THE HONEY-BEE. 
229 
her, in ignorance that their own proper sovereign 
has been perhaps already pat hors de combat by the 
subjects of the other ; and, in such a case, the ruin 
of the whole community will be the ultimate con- 
sequence, because at this season there are no eggs 
nor larvae, nor males, wherewith to repair the disaster. 
It is safer, therefore, to search for, and remove the 
queen of the swarm that has been dislodged, and is 
to be K married," before the union takes place ; she 
will with little difficulty be discovered and laid hold 
of in a hive without comb. 
The hives denuded of the bees, being now carried 
into the house, the process of extracting the honey 
from the combs must commence immediately, while 
it retains its natural warmth. It will then flow freely, 
and if there is a fire in the apartment where the ope- 
ration is carried, ou, the work will be greatly facili- 
tated. As it is of much importance in preserving 
the fine flavour of the honey, that it should be ex- 
posed as little as possible to the external air, the 
mode of manipulation pointed out by Bonner, and 
repeated after him by other writers, cannot be com- 
mended. The following is the kind of apparatus we 
have made use of for a great many years, and find to 
answer well. (PI. XIII. fig. 1.) It consists of a tin 
vessel of an oval shape, (having a spigot at the bot- 
tom,) 18 inches long, 7 broad, and 5 deep. Resting 
upon this, is another vessel of the same shape, and 
just so much smaller that its under edge slips within 
the other to the extent of an inch, and is prevented 
from sinking farther by a raised beading. The bottom 
