BEE-spoke-data/bees-v0 huggingface dataset:
Not far from the extractor should also be a straining-can in which is suspended a large cheese-cloth bag attached to a hoop supported'by the top of the can. Too much honey should not be drawn from this can. _There should always be enough left to cover the bottom of the strainer at least;_ for, if the honey gets low, the eappings that would otherwise float on the surface of the liquid will collect on the strainer and soon clog it.
Actual Process of Extracting.
The supers of combs to be extracted should be placed within easy reach of the uneapping receptacle that is to catch the eappings as they are ent off from the combs. Then one at a time the combs are removed and held with the top-bar away from the operator, and the end-bar resting on the nail-point of the cross-bar. Holding the upper end of the frame with the left hand, and tilting the upper end slightly to the right so that the eappings may fall freely, begin at the lower end of the comb with an ordinary uneapping-knife heated by dipping in hot water (if no steam-heated knife is to be had), cut the eappings from the entire right side of the comb, performing the operation with a kind of sawing motion. If the comb contains any depressions, the heel of the knife should be used to remove the eappings in such depressions. Then reverse the comb, still keeping the top-bar away from the operator, using the cross-piece to scrape off any eappings that may adhere to the knife.
The uneapped combs may next be placed one in each basket of the extractor, with the top-barnext to the hinge in the basket if a reversing extractor is used, in order to save strain on the frames. It is quite worth while to use two combs of about the same weight; for, if not well balanced, the extractor will run unsteadily, and may beone loosened from its support. In case of old dark combs whose cell walls are strengthened by many layers of ceocoons, there will be but little danger of the combs breaking. When new combs are extracted--those in which brood has never been raised--greater care will be necessary to prevent the combs from breaking badly. Such combs should be extracted until about half of the honey is out of the cells of one side; next, the combs should be reversed and the other side entirely extracted, and then the rest of the honey extracted from the first side. The rapidity with which the extractor may be run will depend upon how fast the combs may be whirled without breaking. As just said, old combs are much stronger than newly drawn combs.
When the extracted honey fills the extractor almost to the reel a part of it may be drawn off at the faucet and allowed to run into a pair, which may then be emptied into the straining-tank, from which it may be run into cans or other receptacles in which it is to be stored.
**Care of Sticky Combs.**
As fast as the combs are extracted they may be again placed in the supers and staaked up in the honey-house. Along toward night these combs still wet with honey may be placed in supers and the supers placed on the hives for the bees to clean out the little honey still adhering. The bees will clean this out more readily if an empty super, or an escape-board with escape removed, intervenes between them and the brood-chamber. Some stack up the combs anywhere outdoors over a floor, giving a small entrance at both the bottom and top, and allowing the bees to clean the honey out by slow robbing--that is, by going in and out through a small entrance at the bottom of the stack. There are objections to this plan, however; for, if one is not careful, the robbing will be fast instead of slow. Furthermore, if there is danger of disease, such as American foul brood, it might by this procedure be scattered all through the apiary.
**How and Where to Store Honey.**
The best place for keeping honey is in a dry room where the temperature remains from 70 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit. But honey may be kept satisfactorily in almost any dry place, although low temperature and sudden changes cause most honey to granulate more quickly. Almost all honey will granulate in course of time; some kinds very soon, other kinds not for months, or even years. This is true of either comb or extracted honey. Heating of extracted honey greatly retards granulation, and for this reason unost bottled honey is heated when being bottled.
Honey should be stored in tin cans or rocks that can be easily heated, and never left in large tanks where it may candy and be difficult to get out.
**Preparing Honey for Market.**
If the beginner has been fortunate enough to secure a surplus of honey beyond his own needs, he may want to consider the matter of marketing.
**EXTRACTING--Chapter XIII.**
If stored in 60-pound eans, when one wishes to bottle, such a can may be placed in a larger vessel of hot water over the fire. In the bottom of the larger vessel should be placed blocks (pieces of brick will do), so that the can of honey will be completely surrounded by a jacket of hot water. After the temperature has for a time been held between 130 and 150 degrees Fahrenheit, the honey will all be in liquid form, clear of all granules, and is then ready for bottling. The temperature of honey should never be allowed to go above 160 degrees Fahrenheit, lest its flavor be injured. The jars should be filled and sealed while the honey is still hot. When preparing honey for market one cannot be too painstaking in making the appearance of the honey attractive in every way. He may put it up in pint or quart jars (containers), and should have these neatly labeled--and all serupulously clean. A supply of fine-quality containers and labels can be secured of any beekeepers' supply house, or, possibly, in one's home town. "Mason jars" are often used for a trade that does not extend beyond neighbors and acquaintances.
