194 MANUAL OF THE APIARY. 



which will slide easily either way. These will be more easily 

 used if they rest on legs, which will raise their tops say three 

 feet from the ground. Now, go to two or three colonies, take 

 enough combs, and of the right kind for a colony. The bees 

 may be shaken off or brushed off with a large feather. If 

 the bees are troublesome, close the box as soon as each comb 

 is placed inside. Extract the honey from these, using care 

 not to turn so hard as to throw out the brood. If necessary, 

 with a thin knife pare off the caps, and after throwing the 

 honey from one side, turn the comb around, and extract it 

 from the other. If combs are of very different weights, it will 

 be better for the extractor to use those of nearly equal weights 

 on opposite sides, as the strain will be much less. Now take 

 these combs to another colony, whose combs shall be replaced 

 by them. Then close the hive, extract this second set of 

 combs, and thus proceed till the honey has all been extracted. 

 At the close, the one or two colonies from which the first 

 combs were taken shall receive pay from the last set extracted, 

 and thus, with much saving of time, little disturbance of bees, 

 and the least invitation to robbing, in case there is no gath- 

 ering, we have gone rapidly through the apiary. 



TO KEEP EXTRACTED HONEY. 



Extracted honey, if to be sold in cans or bottles, may be run 

 into them from the extractor. The honey should be thick, 

 and the vessels may be sealed or corked, and boxed at once. 



If large quantities of honey are extracted, it may be most 

 conveniently kept in barrels. These should be first-class, and 

 ought to be waxed before using them, to make assurance 

 doubly sure against any leakage. To wax the barrels, we may 

 use beeswax, but paraffine is cheaper, and just as efficient. 

 Three or four quarts of the hot paraffine or wax should be 

 turned into the barrel, the bung driven in tight, the barrel 

 twirled in every position, after which the bung is loosened by 

 a blow with the hammer, and the residue of the wax turned 

 out. Economy requires that the barrels be warm when 

 waxed, so that only a thin coat will be appropriated. 



Large tin cans, waxed and soldered at the openings after 

 being filled, are cheap, and niay be the most desirable recep- 

 tacles for extracted honey. 



Extracted honey should always be kept in dry apartments. 



