JANfABY, 1922 



6LEAKlKttS IN Bki. CULTURE 



99 



c 



TALKS TO 



Geo. S 



EACH year a 

 new lot of 

 b ^ i 11 n e rs 

 enter the ranks 

 o f beekeepers, 

 and are con- 

 fronted for the 

 first time with 

 the many prob- 

 lems which have 



troubled beginners in beekeeping ever since 

 the first beginner became enraptured with 

 the wonders of the bee colony. In order 

 better to supply the needs 'of this eager, 

 questioning throng, clamoring for informa- 

 tion, this department is begun in January 

 this year, instead of in February as here- 

 tofore. 



There are so many things which the be- 

 ginner should be told during the next six 

 months and so little space available in which 

 to tell them, that in many cases it will be 

 necessary to refer the reader to certain 

 books and bulletins, which should be read 

 carefully, thus leaving the available space 

 in this department for the discussion of a 

 few of the more outstanding essentials of 

 management as the season advances. 

 Books and Bulletins. 

 Every beginner should provide himself 

 with at least one of the standard books on 

 beekeeping, but several will be better. He 

 should also secure all of the available bulle- 

 tins on beekeeping, published by the United 

 States Department of Agriculture as well as 

 those published by the state. The books 

 can be had from dealers in beekeepers' sup- 

 plies. The bulletins published by the Fed- 

 eral Government, that are still available for 

 free distribution, can be obtained by writ- 

 ing to the Bureau of Entomology, Washing- 

 ton, D. C. Information concerning certain 

 bulletins, which are no longer available for 

 free distribution but which are for sale by 

 the Superintendent of Documents, can also 

 be obtained from the Bureau of Entomology. 

 State bulletins can usually be obtained by 

 writing to the State College of Agriculture. 

 Evpn the catalogs, put out by dealers in 

 beekeepers' supplies, contain much infor- 

 mation of value to beginners since they il- 

 lustrate and describe the apparatus used by 

 beekeepers. Moreover, the catalogs enable 

 the beginner to become acquainted with many 

 beekeeping terms, thus making it much 

 easier to understand the beekeeping litera- 

 ture. The best thing a beginner who ex- 

 pects to follow the department thru the 

 season can do now is to read carefully the 

 books and bulletins on beekeeping subjects 

 in order that he may better follow the les- 

 sons that will be given here each month. 



The Theory and Practice of Beekeeping. 



It is the purpose of this dejiartment to 

 connect up, as far as possible, the literature 

 with the practice of beekeeping. As the 

 season advances, I hope in tliis department 



BEGINNERS 



Demuth 



1 



W=^^^^^^=^ 



to ji o i n t out 

 brielly tlio most 

 inii)ort;uit things 

 that need to be 

 done with the 

 bees to secure 

 the best results 

 in honey, and 

 to tell how to do 

 them, discussing 

 each in advance, so that the reader will 

 have time to read up on each topic in the 

 books and bulletins at the proper time as 

 the season advances. 



Most of the books on beekeeping are ar- 

 ranged to tell a continuous story from be- 

 ginning to end and should be read thru from 

 the beginning. Some books are arranged in 

 parts which are more or less complete, so 

 that consecutive reading is not necessary. 

 The ABC and X Y Z of Bee Culture is ar- 

 ranged like an encyclopedia and should not 

 be read consecutively, but should be used as 

 a reference book since each topic is dis- 

 cussed in alphabetical order. 



Obtaining the First Colony. 

 Some of the 1922 class of beginners al- 

 ready have their start in bees. Some, no 

 doubt, have become the owners of one or 

 more colonies by hiving stray swarms or by 

 cutting bee-trees. Others have deliberately 

 taken up beekeeping by purchasing estab- 

 lished colonies of bees at the close of the 

 season. Probably most of this year's be- 

 ginners have not yet secured their bees and 

 are wondering just what is the best way to 

 do this. 



Purchasing Full Colonies in Winter. 

 For those who wish to obtain bees now, 

 about the only way to do it is to purchase 

 full colonies from some beekeeper in the 

 neighborhood. There is no need to be in a 

 hurry about this, especially in the North, 

 and it is usually better for beginners to wait 

 until the bees begin to fly freely in the 

 spring before purchasing any colonies. 



Bees can be hauled home, however, in the 

 middle of winter if necessarj-, without 

 harming them, especially if they are trans-, 

 ported in a sleigh or an automobile, in or- 

 der that they shall not be so greatly dis- 

 turbed by the jolting of the hive. The en- 

 trance should be closed with a piece of wire 

 cloth, so no bees can get out of the hive, 

 and the hive parts (bottom, cover and body) 

 should be cleated together by nailing on 

 three or four pieces of lath to prevent the 

 hive coming apart in transit. The screen 

 should be removed when the hive of bees is 

 finally located where it is to stay. If the 

 weather is cold, the bees will leave the 

 screen soon after the disturbance of moving 

 is over, so that none will come out when 

 the screen is taken off. 

 Be Sure That the Bees Have Enough Honey. 

 For those who already have their bees the 

 most important thing, if not already done, 

 (Continued on page 43.) 



