THE AMERICAN BEE-KEEPER. 



1907.] 



THE CONTROLLING OF 

 SWARMS. 



A SUBSCRIBER asks that I give, 

 in connection with the subject 

 of the economics of apiculture, 

 a description of the hive I used and my 

 method of controlHng swarming. 



Most of my hives are regulation 

 ten-frame dovetailed hives, with fiye- 

 and-one-half-inch depth supers which 

 latter take either boxes or extracting 

 frames as I choose. One apiary has 

 hives composed entirely of the afore- 

 mentioned supers using two or more 

 for a brood chamber, on the "divisible 

 brood chamber" plan. Bodies and 

 frames are bought from supply dealers, 

 but covers and bottoms are now made 

 by a local box factory. The bottoms 

 are regulation style. 



Newer covers are merely thin, cleated 

 boards, some are commercial "super 

 covers," over all telescope covers 

 made of paper, which are wind and 

 water proof, cheap, light and reason- 

 ably durable. Hives and supers, are 

 well nailed and painted, but I think I 

 shall oinit paint on supers as they are 

 never exposed to the weather. 



Frames are well nailed, the L frames 

 wired, and fence separators are clinch- 

 nailed, all of which permits ready 

 cleaning by immersion in boiling lye, 

 a labor-saving expedient of much val- 

 ue. All hives are on racks or stands 

 one foot above the ground. 



The points aimed at were best ma- 

 terial and work in vital points — i.e., 

 bodies, supers and insides, and low 

 cost on covers and bottoms where ex- 

 actness and fine stock are not so vital. 

 I realize that this latter statement is 

 not in harmony with current teaching, 

 but it fits my conditions. Covers and 

 bottoms are good, and used as I use 

 them, I consider it wiser to have them 

 made cheaply at a box factory rather 

 than buy the more expensive but no 

 more useful or durable ones from the 

 supply makers. I have all sorts of 

 covers and bottoms in use, but now have 

 settled on the simple ones described. 



My method of controlling swarming 

 is hard to define. First my strain of 

 bees are not prone to swarm, which 

 may account for my success in my 

 manipulations. All supers, comb or 

 extracting, are put on from one to 

 three weeks before the harvest begins, 

 and some sort of super is on all 

 through the season. Hereabouts we 



275 



may get a heavy flow at most any time 

 during the season and the policy of an 

 always present super saves many a 

 pound of honey. It is particularly ad- 

 vantageous in out apiaries which are 

 often seen only at long intervals. 

 Furthermore, colonies to which the 

 supers are given so far ahead of the 

 harvest are very much less inclined to 

 swarm than are colonies not so treated. 

 I cannot explain why, only I know 

 that with me it is a fact As it works 

 the same with hybrids as with Italians, 

 I surmise that there is some reason for 

 it. If when at an apiary I notice any 

 colonies preparing to swarm, I 

 "force" or "shake" them after well 

 known methods. 



All queens are clipped before they 

 are introduced and if a swarm issues 

 in my absence the queen is usually lost 

 in the grass and the bees returning, 

 settle down to business and accept one 

 of the young queens. Now and then a 

 swarm departs, but the loss does not 

 begin to equal the cost of preventing 

 it. It took me a long time to find that 

 out, but I am now convinced that such 

 is the case. 



Arthur C. Miller. 

 Providence, R. I., Nov. 11, 1907. 



MAYBE THIS MEANS YOU. 



This number closes the seventeenth 

 volume of The Bee-Keeper, and the 

 last month in which subscriptions are 

 offered at 25 cents a year in advance. 

 Arrearages must be paid at the regular 

 price, 50 cents per year, but during 

 December, when all arrearages are paid 

 up, we will accept 25 cents a year in 

 payment for future volumes. 



By the way, there is quite a large 

 number of subscribers who have al- 

 lowed their subscription accounts to 

 fall behind, and upon all such we urge 

 a prompt remittance to balance, and 

 respectfully solicit an additional enclos- 

 ure in advance payment for at least 

 one year at our special twenty-five cent 

 offer, which expires this month. 



The Irish Bee Journal says the 

 ravages of foul brood in that country 

 this year have been more widespread 

 than in any previous year within its 

 memory. The agricultural department 

 now contemplates taking steps to deal 

 compulsorily with the malady. 



