124 A MANUAL OF BEE-KEEPING. 



than 3^?. per pound ; it answered quite as well, and 

 indeed went further. 



Our American cousins, from whom we get many- 

 valuable Apiarian hints, commonly manage their Bees 

 thus: Two strong stocks are selected which we will call A 

 and B ; from B all the Bees with their Queen are driven, 

 making a strong new swarm ; the hive, with its combs 

 full of brood in all stages, minus its floor-board, is then 

 placed on A, which has previously had its crown-board 

 removed, and an adapter substituted. The Bees of A 

 immediately take possession of B, hatch out all brood, 

 while the Queen remaining in the lower hive still keeps 

 breeding, and the immense population thus formed 

 quickly fill the emptied combs of the upper hive with 

 honey, which, as fast as filled, or nearly so, are emptied 

 by the extractor, and returned ; by this means a very 

 large harvest is obtained, which has amounted to as 

 much as 600 pounds from a single hive. Wax is a 

 product made by the Bees from honey, and it is said 

 that it takes 20 pounds or more of honey to make one 

 pound of wax ; therefore every pound of comb saved 

 for the Bees represents at least 20 pounds more honey 

 to be harvested. Now it is quite a mistake to imagine 

 that old combs, that is to say, up to three or four years 

 old, are useless except to melt down. For breeding 

 purposes they are quite as good as new ; and, indeed^ 

 when the Bee-keeper handles his combs much, they are 

 better, being tougher. I would quite as soon have my 

 hives furnished with old combs as new. By the use of 

 the extractor, therefore, we get all the honey and save 

 the combs ; and it will be found where a hive full of clean 

 combs can be given to a swarm, they get a start in life 

 for which they will amply make returns. 



When the Bees are busy gathering honey the extractor 



