200 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 



5-6 EDWARD VII., A. 1908 



piece of old sheet-iron placed under them. It must be further remembered that burn- 

 ing sulphur destroys only tlTe worms, not the eggs. So, it may be necessary to treat 

 the combs a week or two later, when any eggs laid will have hatched. Combs of honey 

 for table use are not likely to be infested with worms; but in the case of black bees, 

 especially if the combs are left too long in the hives, there might be some worms. The 

 dose of sulphur for these may be lighter than for brood combs ; if the dose is too heavy, 

 the white combs will assume a greenish colour, which, however, does not hurt them for 

 eating. 



When extracting combs are extracted for the last time in the season, it is the 

 practice of most bee-keepers to allow the bees to lick them dry. A hi-ve full of such 

 combs may be placed over a colony, a propolis quilt with a small opening through it, 

 having first been placed over the brood frames, and this allowing but one or two bees 

 to pass at one time. Thus, the bees are not so apt to break down the combs and there 

 is less danger of robbing; but a surer way is to set the hive at some distance from the 

 apiary and let the bees have free play at it. After being thoroughly cleaned, all hives 

 containing combs should be removed to a dark room until late in the autumn, and 

 then to a building where they will get the full benefit of frost during the winter. 



UNFINISHED SECTIONS. 



At the close of the honey harvest fhere will always be more or less of the sections 

 unfinished, the number varying greatly in ditierent years. It will happen some years 

 when the season is poor, that none will be finished. Even in the best of years theve 

 will be a considerable portion left unfinished, varying all the way from those the bees 

 have not started at all, up to those that are filled with honey, but have a few cells 

 unsealed. I'hose that have not been worked at by the bees, having no honey at all in 

 them, may be put away until the next year, when they can be used. Be very careful, 

 however, that you do not malie the mistake of leaving such sections too long on the 

 hives. When the harvest is over, they should come off at 'once, for the bees will only 

 daub bee-glue upon them, and sometimes to such an extent that the sections will not 

 be accepted by the bees the following year. Some make a practice of taking off all 

 sections at the close of the clover and linden harvest, sio as to have none of the dark 

 honey in them and to avoid the bee-glue being put on them while the bees have noth- 

 ing to do between the early and late harvests. If a fall flow comes, sections can be 

 again put on, or, better, extracting combs. 



Sections that are not entirely finished, will, of course, do for the table, and if they 

 are to be sold, they must be sold at a lower price. Any that are less than half filled 

 with honey, should be fed to the bees. If you set out a super of such sections where 

 the bees can get at them, they would promptly carry out the honey, but would be so 

 eager at this work that they wouM tear down the tender comb so as to ruin it. Ex- 

 tracting combs are not in the same danger unless they are new. To avoid having the 

 &ccii'Ons ruined for future use, cover them up so as to leave a passage for only one 

 bee at a time to get at them. It is better to set them 10 or 12 rods away from the 

 apiary. 



These section?, after being cleaned out by the bees will be valuable for use the 

 next year, and one or more of them, if put in each super that is first placed on the 

 hives, will start the bees promptly at work. If the sections were not cleaned out, the 

 particles of honey remaining would candy. and affect the new honey put in them the 

 next season. 



John Fixter. 



