CHAPTEK virr. 



SECURING SURPLUS HONEY AND WAX. 



If the colonies of bees Lave been brought to tbe opening of a given 

 honey flow with a powerful population recently hatched it will require 

 no great skill to secure a good crop, granted, of course, that the flowers 

 actually do secrete the nectar. In the ordinary course of events some 

 colonies are likely to come through to the early harvest in good shape, but 

 if all those contained in a large apiary are in i:)rime order at this time 

 it is good evidence of skill on the part of the attendant, this even though 

 the weather and other circumstances may have favored his work. To 

 secure a yield of surplus honey the part remaining to be done, if all 

 goes well, is merely to put the suri)lus receptacles in idace, admit the 

 bees, and remove the combs when filled and sealed. But if swarming 

 complications arise the Avhole of the bee keeper's skill and ingenuity 

 may again be called into requisition to keep the forces together and 

 storing in the surplus receptacles Should the expected harvest not 

 come — that is, should the flowers from which the yield is anticij^ated not 

 secrete honey, or should theybloom when the weather would not permit 

 the bees to fly — of course no amount of skill could make up the deficiency. 

 In such a case all that can be done is to carry the colonies through to 

 the next honey yield in good shape — to keep up (by feeding if necessary) 

 the populousness of the colonies. The flow may begin suddenly or 

 before it is looked for; it nuiy be excellent for onh' a very short time, a 

 day or two even, and be cut off short in the midst of its greatest abun- 

 dance. Thus the skill lies in having the colonies ready for whatever may 

 come and a force sufficient to store the whole season^s surplus in a few 

 days. 



KXTK ACTED nO>^EV. 



One of the most important points iu securing extracted honey is to 

 have a large stock of surplus combs. These, with the strong colonies 

 of bees to utilize them, and the honey extractor, are the great retpiisites 

 of the producer of extracted honey. As fast as the bees can cover and 

 utilize them, these combs are added to the colonies, one or two at a time 

 from the opening of the season until the brood apartment is full. As 

 soon as more combs than the lower story will hohl are needed a second 

 story filled with cond)S may be added, or but two or three may be i)laced 

 in it at one side with a division board next to them. It is a good idau 

 to sort over the combs of the brood ai)artment, removing several of the 



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