190 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



As I have already mentioned, the extra 

 strong colonies early in the season were 

 given an extra stoiy under, containing a 

 weak colony. Others were given sets of 

 brood-combs containing more or less honey 

 according to their needs, while still others 

 were given sets of extraeting-eombs above 

 an excluder. In ease of the colonies con- 

 taining two sets of brood-combs, or any 

 divisions, for that matter, where sets of 

 combs are available, we proceed as follows 

 in increasing our number of colonies: The 

 upper story is usually the one containing 

 the main portion of the bi'ood and honey; 

 but it often happens that the queen has 

 begun to utilize the lower story by the 

 opening of the clover flow of honey. In 

 case young brood is found in the lower 

 story, all we have to do is to see that the 

 queen is in the lower portion, put on an 

 excluder, then a set of extracting combs, 

 and, on top of all, the set of old brood and 

 hone}^ In eight days the brood will be all 

 capped over in the upper (queenless) apart- 

 ment, and in two more days ripe queen-cells 

 will be found. About one colony in ten 

 will not build cells in their queenless brood 

 above ; but ample cells and to spare will be 

 found in the other nine colonies to make 

 up any deficiency in the tenth colony. 



At the time of making the divisions, if 

 cells are found, as in preparation for 

 swarming, no notice is made of them unless 

 there will likely be a virgin hatched before 

 our next trip to the yard to finish up the 

 increase ten days later. In this case a 

 queen-excluder is placed under the body 

 containing the cells, so as to be sure that the 

 young queen will be in the very set wanted, 

 or, in other words, not be allowed to roam 

 over two sets of combs, making it necessaiT 

 to hunt her up on the tenth day. On the 

 tenth day the set of brood, now all sealed, 

 containing either cells or a \-irgin, as the 

 case may be, is given a bottom-board and 

 cover, and is then placed upon a new stand 

 and allowed to build up for winter. 



If it is desired to make more increase 

 than tills one division, tlie newly made colo- 

 nies can be divided in the middle, giving 

 each half an equal portion of brood and 

 honey, and seeing that each half gets a 

 comb of brood containing one of the best 

 queen-cells. Where the brood is divided in 

 the middle, making two colonies out of the 

 one set of brood, as set forth above, empty 

 combs, or combs containing honey, should 

 be used to make up the number necessary 

 to fill out the hives, as foundation will not 

 work so well in this place. With such small 

 colonies, especially where there is no fall 

 flow of honey, feeding will probably have 



to be resorted to for winter stores. The 

 above is our plan for making up winter 

 loss where combs are available. 



For increase, or any occasion where no 

 combs are at hand, full sheets of wired 

 foundation ai-e used. The queen is found, 

 and the card of brood, queen and all, is set 

 in a hive body, and the remaining space 

 filled in with frames containing foundation. 

 The old hive is now set to one side, and 

 the body containing the queen is set in its 

 place on the old bottom-board. An ex- 

 cluder is now placed on top, then a set of 

 extraeting-eombs, and the original hive 

 placed on top of all for ten daj's, when it 

 is given a permanent stand of its own, the 

 same &s when drawn combs were used. 



Tliis system of making up winter loss 

 and increase is particularly adapted to out- 

 yard work, as two visits is all that is neces- 

 sary to do all of the work. 



Xarthstar, IMichigan. 



THE SWARMING PROBLEM IN THE SOUTH 



The Most Economical Way to Make Increase 



BY J. J. WILDER 



In this article I shall give some of my 

 plans briefly ; but allow me to say that no 

 great crop of honey can be hai'^'ested here 

 without close Avatch over the bees, and more 

 or less manipulation of supers and frames. 

 The extra amount required to control in- 

 crease, however, is not so great. 



No beekeeper should undertake these two 

 gi'eat steps in our industry until he is fa- 

 miliar with the sources of honey within 

 reach of his bees. He is then far better 

 qualified to take up the work. 



SWARM PREVENTION. 



During a slow glimmering honey-flow, 

 such as we have in the South during the 

 summer or fall of the year, bees will not 

 acquire the swarming fever if they are kept 

 supplied with plenty of storing room. But 

 during the spring months they seem to be 

 naturally inclined to swarm, and will do so 

 on the least provocation. 

 '/ There is another fact noticeable about 

 Iswarming. If, during the swarming season, 

 (there should happen to be one or more days 

 I of bad weather when the bees are confined 

 I to their hives, they seem to spend this time 

 I of leisure in preparing to swarm, and no 

 / doubt the greatest impulse for swarming 

 ^tarts under such conditions. ' In my loca- 

 tion I may expect swarming" to begin the 

 first week in April. [My first round in ex- \ 

 amining bees is made in February, and the J 

 second one during the first and second week^ 



