.IINE 15. 1915 



501 



ed all the weak ones, 

 then an equal number of 

 strong ones. On the lat- 

 ter I placed queen-ex- 

 cluders, and over these 

 excluders wire screen. 

 Then, on these strong- 

 colonies so prepared, the 

 weak ones were placed. 

 In the evening, when 

 the bees were settled, 1 

 removed the screens. 

 This is done with a 

 quick jerk. 



j\Iay 1-4 an inspection 

 showed that every one 

 of these formerly weak 

 colonies had from three 

 to six combs well filled 

 with brood. 



This method of build- 

 ing up weak colonies 1 

 call Alexandering. Uni- 

 form success will attend 

 the carrying-out of the 

 plan, as outlined above, 

 at least in our locality. 

 But don't fool with pa- 

 per or any other modi- 

 fications. 



The weak colony so 

 treated should be left on 

 the strong one for three 

 weeks or more; and if 

 the queen is any good 

 your hive will be filled 

 from side to side with 

 brood. 



One of the bodies now 

 set on a new stand, 

 using your judgment as to which. Your 

 weak stock has now become a rousing col- 

 ony with force enough to render a good 

 accounting of itself; whereas, if let alone 

 it would have died out entirely or taken the 

 whole season to build up strong enough for 

 winter. 



Making the sheet of wire screen several 



The ketpcr of iLe ajjiary at Taormina, Sicily. Pliotographcd by Mr. Cliasu. 



inches longer than the hive, and cutting it 

 in two pieces with the ends overlapping in 

 the middle facilitates removing the screen, 

 as half can be jerked out in front and half 

 behind without disturbing the I'elative posi- 

 tion of the hives. 

 Salem, Idaho. 



THE EFFECT OF STORES UPON BEES 



BY R. F. HOLTERMAXN 



Yesterday and to-day, although the 

 weather is not very warm, we have been 

 doing some needed work in two of the 

 apiaries. In each we noticed a good deal of 

 fresh spotting upon the black covers of the 

 winter cases. I was much impressed with 

 the condition, and I believe it is unusual 

 for this time of the year. The spots were 



the excrement voided by the bees while on 

 the wing, and it was almost solid, but strung 

 out in lines. I attribute it, first, to the bad 

 stores collected by the bees last summer, and 

 which they are consuming now; next, to 

 their confinement for unusually long inter- 

 vals. 



We liavc liad IIiicl' lieavy frosts this 



