MARCH 1, 1913 



fered vei^y much from rheumatism; and 

 since we began keeping bees all nn^ rheu- 

 matic pains have vanished except in one 

 tinger. Did the sting's have any thing to do 

 with this? 



We I'ead every bee item we see, and I am 

 learning right along. My husband knows 

 far more about bees than I do ; but, of 

 course, a man can not get on without his 

 wife. For instance, one day he rushed into 

 the kitchen, wildly pawing the air, and 

 jierforming a sort of war-dance, veiy much 

 unlike his usual Cjuiet behavior, and all 

 because a little bee stung liim on the nose! 

 He implored me to help him off with his 

 \eil, and an unholy joy filled my heart at 

 the scene, for I remembered how he scoffed 

 when I fled with a sting in my nose. It all 

 depends on whose nose the bees attack; and 

 it's cpite a diffei^ent matter when it's your 

 own. But we do not trouble much about 

 stings after all — just grin and bear them. 



I am not exactly a beekeeper as yet. I 

 am only a beekeeper's assistant. But there 

 is no leason why I too should not go on 

 and do as well as others. 



O'Connell, Ontario, Canada, Sept. 30. 



THE SHAKEN-PLAN SWARM FOR WOMEN 



BY MRS. GERTRUDE GILL 



Women are becoming competitors of men 

 in many branches of industry, and success- 

 fully too. Then why not in beekeeping? 

 A woman's work is bound to be more or less 

 monotonous (I am speaking now of house- 

 keeping), made up as it is of little tasks 

 that, for the comfort' of the family, must be 

 repeated every day. That, together with 

 the indoor atmosjohere, often brings more 

 or less nervous strain on the wife and moth- 

 er. To most of us I believe there is a bond 

 of kinship with Mother Nature; and a little 

 while each day in God's beautiful out-of- 

 doors means new life to tired nerves; and 

 what better or more profitable way to bring 

 tliis about than to make a study of bees? 



The fear of sting's keeps many women 

 away from the apiary; but in most cases 

 this fear can be overcome with an increas- 

 ing knowledge of the natural instincts of 

 these little workers. 



Eighteen years ago I came with my hus- 

 band to Colorado, that Mecca of sunshine 

 and pure air suggested by many physicians 

 for stubborn cases that refuse to j^ield to 

 pills and powders. In order to be out of 

 doors I began helj^ing him in the apiary; 

 and with his patient teaching and the fas- 

 cination there is in working with the little 

 busy bee my natural timidity was soon over- 

 come ; and with returning health there seem- 



147 



ed to open to me a new vista in life I had 

 never before thought of. 



If I were to advise younger women just 

 entering the work I should suggest that, to 

 start right, is perhaps the first essential to 

 success in beekeeping, for I believe the time 

 is past for any one with any old method to 

 succeed in apiculture. There are more dif- 

 ficulties to contend with — hard winters, poor 

 seasons, overstocking, and disease; and one 

 roust make a study of his own situation, 

 g-iving his bees careful attention. 



I believe in beekeeping for women ; but I 

 don't take to the " dishpan and sheet " 

 theory. I should like to tell how we manage 

 tliis trying part of beekeeping — the swarm- 

 ing season — for I don't take kindly to 

 climbing trees, jumping over ditches, get- 

 ting through wire fences, and the many 

 athletic feats necessary to catch a swarm 

 that may, after all, object to being caught. 

 Xow for this method that, I presume, has 

 grown threadbare to our male readers, but 

 may still be new to the women follvs. 



First, we will take it for granted that the 

 hive has movable combs, and the condition 

 such that bees would cast a swarm anyhow. 

 Using a little smoke at the entrance, gently 

 remove the cover so as not to disturb the 

 bees more than necessary. Take out the 

 follower; or if there is none, the outside 

 comb; gently loosen the frames with a hive 

 tool, giving plenty of space to lift the combs 

 without crushing the bees. During the 

 swarming season it would be well to begin 

 with the side combs, looking over each one 

 carefully. After locating the queen, set this 

 comb, with the queen and bees on it, at one 

 side, in the shade if the weather is very hot. 

 If you have no helper, lift the hive back 

 from the stand, placing the new hive (which 

 should be prepared beforehand with foun- 

 dation starters, or sheets, if preferred) on 

 the stand where the old one has just been 

 removed. Level it carefully, thus producing 

 straight combs. Then take the comb having 

 the queen, which should contain eggs or 

 larvse. Make room in the new hive by re- 

 moving one frame with starter. Hang this 

 comb with the queen in the center of the 

 new liive, first making sure that all queen- 

 cells have been cut out. Shake the bees 

 from the four center combs of the old colo- 

 ny (not too close, as you will need the 

 young bees to protect the brood left. After 

 putting the frame with foundation at one 

 side of the brood carry the old hive away 

 to the new location. The shaken colony on 

 the old stand will catch the working force. 



Hang up the dishpan and sheet. You will 

 not need them. The bees have swarmed 

 just as weU as if they did so naturally, and 



