290 Beekeeping 



Need of abundance of drawn combs. 



In any event, plenty of drawn combs should be available 

 and they should be given to the colonies soon enough so 

 that there will always be some empty comb in the hive. 

 If the bees become crowded, the queen may be restricted 

 in egg-laying and there is not room to spread out the nectar 

 for economical ripening. The crowded conditions so com- 

 monly found in comb-honey production should be avoided 

 in the production of extracted-honey. The advantage of 

 fully drawn combs is especially evident in poor seasons, 

 for then the bees may refuse to build combs but will store 

 all the honey available if drawn combs are provided. 



The giving of frames entirely or partially filled with 

 foundation from which combs must be built, diverts a part 

 of the colony to wax building and probably reduces the 

 field force, although wax is secreted chiefly by young bees 

 not yet ready for work in the field. Part of the honey is 

 consumed in wax building. There may be some delay in 

 starting work on the new combs, which in a heavy honey- 

 flow results either in a loss of honey or in the cramping of 

 the queen. The extracted-honey producer should supply 

 himself with drawn combs in abundance as soon as possible. 

 These may be obtained economically by hiving swarms on full 

 sheets of comb-foundation. Another good method is to put 

 eight frames in a 10-frame hive as an upper story, four on 

 one side being full combs and the other four being frames 

 containing comb-foundation. This is better than to alternate 

 comb and foundation, in which case the combs are usually 

 drawn out abnormally thick and the comb-foundation is 

 drawn out slightly. Better combs are built during a good 

 honey-flow for the corners are then filled more completely than 

 in a small honey-flow. If desired the nectar obtained at the 

 end of the main honey-flow may be utilized in comb building. 



System in producing extracted-honey. 



The extensive producer of extracted-honey may systema- 

 tize his work so that it is necessary to visit each out-apiary 



