THE HONEY HOUSE 175 



These are so placed near the top of the frames that they will be 

 the proper distance apart when placed in the hive. 



WTiile there may be a difference of opinion regarding the 

 best, from the standpoint of the extensive extracted honey pro- 

 ducer, the novice will find the self-spacing frames much better, 

 as there is less danger of getting the brood nest too crowded or 

 the combs too far apart. 



Some contend that the use of metal spaced frames tends to 

 dull the uncapping knife by constantly knocking against it. This 

 arg-ument carries little weight, for a good operator will seldom 

 strike the edge of his knife against the metal. 



THE HONEY HOUSE 



A good honey house is a necessity in extensive honey produc- 

 tion. The small honey producer can get along with a large room 

 in the dwelling house if necessary, but the nature of the work of 

 extracting is such that a separate building is very desirable. It 

 need not be expensive, but must be tight enough so that no bee 

 can enter when doors and windows are closed. If the bees once 

 find their way in when a lot of honey is exposed, they soon come 

 by thousands and make work impossible. During a good honey 

 flow they are so busy bringing in nectar from the field, that they 

 pay little attention to anything else. At such times extracting 

 can often be done out of doors without annoyance. A check in 

 the honey flow brings a decided change in their attitude, and 

 they will soon be seeking every possible opening to a building 

 where honey is stored. 



If portable outfits are used and the honey extracted at the 

 various apiaries, small buildings will serve very well, because 

 the honey will be taken away as fast as extracted. It is a common 

 practice among bee-keepers following this plan to visit a yard in 

 the morning and spend the day extracting, and take the honey 

 home at night. 



Even though the portable outfits are used, a good-sized build- 



