EXTRACTED IIOifEy. 451 



742. Although Mr. Foster's methods and implements have 

 been, improved upon in the past twenty years,' the ideas ex- 

 pressed above are original, and correct and it is necessary that 

 we should consider them. The improvements which go towards 

 a more comfortable situation for the bees while working in 

 the supers are sure to be in the line of progress. Separators, 

 are needed to secure straight combs but the less we will have 

 of them, the better for our success. The fence, the faults of 

 which we have shown, is very certainly praised and used be- 

 cause it gives a more thorough passage from one story to an- 

 other, since it gives an opening along the entire length of the 

 section. 



743. For the same reason of comfort to the bees and also 

 for ease of manipulation, it is advisable to abstain from using ■ 

 the queen excluder, if the Apiarist finds that he can get along 

 without it. These implements are in the way for the travel 

 of the bees over the combs, for the ventilation, and they are 

 also much in the way of the Apiarist. 



744. So in accepting new improvements, we should at all 

 times remember that simplicity in the implements makes for 

 greater success, not only because it is an economy of money, 

 but because our bees will feel better, fare better and swarm 

 less if not hampered with obstructions. 



745. All improvements that are made must be based on 

 a full consideration of the instincts of the bees. Like Mr. 

 Hutchinson ("Production of Comb-Honey'' p. 18), we ''have 

 seen bees sulk for days during a good honey flow, simply be- 

 cause the present condition of things was not to their liking." 

 You should make your bees feel as natural and as much ''at 

 home" as possible. 



Extracted Honey. 



746. To separate the honey from the wax, the bee-keepers 

 of old used to melt or break the comb and drain the honey out. 



Beeswax, as a sweet-scented luminiferous substance, far 



