BEE MANUAL. 



153 



prefer the latter. The cap-catcher can be fixed on the knife to 

 prevent the cappings, after they are shaved off, falling on the 

 comb, but I have not found the need of using it, for by giving 

 the comb a slight inclination forward the cappings drop clear. 

 With the aid of one of these knives the operator, after a little 

 practice, can shave off the cappings very easily and cleanly, 

 with the least possible injury to the tops of the cells. "While 

 this is being done the comb must be held on end over an un- 

 capping box or can, so formed as to retain the wax cappings, 

 to be afterwards melted down, and to allow the honey, which 

 is sometimes unavoidably cut off with the cappings or which 

 may trickle from the comb during the operation, to pass through 

 a strainer into a receptacle provided for it. Various contri- 

 vances are adopted for this purpose. The following (Fig. 70) 

 is one I have generally used, and can recommend : — 



Fig. 70.— DADANT'S UNCAPPING CAN. 



It is somewhat like the cylinder of a honey-extractor, but 

 made in two parts — the upper one, to the bottom of which the 

 strainer is attached, slipping a short distance into the lower 

 one. The cone rising from the bottom of the can gives sup- 

 port to the strainer. Those I have in use are made of 

 galvanised iron, are 20 inches diameter, and 30 inches high. 



