Apr. 1, 1912 



205 



Interior of the extracting room, showing eight-frame extractor driven by ele<'tric motor. 



and wagon, for, being of the high-wheeled 

 type, and having soUd tires, mud does not 

 stop us unless it is very deep. We have not 

 put on any new tires yet; but the three-year- 

 old machine must have new tires on the 

 rear wheels before we begin another season's 

 work. A local blacksmith has bought a 

 machine for putting on tires, and offers to 

 put on two rear tires for $35.00. 



It costs about two cents a mile for gasoline 

 and oil. We think the expense of keeping 

 a machine is no more than keeping up a 

 team, wagon, and harness, to say nothing 

 of the satisfaction one gets out of the ma- 

 chine in the yard, and the time saved on 

 the road. We would not try to get along 

 without an auto for our work. 



One of the main features of planning our 

 work is to get the most out of the boys' time 

 during vacation, and get as nearly finished 

 uji in the fall by time school commences 

 as possible. We have thought of a heavier 

 machine — one that would carry more honey 

 — but have finally concluded that, as we 

 have more or less sandy roads, and occasion- 

 ally mud to go through, a medium-weight 

 machine is better. 



The International machine costs $800, so 

 we can use two machines and have no more 

 money invested than if we had one of the 

 larger style of motor wagons or trucks. We 

 are not prejudiced in favor of the Interna- 

 tional, but have looked over other makes, 

 and think that, for our work, it is the best 

 we have seen. There are a good many days 



in the year when we have very little if any 

 load to carry, and this is something to con- 

 sider; for, instead of having to run a lot of 

 extra machinery over the country, we have 

 a speedy and economical way of traveling. 



We kept two teams before we got a ma- 

 chine, and still keep one, as we have some 

 heavy hauling to do at times. Each of the 

 machines will carry a thousand pounds; and 

 as we go to some yard every day we get our 

 honey in as fast as one man can extract it. 



For several years our extracting was done 

 at the outyards, and the honey run into five- 

 gallon cans and hauled home every day. 

 This plan hassomeadvantages; but the cost 

 in time and labor of keeping uj) a house at 

 each yard, and moving the extracting out- 

 fit about twice a week, and seeing that the 

 wants of a force of men are iiupplied, induc- 

 ed us to try a different plan. 



The last four seasons we have been haul- 

 ing all the honey home, where we have an 

 eight-frame extractor run by an electric mo- 

 tor, which we think is the best power for 

 running an extractor. Some may think 

 this entails too much hauling of honey and 

 supers; but we find we can take care of more 

 bees with the same help, and do not need so 

 many supers, as we keep extracting every 

 day, which gives us a sui)ply to take out to 

 the yards each morning during the extract- 

 ing season. 



I might say a little in regard to our apiary 

 work. We use both the eight and the ten 

 frame hives; and while I have some prefer- 



