334 STATE BOARD OF AGEICULTUEE. 



comb. It is desirable that the machine should run with gearing, not only for 

 ease, but also to insure or allow an ereii motion, so that we need not throw even 

 drone larvae from the brood cells. The arrangement for exit of the honey 

 should permit a speedy and perfect shut-off. 



WHEX TO USE THE EXTKACTOE. 



If extracted honey can be sold for twenty, or even fifteen cents, the extractor 

 may be used profitably the summer through ; otherwise use it sufficiently often 

 that there may always be empty worker cells in the brood chamber. 



It is thus required with us during the two great honey harvests, — the white- 

 clover and bass-wood. I have always extracted the honey at such times before 

 it was capped, in fact, as fast as the cells were filled, and never yet foimd it so 

 thin that it was not agreeable and wholesome. If it granulates it can be reduced 

 with, no injury to fluid again by heating, which is best done by placing the vessel 

 containing it in boiling or heated water. When once brought to a boiling tem- 

 perature it will seldom granulate again if kept in a dark place. 



Many bee-keepers will be able to create a demand for their extracted honey. 

 Those who cannot will find it very advantageous to feed it to their bees, at times, 

 and in the manner described in what follows. 



now TO IKSUEE CO^sTINUOUS BREEDING. 



As already stated it is only when the worker bees are storing that the queen 

 deposits to the full extent of her capability, and that brood-rearing is at its 

 height. In fact, when storing ceases, general indolence characterizes the hive. 

 Hence, if we would achieve the best success, we must keep the workers active, 

 even before, and in the interims of honey secretion by the flowers, and to do 

 this we must feed sparingly before the advent of bloom in the spring, and 

 whenever the neuters are forced to idleness during any part of the season, by the 

 absence of honey-producing flowers. For a number of years I have tried exper- 

 iments in this direction by feeding a portion of my colonies early in the season, 

 and in the intervals of honey-gathering, and always with marked results in favor 

 of the practice. The past season three of our students tried similar experiments, 

 between the bass-wood bloom and the fall flowers, and with as striking evidence 

 in favor of the practice. Early feeding also fills the necessary space in the 

 brood chamber, so that at the dawn of the white clover era, the delicious nectar 

 then gathered will, of necessity, be stored in the boxes or frames set apart for 

 this delightful harvest. 



HOW MUCH TO FEED. 



In such cases the amount fed need not be great. A half pound a day, or even 

 less, will be all that is necessary to encourage the bees to active j^reparation for 

 the good time coming. 



WHAT TO FEED. 



Por this pui"2:»ose I would feed coffee A sugar, reduced to the consistency of 

 honey, or else extracted honey kept over from the previous year. The price of 

 the latter will decide which is most profitable. Many advise feeding the poorer 

 grades of sugar in spring. My own experience makes me question the policy of 

 ever using such feed for bees. 



HOW" TO FEED. 



Tlie feeder (Fig. 13) which I have used with the best satisfaction is much the 



