96 BEE-KEEPING FOR PROFIT 
that is emphasised when we consider that it 
takes from 6 to 20 pounds of nectar to pro- 
duce one pound of comb. Great care therefore 
should be taken of them when not in use and 
precautions taken to preserve them from the 
attacks of mice, moths, and predatory insects. 
In winter time they should be stored in an 
old hive in a dry situation, and small pieces 
of camphor or naphthaline should be placed 
in the bottom of the hive and in a saucer 
over the frames. 
Mildew, too, has to be guarded against, 
but slight attacks of it may be remedied by 
placing the combs either in the warmth of the 
sun or near a fire. 
The Honey.—One very important fact to 
remember is that no combs should be removed 
from the hive until the cells have been sealed 
by the bees. When the nectar is gathered and 
deposited in the cells it contains a certain 
proportion of water which must be evaporated 
before the honey is ready to be sealed. The 
bees know precisely when the moment for 
sealing has arrived, so that to secure the honey 
in good condition it is necessary to await this 
final operation. The rule cannot be—and is 
not—observed by bee-keepers who are short of 
supers, for they are often obliged to remove 
