THE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEW. 



in respect to the time, character and dur- 

 ation of its honey-flows or yields, for 

 upon these things or conditions — or, in 

 other words, the locahty largely deter- 

 mines the question of whether it pa3'S to 

 hive two swarms in one hive, but in this 

 case the word 'locality' must be consider- 

 ed in a broad sense or view, for the con- 

 ditions in some of the middle or even 

 southern States might be similar enough 

 in some respects to what we have here, to 

 make the practice pay, while in other 

 latitudes, even as far north as this, they 

 might not. 



As a usual thing the early spring flows 

 here are sufiicient to support brood-rear- 

 ing, but after fruit-bloom, until white 

 clover commenced to blossom, there used 

 to be a short spell during which it might 

 be necessary to feed in order to have 

 brood-rearing kept up as rapidly as it 

 should at this time, but of late dandelion 

 bloom has bridged the gap between fruit 

 and clover bloom. This has nothing to 

 do with the matter being discussed, but I 

 mention it because it is, to me at least, 

 verv curious how rapidly this dandelion 

 bloom has increased. There has always 

 been some here, but nothing compared 

 to what there is at present, and formerly 

 it was about gone soon alter fruit-bloom. 

 Of late it has kept in blossom more or 

 less all the fore part of the season, in fact 

 it is becoming too much of a good thing, 

 for I have had bees working on it at the 

 same time white clover was yielding, and 

 when it is mixed with clover honey it 

 nearly ruins the latter, for it is dark, 

 rank-tasting honey, fit only for brood- 

 rearing, or to sell for manufacturing 

 purposes. 



The properties of the two plants are 

 such as to greatly favor l)Oth being work- 

 ed when they are in bloom at the same 

 time, for white clover, as a rule, does not 

 yield as well during the fore part of the 

 day as it does the latter, and dandelion 

 yields and is at its best in the morning. 

 Later the blossoms completely close up 

 so that on low pasture lands here that 

 may be literally yellow with its bloom in 

 the forenoon, there may not be a single 

 blo.ssom to be seen in the afternoon. 



Three years ago I extracted about 

 2,000 pounds of nearly pure dandelion 

 honey before white clover commenced to 

 yield. White clover usually commences 

 to yield slowly about the first of June, 

 basswood the first of July and l«sts about 

 TO days. This gives us a white-honey 

 flow of about 40 da\'s duration, though 

 the time this flow commences, as well as 

 its length, may vary considerable, owing 

 to the season or the failure of one or the 



other of its sources; but I can say in 

 favor of my locality that in my time 

 clover and basswood have never both 

 failed the same season. At least 80 per 

 cent of what swarms I have are made or 

 issue during the first three weeks of June. 



I can imagine some are now saying, 

 'You are away off, old man; you should 

 have your swarming all done and out of 

 the way before your main flow com- 

 mences. ' This can not profitably be done 

 here. The time previous to this, that i<;, 

 the length of time between settled warm 

 weather and the fore part of June, has 

 not been sufiicient so the colonies on an 

 average will become populous enough to 

 swarm sooner naturally, and so far as I 

 understand it at present artificial swarm- 

 ing should not be performed until it is a 

 necessity, in order to prevent natural 

 swarming. Many of the strongest col- 

 onies might naturally swarm about the 

 first of June, but my practice along 

 towards the last of May is to take the 

 combs of brood and young bees from the 

 strongest colonies and exchange them 

 with weaker colonies for empty combs, or 

 those which contain no brood, and I con- 

 sider that it pays, for it prevents a large 

 per cent of the swarming that would 

 otherwise take place, or have to be done. 



Now it will be noted that what swarms 

 I have, taking an average, will have 

 about thirty days or less in which to 

 gather white honey. As it takes the 

 eggs alxjut thirty-five da-\'s to develop 

 into field-bees, it will be seen that these 

 swarms have not time to develop brood 

 intp field-bees to work on this white- 

 honey flow, so the less brood they rear 

 the more surplus white honey, for what 

 brood thej' do rear is reared on this white 

 honey; and another thing is, that with 

 less brood to tend there is a larger force 

 free for field-work. 



Now, if two swarms are hived together 

 in a hive the brood-nest of which is onl}' 

 as large as would be allowed if they were 

 hived separately, only half the amount of 

 brood can be reared that could be if they 

 were each given a hive; and from long 

 practical experience in the matter I know 

 that taking one year with another I can 

 here with swarms secure nearly, if not 

 quite, as much again white honey by 

 hiving two together; and I work for 

 white honey regardless of increase; and 

 also of amber and dark honey. Whether 

 the practice would pay if one desired 

 these tli^gs to be considered is another 

 question. 



When hiving two swarm^ in one hive, 

 if small hives are used, two stories .should 

 be allowed for a brood-nest until they get 



