290 
Beekeeping 
Need of abundance of drawn combs. 
In any event, plenty of drawn combs should be available 
and they should be given to the colonies soon enough so 
that there will always be some empty comb in the hive. 
If the bees become crowded, the queen may be restricted 
in egg-laying and there is not room to spread out the nectar 
for economical ripening. The crowded conditions so com¬ 
monly found in comb-honey production should be avoided 
in the production of extracted-honey. The advantage of 
fully drawn combs is especially evident in poor seasons, 
for then the bees may refuse to build combs but will store 
all the honey available if drawn combs are provided. 
The giving of frames entirely or partially filled with 
foundation from which combs must be built, diverts a part 
of the colony to wax building and probably reduces the 
field force, although wax is secreted chiefly by young bees 
not yet ready for work in the field. Part of the honey is 
consumed in wax building. There may be some delay in 
starting work on the new combs, which in a heavy honey- 
flow results either in a loss of honey or in the cramping of 
the queen. The extracted-honey producer should supply 
himself with drawn combs in abundance as soon as possible. 
These may be obtained economically by hiving swarms on full 
sheets of comb-foundation. Another good method is to put 
eight frames in a 10-frame hive as an upper story, four on 
one side being full combs and the other four being frames 
containing comb-foundation. This is better than to alternate 
comb and foundation, in which case the combs are usually 
drawn out abnormally thick and the comb-foundation is 
drawn out slightly. Better combs are built during a good 
honey-flow for the corners are then filled more completely than 
in a small honey-flow. If desired the nectar obtained at the 
end of the main honey-flow may be utilized in comb building. 
System in producing extracted-honey. 
1 he extensive producer of extracted-honey may systema¬ 
tize his work so that it is necessary to visit each out-apiary 
