158 



A Modern Bee- Farm 



foundation; though it should be borne in mind that increase is 

 obtained at the expense of honey. 



When the honey season arrives we have to be prepared with 

 plenty of storage room, and therefore nothing less than full sheets 

 of foundation can be tolerated in our sections, while if already 

 drawn out in preparation for the harvest, the results will be far 

 better. If suitable foundation with a thin base is used there will be 

 no difference to be distinguished between such combs and those 

 built from starters only, while the appearance of the surface when 

 capped will be much better than that of those so often finished 

 off with drone cells. 



While the profitable production of wax will be carried out by 

 those who have completed their stock, much will depend upon 

 locality, as well as the culture of bees most suited to the purpose. 



Wax Extractors. 



Solar wax extractors are frequently used, with a large surface of 

 glass, on a frame ; all being air-tight enclosing a perforated vessel 

 to take the wax and a pan under, but these are not so satisfactory 

 as those -worked by steam. A cross 

 section of a suitable wax refiner is shown 

 in two sections. A piece of fine flannel E 

 must be stretched across, under the per- 

 forated comb holder C, thus thoroughly 

 refining at the first operation. The wax 

 running on to the false bottom D passes 

 out by the spout S into any convenient 

 receptacle. When it is required to work 

 from a steam boiler, the steam pipe SP 

 can enter where shown, and no water will be required below, as 

 when placed over a stove. The wax will be of still finer quality 

 if the vessel it runs into contains warm water. 



Cost of Producing Wax. 



An experiment was conducted in a large flight room, 50 feet 

 by 10 feet. A swarm of nearly 3 lbs. weight was made up and 



Sectional View of Wax 

 Extractor. 



