288 
THE HIVE AND HONEY-BEE. 
To drain honey from virgin combs, bring it to the boil¬ 
ing point in any clean vessel, and, when cool, the wax 
will float on the top, and the honey may be strained and 
poured into bottles or jars, which should be tightly 
covered, to exclude the air. Should it candy, these may 
be put into cold water, and brought to the boiling-point, 
when the honey will be as nice as ever. Combs which 
contain bee-bread should be kept scpar.ate from the 
others, as the honey from them is of an inferior quality.* 
Empty comb which cannot be used in the hive or spare 
honey-boxes (p. 71), may be put into water and boiled, 
M hen the pure wax will float upon the top, and harden if 
l)Oured into cold water. If melted again, and run into 
vessels slightly greased, the impurities will settle at the 
bottom. Combs which have been so long used by bees 
for breeding that they will not readily part with their 
wax, may be put into a coarse woolen bag, with a flat-iron 
yn the top to make it sink, and boiled until the wax has 
risen to the top of the kettle. Very old broodrcombs are 
seldom worth rendermg into wax. 
New swarms, unless very large, ought not to bo 
admitted to the surplus honey receptacles until they have 
been hived three or four days. Old stocks should have 
access to them quite early in the season. If the hives 
Bland in the sun, and the weather is warm, ample venti- 
lationf should be given, while bees are storing honey. 
It purgeth thoso things which hurt tho dearness of the eyes, broedeth good blood, 
«tl Toth up natural heat, and prolongoth life; It keepeth all things uncorrupt which 
ftie put into it, and is a sovereign medicament, both for outward and inward mala* 
dice; it helpeth tho greif of tho jaws, tho kernels growing within the mouth, and 
the sqiilnancy; It Is drank against tho biting of a serpent or a mad dog; it is good for 
such as have eaten mushrooms, for tho falling sickness, and against tho surfeit. 
Being boiled, it is lighter of digestion, ond more nourishing.” 
• In liuKsiu and Germany, very little honoy is sold in the comb. Purchasers lo 
this country should bowure of tbe Inferior Wef<t India honey, which Is often sold 
in cans as u superior article, for two or three times Its cost. 
+ My hives admit of such complete ventilation, that the*y may be safely pul 
anywhere except where there Is a ptni heat 
