HOW TO KEEP BEES 



37 



are taken from the super or upper story one at a time, and the bees 

 shaken or brushed from them, either into the hive or in front of it, 

 and the combs taken indoors. A bunch of asparagus tops or coarse 

 grass makes an excellent brush. When it gets sticky throw it away 

 and get a fresh one. If bee disease is in the apiary burn or bury the 

 sticky grass or better still use a bee escape. 



EXTRACTING. 



At best, extracting is a sticky and laborious job. It comes when 

 the weather is hot and often when other work is pressing. It may, 

 however, be deferred until some more convenient season, if one has 

 plenty of surplus combs. Also the longer honej"^ remains in the hive 

 the richer and better it becomes. All one has to look out for is to 

 get the crop of light colored honey off before the dark honey begins 

 to be gathered, and herein the value of knowledge of the honey 

 yields (pasturage) of the locality becomes apparent. 



FlQ. 24. — Extracting House at Hammond Hill, R I„ 1916. Screened openings on each side give 



ample ventilation. 



After the combs are safely indoors they may be left in some warm 

 and dry room shut up from bees and ants until it is convenient to 

 extract, or the honey may be extracted at once and the emptied 

 combs returned to the bees. Give such combs at or as near night fall 



