1888 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



765 



each corner a small corner piece of paper pressed 

 into such a shape as to just fit on the corner will be 

 glued on, thus avoiding the leakag'e which would 

 necessarily take i)lace without them. This cover is 

 to have a 3inch hole cut in the center, to pour the 

 honey in, alter which a 5-inch round piece of paper, 

 which is glued on the outer edge, is to be placed on 

 and rubbed a trifle with one finger, then nail on the 

 cover, and the package is ready to ship. 



The cost of the material, the paper and glue, will 

 not exceed 5 cts. 



I have made various experiments as to the last- 

 ing qualities of the glue, and know it will hold a 

 lifetime. Should the honey candy, to remove it, 

 simply shake the can out, cut off the wrapper, and 

 put the honey in any desired place. The cases are 

 cheap, and one can well afford to destroy them rath- 

 er than to pay 35 or 30 cts. for tin ones. To draw 

 the honey from the can, take a block 3 x 3 x % in., 

 with a one-inch hole in the center. Glue it on the 

 paper cover, and cut the corresponding spot on the 

 can out, and use a cork as a stopper. 



Now, Mr. Koot, please tell me what you think of 

 ray invention. If you do not understand all about 

 the can, I will make you a model at my earliest con- 

 venience and ship by express; and then if you wish 

 to make a few to try them, all right. 



Dowagiac, Mich., July 19, 1888. Will Heduon. 



On receipt of the article above, curiosity 

 at once prompted tis to inquire wliat rela- 

 tion the writer bore to Mr. James Heddon, 

 of the same place. TJie former replied, 

 " I am slijyhtly acquainted with and related 

 to James TIeddon, he being my father." It 

 will not be necessary, then, to introditce the 

 junior Ileddon further to our readers. If 

 it is possihle to make receptacles of paper it 

 will greatly lessen tlie expense of packages 

 for extracted honey in bulk, and put just so 

 much more money into the hands of the 

 producer. A Californian who visited iis re- 

 cently, Mr. C. N. Wilson, of Los Angeles, 

 an extensive honey-producer, said it cost 

 him about a cent a pound to get his honey 

 ready for shipment. We mentioned to him 

 that the junior Heddon was experimenting 

 on paper receptacles. lie said that, if the 

 idea could be carried out into practical ef- 

 fect, it would be a great boon to California 

 honey-producers. In a line with our own 

 experiments, we would say that we made 

 several paper packages as directed above, 

 and cemented the joints with rubber ce- 

 ment. But we found that all the paper we 

 have tested so far, would soon become wa- 

 ter sc»aked, andj would very shortly leak. 

 We then made another package the same as 

 before, with the exception that we poured 

 hot melted wax into it when completed, aft- 

 er which we gave it a vigorous shaking. 

 This formed a wax film inside— something 

 as is done in waxing barrels. It was then 

 put into a snug-fitting wooden jacket. This 

 package held water for several days. It 

 was subjected to severe treatment, dropping 

 and rolling it about the floor. It stood all 

 this until about the third or fourth day, 

 when all at once, being oversanguine of its 

 strength, as we gave it|a tumble on the floor 

 it sprang a leak. Our treatment was doubt- 

 less too severe, and we do not therefore pro- 

 pose giving it up yet. The junior Heddon 

 has no doubt had better success. We sin- 



cerely hope it will not be a failure, although 

 we must confess that any thing so fragile 

 as paper seems hardly firm enough, even 

 when jacketed on the outside with wood, to 

 hold honey. When our friend Will gets the 

 idea perfected we hope he will send us a can 

 of extracted honey in a paper package. We 

 will promptly report the success or failure 

 of it. 



SOMETHING FURTHER FROM FRIEND 

 REESE 



CONCERNING THE WIRE CONE-CASE BEE-ESCAPE, 

 ETC. 



J HAVE gi\ea the wire-cone escapes another 

 thorough>nd practical test this season, using 

 again the jilan described by Mr. H. 1{. Board- 

 man, on page 300, which plan I had used side 

 by side with my improved.' plan. I finally dis- 

 carded it for the one I described on page 15. My 

 experience was that Mr. B.'s plan caused more con- 

 fusion and excitement with the bees, as they were 

 forced to leave the hive and seek the proper en- 

 trance. I also discovered they went out heavily 

 loaded with honey, and returned in due time, mak- 

 ing persistent ettorts to ettect an entrance for more; 

 while with my plan, with the cones leading the 

 bees, and especially the young ones in their natural 

 direction to the brood -chamber, every thing went 

 on so smooth and guiet that you could not discover 

 any thing unusual about the hive. The cases were 

 also much sooner emptied of bees, and the honey 

 could be left on the hive indefinitely, and be se- 

 curely protected from robbers at all times. I now 

 make this false bottom that fits the empty super, 

 with four one-inch holes close together in the cen- 

 ter, with one single cone to cover all, which simplifies 

 the already simple and inexpensive arrangement. 

 This matter is well worth the attention of all prac- 

 tical bee-keepei'S who are inclined to keep abreast 

 of the times, and accomplish the greatest l)enefit 

 with the minimum of time and labor. The plan is 

 especially suited to the T super, and the user will 

 discover many good points that I have not mention- 

 ed. A single tin cone or small tin funnel, to fit Mr. 

 B.'s " hard-wood form," will work nicely, and is 

 simple and cheap. 



COVERING IfOR SECTIONS. 



Enameled or rubber cloth has proven to be the 

 best cover for sections or frames among the many 

 materials I have used, from the fact that it lies 

 close and smooth, and the bees put very little pro- 

 polis on it; and what little they do put on can be 

 very readily wiped off with a few soft shavings, 

 excelsior, or old rags, if the sheet is exposed to the 

 hot sun a few minutes when the propolis becomes 

 quite soft, and the cloth is left with a glazed or 

 polished surface. 



CORRUGATED IRON FOR HIVE-COVERS. 



The subject of water-tight hive-covers had trou- 

 bled me no little until I hit on the plan of using 

 corrugated iron. It fills the bill nicely, being light, 

 and costing from' 13 to 15 cts. each. It may be or- 

 dered the exact size wanted, from the factory, at 

 4 cts. per square foot, painted; and with a limited 

 amount of paint when needed, will outlast the own- 

 er. The smaller corrugations, Vi in., are most suita- 

 ble, and the sheets may be tacked on old wood cov- 

 ers that arc defective, and take the place of a 

 shadC'board. 



