Beekeeping in the Tulip-Tree Region. 13 
ADAPTATIONS OF BEEKEEPING PRACTICE FOR THIS 
REGION. 
To obtain a crop of honey from the tulip-tree it is of the highest 
importance that the beekeeper begin the work of preparation early. 
Tt will not do to wait until the trees are in bloom and then make the 
most of what the bees are able to do. This results in a reduction of 
the crop, sometimes to the point where no surplus honey is obtained 
from the tulip-tree. 
OUTLINE OF THE ANNUAL CYCLE IN THIS REGION. 
To have a goad colony of bees at the beginning of the tulip-tree 
bloom, it is necessary that the beekeeper begin his preparations 
about August 15 of the previous year. In most cases there will be 
honey coming to the hives then or later, and it may still be desirable 
to extract some honey, but from this time on the beekeeper should 
have constantly in mind the prosperity of the colony for the coming 
winter period, giving them during the ensuing six or eight weeks 
conditions favorable for the rearing of brood for the winter colony. 
During the winter he should in every way aid the bees in the con- 
servation of their energy, so that they will not begin brood-rearing 
too early and so that they may alsobe able to do the work of brood-rear- 
ing to the fullest extent in the spring. During the spring before the 
tulip-tree blooms he should be sure that at all times the bees have 
abundant stores for brood-rearing or it will be curtailed at this 
vital time. These helps will bring the colonies to full or approxi- 
mately full strength at the time the tulip-tree blossoms open, en- 
abling the beekeeper to get the full crop from this source. Having 
done these important things, his work now lies in preventing the 
division of the strength of the colonies by swarming before or during 
the honey-flow and in supplying the bees with abundant room, so 
that they may ripen and store the honey properly. His plans for in- 
creasing his colonies and for requeening will depend on whether there 
are later honey-flows from which he expects to get a heavy yield, but 
the essential points of the active season are to prevent division of the 
strength of the colonies when it would decrease his crop, and to keep 
the bees contented and working hard whenever there is nectar avail- 
able. 
FALL PREPARATION. 
In this region brood-rearing usually ceases for the winter about 
October 15, and during the period of eight weeks before that time, 
that is, beginning about August 15, the bees that are to live through 
the winter to perpetuate the colony must be reared. The bees that 
constitute the colony on August 15 will practically all have died 
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