30 ' EXTRACTING HONEY. 



of honey taken wouid be very great. To take out the combs, 

 the hive is opened in the usual way, the comb is lifted out, 

 arid with one or two jerks nearly every bee is shaken back 

 to the hive, the few remaining bees being brushed off with 

 a feather. The combs are then brought indoors, and. pre- 

 pared for the extractor by shaving the cappings off both 

 sides, by means of a thi»-bladed sharp knife, after which a 



Fig. II. — Bingham Honey Knife 



comb is placed in each cage, and the handle is rapidly 

 turned for a few seconds. A little experience will enable 

 the operator to tell, by the decreasing resistance, when the 

 honey is all thrown out. The combs are then turned, and 

 the 6ther side is cleared of honey in like manner. In using 

 the extractcir, care must be taken that the cages revolve so 

 that the lower part of the comb is first, otherwise it will, be 

 difficiilt to get all the honey out of the cells. A good way 

 to dispose of the extracted combs will be by inserting one, 

 or, perhaps, two, in a strong stock, making room for:J;hem 

 by ta:king out a similar number of brood frames, which are 

 placed in the upper story of the extracting hive. The honey 

 is taken from the extractor by means of the treacle tap, and 

 it will be all the better if it is kept in a deep vessel for four 

 or five days before being put up for sale, to allow particles 

 of wax, pollen, and other debris, to rise to the top, where it 

 can easily be skimmed off. By doing this the honey be- 

 comes very much clearer, and it sells for a considerably 

 higher price than if bottled just as it runs from the extractor. 

 Hives worked on the extracting, or doubling, system should, 

 in a good season, yield about 120 pounds of pure honey, 

 and a swarm of bees, if hived on full sheets of comb 

 foundation, or, better still, on empty combs, should give 

 some honey over and above what they will require for 

 winter store. 



