1908 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



559 



was only one batch or tilling for the press to 

 be melted, it worked quite well; but to make 

 a 1001b. lot with it was too slow and messy. 

 His way of working it may have overcome 

 these faults. 



I have used the new Root-Hatch press 

 twice, and have just two faults to find with 

 it: It is too small; so, also, is the screw, which 

 is too small, for it springs sidewise too easi- 

 ly. I think there is a chance for improve- 

 ment over any of our present wax-rendering 

 methods. 



Holtermann's caution about wax needing 

 constant watching for fear of boiling over 

 and setting tire to the building is good. I 

 set my house on tire once that way; and if 

 there had not been help right there serious 

 damage would have been done. 



Another thing should be mentioned. Mr. 

 Holtermann says, cover the form with cheese- 

 cloth, fold over, and pin. Cheese-cloth as 

 known in the United States will not do at all 

 for such purpose. It is a thin loosely woven 

 cloth of cotton. What Mr. H. means is a 

 stout cloth made of linen, such as our cheese- 

 makers use to cover their vats and curd with 

 before pressing. 



Richland Center, Wis. 



UNCAPPING BOXES. 



Melting the Cappings as Fast as They are 



Sliced from the Combs ; Another 31a- 



chine for Eapidly Separating 



the Honey and Wax. 



BY J. Y. PETERSON. 



The engraving shows my honey and wax 

 extractor for handling cappings; and, as you 

 will see, a capping- table, etc., all complete, 

 for which I have recently applied for a pat- 

 ent. 



The cappings and the honey drop through 

 the hole in the top of the table, and fall di- 



ey escapes to the main honey-tank into which 

 the honey runs; also from the honey-extractor. 



I used one of these machines for extracting 

 several weeks, and it worked perfectly, and 

 at the end of each day I had no cappings, 

 etc., to use up time. On the following morn- 

 ing I always had a perfect cake of wax ready 

 for market after removing it from the tank. 

 It was then necessary only to light the burn- 

 ers and go ahead. Any water that might 

 get into the wax and honey from the un- 

 capping-knife goes out in steam immediate- 

 ly, when it gets on the tank and the honey 

 and wax slowly drain down the one-inch in- 

 cline. It takes but a very small flame to 

 keep this tank hot. The uncapping-knife is 

 heated in the well for the purpose, which is 

 a part of this tank; any steam that may gen- 

 erate escapes through this, and you always 

 have a hot uncapping-knife, and can here also 

 see when the water is getting low, and pour 

 more in. 



Besides the one I used I made three others 

 for friends, and they used them with equally 

 good results. I used No. 30 galvanized iron 

 for the tank, which is 3 ft. long, 1 inch deep, 

 and perfectly flat, with a rail on sides and 

 back as shown. 



The honey from this machine is not in the 

 least colored, as is the case in the old sun 

 extractor, and the wax does not need remelt- 

 ing, etc. You are through, and have a fin- 

 ished job each day. The honey has also a 

 good heavy body. Because of the evaporat- 

 ing process it goes through draining over 

 the tank. Not one particle of wax escapes 

 with the honey, as the honey drains from the 

 extreme bottom of the receiver. 



While the sketch is not exact, you can get 

 the idea. The burners should be close to the 

 bottom of the tank. One five-gallon can of 

 gasoline lasted me one season. 



San Francisco, Cal. 



[There is no question in our mind but 

 that an uncapper embodying the principle 



The cappings, as fast as they are sliced from the combs, fall into the hot pan, where the wax is melted. The 

 wax and honey run to the end of the pan, and thence into the separator at the end. 



rectly on the tank filled with boiling water, (namely, melting the cappings as fast as 



and the mass at once melts and drains off in- they are shaved off the combs) is as correct 



to the receiver, where the honey goes to the in practice as it is in theory. Those who 



bottom and the wax to the top When the have tested it pronounce it a success. They 



division line reaches a certain level the hon- further claim that the honey that goes with 



