320 
EXTRACTING 
adapted to conditions usually prevalent in 
the clover region. 
A condition similar to this can be 
brought about with but little labor in all 
colonies, whether they are preparing to 
swarm or not, by the following plan: If 
the bees are wintered in single stories, add 
a second story of empty combs, preferably 
dark combs in which brood has been reared 
previously, adding this second story early, 
before the colonies become crowded, per¬ 
mitting the queen to have a free range thru 
both stories. At the beginning of the honey 
flow add another extracting super as soon 
as needed. Under these conditions the 
queen usually abandons the lower brood- 
chamber, working chiefly in the second 
story. 
About a week after the beginning of the 
honey flow or after the queen has aban¬ 
doned the lower brood-chamber long 
enough so that the brood in this chamber 
has all been sealed, put the queen into the 
lower brood-chamber, confining her there 
by means of a queen-excluder; add an¬ 
other super of empty extracting combs, if 
needed; and, finally, put the brood-cham¬ 
ber, which was formerly the second story 
and which now contains most of the brood, 
on top of the supers. 
The bees are now compelled to establish 
their brood-nest anew in the lower brood- 
chamber, which at this time usually con¬ 
tains some sealed brood and much pollen. 
They are usually rather slow in preparing 
cells for the queen, and the new brood-nest 
is not expanded rapidly. 
While one might think at first that con¬ 
fining the queen to a single story after she 
has had a free range of the hive would in¬ 
crease the tendency to swarm, it will be 
seen that colonies treated in this way are 
in a condition similar to colonies that are 
hived on a set of empty or nearly empty 
combs. Apparently the re-establishment of 
the brood-nest in these combs, which have 
been abandoned for brood-rearing, is just 
as effective as tho these combs had been 
brought from the shop or honey-house in¬ 
stead of being a part of the hive at the 
time of the manipulation. If the honey 
flow is short, colonies treated in this way 
usually go thru the season without at¬ 
tempting to swarm, but they may do so if 
the honey flow is of long duration. 
David Running, Filion, Mich., gives a 
second story early, then later puts the 
queen below an excluder, as outlined above. 
About ten days later he shakes the bees of 
the lower brood-chamber, together with the 
queen, into a new brood-chamber filled 
with frames of foundation and one empty 
comb or a full set of empty combs, and 
puts the brood from which the bees have 
just been shaken on top of the supers, thus 
combining the two methods given above, to 
insure that no swarms shall issue during a 
prolonged honey flow. 
WHEN TO REMOVE HONEY FROM HIVES. 
It will be assumed again that the colo¬ 
nies were in good condition for the flow, 
that swarming was kept well under con¬ 
trol, and that the supering was done ju¬ 
diciously so that now the attention may be 
turned to extracting. It is well to look 
over all the upper stories and mark those 
which contain sealed honey. Beekeepers, 
especially beginners, often like to rush 
matters and extract honey that is unsealed. 
This is one of the worst moves possible. 
Honey should never be extracted until 
it is thick and well ripened. As soon as the 
bees consider it just right they begin cap¬ 
ping it over. During hot weather, there¬ 
fore, combs at least three-fourths capped 
would probably be completely sealed in a 
few hours if left on the hive, and may, 
therefore, be safely extracted. But if 
honey is extracted before the bees have 
ripened it, it will be thin and of unpleas¬ 
ant flavor, and, after being kept for a 
time, fermentation will doubtless result. If 
such honey is sold, it will in all probability 
cause the loss of reputation with the whole¬ 
sale honey-dealers, as well as with the local 
trade. 
It is not always necessary to wait until 
the end of the flow before extracting, as it 
is sometimes advantageous to extract, be¬ 
fore the end of the flow, all ripe honey— 
that is, all honey that is sealed, as at that 
time there is no robbing to contend with 
since the bees are busy, and the combs ex¬ 
tracted will be ready for putting on again 
and getting refilled. As long as the honey 
flow lasts, only that which is well sealed 
should be extracted, the partly sealed 
combs being left until after the flow, in or¬ 
der to get the honey in the cells ripened as 
