A P. C OF BEEKEEPING 
9 
geared to run at a relatively high rate of 
speed inside of a metal can. The honey is 
thrown out by centrifugal force from the 
side of the comb next to the can. The ma- 
Combs one-fourth, one-half. and three-fourths 
capped. The uppermost is fit for extracting after 
shaving off the cappings as shown by the part in 
white. 
chine is stopped; the combs are reversed, 
when the reel is started revolving, throw¬ 
ing the honey out from the other side 
also. When emptied the combs are put 
back into the hive and refilled with honey, 
after which they are again extracted as 
before. This process may be repeated one 
or more times during the season, or as long 
as the honey flow lasts. 
Extracted honey can be produced for 
less money than that in the comb, because 
the empty combs can be used over and over 
again, year after year. As the bees con¬ 
sume at least 5 to 10 pounds of honey to 
make a pound of wax, the extracted honey, 
or honey separated from the comb, saves 
making comb each time. As a matter of 
fact, before the Great War the market 
price for extracted was but a little more 
than half that of comb honey. 
SECTIONS AND SEPARATORS AS USED IN COMB- 
HONEY PRODUCTION. 
The production of honey in the comb 
requires a different set of fixtures. Comb 
honey is produced in little square boxes 
technically called “sections.” These are 
usually either 4 x 5 x 1% inches wide, or 
414 square by 1% wide. These sections, 
four in number, are placed in a sort of 
frame called a “section-holder.” Between 
each two rows of sections,when placed on the 
hive, is a wooden separator consisting of a 
thin piece of veneer wood a little narrower 
than the section is deep. Sometimes a se¬ 
ries of thin slats, fastened together by 
cross-cleats, are used in place of separators. 
Technically these are called fences. The 
function of the separator or fence is to 
separate the rows of sections from each 
other. Without them the bees would build 
the comb in these sections too fat or too 
lean. So far as possible it is highly im¬ 
portant, from the marketing point of view, 
to have each comb in each section approxi¬ 
mately the same weight—something be¬ 
tween 12 and 14 ounces. While the sec¬ 
tions, including the wood, will hold an even 
pound when filled entirely full, it is very 
seldom that the producer of comb honey 
can get his bees to make his sections run 
uniformly one pound in weight. The aver- 
The honey is thrown out of the comb by centrifugal 
force. 
age market permits and expects that comb- 
honey sections will run slightly less than 
one pound. See Comb Honey. 
COMB FOUNDATION. 
In order to start the bees building their 
combs centrally in the section or brood- 
