ii8 AUSTRALASIAN BEE MANUAL 



over the brood chamber, and under the others already 

 on. This tends towards keeping the former from 

 getting overheated, and the bees will always work 

 downwards when they will not work up. I think it 

 almost impossible to work a strong colony to the best 

 advantage with less than two top boxes, and I often 

 use three when there is a good flow of nectar on. 



EXTRACTING. 



When working on the system of allowing the honey 

 to be capped over before extracting it, or in other 

 words, letting it ripen in the hive, care must be taken 

 that plenty of working room is provided for, especially 

 during a strong flow of nectar, or swarming will result. 

 At such times honey will be stored faster than it can 

 ripen and be capped over, so that it is necessary to 

 increase the working-room by adding top boxes until 

 some of the combs are ready for the extractor, which 

 should be kept at work on every opportunity. 



COMB BASKET AND BRUSH. 



When removing surplus honey from the hives it is 

 necessary to have something to place the frames or 



FiS- 73- — COMB BASKET. 



