28o 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 



Fig. 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. It is 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 