Finally, the beginner generally accepts too low a price for his honey. Let him study the honey market (quoted in many large city dailies and in all bee journals) before he sets a price on his delicious food product.
**COMB Honey--Honey FLOW AND HARVEST.**
CHAPTER XIV.
The successful production of comb honey, as we have clearly shown (page 9) requires greater skill and more experience than does extracted-honey production; and yet, there is no denying that fancy comb honey is indeed beautiful in appearance, and those who prefer it to the extracted will perhaps be willing to go to extra trouble in order to produce it.
**Before the Honey Flow.**
The necessity for maximum strength of the colony at the opening of the honey flow is even greater in comb honey than in extracted-honey production; for a weak colony, that might harvest some surplus honey in extracting-supers having drawn combs, is not at all likely to harvest any surplus in the small comb-honey sections wherein combs have first to be built by the bees. In order that the colonies may build up to maximum strength in time for the harvest it is especially important that the colonies be kept warm during the spring and that they have good queens and plenty of stores at all times clear up to the honey flow. Also, as soon as the colonies are strong enough to occupy two stories, a second story of combs should be given as suggested in the production of extracted honey. If the weather is still cool the extra hive-body may be placed below instead of above the old brood-chamber. This will leave the most of the brood in the warmest part of the hive where there will certainly be no danger of its chilling. If the queen is thus given access to two stories as soon as the colony can oecupy them, she will have plenty of room to lay and the colony will build up rapidly, with little danger of swarming before the honeyflow begins. Also, the bees will get into the habit of storing above, and so at the opening of the honey flow will more readily begin work in sections when the comb-honey supers are put on.
Beginning of the Honey Flow.
When comb honey is being produced it will not do to put the super of sections on top of the second story, if a second story was given previous to the honey flow to supply more room for the queen. Neither will it do to put it between the two brood-chambers, for the bees in building comb in the sections would darken it with bits of wax from the brood-combs above: so it is necessary to reduce the colony to one story during the honey flow for comb honey. In doing this most of the brood should be put into the brood-chamber that is left, choosing as far as possible the oldest brood, which can be distinguished by its emerging bees or by picking off a few eappings to note the age of the pupae. This older brood will soon emerge. giving the queen more room for eggs. The hive is then ready to receive the comb-honey super. Colonies that are quite strong may need two supers at this time.
If there are three or four colonies to work with, the extra combs just removed, containing some honey and brood, after the bees have been shaken off, can be put Baek into the hive-bodies, which are then tiered un on top of one hive, choosing for this the weakest colony. If the season is favorable this colony should fill these combs with honey after the brood has emerged, thus furnishing a large reserve of stores to be distributed to the other colonies after the comb-honey supers are taken off at the close of the season, thus again making them two stories high.
Those who have but one colony will have to work out some other plan for disposing of the extra combs of brood and honey, if the colony is oceupying two stories at the beginning of the honey flow. One way to do this is to form a small colony from the extra combs of brood. This should not be attempted unless there are more combs of brood than will go into one brood-chamber. If the colony is quite strong there may be from two to five extra combs of brood. In such cases, these extra combs of brood, together with the adhering bees, should be put into another hive together with the combs which contain no brood, being sure that the queen is left in the main colony on the old stand. When making increase in this way. combs of emerging brood should be taken instead of combs of unsealed brood, in order to enable the little colony to build up without losing any undeveloped brood by chilling. The entrance should be closed with grass to confine the bees in this little colony the first day, so that too many of them will not go back to their old home.
While this little colony can raise a queen, if some of the brood-combs contain recently hatched larvae or eggs from which to raise her, queens reared in small colonies usually are not so good as those reared in larger colonies; so it may be better to purchase a queen for this little colony.
Use of Bait Sections.
As already explained, it is more difficult in comb-honey production to get the bees to work in the supers than is the case when producing extracted honey. In order to get the bees started to work in the sections, the best plan for the beginner, provided he is able to obtain a few sections of drawn eomb from a neighboring beekeeper, is to place such sections of drawn combs (bait sections) in the center or at the sides of the supers. If he cannot get sections of drawn comb to use for bait, he may, perhaps, be able to get shallow frames of comb to use in this way. Most comb-honey producers do not use a queen-exeluder, since the queen does not often lay eggs in the sections; but, if any of these bait sections contain drone eomb instead of worker comb, the queen often lays in these drone-cells. This can be avoided by using full sheets of foundation in the sections (as always should be done, anyway) or placing a queen-exeluder between the brood-chamber and the supers.
