1908 



(;lkanin(;s in bee culture, 



365 



depositing eggs as if all had always lived 

 there; and at this writing, some ten or twelve 

 days later, there is quite a patch of brood on 

 two of the frames, part of it sealed. I see 

 no reason why they should not do as well as 

 any other colony. 

 San Diego, Cal., Nov. 11. 



LIFTING HEAVY CANS OP HONEY. 



A Rope and Tackle for the Purpose 

 tenin^ Foundation. 



Fas- 



BT C. F. SMITH. 



Some kinds of work connected with "our 

 chosen pursuit," that we formerly approach- 

 ed with dread, we now find pleasure in do- 

 ing because of improved methods. I will 

 describe two plans that I have followed 

 for the past year or two. When one's 

 sales do not aggregate over 10,000 lbs., and 

 they are quite evenly distributed throughout 

 the year, the block-and pulley device for 

 lifting 60-lb. cans during the melting is all 

 right. In a rush, two wash-boilers can be 

 used. Each can must have a sling of its 

 own. There must be two ^-inch strips, 9 in. 

 long, for each can to rest on, to which a _ 

 vanized wire is stapled, long enough to ex 

 tend up over the can to form a bail or han- 

 dle — two for each can, and all the same 

 length. I use two small }-m. dou- 

 ble blocks with f or ^ in. rope. I 

 insert a J-inch screw-hook through 

 the plaster into a joist directly over 

 the front of the stove. I always 

 empty the honey through a cloth 

 strainer into a can around which a 

 few thicknesses of paper are wrap- 

 ped to hold heat. I use an oil- 

 faucet on this can, with entire sat- 

 isfaction. 



The more experience I have in 

 bottling honey, the less heat I apply. 

 I now heat the water to 130°. A 

 man can hold his fingers in water 

 at that temperature J 5 seconds; a 

 woman, 30. The honey does not 

 candy as quickly now as it did for- 

 merly when heated to a higher de- 

 gree. The reason of this, probably, 

 is that the excessive heat evaporates 

 too much, which causes the honey 

 to crystallize. I used to be con- 

 tinually bringing bottles home from 

 the store to remelt; but have not been both- 

 ered any since I adopted the 130° rule. I 

 think some kinds of honey will stand more 

 heat than others; but 130° is the limit with 

 me. When sealed at 100° it does not candy 

 under ordinary circumstances. I uncap the 

 cans while melting, and never missed any 

 aroma. 



Dread No. 2 that was turned into a pleas- 

 ure is wiring and putting in foundation. 

 Wire lengthwise of a frame tightly. Lay the 

 wired frame on the foundation with your 

 thumb on or toward the bottom- bar, and 

 draw the wires downward as you imbed with 



the old rocker imbedder. Now the founda- 

 tion will gently crowd the top-bar, which, 

 from this method, had better be plain or flat. 

 Imbed three to five hives or supers, leaving 

 the frames piled up, top-bars to the right. 1 

 fasten the foundation with melted wax from 

 an oiler, at the rate of four per minute, go- 

 ing over both sides, and I never had one 

 come loose. 



The oiler should be large enough to hold 

 at least a pint, and should be provided with 

 a handle. The diameter of the spout at the 

 small end should be about 4 inch. The 

 opening should be reduced with a tapered 



wooden plug pierced with a hole the size of 

 an eight-penny wire nail. 



To prevent the wax from chilling, the 

 spout should be wrapped with woolen cloth 

 or asbestos ; but as an additional precaution 

 I drop a hot wire into the opening every 

 time I set the can down. 



The wax should first be melted on the 

 stove and then heated by means of a single- 

 wick oil-burner. All the appliances men- 

 tioned can be obtained at any hardware store 

 for two or three dollars, and they will pay 

 for themselves in a month. 



Cheboygan, Mich. 



