74 



THE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEW 



hives are safe for ten days, or even a 

 longer period. 



THK EASE WITH WHICH INCREASE MAY 

 BE CONTROI>LED. 



Upon our next visit to the apiarjs 

 which will not be sooner than three or 

 four days, we will find the colonies in 

 the above described condition. Our 

 next manipulation depends somewhat 

 upon ourselves, or upon our needs, or 

 wishes. For instance, if we desire in- 

 crease, all we really need to do is to 

 move the old colony to the opposite side 

 of the hive, or old stand, thus again 

 giving the lately acquired field force to 

 the colony with the supers. This may 

 be repeated at subsequent visits, until 

 we finally decide to set it away upon a 

 new and permanent stand. Colony 

 No. 2 (on the old stand) will requeen 

 without swarming; as it has verj' lit- 

 tle brood, and has lost all desire to 

 swarm. It may require a few more 

 combs, or full sheets of foundation; 

 but even if left as it is, it will build 

 all-worker comb, and be in good con- 

 dition for winter. 



If increase is not desired, and we are 

 satisfied with an old queen, we simply 

 destroy the cells on the one frame of 

 brood on the old stand, put it back in 

 the old colony, remove the empty hive, 

 and set the old hive or colony back, 

 thus uniting all again, when with 

 plenty of super room, the^' will pot at- 

 tempt to swarm again. If we wish to 

 re-queen and re-unite it is just as 

 simple — wait until the young queen is 

 hatched; kill the old queen; then unite. 



If we wish to increase by the nucleus 

 plan, set the hive containing one frame 

 of brood to the opposite side from the 

 old hive, and return the old hive to its 

 original stand. 



By this method, or system, it will be 

 seen that no shaking is required; that 

 there is absolutelj' no chance of an 

 absconding swarm; no looking for 

 queens unless we wish to re-queen, 

 when she is easily found, as the field 



bees are not with her. It does away 

 with destroying queen cells, and after- 

 swarms are unknown. 



Claude, Canada, Oct. 25, 1904. 



[In justice to Mr. Sibbald and the 

 readers of the Keview, it is only fair 

 to emphasize the fact that it was only 

 upon my earnest solicitation that he 

 consented to allow the publication of 

 this method. He wished to give it fur- 

 ther trial before publishing it, but I 

 felt that we would sooner know its 

 value by allowing its use all over the 

 country under different conditions. 

 There is not a particle of doubt in my 

 mind that this plan will break up the 

 swarming fever all right; the only 

 doubt in my inind is whether it will 

 stay cured if the two divisions are 

 again re-united. Mr. Sibbald says ic 

 does, hut we must remember that his 

 experience, although with three apia- 

 ries, was only for one season, and in 

 one locality. If a colony makes prep- 

 arations for swarming earl^' in the 

 season, and is induced to give it up by 

 the method given above, the question is, 

 may it not again contract that fever 

 later in the season ? Well, suppose it 

 does, the same treatment would again 

 control swarming, and allow the bee- 

 keeper to become master of the situa- 

 tion. Probably the majority of the 

 colonies so treated would not again 

 make further preparations for swarm- 

 ing, and the few that did, if any did, 

 could be given a second treatment; and 

 I think I would rather go through 

 with this operation twice than to 

 "shake" once. I do not mean that I 

 think it would be less work than shak- 

 ing, but that I think the results would 

 be more satisfactory. If the bee-keeper 

 desires increase, one colony from each 

 one that prepares to swarm, as is the 

 case with shook-swarming, which this 

 method is designed to supersede, then 

 I can see no possible "hitch" in the 

 proceedings, and see many advantages 

 over shook-swarming. — Ed. Review.] 



