338 



THE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIE"W 



were building- up from nuclei into full 

 colonies; or we could hive the swarm 

 upon the old stand and set the old 

 colony by the side of the newly hived 

 swarm for one week, then move it to a 

 new location, when all of the flying- 

 bees, or those that had flown and 

 marked the old location, would return 

 and join the swarm, thus weakening- 

 the old colony to such an extent, just 

 as the young- queens were hatching, 

 that all thoughts of further swarming 

 were abandoned. Sometimes, instead 

 of g-iving the old colony a permanent 

 new stand, it was simply shifted to 

 the opposite side of the newly hived 

 swarm, then, in a week or so, returned 

 to its former location, this shifting 

 process being continued until the old 

 hive was practically drained of its 

 bees, and the combs left free from 

 brood. Again, the old hive was placed 

 upon the top of the new one, its en- 

 trance closed, and a spout or channel 

 of lath extended from its entrance 

 down to the entrance to the lower hive. 

 The bees could leave their hives only 

 by means of this channel, and, upon 

 their return, instead of seeking the en- 

 trance to the channel, from which they 

 had issued, they joined the forces in 

 the lower hive. In this manner the old 

 hive was gradually drained of its bees 

 as they hatched and became old enough 

 to fly. Sometimes the old hive is set 

 on top of the new, with a queen ex- 

 cluder between them, and the young 

 bees, as they hatch, are able to join 

 the throng below. With this latter 

 plan the bees are given an opportunity 

 to fill the combs in the upper hive with 

 honey, as the young bees hatch out. 



It will be seen that, even though 

 natural swarming is allowed, it is an 

 easy matter to prevent after-swarming 

 in an apiary having constant attend- 

 ance. To prevent the issuing of first 

 swarms is a more diflicult proceeding, 

 but it can be done. In some parts of 

 the country, notably in the South and 

 West, there is practically no swarm- 



ing after the beginning of the main 

 honey flow; and this is the case, to a 

 large extent, in all parts of the country. 

 A light flow is conducive to swarming, 

 but, with the advent of a heavy flow, 

 the bees seem so carried away as to for- 

 get swarming. If swarming can be 

 discouraged until the main flow, all 

 goes well in some localities. The tak- 

 ing away of more or less brood will 

 usually accomplish the desired result. 

 This is about the only reason that 

 justifies the taking of brood from 

 strong colonies and giving it to the 

 weak. If there are no weak colonies, 

 and it is desired to make a little in- 

 crease, and thereby prevent sv arming, 

 it can often be accomplished by taking 

 two combs of sealed brood from each 

 strong colony, shaking oft" the bees, fill- 

 ing hives with these combs of brood, 

 setting each hive over a populous 

 colony, with a queen excluder between 

 the added hive of combs and the colony 

 below, and allowing the hive to remain 

 a few hours until the young bees have 

 come up and occupied the combs, when 

 the upper stories of brood and young 

 bees may be placed upon new stands, 

 and each given a laying queen, or, if 

 this isn't possible, a queen cell. The 

 places in the old colonies left vacant 

 by the removal of combs of brood must 

 be filled with sheets of foundation. 

 This removal of brood will retard 

 swarming, and may tide over the 

 swarming until the advent of the main 

 honey flow puts upon it a still further 

 check. By the way, the plan just 

 mentioned is an excellent one at any 

 time for the making of increase, and 

 does away with all hunting for queens. 

 The making of a moderate increase, 

 in the right manner, in the early part 

 of the season, will often practically 

 prevent swarming. There are several 

 methods. What is called the Doolittle 

 plan is a very good one. This con- 

 sists of making one new colony from 

 two old ones, and is managed as fol- 

 lows: Shake all the bees and the 



