WORKING FOE COMB-HONEY 97 



This is apparent when a comb-super almost completed 

 is raised from the brood-nest and another set of empty 

 sections interposed. The bees are tricked into energetic 

 efforts to fill the space and thus connect the honey with 

 the brood. 



As explained in a previous subject, want of room is 

 a prime cause of swarms, and to supply the necessary 

 amount of section room without landing too large a per- 

 centage unfinished at the close of the season, is a nice 

 point that continually engages the attention. Failure in 

 either of the above makes a decided difference in the 

 amount of marketable honey produced. In accordance 

 with the instructions to keep bees in as few hives as 

 possible, get all your comb honey in as few sections as 

 is consistent with fair average weight. Do not pile on 

 supers until every section is but half finished. As the 

 season advances crowd the bees to fewer sections so as 

 to have them all ship-shape when finally taken off. 



TAKING- OFF COMB-HONEY. 



The removal of comb from the hive without damage 

 is attended with more risk than is the case with extracted 

 honey. "When a hive of bees is disturbed, the insects, 

 fearful of being deprived of their stores, make haste to 

 fill their honey sacs to enable them to make a new start 

 in case of emergency. This trait furnishes a difficulty 

 in the production of section-honey, for instantly the 

 smoker "whiffs" and the lid is opened, the ever ready 

 insects puncture the cappings of the comb in their hurry 

 to secure provisions. This damage to the cappings is 

 unsightly, and often causes the comb to "bleed" after 

 removal from the hive. 



To overcome this a Porter bee-escape is fitted to a 

 thin board, say % an inch in thickness by the dimensions 

 of the hive in use. On one side of the board slats are 

 nailed to raise the super from the brood-chamber; these 

 are % of an inch wide, and fastened similarly to the slats 

 on the bottom board. A hole, corresponding to the one 

 on the escape, is now bored through the centre of the 



