THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



225 



condition for such results. But thouf;:h a colony 

 is populous, and apparently in all respects in a 

 condition to send out a swarm, wc are neverthe- 

 less at times doomed to wait for one in vain. In 

 such case, seiisonable interference is advisable. 

 If the colony is in a bo.K or straw hive, drive out 

 a swarm ; if it is in a movable frame hive, make an 

 artificial colony. 



Dr. Preuss. — In my neighborhood,, where 

 straw hives are almost exclusively used, I have 

 had opportunity to make observations on the 

 requisit^^e conditions for swarmin^f — early swarm- 

 ing particularly— some of which I desire to com- 

 municate. 



In some colonies tlie swarming propensity is 

 regarded as an inherited and transmissible taint. 

 Tliej"^ distinguish themselves, year after year, by 

 producing swnrms early. This is easily ex- 

 plained. An early swarm fills its hive with the 

 finest worker comb and stores up an abundance 

 of honey and pollen. Next spring it iias plenty 

 of supplies, and no vacancies in its hive to be 

 filled with comb newly built at the cost of time 

 and honey. An eiirly swarm again is the natural 

 consequence ; and so on successively. 



Second!)/. — Early swarming is very much de- 

 pendant on the character and completeness of the 

 comb which the hive contains. A disproportion 

 of drone comb retards or prevents it; whereas 

 an abundance of worker comb fosters and secures 

 it. Hence, cutting out worker comb in straw or 

 box hives, in the spring, is injurious ; none 

 except mouldy or damaged combs should be 

 removed. 



Hives should be protected from prevailing 

 winds. Colonies well sheltered will make an 

 astonishing progress beyond such as are exposed 

 to a current of wind, especially if it come from 

 the north and northeast. 



For early swarming a southern exposure is 

 proferable. I had occasion last summer to 

 observe two stands, one of which had a southern 

 exposure without shelter from the rays of the 

 sun ; the other had an eastern exposure, and was 

 so placed that after twelve o'clock, noon, the sua 

 did not shine on any of the hives. The colonies 

 in the former gave two swarms each, before any 

 issued from those in the latter, though they were 

 equally populous. In changeable weather it is 

 highly important that after the young queen is 

 mature, the old queen should have an immediate 

 opportunity to depart with a swarm. She shoulii 

 be able to avail herself of the first hour of sun- 

 shine, to leave ; for if this be missed and cold or 

 cloudy weather follow, one of the queens— 

 usually the young one — will be killed, and all the 

 supernumerary queen cells destroyed. Then we 

 shall either have no swarm, or it will come two 

 weeks later. 



To promote early swarming, the material of 

 which the hive is made, should be readily per- 

 meable by solar heat. For this reason straw 

 is, and probably will ever be| the best material 

 that can be employed. 



A constant and regular supply of water, con- 

 veniently placed, is of great importance. As 

 soon as brooding commences bees need much 

 water, and they should be supplied with it in 

 shallow dishes or troughs set near the apiary, un- 



less that is situated near a spiing, brook, or 

 stream. I have known bee-kcipers to turn up 

 their straw hives when the weather grew warm 

 in the spring, and pour in a pint of pure water 

 between the combs, and this witli decidedly 

 favoralile results. Water also serves to dissolve 

 candied honey, and when thus supplied, enables 

 the bees to use such honey on days when they 

 could not leave the hive "without risk of beiiig 

 lost. 



These observations show why movable frame 

 hives are less conducive to swarming than straw 

 hives with fixed combs. In the first place, mov- 

 able frame hives are rarel}' so compactly filled 

 with combs, as the others, in which these are 

 more closely built; and secondlj', the solar 

 hea' does not penetrate them as readily, nor is it 

 retained as long, as in the case of straw hives. 



Those who use straw or box hives, and whose- 

 bees do not swarm before the 20th of June at 

 Infest should resort to driving or drumming out 

 a swarm. This operation cnn be performed in 

 thirty minutes, and obviates further delay. The 

 driven swarm is to be hived, and set in the place 

 of the parent stocJ<, which now, nearly deprived 

 of mature bees, but well supplied with honey and 

 brood in all stages, shcmld be set in the place of 

 some strong colony now removed to a new loca- 

 tion in the apiary. The latter, retaining its 

 queen, young bees, and brood, will in a few days 

 be as populous as ever ; and may then again be 

 used for a similar purpose — if the first driving 

 was not too long delayed. "We shall thus have 

 three colonies from two— an increase of fifty per 

 cent., with a certainty that all three will tlirive. 



Bees should have a liberal allowance of fr<sli 

 air during all extremely hot weather ; and if the 

 stocks are strong, the honey boards and the 

 blocks may be entirely removed. 



[For the American Bee Jourual.] 



Michigan Bee-keepers' Convention. 



The Michigan Bee-keepers' Association con- 

 vened at Lansing, March 23d; President Moon 

 in the Chair. 



Mr. Rood read a paper on spring and winter 

 management.* A paper from Dr. A. Y. Couk- 

 lin, on the same subject, contained essentially 

 the same recommendations. 



A paper from E. Gallup, Orchard, Iowa, on 

 bee maladies, suggested that foulbrood and 

 dysentery were only prod«cts of ignornnce and 

 carelessness. He thought proper feeding and 

 ventilation would remove these dreatlcd destroy- 

 ers. He had known nothing of them. 



Mr. Rood said it was evident friend Gallup 

 knew nothing of these diseases. He knew Ibul- 

 brood to be a terrible scourge, and believed it 

 contagious ; and that it occurred under the most 

 careful management. All afilicted colonies should 

 be Imried low and deep. 



The Italian bee was tlien considered in a paper 

 by J. M. Marvin, of St. Charles, Ills. He gave 

 the following points of superiority: 1st. Its ex- 

 cellent temper. 2d. Its beiuity, and the conse- 

 quent ease of defecting the queen. 3d. As quicker 

 and better workers. 4th. Greater hardiness. 5th. 



* Will bo inserted hereafter. 



