208 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



Apr. 1 



viding the shaking has been properly prac- 

 ticed. 



The ABC and X Y Z (a very good au- 

 thority) tells us that between nine and ten 

 days from the time when the egg was laid 

 one may find the bees sealing up some of 

 the larvae. I have repeatedly found many 

 larvae sealed up in eight days from the time 

 a colony was shaken on to empty combs, or 

 twenty- four hours ahead of time. This does 

 not look much like "sulking." But if you 

 shake a full colony on to foundation they 

 are very likely to sulk; or if you shake a col- 

 ony having an old or otherwise worthless 

 queen you my expect poor results. 



It is certainly some work to transfer su- 

 pers from one hive-body to another once a 

 week with a switch-board, and it is certain- 

 ly some work to look over a yard once in 

 seven or eight days to find those colonies 

 preparing to swarm, and control them, with- 

 out a switch-board. But in looking them 

 over we have only to operate on those pre- 

 paring to swarm, and on the whole it seems 

 to me we can go through a yard about as 

 quickly as though we had switch-boards to 

 every hive. Certainly the no-switch-board 

 plan would make no more work during the 

 season. 



If we find a colony preparing to swarm, if 

 strong and with a good queen we have only 

 to remove the brood- combs. Give them 

 others without brood, and shake all mature 

 bees, queen and all, in front. These brood- 

 combs can be given to those weaker colonies 

 that the Hand system would unite with 

 others, and soon they are sufficiently popu- 

 lous to store in supers. If I find a colony 

 with an old or defective queen I have only 

 to pick her out and destroy all queen-cells 

 at the time, and also eight days later. In 

 another week I give a virgin queen and the 

 swarming is over. 



Thus I find I can build up my colonies 

 strong in the early spring before the har- 

 vest. I can give them a super of combs to 

 keep them from contracting the swarming 

 fever, and also lift the covers during the 

 hottest weather. I can also checkmate any 

 colony preparing to swarm by removing 

 queens or brood; and all colonies that do 

 not care to swarm can work through the 

 harvest with all the hatching bees to help 

 fill the sections, and all without the bother 

 or expense of a switch-board. 



By these methods last season our increase 

 was only about thirty per cent — hardly as 

 much as we would have liked. We certain- 

 ly did not have as many supers to handle 

 as we should have had with switch-boards, 

 and, as I think it over now, no more work, 

 if as much, as though we had used the latest 

 and most scientific and approved method of 

 "swartn control" advocated by Mr. Hand. 

 I shall not, therefore, weep over my mis- 

 fortune in not having hives adapted to the 

 "Hand method of swarm control." 



Middlebury, Vt. 



[Much if not all of what our correspond- 

 ent says is true. It might be well to make 

 a comparative test, and report results. We 



will pay well for two or three articles, after 

 such a test, detailing results. Referring to 

 the tiering-up plan for swarm control, de- 

 scribed by us some years ago, we may say 

 we still believe in the plan for either the 

 production of comb or extracted honey. It 

 requires no change in hives, supers, or ap- 

 pliances, and it certainly does get the hon- 

 ey.— Ed.] 



FOUL-BROOD ACT FOR BRITISH COLUMBIA 



BY F. DUNDAS TODD. 



The Province of British Columbia, Can- 

 ada, fell into line with other progressive re- 

 gions when the legislature this spring pass- 

 ed a very stringent foul-brood act. The 

 Department of Agriculture turned its at- 

 attention for the first time in its history to 

 apiculture a year ago, starting out with a 

 systematic enquiry as to the status of the 

 industry. A full report forms the introduc- 

 tory chapter of a "Guide to Bee-keeping in 

 the Provinces," recently issued as Bulletin 

 No. 30 by the Department. 



A question in the circular sent out result- 

 ed in the locating of one case of foul brood 

 in the eastern half of the Province, the dis- 

 eased colonies having been brought in by a 

 settler from Ontario. As a radical measure 

 the infected hives were destroyed. 



Though all other reports were favorable, 

 the Department felt it was wisdom to pre- 

 vent rather than to cure, so it introduced 

 and got passed a very drastic measure, 

 which is modeled on that of Ontario, but, 

 in addition, gives power to quarantine at 

 the point of entry for nine months all bees 

 that arrive on combs or with honey stores: 

 also to destroy all used bee-appliances 

 brought into the Province if they are sus- 

 pected of conveying the germs of disease. 



It is probable two inspectors will be ap- 

 pointed, one for the dry region, the other 

 for the coast. 



Victoria, British Columbia. 



What would be the Advantage of Non-swarminj 

 Bees ? 



I notice in the article by Harry Lathrop. page 99, 

 Feb. 15. he speaks of the advantages of bees not 

 swarming. As I am something of a novice in the 

 bee business I can not" see the point. My bees are 

 all in eight-frame Langstroth hives. I had 30 last 

 May. They increased to 70 strong colonies, and 

 produced 2700 lbs. of comb honey. How could I 

 have done better had they not swarmed? 



Kingston, Mich., Feb. 25. J. W. ROSSMAN. 



[We are not sure that a beginner can make in- 

 crease in any better way than by allowing natural 

 swarms, provided he has his queens clipped so that 

 there will be no danger of losing such swarms. 

 Your record of practically 40 lbs. of comb honey is 

 good considering the increase that you made — from 

 30 to 70 colonies. In spite of all that has been writ- 

 ten In regard to the prevention of swarming, this 

 fact remains true, that no colony ever works bet- 

 ter than a newly hived swarm. 



On the other hand, leaving out the question of 

 increase there is no question but that more honey 

 can be produced if the bees can be kept contented- 

 ly at work without spending their time In prepar- 

 ing to swarm, etc. In out-apiaries especially, the 

 question of swarming is a very grave one.— Ed.] 



