THE PRODUCTION OF HONEY. 
501 
Keep no hive open a moment longer than necessary, 
and be particularly watchful that no bees get access 
to the removed honey. 
Extracting should be done under cover — it must 
be, unless forage be quite abundant. The sticky, 
messy frames, as emptied, should be returned to the 
storeys whence they were taken, and then these, 
piled according to convenience, may be given again 
at dusk (not earlier) to the bees, to be cleaned out 
and put into condition for keeping for the work of 
another season. The quality of the honey gathered 
at different periods by the same stock, and even at 
the same period by different stocks, will often vary 
widely; and, in extracting a quantity, an effort should 
be made to secure that of highest type by itself, as 
superior quality, mingled with second-grade stuff, will 
but little raise the market value of the latter. Holding 
up the combs to the light (even if they have been 
bred in, the upper corners remain uncoloured) will 
assist in forming a judgment of the contents. 
Comb honey, to which much that has been said in 
reference to extracted applies, if raised as a main or 
exclusive crop, presents, in some respects, an essen- 
tially different problem. The difficulties are greater, 
and the results less certain, and are only undertaken 
because of the relatively high price comb honey 
commands. For extracted honey, finished combs are 
given : the visits of the queen, should such occur, 
occasion nothing more serious than delay, however 
large the brood-patch : complete sealing is by no 
means necessary, while threatened swarming may 
without loss be commonly averted by emptying a few 
