Dkcember, 1910 



G T. K A N T N O S T N B R K C U T. T IT R E 



785 



FROM THE FIELD OF EXPERIENCE 



Mr. Elkins' giant wax-press. The framework is 

 made out of three-inch plank one foot wide, and of 

 suitable length. The whole is held together with 

 four long bolts on each side. The squeeze or pres- 

 sure is secured by means of large jackscrews that 

 can be obtained at any large hardware store. 



with this powerful leverage he put on all 

 the pressure he could. One would think he 

 would break the machine, but he didn't. 

 Mr. Elkins believes in high pressure when 

 it comes to wax-presses. When he got his 

 work well organized, he said he was able to 

 turn out about 600 pounds a day. 



The other illustrations show the complete 



outfit — the wax-press and the big pile of 

 frames from which he had rendered the 

 combs. Wliere tlie fiames were properly 

 made lie could usi> them over again. 



Why Large Press Was Needed. 



It is, perhaps, needless to say that such 

 a large outfit would not be needed in an 

 ••ipiary where there had been no foul brood. 

 When Mr. Elkins found his bees had disease 

 he made up his mind to do a thoro job in 

 cleaning. And clean up he did, for he melt- 

 ed everything, and now has only clean bees 

 in his canvon. E. R. Root. 



CRITICISM ON ROOT'S CELLAR 



Objects to Intake and Chimney. Says Shape of 

 Cellar Immaterial 



Where the sages grow in Elkins Can.von, one of the. 

 l)rettiest canyons in all California. 



Having read Mr. Root's interesting arti- 

 cle on "IIow to Build a Bee Cellar," it 

 would seem to me that he has omitted some 

 important factors necessary in the construc- 

 tion of a cellar that will, under varying con- 

 ditions, insure successful wintering. 



First, if the chimney were built 30 feet 

 or more in height so as to create a 

 draft, the ventilation would be more eco- 

 nomical and much more effective than by 

 use of an electric fan. A chimney works 

 automatically, the movement of the air in- 

 creasing with an increase of temperature 

 within the cellar; so with a larger number 

 of colonies there will be a correspondingly 

 stronger current, and if for any reason the 

 bees should tend to become restless and gen- 

 erate an undue amount of heat, the increas- 

 ed current will automatically hold down the 

 temperature. An eight-inch flue is about 

 right for 100 colonies in a cellar 16 by 20 

 feet. It would certainly seem inadequate 

 for 600 colonies. 



If air is warmed its capacity for moisture 

 is increased, and it, therefore, tends to ab- 

 sorb and carry off moisture. If the air from 

 Root 's warehotise contains a normal or an ex- 

 cess amount of water vapor and is passed 

 into a cellar whose temperature is lower, the 

 tendency will be toward condensation, mak- 

 ing the cellar damp. After more than 10 

 years ' experience in cellar wintering of 

 several hundred colonies with an average 

 loss of less than one per cent, I am of the 

 ojiinion that there is no better way of sup- 

 plying air to a bee-cellar than by means of 

 a properly constructed sub-earth intake, 

 which modifies the temperature of the air 

 taken in without adding to its moisture. 

 This intake should be at least eight inches 

 in diameter for 100 colonies and correspond- 

 ingly larger for a greater number. Of 

 course, it should enter at or near the floor. 

 The outlet into the chimney should also be 

 from the bottom and on the opposite side 

 or end of the cellar. I have both openings 



