278 



indigent circumstances, this inventor 

 was unable to keep his name parallel 

 with his invention, and, as I understand, 

 his machine was labeled with another 

 man's name, and offered for sale at 

 $100, while the poor inventor was wholly 

 forgotten. 



Since that time several machines 

 have been produced, each having some 

 peculiar features, and bearing the name 

 of their manufacturers, but not one of 

 them has given the credit to tbe origi- 

 nal inventor. Let bee-keepers, when 

 they look at the straight comb that re- 

 sults from the use of comb foundation, 

 remember the poor German who gave 

 it to us, and let the supply dealers 

 thank him for this article of profit. His 

 name should be placed by the side of 

 the Rev. L. L. Langstroth, and these 

 be regarded as two of the greatest 

 American benefactors of the apiarian 

 science. 



Such is the history of the introduc- 

 tion of comb foundation — the next 

 thing to consider is its manufacture. 

 This is attained with no small amount 

 of trouble, and what might be termed 

 " muss," as our worthy President, Mrs. 

 Baker, and others present, can testify. 

 The wax is melted and strained 

 through several thicknesses of cheese- 

 cloth to remove the sediment. After 

 being cleansed, it is kept over the stove 

 in a large can, holding from GO to 80 lbs., 

 and 2 qts. of water, called a " melting- 

 can." From this it is strained into a 

 smaller can, holding 2 parts of wax and 

 and 1 of hot water ; this keeps an even 

 temperature and catches any sediment 

 that may yet remain. 



The dipping is next in order, and re- 

 quires a thin, straight-grained board of 

 the width and nearly the length re- 

 quired for a sheet. This is placed in cold 

 water until well soaked, then dipped in 

 the melted wax and taken out quickly ; 

 the dampness of the board prevents the 

 adhesion of the wax. Several dippings 

 are required to obtain the desired thick- 

 ness of sheet, varied according to the 

 temperature of the wax. 



After being taken from the board and 

 allowed to cool a moment, they are 

 ready for the machine. As a rule, the 

 first sheet sticks to the rollers, tears 

 apart, etc. Then we must get a sharp 

 stick or quill and pick the wax from the 

 rollers ; this is a long and tedious job. 



By the time the rollers are cleaned, 

 and with the assistance of some more 

 soap suds or slippery elm bark solution 

 on the rollers, the second sheet comes 

 out from the machine in satisfactory 

 shape ; it is then taken to the rinsing tub 

 and thoroughly washed and sponged. 

 After being dried it is stowed away in 



piles of about 8 lbs., to be cut according 

 to orders. 



This is the simplest and we think the 

 best process. Many use steam pipes 

 and other fixtures, but we think them 

 superfluous. It requires 5 persons ; 1 

 to dip, 2 at the machine, 1 to rinse, and 

 the other to sponge and lay away. When 

 the wax and water are cold it will be 

 about 9 o'clock before work can be com- 

 menced, and 6.5 lbs. is an average day's 

 work, varied adcording to weather, etc. 

 On cool days the sheets will crack and 

 break, and in extremely warm weather 

 the sheets will hardly bear their own 

 weight when taken from the machine. 

 The only danger attending the manu- 

 facture of foundation is that in the 

 hurry of the work the wax in the melt- 

 ing can may be forgotten, and if the 

 heat is too great, it will boil over, and, 

 being of an inflammable nature, it ig- 

 nites instantly. We never allow it to 

 boil, only to retain the melted state. 



The convention then proceeded to 

 elect officers for the ensuing year, as 

 follows : President, Rev. W. J. Ash- 

 worth ; Secretary, George L. Perry ; 

 Treasurer, Mrs. L. B. Baker. Vice 

 Presidents were elected from the coun- 

 ties represented: Ingham, Prof. A. J. 

 Cook, of Lansing; Shiawassee, Allen 

 Beard, of Morris; Livingston, W. R. 

 Coles, of Howell ; Ionia, Stephen Perry, 

 of Portland; Eaton, N. B. Coles, of 

 Grand Ledge, and Clinton, Mrs. L. J. 

 Gibson, of Dewitt. 



Adjourned to 1 p. m., when the con- 

 vention listened to the following essay, 

 by Stephen C. Perry : 



Water for Bees. 



To briefly examine this subject, let us 

 first inquire 



Do Bees Need Water f 



Inasmuch as all animals and plants 

 partake more or less of water, it is no 

 wonder that bees should occasionally 

 take a drink ; but that an abundant sup- 

 ply of water is as essential to the wel- 

 fare of the colony as is either honey or 

 pollen, is a fact which but few realize. 

 Not only do the bees on the fly drink it, 

 but they carry it into their hives for the 

 young bees which do not yet fly out, and 

 to mix with the pollen and honey to 

 make larvae food, in such quantities 

 that during this spring my 50 colonies 

 have taken some 5 quarts of water in 

 one day. Bees, therefore, need large 

 quantities of water, and we we will now 

 inquire 



How should they obtain it f 



Says one : " There is a beautiful little 

 lake near me. where my bees can get all 

 the water they want." Says another: 



