112 HOW TO KEEP BEES 



SCRAPING THE SECTIONS 



In preparing comb-honey for the market, it is 

 necessary to first scrape the propolis from the 

 sections so as to leave the wood white and beautiful. 

 To do this the section should be set square on and 

 in line with the edge of a table, and below should be 

 a pan to receive the scrapings. Hold the section 

 firmly in one hand and scrape the side that is in line 

 with the edge of the table with a downward stroke 

 of the knife; a case-knife is best for this. To scrape 

 the wood clean and not in any way injure the honey, 

 and to do the work rapidly, measure the skill attained 

 in this business. In scraping the sections it is best 

 to have four of the shipping-boxes at hand, so that 

 the honey may be graded and placed in its proper 

 class as it is cleaned. 



GRADING COMB-HONEY 



First, as to the way the sections are filled, or in 

 other words, as to the bee technique. There are 

 three grades — ^Fancy, No. 1, and No. 2. In the 

 fancy grade almost every cell is well filled, and the 

 comb has the surface evenly built and well capped. 

 No. 1 has an even surface and is well filled, but may 

 not be so perfect in the corners as is the fancy. 

 No. 2 must be at least three-fourths full. Anything 

 below No. 2 is called chunk honey if sold in the 

 comb, but it is more profitable to extract honey from 

 all sections that range below No. 2. 



Second, as to the colour of honey: It is graded 



