EXTRACTED HONEY. 429 
vinced, by actual trial, of the great gain which could be 
obtained, by returning the empty combs to the bees. 
751. Let us say here, that the profit was greater than we 
had anticipated ; but we, together with a great many others, 
first committed the fault of extracting, before the honey 
was altogether ripened by evaporation. Like ‘‘ Novice,”’ 
who thought of emptying his cistern to put the overflow of 
his extracted honey, we had to go to town again and again, 
for jars and barrels, to lodge our crop. But experience 
taught us that we cannot get a good merchantable article, 
unless the honey is ripe. 
752. If we give to bees empty combs, to store their 
honey, we will find, by comparing the products of colonies 
who have to build their combs, with those of colonies who 
always have empty combs to fill, that these last produce 
at least twice as much as the others. 
A little consideration will readily show, to the intelligent 
bee-keeper, the great advantages given to the bees by 
furnishing them with a full supply of empty combs. To 
illustrate all these advantages, let us compare two colonies 
of bees, of equal strength, at the beginning of the honey 
season; one with empty boxes, the other with empty comb 
in the boxes. 
The two colonies have been breeding plentifully, and 
harvesting a large quantity of pollen, and a little honey, 
for several weeks past. The brood chamber is full from 
top to bottom. After perhaps one rainy day, the honey 
crop begins. The bees that have been given empty combs 
can go right up in them, and begin storing, as fast as 
they bring their honey from the fields. Not a minute 
is lost; and as they have plenty of storing room, there is 
no need of crowding the queen out of her breeding cells. 
In the other hive, there is indeed plenty of empty space 
inthe upper story; but before it can be put to any use, it 
has to be first partly filled with combs. Before a half day 
