784 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



December, 1919 



FROM THE FIELD OF EXPERIENCE 



some long bolts which the blacksmith made 

 for him, and some large-sized jackscrews. 

 He had an idea that, if a small wax-press 

 would turn out a certain output, one of giant 

 size ought to turn out a correspondingly 

 larger amount. 



How the Wax-press Was Made. 



He first secured some very large jack- 

 screws — the largest he could get. Next he 

 purchased some oak plank 3 inches thick 

 and cut two pieces of timber 5 feet long 

 and two pieces 3 feet long. These he held 

 together with four long bolts as shown in 

 the accompanying illustrations. He then 

 had a large galvanized tank made, and a 

 series of wooden slatted frames to hold the 

 ' ' cheeses ' ' bound in burlap. 



His pans to receive the wax were made 

 out of common five-gallon square cans, cut 

 on a vertical line, making two shallow ob- 

 long containers. With a dozen of these he 

 was then ready for work. 



With a large circular tank shown in first 

 figure he melted his combs, and proceed- 

 ed to squeeze out slumgum in the form of 

 big cheeses with his large jackscrews. Not 

 content with giving the cheeses an ordinary 



The oljlong tin pans made out of five galvanized 

 square cans cut, in two lengthwise. These, said Mr. 

 Elkins, made as good cakes of wax as anything that 

 could be desired — just right for marketing purposes. 



squeeze lie used an iron bar 6 feet long, jiut 

 it thru t!ie heads of the jackscrews, and 



W'W^ -^fAf- 



A general view of the wax-rondering outtit with t!ui slatted frames on the left. A greiit deal of work can be 

 done outdoors in California, for there is no rain to amount to anything except during one or two of the 

 winter months. Mr. Elkins stands on the left, holding the long bar, and Mr. Sweet, of thei A. I. Root Co., 

 who had come down to look over the machine, is on the right. The tiu pans are shown in the foreground. 



