1907. AMERICAN BEE-KEEPER. 31 



ed to the utmost to find that the most to expect the houey-flow and you can 

 promising swarms did so little when manage your bees intelligently.'" 

 others of less strength accomplished This advice would be very good if 

 much more. How can this be explain- nature was not so full of freaks. In 

 vd, and what remedy have we at our one of my outyards, for example, 

 command to attain better and more ['usually get honey from clover about 

 uniform yields? June 10 to 15, and it lasts till July 



I account for the great difference 20 to 25. Last year I had given up 

 in yields in this way: all hopes of obtaining a crop when 



Our judgment is unreliable to be- finally honey began to flow in July, 

 gin with. We may think we have or nearly a month later than common, 

 two colonics precisely the same, when If I had understood to get my bees in- 

 in reality there is a wide difiference. to that best condition by June 10, 

 It is not the number of bees only they would, by July have been all out 

 which IS the decisive factor, but a of condition. The fact is, we cannot 

 great deal depends on the age of the depend on honey seasons. They vary. 

 bees and on the make-up of the col- There is as much variety in them as 

 ony, the proportionate number of there is m tl>e bees themselves, 

 young bees to that of old bees. In Our friend Doolittle might say. 

 this respect there may be a great dif- "Get my stock of bees, they breed 

 ference in different colonies which up just at the right time." Others 

 ate numerically the same. would say, "get our stock of long 



When the real honey season begins tongued bees, they will fill your hives 

 and a colony is composed of just with red clover honey," still others 

 the right proportion of young bees, we will make some other recommenda- 

 may see that colony make a record tions perhaps, -none will do us much 

 (speaking particularly of comb honey good, we have tried them. Still there 

 production). If the proportion of is the same lack of uniformity of 

 young bees is not right, the result yields. The nearest we have come to 

 will be poor. If our colony arrives overcoming this feature of bee-keep- 

 at that desirable point just exactly ing is by systematically practicing the 

 the day when honey begins to flow, shaking system of making swarms, 

 all is well; if a few days too soon Years ago, when that system wa - 

 there will be trouble, either swarm- still in its infancy or experimental 

 ing or loafing. Neither is conducive stage, we only treated our most n'l- 

 to gather a large crop of honey. It stinate colonies that way (and it al- 

 ls far better that a colony should be waj^s brought them to their senses), 

 a few days too late than too earl3\ hut each succeeding year more oolo- 

 This has been my experience. nies were thus managed, till nc^v we 



What can we do now to bring about practice this method all the way 

 uniform results? Have we any waj^ through with profit, 

 of telling just when a colony is in It must, however, not be lo-t sight 

 this best condition? Further, do we of that young queens are \ ( ry es- 

 know. when nur colonies should ar- sential to a good honey crop. Wheth- 

 rive at this point? Some one has er or not we ought to take a queen 

 said — yes it is very often said — "study through or into the secoiul winter, 

 your location, know when to expect I would not want to say. It involves 

 your harvest, know your honey pro- a great deal of labor to rt nt w queens 

 ducing flora, then you will know when every year; but if it pay-, then we 



