The Production of Comb-Honey 



311 



FIG. 134. Old type of wide frame for holding 

 sections. 



Other equipment. 



The other apparatus needed in extensive comb-honey 

 production includes some of the general apiary equipment 



discussed in 



Chapter III. A 

 supply of shallow 

 extracting supers 

 may often be 

 used to advan- 

 tage to induce 

 bees to begin 

 storing in supers, 

 but the combina- 

 tion super (Fig. 

 133) is generally 



preferable. If a colony is as strong as it should be at the 

 beginning of the honey-flow there will be little need for 

 shallow extracting supers. The proper use of bait sec- 

 tions is as good as either of these methods. 



Preparation of the sections. 



The folding of the section and the fastening of the founda- 

 tion in place are sometimes done in one machine, but in 

 most apiaries these things are accomplished by two opera- 

 tions. To fold the sections (Fig. 135) without excessive 

 breakage, they must be damp to allow the wood to bend. 

 If they are dry they may be moistened by pouring hot 

 water down the V-grooves while still in the crate, the stream 

 of course being directed only on the grooves. The whole 

 crate may be wrapped in a wet blanket for a day before the 

 folding. 



The use of foundation is necessary to insure straight 

 combs, all of worker cells, and is essential in the production 

 of fancy comb-honey. The foundation should be as thin 

 as can be used without being torn by the bees and usually 

 the grade known in the trade as " thin-super" is preferable. 

 While only narrow strips at the top are sometimes used, it 



