358 



AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



June 8, 1899. 



Hives, sections, and cases are of most interest to the 

 dealers I think, unless it is to the beginners, for it is worth 

 while to start with the best, as hives and tixtures last many 

 years. They may not affect the quantity of the honey pro- 

 duced, but they may affect the looks of the honey, and also 

 the comfort in handling. 



Having thus briefly disposed of a part of the subject, 

 we have spring management and swarming to consider 

 more fully. Supposing our bees to have been well win- 

 tered, and on the summer stands, the hives neatly ar- 

 ranged in rows, they should be inspected on the first day in 

 spring warm enough for the bees to fly, or better, after 

 they have had a good flight. The handling must be done 

 quickly, as the bees having nothing to work upon now, 

 may start to robbing, or if they are much disturbed they 

 may ball their queen, and unless the daj' is quite warm the 

 brood might become chilled. Usually it is only necessarj- 

 to raise one or two of the outside frames to know the con- 

 dition of the colony ; it is better to do this early in the day 

 so that the bees may have time to fly and get clustered 

 again before the chill of the day comes on. If short of 

 stores, frames of honey may be added, or candy put over 

 the frames. The Hill's device may be removed now to keep 

 the bees down on the brood, but the cushions should be left 

 on. The entrances and floor of the hive should be cleared 

 of dead bees, the entrance contracted, and then they should 

 be left undisturbed until fruit-bloom, unless there is reason 

 to think something is wrong. It may be profitable to put 

 out rye or other meal for them to work on now, and water 

 should be provided if not within easy reach. 



In fruit-bloom I look them over thoroly, clip the queens 

 if they are not already dipt, make a record of them, also 

 the amount of honey and brood, and the general condition 

 of the colony ; remove division-boards, giving the full num- 

 ber of frames to the hive unless the colony is too weak to 

 cover. The frames will contain honey if I have them ; it is 

 very necessary the)' should not be crowded, or short of 

 stores now. Some years they will bring in honey all the 

 spring, enough to keep up brood-rearing ; they will gather 

 from the bloom of the maples, elms, oaks, willows and 

 locust, and from dandelions and fruit-trees, if the weather 

 is right, but I have seen the time when they must be sup- 

 plied up to June — not for stimulation, but to prevent loss of 

 brood. This is the time when the bee-keeper must be alert 

 and watchful : he should know exactly the condition of 

 every colony ; he should know every colony as he knows his 

 own family, and he should build up the weak, suppl)- the 

 needy, note the queens whether prolific or not, and be able 

 to distinguish between the good and bad traits that de- 

 velop in the colonies, that when swarming-time comes one 

 can be encouraged, and the other represt. If there are 

 many colonies, we will need besides sections a section-press 

 and foundation fastener, and the hives must be all ready for 

 the swarms, cases filled to put on as soon as there is length- 

 ening of cells, and everything ready ahead of time rather 

 than behind, for seasons vary so much that there is often 

 two weeks difference in the time of doing the same work. 

 If swarms issue very early I hive them on a new stand, 

 giving the swarm the full set of combs, but if swarming- 

 time has reall)' come, and honey is coming in, I hive them 

 on the old stand, with the hive contracted, and prevent 

 after-swarms by the Heddon method, or occasionally by 

 shaking off some of the bees from the combs in front of the 

 new hive, and cutting out queen-cells. 



If late in the season, I return the swarm in some way to 

 prevent increase, the object being to keep the colony as 

 strong in bees as possible until the honey-flow is over. 

 There is much in Mr. Doolittle's idea of getting the bees at 

 the right time ; the strongest colony in the spring may 

 waste its energies in rearing brood and swarming, and be 

 outstript in surplus honey production by its weaker neigh- 

 bor, that with combs filled with brood just at the right time, 

 are forced into the sections, and become so interested in 

 honey-gathering that all its forces are kept busy and con- 

 tent. 



Three section-cases to each colony, spring count, is 

 usually enough for me for the season ; the swarm may use 

 two cases, and the old colony one. I usually put full sheets 

 of foundation in for the swarms, and starters for the old 

 colony. Contracting the brood-chamber during the months 

 of June and July puts the white honey in the boxes, after 

 that it is better to enlarge the brood-chambers and let the 

 fall honey go into the brood-frames and secure young bees 

 for wintering, and also save feeding. I have never failed 

 to secure enough fall honey for wintering, sol try to get all 

 the white honey in the surplus cases. 



