GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



of the hive. Each cohj- 

 ny is packed on i(s 

 regular summer stand 

 after being moved out 

 from the cellar. The 

 stands are made of 

 2 X 4-inch scantling, 

 with a graded light 

 board in front. This 

 may all be seen from 

 the picture. Over every 

 thing is a heavy wood- 

 en cover which may be 

 built either of rough 

 or matched lumber as 

 you wish. 



A special feature of 

 this style . o f spring 

 protection case is that 

 it can be laid out flat 

 when stored away, and 

 so will take up prac- 

 tically no space. There 

 are 100 of these cases 

 in use in our yard, and 

 they all go in a lean- 

 to not much bigger 

 than 6 xl feet. 



In one day I have packed a hundred 

 colonies with shavings, and removed them 

 equally fast later in the season when the 

 disagreeable blusteiy weather had passed. 



Fia. S.^The spring case fuiuislies ample protection against blustery weather. 



The views show, first, the case in parts; 

 next, being placed about a hive ; and, lastly, 

 the shavings in and cover on. 



Kirk's Ferry, Quebec. 



BUILDING UP WEAK COLONIES 



BY B. KEEP 



" Build the colonies up strong and have 

 them ready, for the honey-flow," 



That sounds good; but how shall I do it? 

 asks the inexperienced person; and many 

 of those not so inexperienced are turning 

 that same question over in their minds, and 

 quietly seeking a satisfactory answer. It is 

 one of the peculiarities of beekeeping, that 

 so frequently it is impossible to accomplish 

 what is desired. Conditions, whether known ■ 

 or unknown, or unnoticed, serve to control 

 events in spite of the most intelligent hu- 

 man intervention. 



The foundation of successful beekeeping 

 is a good woi'king knowledge of the natural 

 instincts and ways of the bees, and a logical 

 adaptation of methods so as to harmonize 

 with those instincts, and guide them to our 

 advantage. 



The various methods of " building up a 

 colony " have been brought together hei-e in 

 a brief way so as to be available to the 

 reader who may have limited means of in- 

 formation. 



The natural increase in a small colony of 

 bees is necessarily slow, even when all condi- 

 tions are favorable. Consider for a moment 

 that there are household duties to be attend- 

 ed to within the hive which require the 

 constant attendance of a body of bees wliich 

 is all the time getting smaller. There is the 

 warming, feeding, and capping of the young 

 brood; the feeding of the drones and the 

 queen, housecleaning, propolizing, gaiarding, 

 etc. ; so that, if there is to be any increase 

 in numbers these bees must not only care 

 for and rear others to take their own places, 

 but also many moi'e for the increase. 



It is well known that any shortage in the 

 food supply, whatever the reason, immedi- 

 ately curtails the activity of the queen. One 

 of the first requirements, therefore, is to 

 know that there is an ample supply of food 

 in the hive, or, if there is a shortage, to 

 supply it at once — not in one great deluge, 

 which is not nature's way, but steadily and 

 in moderation. Thus we set up a good imi- 

 tation of natural conditions of food supply. 



