A. AND M. COLLEGE APIARY. 31 



trance, should be kept cleaned away. As to the plan of location, a great 

 latitude of choice is allowable. It is important, however, that hives hav- 

 ing entrances facing in the same direction should not be nearer to each 

 other than ten feet. Hives may be faced in any direction, but a north 

 face is least preferable. East is perhaps the best of all, and as a second 

 choice south should follow. Mr. Louis H. Scholl, of Hunter, Texas, has 

 found a southeast face to give the best results. By such an entrance the 

 morning sun strikes the hive squarely and warms it early. Later in the 

 day the rays do not strike either the side or end directly until late in the 

 afternoon, but at more or less of an angle, making the heat within less in- 

 tense. In some cases it is found necessary to place some of the hives in 

 direct sunlight, in which case a "shade-board" should always be placed 

 on such hives. This shade board may be of any design, so that it pro- 

 jects beyond the cover of the hive for a few inches in every direction. 

 Such a board will also give better protection from the heat if it be raised 

 by means of cleats above the hive cover, so as to allow a circulation of air 

 beneath it. In no case should this board be attached to the cover, but 

 should be merely laid upon it, so as to be readily removable. If any 

 device is needed to prevent wind from blowing it off, a rock or other 

 weight will suffice. 



APPARATUS NECESSARY FOR EXTENSIVE WORK, 



While the outfit described above will suffice for the small bee keeper 

 who is producing honey for his own use, and only a limited amount for 

 sale, yet he will find that there are a number of implements very con- 

 venient; and in case he intends enlarging his apiary ultimately, imple- 

 ments that are necessary in saving time and in putting his products into 

 marketable shape. A few of these will here be mentioned. A honey 

 extractor is one of the most useful and labor-saving devices yet invented 

 for the bee keeper. Its purpose is to extract the liquid honey from the 

 combs, so that the latter may be returned to the bees to be again filled by 

 them. This saves much time during the height of a honey flow. As it 

 requires several pounds of honey to make a single pound of comb, it will 

 be seen that much honey is saved by thus using the same combs over and 

 over again. The honey extractor is constructed on the same principle as 

 is the cream separator, i. e., centrifugal force. The extractor consists of 

 a galvanized iron can having within it two, four, or more pockets, each of 

 which will receive a frame or comb of honey. These pockets are mounted 

 upon a frame pivoted at top and bottom, so that it can be revolved rapidly 

 by means of attached gearing and handle. The rapid motion throws out 

 the honey from the outer cells of the comb, whence it runs down the sides 

 of the extractor and is drawn off through a gate below. The frames are 

 now reversed or turned with the other face to the outside of the extractor 

 and the frame is again revolved, throwing out all the honey. The comb 

 is now ready to be returned to the hive. Honey extractors are manu- 

 factured in various styles and sizes adapted to more or less extensive 

 work. A well-built extractor, capable of holding two combs at a time, 

 such as is shown in Fig. 12, is amply large enough for an apiary of 100 

 colonies or less. Along with the extractor a honey knife or "uncapping 

 knife" will be needed for cutting comb, cleaning, and especially for shav- 

 ing off the cappings of the sealed honey before extracting. Such a knife 



