CHAPTER VIII. 
SECURING SURPLUS HONEY AND WAX. 
If the colonies of bees have been brought to the 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 prime 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 surplus receptacles in place, admit the 
bees, and remove the combs when filled and sealed. But if swarming 
complications arise the whole 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 anticipated not 
secrete honey, or should they bloom 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 may be excellent for only 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. 
EXTRACTED HONEY. 
One of the most important points in 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 requisites 
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 w o 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 hold are needed a second 
story filled with combs may be added, or but two or three may be placed 
in it at one side with a division board next t<> them. It is a good plan 
to sort over the combs of the brood apartment, removing several ol' the 
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