THE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEW 



119 



faster, or more than that. If it will 

 build up four times as fast we are for- 

 tunate, as it is cheaper to house bees 

 in large than in small hives, althouj,Mi 

 it is harder work to lift the hives when 

 they are large. Of course, a large 

 colony will build up more rapidly than 

 a small one, but it is evident that if we 

 keep on enlarging the hive, a point is 

 finally reached where the queen and 

 ller helpers can't keep up with thehive. 

 A colony must be sufficiently large so 

 that it can work to advantage -so that 

 there will le sufticient heat, and food 

 and enough workers to care for the 

 eggs tliat the queen will ordinarily lay. 

 In other words, a proper balance must 

 be preserved between these various 

 factors. As Dickens saj's: "We must 

 preserve the unities. " So many people 

 have argued in favor of a large hive in 

 order that the queen maj' not be 

 "cramped for room in which to lay." 

 We don't keep bees, nor build hives, 

 simplv' that the queens may have room 

 to "spread themselves;" what is needed 

 is a hive with the combs full of brood, 

 and of such a size tiiat with it we can 

 accomplish the objects we have in view; 

 one of which is to furnish super room 

 in such proportion, as Mr. Holtermann 



says, that the wear and tear on the 

 working force will just about equal 

 that of tlie hatching bees. This is one 

 of the moNt valuable p tints in the 

 article. 



I doubt if it is possible to s ly '7///.s" 

 is the correct size of hive for every !)ody 

 Localities, men and their nehods, all 

 differ. Mr. Chapman, in Noithern 

 Michigan, makes a success of extracted 

 honey production with an eight-frame 

 Langstroth hive; IMr. Townsend does 

 the very same thing with a ten-frame 

 Langstroth; IJrother Holtermann, over 

 in Ontar o, accomplishes wonders with 

 a twelve-frame Langstroth. 



There is no question that shade and 

 ventilation help to keep down swarm- 

 ing. If anyl)ody wishes to give more 

 ventilation, aside from a generous en- 

 trance, it is an eas.v matter to slide a 

 super along until a crack is opened. 

 In this way the matter can be given a 

 trial. 



There is one other point that Mr. 

 Holtermann has been pressing of late, 

 and I wish to say "amen," viz., that of 

 holding the mind in readiness, or will- 

 ingness, to accept truth. So many 

 form a conclusion first, and then bend 

 every argument to tit the conclusion. 





^ Cmtlma©go (Gf©©(dl (Groodlsp a©w IFiriceSp S 



i m ILYON Mfgo C©o % 



New London, Wis. if 



