APRIL 1, 1913 



J15 



satisfaction that I am pursuing a fairly 

 moderate course between the two extremes. 

 Be that as it may, it was quite a wrench for 

 me Avhen I decided to leave the hand-turned 

 extractor and venture on what was to me 

 the uncertain sea of a power-extractor out- 

 fit. 



When I state that, Avith a six-frame re- 

 versible extractor turned by hand, we have 

 been able to extract 8500 lbs. of honey in 

 a day, some will, perhaps, better understand 

 my hesitation. However, after weighing 

 the evidence available, and meditating up- 

 on the pros and cons, actual and perhaps 

 imaginary, the plunge was finally made, 

 and the securing of an outfit decided on. 



The next thing was to decide upon the 

 size of the macliine. An eight-frame ex- 

 tractor was the largest available ; and as Ave 

 had already used a six-frame by hand, this 

 did not seem like difference enough. The 

 manufacturers could give me no help — in 

 fact, their advice rather tended to the pur- 

 chase of two six-frame machines rather than 

 one twelve-frame. An arrangement was 

 made for a twelve-frame machine, and I 

 ordered a jDump attached. I believe I was 

 the first one to order an extractor with a 

 honey-pump attached (now, do not all speak 

 up at once, saying that I was the last). 



As to the engine, a few dollars looked to 



me pretty serious — a few pounds of added 

 weight, a clog on the whole season's opera- 

 tions; so a 1%-horse-power engine was de- 

 cided on. Tins machine extracted a good 

 crop of honey for the season of 1912; but 

 I decided that there was a slight delay in 

 speeding up the large reel with a capacity 

 of twelve Langsti'oth frames ; and two of 

 these delays with every set of combs made 

 considerable lost time in a day ; consequent- 

 ly a 31/2-horse-poAver engine has been bought 

 to rejDlace the first purchased. 



The extractor which I ordered was com- 

 pleted and ready for inspection about July 

 1, 1911. A visit of inspection was made, 

 and every thing appeared all right. Blocks 

 of wood were placed in the comb-baskets 

 as a substitute for comb. Delay in transit 

 resulted, in that the last day of extracting 

 I received notice that the extractor had ar- 

 rived at my nearest custom-house station. 

 It was, therefore, too late to test the ma- 

 chine during the season of 1911. 



During the winter of 1911 I had 18 gal- 

 vanized iron tanks built for storing honey. 

 They had tight covers, Avere 6 feet liigh and 

 3 in diameter. Each tank has a capacity of 

 3000 to 3300 lbs. The best and safest hon- 

 ey-gate I could find Avas put on them, and 

 a strong stand about 14 inches high Avas 

 built in each apiary, upon which to set the 



and tanks, loaded on a wagon. 



