756 



AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



Immediately following fruit-bloom 

 comes alfalfa or lucerne, of which there 

 is a vast amount all up and down this 

 valley as far east as into Kansas. This 

 is a magnificent honey-plant, blooming 

 from the first of June until October, at 

 Intervals, as it is cut for hay. 



In July the bee-weed {cleome integrifo- 

 lia) comes into bloom, and continues 

 until about the first of October. Dande- 

 lion, white clover, sweet clover and 

 golden-rod are gradually coming in and 

 increasing each year, but as yet do not 

 count for much as a honey-source. 



Then there is a weed that grows on 

 the parks around here, that the bees 

 work on late in the fall. It grows in 

 stools or bunches, to 15 or 18 inches in 

 hight, and has a yellow, composite 

 flower. 



Of the quality of the honey from fruit- 

 bloom I am not able to say, as I never 

 took any surplus from that source. The 

 honey from both alfalfa and cleome is 

 first-class, both in color and flavor. 



Canon City, Colo. 



Mm Coml] FoiiMatlon. 



Written for the American Bee Journal 



BY C. W. DAYTON. 



Having read so much science lately in 

 regard to the making of foundation, it 

 was becoming somewhat of a dread of 

 that part of our business ; however, as 

 it must be done this morning, having 

 secured leave of the kitchen stove, opera- 

 tions were commenced. 



The first thing was the removal of the 

 top from a 5-gallon oil-can, with an old 

 chisel. It was rinsed well, about two 

 quarts of water put in, then filled up 

 with cakes of wax, and the lid removed 

 from the stove, and set right over the 

 fire to melt. 



Two 9-inch boards were gotten off the 

 oil case and planed down so that the 

 edges were almost sharp while the center 

 remained nearly the original half inch. 

 The edges are usually left square. That 

 makes two ribbons of wax at each dip, 

 and there is waste of time to remove 

 them and throw back into the melting 

 tank. These boards were pine, 21 

 inches in length. If they had been 3 

 inches shorter it would have been just 

 as well. They were immediately put to 

 soak. 



The dipping tank for 9-inch sheets 

 should be 10x23^ inches, and the depth 

 about n}4 inches. Then a sheet of tin 

 to make it should be 173^x253^ inches 



— the }4 for the lap. Either make a 

 form to wrap it upon the size of the In- 

 side of the tank, or mark where the 

 corners are to be, and bend and shape 

 the corners over the square edge of the 

 work-bench. Solder the seam up the 

 side, fastening at the top and bottom 

 ends first. Then comes the bottom. 

 Cut from the remnants a piece of tin 

 2%xlO}4, and lay on a level place, 

 stand the body of the tank upon it, and 

 solder around the outside. 



The same fire which melts the wax 

 heats the soldering iron. While the iron 

 is hot, make a little trough to hold the 

 lubricator beneath the lower roll on 

 each machine. The lower roll should be 

 half buried constantly. This trough is 

 made by first bending a piece of tin into 

 a half round shape, and then soldering 

 a straight piece of tin across the ends. 

 Vandervort mills have this trough, but 

 it is too flaring and too shallow, as also 

 is the Root's. The Root's has another 

 disadvantage in being wide and flat, and 

 long enough to catch the axle grease. 

 Throw all these away, and substitute 

 close-fitting round ones. 



As these troughs are continually run- 

 ning over it needs another broad, shal- 

 low pan on the floor of the mill frame. 

 This pan catches considerable lubricant 

 which runs back, down the sheet of wax 

 while being rolled. 



The first dipped sheets, and the first 

 sheets dipped, I ever saw were of my 

 own work, and I thought the only re- 

 quirement was to keep the wax in a 

 melted state on the stove ; but I have 

 since learned that the wax-tank must be 

 kept in another tank containing water, 

 and that it is by keeping up a steady 

 heat under the water ihat the proper 

 temperature of the wax is maintained. 

 This water tank is improvised by taking 

 the top off another oil or honey can. 

 The dipping-tank being 10x2 J^ inches, 

 fits nicely cornerwise of a 5-gallon can 

 which is 9 inches square. Keep the 

 water up to about one inch of the top. 

 Heat this water on the stove to hasten 

 getting started. 



The best thing to keep the dipping- 

 tank and water tempered is a one-burner 

 lamp stove, costing $1.00. Set this 

 lamp inside another 5-gallon can having 

 the top removed. Put a brick under to 

 bring the top of the lamp up close to the 

 tanks. Before putting the lamp in cut 

 a little hole with the chisel on one side 

 so that the wick can be turned without 

 disturbing the tanks. This hole is good 

 for draft as well. In setting the tank 

 over it, set it a little cornerwise, and it 

 will find a sure and firm foundation. 



