THE AMERICAN APICULTURIST. 



135 



when the bees were removed from 

 the beehouse. The hives were 

 cleared (as much as possible with- 

 out removing the combs) of dead 

 bees ; the honey boards with which 

 the hives were covered during winter 

 were removed and replaced with 

 mats on the top of which chaff cush- 

 ions were placed. 



We kept our colonies well packed 

 that they might be snug and warm 

 even during the sudden changes 

 in temperature and we make it a 

 rule never to remove such packing 

 until warm weather has "come to 

 stay." 



As soon as the bees could be han- 

 dled safely the colonies were exam- 

 ined and all combs outside the 

 cluster were removed. This is an 

 excellent practice, as by reducing the 

 capacity of the brood chamber to the 

 size of the cluster we enable the bees 

 to maintain sufficient heat to carry on 

 brood-rearing much more rapidly 

 than when they are surrounded by a 

 cold vacant space. 



At the time of setting out the bees, 

 the entrances to the hives were all 

 contracted to about one inch and it 

 is wonderful to see what a help this is 

 to the bees in keeping the hive warm. 



In a few days after being removed 

 from the bee-house the bees were 

 busily engaged in carrying in the ar- 

 tificial pollen (wheat flour) which we 

 provided for them placing it near by 

 in the apiary. 



Brood-rearing soon commenced 

 and in about four weeks the colonies 

 began to show marked signs of in- 

 crease. 



Soon we found it necessary to add 

 empty combs wherein the queens 

 might deposit eggs. While in the 

 hands of the expert this is a safe and 

 sure method of building up the colo- 

 nies rapidly, yet it must be conducted 

 with caution else during a warm spell 

 tlie queens may utilize more combs 

 than the bees can cluster and thus 

 neglect thf brood in the outside 

 combs which in such case must per- 



ish. Never spread brood faster than 

 it can be covered and well protected 

 by the bees even during the cool 

 nights. During the last few days in 

 April the weather was favorable for 

 honey gathering and a few pounds 

 were stored by each colony from the 

 soft maple bloom. 



Our colonies have been so well 

 protected that they were not troubled 

 with spring dwindling and soon they 

 became so strong in numbers as to 

 be in fine condition for queen-rear- 

 ing. 



It is poor policy both for the ' 

 breeder and for the honey producer 

 to attempt to rear queens with any 

 but the most populous colonies if 

 they want first-class queens. 



At this date we have between 300 

 and 400 queen cells in all stages of 

 construction and quite a large num- 

 ber of queens ready for fertilization. 



Our queen-rearing is conducted by 

 the methods given in the Beekeepers' 

 Handy Book; and, indeed, after hav- 

 ing practised all the various methods, 

 we would as soon think of going back 

 to the old box-hive system of keeping 

 bees as to practise the old unsatisfac- 

 tory and uncertain methods of rear- 

 ing queen bees. 



It is a pleasure to examine the nice 

 evenly built and conveniently spaced 

 rows of cells found in the queen-rear- 

 ing colonies now under Mr. Alley's 

 supervision. It is indeed a most in- 

 teresting sight and one that we would 

 be pleased to share with our beekeep- 

 ing friends to whom we extend a 

 most cordial invitation to visit us. 

 We shall endeavor to impart to all 

 our visitors all the information pos- 

 sible regarding queen-rearing and the 

 general management of the apiary as 

 conducted at our "bee farm." At 

 present we have four races of bees 

 from which we are propagating 

 queens, prominent among which are 

 the orange-yellow Italians. We confix 

 dently assert that we never saw or 

 possessed a more beautiful or hardy 

 strain of pure Italian bees. 



