THE AMERICAN APICULTURIST. 



69 



10. Where but little increase in stock 

 is allowed I consider side boxing essen- 

 tial. It requires more experience to 

 allow stocks to become very populous 

 and use boxes with sides and top. 

 Swarming can be more easily controll- 

 ed when both side and top boxes are 



used. 



Mohawk, N. Y. 



be used. Much depends ou circum- 

 stances and strength of colony, taking 

 the season into consideration.' It would 

 take several pages to answer this ques- 

 tion minutely. The above questions 

 are better and more fully answered in 

 Alley's new book. 



Fayettetille, N. Y. 



ANSWERS BY GEO. W. HOUSE. 



1. By taking frames of brood and 

 bees from the old colonies, replacing 

 them with frames of foundation. (See 

 Alley's Handy Book.) 



2. We secure best results with a 

 rational increase, the percentage of 

 increase being governed by the season 

 and prospect for honey. 



3. Artiflcial. 



4. No apiarist, who wishes to realize 

 the best prices, and to secure his 

 surplus in the most desirable shape, 

 would do without them. They are 

 indispensable. Comparatively, the cost 

 is nothing. 



5. Two-pound sections should be 

 glassed, one-pound boxes should have 

 the combs protected by using the paper 

 box. (See page 117 " Alley's Handy 

 Book.") 



6. A section measuring 5^X5:^^X2, 

 because it is the most profitable and 

 suits the trade and the consumer best. 



7. Have not tested evaporation. Pre- 

 fer to extract when the bees commence 

 to seal the honey. 



8. Casks holding about IGO pounds 

 for wholesale trade, and one, two and 

 a half, five and ten pound pails for 

 home trade. 



9. Artiflcial pasturage will pay. Al- 

 syke clover is the most profitable. 

 Sweet clover comes next. 



10. The hives should be constructed 

 so as to admit of both side and top 

 storing, using top storing on some 

 colonics, while on others both should 



ANSWERS BY "LINDA FLORA." 



1. I prevent swarming by cutting 

 out queen-cells, or by taking away 

 brood or honey, and replacing with 

 empty combs or foundation. 



2. Swarming in this country is done 

 on a steajly, but not heavy, flow of 

 honey that commences in February, 

 and, with the exception of a greater or 

 less intermission in April, continues 

 until the last of May. By feeding to 

 " bridge over" tlie drought in April, a 

 large increase can be made during 

 these months, and every swarm adds 

 to the honey crop of the season, as 

 every one can be got into good shape 

 to take hold of the big flow that comes 

 in June, July and the first part of Au- 

 gust. Another advantage in allowing 

 a fair increase during the spring is 

 found in the fact that by the time the 

 apiarist has to commence extracting 

 in dead earnest, the swarming fever is 

 subdued and he can give all his time to 

 securing the honey until the last week 

 in July, when swarming season will 

 commence again if not prevented. 

 Swarming in July or August will seri- 

 ously interfere with the honey crop, 

 but as the flow ceases almost entirely 

 from the sixth to the twelfth of Au- 

 gust, cutting out queen-cells will usu- 

 ually hold them in subjection until that 

 time. The fall flow in this section 

 does not induce swarming, as I am 

 told that it does in some portions of 

 this state. 



3. If anxious for large increase, I 

 should take one or two frames of 

 brood and bees from each colony as 



