GLEANINGS IN BEE CUTjTURE 



David E. Dobljs and his family of 



'consumers" who, besides lielping to produce honey, eat five pounds 

 of it a day. 



honey per day, and have it at every meal. 

 Indus, Minn., Feb. 24. 



[Five pounds a day ! Tliat comes ])retty 

 near if not quite uj;) to the high record of 

 daily family consumption of honey. We 

 should like to inquire if there is another 

 family that can beat it. The families that 

 are large consumers of honey appear to be 

 healthy jDeople. Aside from the sweets in 

 fruit, lioney is the only sweet available to 

 man without special treatment. "We knoAv 

 that the sugars in fruits are healthful and 

 nourishing.' In the same way we know that 

 honey is equally so ; but because it is more 

 concentrated, a less quantity can be taken 

 at a time. — Ed.] 



A STEAM - BOILER OWNED BY THREE BEE- 

 KEEPERS FOR RENDERING OLD COMBS 



BY P. H. BALES 



I am sending you a picture of our wax- 

 melting outfit which has given us such 

 good satisfaction that it may be of interest 

 to others. Two of my neighbor beekeepers 

 went in with me so the expense was not 

 much for any one of us. 



The outfit consists of a steam-boiler, a 

 s'eam reservoir, or tank, and a Root wax- 

 press. The tank is 6 ft. long, 20 in. wide, 

 and 22 in. deep, with a screen 11 in. from 

 the top to hold the old combs that are melt- 

 ed by steam from the pipe just underneath. 



wliich is perforated the full length of the 

 lank. The steam is turned into this pipe, 

 and it strikes the screen from below. There 

 is room for the melted Avax below the pipe, 

 and a faucet in the bottom of the tank for 

 drawing- it off. The lid fits tight. 



The wax-press is attached to the boiler; 

 and any an^ount of steam can be turned in 

 at will. We now have the Avhole outfit in a 

 tight room to keep out bees. 



Hanford, Cal., May 3. 



[There is nothing that can be compared 

 to steam for heating water or for cleaning 

 wax or propolis off from articles used in 

 the apiary. Steam can not heat water 

 enough to do anj^ damage to wax; and 

 where a beekeeper can have access to it he 

 is much more fortunate than those who 

 have to depend on stoves or outdoor arches. 

 Usually it is not practicable for the bee- 

 keeper to own his own boiler, as the amount 

 of use he can get out of it would not war- 

 rant the first cost. Small boilers can usual- 

 ly be obtained at an expense of from fifty 

 to sixty dollars. — Ed.] 



PROOF THAT BEES THIN DOWN THE BASE 

 OF COMB FOUNDATION 



BY JOSEPH H. PETERSON 



1 have often seen the statement that bees 

 seldom or never thin doAvn the bases of 

 cells in foundation ; but of late in examin- 



