1902 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



565 



the posts bj' thumb-screws, A A, and can 

 be slid up and down, or the points of the 

 g-aug-es over the tank can be tipped up and 

 down to reg-ulate the depth of the dip to the 

 quantity of wax in the tank. 



The lamps should be in the position shown 

 while one is dipping- cups, and then add 

 lumps of wax over them as the melted wax 

 is used out between the g^aug^es and perfo- 

 rated tin, the object of the tin being- to hold 

 the lumps of wax out of the way while dip- 

 ping-, and thus enable one to keep the sup- 

 ply the same all the time, and obviate the 

 necessity of changing- the position of the 

 g-auges from time to time by the adding- of 

 wax as often as it is necessary'. 



POINTS ON DIPPING. 



The bottom of the wax-tank should be 

 covered with water to prevent burning the 

 wax, which also serves as a regulator, as 

 bubbling indicates too much heat, and the 

 flames of the lamps should be regulated ac- 

 cordingly. In fact, for best results the tem- 

 perature of the wax should be kept but lit- 

 tle above the melting-point, the pieces of 

 wax to be added over the lamps as the liq- 

 uid is used out without its interfering with 

 the progress of the work, and thus causing 

 it to melt without raising the temperature 

 elsewhere, and serves the purpose of keep- 

 ing the depth of dip regulated without hav- 

 ing to adjust continually the gauges as has 



In starting up, the lamps should be ad- 

 justed near the center of the tank until the 

 wax at that point is melted. 



This completes the description of a queen- 

 cup dipping-outfit except that we want a 

 water-tank or some convenient arrangement 

 for wetting the dipping or forming sticks 

 for about one inch from the points up, after 

 each batch of cups is removed, as well as 

 in which to soak them thoroughly before be- 

 ginning; also a wet board placed on the ta- 

 ble next to the operator, on which to place 

 the cups to give them a desired large flat 

 base or goblet shape. 



before been explained. The bevels atlboth 

 ends of the stick-holder incline the same 

 waj', which admits of varj'ing the depth of 

 each alternate dip bj' an endwise movement, 

 and still use the gauges as a rest, so as to 

 dip the pegs from end to end alike. 



Make two dips in rapid succession, the 

 full depth, which should be nearly )s inch; 

 touch the points to the melted wax, to re- 

 move the adhering drops, and immediately 

 place them on the wet board, to remain un- 

 til the wax sets. This board should be 

 thoroughl3' soaked before using-, and then 

 kept quite wet by either occasionally plung- 



