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Jo/inial of Agriculture. 



[lo Sept., 1909. 



SPllIXG MANAGEMENT OF BEES. 



R. Bciilnic, Preside///, Victor/a// Apiarists' Assoeiat/o/i. 



Bees are best left eiitireK inidisturli-il (hiring June. Julv, and Auu;ust. 

 If all colonies are examined in April nr Ma\ to see whether thev have 

 sufficient stores (25 to^ 30 lbs. of hone\ ) and a laving queen, there is no 

 need for the bee-keeper to open the hives during winter. Moreover, if 

 anything should be \\rong, no steps can be- taken to rectify it during thf 

 winter months. 



During the first or second week in September, however, all colonies 

 should be examined to see that there is a queen in each hive and stores 

 enough to meet the increasing aeniands of brood-rearing. At this tiir.t^ 

 of the year, it is better to err in having slightlv too much honev in the hivs 

 rather tlnn too little; for wht'U, later on, brocKl-rearing is in full swing 



SPRING EXAMINATION OI" I'lVES. 



i'.tores wdl rajiifllv disap])ear shouhl unfavorable wratbrr prevent bees 

 flying out to gather new stc;res. A colon\ which conit-s to the verge of 

 starvation in sjjring destroxs, first, the unsealed lirva;, and, eventualK. 

 -even tears out the sealed brtKxl, thus doing away with the coming genera- 

 lions of workers. 



Ti) provide against such emergencies, not onlv should each colonv have 

 plenty of stores at the 'Ix'ginning of winter, but the l)ee-keeper should set 

 aside a number of combs of sealed honey during the previous summer. 

 Should a shortage occur in any of the colonies, he can at once supjiU the 

 want bv removing an empty fuitside comb from the brood chamber and 

 replacing it with one of sealed honey. Tn order to keep combs of hone\ 

 from one season to another it is neces.sary that they should be taken indoors 

 and kept closed up and moth-proof in a dry place. 



The object of the first spring overhaul of i>ees is to find out the con 

 dition of colonies with a view of working them up to a maximum strength 

 in bees for the honev flow, with a minimum of labour and attention. 



