228 Dunham Machine. 



culture, were still imperfect, and though sold at an extrava- 

 gantly high price — through no fault of Mr. Root, as he informs 

 me — were in great demand. Next, Mrs. F. Dunham greatly 

 improved the machine by so making the rolls (Fig. 103) that 



Fig. 103. 



the foundation would have a very thin base and high thick 

 walls which, in the manufacture, were not greatly pressed. 

 These three points are very desirable in all foundation — thin 

 base and thick, Tii^h walls, which shall not be compactly pressed. 

 Mrs. Dunham is not only entitled to gratitude for the supe- 

 rior excellence of the machines she manufactured, but by put- 

 ting so excellent a machine onto the market at a lower price, 

 all roller machines had to be sold more reasonably. Mr. Van- 

 dervort also improved the rollers, so that his machine secures 

 the same results as does Mrs. Dunham's, while the form- of the 

 foundation is somewhat more natural, though not preferred by 

 the bees I think. Another form of foundation — that with flat 

 bottom — is made by the VanDeusen mill. This has a very 

 thin base, and is very handsome. It was made to use with 

 wires. In my experience this flat bottom foundation is not as 

 acceptable to the bees as the other kinds. Mr. Eoot has kept 

 his machine abreast with the latest improvements. Mr. Pel- 

 ham has invented rolls that are made in rings or sections. 



