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 Bee Keeping - Honey And Health: Bee Keeping How To Commence Bee Keeping How To Procure The First Colonies Transferring Give Frames, Or Starters Of Foundation Comb Honey Extracted Honey Swarming Hiving A Swarm How To Get Straight Combs Wintering Honey Vinegar Enemies Of Bees Foul Brood Home Site Map Links To Honey And Beekeeping Sites |
In addition to the appliances already on hand as before spoken of, a honey extractor and a honey knife will be needed if extracted honey is to be secured. An extractor can be had from $6 to $25, the price depending upon the size and style, A good one can be bought for from $8 to $14, and a knife for from 50 cents to $1.50. Procure a hive the same as for comb honey, but in place of the sections, etc., get one or more extra stories with frames, to put on the lower hive. Some of the most successful producers of extracted honey use upper stories only 6 Inches deep. Fill the frames with foundation, or put in starters, as directed under transferring. If the colony is strong and gathering honey rapidly, the second story may be put on as soon as the wires are removed from the transferred combs, otherwise not till a surplus is being gathered. If the colony is not strong enough to occupy the whole of the second story, 2 or 3 frames and a division board may be put in and the remainder of the lower story be kept covered so as to retain the heat of the bees. When the second story is nearly filled with honey it may be extracted, or it may be raised up and another prepared as before directed, be put under it, and so continue to do till the honey season closes and the extracting can all be done at once. But the better plan is to do the extracting as soon as the honey flow from each kind of flowers ceases, for the mixing of different kinds of honey destroys their distinctive flavors. The better way is to extract the yield from fruit bloom as soon as white clover begins to yield honey, and then again after white clover and before basswood, and after basswood and before the yield of dark honey from fall flowers. As different localities often yield different kinds of honey, each one must judge for himself when to extract. Another method is to have hives of only one story in which the bees raise brood, this is called the brood nest. If honey is coming in rapidly it may be be necessary to extract 2 or 3 times a week, so as to give the queen room to deposit eggs. If this is neglected the cells will be filled with honey and brood Tearing will necessarily have to cease, and as the amount of honey gathered depends upon the number of bees, it is desirable to raise as many as possible, that is, keep all colonies strong. When ready to extract, blow a little smoke in at the entrance of the hive. If the honey is to be extracted from the brood nest move the hive just back of where it now stands and place an empty one, without any covering, in its place. Remove the cover and quilt off the hive to be extracted from, and if the bees are cross smoke them enough to make them quiet. Have ready another empty hive or comb holder in which to place the combs to be extracted. Remove one of the combs and shake the adhering bees into the empty hive on the old stand. Such bees as have not been shaken off should be brushed off with a wing or brush. Then place this comb in the empty hive or comb holder. Proceed in like manner with the remaining combs. If any of them do not need extracting place them in the hive where the bees have been shaken. Take the combs to the honey extractor and with the uncapping knife remove the cappings from as many of the combs as the comb basket will contain. Then by revolving the comb basket the honey will be thrown out of one side of the combs, which should then be reversed and the honey thrown, or extracted, from the other side. Proceed in this manner till all have been extracted, when the combs should be placed in the hive where the bees are and the hive closed up. Proceed in like manner with all the colonies that need extracting. If the combs contain unsealed brood be careful not to revolve them so rapidly as to throw it out. A little practice will soon enable one to do it properly. Should there he upper stories to extract from, and not from the brood nest, the hive need not be moved, and the bees may be shaken on the ground in front of the hive. |
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