The apiary; or, bees, bee-hives, and bee culture [1878]: being a familiar account of the habits of bees, and the most improved methods of managementNeighbor, Alfred
Science
The apiary; or, bees, bee-hives, and bee culture [1878]: being a familiar account of the habits of bees, and the most improved methods of management
Being quite a new invention, there has not been much time for fully
testing it, but we find from American bee-keepers that when used-in
large sheets there is the same difficulty as with our impressed
wax--the bees will twist them. As specimens of work these comb
foundations are certainly very commendable for appearance. The white
ones seem too white to be of pure wax, and any substitute offered
to bees has hitherto proved a failure. Mr. Baldridge, a frequent
correspondent of the _American Bee Journal_, speaks of the yellow
sheets as far preferable to the pure white, but some that are made
partly of paraffin he considers of little worth. Possibly the material
of which they are manufactured may be made to suit the delicate senses
of the bees. Until this is the case, hindrance rather than help in
comb-building will be the result of placing them in the frames and
sectional or other supers. The mode of fixing is the same as described
for impressed wax sheets.
§ X. CHESHIRE'S GUIDE-MAKER.
At the Exhibition at the Crystal Palace in 1875, Mr. Cheshire exhibited
and obtained a prize for a wax guide-maker, which is an ingenious
contrivance. It consists of a plaster of Paris cast, with impressions
taken from the metal plates before referred to (page 187). This cast is
two inches in width, about the same in thickness, and eleven or twelve
inches long. It rests in a shallow zinc or tin trough containing water
to keep the plaster damp by capillary attraction. The plaster cast
may first be soaked in water; then place against its side the top bar
of the frame, reversed so that the centre of the under side lies even
with the edge of the embossed cast. The wax (which must be genuine)
is melted in an ordinary glue-pot; then with a clean paintbrush it is
applied to the top of the plaster cast and exposed part of the bar. The
wax immediately hardens on the damp cast and does not adhere, whilst
the under side of the bar carries an embossed guide of sufficient depth
to be an unfailing means of direction to the swarm in the building of
straight combs.
When a large number of frames have to be prepared, this ingenious
apparatus is a convenience; but for the ordinary apiarian we should
advise procuring a few of the impressed wax sheets, cutting them in
strips, and fixing without the mess and trouble which Mr. Cheshire's
apparatus involves.
§ XI. BAR-FRAME HOLDER.
[Illustration]
It is often a great convenience to have a rest at hand to lodge frames
of comb on. The illustration shows one that we have contrived, and
which will accommodate twelve frames of almost any size. The two broad
rests on the top may be set closer or further apart by loosening the
screws which keep them firm. They are easily shifted and secured again
by screwing up.
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