EXTRACTING.—Chapter XIII. 
keeper has a helper it saves considerable time to let the helper do thie 
brushing with a brush in each hand. 
As soon as the supers of honey are freed from bees, they should be 
removed to the room where the extracting is done. It is hard to find any- 
thing more convenient than a wheelbarrow for carrying heavy combs, ex- 
cept where the ground is rough and uneven. Even though bees may be 
bringing in honey, it is well to keep the supers containing honey covered to 
prevent robbing; and, of course, if there is a honey-dearth, the honey 
should not be left uncovered a second longer than is absolutely necessary. 
Necessary Extracting Equipment. 
Before going to the expense of securing an extracting outfit, the be- 
ginner will do well to learn if he can locate a near-by beekeeper already 
having an extractor, who will be willing to do his 
extracting for from one to two cents per pound. 
By so doing he may save considerable initial ex- 
pense. 
For the beekeeper with but few colonies, a 
simple practical outfit may be provided at very 
small cost, and this outfit will be sufficient until 
his apiary has increased to 25 or 30 colonies. He 
will want a small extractor, which should be se- 
curely attached to a solid box firmly bolted to the 
floor, the box being of the right height for drawing 
off the honey. The best location for the extractor 
4 is near the wall where there is less vibration when 
ae in operation, for continued vibration is apt to pull 
The simplest and least ex- the can or box loose, especially if care is not taken 
ee ne be es to place combs of equal weight in the two sides of 
versible. the extractor. 
Near this extractor should be the uncapping- 
can. This may be made of a barrel with one end bored full of holes, and a 
coarse screen nailed over these holes. Across the top, ~~ — 
about one-third of the distance from one side, a two- 
inch strip should be nailed, at the middle ot which 
a sharp-pointed nail projects upwards about an inch 
to hold the frame while uncapping. The barrel itself 
may be supported in a tub to catch the honey which 
drains from the cappings. The screen at the bottom 
catches and retains the wax of the cut-off cappings. | 
If one cares to take the extra trouble, a cheap yet 
handier receptacle could be made similar to that in 
the figure. This box may be made of any desired 
length and about 19 inches wide, so that the uncapped 
combs can be suspended cornerwise in one end of the 
box until they are extracted. Near one end is a cross- An inexpensive cap- 
piece, with the upward-projecting nail-point for hold- Ee Hae tees . ices 
ing the frame while uncapping. The bottom of the Pores aoe Te 
box is covered with heavy, coarse sereen, which is tom and a tub to 
held above a shallow galvanized-iron tray by half-inch °**? eae 
80 
