328 



THE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEW 



very much put out: only as much as will 

 be immediately occupied and drawn out; 

 for we do not favor at any time the plac- 

 ing of foundation on a colony when the 

 bees will not work on it. It should only 

 be put on in sufficient quantities to insure 

 their covering it and immediately draw- 

 ing it out. If foundation stands in a 

 colony very long it becomes fried out, 

 rounded off, buckeled and coated over 

 with propolis, and never makes so good a 



swarming of individual colonies, and 

 contribute an important feature in treat- 

 ing for black brood after the Alexander 

 or a modified Alexander method of 

 treatment. 



The factors which cause this somewhat 

 phenomonal honey dearth right in the 

 presence of honey yielding flowers, are 

 to a great degree uncertain. The nights 

 during this period are cool, and a strong 

 prevailing wind sweeps up the valley, 



Out Apiary of Louis Sinn on an Alfalfa Range in Tulare County. 



comb in the end. If much foundation is 

 given at this time it posits consecutive 

 feeding on succeeding days, a practice 

 the value of which is questionable in 

 light of the economy with which combs 

 may be built at the opening or during a 

 good honey flow. 



One of the best aids to the prevention 

 of swarming at this critical time in the 

 spring, is the reqaeening of the apiary 

 with young, vigorous queens, whose 

 tendency is not to swarm. Furthermore, 

 the cessation of brood rearing activities 

 for a greater or less period attendant 

 upon the operation of requeening will 

 have a direct value in arresting the 



not only preventing bees from working 

 but probably drying out, to a large ex- 

 tent, what nectar might be produced. 

 The greatest factor of all, however, is 

 the almost universal practice of cutting 

 the first one or two crops of alfalfa early 

 in order to even up the stand of later 

 crops, and, also, in order to get ahead of 

 the foxtail and Bermuda grass growing 

 in many hay fields as something of a 

 pest. 



Varying somewhat with seasons, but 

 usually quite consistently, by the latter 

 part of June the hot weather becomes 

 constant and the nights quiet and warm, 

 bringing on the steady alfalfa honey flow 



