1884 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



223 



ing is pure tin, it is not acted on by any of 

 the juices or acids tliat may be found in tlie 

 bee-hive. After one set has been hatched in 

 the cells, the wire is protected by a thin 

 silky cocoon ; and then it is, to all intents 

 and purposes, just like any natural comb. 



Some discussion has arisen in regard to the 

 size of the wire. While No. o(i is used by 

 the Given press, we have decided that it is 

 altogether too light for our combs. For al- 

 most every comb in our apiary is liable to be 

 shipped, iierhaps clear across the United 

 States, and therefore we want it secure 

 enough to avoid any possibility of breaking 

 down. While No. 36 wire broke quite often, 

 we have never yet had a case where No. ;>() 

 has broken after it was ])ut in the frames. 

 C^uite a number of experiments have been 

 made to determine how many wires should 

 be put into an ordinary L. frame. (Jur de- 

 cision has been that it requires just about 

 seven wires. If a tin bar takes tbe place of 

 the central one, only six wires are needed. 

 We find the tin bar a necessity to prevent 

 springing the top and bottom bars toward 

 each other ; and then with the diagonal 

 wires to prevent any possibility of sagging, 

 it seems to me we have it about complete. 

 In the cut in our price list, the spaces are all 

 equal — that is, the wires are set the same 

 distance from the end-bars they are from 

 each other. As this necessitates fastening 

 the fdu. to the end-bars, which is some- 

 what troublesome to do, we now bring the 

 outside wires within one inch of the end- 

 bars, spacing the whole of them a little 

 further apart ; in practice we lind it holds 

 the foundation perfectly. 



The question now comes. How shall we 

 fasten the wires in the frames V Many de- 

 vices have been suggested and used, as our 

 readers are aware ; but we have found noth- 

 ing so cheap and simple as drilling holes in 

 the top and bottom bar, by means of the 

 machine shown below : 



MACIIIXE FOR I'lERCIIsrO TOP AND BOTTOM 



BARS OF r.KOOD-FRAMES. 



Seven small 

 mandrels are 

 arranged side 

 by side in an 

 iron frame. 

 Each man- 

 drel has a 

 chuck in the 

 end, for hold- 

 in g a drill. 

 When we first 

 made the ma- 

 chine we used 

 ordinary twist 

 drills ; but as 

 a great nianv 

 got broke, we 

 were surpvis- 

 ed to see that a 

 steel wire nail 

 tlattened like 

 a c o m m o n 

 brad-awl, would drill just as fast as a twist 

 drill, and if broken, the expense was noth- 

 ing. These mandrels are run by seven belts 

 from an iron pullev, or drum, below. The 

 drive-pulley, for attaching power, is not 



shown in the cut. The operator sits at the 

 left of the machine, takes a bundle of bars 

 in his-fingers, and lays them on the ways in 

 front of the drills. They are then crowded 

 squarely up, and four or five are pierced at 

 once. \V here the tin bar goes, a drill is used 

 slightly larger, although not large enough to 

 let the end of the bar go through. This 

 larger hole guides the girls in putting the 

 loop of tinned wire through it, and it also 

 facditates slipping the tin bar in just where 

 it is wanted. (See page 2:;s ) 



Perhaps more than one of our friends have 

 had some experience in getting this fine 

 tinned wire tangled up. If your time is val- 

 uable you might as well throw the tangled 

 coil away and buy a new one. The coil 

 shoidd be unwound on a pair of swifts, or 

 something similar. Here is a letter, just at 

 hand, from a friend who tells how he does it: 



Speaking of wire on spools, I djii't like it. If you 

 have ever told U3 how to mannga a pound of wire 

 without snarlinH- or kinking it, I have not heard the 

 sound of your voice. With my little reel I can un- 

 reel a pound without a kink; and the many pounds 

 you send out to persons who have not much knack 

 and no experience with the " frisky critter," you 

 should send a reel, or instructions for keeping it in- 

 side of a 10-acre lot, at least. Below find a sketch of 

 mine: 



3 — 



I 2 l a 2 



1 



TOWEL-RACK REEL. 



A piece of ^-inch pine, 11 inches long, 2'.i wide, 

 forks cut as at 1; pass a 2'.i wire nail through a 

 large thread spool at the dotted line; after, you slip 

 the 11-inch piece through an axle, 2 (mine is a piece 

 of broom-handle), with a '2}i wire nail, 3, to revolve 

 in a slot at the end of arms that may be fastened to 

 the coiling, or where the reel is out of the way when 

 not wanted. Spring Vi lb. or 1 lb. over the spooU; 

 fasten the end of wire you don't want, and gently 

 pull the end you do want. H. M. H. 



reversible: fraities. 



FRIEND BUCHANAN GIVES US SOMETHING FROM AC- 

 TUAL EXPERIENCE. 



fjHE winter of 1K80 '81 being the most trying on 

 bees of any we have ever had, destroying 95 

 ' per cent of the bees of this part of the coun- 

 try, was preceded by the poorest honey season we 

 ever saw. When the honey so.isnn was past, there 

 was not an average of 5 lbs. of honey to the hive. It 

 was thought at that time by some who had experi- 

 mented with grape susar, that it was safe feed for 

 bees when used with syrup, equal parts, made of 

 best granulated sugar. Then thinking this a less ex- 

 pensive food, our bee-keepers here fed this stuff, 



