EXTRACTED HONEY. 429 



vinced, by aotual 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 einpty 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 

 in the upper story ; but before it can be put to any use, it 

 has to be first partly filled with combs. Before a half day 



