THE AMERICAN APICULTURIST. 



— evenin jMicliiiiaii — or other states 

 where the droitulit prevailed to such 

 an alarmiiiji" extent. 

 Madison, Neb. 



For the American Apiculturiat. 



PREVENTION OF IN- 

 CREASE. 

 (numbkr one.) 



E. A. MoKGAN. 



Prevention of increase of colo- 

 nies of bees, does not mean to pre- 

 vent the increase of bees by any 

 means, as this would be exactly O))- 

 posite what we do to gain the best 

 results, for no beeniaster ever had 

 too many liees in a hive. 



Its object is to prevent swarm- 

 ing in a measure, but more espe- 

 cial I3' increase in numbers of his 

 colonies, which is always done at 

 a loss of surplus honey and ex- 

 pense of new hives, combs and re- 

 ducing the season's profit. My 

 plan is no theory, but the result of 

 five years' experience with one 

 hundred colonies of bees. 



It is as follows : As the prepa- 

 ration begins when bees are set 

 out, I will begin with Ai)ril 1. In 

 the first place I will say I use the 

 L. hive 16^- inches wide, allowing 

 IJ- inches from centre to centre of 

 combs ; brood-frames 9 inches 

 deep, thus it will be seen that I 

 have a broad, shallow hive which I 

 find the best, all things considered, 

 for profitable beekeeping, and as I 

 am a specialist at beekeeping, have 

 been obliged to make it i)ay. I 

 strive to keep queens that will fill 

 ten'combs with i)r<)od ; this hive will 

 certainl}- give room for the most 

 prolific queens which, if crowded in 

 a small hive are too willing to 

 swarm out. Then again, if we con- 

 tract too much, we shall crowd pol- 



len into the sections. This size of 

 hive obviated these troubles. 



My belief is that the bees con- 

 trol swarming and that the queen 

 is always ojjposed to swarming. 



It is, therelbi'e, the bees we nmst 

 please. Knowing just what they 

 require we may proceed to manip- 

 ulate them to the best possible ad- 

 vantage. 



First, then, in early spring, when 

 set out, allow one day's flight for 

 them to mark their location, then 

 examine every colony, taking away 

 all combs not densely covered with 

 bees ; then crowd with division- 

 board, being sure they have abun- 

 dant stores ; cover up warm above 

 and pack warm at sides of hives to 

 hold the heat of cluster and hasten 

 brood-rearing ; leave entirely alone 

 twenty-one days when young bees 

 will begin to hatch; then examine 

 once a week, adding the combs as 

 fast as young bees emerge to cover 

 them. 



The combs should be added to 

 outside of brood-nest, one at a 

 time, as warm weather advances, 

 until all are in. Young bees will 

 now hatch as fast as the queen can 

 fill the empty cells with eggs, the 

 swarm is now a rousing one and the 

 hive packed fullof bees, brood in all 

 stages, and honey (the old stores) 

 mostly consumed. 



It is now June 1 ; clover begins 

 to yield and we see the combs be- 

 gin to whiten. This is the proper 

 time to place on a super filled with 

 sections, having starters in them 

 which will be taken possession of 

 immediately, and honey will be 

 stored rapidly, and if left in this 

 condition swarming would be the 

 result. We watch the super, how- 

 ever, and before it is quite full we. 

 raise it up and place an empty one 

 under it, always adding extra room 

 beforequite needed, and if the hive 

 is standing in the sun a shade- 

 board is placed upon it. Managed 

 in this way throughout the season 



