190'? 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



961 



oline (in New Zealand), and less dangerous, 

 and when not recjuired it could be used to 

 generate steam for separators on the farm, 

 and driving all sorts of light machinery. 

 Tuturau, N. Z. 



[The use of a brake on the two-frame ex- 

 tractors has been suggested several times, as 

 you may have noticed in Gleanings, pages 

 487 and 824 for 1905. Our automatic two- 

 frame extractor is so equipped; but so little 

 power is needed, ordinarily, to stop these 

 small machines that any brake would seem 

 superfluous. 



As to the steam-engine for driving the hon- 

 ey-extractors, we would say that we consid- 

 ered steam before we did the gasoline- en- 

 gines, and the greatest 

 objection is because of 

 the first cost of the out- 

 lit. Without being well 

 informed as to the pow- 

 er required by your 

 c r e a m - separators we 

 should think this would 

 be very small compar- 

 ed to that required to 

 run a honey-extractor, 

 especially the larger 

 sizes, as most produc- 

 ers who would want 

 power extractors would 

 want them at least of 

 the four-frame size, and 

 more likely the 6 and 8. 

 The amount of steam 

 necessary would then 

 be much greater than 

 that required to run 

 the cream- separators, 

 and it is doubtful 

 whether the small 

 steam-turbines could 

 do the work. We will 

 take up one by one the 

 advantages which you 

 mention of the steam. 



As to the starting and 

 stopping, we would 

 say that a gasoline-en- 

 gine can be allowed to 

 run all the time, the 

 extractor being started and stopped by means 

 of an idler on a loose belt and by the brake. 

 When the engine runs idle, very little gas- 

 oline is used. We have tested this matter 

 out very carefully, and find that nothing 

 could be more satisfactory. When the lever 

 is moved one way the idler tightens the belt, 

 and the extractor starts; when it is moved 

 the other way the idler moves away from the 

 belt and the brake can be applied. See page 

 699 of the May 15th issue. 



As the extracting is ordinarily done in hot 

 weather, heat is not necessary; but if for any 

 reason it becomes necessary to use heat, the 

 exhaust from the gasoline-engine could be 

 used for this pui'pose in almost every place 

 where steam could be used. It could be 

 used very satisfactorily for heating honey- 

 knives, and with but very little trouble; butj 



steam, of coui'se, would have the advantage 

 in extracting wax. 



When properly used, the gasoline-engine 

 gives almost no smell, or so little that very 

 few would find it any objection. 



While steam power might be cheaper than 

 gasoline in New Zealand this would not be 

 true in the great majority of cases. It would 

 be impossible to have an explosion with a 

 gasoline-engine, as there is no fire nor heat 

 in any place except inside the cast-iron cylin- 

 der of the engine. Reasonable care should, 

 of course, be used in handling the gasoline 

 when filling the tank. 



A gasoline-engine could be used for run- 

 ning any kind of machinery about the farm, 

 and in this it would have the great advan- 



A SYMMETHK'AL SWAKM. 



tage of being portable, or more portal^le than 

 a steam-outfit. — H. H. R.] 



REMARKABLY AVELL-SHAPED 

 SAVARM. 



The swarm shown in the photo may not 

 be extraordinary for size, but it is a good 

 one, and regular in shape. It issued at 

 8:80 on a cloudy morning. Swarming had 

 evidently been postponed until the last mo- 

 ment: for. while the swarm was out. on ex- 

 amining the hive a young queen was ob- 

 served to leave her cell. The owner stands 

 at the same distance from the caruera, a 

 few inches from swarm, to give an idea of 

 jthe size. K. Fleming. 



Victoria, B. C. 



