‘ 
12 BEES. 
subject and learn what todo,so that heis not solikely tomake amistake 
which will end in loss of bees. It is usually best to buy good strong 
colonies with plenty of brood for 
that season of the year, but if this 
is not practicable, then smaHer 
colonies, or nuclei, may be pur- 
chased and built up during the 
season. Of course, no surplus 
honey can be expected if all the 
honey gathered goes into the 
making of additional bees. It 
is desirable to get as little drone 
comb as possible and a good sup- 
ply of honey in the colonies pur- 
chased. 
The question as to what race 
and strain of bees is to be kept 
isimportant. If poor stock has 
been purchased locally, the bee 
keeper should send to some re- 
lable queen breeder for good 
queens as a foundation for his apiary. Queens may be purchased for $1 
each for ‘‘untested”’ to several dollars each for “‘selected”’ breeding 
queens. Usually it will not pay beginners to buy ‘“‘selected”’ breeding 
queens, for they are not yet 
prepared to make the best use 
of such stock. ‘‘Untested”’ 
or‘‘tested”’ queens are usually 
as good a quality as are profit- 
able for a year or so, and there 
is also less danger in mailing 
‘“untested”’ (young) queens. 
Various races of bees have 
been imported into the United States and.among experienced bee 
keepers there are ardent advocates of almost all of them. The black 
or German race was the first imported, very early in the history 
of the country, and is 
found everywhere, but 
usually not entirely pure. 
As a rule this race is 
not desirable. No atten- 
tion has been paid to 
breeding it for improvement in this country, and it is usually found 
in the hands of careless bee keepers. As a result, it is inferior, 
although it often produces beautiful comb honey. 
397 
Fic. 7.—Bee escape for removing bees from supers. 
all 
> 
Fic. 8.—Spring bee escape. 
Fic. 9.—Bee brush. 
7 Ss etter epecp teas Tt 
ae ee ee ee 
