214 Worhing for Comb-Honey. 



CHAPTER XIII. 

 WORKING FOR COMB-HONEY. 



AVliile extracted honey has so much to recommend it, and 

 is rapidly growing in favor with American apiarists, still such 

 reports as that of Dr. C. C. Miller, -vvho the past season in- 

 creased his 174 colonies to 202, and took 16,000 pounds of 

 comb-honey in one pound sections, which netted him very 

 nearly S3, 000, and that of Mr. Doolitlle, who has secured nearly 

 100 pounds of comb-honey per colony for a long series of 

 years, may well lead us not to ignore this branch of our busi- 

 ness. The showy horse, or the red short-horn, may not be in- 

 trinsically superior to the less attractive animals ; but they will 

 always win in the market. So comb-honey, in the beautiful 

 one pound sections, will always attract buyers and secure the 

 highest price. As more embark in the production of extract- 

 ed honey, higher will be the price of the irresistible, incom- 

 parable comb-honey. Well then may we study how to secure 

 the most of this exquisite product of the bees, in a form that 

 shall rival in attractiveness that of the product itself, for very 

 likely the state of the market in some localities will make its 

 production the most profitable feature of apiculture. 



POINTS TO CONSIDER. 



To secure abundance of comb-honey the colonies must be 

 very strong, and the brood combs full of brood at the dawn 

 of the honey harvest. The swarming fever must be kept at 

 bay or cured, before the rapid storing commences, and the 

 honey should be secured in the most attractive form. 



TO SECURE STRONG COLONIES. 



By feeding daily, whenever the bees are not storing, com- 

 mencing as soon as the bees commence to store pollen, we shall 

 almost certainly secure this result. We should also use the 

 division board, and keep the bees crowded, especially if weak 

 in the spring. Only give them the number of combs that 

 they can cover. Keep them warmly covered above and on 



