342 THE BEE-KEEPERS* REVIEW 



GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE 



Management of Three Thousand Colonies Bees in 



Fifty Yards 



By J. J. WILDER, Gordale, Ga. 



From One Box-Hive to One Hnndred Colonies in Modern Hives in 



One Yard. 



' •Jl' T was about sixteen years ago that I began bee-keeping in 

 Jl "dead earnest," with a "will"' to do the work that must be 

 done to succeed. With high ideas and a good "grip" on 

 the future, like the wearied thirsty ox under the heav}^ yoke longs 

 for the water in the brook, when he reaches it, checks his thirst — ■ 

 like him did I earnestly long for and seek after, information along 

 the line of bee-keeping, to fill my storehouse with knowledge. At 

 this period in my bee-keeping career, business, ambition, or inspira- 

 tion, perhaps, never reached a higher point in the life of any one. 



Back of this was a chain of years when my bee-keeping life 

 was similar to that of the ordinary bee-keeper of this location at 

 that time. Modern hives of convenience were not known to me. 

 An improvement was made on the ordinary hive then in use, using 

 crude frames in both the bottom story and the super, which could 

 be removed by a certain amount of effort. This feature was not 

 used much, except with the supers. When they were filled the 

 frames were pried or lifted out and the honey removed. This honey 

 was not always built straight in the frames and was cut out and 

 sold for "chunk" comb honey. 



It was into these hives that I now transferred my 14 colonies, 

 for the one first given me had increased to 14. As my bees 

 increased so did my interest in them. At this point I secured a 

 more suitable location for them and moved them. The next spring 

 all new swarms were hived in the new hive of my own invention, 

 which was much more satisfactory. This was m}' first great step 

 taken in bee-culture. 



I now bought the city lot the bees were located on and built a 

 work shop (which also answered for a honey house) in which I 

 cut out and made my hives. This was done at odd times, mostly 

 at night. At this time I had 37 colonies and made it a practice to 

 spend one hour each day among them, the noon hour during swarm- 

 ing time. Those swarming during my absence were hived by a 

 neighbor. Thus I continued on for two more seasons, during Avhich 

 time I increased to 73 colonies. I now learned that dovetailed 

 movable comb hives were being: made and used in the north. This 



