110 



GLi^AUmGH IN JL5EE CULTUUE. 



Oct. 



M^ax, while the bases of the cells should be 

 as thin as the natural bases, if we can so 

 get them ; and with our new mills I think 

 we accomplish more than has ever been ac- 

 complished before. In making very light 

 foundation lor surplus-boxes, of course we 

 want as little wall, or base either, as may 

 be, to a certain limit ; and the samples of 

 our work that we are sending out now are 

 equal to any thing produced. Foundation 

 made from very tliin wax, with no walls at 

 all, or very slight walls, is accepted by the 

 bees, it is true ; but there seems to be a 

 marked preference for a clearly defined 

 raised edge of wax where the wall should 

 be started. A very poor, impeifect mill 

 will emboss plain sheets of wax, or, ratlier, 

 make indentations in it. so tliat the bees 

 will work it out into comb; but a good ar- 

 ticle of foundation is cheaper in the end 

 than a poor or hastily made article, as I be- 

 lieve most of the friends will agree. 



With the above machine, and other appli- 

 ances to match, we intend to give tlie 

 world better work than we have ever done 

 during any season heretofoie. We are en- 

 abled to accomplish a great many things on 

 account of the large number of mills we are 

 constantly sending off. that could not be 

 done were we working on a small scale ; 

 and we are constantly getting reports in 

 regard to how well our product answers, 

 from different parts of the world. 



THE PRESSED FOUNDATION VS. THE 

 ROLLED. 



FRIEND DADANT GIVES US HIS EXPERIENCE AND 

 OPINION IN THE MATTEIt. 



'E come, perhaps a little late, to give our 

 views on the Given or other pressed found- 

 ation. Let us first thank friend Heddon for 

 his eulogium. It is more than we deserve, 

 for there are plenty of others just as 

 pi'ompt and anxious to give satisfaction to their 

 customers. In fact, Mr. Root sets a good example 

 for all to follow. As Mr. Heddon intimates, each 

 man has a specialty, and each one excels in some- 

 thing. 



When Given made his first press he sent us sam- 

 ples, as he did to many others. We at once wrote 

 him, saying that his samples were not satisfactory, 

 being very uneven and badly printed. He answer- 

 ed, acknowledging that his foundation was far from 

 being what it ought to be, but stated that he was 

 constantly seeking to im^jrove it, and that, as soon 

 as he could make Iho desired improvements in his 

 machines, we should hear from him. But the fact 

 is, that it was impossible for any one to make a 

 press that would give entire satisfaction, because it 

 could not laminate the foundation, and would al- 

 ways make imperfect sheets, leaving too much wax 

 in some parts of the sheets, and require too much 

 pressure to print any part thoroughly. 



We soon found out that those who were making 

 pressed foundation could not compete with the oth- 

 ers, their work being, of necessity, very irregular. 

 In addition to this, the constructions of the bees 

 can best be imitated by the roller-mills, since they 

 print thorouglily all the cells. The result was, that 

 one man after another discarded the press, and it is 



now used, with only a few exceptions, solely by 

 apiarists who make none but their own foundation. 



The otily advantage that can be claimed for the 

 Given press is that stated by friend Heddon— speed 

 and ease of operation. Ahd yet we are strongly of 

 opinion that, if a roller mill were furnished that 

 made as rudimentary a wall as the Given press did, 

 it would be of as easy manipulation as the press. 

 We have withheld the public expression of our 

 opinion on the Given press formerly, for fear of 

 damaging the business of the manufacturers; but 

 as this implement has not been offered for sale for 

 sometime past, we suppose that no one will be dam- 

 aged by our statements. We are positively of opin- 

 ion that no press, however carefully made, will ever 

 succeed in competing with good roller mills. Like 

 friend Heddon, we had thought at one time that the 

 tnanufacture of comb foundation would be a part 

 of the business of bee-keeping; but each season has 

 convinced us more and more that it was taking the 

 shape'of a special industry. 



The crop of honey is next to nothing, and wc 

 have only a few barrels of it to spare. Our clover 

 honey is nearly all sold already. C. P. Dadant. 



Hamilton, 111., Oct. ], 1887. 



I am very glad to And, friend D., that 

 your experience so nearly coincides with 

 our own. No doubt tiie work done by tlie 

 Given press answered nicely with the bees ; 

 but somehow it didn't have the nice finished 

 look that almost any manufacturer would 

 wish to have his goods present when sent 

 out; and our experience was, that it was 

 very frail to handle. Notwithstanding the 

 speed and ease of operation in making it, 

 as you give it, no dealer in supplies, that I 

 know of, ever offered very long the Given 

 foundation for sale. Another point you 

 didn't mention is, that the Given founda- 

 tion can he made right inside of the wired 

 frames. At one time we thought that there 

 was going to be a great demand. 



Now. 1 have something to say on the other 

 side of the question. It has been remarked, 

 you know, that there are always more or 

 less exceptions laid down in bee culture. 

 When friend Young, from Norway, was 

 here we had very many pleasant chats in re- 

 gard to tlie supply-business, and among oth- 

 er questions I asked him tibout foundation. 

 lie replied, that, although they had a mill, 

 they got along very much better with the 

 Given press ; and he finally made the as- 

 tounding statement that one of the girls 

 that lielped him with the bees made all the 

 foundation they used during the season of 

 188(1, l)esides all their sales. In fact, he 

 said she made over 10,0(J0 lbs. during one 

 season ; and she did it all alone, unaided, 

 with the exception of a little trimming done 

 by his daughter; and this young woman 

 did this, too, with the Given press. She 

 dipped the wax and pressed the sheets. One 

 great point in favor of the (iiven press, he 

 said, is the fact that, if the. sheets were dip- 

 ped the right size to go into the frames, they 

 could be put through the press and still re- 

 main the right size. The frame he uses is 

 about 8 X 14 inches inside, and they make 

 nice foundation that is accepted by the bees 

 and worked out beautif ull> , and so thin as 

 to get 10 sheets of the above size from a 

 pound of wax. I suggested that they could 



