GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



411 



W. W. CARYS APIARY ANDjBUSINESS. 



My fathpr's apiary was established about 

 1S40. Mr. Laiigsirolh was a familiar visitor in 

 my early reeoUections. and made many experi- 

 ments with my father when inventing his hive. 



My apiary usually contains about lOO full col- 

 onies, and in summer is sometimes increased to 

 300. including nuclei, and has been for 3.5 years 

 devoted almost exclusively to breeding bees and 

 queens, only a few colonies being run for hon- 

 ey, and these for experimental purposes. My 

 father was the first man to propagate the Ital- 

 ian bee, as you will see by catalog, page 4; also 

 testimonial of Mr. Langstroth, page 4.5. I have 

 spent considerable money in testing all the dif- 

 ferent races of bees, and find none but the Ital- 

 ians that seem to fill the bill for all purposes. 



I have reared and sold many thousands of 

 queens, and my trade in full and nucleus colo- 

 nies has amounted to 150 to 200 in a single sea- 

 son. 



My mill and storehouses contain over 13,000 ft. 

 of floor spac». I have made a specialty of the 

 manufacture of bee-keepers' supplies ever since 

 the invention of the movable-comb system, and 

 have added 3400 sq. ft. of floor space during the 

 past season, including a new room for working 

 wax, 12x50, which is fitted with four founda- 

 tion-mills and a steam-heater for melting the 

 wax. My father and I bought two of the first 

 mills sent out by A. I. Root, and have used sev- 

 eral different machines since. I can not tell 

 you what my annual output of goods is, but 

 will say that it amounts to several thousand 

 dollars annually. W. W. Carv. 



Colrain, Mass. 



[Mr. Cary, senior, was one of the old pioneers 

 in American be- culture, and one who did 

 much to help faiher Langstroth in his apiari- 

 an career. Some years ago there appeared in 

 these column's a portrait of him, the biograph- 

 ical sketch having been written by Mr. Lang- 

 stroth himself. 



It was a pleasure to do business with the el- 

 der Mr. Cary. as it is now with his son, who 

 like his father has been one of our good cus- 

 tomers—En.! 



SOME SPECIAL TOOLS FOR THE APIARY. 



SOME GOOD IDEAS. 



By Oeorge W. Lefmard. 



I send you models of some tools that I have 

 been using with much satisfaction. When I 

 sold my farm, and apiary of one hundred colo- 

 nies of bees, I sold all my tools and bee-fixtures. 

 I send you a sample of foundation that was 

 made on a set of foundation-plates that I made". 

 The die-faces are dipped into melted wax, the 

 same as the sheets for other machines are 

 prepared; consequently the septum is formed 

 when the wax is in a liquid state. That leaves 

 the grain of wax in a compact state. When 

 the bees draw the foundation out, it does not 



expand and bulge as foundation does that is 

 manufactured on machines whore it is pressed 

 into shape while, in a cold or plastic state. Ihls 

 leaves the grain of the wax in a crumbled form. 

 The bees do not tear it down when not in use. 



In making this foundation I use three plates, 

 one of which is engraved on both sides, and the 

 other two on one side only. The plate engrav- 

 ed on two sides is dipped into melted wax, then 

 taken out and quickly laid squarely on one of 

 the other plates, and the third plate is laid on 

 top. The three plates, with the two interven- 

 ing films of wax, are then run between rolls, 

 the same as in other machines, except that the 

 rolls are not engraved. I then plunge the die- 

 plates into cold water, trim off the edges, and 

 strip off the two sheets of foundation. The 

 plates do not require any lubricant — nothing 

 but pure soft water. Alkali in hard water cuts 

 the wax and makes it sticky. If one wishes to 

 wire the foundation he should wind the wire 

 around the middle plate before it is dipped. I 

 used that machine fifteen years, and made 

 thousands of foundation sheets on it, and it was 

 good when I sold it. 



CENTRIFUGAL COMB-FILLER FEEDER. 



The model will speak for itself (see Fig. 1). 

 The quantity of honey put into the reservoir 

 regulates the quantity that is put into the 



FIG. 1. 



combs. To fill the combs full, the reservoir 

 must be two-thirds full. If it is wished to have 

 a large brood-chamber left, fill one-third full. 

 A few turns of the crank of extractor will fill 

 one side. Then open the lids, and with the 

 pliers reverse the combs, and turn as before. 

 'Next take out and set over something to drip. 



