THE AMERICAN APICULTURIST. 



bees are in good condition when 

 taken from winter quarters we haA'e 

 great gains by it. The first point 

 I shall urge is to wait until a pi'oper 

 time in spring before commencing 

 operations. 



I am not opposed to every inves- 

 tigation in the direction of every 

 method which may throw light upon 

 the use of artificial heat, and of 

 feeding to increase early breeding ; 

 on the contrary, I urge this, but I 

 do say, that all my past experience 

 has been against the advice of so 

 many, to handle and stimulate bees 

 during March and April, in this 

 climate. If bees can be kept 

 breeding reasonably during this 

 time, by being well supplied with 

 good stores, the season previous, 

 it may be well ; but in my experi- 

 ence the rule is, that during this 

 early cold period, every possible 

 means should be resorted to, to 

 prevent the bees from flying. 



If they are doing well in winter 

 quarters, leave them there undis- 

 turbed until the first of May in 

 this cold climate. 



For any location, let the time be 

 indicated by the blossoming of soft 

 maple or some tree or plant which 

 is an indication that favorable 

 weather may be expected. 



At this time every effort should 

 be made to crowd brood-rearing to 

 its utmost extent. Be sure each 

 stock has a good prolific queen. 

 Economize space in brood-chamber 

 to correspond with size of stock. 

 Contract the entrance and in every 

 way prevent the escape of heat. 

 Enamelled cloth, cut the proper 

 size to fit closely over the top of the 



frames, is extremely desirable at 

 this season. 



Be sure that each stock has a 

 good supply of honej' at all times. 

 If all the requirements are right, 

 bees should be handled but little at 

 this season. In fact, if the weather 

 is unfavorable, every precaution 

 should be taken to avoid disturbing 

 them. 



As the season advances and the 

 number of bees increases, they may 

 be handled and combs spread, etc., 

 as necessity raaj' require. 



All who have had experience are 

 aware of the rapidity with which 

 stocks, under proper conditions, 

 will increase in numbers, during the 

 last part of May and June. 



About the time when bees natu- 

 rally begin to swarm, we reach an 

 emergency which should be prompt- 

 ly met. 



We have taught during the past 

 that, when a stock was sufficiently 

 populous to swarm, the queen 

 would discontinue her laying and 

 become reduced in size, in order 

 to be able to fly with the swarm, 

 and that the development of eggs 

 was discontinued for this purpose. 

 This is, in some cases at least, an 

 incorrect theory. 



I find that where the combs are 

 spread from time to time in a 

 strong stock, and the queen is 

 afforded an opportunity to deposit 

 eggs to her full capacity, that she 

 exhausts her ability to continue 

 depositing eggs freely, and comes 

 to a point where she must have a 

 period of rest. Thus it will be 

 seen that at this time she has 

 naturally come to a condition, by 



