276 



THE AMERICAN BEE-KEEPER. 



October 



a plan which obviates the many 

 difficulties which face a novice, or 

 even an " old hand," to get the best 

 results with the least work, and at the 

 least expense ; and for the benefit of 

 the readers of the American tJee 

 Journal, I will here give the plan I 

 now use to get wax from my old comb. 



I took an old feed basket — one that 

 would go inside of the can, which I 

 mention further on ; gathered all the 

 comb I wished to dispose of at one 

 time, threw it into the basket, and 

 carried it to the steam escape-pipe of 

 our water-works. Here I provided 

 myself with an old lard can, holding 

 five gallons or more, and cut a round 

 hole the size of the escape-pipe in one 

 side of the can about three inches 

 from the bottom. Then I placed 

 about two inches of water in the bot- 

 tom of the can, put the end of the 

 escape-pipe through the whole in the 

 can, set the basket containing the 

 comb in the can, covered the top of 

 the can with an old piece of carpet, 

 turned on the steam, and in from three 

 to five minutes the work was complete. 



Then 1 lifted out the basket, after 

 giving it several vigorous shakes, and 

 threw away the debris with every bit 

 of the wax removed, and lying on the 

 water in the can. I let it lie there 

 until cool, and then took it out in one 

 solid cake of comparatively clean, 

 pure wax. 



Any one trying this plan as [ have 

 outlined it, will find no wax remain- 

 ing in the slumgum or refuse, and 

 but very little dirt or trash in the 

 wax — not enough to injure its sale. 



1 have tried the sun extracting 

 plan, and, in fact, a great many other 

 was, but have never yet found any- 

 thing that will begin to equal this for 



speed, convenience and good work. 

 There is scarcely any one keeping bees 

 but can have access to a steam escape- 

 pipe in some shop, mill, or at some 

 thresher where steam is used. By 

 this process, one can load a wagon 

 with combs, a basket, can and carpet, 

 go to some steam escape-pipe, and ex- 

 tract the whole load alone in much 

 less than a day. 



I can truthfully say to any one 

 wishing to get the wax from old comb, 

 that this is the best, the cheapest and 

 easiest way discovered, and can be 

 readily utilized by any one at no cost. 

 By following the method I have out- 

 lined above, every bee-keeper and 

 honey-seller will find it saving in time 

 and trouble, and the work a pleasure 

 instead of laborious ; and the work, 

 when done, will be as nearly perfect 

 as it is possible to get it. 



Liberty, Ind. 



(From the Nebraska. Queen.) 



UNITING WEAK COLOl^IES IN THE 

 FALL. HOW TO DO IT. 



BY JENNIE ATCHLEY. 



Uniting bees in the fall is an easy 

 task, if one knows how. There are 

 many plans, and while all may be 

 good I will only give one which will 

 work in all countries, and at all times 

 of the year, still it is an excellent one 

 for fall. 



First, I would pick out my colonies 

 to be united, and cage one of the best 

 looking queen in a cage as you would 

 were you going to mail her ; and I 

 might say cage all the queens in this 

 way before you begin to work, then, 

 late in the evening of the same day or 

 any evening not later than the third 

 day take the empty combs from two or 

 more hives, according to their strength 



