188 THE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEW 



BEGINNERS DEPARTMENT 



What To 'Do Each Month 



This Department will be a permanent feature for the year 1913. Whether 

 it is continued after that, or not, will depend upon how it is received by the 

 subscribers. This paper is being published for your interest, and it is our 

 desire to give you what you want. If this Department is not wanted it will 

 not be continued. 



MAY — Lower Arkansas Valley. 

 C. Stinson, Hor.Lv, Col. 



The work for ]May is similar to April. Watch liives with can- 

 died combs. Keep enough of the granulated combs uncapped to 

 have them used up by the time the honey flow commences. Sprinkle 

 the combs to dissolve the dry candied honey. There is apt to be 

 some pollen this month, but not enough honey, so that it will be 

 safe to open a hive when the bees are flying, on account of robbers. 



Unite the queenless colonies with weak queen colonies. Move 

 them gradually toward each other so as not to lose the bees by 

 returning to the old stand. Place the queen colony over the queen- 

 less one with a paper, containing a small hole between, or send south 

 for a queen, (iet the weak colonies along as fast as they will go 

 by feeding and protection. Do not take brood from the strong col- 

 onies at this time of the year. The more bees in a hive the better. 

 With plenty of room there is little danger of swarming when run- 

 ning for extracted honey. If there is plenty of room, most of the 

 swarms are on account of superseding. 



MAY — Northern States. 



Jesse H. Rop.erts, \\'atsek.\. III. 



The bees begin to work in earnest, and for the next two months 

 the bee-keeper must pay the strictest attention to them if he would 

 reap a good honey crop. The surplus boxes may be put on the 

 hives just as fast as the bees need the room, and after the ITith of 

 May all packing should be removed. Get hives ready for young 

 swarms. Patch all clean, emi)ty combs into frames. If you desire 

 increase more than honey, you should practice artificial swarming. 

 My wav is to remove the old swarm to a new stand that is ready to 



