Apr. 15, 1912 



five combs spread to cover the space the six 

 previously occupied; but the spreading 

 should be done before the comb is capped. 



If foundation has to be used with swarms 

 the new swarm should be given an abun- 

 dant entrance; and an entirely empty hive 

 body under the true brood chamber is desir- 

 able for a few days. Then the hive should be 

 shaded from the heat of the sun. At vari- 

 ous times I have had comb foundation made 

 from wax which came from 8outh Africa. 

 This, although testing chemically pure, 

 lacked the needed strength. It appeared to 

 me to have been damaged in rendering. 



Brantford, Can. 



EARLY BROOD-REARING 



Conditions Affecting the Production of Seasonable 

 Brood 



BY LEO ELLIS GATELEY 



It is a common belief that, the earlier in 

 the spring colonies can be induced to start 

 brood-rearing, the better they will be when 

 the surplus season arrives. Early breeding, 

 however, does not invariably produce such 

 an efTect; and under certain circumstances, 

 because of vitality wasted in maintaining a 

 brood temperature during cold weather, it 

 frequently wears out three old bees for every 

 new one produced. With the passing of 

 winter on the other hand, possibly a dozen 

 may be hatched for every one which is 

 worn out. In view of this fact, undue stim- 

 ulation of the (jueen at unnecessary times 

 is a practice to be shunned. 



Unless one knows just what he is going 

 to do with the bees produced, it is impossi- 

 ble to have any fixed rules as to when 

 breeding should begin. In cold weather a 

 large amount of stores and vitality is ex- 

 pended in producing a small amount of 

 brood. Moreover, bees reared in winter and 

 early spring never live to see the main 

 honey-How. Any number, therefore, reared 

 beyond the quantity required to replace 

 those that are gradually dying off (unless 

 needed for other purposes) will be produced 

 at a dead loss. With a rather late flow it is 

 certainly just as well to leave this matter to 

 the bees. The beginner who is in doubt as 

 to just what may be next on the calendar 

 can, if his apiary is not in bad condition, 

 do no better than to leave the question of 

 early breeding entirely out of calculation. 



In localities that permit of building up 

 colonies to sufficient strength, so that in- 

 crease can be made before the flow, or if 

 bees are desired for some other e((ually ob- 

 vious consideration, there should, with the 

 advent of warm days, be little delay in 

 brood- rearing activities. Conditions that 

 permit of making considerable increase pre- 

 vious to the honey-flow are, perhaps, ex- 

 ceptional, but they exist here each spring. 

 Again, with the exception of an exceeding- 

 ly limited portion of the extreme south, a 

 considerable percentage of the force of even 

 healthy and prosperous colonies will usual- 



229 



ly perish during the winter from cold and 

 old age. None of the colonies may be ex- 

 tra strong, and a few may be short of stores 

 If nearly out of stores, there will be practic- 

 ally no breeding done until nectar is found 

 When confronted by such situations the 

 careful apiarist can sometimes do well to 

 arouse the bees to the fact that summer is 

 coming should they seem to be oversleep- 

 ing any opportunities. 



It is the colonies strong in bees and well 

 supplied with honey that will be first to be- 

 gin breeding in the spring. Of the several 

 factors entering into the economical pro- 

 duction of brood, the two mentioned above 

 are unquestionably of the greatest import 

 The most superb example of early breeding 

 ever coming under our observation was the 

 case of a tall box hive of pure blacks pur- 

 chased for a dollar last year. The whole 

 front of this hive had been knocked out 

 from top to bottom, not to speak of the 

 cover, which consisted only of strips put on 

 in many places, an inch apart. The hive 

 had passed through sun and rain during 

 the entire winter, yet it was the strongest 

 last spring of any colony we had ever seen 

 at that season. A division was made in 

 March, and in transferring the combs to a 

 modern hive they were heavy with brood 

 and many drones were noticed that had 

 been tolerated over winter. If colonies are 

 strong and abundantly supplied with stores 

 they will breed up in spring even under ad- 

 verse circumstances. 



With the coming of actual spring weath- 

 er, backward colonies may be helped by 

 the addition of young bees, and perhaps, 

 still later, with brood. Or stimulative feed- 

 ing may be practiced to advantage on days 

 when the weather prevents the bees from 

 foraging. The bees can also be made to 

 move honey from one part of the hive to 

 another by simply turning it end for end on 

 the stand. The principal points in promot- 

 ing brood production are bees, honey, 

 warmth, a young and prolific queen; and, 

 for fast work, a nectar and pollen supply 



Ft. Smith, Ark., Mar. 1. 



SHORT COURSES IN BEEKEEPING AT MASS- 

 ACHUSETTS AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE 



The annual short course in beekeeping at 

 the Massachusetts Agricultural C^ollege is 

 ottered from May 29 to June 13, 1912, to be 

 concluded by a convention and field day. 

 The course and convention are under the 

 personal direction of Dr. Burton N. Gates, 

 in charge of the apicultural service of the 

 College and State. 



The course includes lecture, laboratory, 

 demonstrational, apiary, and field work, as 

 well as excursions to large apiaries and 

 queen-rearing plants. The concluding con- 

 vention should bring together a hundred or 

 more representative apiarists of the East, 

 besides the noted authorities and commer- 

 cial men who appear on the program. 



The features of this convention will be 

 lectures, demonstrations by authorities of 



