1894. 



THE . I MEEK '. I A /! EE- KEEPER. 



123 



ural way of increase, has been so from 

 the beginniug of time, and I never ex- 

 pect to see it overcome in my clay ; so, 

 after much thought and experiment 

 along the line of prevention, with but 

 little prospect of success, I turned 

 my labors to the other side of the 

 question, and set about devising a 

 course to pursue when swarming did 

 occur. 



But bearing in mind that it is honey 

 I am after, and not increase, of course 

 I employ all known rules which tend 

 to prevent — such as giving abundant 

 room in the sections, which should at 

 least be supplied with starters of 

 foundation, and at the commencement 

 of the season, if a sew sectious filled 

 with clean, empty comb can be placed 

 in the center of the crate or super, so 

 much the better ; this, with room for 

 the queen to lay in the brood-chamber, 

 ample entrance for ventilation, to- 

 gether with shade, etc. these, and per- 

 haps other minor details, may be of 

 some service in securing the end de- 

 sired. 



After observing all these precau- 

 sions, and perhaps getting the bees 

 nicely started at work in the sections, 

 how provoking to see them drop work 

 and send out a rousiug big swarm ! 

 It has been recommended under such 

 circumstances to open the hive, re- 

 move all queen-cells, and return the 

 swarm to the parent colony ; but after 

 thoroughly testing this plan, I find 

 that in very few cases does it amount 

 to anything so far as securing honey 

 is concerned, than to have allowed 

 the swarm to have gone to the woods, 

 and have done with it at once, provid- 

 ed the queen, should she be a valua- 

 ble one, could be saved, as it is usual- 



ly a question of from a few hours to 

 a few days when they will again pour 

 out, and while they do stay in they 

 only sulk and accomplish nothing, 

 and, if the above plan is repeated 

 several times, are almost sure to kill 

 the old queen, and again come out 

 with a young one ; and even if one 

 does succeed in getting them to re- 

 main at home, the colony usually does 

 but little work until a new force of 

 bees hatch and become old enough to 

 carry on the labors of the hive. By 

 this time the harvest is usually over, 

 the season drawing to a close , and but 

 little honey to reward the owner for 

 the promising outlook at the begin- 

 ning of the season. 



Now I want to say that the plan 

 which I am about to give is not pat- 

 ented, neither is it necessary to buy a 

 cent's worth of traps or fixin's to put it 

 into successful operation, provided of 

 course, you have an extra hive and a 

 few extra frames on hand. 



To begin with, then, let us suppose 

 that the reader has the bees in the 

 dove-tailed hive, or any other style 

 which is capable of being tiered up. 

 They are to be supplied with sectious 

 at the beginning of the honey-flow, or 

 sooner if they are strong enough to 

 occupy them. In case the colony 

 should, in due time, cast a swarm first, 

 secure the old queen, which can be ac- 

 complished either by having one wing 

 clipped so she cannot fly, or by using 

 a trap on the entrance to the hive. 

 Next, while the swarm is in the air, 

 remove the old brood-chambers, frame 

 and all, from the stand, and replace it 

 with another filled with empty combs, 

 full sheets of foundation, or starters, 

 as you choose, or whichever you are 



