280 When to Extract. 
hold pieces of comb not in frames, is a desirable addition to 
an extractor. 
The can, if metal, which is lighter and to be preferred 
to wood, as it does not sour nor absorb the honey, should 
be of tin, so as not to rust. A cover (Fig. 105) to protect 
the honey from dust, when not in use, is very desirable. 
The circular cloth cover, gathered around the edge by a 
string or a rubber, as made by Mr. A. I. Root, is excellent 
for this purpose. As no capped honey can be extracted, it 
is necessary to uncap it, which is done by shaving off the 
thin caps. To do this, nothing is comparable in excellence 
Fic. 108. 
to the Bingham & Hetherington honey knife (Fig. 108). 
After a thorough trial of this knife, here at the college, we 
pronounce it decidedly superior to any other that we have 
used, though we have several of the principal knives made 
in the United States. I do not think the bee-keeper can 
afford to use any other knife. This knife is peculiar for its 
thick blade which is beveled to the edge. 
USE OF THE EXTRACTOR. 
Although some of our most experienced apiarists say 
nay, it is nevertheless a fact, that the queen sometimes 
remains idle, or extrudes her eggs only to be lost, simply 
because there are no empty cells. The honey yield is so 
great that the workers occupy every available space, and 
sometimes even they become unwilling idlers, simply 
because of necessity. Itis true that the proper arrangement 
and best management of frames for surplus would prevent 
this. Yet in every apiary such a condition will occasionally 
occur; at such times we should always extract from the 
brood nest. 
The extractor also enables the apiarist to secure honey— 
extracted honey—in poor seasons, when he could get very 
