1 ()0 J 



THE AMERICAN BEE-KEEFER 



17 



XON-SWARMING. 



metliod ol' stimulation <|uitc obligatory, predominates. Few indeed are they who 



if the best results were to be obtained, would not willingly accede to the spe- 



In S<nnli I'lorida. occasions for its cified rules as a non-swarming measure, 



practice are very rare. if the honey yields were to be thus in- 



cidentally increased. We shall not 



question the assertion that the average 

 bee-keeper does not give room enough; 



For the past two or three years a yet we believe the giving of too much 



friend has tried with success to prevent room at a time is an error very fre- 



swarming by giving plenty of room; quently committed. There can be no 



two. three, sometimes as high as five doubt as to its affect in retarding, or 



supers being on the hives. He has had preventing swarms; but is this advan- 



very little swarming and thinks it due tage not secured at the expense of mer- 



to the fact that the bees were kept busy chantable honey'/ The retention of 



making honey. This method, especially heat greatly facilitates comb-building; 



to the amateur, is much easier than di- while a compact cluster of bees. 



viding or cutting out queen cells. — Bes- 

 sie T,. Putnam, in .American Bee-Keep- 

 er. 



Incidentally, this system of manage- 

 ment would result in doubling or thrib- 

 bling the honey crop, besides having a 



warmth, abundant honey-flow and (at 

 tiniest moderate ventilation are essen- 

 tial to the finish of the work. Since 

 •rowding of the bees is necessary to in- 

 sure the greatest possible amount of 

 finished sections, and crowding is con- 



discouraging efifect on the swarming ducive to swarming; yet a super should 

 fever. The average bee-keeper does never be permitted to remain over a 

 not give room enough for the storing of colony wdiich had "swarmed itself 

 honey, and then wonders why his bees weak," as the swarm itself, as well as 

 get so crazy at swarming time. The the field force of the parent hive 

 difference amounts to this in this "lo- should be thrown into the sections, on 

 cality." The average, slow-plodding, the old stand, and the parent hive re- 

 bee-keeper puts on one super and moved to the new location. Manage- 

 leaves it until full and sealed over be- ment, as well as "locality," has an im- 

 fore an empty super is added, and portant bearing upon the matter, 

 meantime his bees have swarmed them- 

 selves weak, and one super per colony, 



spring count, will be his average for the A foreign bee journal is advised by a 



season; while the wide awake, "read- correspondent that a celebrated Amer- 



ing" specialist puts on the second super ican ciueen breeder has succeded in 



as soon as work has well begun in the creating a strain of bees having excep- 



first, a third is soon added and then tionally long tongues; that he sells the 



four and sometimes five, with the re- queens at $200.00 each; that the demand 



-ult that he is not troubled seriously is so great for his queens at this price 



with swarming, and his yield of honey that he has been unable to meet it, and 



will average three or four supers per in order to do so has started a second 



colony. — Rocky Mountain Bee Journal, establishment in South America. Ver- 



Here. again, is an instance in which ily, when elaborately displayed, print- 



■"locality" must be taken into account, ers' ink is "great stufY." Let us be 



The Journal is speaking for Colorado, thankful that the fad was throttled be- 



a four-super ""locality." but the one-su- fore the string of figures or imaginary 



per class of localities, unfortunately tongue-length grew longer. 



