1909 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



133 



ing year. If honey must be sold at a reduction, 

 then why not to outside States to the large deal- 

 ers, rather than to the leading merchants of the 

 home town.' 



Ogden, Utah, Dec. 26. 



AN ANT PROOF BUILDING IN HA- 

 WAII. 



BY D. L. VAN DINE. 



I send herewith a photograph of a house we 

 have at the Hawaii Agricultural Experiment Sta- 

 tion for insect-breeding work — an insectary, as it 

 is called. It occurred to me that this might be 

 of interest to the readers of Gleanings — at least 

 to those in the tropics — in connection vvith the 

 article on " Keeping Ants out of Honey-houses in 

 Warm Localities," on p. 1444. The liouse (Fig. 

 1) rests on sewer-pipe imbedded in cement in or- 

 dinary earthern washbowls, the bowls in turn be- 

 ing imbedded in concrete. The bowls are, of 

 course, icept filled with water. The steps to the 

 house are detached, and at a distance away of 

 about six inches. The structure is wholly ant- 

 proof. The remaining precaution taken is to 

 keep the grass cut beneath and around the build- 

 ing. The small view at the left shows detailed 

 construction of the posts. 



Honolulu, Hawaii, Dec. 15. 



FOOT-POWER HONEY-EXTRACTOR 

 WANTED. 



BY R. H. YEARNSHAW. 



I extract alone, uncapping and running the ex- 

 tractor at the same time, and I can keep the ex- 

 tractor spinning while uncapping, if I have it 

 well oiled and adjusted; but I should like to get 

 an arrangement to run it by foot-power. For in- 



stance, I would have a treadle hinged at one end 

 to the floor, and a rope or chain at the other end, 

 running over a ratchet arrangement on the shaft 

 of the extractor. 



Uncapping-knives should be made with a long- 

 er bevel so they can be sharpened more easily. 

 The last knife I bought took me two or three 

 hours of hard grinding to get in shape — as much 

 as a new knife is worth in labor. The handle 

 should be larger, and oval, or oblong with round 

 corners. I nailed a small piece on the handle of 

 the last knife I bought, to give me a good grip. 



SAN FRANCISCO MARKET REPORTS TOO HIGH. 



I do not send any honey to San Francisco any 

 more, having a good home market; but I never 

 was able to get the prices quoted in the market 

 reports when I did send honey there. The whole- 

 salers, in their market report to the retailers, quote 

 fancy Nevada honey at 15 cts. , and it is fine hon- 

 ey too. They are not in the business for their 

 health, of course, so the producer does not get 

 that much. They used to pay me 3 to 4 cts. per 

 lb. less than the price they quoted to the retailer, 

 five years or so ago. I think it is part of a plan 

 to help "boost" the reconstruction of San Fran- 

 cisco to quote high prices on produce, so more 

 will be shipped there, and they will regain the 

 trade lost immediately after the quake and fire. 

 Every bee-keeper I have talked with has voiced 

 similar sentiments. 



Stonyford, Cal. 



IWe are not so sure but you have struck on an 

 idea that is worth developing. While there is no 

 doubt that a suitable foot-power could drive a 

 two-frame honey-extractor, the difficulty, appar- 

 ently, lies in the fact that one must have the use 

 of his feet to get at the combs in the different su- 

 pers for the purpose of uncapping and extracting. 

 A boy, however, might bring the frames; and 

 while the operator is pedaling he might do the 



A RUlLDINt; lUR INSECT BRKIDlNf. WORK IHAT IS ANT-I'KUOl, IN HONOLULU. 