### Supering.
Just when to give the second comb-honey super depends upon the strength of the colony and the rapidity of the honey flow. If the bees enter the first super promptly and begin working in most of the sections at about the same time, the second super should be given within a week if the bees continue working well, even though the first super is less than half full. If things look favorable for a continuation of the honey flow this second super should be placed below the first super adjacent to the brood-chamber. If the honey flow is slow or the colony is not strong, so that the bees begin work in only a part of the sections in the middle of the super and work outward, it is better to put the new super on top until the bees begin to work in it there, when it can be placed below and another empty one placed on top, if needed. No comb-honey super should be raised up and an empty one placed under it until the bees have drawn out the foundation and started to build out the cells in every section. Placing the empty super under the partly filled one causes the bees to expand their super work more rapidly than when it is placed above. This is highly desirable when the honey flow is heavy and the colonies are strong; but if the work in the supers is expanded too fast, the sections will not be so well filled and at the close of the season there will be too many unfinished sections.
In order to encourage the bees to finish the first super promptly, some beekeepers prefer keeping it in position as second super until it is finally finished. When more than two supers are given, those which are partly filled are each in turn transferred to a new position above the one nearest completion, as shown in the aecompanying illustrations, thus keeping the first super near enough to the brood-chamber to cause the bees to finish it promptly if the colony is strong and the honey flow is good.
### Swarming When Producing Comb Honey.
If the colonies be given a second hive-body as soon as strong enough to oeeupy two stories, and then are given two comb-honey supers at the opening of the honey flow when the extra hive-body is removed and the queen and brood placed in the lower story as previously mentioned, it is possible that the colonies may show no desire to swarm. But it may be that a colony will show a settled determination to swarm in spite of the best of eare on the part of the beginner; for in comb-boney production the shallow supers supers are placed on the new hive on the old stand.
When a swarm issues it is lived in a new hive placed on the old stand, the old hive being placed at one side with its entrance turned away. The supers are placed on the new hive on the old stand.
the little boxes for the storing of the honey, are not so attractive to the bees as larger combs such as are placed in the supers for extracted-honey production. Therefore, unless the supers are "baited" by placing in them some sections containing drawn comb, saved over from the previous year, the tendency is to crowd the honey into the combs of the brood-chamber, thus diminishing the space for the queen to lay and bringing on the crowded condition so conducive to swarming.
An expert beekeeper can do much toward overeoming this state of affairs, especially by skill in supering (see page 86), and keeping the bees comfortable. It is well for the beginner to keep in mind that if the bees are always comfortable and have plenty of room there is much less tendency to swarm than when conditions are less favorable. The hives should be shaded by means of shade-boards which project beyond the edges of the hives if single-walled hives are used, and the entrance should be opened to full size, giving an entrance % inch deep by the full width.
While there is plenty of nectar to be had the bees should not be permitted to cluster on the outside of the hive. This indicates that the colony needs more room or more ventilation. Of course, after the honey flow has passed it is entirely normal for the bees to cluster on the outside of the hive during hot weather, but during the honey flow they should all be at work.
Some of the methods of swarm prevention when producing comb honey are hardly praetical for the beginner. Therefore, if providing ample room, ventilation, shade and perhaps destroying queen-cells when first started do not prove effective, it may be found a help to remove a few frames of brood, either giving them to weak colonies or making of them nuclei that later may be built up into full colonies. But in those few cases in which a colony still persists in building queen-cells it would perhaps be just as well to let them swarm and then hive them as described on pages 63-70.
When swarming occurs in the midst of the honey flow, the swarm should not be given a new location, for this divides the working force of the colony so that neither the swarm nor the parent colony is able to do much work in the supers. But when the swarm is hived in a new hive, placed on the old stand as described on page 63, and the supers are transferred from the old hive to the new one, the newly hived swarm will have all of the field bees, so that work in the supers should continue without interruption. The parent colony being moved to one side loses its field bees because they enter the new hive on the old stand as they return from the fields. A week after the prime swarm issued, the parent colony is again moved to a new location, this time some distance away to prevent after-swarming, which again strengthens the new colony.
