118 



THE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEW 



possible, and there is drawn canb 

 above. 



In the Holtermann hive there is a 

 ventilator, made of three staples in 

 which slides a piece of galvanized iron. 

 This can be used whenever the bees 

 are likely to be uncomfortable. I keep 

 them pretty well open during' the 

 honey-liow, and it gives the bees fresh 

 air in the super. Just now I will 

 simply mention this as a factor in the 

 prevention of swarming. 



As the bees multiply and require 

 more room, another super is added. 

 The bees require, in a fair honey-flow, 

 to keep them contented, more super 

 room than a brood-chamber. Less 

 than two when a goud honey flow is on 

 for some days will not be able to 

 satisfy them. The field bees live eight 

 weeks or so, and spend the greater 

 part of their life gathering honey; also 

 a certain proportion of young bees keep 

 coming on, and a certain proportion of 

 old bees keep dropping off, and it re- 

 quires more than one super to strike a 

 balance near enough to satisfy the bees. 

 As soon as a good honey-flow is on, 

 and the weather is warm, the entrance 

 to the hive is enlarged % in depth. 

 This can be done by means of the S. 

 T. Pettit wedges or a drop bottom. I 

 do not like simply raising the brood- 

 chamber on blocks; the bees can then 

 fly in at all sides — an inconvenience in 

 manipulation, and confusion to the bees 

 when, at the close of the season, the 

 brood-chamber is let down. It is not 

 necessarj' to resort to this. The double 

 door in my hive can be half raised, and 

 then it affords a fine shade to the front 

 of the hive. 



The cover is used as protection 

 against heat and cold. I ain quite 

 satisfied, from many years of observa- 

 tion, that, to have the hives shaded by 

 trees which are in leaf as hot weather 

 comes, and that lose tneir leaves in the 

 fall, is a great preventive of swarming, 

 and, properly trimmed, they are no 

 obstruction. 



When all the above has been attend- 

 ed to we watch proceedings and the 

 season and fields. If more room is 

 needed it is given. Properly managed 

 there is no trouble in keeping a hive 

 almost always contented and building 

 them up so strong that, with four 

 supers the same capacity as the brood- 

 chaml)er, all will be crowded with bees 

 from top to bottom. In swarming 

 honey is often left unripe in the supers. 

 Colonies divide in proportion to suit 

 their sweet whim. Many hives are 



only partially occupied; the same with 

 combs. Naturallj' the swarm is run- 

 ning down to a point of less 3'ield, and 

 the old colon 3' is like a bee-keeper get- 

 ting oft" a sick-bed at the beginning of 

 the honey-flow, hoping he will be able 

 to gain suflicient strength from day to 

 day to get to a condition before the 

 season closes where he can do a day's 

 work. Broadly speaking, in the one 

 case it is a struggle between man and 

 bee — shall the bees run the man (they 

 certainly will at times), or shall the 

 man run the b es witii at best a com- 

 promise ? In the other the man runs 

 the bees. 



This article may not be accepted by 

 all. To bs frank, however, logic il 

 reasoning, sticking to the point at 

 issue, is not feared. Statements with- 

 out reasoning, and shitting from one 

 point to another when about to be 

 taken, is what I fear. Such discus- 

 sions are of profit to none. 



While agreeing, in the main, with 

 Bro. Holtermann, I think there are 

 cases in which swarming, or increase, 

 is advisable. I suppose my friend 

 would not dispute this. It is impos- 

 sible to cover everj- little point in one 

 article. Where there is a heavy fall 

 flow, and the bee-keeper has not as 

 many colonies as he can manage ,and 

 his territory will support, earl3' in- 

 crease is advisable. Two colonies in 

 the fall will store more than one that 

 has been l:ept from swarming. 



The illustration of the calves and 

 the cheese and butter crop is a good 

 one, but suppose that the farmer is to 

 remain in the business ten years, and 

 has not as many cows as he can care 

 for and his pastures will support, then 

 it will pay him, in the end, to raise 

 some more cows. When a man has all 

 of the colonies or cows that he can 

 manage protii.;ibl3', there is no question 

 but the swarms and calves are much 

 alike. 



This point of how rapidl3' a colon3' 

 will increase, in proportion to its size, 

 is a most excellent one, and worthy of 

 consideration. Of course an eight- 

 comb colony will increase faster than 

 a two-comb nucleus, but it is a ques- 

 tion if it will build up four times 



