1908 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



219 



more clearly in the reproduction from the 

 pen-drawing. The oil-stove shown is not 

 the style that Mr. Mercer uses, for he has 

 found that the blue-flame wickless kerosene- 



DETAILS OF THE DOUBLE PAN IN WHICH 

 THE CAPPINGS ARE MELTED. 



stoves give the best satisfaction. Asbestos 

 rings take the place of wicks, and these are 

 never moved up or down, the supply of ker- 

 osene being regulated by a valve. 



The large box is five feet long, two feet 

 wide, and ten inches deep There is a two- 

 inch slant to the^tin bottom, so 

 that the cappings will more ea- 

 sily slide into the hot pan be- 

 neath. If, for any reason, the 

 cappings should collect in the 

 box in two great a quantity, an 

 occasional push with a stick 

 would send them down out of 

 the way. - . 



The hot pan is made double 

 — that is, the arrangement is 

 really a pan within a pan. 

 The inside pan, which holds 

 the wax and honey, is, of 

 course, smaller and shallower 

 than the outer one, and the 

 sides are also more flaring. 

 This gives the hot water a 

 chance to surround the inner 

 pan completely, so that the 

 sides, as well as the bottom, are 

 kept hot. Reference to the 

 small illustration of the pan 

 will make this clear. It will 

 be noted that the outer can, 

 which holds the water, is made 

 enough longer to give a space 

 just the right size for holding 

 two uncapping - knives. This 

 means that the blades will al- 

 ways be hot and clean. 



The uncapping- box would not 

 need to be so long were it not 

 for the fact that it is a great 

 convenience to have a rack for 

 holding uncapped combs before 

 they are placed in the extract- 

 or. By hanging the combs in 

 the box, the honey that drips 

 from them runs down with the 

 cappings so that there are no 

 extra pails or cans to watch. 



Little need be said concern- 

 ing the advantages of this plan. 

 The cappings are never in the 



way, and no bulky cans to hold them are 

 necessary. The wax cakes are ready for 

 market about as soon as the work is done, 

 and no time is spent in rendering. The most 

 expensive part of the outfit is the stove. A 

 two- burner oil-stove of the style mentioned 

 costs about five dollars; but it is a stove that 

 is needed in every home, any way. 



DRU3IMING BEES OUT OF A LOG GU3r. 



BY FRED J. CARTAN. 



I am sending you a photo of a bee-tree that 

 I found and took to my yard and set up. It 

 is six feet long and filled from end to end 

 with comb, and probably honey and brood. 

 It is curved away from the point of view and 

 does not show the entire length, as I wished 

 to show the bees and their entrance into the 

 tree which can be seen at the lower edge of 

 the cluster of bees. 



I am of the opinion the bees have occupied 

 this tree over at least one winter. As the 

 hole was and is now at the top of the hive (or, 



FRED J. CARTAN AND HIS KEE-TRKE. 



This bee-tree was found by Mr. Cartan and the section contain- 

 ing the bees was cut out and moved into his own yard. 



