This answered for a beginning; but with the opportunity of employing machinery it was soon found that many improvements in the construction might be made. For instance, it was apparent that the extractor should be constructed of metal, because the wood absorbs so much honey that it will soon become sour in warm weather, however carefully attended to and cleansed. The honey-extractor shown here consists of a metal reservoir with a treacle tap at its base to draw off the liquid honey. In the middle of this reservoir is a cast-iron spindle, with arms or projections to receive two metal wire cases, one on each side; in these cases the combs are placed, whether in frames or not. Motion is given by turning the handle, which with the aid of a cog-wheel causes the spindle to revolve at great speed. The machine is mostly used for frames of combs taken from stock hives whilst the honey-gathering is at its height. When the frame is removed from the hive whilst at full work, the bees have to be shaken or brushed off with a feather, and those cells that are sealed have to be uncapped by shaving the waxen lids off with knives, of which there should be two, one to be kept immersed in a vessel of hot water, whilst the other is used until it becomes cold, and so alternately until the required work is accomplished. The knife being warm very much aids in slicing through the wax as near the top as possible, and prevents tearing the tender comb. This must be done carefully so as to disturb the form of the cells as little as possible, and not to touch the brood cells, from which honey cells are easily distinguished. The frame is placed in one of the wire cases, and a second may be treated in the same manner and dropped into the extractor. A few turns of the handle eject the honey by centrifugal force, and a little practice will inform the operator of the requisite degree of speed, though some honey is more tenacious and takes a few more turns than other. When on examination it is found that the honey is gone out of one side, the cases will then have to be reversed, and a few more turns will clear the cells on the other side. The frames should now be returned to the hive for the bees to refill, and two other frames of comb may take their places in the extractor, and so on until all the combs in that hive suitable for extraction have been operated upon according to the wish and judgment of the manipulator. Prior to commencing this operation, a little smoke should be blown into the hive and an examination made lest the queen should be too summarily shaken off the comb; she must be quietly transferred to another if the one she may be on is required to be placed in the extractor.