92 



THE AMERICAN APICULTURIST. 



we shall have removed our bees 

 from the cellar. They will be 

 treated as advised in the question 

 and answer department. Early in 

 May, twenty-five of the strongest 

 colonies will be selected and used 

 for queen-rearing. We hope to be 

 able to ship queens by May 25. 



QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS. 



QUESTIONS BY OLD BEEKEEPEK. 



1. We will now suppose it is warm 

 enough to place the bees upon the sum- 

 mer stands, and that they have had a 

 good flight. What is the next step to be 

 taken to protect the bees against injury? 

 from cold and to induce brood-rearing? 



2. Do you contract the brood-cham- 

 ber by removing some of the combs and 

 closing in with a division-board? 



3. Do you contract the entrance? 

 How much? 



4. If you feed to stimulate, when do 

 you begin? Do you use syrup or can- 

 dy for food? 



5. Do you let the bees have flour to 

 work in when first placeli on the stands ? 



[The object of the above questions 

 is to learn just how to treat bees 

 during the month of April, in order to 

 get them in the best possible condition 

 for the coming season.] 



ANSWERS BY A. E. MANUM. 



1. Remove all dead bees and surplus 

 combs that the hive may be clean and the 

 brood space contracted in proportion to 

 the size of the colony, as warmth and 

 cleanliness are both essential in early 

 spring; also see that the bees have plenty 

 of stores and a good queen, then leave 

 thnn undisturbed for a while. 



2. Yes, most certainly. 



3. Yes, according to the strength of the 

 colony, from gXi to 1X2 in. (in summer 

 my entrance is i^X 14 inches). 



4. I do not feed for stimulating further 

 than to uncap the honey nearest to the 

 brood. But were I to feed for that pur- 

 pose, I would most assuredly feed honey 

 if I had it, because bees can rear brood 

 so much faster on it than with sugar, and 

 besides the brood is more healthy and 

 hardy. 



5. No; it is not necessary here nor 

 would I advise feeding flour in any local- 

 ity. Keep the hcps quiet in spring. 

 Nature will provide pollen when needed. 



[In a private note Mr. Manum says : 

 " At the present writing my 726 colonies 

 are all alive. I winter in chaff hives." 

 We think the record is a hard one to beat. 

 —Ed.] 



ANSWERS BY G. H. MARTIN. 



1 . If the bees are wintered in a cellar 

 or special beehouse, keep them in until 

 settled weather, or until soft maple and 

 willows bloom. If the bees have wintered 

 well, there is a good force to start business 

 with. There is but little necessity to over- 

 haul the frames only to see that they have 

 plenty of honey and are tucked up warm. 



2. If the swarm has lost a considerable 

 amount of bees, contract the brood cham- 

 ber. 



3. Leave room for only a few bees. 

 Depends upon the size of the swarm. A 

 weak swarm needs but space for one or 

 two bees to pass. 



4. Feed only where the bees are short 

 of stores. I use candy made of pulverized 

 sugar and honey. 



5. If bees are set from a cellar at the 

 proper time, they will get pollen from nat- 

 ural sources. Bees wintered in chaff hives 

 could profitably be fed flour to advantage, 

 if the weather allowed it. Water can also 

 be given to bees in early spring to keep 

 them in the hive contentedly during in- 

 clement weather. 



ANSWERS BY DR. G. L. TINKER. 



1. The next step is to see that they 

 have plenty of stores for brood rearing. 

 If the stock of food on hand is small, in- 

 stinct teaches them, when no honey is com- 

 ing in, that the danger of starvation is 

 too great to warrant the rearing of much 

 brood. 



2. If the colony has been well, win- 

 tered, and there is a fair colony of healthy 

 bees, it is not at all necessary to contract 

 the brood chamber. If the bees are few 

 in number or diseased, then contract, pre- 

 vent all upward escape of heat, and be 

 sure to carry the colony every cool night 

 into a warm, dark room, and keep them 

 there when the weather is too windy or 

 too cool for safe flight. 



3. It is best to contract the entrance of 

 all colonies to three or five inches accord- 

 ing to strength. 



4. Bees having plenty of stores do not 

 need stimulating. We prefer to feed, when 

 necessary, sealed honey. If we have noth- 

 ing else we would feed candy when it is 

 too cool for the bees to fly, and warm sy- 

 rup at other times. 



5. If no natural pollen is to be had, 

 and the weather is suitable for bees to 

 work, then flour should be placed in tin 



