THE APIARY.

Otago Witness, Issue 1885, 6 January 1888, Page 9

THE APIARY.

THE HONEY EXTRACTOR.

A most valuable machine to the beekeeper is the honey extractor— in fact, it is the one that if he desires to attain any great degree of success ho cannot do without, as it is the means by which large quantities of honey are taken. The superiority of the honey taken by this machine to that obtained by straining the product through a bag is rapidly increasing the demand for extracted honey, and it will in time drive run honey entirely out of the market. The extractor is made like a largo tin can. Inside is a wire frame, fastened to a centre upricht spindle, to hold two combs. These combs being full of sealed honey are first uncapped and then placed in the machine, which is set i Q motion by a gearing at the top. Aa Boon as tho right speed is got up the honey flies out of the comb, while the combs are held in the wire frames, and as soon as they are emptied they are given back to the bees to refill. The labour of continually building comb to store' their honey is thus saved to the bees, and in the hands of a careful apiarist the comb will last for The time when it is best to take the honey has caused some difference of opinion among adv»uced men in the business, but there can be no doubt that" the comb ought to be nearly seaM over before it is taken from the hive. This will h e done very rapidly in a warm dry season, but will take longer in a damp, backward one, as the honey when gathered will be much thinner. The brood chambers should be overhauled, and those combs which are being choked with honey, as thoy will be^ if neglected too long, should bo lifted into the upper storry to be completed, and their places filled with combs, or comb foundation. When looking over the combs, attention ghould also be given to the condition of the brood, as, where a hive has swarmed, it happens very often that the young queens get lost on their wedding trip, and the hive in then hopelessly queenless if left to itself, as all the brood will be too old to hatch another. Especial care should be taken in those districts where that terrible fly the bee killer abounds, as the queens, being slower of flight, are specially liable to be killed by them. Wears just now in the middle of the honey harvest/and it depeuds largely on the owner whether the bees gather a large surplus or only a medium one. There is abundant opportunity for tho exercise of judgment, and it is only a matter of calculation to note by the state of the brood comb whether the population of the best hives aro increasing or diminishing during the next three weeks. They should not bo allowed to get weaker, it being advisable rather to devote one colony to supplying the others with brood.

Novice.