Jui-v, 19 17 



G I^ K A N I NMl S T N B K 1'^, CUT. T U K 10 



529 



FROM THE FIELD OF EXPERIENCE 



its minimum. One sueli season occiiis about 

 once in every five or six years. 



In the second type, wliitli is by far tJis 

 most frequent, the nectar flow is sk)\v, often 

 scanty and interrupted, and there is a 

 consequent tendency on the part of tlie 

 Ikm's for abnormal brood-i'earing'. lender 

 such circumstances the volume of emerging 

 l)rood is usually in excess of its equivalent 

 ill lioney-laden storage-comb already occu- 

 pied by the bees. Such a state of affairs 

 almost invariably results in swarming with- 

 out regard to the surplus room that may be 

 given. To meet this situation it is well to 

 proxdde by artificial means the element 

 lacking which is disturbing* the equilibrium 

 of the colony. The steadily increasing 

 stream of bees must be kejjt spreading in- 

 side, not outside. 



After having' resorted to the usual means 

 of preventing swarms, and finding' that 

 certain colonies are inclined to loaf at 

 the entrances when others are making somjs 

 show of work, I have tried the following: 

 From the honey-house I get a small pail 

 of thick extracted honey and a large strong 

 kitchen spooii. Thus eqnijjped I visit eacli 

 colony that shows the least sign of loafing 

 and allow a quantity of the honey to 

 trickle down from the spoon over each 

 bunch of loafers. The amount varies with 

 the size of the cluster — a whole spoonful for 

 a large-sized bunch. Should some of the 

 honey fall or run on the path of the few 

 workers that are still plying' between the 

 hive and field no harm results, as these will 

 also become daubed and add to the general 

 stir that soon follows. 



Tlie behavior of colonie.s varies under this 

 treatment according' to their individual 

 characteristics. With some the effect is al- 

 most instantaneous. The bees at once get 

 to work and the swarm is practically ean- 

 oeled with the first application. In the 

 case of others, the loafeis are stubborn and 

 it may be necessary to repeat the treatmiMit 

 in a few hours, with possibly a thii'd ai)])li- 

 cation befoi'e signs of swarming disai)pear. 

 As a rale, colonies that are j^rompt to empty 

 a feeder are more susceptible than tho:-^e 

 that show the opposite trait. Partly filled 

 SL'ctions oi- pieces of combs containing honey 

 or burr combs may be used, but tliey must 

 be unca])ped or put in a leaking condition 

 to accomplish the desired I'estdt. 



This manipulation should not be attempt- 

 ed exce])t at the beginning or during' the 

 heiglit of the harve.st, never as the hai'vest 

 is waning', nor immediately after a shower. 



Beginners shonld not ti'y tlie ]ilan at all 

 until they are tlioroly familiar witli con- 

 ditions that prompt robbing. Colonies 

 having valuable queens should be 'safe- 

 guarded, otherAvise the f|ueens may be lost, 

 as colonies so treated are somewhat apt to 

 su])eisede queens. 



Aiken, Md. J. Foi;i) SiaiPKiis. 



Degenerating Apiaries 



A Florida beeman, in a letter just re- 

 ceived, says that he has sold his apiary, 

 situated on the St. Johns River, north of 

 here. He asserts that his reasons for sell- 

 ing' were two — first, that tlie price received 

 was good, and the hives were all getting 

 bad ! 



The latter point makes me want to say 

 something that, has been in my system for 

 a long time past. I refer to the jumble and 

 junk condition into which many an apiary 

 is allowed to degenerate. 



Not long ago I bought two dozen colonies 

 from a neighbor, about 40 miles away from 

 my home yard. This beekeeper took 

 G-LEANiNGS, and had a copy of A B C — 

 in short, was supposed to be up to date. 



Imagine, if you can, my surprise, my con- 

 sternation, when on opening the hives I 

 found that the frames were not all of one 

 pattern. Some were self-spacing, some not, 

 and in the same hive at that. Some had 

 wide top-bars, some narrow; some combs 

 were attached to two or even three frames 

 at one time; some top-bars- were so sagged 

 in the middle that they allowed a two-inch 

 space between tlie top-bar and frames above 

 them. Some of the hives had flat bottoms 

 and tops, where two stories joined; some 

 had the old-fashioned beveled bottoms and 

 tops; and, worst of all, some of the beveled 

 hives wei'e set on tlie fiat-top hives. Can 

 you imagine any worse mess? 



I said then, and I still feel, (hat an eiiiial 

 number of box hives would be no harder 

 proposition. It is sheer carelessness or 

 neglect, or both, to let a yard get into such 

 a condition. A little falling behind now, 

 a little the next time you look ovei' the bees, 

 and, presto! before you are awai'e you have 

 to realize that your yard is a back number. 



A similar letter from another beeman 

 states the matter tlius: " I have only six 

 crluiiics, but nil ;m(' in old-fashioned box 

 hives. If you will write me, advising me 

 the best method of keeping these bees, I 

 shall be grateful to you," Needless to say, 



