56 



The bee-keeper should endeavour to remove at least twelve 

 frames for extracting at one operation. It 

 122. Removal of is best that the frames should be corn- 

 Frames for pletely sealed over before extracting, but 

 Extracting. it may often be advisable to remove frames 



on either side of v^hich from one-fourth 

 to one-third of the cells are unsealed, in order to provide more 

 space, or to make up a sufficient quantity for extracting, or to 

 permit of transferring frames from other hives. Frames v^hich 

 have less than about two-thirds of the comb on each side 

 sealed, should not be extracted. In good clover districts, if 

 the season is good, frames would probably be ready for extract- 

 ing about the middle of June. When it is believed that some 

 frames are probably ready for removal from the super, the 

 beekeeper should examine them, removing the quilt from the 

 back frames, and putting the carbolic cloth on instead ; if these 

 frames are not ready, the front frames need not be examined ; 

 if they are ready, remove the quilt entirely, cover the frames 

 with the carbolic cloth, letting it lie until the bees have gone 

 down, and then remove all frames fit for extracting, first shak- 

 ing the bees ofE them with a sharp jerk, or brush them off 

 with a feather, and place the frames in the frame-box (53) 

 for removal to the extracting room, taking care to close 

 the lid of the box at once as each frame is placed in it, 

 to prevent robbing (141). On the first occasion of removing 

 frames for extracting, say three weeks after putting the 

 super on, it is necessary to examine the frames in the 

 brood nest, as probably some of them will have been 

 filled with honey only, and should be removed for extrac- 

 tion. Before opening the brood nest the beekeeper should 

 take one or two of the best-filled frames of brood from 

 any hive which is being worked for sections which might 

 swarm if not checked ; after brushing the bees off these 

 frames, they should be transferred to the brood nest of the 

 extracting hive as explained below. To examine the brood 

 chamber frames, place the quilt on the doubling-box which 

 should then be Lifted off, first tilting up one side so as to free 

 it if propolised ; then place it with the frames in it, on a 

 cloth or board on the ground ; then subdue (63) the bees in 

 the body-box, and remove from it all frames containing honey 

 only, putting those which are capped in the frame-box (53), 

 and those which are not capped in the super ; then in lieu of 

 the frames removed, place in the body-box the brood frames, 

 if any, removed from other hives, with, if necessary, one or 

 more frames of foundation in the centre ; then replace the 

 excluder zinc and super. Next, place in the super as many 

 empty frames of comb as are required ; it should not now carry 

 more than eight. If no empty frames are available, replace 

 the super and cover the hive until the withdrawn frames of 

 honey have been extracted, after which the necessary number 

 of emptied frames can be added to the super. When adding 

 empjy frames to the super, first draw the partially completed 

 frames to the back of the super and put the empty frames in 

 front of them ; thus the frames which will be first ready for 



