MARCH 1, 1916 



199 



tin with thin strips between the screen and 

 tin. This is to give a clear space for the 

 lioney to run to the lower end, where a 

 bucket is placec( to receive it. The cap- 

 pings can be only six inches thick in each 

 tray. With such a thin layer, practically 

 all the honey drains out over night. When 

 one tray is tilled, another is placed directly 

 on top of the tilled one. When not using 

 the steam-knife, the blade is shoved into the 

 cappings where the steam helps to warm 

 the honey so it drains faster. 1 had only 

 about ten gallons of honey left in the cap- 

 pings, which yielded 200 pounds of bees- 

 wax. 



This outfit is owned jointly by Messrs. 



Koger, Biddick, and myself. With it we 

 extracted twelve ditfei'ent yards twice. 

 Meridian, Idaho. 



[A year or so ago some one suggested the 

 use of capping-trays somewhat similar to 

 those described by our coiTespondent. We 

 felt at the time that the idea was sound; but 

 to our knowledge no one else has tried it. 



Is there any objection to the plan? If 

 so, we do not see it. Such trays would be 

 easy to make, and inexpensive. If a bee- 

 keei^er found that he did not have capacity 

 enough, he could simj^ly make a few more 

 trays. We hope more of our readers will 

 try these trays, and report. — Ed.] 



AN ELEVATOR IN THE HONEY-HOUSE 



BY A. N. CLARK 



I have recently designed a freiglit elevator 

 for a beekeeping friend who stores his emp- 

 ty hives, sujieis. combs, etc., on the second 

 floor of his building, and has found it a 

 laborious task -to carry them up and down 

 stairs each season. 



Less than 200 feet of lumber is required, 

 which would cost $2.00 to $8.00, according 

 to location ; nails, bolts, and 10 feet of V2 

 X 3-inch iron bar, about $3.00 ; 50 feet of 

 %-inch rope and three tackle-blocks, about 

 $2.75. A discarded broad-tire wagon-wheel 

 can sometimes be procured for nothing; 17 

 feet of four-ply stitched canvas belt costs 

 about $2.00, and the same engine-pulley is 

 used that is used for running the extx-actor; 

 but it should be lagged Avith leather to pre- 

 vent excessive slip- 

 ping, and flanged. To- 

 tal cost of materials 

 will ranee from $10 to 

 $15. 



The sketch shows the 

 end of rope attached 

 directly to the bail of 

 the elevator, which an- 

 swers the purpose of 

 lifting light loads like 

 empty hives; but if 

 used for hoisting cases 

 of honey and other 

 heavy materials it is 

 better to attach a tack- 

 le-block to the bail, 

 and hitch the end of 

 the rope to a rafter or 

 beam overliead. Such a hitch requires more 

 rope, but develops more power and moves 

 only half as fast. Cutting down on the 

 speed is desirable, as with a high-speed 

 engine of, say, 500 revolutions, the elevator 



would run about 40 ft. per minute with the 

 direct liitch. 

 Lansing, Mich. 



[Our artist, Mr. Murray, suggests that 

 ROOF 



the elevator could just as Avell be arranged 

 to run down into the basement in case bees 

 are wintered in the cellar; accordingly he 

 made the drawing to show this feature. — 



Ed.] 



