218 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Feb. 15 



combs, thus permitting 

 the honey and wax to 

 separate readily after 

 being drawn off through 

 a spout into a pail or 

 can. Among those who 

 have been working on 

 the idea may be men- 

 tioned M. H. Mendle- 

 son, John Y. Peterson, 

 and L. E. Mercer. We 

 intend to present de- 

 scriptions of the other 

 plans later; but since 

 we have received the 

 engravings of Mr. Mer- 

 cer's outfit we will de- 

 scribe that first. 



Mr. Mercer has been 

 working on this prob- 

 lem for some time, and 

 he has developed an 

 outfit which he has 

 used with a considera- 

 ble degree of satisfac- 

 tion. The general plan 

 is shown by the accom- 

 panying engravings. 



The plan of opera- 

 tion, in brief, is as fol- 

 lows: 



The combs are un- 

 capped as in any ordi- 

 nary uncapping -box; 

 but the cappings, in- 

 stead of falling on a 

 screen to drain, drop 

 directly on to a tin bot- 

 tom which slopes down 

 toward an opening near 



The stove shown would hardly be suitable, 

 sene-stove should be used 



THE MERCER UNCAPPING-BOX. 



The cappings, as fast as they are sliced from the combs, fall down into a hot 

 pan where they are immediately melted. The honey and wax are thus sep- 

 arated. 



one end. The honey 

 with the cappings fur- 

 nishes sufficient lubri- 

 cation to keep them 

 constantly sliding down 

 through this opening 

 into the heated pan be- 

 neath. This smaller pan 

 is surrounded by water, 

 which is kept hot by 

 an oil-stove, so that the 

 cappings are immedi- 

 ately melted into wax. 

 The capacity is not lim- 

 ited; for, when the heat- 

 ed pan is full, the honey 

 and wax overflow 

 through the trough into 

 a pail, which is replac- 

 ed by an empty one 

 when full. When the 

 work is done for the 

 day, the wax cakes 

 may be lifted out of the 

 pail in good condition 

 for market, leaving the 

 honey entirely free from 

 cappings. 



The details of con- 

 struction of the uncap- 

 ping-box are shown 



THE MERCER UNCAPPING-BOX. 



A blue-flame wickless kero- 



