226 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Mar. 15. 



of scientific and progressive apiculture, for our- 

 selves, and for posterity. Prof. Cook, says: "It is 

 not creditable to the enterprise of our time that tlie 

 Orient is not made to show its hand, and any supe- 

 rior bees that may be in existence in Africa, India, 

 Ceylon, Philippine Islands, brought here for our 

 use and test." Our association has taken hold of 

 this with sincerity, and expects the united support 

 of the bee-keepers of this country; and with their 

 support the end of the nineteenth century will wit- 

 ness a new era in apiculture in which the bee- keep- 

 ers of the United States will take a leading- part. 

 Life is too short for further delay. We are deter- 

 mined to succeed, and want your active assistance. 

 Executive Committee. 



Ontario County, N. Y., Bee-keepers' Association. 



Copies of these petitions may be obtained by any 

 one who will circulate them, by addressing W. F. 

 Marks, Chapinville, N. Y. 



I have little faith that the Apis dorsata can 

 ever be domesticated so as to prove to be of any 

 practical value in the production of honey; but 

 It may be of incalculable benefit for the fertili- 

 zation of such flora as red clover. 



CONTINUOUS WAX SHEETS FOR MAKING FOUN- 

 DATION, NOT NEW. 



Quite a number seem to have the impression 

 that we claim for the Weed Invention, among 

 other things, the idea of making a contivumis 

 wax sheet, so that it can be wound up on a bob- 

 bin, and from that unwound to a foundation- 

 machine. Neither we nor Mr. Weed ever made 

 such claims. While the making of a wax sheet 

 100 yards or more is a featiire of the new pro- 

 cess, it is in no way mentioned in the claims of 

 Mr. Weed's patents now pending. His inven- 

 tion relates to a specific method of producing 

 wax in the shape of a long belt, as it were, but 

 by a plan entirely new, and differing wholly 

 from the modus operandi of dipping (that is, 

 by immersing a strip of board into melted wax); 

 and the new process also gives a diflferent prod- 

 uct, superior in point of transparency and tough- 

 ness — tougher because it will resist heat and 

 cold better and the tendency to stretch in the 

 hive while being drawn out by the bees. 



The idea of making foundation in a continu- 

 ous sheet or length, so that it can be reeled up 

 on a bobbin, is quite old. It has been used a 

 good many years in Germany. Indeed, a Ger- 

 man work in our possession shows a continuous 

 wax sheet reeled from one bobbin to another. 

 wSuch sheets were used to a greater or less ex- 

 tent by D. A. Jones, of Beeton, Canada, and by 

 M. H. Hunt. The two latter simply lapped or 

 welded the sheets together before they went 

 through the rolls. I am in receipt of a sample 

 of foundation, taken from a continuous roll, 

 made on a machine at least three years old. 

 This sample came from Thomas Evans, of Lan- 

 sing, la. In looking back over our old volumes 

 I ran across an article giving the modus oper- 

 andi in full for making foundation from one 



contlnuoussheet. This article is found on page 

 .514, for 1884. The writer, J. R. Park, of La- 

 verne, Tenn., not only tells hoiv to make con- 

 tinuous sheets, but how the same may be reeled 

 up on a bobbin, and taken olf from the founda- 

 tion-machine, and reeled on to another bobbin. 

 There are others who made such continuous 

 sheets; but the instances I have already given 

 are sufficient to show that the idea is old. But 

 all the continuous sheets that have been made 

 heretofore differ materially, so far as I can find, 

 in the method of making, and in the product, 

 from the Weed continuous sheets. 



AMALGAMATION PROTESTED. 



Several articles have appeared in the vari- 

 ous bee-journals, and more will appear in our 

 columns, strongly protesting against amalga- 

 mating the Bee-keepers' Uimion with the N. A. 

 B. Iv. A. While I have advocated this step, I 

 shall do so no more if, in the judgment of our 

 wisest bee-keepers, it is not best. So far as I 

 am concerned, I don't care what is done, only 

 so the Union or something shall take hold of 

 this adulteration business and fight it to the 

 end. We need more fighting and legislation. 



T supers vs. wide frames, etc. 



The letter below, received from R. L. Taylor, 

 will explain itself: 



Ed. Gleanings:— One of Dr. Miller's Straws in 

 Gleanings for Mar. 1 reads : " The best surplus-ar- 

 rangement is asked for in the question-box of the 

 A. B. J. T supers have a majority of votes, and 

 wide frames come in second. Section-holders have 

 one vote." 



On consulting the 4. B. .7. 1 find that question In 

 the question-box in the issue for Feb. 13, 1896, and I 

 take it the answers there given are the ones to 

 which reference is made in the above-quoted Straw. 

 Now, be it known that Dr. Miller is the mathemati- 

 cian as well as the lexicographer of the bee-keeping 

 fraternity, and I would not venture to dispute his 

 "count;" but I am a strong partisan of the wide 

 frames; and to show how one's feelings may affect 

 his figures, I wish to give my count. Instead of a 

 majority in favor of T supers, my prejudice will not 

 allow me to count more than six out of 'i'Z that pre- 

 fer them; and one of the six thinks he would use 

 them only if he produced comb honey; and the six 

 are just half of what would be necessary to make a 

 majority, as my eyes persist in seeing it. Then in- 

 stead of wide frames standing second tliey look to 

 me to stand square up with T supers with six votes; 

 and for section-holders, I can not, do the best I can, 

 make less than six votes, while we aie bound to be- 

 lieve they have but one. Four others were non- 

 committal. And you, Mr. Editor, though so young, 

 are you thus early in life so well acquainted with 

 the power of prejudice that you did not dare to 

 count, through fear of being thrown, and hence 

 cheerfully exhibited the white feather as you do In 

 your note? 1 do not suppose that it is necessary 

 thiit the doctor should make a recount. 



HEATING HONEY WITH WAX. 



I very much doubt the correctness of your jiosi- 

 tion, that honey heated with its pure virgin wax, 

 as it comes from the sections, will receive color or 



