102 SOUTHERN BEE CULTURE 



rool, a colony can be formed in the same way over a strong colony with wire 

 cloth between them, so that they can get the benefit of the heat of the 

 -•',iony below. In five or six days it can be removed and set on its desired 

 stand, and a small entrance made for only one bee to pass at a time. 



Queens will be accepted better when there is a honey-flow on than when 

 there is a honey-dearth ; and during summer and autumn is perhaps the best 

 time to requeen. 



Caged queens sho.uI<^ never be allowed to remain in a cool piace, for 

 they are likely to be- chilled and injured; and they should remain in a cage 

 but a short time before being introduced. 



OLD-FASHIONED BEE-KEEPING. 



There are thousands of bee-keepers who keep their bees in box hives 

 and log gums just as bees were kept many years ago, and they will never put 

 a swarm of bees in a modern or up-to-date hive, but continue on the old- 

 fashioned way of keeping bees. 



There is not much culture we can give bees in such hives ; but they can re- 

 ceive much more than they usually do, and should be examined a few times 

 during the year to see that they have plenty of stores and the proper room to 

 store honey in. In the fall of the year the light hives should be fed by remov- 

 ing the tops and setting small pans, 11/2 or 2 inches deep, in on the comb in the 

 top of the hives ; then fill them with straw or hay, and fill them with feed (see 

 "Feeding Bees''), until they have been fed enough. The lops must fit down 

 well on the hives or the robbers will get in and eat up the feed. In early 

 spring they should be closely examined again ; and if they need feeding, feed 

 them again. Then just before the first heavy honey-flow clean out the tops 

 of the hives, removing all the comb down eight or ten inches below the 

 tops, so that the bees will build new comb to store their honey in. If there 

 is any honey in this old dark removed comb, stretch a burlap sack over a 

 tub and bind it well with a strong cord or small rope so it will not sag 

 down much, and then pour the honey on it ; then work it up thoroughly 

 with your hands, mashing up all chunks of comb well and let it stand and 

 drip for twelve or fifteen hours; then the comb and honey will be separated, 

 and you can render the comb into wax, and the strained honey can be put in 

 the feeder and fed back to the bees as you would feed, filling the pans well 

 with straw to keep the bees from drowning in the strained honey. The 

 bees will carry the honey down and store it in the old comb around the 

 brood-nest ; and as soon as new honey comes in they will start comb-building 

 in the top, and store their new honey there. Of course, the most of this 

 honey should be ted to the lighter colonies. As soon as the first honey-flow is 

 over; 'rob the bees and you will have all nice new honey in white comb. Then 

 io ot remove it and put it in lard-cans or large vessels to carry it to market 



