Vol. XIY. 



SEPT. 15, 1886. 



No. 18. 



TEllMSiSl.OOPBR VNNUM, IN ADVANCB;! Z7»o/ /T» 7t 7t' o 7i /o /-7 V-f/i ~1 Q 'J 'S f Clubs to different postottlces, NOT LVfS 

 ZCopieefor 81.90; 3tor82.76;5 for84.00, I iJjfi L tVU Vl/O lO(ylV Lib -L O i O • I than 90 cts. each. Sent postpaid, in tlio 

 lOorm ire, 75et,-i. e-ach. Single Number, . , . ) U. S. and Canadas. To all other coiin- 



5 otB. Ad'Htions to clubs may be made .^ ruBLlsnED semi-monti[L\ B\ i tries of the Universal Postal Union. 18c 



atclubrates. Above are all to be sent » t ■nr\r\'T\ Tv,fTr<T^TVr A r\MM^ I peryenr extra. To all countiiepNOT of 



j A.i. itUUl, jyiiiiUlJN A,UlliU. I the U. p. U., 42c per year extra. 



TO ONE P08TOPFICB. 



A FEW VALUABLE SUGGESTIONS 

 EROM J. A. GKEEN. 



SOLAR WAX-EXTI!ACTOKS. 



N the pxtractoi- I sent you, I left off one im- 

 portant feature in order to make an extractor 

 more easily shipped and less easily broken. 

 This was the " side reflector." This is an im- 

 portant adjunct, and this season's use has 

 convinced me that I would not want to do with- 

 out it. 



To make it, take a thin board, or combination of 

 boards about four inches shorter, and an inch 

 narrower (or vice versa), than the inside of the 

 cover. Cover one side with tin, and on the other 

 side put a cleat in the middle, or one at each end, 

 pro,jecting- three inches on one side. Now nail a 

 " pocket," or small box, on each side of the e.v- 

 tractor, blocking- it away I'roiii the side so that the 

 sash can be raised without interfering- with the 

 reflector. The reflector is to be placed on tlie 

 west side in the morning, and chaii'.'-ed over to the 

 east side at noon. At night it is laid on the sash, 

 and the cover closed down over it. 



Of course, this side reflector is not of much use 

 if the extractor is kept facing- the sun all the time; 

 but a busy man can not well do this. 



In making beeswax in times past, I have been 

 much troubled with "spongy beeswax," a sort of 

 combination of wax and water that would some- 

 times be two or three inches thick on the bottom 

 of cakes of wax. It seemed to be caused by boil- 

 ing, or, at least, too much heating, in combination 

 Avith water. Sometimes the wax would be granu- 

 lar, as I believe you have mentioned. In both 



these cases the wax gccmed good cnnugli.oujy it 



appeared to have got tired of assuming the old 

 forms. I fiiul that I can make such wax " behave " 

 by running it through the solar extractor. I have 

 also succeeded in getting a considerable quantity 

 of good wax fi-om the scrapings of wax cakes that 

 I had formerly sui)i)osed entirely worthless. " Keej) 

 it before the people," that the solar wax-extractor 

 affords the best and most convenient way of mak- 

 ing beeswax yet invented. 



Speaking of extractors reminds me that 1 have 

 never made any report on the rim you sent me 

 for the top of my honey-extractor. I have just 

 been extracting some very thick honey, which has 

 afforded a good test for it. It does not entirely 

 prevent the flying over the top of the can when 

 the honey is very thick or not very warm; but 

 under ordinary circumstances it does away en- 

 tirely with this ver.v annoying feature. 



SMOKER FUEL. 



I have used planer shavings in the Clark smoker 

 very successfiill.V- In the spring, and fall too, I 

 have used with great satisfaction a fuel that I 

 have never seen mentioned by any one else. This 

 consists of the dry leaves of the soft maple. 

 These arc very soft and fine, and I use them largely 

 for packing hives. Hcing always handy, it is very 

 convenient to use Ihem as fuel. With a little care 

 t^ey iuiswer the iiurpose excellently, and last 

 much longer than one would suppose Avho had 

 nev.r used them. To kec]) such light fuel from 

 going out in the Clark smoker, it is necessary to 

 use an admixture of something more solid. When 

 using leaves, 1 start the Are with rotten wood and 

 then use alternate fillings of leaves and wood. 

 When using shavings in the Clark smoker I njix 

 them halt and hfllf with good rotten wood. This 



