Hill's Wax Extractor. 



This consists of a boiler to hold the 

 hot water, which may be placed on the 

 stove, and from it a piece of gas-pipe 

 runs up to the wax holder ; through this 

 the steam is communicated to the wax, 

 melting it and discharging it through a 

 small tin pipe from the lower side, into 

 a pan which may be placed on the boiler 



below, and thus be kept from congeal- 

 ing till enough for a good-sized cake is 

 extracted. This extractor turns upon 

 its axis, and having a smaller vessel 

 inside made of perforated tin, the wax 

 runs through it to the discharge pipe, 

 not only at the bottom but on all sides. 

 We have not seen it work, but should 

 think it capable of performing the object 

 of its manufacture, i. e. melting the wax 

 and thus preparing it for market. 



1^ "• Can anyone select the best queen 

 to breed from, by simply seeing V" is a 

 very pertinent question. If he is wholly 

 unacquainted with the relative merits 

 of the colonies, we think it next to an 

 impossibility. If he is familiar with 

 them and their characteristics, it would 

 be quite easy to do so. "O. M. A'' 

 says, in reference to this: " I have 80 

 colonies of Italians so near alike, that 

 if any one will select the best queen to 

 breed from, upon examing them, I will 

 give him 2 of the colonies. If he fails, 

 he shall present 2 Italian colonies to 

 the Bee Jouknal. Here is a chance 

 for the confident ones to test their skill. 

 We shall see who will dare to take up 

 the challenge. 



The Langstroth Hive. 



A correspondent inquires if there is 

 a patent on the Langstroth hive, and 

 whether any royalty can be collected of 

 those using such ? 



Certainly, not I That patent expired 

 in 1873, and now there is no patent 

 either on the hive or frame. All being 

 free to make and use it at pleasure. 



Sperry & Chandler have a patent on 

 the " J^orth Star Hive," including a 

 manipulating side arrangement. This 

 may be attached to any hive, and it is 

 very applicable to the Langstroth hive. 

 When so attached, the patent covers 

 the " manipulating side," and not the 

 hive in any sense. 



In order to distinguish the Langstroth 

 hive when so combined, from the ordi- 

 nary Langstroth, it has been named the 

 "New Langstroth Hive."- Sperry & 

 Chandler's claim being only on the 

 " manipulating side," all are perfectly 

 free to make, sell, use or vend tlie Lang- 

 stroth hive or frame, in any shape, form 

 or size to suit their notions. Though 

 we hope all will study uniformity in 

 size— the size of the standard Lang- 

 stroth frame is 9ixl7f outside measure, 

 with top-bar l!H inches in length. The 

 hive is 14xl8i inside, and 10 inches deep. 



1^ At the Illinois State Fair, held at 

 Freeport, Sept. 16-21, there was some 

 honey exhibited, but nothing like the 

 " Honey Show " that should have been 

 made. Mr. Armstrong had his hive 

 there on exhibition, and the "Excelsior" 

 Extractor was represented. The Bing- 

 ham smoker, Bingham & Hetherington 

 uncapping-knife, and a few other small 

 apiarian tools, completed the catalogue. 



1^ Part II. of Novice's "A B C of 

 Bee Culture" is on our desk. It covers 

 the letters from D to H. A more ap- 

 propriate name, we opine, would have 

 been " Bee-Keepers' Encyclopedia," as 

 that is really what it is. It will be 

 handy as a reference book, when com- 

 plete. 



