MAY 15, 1913 



colonies, five strong ones ready for the har- 

 vest. From four of these I had more sur- 

 phis than from any other four colonies 1 

 had; and up to the time for final packing 

 for the winter I had no trace of foul brood. 



After all the bees had left these five hives 

 I waited for a rainy day, removed the liives, 

 and melted the combs.* This was the last of 

 July. I think there was not one pound of 

 houej' in all the hives. It had all been 

 converted into bees. 



There are many advantages in this meth- 

 od of treatment ; and, so far as my experi- 

 ence goes, no disadvantages. 



1. No loss of brood or honey. 



2. No chance to spread the disease. 



3. Ease of operating (a box hive can be 

 treated as easily as any). 



4. Improving the stock, and working to- 

 ward immunity. 



Automatic requeening. 



6. Strong colonies ready for harvest. 



Of course, more than one healthy colony 

 could be used in this treatment ; but I want- 

 ed to give it as severe a test as possible. It 

 would seem as if bees from diseased colo- 

 nies carry the disease with them when they 

 leave the hive. In other words, if the Bald- 

 ridge plan is not safe, then the hive through 

 which five colonies had passed would show 

 some sign of the disease before fall. It did 

 not. 



Pittsfield, Mass., Jan. 7. 



REMOVING THE QUEEN AND TWO COMBS OF 

 BROOD TO PREVENT SWARMING 



BY A. C. GILBERT 



Last year spring dwindling did not trou- 

 ble our bees. They had a large amount 

 of brood, but as they were mostly in air- 

 spaced hives (chatf removed) none chilled 

 during several weeks of cold weather. They 

 built up into powerful colonies early, while 

 other beekeepers around told of their bees 

 dwindling. 



Our bees were protected on the north by 

 buildings, and on the west by a high fence. 

 Had that something to do with it ? As early 

 in the season as the weather permits, all 

 colonies are looked over in order to ascertain 

 the strength and amount of stores. If any 

 are found light in bees, some of the combs 

 are removed, and the division-board moved 

 up in accordance with the size of the colony. 

 All needed stores are supplied, after wliich 

 empty combs and combs of honey are added 

 from time to time. 



As swarming time comes, a number of the 

 first swarms are hived on empty combs or 

 foundation. If it is very early, and in- 

 crease is desired, the swarm can be hived in 



a new hive on the old stand and the old 

 colony removed to a new location at once, or 

 seven days later. This is a very common 

 way, but all right at a certain time in the 

 season. The right time in this locality is 

 when the new colony will store well, as in 

 the early part of the clover season. The old 

 colony willl be just right with a new queen 

 laying for the last of the clover and bass- 

 wood. 



If no increase is desired we sometimes 

 remove, for fourteen days, two combs of 

 brood and some bees with the queen. If 

 no cells Avere started at the time of remov- 

 ing the queen, removing the two combs 

 once is all that will be required before re- 

 turning the queen and brood. If two combs 

 and a queen are set back of the division- 

 board with a small piece of zinc on it the 

 queen and brood can be returned with per- 

 fect safety to tlie queen on the fourteenth 

 day. 



MAKING STRONG COLONIES THAT SHOW SIGNS 

 OF SWARMING DRAW OUT FOUNDATION 

 FOR BAITS TO BE USED BY WEAKER ) 



COLONIES. 



When very populous colonies show signs-- 

 of swarming, shaken swarming can be prac- 

 ticed, which might save some confusion by 

 preventing too many swarms coming out 

 together. 



I have often read how colonies not very 

 populous store comb honey in the bait sec- 

 tions only, and leave the foundation un- 

 touched. I struck on a way to get founda- 

 tion drawn for such colonies. During a 

 time when the bees are gathering nectar rap- 

 idly, place a super of sections with founda- 

 tion on top of the super or supers already 

 on a very populous colony. In from 24 to 

 36 hours the foundation will be drawn out 

 beautifully and white — far enough so that 

 a moderate-sized colony will begin to store 

 at once. I think there is a gain of one or 

 more supers from such colonies some sea- 

 sons. During the time the bees are drawing 

 the foundation there seems to be no let-up 

 in storing honey. 



Honeoye Palls, N. Y, 



PROTECTING BEES FROM INJURY WHEN 

 SHAKING THEM FROM COMBS 



BY M. G. DERVISHIAN 



When shaking bees from combs with a 

 sudden jerk on the entrance-board or on the 

 gi-ound. the bees are injured more or less, 

 and become angry. To avoid this, and in 

 order to save the queen from any injury, I 

 make use of a soft quilt half an inch thick 

 and about two feet square. I spread this 

 before the entrance, and over it a soft nap- 



