REPORT OF TEE ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST 195 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



also British Columbia, report medium to heavy crops and that bee-keeping is on the 

 increase in each of those provinces. 



The season oi)ened very late in the Ottawa valley, there being so much cold wind at 

 the end of March and up to April 11. It was necessary to keep the bees in their winter 

 quarters until this latter date when the colonies were placed on their summer stands 

 after being confined in their winter quarters for 139 days. The temperature, 52 de- 

 grees, and the weather bright and mild on April 11 were most favourable for the 

 cleansing flight of the bees. Then followed many days of cool and windy weather, 

 which kept the bees confined to their hives ; this continued the greater part of Aprils 

 the average temperature for April being 41 -14. May set in warmer, the bees gathered 

 pollen freely, and built up fairly well. During the long cold spall in April it was 

 found necessary to feed the bees to keep up brood rearing and to pre7ent spring dwind- 

 ling. 



The number of colonies on November 23, 1904, was 50, all of which came safely 

 through the winter. Of these two were sent to tlia Experimental Farm at Nappan, 

 JST.S. Eight colonies being rather weak were doubled with others, leaving 40 strong 

 colonies to begin the season of 1905. These were again increased by swarming to 50 

 colonies, when the hives were put into their winter quarters on November 7, 1905. They 

 all weighed then over 50 pounds each. The honey crop -at the Expariramita*! Farim 

 Apiary has been a fairly good one, the average yield being 73 pounds per colony, 

 spring count. 



EXPERIMEXTS ON HOW TO PREVENT SWARMING. 



I. — H. G. Silyhald's Plan. — For thig test six colonies of bees in eight-framed 

 Langstroth hives were selected weighing on an average 48| pounds each. All were 

 examined from timte to time for swarming. On June 10 there was no sign of 

 swarming. At that date each colony had abundance of brood and a considerable 

 amount of new honey. Oa June 15 they were again examined. Three colonifea were 

 found preparing to swarm. Those three colonies were set off their old stands on 

 other stands a little to one side. New hives were placed on the old stands thus left 

 vacant. Each one of these contained two empty combs and five eoipty frames with 

 two inch starters of foundations. Next, one frame of brood with queen-cells on it, 

 was taken from each one of the old colonies that had baen set to one side, making 

 sure that we did not get the queen, and placed with the adhering bees in the hive 

 between the two empty combs. The extracting super that had previously been re- 

 moved from the old colony, was placed on the new hives with all the bees it contained. 

 On June 19 a second examination was made. One more colony was preparing 

 to swarm; this one was treated the same as the former three. The old colonies that 

 had been manipulated, were examined, and all queen-cells were found to be destroyed. 

 The old colonies were then placed on their original stands, removing the one frame of 

 brood from the new hive, destroying all queen-cells on it and placing it in the old 

 colony. Any bees that remained on the starters were transferred to the old colony. 

 The extracting super that was taken off the new hive was again placed on the old 

 colony along with the bees it contained, making one very strong colony. The fourth 

 colony that was found preparing to swarm, "was treated after four days in the same 

 manner as the three former colonies. The other two colonies did not swarm during 

 the season. At the close of the season we had six very strong colonies, with plenty of 

 stores for winter and 468 pounds of extracted honey. 



II. — Forced or ShaJcen Swarms. — For this test six colonies of bees in 8-framed 

 Langstroth hives were selected, weighing 49| pounds each. Examined on June 10 

 they showed no sign of swarming; there was abundance of brood and considerable new 

 boney. June 15 a second examination was made; four colonies were preparing to 

 swarm. The two remaining colonies did not swarm during the season. 



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