302 



GLEANmGS IN BEE CULTUllE. 



May 



improvements that arc combined in our machine. If 

 the machine is wanted for two frames only, we fur- 

 nish it for ■^•2 00 less. The extractor for two Lang- 

 stroth frames costs but !¥16 00, all complete; and if 

 at any time it should be wanted for four frames, the 

 two comb-baskets can be added for $2.00, as all the 

 parts use the same, and the baskets can be put in 

 place by any one in ten seconds. 

 . In your remarks you forget the fact that our ma- 

 chines all have a "brake" that stops the motion 

 much more quickly than any other extractor can be 

 stopped, and that entirely without the use of the 

 crank. We are receiving orders nearly every day 

 from among the best and most progressive honey- 

 producers throughout the country, and wo trust 

 they will report. G. W. Stanley & Bro. 



Wyoming, N. Y., April 18, 1881. 



You si)eak about the extractor " dancing 

 around," friend ts. Tliat reminds me that 

 friend House, who is just now reviewing 

 and revising the ABC book, says he had 

 trouble in getting his extractor to stand still 

 and firm. Now, every extractor should be 

 fastened down so it can't dance; and if you 

 can not get a stand that will remain firm oth- 

 erwise, have it fastened against tiie wall 

 with some good stout screws, and don't start 

 work till you can \n\t the honey-combs in 

 with nothing in the other, it' need be, and 

 have every thing still and solid. 



WIRIIVO FRAMES BY 3IEA1NS OF BENT 

 AVIRE NAILS. 



A SUGGESTION IN REGARD TO THE MATTER. 



f' NOTICE that some one recommended in your 

 journal about a year ago, the use of wire nails 

 Pi in. long, to be used in wiring frames. At the 

 time, you recommended the use of round pliers for 

 bending the nails into hooks. I tried the pliers, but 

 could not bend the nails to my satisfaction. Some 

 would be long, and some short hooks; some points 

 would touch the frame so that I could not put the 

 wire over them, and others it would slip off from. 

 At last I made a tool like the on^ shown below, and 



MOFFAT'S TOOL FOR BENDING THE POINTS OF WIRE 

 NAILS FOR WIRED FRAMES, 



it works complete. Hereafter I shall use wire nails 

 instead of perforating the frames. I can wire a 

 frame in less than half the time (after the nails are 

 driven). It can be done direct from the spool, with- 

 out kinking, and the bees seem to like it just as 

 well. I think you might be able to make and sell 

 them to the bee-brethren for 10 or 15 cts each. As 

 they can go only just so far over the point of the 

 nail; by giving them a half-turn, every hook will be 

 of the same length, and no point can touch the 

 wood, because the thickness of the tool will be be- 

 tween the point and the wood. If you think this of 

 any use you are at liberty to use it, as you may 

 think best, for the benefit of the brethren. 



S. L. Moffat. 

 Washingtonville, N. Y., April 3, 1884. 



No doubt your implement will answer 



nicely for the purpose, friend M., but we al- 

 ready have such a multiplicity of tools in 

 our list that we could not well undertake to 

 furnish another, unless it is something gen- 

 erally wanted by almost all bee-keepers. 

 With our machinery, we Hnd it much easier 

 to wire frames by drilling the holes than to 

 use nails. 



r»ertainir»g to Uee Cviltxire. 



BEE-KEEPERS SHOULD BEWARE ABOUT TRUSTING 

 THEIR GOODS TO IRRESPONSIBLE COMMIS- 

 SION MEN. 



fCAN not help saying a little more about that 

 dishonest commission firm that Mrs. Axtell 

 ■ speaks of on page 193. It was very kind in her 

 to speak so well of their lawjer, R. E. Jenkins, and 

 I can assure the brethren that he is one of the finest 

 of Christian lawyers, and an eminent man in hia 

 profession. 



It chances that I know brth Mrs. Axtell and the 

 commission firm in question, as well as something 

 of their recent dealing with her; and I know, too, 

 that while that firm ought to be pointed out to all 

 bee-men who ship to the Chicago market, she is too 

 kind to ever publish their name; and once last sum- 

 mer she asked me to say nothing about the matter. 

 I won't! but I have had some deal with them my- 

 self, that I am sure she will allow me to mention. 

 The firm, when I first knew it, was Beek Bros.; then 

 Beek & Clark; then Beek & Uobinson, and now Beek 

 Bros, again. In October, 1878, 1 took 1500 lbs. of very 

 fine comb honey to Chicago, intending, as 1 had done 

 before, to leave part with them — Beek & Robinson 

 — and part wit h others. But Beek urged me so hard 

 to let them have it all, and he was such a kind and 

 honest-looking old gentleman, that I finally let him 

 have the entire lot, even contrary to the advice of 

 friend T. G. Newman and Bradstreet's Reporter. He 

 had, before this, handled email lots of honey for me 

 at good figures, and he seemed to want thi? lot so 

 much: more than all, he seemed to have such love 

 for me, that I felt as though I would be doing an un- 

 kind act not to let him have it. 



They paid me $2.5 down, and by June of the next 

 year I had received altogether $90, and this is all I 

 ever got. The following fall I called on Beek, and 

 asked the privilege of looking over his book account 

 of the sales of my honey. With a sickly grin, he re- 

 plied that the firm was then Beek Brothers, and that 

 his former partner, Robinson, was out of town, and 

 had the borks with him; and that's all the satisfac- 

 tion I had. 



They paid none of the freight charges, and the $90 

 was all I ever received in any shape. During the 

 time they claimed to be holding my honey, I would 

 receive no reply to about two letters out of three; 

 and when they did write, it was short and angrily. 

 They knew they had my whole crop, and handled me 

 as they chose. 



It was as fine a lot of comb honey as I ever mar- 

 keted, and honey was bringing a fair price. This 

 Beek frequently changes his position from one part 

 of South Water street to another, and has an easy 

 way of going into bankruptcy, and forming new 

 partnerships about as often. Peach-growers of 



