HONEY. 85 



132. Wiring Foundation. — All foundation for the body- 

 box is best wired into the frames ; not only is it less liable to 

 " sag," but straight combs are always the result. Foundation 

 can be bought ready wired, but it is much more expensive, and 

 less effective than if made as described in par. 85. 



XI.— Honey. 



133. Extracting Honey from Supers. — This descrip- 

 tion of extracting is the one usually practised. Some, but very 

 few, bee-keepers extract from the combs having brood in them; 

 this is greatly to be condemned. Not only is there a great chance 

 of killing the brood, either by chilling it or throwing it out of 

 the cells, but the honey gets soiled with lacerated brood and 

 pollen. Having removed a quantity of sealed honeycombs from 

 the doubling hive, and jerked and brushed the bees from off 

 them back into the hive, replace them with empty combs, allowing 

 the unsealed ones to remain in, placing them in the centre of 

 the empties. Take the full combs indoors, preferably in a warm 

 room. Have ready a pair of un- 

 capping knives, a jug of hot water, 

 a pan for the cappings, and the 

 honey extractor nicely cleaned out. 

 With a few combs these are all Uncapping Knife. 



the requisites necessary, but where 



a large number have to be extracted it is essential that 

 you have, instead of a jug of hot water, some receptacle that 

 will keep the water at about i4odegs. Fahr , or long before you 

 have finished uncapping the water will be too cold. Place the 

 knives in the hot water, but before doing so see that they have a 

 very sharp edge. Now hold a frame by one corner, resting the 

 bottom comer in a dish, and then, with one of the knives, make a 

 shaving sort of cut upwards, and just underneath the cappings ; 

 these will come off in a sheet, and lay upon the broad blade of the 

 knife. As soon as the knife begins to drag, replace it in the 

 hot water and use the other. Having removed all the cappings 

 from one side, turn the comb, and uncap the other, and place 

 it, when finished, in the cage of the extractor. Take another comb, 

 and, after uncapping, place it in the opposite cage of extractor ; 

 thus, having two combs will balance the cages properly. We are 

 presuming that a cylinder extractor is being used ; the one called 

 "The Little Wonder" has only one cage. Now twist the handle 

 of the extractor, gradually increasing the speed until you hear 

 the honey pattering upon the sides of the tin or honey-catchers. 

 Keep up this speed for about half a minute, but do not increase 

 it. By experience will be found just the right speed necessary 

 to throw out the honey without damaging the combs. When one 

 side of each comb is finished, reverse them and extract the 



