PuhJislied WGelily, at ^1,00 per azinuzn. 



Samxyle Copy sent on -Applicafion. 



36th Year. 



CHICAGO, ILL., MARCH 5, 1896. 



No. 10. 



Artificial Swarming, or Dividing for Increase. 



BY CHAS. DADANT & SON. 



It appears that very few, even among our leading bee- 

 keepers, put into practice a system of artificial increase of col- 

 onies, at the present time. It is probably owing to the fact 

 that the great majority of them use small hives, and for this 

 reason have a great number of natural swarms — more, in fact, 

 in some instances, than they desire. With us, the case is dif- 

 ferent, our large hives and our method of producing extracted 

 honey altogether cause so little swarming that we hardly make 

 up for winter losses, even in the best seasons, by the harvest 

 of swarms. This has led iis to rely altogether upon artificial 

 increase, which we consider as much better for the apiarist. 



It is our purpose to give in detail our mode of manage- 

 ment. To say that we follow this method, at all times, would 

 be a false statement. We are a little, nay, very much, like, the 

 old minister, who after a very eloquent sermon on temperance, 

 was found in a rather equivocal condition by the roadside. 

 "My friend, " said he, "do as I say, don't do as I do." 



Friend bee-keeper, read this, then do as — you please. 



We believe that the Italian bee is superior to the common 

 bee ; we believe, also, that if we breed from the best queens, 

 we are likely to have the best swarms. We believe that, in 

 breeding bees, we should consider honey-production first, gen- 

 tleness next, hardiness next, and lastly, color. We consider 

 the drones as important, in the making of a good apiary, as 

 the queens. With the present improved methods, the produc- 

 tion of queens and of drones is entirely subject to the will of 

 the apiarist. 



In early spring, our aim is to examine all the hives and 

 remove from them, as much as possible, all defective worker- 

 combs and all drone-combs, except such of the latter as we 

 judge advisable to leave in some of our best colonies. We do 

 this in early spring, because at that time, the combs contain 

 the least honey or brood. It is a mistake to cut out combs 

 that are full of honey during a scarcity of crop, for the leak- 

 age will incite robbing. It is also a mistake to wait, for the 

 removal of the drone-combs, until these combs are filled with 

 brood ; for all the feed and time spent on these drones are 

 wasted. If to man, time is money, to the bees timeis honey. 

 In overhauling an apiary, during spring, it takes but little 

 time to cut out all the drone-comb in sight. This should, of 

 course, be replaced at once, by worker-comb, which can be 

 taken from dead colonies, or, if none is at hand, by small 

 pieces of comb foundation. But comb is much better, at that 

 time, and we would prefer to cut up one or two combs from 

 the brood-chamber of some weak colony which did not occupy 

 them, and use them for this purpose. These combs may be 

 replaced later on by foundation, or the colony may be caused 

 to rebuild them. A comparatively weak colony is much less 

 liable to build drone-comb than a powerful one. 



If we removed the drone-comb, without replacing it by 

 some worker-cells, each strong colony would be sure to replace 

 every inch of it by the same kind. If we allowed the drones 

 to be brought to the hatching-point before removing the comb, 

 we should lose as much feed and work as was needed to rear 

 three worker-bees for every two drones. In a square foot of 

 comb this loss amounts to almost as much as a small swarm, n 



With us, swarming usually takes place in June, and we 

 therefore aim to make our increase early in that month. The 

 drones must be reared in May, and to do this with success, we 

 place one or two large sheets of drone-combs — not too old — in 

 the middle of one of our best colonies noted for honey-produc- 

 tion, gentleness, hardiness and color. Gentleness and color 

 usually go together, unless you have Cyprus bees, and then we 

 pity you. We have had those Cyprians, and have seen every 

 living being stung about the farm, from the baby to the grand- 

 mother — from the rooster to the calf. 



Let not the reader understand that we do so entirely 

 away with drone-combs as to prevent the rearing of a single 

 one, in the hives where they are not wanted. No, perfection 

 is never attained, and it is next to impossible to prevent the col- 

 onies from rearing some drones; but with a little care, the 

 greater quantity, by far, is reared in the colonies that we se- 

 lect, and at a much earlier date than in the other colonies ; so 

 our queens, if reared early, will have many chances to meet 

 the best. By rearing good drones, we not only improve our 

 stock, but that of our neighbors' also, and this, sooner or later, 

 will redound to our benefit, as our daughters, indeed, do not 

 always marry at home. 



If we could control the fertilization of our queens, as we 

 do the breeding of our cows, matters would be very much sim- 

 plified. 



Next comes the rearing of the queens. This Is a very im- 

 portant matter, for we must not make swarms unless we have 

 queens to give them. "Queens cost nothing," says Hutchin- 

 son. That is notour experience. Good queens, at the time 

 when we need them worst — before the swarming season — are 

 very expensive. You can buy some cheap ones, but they are 

 cheap goods, after all, and it is much better to rear your own, 

 if you have the right kind of bees in your apiary. 



Our first step — say about May 25 — ^is to remove the queen, 

 with a couple quarts of young bees and a comb of hatching 

 brood, from our best colony. We do not remove the colony it- 

 self from its stand, as we have seen it done, because it leaves 

 the hive with too few bees to keep the combs warm during the 

 cool nights, and it is of great importance that our young 

 queens be kept very warm and be fed plentifully. Yet, if it is 

 thought advisable, the queen and the swarm may be left on 

 the stand, and the hive of brood, now queenless, may be placed 

 on the stand of another strong colony. This is getting one 

 swarm from two hives. Understand that we are doing all this, 

 just to get one colony to rear queen-cells. This colony should 

 not be the same as that from which the drones are reared, for 

 we mean to avoid in-and-in breeding, and the drone-rearing 

 colony should be kept strong, lest its bees should start killing 

 those early-reared drones. In a bad season, late spring, rainy 

 weather, they may want to kill them anyhow, before they are 

 needed. In that case a little feed will stop the butchering. 



Each colony, from which the queen is removed as above 

 stated, may be depended upon to rear from 4 to 10 queen-cells. 

 The number varies greatly. More cells will be reared if we 

 cut openings in thecombs containing eggs or young larvae, and 

 if we feed a little. It appears that the bees dislike to destroy 



