174 BOXING AND SURPLUS HONEY. 
combs are of valuc as guides in boxes the ensuing season, 
They may be removed from the boxes, the capping cut, 
and the honey taken out with the extractor. The bees 
should be allowed to have access to them, that they may 
remove all honey adhering to the cells. These combs 
need to be protected from dirt and dust. I advise, how- 
ever, that but a limited number of boxes be placed upon 
the hive, that all may be filled, and then devote the re- 
mainder of the season to securing new combs in the body 
of the hive, for use as guides. When built in frames they 
may be more readily extracted, and the soiling of boxes 
avoided. Or, if an extra supply of combs is desired, 
foundation may be furnished for the bees to build out for 
future use. If this is not desirable, empty combs may be 
a‘lded for extracting, or to be filled and reserved for the 
following season’s operations, as suggested in the Chapter 
on Extracting. It is, of course, profitable to prolong their 
work in boxes, as long as they will complete them hand- 
somely. 
I usually put the first set of boxes on the top of the 
hive, and when partly filled, remove them to one side of 
the combs, and place a fresh set at the top. If the swarm 
is strong, and the flow of honcy continues, these may be 
put at the other side in like manner, and the top refilled. 
If only a top-boxing hive is used, the first set may be 
raised before completion, and empty ones placed beneath, 
with holes in both top and bottom, to permit the free pas- 
sage of the bees. With swarming restricted, I have had 
thirty-two five-pound boxes upon several hives, in the en- 
tire number of which bees were so freely at work as to 
complete twenty-four of them at nearly the same time. 
Do not entertain the idea that all swarms will gather 
such amounts. It will frequently occur that some 
swarms will not occupy all the boxes furnished, or they 
may discontinue work before they are completed. These 
may often be removed, and given to such colonies as will 
