Mav, 191'; 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



is all rislit; but the mistake should not be 

 made of buying too small a package. An 

 experienced man can take half a pound of 

 bees and build them up to a full-sized colo- 

 ny, the first season; but a beginner should 

 take nothing less than a full pound. If 

 drawn combs can be begged, bought, or 

 boiTowed, bees shipped in a combless pack- 

 age should be hived on such combs, and 

 not on foundation alone. A queen should 



Fig. 5. — Buying Lees by tlie pound is a g-ood 

 way to start, provided you don't get too small a 

 package. Cut the ■n-ire cloth from one side of tlie 

 cage and lay it flat on the frames. Put on an 

 empty super, then the cover, and let the bees work 

 their way down into the hive. 



always come with the bees. A pound of 

 bees needs about three combs, more being 

 added as they are needed. Two pounds of 

 bees should be liived on not less than four 

 combs to start with. 



(4.) Buying a nucleus — that is, a part 

 of a colony on combs — is a little less risky 

 for a beginner, altho such a nucleus costs 



Fig. 7. — If you buy a 

 swarm from some near-by 

 beekeeper, /lon't get a little 

 dinky one like this, with only 

 about a pint and a half of 

 bees. 



Fig. 6. — Buying a three-frame nucleus is a safe 

 way to start, altho rather expensive. 



365 



more, to be sure. 

 In buying bees 

 on combs it is 

 not safe to take 

 any man's word 

 for the condition 

 of the bees un- 

 less the man is 

 known to be re- 

 liable. In fact, 

 on account of 

 the danger o f 

 getting disease, 

 buying bees on 

 combs should be 

 avoided unless 

 the breeder has 

 a good reputa- 

 tion for honesty and square dealing. 



(5.) If expense is not an item to be con- 

 sidered, the easiest plan of all is to buy a 

 full colony from a reputable beekeeper. 



(6.) In the majority of instances, per- 

 iiaps the most satisfactory method of get- 

 ting a start is 

 to buy a swarm 

 — a good - sized 

 one — fi'om some 

 local beekeeper. 

 A r r a ngements 

 should be made 

 for the purchase 

 of it in advance, 

 the beekeeper to 

 give notice when 

 it issues. The 

 beekeeper should 

 hive it in a box, 

 then the begin- 

 ner can take it 

 home and dump 

 the bees before 

 the entrance of 

 the n e w hive 

 fi 1 1 e d wit h 

 frames contain- 

 ing full sheets 

 of foundation. 

 No bees work 

 with such energy 

 as do those of a 

 prime swarm ; 

 therefore the 

 method of buy- 

 ing a swarm is, 

 p e r h a p s, the 



most economical I'lir- ^- - Buyini; :i 



d, , • good-sized swaam from 



most satis- ^ near-by beekeeper is 



fact(»l-y wav of the best way of all to 



.. *' ' make a start. One is 



all. enough to begin with. 



