326 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTUKE. 



Aug. 



HAMMERS AND NAILS. 



Much depends on having- a hammer just right for 

 the work that is to be done. I often see people 

 (women especially, begging their pardon) try to 

 drive a small, slender nail, into light work, with a 

 very heavy hammer. The nail doubles up, the work 

 splits, their fingers get pounded, and it is no won- 

 der they conclude in disgust, that carpentry is not 

 their forte. Trying- to drive a large nail with a light 

 hammer is not so bad, but it is a great waste of time 

 and strength. Every bee keeper should have at 

 least three sizes of hammers. You can drive a com- 

 mon brass pin its whole length into a pine board, 

 with a hammer of the right weight ; but, should you 

 try to do it with either of the first two hammers 

 shown in the cut, yovi would double it up the first 

 clip. You might do it with No. 3, but it is doubtful. 

 With 4, 5, or 6, you could do it without trouble. In 

 watch work, we frequently require hammers weigh- 

 ing scarcely more than a quarter of an oz. 



No. 1 is my favorite hammer for making bee hives. 

 It cost me, several years ago, $2.00; but I can sell 

 you one just like it now, adze eye, fine tempered 

 steel, for just 75c. 



No. 2 is the same thing, except that it has a round 

 face, and will not mar or bruise work, like No. one; 

 price is the same. 



No. 3 is the same as No. one, only about V& as 

 heavy. It is extremely handy about the apiary, for 

 making chaff hives, nailing frames and section 

 boxes, etc., etc. The strong steel claw makes it 

 much more desirable than any of the cheaper tack 

 hammers. It is called a saddler's, or horse-shoer's 

 hammer. Where one is expert enough to hit the 

 nail every time, this is a great favorite for nice, fine 

 work. Price 65c; by mail 75c. 



No. 4 is a very pretty tack hammer that can never 

 come loose in the handle, for handle and hammer 

 are all one piece of malleable iron, with a piece of 

 walnut inlaid, as shown in the cut. This is a beauti- 

 ful and handy hammer, price 25c; by mail, 35c. 



No. 5 is a magnetic tack hammer. As the head of 

 the tack sticks to the face of the hammer when you 



bring them near each other, it is a most handy tool 

 for making smokers and queen cages, tacking wire- 

 cloth, cards, or paper on to anything. Price 20c; by 

 mail 25c. 



No. 6 is a small cheap tack hammer, all iron. It is 

 a nice plaything for the children, beautiful for 

 cracking nuts, etc., as well as answering excellently 

 for nailing section cages., etc. Price 10c; bv mail, 

 16c. 



A FULL SIZED HAMMER FOR ONLY 20c. 



There is one hammer I have not pictured in the 

 list. It is very much like No. 1, but has no adze eye. 

 It is a good looking hammer, with a secure hickory 

 handle, but it is only malleable iron. For all this, 

 it will do a great amount of service. You can keep 

 one of these for the women and children, (begging 

 their pardon) so they will not be borrowing yours, 

 and if it is lost, it will be no great damage. Did 

 your folks, any of you, ever hunt for "the hammer," 

 my friend? How much time did you waste? and did 

 you get cross any? 



NAILS AND TACKS USED IN THE APIARY. 



When the women folks or boys choose a hammer 

 unsuitable for their work, they are to a certain ex- 

 tent excusable, for perhaps they had but one to 

 choose from, and such may be the case with nails, 

 but it is generally possible to have at least a little 

 chance for choice in the nails we use. Now as it is 

 rather a fine point to choose exactly the best nail 

 for the purpose, I have gone to a little pains to col- 

 lect the nails and tacks used in our establishment, 

 which I have figured below. 



THE NAILS WE USE IN MAKING HIVES, FRAMES, SEC- 

 TIONS, ETC. 



This cut represents the full size of all the nails we 

 use in the various departments of our factory; and, 

 to accommodate you, I have decided to keep in 

 stock a quantity sufficient to meet your demands. 

 Even if you do not order them of me, it may be of 

 service to you to know just what sized nails I have 

 found, after large experience, to be best suited to 

 each part of our work. 



No. 1 (8d. common) is the largest nail we find any 

 use for, and it is used only in the packing room, in 

 boxing and crating our heaviest articles for ship- 

 ment. About 100 nails make a lb, and as the price 

 is 3c, we get 33 nails for a cent. Price per keg of 100 

 lbs, $2.50. 



No. 2 (8d. casing), is used for nailing the bodies of 

 the Simplicity and story and a half hives, and for 

 putting the l-im around the top of the Chaff hive , 



