592 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



mentions it, other heated-plate machines are 

 not connnon. Now, unless I am greatly mis- 

 taken, flat-bottom foundation was the kind 

 chiefly or exclusively used when the Rauch- 

 fuss machine was being constructed and ex- 

 perimented with. At an}' rate, I know by my 

 own experience with flat-bottom foundation 

 that the machine will fasten it so it will tear 

 sooner than peel off. This looks like superi- 

 ority to the Daisy. The reason is, I suppose, 

 the speed with which the foundation reaches 

 the wood after leaving the heated plate. The 

 construction of this machine is such that if, 

 for a guess, the starter in the Daisy drops in 

 3I, of a second, in the Rauchfuss it must drop 

 in about g/,,-, of a second. The heated wax has 

 no time to begin cooling before it has gripped 

 the fibers of the wood. By sliding the foot off 

 the end of the treadle, not lifting it, the spring 

 gets in its work like a flash, and meanwhile 

 the fingers of both hands exert on the starter a 

 downward pressure which reaches its maxi- 

 mum at just the proper instant, since, by prac- 

 tice, the action of the foot becomes automatic. 

 This speed renders entirely unnecessary any 

 surplus of melted wax, such as I have seen ac- 

 cumulated on a lamp used in the Daisy. A 

 touch, and it is done, when the lamp is hot 

 enough ; and the hotter the better. Thus 

 foundation is saved. 



A mere inspection of the machine will con- 

 vince any one that its work can not be inferior 

 to that of the Daisy, for all the good points of 

 the latter are retained ; and, for the reasons 

 mentioned, I don't think it much of an as- 

 sumption to infer it is superior, even if I have 

 not tried the Daisv. 



I ought to add that I find it better, in fold- 

 ing sections with the Rauchfuss n:achine, to 

 give a sudden /////r/? to the treadle, instead of 

 a simple pressure. By so doing it never fails 

 to drive the locked corners as tight as they can 

 possiblv be, with but sHght exertion. 



If you are going to test the machine, I ad- 

 vise fastening the wire which connects the 

 treadle with the lever to that one of the two 

 holes in the treadle which is nearest t'le cen- 

 ter. This allows the foot to slide off t'::e end 

 of the treadle when releasing it. It is only by 

 so doing that the full play of the spring is ob- 

 tained. Also be careful' not to get too many 

 fingers in the section. The forefinger and 

 thumb of each hand are sufficient. Press the 

 foundation onlv do:vn, not in any other direc- 

 tion. The two' forefingers should rest on the 

 top edge of the foundation. When holding 

 the section in position for folding, it is not 

 necessarv to bring the dovetails any nearer to- 

 gether than to bring them just inside the jaw. 

 The machine does the rest, providing the up- 

 per and right-hand portions of the section are 

 pressed against the back of the machine, not to- 

 ward each other. This is one way in which 

 the machine saves time. Those accustomed 

 to the Daisy are very awkward with this ma- 

 chine at first. 



Montrose, Colo., July 20. 



[I am willing to admit that the Rietsche 

 press may have achieved in Europe better 

 results than we have been able to secure from 



our press of the same make; but, taking every 

 thing into consideration, your position is a 

 little lame by reason of the fact that you have 

 never tried the Rietsche yourself. But the 

 fact is still significant that the manufacturer 

 of the machine we had, at least, did not claim 

 that it would make more than five and one- 

 half sheets to the pound. Granted it could 

 make eight on their improved machine, I do 

 not see how it could be possible for it to com- 

 pete with the foundation bought in the open 

 market, at present prices, for the reason that 

 I do not believe the average bee-keeper is 

 .skillful and expert enough to reach a speed 

 that would warrant him in trying to turn out 

 an inferior article at home, to say nothing of 

 messing things up generally. 



Granting all you say with regard to the 

 difference between trained fingers and fingers 

 new to the work, there still remains the fact 

 that you have not tested, as you say, either 

 the Daisy or the Hubbard machine. In order 

 to form a correct estimate one should be rea- 

 sonably familiar with both the combined 

 Rauchfuss and the two machines that seem 

 now about to enter the contest. As I have 

 never tested the Rauchfuss I will not discuss 

 the relative merits of the two classes of ma- 

 chines at this time, because a Rauchfuss is 

 already on the way, and ere long I hope to be 

 able to make a report on it. In the mean 

 time, permit me to say that I am inclined to 

 believe it is a good machine. Yes, I will go 

 further and say it is possible it may do more 

 rapid work than the two separate machines 

 we have used. I hope it ma}'. When it ar- 

 rives I shall be interested in seeing it have a 

 most thorough and careful test; and if it is all 

 that you seem to think it is, we shall be very 

 g ad lo enter into some sort of arrangement 

 where' ly we can supply it to our general trade. 

 We Medinaites are always looking for some- 

 thing a little better than we already have; and 

 when we find it we are glad to place it before 

 our customers. — Ed.] 



OCCURRING THOUGHTS. 



BY J. 



W. SOUTHWOOD. 



The lateral moving of the self-spacing 

 Hoffman brood-frames when hung on the new 

 tin rabbets is so easily and quickly done, and 

 the frames at the same time so nicely adjust- 

 ed, that they are worthy of nuich merit as 

 time-savers. Just think of moving all the 

 frames from either side, and adjusting them 

 at the same time, compared with the manipu- 

 lations of the old-style frame. 



Of course, it is more work for a busy and 

 tired editor ; but I say, give us footnotes. 

 Often, when busy, I reacl them first, to see if 

 I desire to read the article. They are full of 

 thought, broad in remembrance of like 

 things or sayings, yet condensed and right to 

 the point. Continue to give us footnotes. 



I think sometimes we bee-keepers are too 

 hasty in coming to conclusions, and thus mis- 

 take the exceptional for the general habit, 

 trait, or characteristic, then hasten to give the 