Before closing I must say a good word for the bee-es- 



capes : they will pay for themselves in the comfort and 

 ease with which honey can be removed from the hives. 

 What was once to be dreaded becomes a pleasure thru their 

 use. 



It is impossible to lay down any set rules for the care of 

 bees — one may have method and not be methodical, a sys- 

 tem and not be systematic. So much depends upon the 

 weather, season, and the condition of the colonies, that the 

 plan that works well at one time, and even many times, 

 may under slightly different conditions over which the bee- 

 keeper has no control, and of which he may not be aware, 

 result in a most disastrous failure. The bee-keeper must 

 be competent to judge of what is best to do under varying 

 conditions, or go slow until experience — the best of teachers 

 — shall give him wisdom to decide. 



Mrs. N. L. Stow. 



Then after some discussion of this topic, an adjourn- 

 ment was had at this point until 1:30 p.m. 



AFTERNOON SESSION. 



The first subject on the program was " Queen-Rearing 

 for Small Bee-Keepers," by Mr. E. R. Root, who was ex- 

 pected to address the meeting, but failed to put in an ap- 

 pearance, owing to press of spring work. Mr. John Boden- 

 schatz then read a paper on the subject, as follows : 



Queen-Rearing for Small Bee-Keepers. 



. As the future of our colonies depends upon the prolific- 

 ness of the queen we must endeavor to rear such queens 

 from colonies that are noted for their prolificness, endurance 

 and gentleness. 



Take two colonies side b)' side in the same style of hive, 

 of equal strength, and note results. You will find that one 

 will produce nearly twice as much honey as the other. Why 

 this is so is quite difficult to explain ; altho the queen may 

 be a good lajer, and keep the hive crowded with her off- 

 spring, their honey-gathering and endurance may be lack- 

 ing. 



It is very important to improve our stock by rearing 

 queens from the best colonies for increase of colonies, also 

 to replace inferior queens. To do this, select several of the 

 best colonies, one for the production of drones and the rest 

 for the production of queens. The colony which is selected 

 for the production of drones must have a very prolific 

 queen, and workers famously noted as honey-producers. 

 Place alternately two or three drone-combs in the center of 

 the brood-chamber ; about the middle of April, or near May, 

 stimulate by feeding ; by sodoing we will have early drones 

 from select stock. At the same time keep all drone-comb 

 out of the inferior colonies. 



To rear good queens stimulate by feeding, beginning 

 in early spring so as to have the colonies in good condition 

 by fruit-bloom. As we are aware, our best queens are 

 reared thru the swarming-fever ; this is because the brood- 

 chamber is crowded with bees, to keep the combs warm, 

 honey and pollen being plentiful, and large numbers of 

 young bees emerging daily, which act as nurse-bees. 



Having selected the colonies from which to rear queens, 

 remove two or three frames of brood, replace with empty 

 worker-comb. Look these over daily, and as soon as suffi- 

 cient eggs are deposited in them, which should not exceed 

 three days, place these combs alternately in a strong colony 

 which was made queenless a day previous. Take out most 

 of the unsealed larva;, contract if possible, also shake the 

 combs containing j-oung bees from other colonies in front 

 of this queenless one. This will give an ample number of 

 nurse-bees. 



In about eight to nine days after furnishing the eggs to 

 the colony made queenless, count the number of available 

 queen-cells, make preparations for forming nuclei, and re- 

 placing queens accordingly. The same daj- destroy the 

 queens from such colonies as are worthless. The next day, 

 with a sharp penknife, cut out the queen-cells with a small 

 amount of comb adhering. Care must be taken so as not to 

 injure the queen-cells. 



To introduce a cell into a colony made queenless the 

 previous day. insert it into its natural position between 

 two combs in or near the center of the brood. 



For forming nuclei place in an empty hive, two combs 

 containing brood in all stages, place the queen-cells between 

 these two combs, add more empty combs and contract, also 

 shake the bees from other colonies in front of the nuclei. 



After these nuclei are formed, care must be taken so 

 the queens will not get lost on their wedding flight. There 

 must also be a contrast between these nucleus hives ; this 



