say very much about it for fear that 

 there might be some objection to it that 

 would come up after the plan had been tried 

 extensively. Mr. Hutchinson calls the steam- 

 knife a "daisy, "and regards it as one of the 

 " biggest little inventions of the apicultural 

 times." The best thing about the steam- 

 knife is that it does not get clogged or gum- 

 med up, and we have found that a razor edge 

 is not as necessary as with a cold knife. A 

 cold knife that is good and sharp works well 

 until wax begins to adhere to the edge, and 

 then the knife mutilates and tears the comb 

 in a most aggrava ing way. This trouble 



The Root capping-melter showing the removable circular screen. 



The square box is placed over the top of the can, and 



give plenty of room for the operator. 



The inside of the capping-melter looking from above, 

 showing the circular screen at the bottom. 



may be overcome by dipping the knife in 

 hot water, but this is only a partial remedy. 

 The steam heated knife quickly passes 

 through tough or tender combs with ease, 

 and without breaking or mutilating the cells. 

 Much less force is needed, 

 and the work is not nearly as 

 tiresome. 



A tea kettle with the rub- 

 ber tube attached to the 

 snout by means of adhesive 

 tape may be u«ed for a boil- 

 er; but a copper can is bet- 

 ter. If the tea-kettle is used, 

 several thicknesses of cloth 



*This device (or one quite sim- 

 ilar) was first used in Europe. It 

 appears to have been il'ustrated 

 and described in several European 

 bee-journals some ye^rs ago. We 

 first showed it at the National De- 

 troit Convention in 1908, although 

 we had been using it a year prior 

 to that time. 



