252 State Board of Aoriculture, &c. 



extractor or tlie excliange of full combs for empty ones, 

 placing them in the midst of the brood nest. I think it 

 best done at evening, thus ;illowing the qneen more time to 

 deposit eggs in it. 



In estal)lisiiing new swarms, whether natural or artificial, 

 it is of great importance to give the new swarm as much 

 comb as possible, that brood rearing and honey gathering 

 may go on vigorously from the start. If the swarm is 

 started with combs at the connnencement of the honey sea- 

 son, it will often make the difference between forty and 

 fifty pounds, and even more, of surplus and none at all. If 

 one has no combs, (no comb should be rejected on account 

 of age or color,) I would recommend to others wliat I 

 intend to use myself, the newly devised comb founda- 

 tions, for, though much inferior to natural combs, they must 

 forward the operations of the hives much and aid greatly in 

 securing; straio-lit com})s. Attention to securino; straight 

 combs and confining drone cells to very small spa(;e will be 

 richly compensated in both convenience and profit. 



Surplus honey should be removed from the hive as fast 

 as the boxes are filled, as the combs become dingy l)y the 

 bees passing over them — and, too, swarms that have a large 

 amount of honey in the hive will not work when honey 

 comes in tardily like those that are a little short. 



When the frost has closed the honey season, the condi- 

 tion of all swarms should be definitely ascertained, and 

 those that have more than is needed share of their abund- 

 ance with those that are in danger of deficiency. 



