224 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTUKE. 



Mab. 



Every boy or girl, under 15 years of aj^e, who writes a let- 

 ter for this department, containing some valuable fact, not 



GENERALLY KNOWN, ON BEES OK OTHER MATTEHS, will receive 



one of David Cook's excellent live-cent Sunday-school boolcs. 

 Many of these books contain the same nuiTter that you find in 

 Sunday-school books costinjf from $1.00 to SloO. If you have 

 had oiie or more books, give us the names that we may not 

 send the same twice. We have now in stock six different 

 books, as follows; viz.: Sheer Off, Silver Keys, The Giant-Kill 

 er; or. The Roby Family, Rescued from Egypt, Pilgrim's 

 Progress, and Ten Nights in a Bar-Koom. We have also Our 

 Homes, Part I., and Our Homes, Part II. Besides the above 

 books, you may have a photograph of our old house apiary, 

 and a p'hotograph of our own apiary, both taken a great many 

 year.'! ago. In the former is a picture of Novice, Blue Eyes, 

 and Caddy, and a glimpse of Ernest. We have also some pret- 

 ty little colored pictures of birds, fruits, flowers, etc., suitable 

 tor framing. You can have your choice of any one of the 

 above pictures or books for every letter that gives us some 

 valuable piece of information. 



CONDUCTED BY ERNEST R. ROOT. 



THE boys' bee - HIVE FACTORY. WIND- 

 MILLS AS A MOTIVE POWER FOR 

 HIVE- WORK. 



Jp FTEE the events lecoided in our last, 

 I the boys could talk of nothing but 

 I' windmills, before antl after school, 

 '^ and at recess ; in fact, I am afraid 

 their studies suffered more or less 

 from it. They inquired of e\'erybody they 

 knew who could give them any information 

 about windmills. In the meantime, Mr. 

 Green had talked with some of his friends 

 who were skilled in the meclianic arts in re- 

 gard to this same matter, lie had also sent 

 for a couple of price lists of those having 

 windmills for sale. Ere long the two price 

 lists came to hand ; and after fully consid- 

 ering the possibility of the boys making a 

 windmill. Mr. G. invited Jimmy over one 

 evening to t^ilk with him and Sam. .Jimmy 

 needed no second invitation ; but before the 

 appointed time he was on hand. Mr. G. 

 then produced the two catalogues, accom- 

 panied by a couple of letters, for he had 

 made some inquiries <^)f the manufacturers 

 in regard to the proper size of a mill for do- 

 ing light buzz-saw work. When Mr. G. 

 could get the boys quieted he began: 



'' Upon some inquiry which 1 have made, 

 1 find that about one horse-power is required 

 to run a buzz-saw suitable for average hive- 

 making work, and I have been told that 

 even a lialf horse-power will answer, provid- 

 ing a light-running arbor, with a thin, well- 

 sharpened saw is used ; and providing, too, 

 that the saw^ is not crowded too hard with 

 i stuff. 1 think on the whole, boys, if you 

 make a windmill at all you ought to calcu- 

 late upon at least a half .horse-power. It is 

 true, this will not give us power enough to 

 work to the best advantage ; but 1 think it 

 will be enough for you boys. Novv, then, 

 what size of mill is necessary to produce 

 this power in a fair wind?" 



Mr. G. then requested his wife to bring 

 him the two catalogues from his secretary. 

 •' There,'' said he, pointing to a picture in 



I one of the catalogues representing one of 

 ' the improved windmills ; "• the diameter iif 

 this mill is 17 feet, and it is rated at three 

 horse-power.'' 



•' Whew!" said Jimmy ; " if 17 feet in di- 

 ameter will give three horse-power, then— 

 le' me see; o 's in 17 Bi times. Why, a 

 windmill to give one horse-power would 

 need to be only 51 feet in diameter— purty 

 near six feet ; and fer half horse-power—" 



" Jimmy," said Sam, interrupting, " you 

 are clear off your base. 1 should think the 

 power of a mill would be in proportion to 

 the number of square feet of surface." 



After rummaging around, Sam found a 

 piece of paper and a pencil, remarking, 

 " What is the use of going to school, unless 

 you can put it to some use?" 



Mr. G., in the meantime, looked amused, 

 and finally spoke : 



'' Boys, you are both wrong, though 1 

 must admit that Sam is nearer right. You 

 must bear in mind, that the larger the mill 

 the more purchase the wind will iiave upon 

 the center ; and that, while the power of a 

 windmill is, to a certain extent, as to its 

 number of square feet of surface, this mat- 

 ter of greater purchase must be taken into 

 account. Let me see. You have not studi- 

 ed philosophy yet, have youV but you both 

 know how much power you can exert on the 

 end of a crowbar. Now if the ciowbar were 

 shortened it would give you a great deal less 

 purchase, would it not? The proper size of 

 the mill we can not get at, 1 think, by means 

 of figures and comparison, in order to pro- 

 duce a given horse-power, so 1 think we 

 shall have Lo tru.st to the experience of those 

 who have made windmills. One of the man- 

 ufacturers writes me that a mill 12 feet in 

 diameter would do tolerably well for run- 

 ning a buzz saw for hive-making. We will, 

 then, take this for our basis. Supposing 

 that a 12-loot windmill will run a buzz-saw 

 in a fair wind, and yet do good work, we 

 will then reason that, if we desire to use a 

 very light-running arbor, with a thin, well- 

 sharpened saw, and that the saw will not be 

 crowded too iiard, an 8-foot mill in a good 

 stiff' breeze will probably do your work.'' 



Mr. G. then showed the boys an old Amer- 

 ican Agriculturist, telling all about how to 

 make a cheap windmill, the cuts and dia- 

 grams fully explaining each part of the mill. 



" Now, 1 want to say, boys, that this busi- 

 ness of making windmills has generally not 

 proven to be very profitable ; but as you are 

 so desirous, and seem so determined to make 

 one at all hazards, 1 propose to let you have 

 the necessary lumber, and you can tinker 

 away to your hearts" content. But I don't 

 believe you are quite mechanics enough to 

 construct a good windmill ; however, spare 

 evenings 1 will assist you in some of the 

 most difficult parts of its construction." 



The following day being Saturday, when 

 there was no school, the boys set to work 

 with a keen zest. They worked, assisted by 

 Mr. Green, for se\eral weeks, nights and 

 mornings and Saturdiiys. During its con- 

 struction 1 fear their minds were on the 

 windmill the greater part of the time, even 

 in school hours. Sams teacher noticed 

 something was wrong, as he didn't get his 



