For the American Bee Journal. 



Given's Comb Foundation Press. 



d. s. GIVEN. 



By a careful examination of the accom- 

 panying engraving, the reader will see 

 how wired foundation is made, with the 

 wires sewed through the frames. The 

 die plates, which are seen half-opened 

 on the die-table, are copper plates with 

 indentations to form the foundations of 

 the cells. The brood-frame, with from 

 6 to 8 line wires sewed through the cen- 

 ter, is placed en one die, as seen in the 

 cut ; the dipped sheet of wax. after be- 

 ng cut the exact size, is then placed in 



the frame, the die-book closed, and 

 slides under the powerful press, where 

 the impression is easily made with the 

 strong lever over the die-table. 



Now we have the wired foundation 

 held right in the center of the frame, 

 which will always secure to us straight 

 combs, and no distorted cells caused by 

 sagging. Full swarms of bees can be 

 placed in a hive tilled with this founda- 

 tion, and require no looking after; the 

 foundation does not even need wax or 

 anything else to hold it to the top-bar, 

 as the wires alone will hold it securely. 

 Now, for all these and many more ad- 



vantages, all our extra expense is about 



two cents' worth of wire to the hive, 

 and a boy can sew this wire in a frame 

 about as fast as foundation can be fas- 

 tened to the top-bar. Of course, sheets 

 of wax can be pressed into foundation 

 without the wires as well as with them. 



In making these copper dies, we can 

 cut the lines of any size to suit the pur- 

 chaser. If the lines are made heavy, 

 very light foundation cannot be made. 

 If the lines are small, the base of the 

 cells must be thick, unless the founda- 

 tion is made light. We think that the 

 principal part of the wax should be de- 

 posited in the lines, leaving the bottom 

 thin. The bottom of the foundation is 

 often left untouched by the bees, and if 

 the lines contain but a small part of the 

 wax, much is wasted. There need be 

 no fear of any 'wax placed in the lines 

 or side- walls being wasted. Our aim is 

 to have the side-walls so heavy that 

 foundation 6 feet to the pound would 

 have very thin bases, then if used for 

 the sections, the bees will have some- 

 thing that will benelitthem. If used m 

 the brood frames at 5 feet to the pound, 

 there is but little waste of wax when the 

 bottom is left untouched. 



The press is all iron, weighs 200 lbs., 

 and is capable of a pressure of 100.000 

 lbs. About 40,000 lbs. is needed to press 

 a sheet for a Langstroth frame, as near 

 as we can estimate it. This may seem 

 incredible to many, but let them place 

 300 lbs. on one square inch, and they 

 will find that it is needed to make good 

 foundation. We think our lever a good 

 one, and it works very easily. We have 

 made 25 lbs. of foundation in'30 minutes. 

 The work is about the same as printing 

 on a hand press. 



Hoopeston, 111., March, 1880. 



For the American Bee Journal 



To the Bee-Keepers of Missouri. 



p. P. COLLIER. 



Having been elected Vice President 

 of the North American Bee-Keepers' 

 Society for the State of Missouri, it be- 

 comes my duty to do all in my power to 

 advance the interests of apiculture 

 throughout the State. To accomplish 

 this I know of no better way than to 

 request the agricultural and mechani- 

 cal associations of the State, counties 

 and districts, to include the various 

 products of the apiary in their awards 

 and premiums, twill endeavor to gel 

 our products properly before the peo- 

 ple, and I would advise apiarists gen- 

 erally to make an exhibit of honey, wax, 

 hives, extractors, and everything per- 

 taining to apiculture at their county. 