### To Anticipate Swarming.
The beginner who must be away during the middle of the day, when the bees are most likely to swarm, should examine his colonies once a week to look for queen-cells. When queen-cells are found just recently started, containing only eggs or very small larvae, they should be destroyed and the colony. left for another week. It is usually necessary to shake the bees from the combs when destroying such cells, in order to be sure none are missed. If cells containing larger larvae are found, it usually does 100 good to destroy them, for the colony would no doubt then go ahead with their preparations for swarming after having gone so far as to have queen-cells well advanced. In such cases, swarming can be antieipated by the following method:
Find the queen and put the comb on which she is found to one side, then shake the bees from most of the other combs into or in front of their hive. As the combs of brood are removed put frames containing either narrow strips of foundation, full sheets of foundation, or combs into the live and replace the supers. If narrow strips of foundation are used it is necessary to place a queen-exeluder between the brood-chamber and supers until the brood-nest is well established. When most of the shaken bees are in the hive, place the queen among them. Put all the combs of brood and the few bees remaining thereon into another hive placed close beside the shaken colony. Enough bees should be left on the eombs to care for the brood; usually two eombs are not shaken at all, but placed in the other hive with all the adhering bees. This makes an artificial swarm, and the parent colony is handled exactly as in natural swarming as described on pages 63, 64, and illustrated on pages 87 and 88.
### Taking Off the Honey.
In eomb-honey production the beekeeper should not wait until the end of the honey flow before removing the completed sections, for, if the sections are left on very long after being completed, the surface of the eappings becomes soiled by reason of the bees passing over it so much. Although this does not affect the quality of the honey, it injures its appearance and so lessens its market value. In extracted-honey production, this condition makes no difference, since the eappings are removed and only the liquid honey sold. When a super is ready to be taken off, it should be placed above the other supers with a bee-escape board just under it. If an escape-board is put on when the bees are flying freely, they will probably leave the super in a few hours--at least by the next day. Usually it is not best to wait until every section is finished before taking off supers of comb honey. If a few are not yet finished, the super should be taken off and the unfinished sections sorted out, these being assembled in another super to be put back on the hive to be finished.
### Where to Store Comb Honey.
Comb honey should be stored in a dry place; for, if water condenses on the comb and dilutes the honey, it is certain to sour. When extracted honey granulates no great harm is done, since it can easily be liquefied and is then practieally as good as ever; but when comb honey granulates, it must be sold at a low price, and, therefore, it is important that comb honey be kept at an even temperature since sudden changes cause granulation. A warm dry room of even temperature between 70 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit is the best place for keeping comb honey.
### Preparing for Market.
The exposed parts of the sections will have bits of wax and propolis adhering. These should be carefully scraped off with a sharp knife, taking extreme care that the comb be not accidentally gouged with the knife.
Those sections that are entirely sealed, nice and white and perfect in their appearance, should be sorted out and placed with the best grade. The unfinished sections may be used at home or disposed of at a lower price to near neighbors. If there are some sections with very little honey, and the beekeeper knows there is no foul brood among the bees of the neighborhood, he may stack them in supers a few rods from the apiary, leaving at the top and bottom of the pile a small entrance only large enough for one or two bees to pass at a time. In a short time the bees will rob out this honey, and the dry combs may then be stored to use as baits the next season.
**INCREASE**.
CHAPTER XV.
When swarming is kept down as much as possible, as advised in preceding chapters, usually there will not be much natural increase of colonies, especially when producing extracted honey. For this reason it is often desirable to make increase artificially instead of by the uncertain method of natural swarming. Beginners should be warned against making too much increase, for, except in the hands of an expert, if the number of colonies is more than doubled in one season, there is danger of losing many of the colonies later.
Our advice to beginners is, not to attempt an increase of their number of colonies before the main honey flow, as it usually results in a decided cutting down of the surplus-honey crop, unless in a locality where the main honey flow comes late in the season as in some parts of the buckwheat region and some portions of the South. This is because a colony of bees cannot give up a large part of its number to increase and remain strong enough to do the maximum of honey-gathering. Still, for those who wish to make increase regardless of the honey crop, we will mention briefly a safe and easy method that may be used before the cells are started and can be applied before, during or after the honey flow.
**How to Divide Colonies**.
As soon as settled warm weather comes, such that there can be no danger of chilling the brood, a strong colony, having not less than six or seven frames of brood, may be divided into two, giving five frames to each. When making this division two-thirds of the bees and all of the sealed and emerging brood may be placed in the hive on the new stand, the entrance best being closed with grass, and a ripe queen-cell or good laying queen introduced. The vacant space of each hive should be filled with foundation, or, better still, with drawn combs. On account of danger of chilling the brood, it is advisable not to give the five extra frames at one time, but only as fast as the bees can cover them. Any time there is thus left a space not filled with frames in the hive, this space should be separated from the frames covered by the bees by a division-board to conserve the heat. Both of the colonies may then be built up by slow stimulative feeding.