THE APIARY.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4374, 6 February 1922, Page 2

THE APIARY.

EXTRACTING.

(F. A'. Jacobsen, Apiary Instructor.)

During the ensuing weeks the bee* keeper .will have his time fully occupied. Extracting the .season's honey crop, the most congenial of the year’s work, has begun in some districts. The Dominion surplus this season is expected tp be up, to the average, some districts reporting light crops, while others expect more .than usual. As regards equipment, a reversible two, tour, six, or eight-frame exr tractor, according to the number- of colonies, is required, mechanical power being advisable in the case of the two latter sizes. A roomy bee-proof extracting house with workshop attached and with sufficient room in the extracting portion to contain the extnatcor, several tiers of supers, honey tanks, etc., is very desirable. The tanks would', of course, vary in size according to the number of col* onies and the average crop. One large tank is required toy settling ths honey, and, if desired, a smaller one can he used for improving the granulation. A capping melter or an uncapping knife can be used in conjunction with a honey capping press. Personally, I find the Bingham uncapping knife the handiest for general use. it can be heated either by steam or hot water, the former being most satisfactory. A set of scales to weigh lewt will complete the equipment. A number of beekeepers claim that they secure more honey by extracting three or four times in the season. This is probably correct, but under this system they must adopt some method of artificial ripening. The majority of large producers think it best to extract but once—that is, when all the ” combs are sealed. A better sample of honey, having a heavy body containing the full-strength aroma of the flowers from which the nectar was gathered, is then I.f too much green or uncapped honey is taker, from the hives it will injure the quality of the whole, and possibly start fermentation. The process of ripening the honey in the hives by the bees precludes such risks, as (sealed honey which is quite matured contains only about 16 per cent, of water, while green honey contains a much, larger quantity. It is the water content that governs the keeping quality of honey. STORAGE ROOM.

As previously advised, continue to place additional supers on the hives immediately the last super is twothirds full. Lack of attention in this resnect will reduce the crap considerably.