1906 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



879 



served me many years, although it failed to 

 give us as much wax as it ought from a given 

 quantity of old comb. The color of the wax 

 obtained was always green instead of yellow. 

 The A. I. Root Co 's German wax- extractor 

 with press has given me batter wax and 

 more of it; but the residue contained wax 

 still. I have never been able to obtain all 

 the wax from old comb with it nor with any 

 other machine, for that matter. The major- 

 ity of steam wax-presses are built in circu- 

 lar form on account of the greater strength, 

 and because they can be built thus with the 

 least material. A narrow comb- basket would 

 probably allow the wax to escape a little 

 easier when the follower is screwed down. 

 A few machines are built on this principle. 



The Schweitzer Bienenzeitung for Novem- 

 ber, 1904, describes and illustrates a newly 

 patented steam wax- extractor which embod- 

 ies all the principles of the Root Co.'s Ger- 

 man wax-extractor, and some others— in 

 particular, these : ' ' AH parts of it are easily 

 removable, easily cleaned and dried. It may 

 be used as a plain kettle." For the last 

 eight cr ten years many steam wax- extract- 

 ors of different patterns have been advertis- 

 ed in German bee- papers. The principle of 

 all of them is practically the same. The 

 fact that they are constantly advocated and 

 offered for sale seems to show that they are 

 considered a satisfactory tool in Germany, 

 and that bee papers are not yet ready to 

 abandon them for the Arthur Miller type. 

 Personally I am inclined to believe that the 

 latter machine, if not filled too full of comb, 

 will give us nearer all the wax than any 

 press in existence. I believe the principle 

 to be right, but think that the machine, as 

 now built, is not yet perfect. I further be- 

 lieve that the "making " of beeswax will al- 

 ways remain a mussy job, and the housewife 

 will always rather see us go than come. 

 The best way to avoid a conflab on account 

 of spilled wax and the like is never to enter 

 the kitchen with any kind of wax extractor. 

 Of late I have myself used a blue-flame oil- 

 stove in my shop for the work, and I can say 

 that this has worked well. / earnestly urge 

 every lover of peace to stay out of the house 

 with his wax! 



I observe that suitable stoves to go with 

 steam wax-presses are offered for sale by 

 manufacturers in Germany at a very reason- 

 able price. Hereabout, most families own 

 an oil- stove; and as they answer the purpose 

 well, there is scarcely any need of a special 

 stove. An oil- stove also comes handy in 

 warming up honey in the 60-lb. cans. When 

 doing this it is safer, perhaps necessary, to 

 use asbestos stove-mats to prevent over- heat- 

 ing. 



In addition to what is said in regard to the 

 Arthur Miller type of wax-rendering ma- 

 chines I wish to add the testimonials of two 

 German bee-masters, each speaking of a 

 different method. Gravenhorst, editor of 

 the Deutsche Illustrierte Biinenzeitung, said 

 in 1902: "The only sensible and practical 

 method of wax rendering is by the use of a 

 substantial wooden press after boiling the 



broken-up combs in a suitable kettle. The 

 steam wax-extractors with press, and the 

 solar machines, are unsuitable." 



Gerstung, editor of Deutsche Bienenzucht, 

 speaks very favorably of his steam wax- 

 press. Simplex, and says that but little pres- 

 sure ought to be exercised upon the molten 

 mass of comb; but one ought to be very sure 

 that the comb was thoroughly cooked up and 

 all cooked to pieces. Plenty of time should 

 be allowed for this. 



My friend Alfonsus, of the Bienenvater, 

 Vienna, Austria, says steam wax-extract- 

 ors have had their time, and the old-fashioned 

 wooden press is preferred by many. Hot- 

 water extractors are in use some, and in 

 favor. Alfonsus promises to write an arti- 

 cle on making wax for me, and wants me to 

 translate it. 



Prof. Luigi Sartori, Milan, Italy, advises 

 this: "Soak the broken-up combs 8 to 10 

 days in rain-water, then boil up or melt and 

 mix with cut rye straw; when hot, press. 

 This gives more and better wax than steam 

 wax- presses. " 



All teachers in the old country are agreed 

 that the old comb should be well broken up 

 before putting the same into any wax- ex- 

 tractor, but not broken up so fine as to re- 

 duce to a fine dust, as this would hinder the 

 escape of the wax to some extent. 



From the above it will appear that opin- 

 ions are still divided on the matter of wax- 

 making. Yankee ingenuity has solved 

 many a problem in bee-keeping as well as in 

 other branches of business, and ere long 

 that of wax-making will find its solution. 



Naples, N. Y. 



[I wish particularly to indorse the sug- 

 gestion made by Mr. Greiner on the impor- 

 tance of getting a little gasoline or oil stove. 

 A one-burner, or, far better, a two burner 

 that can be bought for $5.00 at retail will 

 do very good service. Sometimes one can 

 buy an old second-hand cook-stove for two 

 or three dollars which he could put out in a 

 shed. But on no account would I think of 

 doing the work in the house unless the op- 

 erator is a great deal neater than the aver- 

 age man. 



We should be glad to receive the article 

 from Alfonsus after it has been translated 

 by you.— Ed.] 



MATING QUEENS. 



The Requirements of an Ideal Nucleus Hive ; 

 Four Nuclei in One Hive. 



BY w. s. m'knight. 



Nothing interests the queen-breeder more 

 than the mating problem ; and while numer- 

 ous plans have been devised for mating 

 queens cheaply there are some points in 

 most of them that are quite objectionable. 

 Many breeders still use nothing less than a 

 two-frame nucleus, full Langstroth size, 

 which is quite expensive. Others mate 

 queens in small ' ' baby nuclei, ' ' which is 



