682 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



Sept 15. 



rambler's side-delivery solar wax-extractor. 



The spirit of this genius seemed to possess 

 the Rambler early in the season, and chained 

 him down to steady and delightful work for 

 many weeks, and under it all were the hopes 

 of a little honey -flow that would came as a 

 recompense for the toil. As a result of the 

 little genius that came to the surface, the 

 ihings herewith illustrated are now in exis- 

 tence ; and as some one of them may be of 

 value to the fraternity I will describe. 



Perhaps a few readers will remember that 

 my apiary was illustrated and described in 

 Gleanings for Sept. 1, 1898, and on page 650 

 was an illustration of my makeshift honey- 

 house — rough poles and gunny sacks. I 

 promised at the time to show something better 

 some time, and now that "some time " has 

 arrived, and here is a photo of the affair. 



This is my up-to-date and a little ahead-of- 

 date portable honey-house. It is ten feet in 

 diameter ; an octagon ; the floor is made in 

 triangular sections, with the points all to the 

 center. It is made altogether in sections and 

 panels, and is strongly put together with 

 carriage-bolts. A few minutes' work with a 

 wrench, and it is ready to be loaded upon a 

 wagon. 



Roofing felt is used for a cover, and it is 

 well ventilated by windows upon the four 

 sides. The front window has a revolving 

 screen ; the windows at the sides are put in in 

 diamond shape, and have Porter honey-house 

 escapes. At the upper points there is a small 

 window in the door, but I dispense with a 



screen door. I have seen many screen doors 

 to honey-houses, and they are always more or 

 less a nuisance. During the extracting sea- 

 son scores of bees are always dancing before 

 the screen ; and when it is opened, scores 

 dodge into the honey-house and into the hon- 

 ey. I am aware that would not trouble some 

 bee-keepers ; but it troubles me, and I prefer 

 to put my screen somewhere else, and have 

 them in windows of generous size ; then when 

 the door is opened the bees are not there to 

 bother. 



By following an octagon style of architec- 

 ture I get a very strong building, and it can 

 never get lop-sided as the most of the square 

 buildings do. But I will leave the house to 

 your consideration. If you blow against it, it 

 will stand. The tank, and the man with a 

 Daisy wheelbarrow, are the necessary adjuncts. 



The next device that I have undertaken to 

 have up to date aud a little ahead of date is 

 the sun wax extractor ; aud the one presented 

 in the accompanying half-tone, like my honey- 

 house, had a rude forerunner which was illus- 

 trated in Gleanings for Jan. 15, 1899. I 

 believe I am the first to work out a side- 

 delivery extractor ; and my reason for work- 

 ing along this line is that honey and wax run 

 off quicker, and there is not that damming-up 

 at the lower end as there is in a long and nar- 

 row pan. I have no doubt that the majority 

 of bee-men will prefer the old way, for the 

 old-style extractors are cheaper, and easier in 

 construction ; but the limited trial that 1 have 



