18 MONEY IN BEES IN AUSTRALASIA 



A LARGE PLANT. 



For a large honey-house the best material is 

 undoubtedly concrete. Few bee-keepers are so situated 

 that they are remote from the necessary material in the 

 way of small stones, gravel or tailings, etc. It is a note- 

 worthy fact that the great crops of honey in Australasia 

 are gathered in country of rocky, gravelly, or sandy 

 formation. Select a hillside if possible, so that the 

 elevation will appear as the inset in Fig. 9, e.g., have 

 the honey-extracting floor on a lower level than the hives, 

 the full trucks will then run easily to the machines. 



The tramline should be carried right up to the 

 extractors, on a turntable, which is given a quarter turn, 

 to place the truck in a suitable working position; drop 

 checks are provided to hold the turntable firmly. The 

 trucks are fitted with sliding doors, the empty combs are 

 returned as extracted, and when full are swung on to 

 the exit rails, and the line is again clear for work. The 

 honey is conducted by pipe to the strainers under the 

 extractors. The wire strainers are fitted into a space 

 cut out of the floor. 



Power is supplied by an oil engine or steam, which 

 is also connected with a saw in the carpenter's shop. It 

 could also be attached to any other machinery in use. 

 Eeferenee to the design will show that the wood shop is 

 in reality a basement together with the tinning room. A 

 partition wall divides the departments, but it would be 

 convenient to have a door connecting them. 



The area over the tinning room and the adjoining 

 workshop provides for honey storage room and office. 

 Along one side of the building is a wax-working 

 bench, with foundation rolls, also a cupboard for the 

 finished sheets. The other end of the bench accommodates 

 the dipping tanks, and a steam boiler is set in the corner. 

 The stoke hole if situated on the outside of the building, 

 obviates ashes, chips, dust, etc. The wax-press is close 

 handy to the boiler when melting combs. On the opposite 

 side of the building is ample storage for empty supers, 

 frame racks, etc. 



