ALEXANDER’S WRITINGS ON PRACTICAL BEE CULTURE 49 
you are just that amount out; so I advise you to save every particle 
you can, every time you extract. It will all help to fill the barrels in 
the fall. 
October, 1907. 
HONEY-TANKS. 
THE ADVANTAGE OF STRONG HEAVY CONSTRUCTION; HOW TO INTRODUCE LARGE 
NUMBERS OF QUEENS. 
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ONE OF ALEXANDER’S STORAGE AND EVAPORATING TANKS FOR EXTRACTED HONEY. 
In answer to many recent inquiries as to the size and shape of our 
honey-tanks I will say that they are 8 feet long, 32 inches wide, and 
36 inches deep, inside measure, and are made of % pine and hemlock 
lumber, the ends set inside of stout cleats. The bottom is cleated, also 
the sides. Here we have a piece of 2x4 joist bolted with %-inch rods 
from one piece of joist to the other, one rod across under the tank, the 
other on top. 
We have one narrow strip of board on each side, which projects 
about 8 inches past the ends of the tanks, and forms handles to carry 
them by. This is very convenient. It is not necessary to make the 
sides or bottom tight. If there are cracks 1% inch wide it will do no 
harm, for the tanks are to be lined with the heaviest and best quality 
of tin that you can procure. Have the tin-smith put a large molasses- 
faucet at the bottom of one end to draw off your honey through; also 
see that every seam is well lapped and soldered or it will make a bad 
job if one commences to leak when full of honey. é 
After you have them empty in the fall, wash them out with hot 
water; and as soon as dry wipe them well with a cloth dampened with 
sweet oil. This will keep them from rusting, and, with other proper 
care, they will last a lifetime and remain as bright as new. A tank of 
the above size will hold about 5000 lbs. of extracted honey, and is the 
cheapest and most convenient article for storing honey in I have ever 
seen. I think ours cost about $16.00 apiece some 20 years ago. Make 
them stout in every way, for but few realize how 5000 lbs. of honey 
will make them bulge out unless made strong. You can make them any 
