TOOLS AND TECHNIQUE 
47 
wheelbarrow, and the cell cappings sliced off as 
thinly as possible with a sharp, hot knife. They were 
then put in the honey extractor. The crank of my 
extractor turned by hand —my hand. Combs had 
to be reversed so the honey would be drained out 
equally from both sides of the combs. Well- 
emptied, they were removed and placed back in 
the hives to be filled again, thus saving the bees 
labor of building new combs. The honey settled 
in tall cans. While it was settling, glass jars were 
washed and scalded in the laundry tubs. When 
they were filled with honey, and labels pasted on 
their sides, there was nothing left to do but sell them. 
A little curving path was soon worn from the back 
door of the Big House to the little Bee House in what 
I called “My Domain.” It was a sunny, cheerful 
place with shade in hot weather and always a gentle 
breeze. I left it wild and natural, as best seemed 
to suit the locality and my feeling. Pine needles 
fell undisturbed, and the only landscape gardening 
I did was to prune off dead branches in early spring 
or occasionally set out a tree. 
One summer the Worcester County Beekeepers 
Association held their annual summer Field Day 
under the trees by my Bee House. Forty or fifty 
beekeepers arrived before noon, carrying their box 
