COMB HONEY. 409 



By the time the feeble colony becomes strong — if at all 

 — the honey harvest is over, and, instead of gathering 

 enough for its own use, it may starve, unless fed. Bee- 

 keeping, with colonies which are feeble, except in extraor- 

 dinary seasons and locations, is emphatically nothing but 

 " vexation of spirit." 



3rd. Colonies that swarm (406) cannot be expected to. 

 furnish much surplus, in average localities and seasons. 

 (See Artificial Increase 469.) 



4th. A hive containing or raising many drones (189) 

 cannot save as much surplus as one that has but few, owing 

 to the cost of production of these drones, who do not work 

 and are raised in place of workers (190). We have in- 

 sisted on this point already, but it Is of such importance, 

 th.it we cannot refrain from recalling it. The hives should 

 be overhauled every Spring, and the drone comb, cut out 

 and replaced by neat pieces of worker comb, or of comb 

 foundation (674). Every square foot of drone comb, re- 

 placed with worker comb, represents an annual saving, in 

 our estimation, of at least one dollar to the colony. 



Comb Honey. 



719. Although the production of comb honey is less 

 advantageous than that of extracted honey (746), yet a 

 newly made and well sealed honey comb is unquestionably 

 most attractive, and, when nicely put up, will find a place 

 of honor, even on the tables of the wealthy. White Comb 

 honey will always be a fancy article, and will sell at paying 

 prices. 



Dark honey in the comb never finds ready sale. Hence, 

 the bee-keepers, in districts where white honey is harvested, 

 are mostly producers of comb honey ; while those in the 

 districts producing dark honey, iji the South mainly, rely 

 more on extracted honey. 



