50 



THE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEW 



that of the Langdon system that had its 

 day of disappointment and doom some 

 17 years ago, is literally true, but you 

 seem to have overlooked the fact that 

 the difference between the two methods 

 of applying that principle is so wide as 

 to admit of no comparison. 



The fact that the Langdon system 

 was intended to prevent instead of con- 

 trol swarming was sufficient reason for 

 its failure. It is not a difficult matter for 

 one who has made a special study of the 

 principles that accelerate or retard 

 swarming, to point out the factors that 

 were directly responsible for the down- 

 fall of that system. The one fact that 

 its principles were applied in direct op- 

 position to the laws that govern the 

 successful control of bees, was sufficient 

 to seal its death warrant. A system 

 that would double the working force of 

 an already strong colony at swarming- 

 time, without the application of principles 

 that would satisfy the swarming-instinct, 

 could only result in failure, the promis- 

 cuous intermingling of adult bees from 

 strange colonies at swarming time would 

 also have a tendency to defeat the plans 

 of swarm-control. Furthermore, a sys- 

 tem that would necessitate the closing 

 of the entrance of a strong colony of 

 bees at swarming-time is not worthy of 

 further consideration from intelligent 

 bee keepers. Such a practice, if it did 

 not result in the loss of the colony from 

 suffocation, would certainly cause suffi- 

 cient injury to render it practically un- 

 productive during the remainder of the 

 harvest. Again, a system that would 

 compel bees to travel 20 inches through 

 a tube, only to find an entrance guarded 

 by strange bees, who, if not in open 

 hostility, would certainly regard them as 

 unwelcome intruders, can have no part 

 in solving the problem of perfect control 

 of bees, 



That the Hand system has nothing in 

 common with such methods should be 

 apparent to all who will take the time to 

 acquaint themselves with its principles 

 as well as with the methods of applying 



them. The secret of the success of this, 

 system lies with the habits of bees, 

 coupled with a faithful observance of the 

 principles that minimize labor. 



While this is virtually a system of 

 swarm-control by substituting the arti- 

 ficial for the natural swarm, two colonies 

 may be worked together, if desired, 

 without violating the principles that 

 govern the successful control of bees. 

 While we prefer strong colonies at the 

 beginning of the harvest, working them 

 singly, all colonies are not strong at this 

 time, in which case we unite two medium 

 colonies by placing one on top of the 

 other, separated by a queen-excluding 

 honey- board, this being done before the 

 main harvest so that there will be no 

 intermingling of strange bees when they 

 are shifted over into the empty hive con- 

 taining a frame of brood and the queen 

 from the top colony. Ten days after 

 making the first shift, another shift is 

 made in the same direction by throwing 

 the switch on the back side, thus rein- 

 forcing the swarm with an influx of bees. 



Subsequent operations will depend 

 upon whether or not increase is desired; 

 if not, a specially constructed bee-escape 

 is pushed into the entrance of the de- 

 pleted colony, back of the switch lever, 

 which will discharge the bees in close 

 proximity to the main entrance into 

 which they must enter, since no bee can 

 again enter the original hive. 



A noticeable feature of the equipment is 

 that the appearance and position of the 

 main entrances remain unchanged and 

 are always open full width. After the 

 second shift in the same direction, the 

 strong colony will have an entrance at 

 each end, and, if desired, one on the side. 

 Furthermore, the side-entrances may be 

 used as safety valves against the possi- 

 bility of weakening a colony so as to 

 cause the loss of unsealed brood. The 

 fact that there is only one entrance on a 

 side, centrally located, precludes the 

 possibility of the mixing of bees. It 

 should further be understood that there 

 is absolutely no "trading" of bees during 

 the process of shifting. 



