57 



while containing a considerable weight of honey. If the 

 combs are soft or new, it is best to extract only about half 

 the honey from the side first treated, and to clear it after 

 all has been extracted from the other side ; this will lessen 

 the chances of breaking the comb. A convenient method of 

 working the extractor, is to attach one end of a cord about eight 

 or nine feet long to the crank handle, and the other end to a 

 little piece of stick which is held in the hand ; by alternately 

 pulling and slackening the cord, the frame can be made to 

 revolve. When extracting is over for the day, the extractor 

 should be placed on a table or stand of such a height that the 

 ripener, with the strainer on it, can be placed under the tap 

 of the extractor, the honey in the extractor should then be run 

 off through the strainer, in which it should be left for a few 

 hours ; the ripe honey may then be run off into tins (168) , and 

 any unripe honey, which may be distinguished by its thinness, 

 should be left in the ripener or some similarly shaped vessel, 

 covered with butter muslin or some other porous material, in a 

 room at a temperature of 80° P. , under which conditions most of 

 it will ripen ; any which does not ripen may be kept for feeding 

 bees. The ripener should then be carefully covered, and the ex- 

 tractor and strainer should be cleaned, scalded, and covered to 

 exclude dust, insects, &c. As the extractor recommended for use 

 (49) vnll not hold more than from 60 to 90 lbs. of honey below 

 the cages, it is not advisable to bring in more frames than will 

 yield that amount, as the honey in them would thicken if they 

 were held over for a long time. Frames hold from 4 to 6 Ibs.- 

 of honey, according to the width to which they are drawn out. 

 When extracting is done late in the season or in cool weather, 

 the extractor and uncapping-knives must be kept warm, the 

 former by placing it in front of tjie fire and turning it a little 

 from time to time, the latter by placing them in hot water. 

 Shallow frames are largely used for extracting, especially in 

 England, as the comb in them is less liable to break and 

 easier to uncap than that in standard brood frames, but, as they 

 are more expensive than the latter, hold less honey, and 

 are not interchangeable with them, they are not recom- 

 mended. After frames have been extracted, those which 

 are to be returned should be replaced; if not imme- 

 diately required, they may be kept hanging vertically 

 for a few days, but as they would soon mildew, they 

 should, if not required for any hives, be placed hang- 

 ing vertically in a covered box fitted with an opening for 

 the bees, and this box should be placed at a considerable 

 distance, if possible not lees than 200 yards, from the hive, 

 in order that the bees may clear the frames of honey. If foul 

 brood is prevalent in the district, great care should be exercised 

 not to use an extractor which has been used in other apiaries, 

 without first ascertaining beyond doubt that no foul brood 

 existed in any of the apiaries at which it was used ; and if there 

 is the least suspicion that foul brood exists in the apiary, the 

 frames from the suspected hives should not be transferred to 

 any other hives, as has been advised above (119), (120). 



