276 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Apr. 1 



Our Symposium on the Melting-up of 

 Old Combs. 



The Various Methods and Devices Carefully Con- 

 sidered. 



THE FERRIS COMBINATION WAX-EXTRACTOR. 



BY C. G. FERRIS. 



Our first illustration, Fig. 1, shows six cords 

 of combs cut from the frames, and photo- 

 graphed to show the result of what is known 

 as black brood, pickled brood, or foul brood 

 becoming mixed in among the lot. These 

 combs have been accumulating for the past 25 

 years, and have been used in producing ex- 

 tracted honey exclusively. 



To eradicate the disease and transform this 

 huge pile of combs into choice wax as shown 

 in Fig. 7, I call your attention to my large 

 three-basket steam wax-extractor as shown in 

 Fig. 2. This machine is made to take one or 

 more long narrow baskets — see Fig 4 — on the 

 same general principle as frames that we use 

 in our hives. By being made in this man- 

 ner the frames of comb can be put direct- 

 ly into the basket in clusters or handfuls of 

 six each without breaking or otherwise chang- 

 ing them. Another advantage in being made 

 in this way is, the live steam has a better 

 chance to penetrate than if made to hold eight 

 or ten combs. A basket holding four frames 

 of comb on this principle would be rendered 

 quicker than the one holding six or eight, and 

 the advantage would be with the lighter bas- 



ket, taking into considf ration the handling. 

 The first ba^sket in Fit{. 2 has been cut away to 

 show the follower and pres-* in actual position. 

 After using until the refuse becomt s < bjec- 

 tionable, or after we have put into the l)askets 



FIG. 2. — THREE-BASKET EXTRACTOR. 



about sixty combs of ordinary size, put on the 

 follower as shown in No. 3, at 14; adjust 

 the screw and holder, at 11, and give the 

 pressure desired. On a test of 64 combs that 

 were badly worm-eaten, and heavy with pol- 

 len, I secured the following results : 



Carefully steamed out 9 lbs. of wax. Pres- 

 sure applied, and pressed out 8 lbs. 14 oz. 



FIG. 1. — SIX CORDS OF COMBS RENDERED IN FOUR DAYS. WAX SHOWN IN FIG. 7. 



