^rAv, 101 s 



G I. K A N T N f! S T N R K K (' V L T V K E 



.spring-. Don) liny up weak colonies at this 

 time, altho in principle the same as when 

 (lone in the fall, its immediate purpose is 

 somewhat different. In the fall we prepare 

 our bees for good wintering, while in the 

 spring our aim is to prepare them for gath- 

 ering our surplus honey crop. Having no 

 need of taking the winter-store problem into 

 consideration at this time, the mechanical 

 execution of the operation is also nuinaged 

 ill a little different, way. 



Spring Uniting of Weak Colonies. 

 All colonies set aside for this purpose are 

 crowded by division-boards onto the least 

 number of combs thev can well cover. This 



Colonies a and b in tlie 

 same hive, separated by 

 an ordinarj division- 

 board D B, which i.s re- 

 mo^ ed in a few davs. 



Colonies a and b crowded onto as few frames as 



possible, 

 is (lone several days before they are to be 

 united that they may have a chance to 

 congregate again on the reduced number of 

 combs. When ready for the operation 

 (which may be on some cool day, the same as 

 in the fall) one colo- 

 ny after another is 

 hung into the hive of 

 its intended partner 

 into the space va- 

 cated by the reduc- 

 tion of its combs un- 

 til all are treated in 

 like manner. After 

 a few days the divi- 

 sion-board is removed 

 and the hive other- 

 wise arranged as may 

 seem necessary for 

 future super work. 

 Having been connected over the tops and 

 under the frames and compelled to use the 

 same entrance, they have gradually become 

 sufficiently acquainted to unite in peace and 

 harmony. If the doubled-up colony should 

 still be too weak to promise any surplus 

 returns, the same operation may be repeated 

 a second or even a third time. Better have 

 one good colony than a dozen poor ones. 

 Spring Uniting of Medium Colonies. 

 Occasionally one has a few medium colo- 

 nies, too strong to be treated as the above 

 and yet too weak to produce much surplus 

 honey. Such colonies are too promising for 

 one to lose their use entirely for the season 

 and may be made to produce a fair yield by 

 hanging two of them into a 10-frame hive 

 with a tight-fitting division-board between, 

 this honey-board being left thruout the en- 

 tire season. Each colony should have its own 

 l)assageway to its resju'ctive corner of the 



Iront entraiUH' at which corni'i' it was pro- 

 \ iously (while still in its original hive) 

 trained to enter. It is an advantage to have 

 such colonies sitting Vjeside one another for 



Two medium colonies, a and b, each crowded onto 

 a few frames and left a few days. Notice the en- 

 trances d and e at opposite corners of the respec- 

 tive hives. The. two colonies should be placed be- 

 side each othgr a few days before uniting. 



a time before they are placed in one hive. 

 This arrangement for medium colonies keeps 

 the queens separate while the bees have free 

 communication in the supers, the latter be- 

 ing managed like all others in one-queen 



The two medium colo- 

 niss are next, placed 

 in the same hive, sep- 

 arated by a tigh,t-fit- 

 tinsT division - board 



(D B). each having its 

 own entrance, d and e, 

 respectively. The di- 

 vision-board is left on 

 the entire season. 



Colonies a and b in 

 the liiwer story, sep- 

 arated by a tight- 

 fittint division.- 

 board. Above thi.s 

 queen - e.xchider D 

 and super. Thus 

 there are two queens 

 in the lower storv. 



colonies. We have two queens in one hive 

 and practically two queens in one colony. 

 Above the excluder, it is actually in one 

 Lolony. I ha\e run such for comb honey 

 without the excluder with fairly good re- 

 sults, but they will do better wlien run for 

 extracted. 



La Salle, N. Y. 



[At first thought it might seem tliai in ti'c 

 spring uniting of medium colonies, the two 

 queens being compelled to occupy the same 

 story, would perhaps be rather crowded for 

 loom. (In the above drawings we have rep- 

 resented 10-frame standard hives instead of 

 the eight Jumbo frames which we under- 

 stand Air. Greiner uses, but in either case 

 the square inches of comb w^ould be about 

 the same.) If four or five combs should not 

 ]i)-ove a large enough brood-chamber for 

 either colony, doubtless sufficient room could 

 be given and the bees kept contented by ex- 

 changing some of the frames of brood with 

 those above. Later, if the colonies should 

 become large enough to warrant it. they 

 (ould be placed in sejiarate hives. — Eiiitor.] 



