I 86 The Honey-Makers 



It is owing to the invention of the ingenious instrument 

 known as the honey-extractor that a colony of bees is at 

 present able to store such vast amounts of honey. By use 

 of this instrument the combs-can be emptied without being 

 broken and can be restored to the hive, for the bees to fill 

 again. Nothing appeals to a bee's love of work like an 

 empty comb, and the little creatures will continue to fill 

 them as long as they can get a drop of honey to carry 

 home. 



Langstroth thus explains the origin of the honey- 

 extractor, — 



" In 1865 the late Major de Hruschka, of Dolo, near 

 Venice, Italy, invented ' II Smelatore/ the honey- 

 extractor. 



" It happened in this wise : He had given to his son a 

 small piece of comb-honey, on a plate. The boy put the 

 plate in his basket, and swung the basket around him, like 

 a sling. Hruschka noticed that some honey had been 

 drained out by the motion, and concluded that combs could 

 be emptied by centrifugal force." 



To-day the caps are cut from the cells of honey-comb 

 by a broad thin knife and the comb placed in an " extrac- 

 tor," where it is rapidly revolved until the cells are empty. 

 It is then returned to the bees that quickly repair any 

 slight damage it may have received, and proceed to 

 refill it. 



Since wax is wholly indigestible and since honey freed 

 from the comb in this way is pure and as good as when in 

 the comb, extracted honey is deservedly acquiring popular- 

 ity, though there still lingers the very justifiable prejudice 

 against " strained honey " which prevents extracted honey 

 from coming as quickly as it deserves into general use in 

 famihes, most people not yet understanding the differ- 

 ence between the two. 



