M.\y, lOlf^ 



G li E A N r N (J S I N P, K K C IJ L 'i' V R K 



27r 



when looking stiaiglit down into the top of 

 the hive, a cross-section of tlie brood-cham- 

 ber would show the brood arranged in tiie 

 frames in the form of an oblong circle oi- 

 ellijise, as in diagrams 1, 2, and 3. 



When equalizing, sealed or hatching brood 

 is preferred; and at this time of the season 

 such combs are apt to be found near the 

 center of the ball or sphere, and therefore 

 contain the largest patches of the brood, 

 some extending perhaps 11 inches in the 

 longest diameter. Such a comb might safeh 

 be inserted in a brood-nest beside patches of 

 brood of about the same diameter, or even 

 at the center of such a brood-nest as shown 

 in Fig. 2; but to insert it Lii a brood-nest 



IZT 



e: 



3i!r: 



The above figures represent horizontal cross-sections 

 of l»rood-chambers, the shaded portions showing the 

 location of the brood in the frames. In figiures 1, 

 2, and 3, it will be noted that the cross-sections of 

 brood have more or less the outline of circles. The 

 longest diameters O'f the patches of brood a, b, c, 

 d, e, f, g, h, i, j, anid k are 3, 7, 9, 2, 6, 9, 10, 

 11, 2, iVz, and 6 inches respectively. If it is 

 desired to equalize the brood of the brood-chambers 

 1 and 3, brood h should not be inserted between k 

 and k, which would give such a brood-chamber as 

 that represented in 4, which is not circular in out- 

 line. Instead of this the third hive 2 should be 

 opei.ed, h exchanged with c, and c inserted between 



k and k. 

 similar to that shown in Fig. 3 would be 

 quite foolhardy, as it would result in the 

 bees spreading out to such an extent as to 

 cause the chilling of patches (i) and (i) or 

 the outer parts of (h). In such a case it 

 Avould therefore be a good plan to go to a 

 third hive and exchange frame (h) with 

 frame (c) and then place frame (c) between 

 flames (k) and (k), at the same time re- 

 moving one of the outside broodless frames 

 if necessary. 



Cutting Out Drone Comb. 

 During the fruit-bloom, after tlie bees 

 are in the best possible condition, queens 

 clipped, colonies strong, stores and brood 

 equalized, and brood-chamber expanded, 

 there is still a very profitable piece of work 

 that one can hardly afford to omit. In the 

 lower corners of the brood-frames, along the 

 bottom-bar, and at vai'ious other parts of the 

 combs, will be found patches of drone-comb. 



This excess of drones should on no account 

 be tolerated (during the present year esi)e- 

 ciiilly), and the warm spring days of apple- 

 bloom is the ideal time for cutting it out 

 and replacing with worker brood. 



After cutting out the undesirable comb, 

 that from which portions have been cut, 

 shoidd be used as a pattern and placed over 

 the worker comb which is to be used for 

 patches. With a knife the shape of holes 

 may be marked on the under comb. Then 

 removing the upper comb the pieces may be 

 cut out, after which they are inserted in 

 the comb to be patched. If they are small 

 and fit in tightly, it may not be necessary 

 to fasten them. Otherwise they can be 

 held securely by means of wires wrapped 

 around the frames, or if honey is coming 

 in, the patches may be tied in with strings 

 which will be removed by the bees as soon 

 as they have attached the patches to the rest 

 of the comb. 



Giving Room Below and Above. 



To move brood above too early in the sea- 

 son would be attended with danger of chill- 

 ing the brood, since so much of the heat of 

 the lower story would rise to the upper one. 

 But two or three weeks before the opening 

 of the main honey flow, if the strongest colo- 

 nies become crowded with brood and bees 

 and little particles of new wax appear along 

 the tops of the combs, a super should be 

 given immediately above the lower story; 

 and if the crowded condition seems to war- 

 rant it, it may be advisable to place one or 

 two frames of eggs and larvae in the upper 

 story, replacing with frames of empty combs 

 or foundation. If the latter is used, it 

 will be necessary to feed syrup in order to 

 get the foundation drawn out. When some 

 brood is thus kept in the second story, the 

 bees become so accustomed to occupying the 

 second story that when the honey flow comes 

 they start to work in the super with energy 

 and enthusiasm. A week or so after the 

 opening of the honey flow, a queen-excluder 

 should be placed between the two stories 

 and the queen placed below. 



Increase — Prevented or Made. 



By tearing down queen-cells as fast as 

 they appear, placing a few brood, or all but 

 one, above, and filling the remaindeTr of the 

 lower story with drawn combs, it will doubt- 

 less be possible^ to prevent all increase dur- 

 ing this month. Or, if increase is desired, 

 the above j^lan may be used, only inserting 

 a queen-excluder between the two stories and 

 tearing down all capped cells. About eight 

 days later the upper story may be moved to 

 a new location and its entrance contracted to 

 prevent the brood from chilling. 



If these suggestions are conscientiously 

 carried out in the northern states to which 

 they apply, we believe that each beekeeper 

 will be richly repaid for the extra time and 

 trouble expended, and that many tons of 

 honey will be added to our annual output. 



Well, how about it? Of what does our 

 jiatriotism consist — of words or deeds? 



