With the bar-frame hives, either bell-glasses, or "sections," may be still more advantageously filled; because, by judicious examination and treatment of the stocks, these may be strengthened and helped, so as to be in the most favourable condition for storing honey in large quantities. It is no uncommon thing for 40 lbs. or 50 lbs. to be taken in "sections" from a single flourishing hive; and, in an ordinary season, the average amount from each stock ought not to be less than 20 lbs. Much, however, will depend on the control exercised over swarming. Of course the more numerous the population is kept, the greater will be the quantity of stores secured. If colony after colony is allowed to be sent off, the less will be the strength of the parent-community for food-gathering. Still, one swarm and 20 lbs. of honey in the season is not an unreasonable amount to expect from a really good hive. Again, from the modern wooden hives, frames of well-filled and sealed comb may be taken, and after this has been cut out, the frames may be put back into their places, having been first supplied with "foundation," to give help and direction to the bees in working out new combs for refilling. One such frame of sealed honey should weigh 5 lbs. or 6 lbs. Another plan, yielding by far the largest results, is to throw out the honey from the combs as they are filled. By means of "extractors," of which there are several kinds, the operation is very easy. The sealed cells of one side must be uncapped, and the frame then subjected to rapid rotation, which will cause the liquid to fly out through centrifugal tendency. Having cleared one side, the other must be operated upon in the same manner, and then the emptied combs should be put back into the hive, in the same order as that in which they have been taken out. In this way very large quantities of honey may be obtained; for the bees, having no fresh comb to make, throw all their energies into repairing and refilling the cells from which their stores have been extracted. The liquid from the unsealed portions of the comb is apt to be thin, and is then called "unripe." It requires to have some of its water evaporated, either by exposure to the air or to heat. If this precaution is neglected, this dilute honey is liable to ferment and turn sour. The bees never seal any in the cells till it is of the proper consistency for keeping. It is curious they should know when it is in suitable condition for covering up from the air.