40 



new hives make artificial increase by dividing or shaking 

 the bees. 



Another way is to purchase bees by the nucleus colony, 

 of three or five frames each ; that is, brood and bees on full 

 drawn combs, with a queen; and thus increasing full colo- 

 nies. 



A third way is to obtain your bees in the combless 

 package of two or three pounds each, with a queen ; liberate 

 them on frames of full sheets of foundation in the- new hive, 

 and thus increase to full size colony. 



By any one of the above methods one can get a much 

 larger gain or increase in less time by feeding a thin sugar- 

 syrup each day, by means of some good bee-feeder. This 

 will stimulate brood rearing and encourage the bees to build 

 comb very fast; this should be continued until the hive is 

 well filled. With proper care and favorable conditions I 

 have made a gain of five colonies in one summer from a 

 three frame nucleus in the spring. 



Owing to the fact that foul brood already exists in a 

 great many localities, I can fully recommend the beginner to 

 purchase bees in the combless package. Although this is 

 practically new, it has been sufficiently tried out by the 

 large dealers and improvements added from time to time, 

 so that now bees are being transported successfully from 

 North to South and vice versa. 



I have shipped bees by this method to Prince Edward 

 Island and Nova Scotia, during some of our hottest summer 

 weather with a very small percentage of loss. 



Whichever way is chosen to start, procure bees from an 

 apiary in a locality that is visited annually by the State 

 Inspector of Apiaries, or his deputy. 



Of the various races of bees there are none that will 

 equal the Italians, as they seem to possess in a larger meas- 

 ure than any others, all desirable traits. They are not only 

 gentle but of a beautiful color, and are very prolific. They 

 do not run all over the combs when disturbed as do the 

 blacks, and they are less liable to be troubled with bee moth 

 or disease. If properly cared for in the matter of ventila- 

 tion and shading their hives, they are not much given to 

 swarming. 



MRS. BROOKS How would you divide your brood 



