GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Sept. 



We present to you again the diagrams of the 

 principal frames in use, that we ma}' better de- 

 .scribe the dilforent extractors we have been 

 obliged to malce, to accomodate all our friends 

 to the besr, advantage, and at the least expense. 



We have l)efore explained that we liave our 

 castings made to lit two ditferentl\' sized cans, 

 viz., 17 and 21) inciies, and we will now further 

 state that we make the cans also, of two differ- 

 ent heights. To work nicely, the frame needs 

 al)oat the same amount of room to liang in the 

 extractor, that it lias in the hive; and to do 

 this there seems to l)e no other way than to 

 make every extractor to tit the hive it is inten- 

 tlett for. Of course you can use them other- 

 wise, but we are well satisfied that the cum- 

 brous machines now in use are many of them 

 destined to be soon laid aside for the more 

 modern kind. The following table is for the 

 convenience of those ordering machines, and 

 is intended to enable any one to decide for 

 himself exactly what he can use to the best 

 advantage. 



Prloo List of IilJxit raotox's. 



[Tlie figures in the parenthesis, just before the 

 prices, give the exact inside widtli of the revolving 

 frame of the extractor, in inchcu.] 

 'S().\. For tlie Gallup frame, or any frame UK 



iaciies wide ami not more than 1'2>^ deep... (12) S8.50 

 Xo. 2. For the American frame, or any one 12 



inches wide and not more than 12)2 deep.. (12 i,) S.7o 

 Xo. o. For any frame I2J2 inches wide and not 



more than l-Z'i deep (13) '.i.OO 



No. 4. Standard E.\tractor. for any frame 13 ?4 



wide arid not more than V2.H deep (14 it ) 9.00 



The above are all in sliallow cans, 17>-2 inches high, 

 and are very convenient for i)lacing at sucli a heiglit 

 as to allow of running the honey direcrtly into tlie bar- 

 rel or anj' other receptacle, and still not be too high 

 for any one to work conveniently. The following 

 luuubers can also be used in the same way, unless the 

 operator is short in stature; in that case, a shallow 

 l)ox may be inverted to stand on, but is somewhat in- 

 convenient. 



No. T). This is niad<> expressly for the Lang- 



stroth frame, which is to be lised standing on 



end; it will take any frame wliose top bar does 



not exceetl 20 inches, and deptli Q}i inclies- . .(10) 9.00 



No. C. The same excei>t tliat it will take a frame 



of 10;S< inches in depth (11) 9.50 



No. 7. This is made expressly for the Quinby 

 suspended frame, and will take also the other 

 kind when tlie end bars have a depth not great- 

 er than 11 ^< inches (12) 10.00 



No. 8. Tliis is for all (iuinby frames, and all 

 American frames having a depth greater than 

 12'2 inches, and can be used for all the frames 

 in our diagram, but is much more inconvenient 

 llian the smaller ones where they can be 



used (r2>o ) 10.00 



No. !). This machine is like No. 8, except that it 

 takes a frame l-i incli wider, and is suitable for 

 American frames tliat are 12 '.j wide and more 



than 12)4 inches deep (13) 10.00 



No. 10. This is the largest machine that wc keeji 

 in stock, and will take a frame as wide as the 



Standard, and as long as the tiulnby (14 U ) 10.00 



All of the last six— tall cans—liave a support at the 

 l)ottom for the frames to rest upon, and also to hold 

 broken ])ieces of comb, slioulil it be desired. The four 

 lirst have notliing of this kind, for it is not needed, 

 and would in reality only make them heavier, and be 

 in the way ; we advise purchasers always to take 

 tlie smaller machines when they »\'ill take their frames. 

 For instance, we would much )n-efer the No. 4, to the 

 No. 10, even if offered at the same price, provided we 

 had nothing but the Standard Iranie in our Apiary. 



Although our machines are now made much ligliter 

 and stronger, the gearing very much improved in 

 looks as well as in strength, an improvement added 

 whereby once oiling will last for years, a cover and 

 strainer added, and the jirices reduced, yet we .still 

 make the proposal that we will, to any one who has 

 purchased one machine, give him 10 per cent ofl" on 



all he may sell after that ; and this is all we can do in 

 the way of furnishing them at wholesale. This offer 

 refers only to extractors and honey knives. 



INSTRUCTIONS FOR USING AN EXTRACTOR. 



Many of our new friends have asked for di - 

 rections for using these machines, but really 

 they are so simple, that it seems that hardly 

 any advice can be required. They are all ready 

 for use when received, and most that is requir- 

 ed ie to screw them fast to some box or bench 

 just high enough to allow the gate to run the 

 honey into the bung-hole of a barrel. Do not 

 undertake to work unless the bees are gather- 

 ing honey, or you will be very likely to have 

 trouble. The ioest time is when they are busy 

 in the fields, and if the jield is good, you will 

 hardly need any smoke. Carefully remove a 

 frame from the "hive, and then with a sei'ies of 

 sudden jerks shake the bees in front of the hive 

 or on top of the frames, as you may find most 

 convenient. When you have shaken off as ma- 

 ny as you can, take a bunch of asparagus tops, 

 and gently brush off every bee in front of the 

 hive. Now with the honey knife carefully cut 

 the cappings from all capped cells ; to do this 

 quickly you will slide the knife under the caps 

 in such a way as to have them come off in one 

 entire sheet. In regard to straining the honey 

 we know of no way that answers so well, all 

 things considered, as to hang the little bag sent 

 with the machine, in the bung of the barrel ; 

 this keeps it all close and tight from flies and 

 dust, and when you stop work for a little 

 while, it is all safe, without the necessity of 

 covering anything up. Two such bags are 

 really needed, so that one can be kept clean 

 and read}' to take the place of the other when 

 it becomes filled with impurities. As the sed- 

 iment alwaj's settles to the bottom of the bag, 

 the sides work well as a strainer for a long 

 time. Cloth strains honey more perfectly than 

 the finest wire cloth can. When the comb is 

 uncapped it is to be placed in the extractor; 

 although you can extract one comb at a time 

 if you choose, it is much better to have two, as 

 they then balance each other, and the friction 

 is less on the bearings, though our machines 

 will stand the strain of the heaviest combs,one 

 at a time if need be. Turn just fast enough, 

 and no faster, to throw out the honey, and there 

 will be no danger of throwing out the brood ; 

 you will soon learn this by practice. Combs 

 so full of lirood that there is but little room 

 for honey had better be left in the hive ; there 

 is little to be gained l)y working very close, 

 and should the honey season suddenly close, 

 there is danger of the bees starving, as we 

 have known tliem to do, even in July. 



If your hives are kejit close to the ground, 

 and no weeds allowed to grow around the en- 

 trances, there is very little danger of losing 

 Queens while extracting, yet it is a very good 

 plan to keep them carefully in mind, and if yon 

 should not see them, we think it a little safer 

 to shake the combs that contain much brood, 

 so that the bees fall directly into the hive. Lo- 

 sing Queens while extracting, is i-ather expen- 

 sive business. 



After the honey is taken from one side of the 

 comb, it is of course to l)e turned and the hon- 

 ey taken from the other side. Where the combs 

 are very heavy and the honey very thick, it 

 may be best to throw it out only partially the 



