678 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Aug. 1 



when built off from foundation. There is 

 apt to be a very slig'ht sag- to foundation — 

 not enough, however, to cause an elongation 

 of cells. When the wire is drawn just right 

 it will accommodate the slight sag and leave 

 the resultant comb like a good clean flat 

 board. The plan we use for wiring is essen- 

 tially the same as that used by Mr. Cogg- 

 shall as illustrated on page 485. — Ed.] 



THAT BIG CROP OF HONEY. 



Working Double-decker Colonies; 

 Wide Entrances. 



tlie Effect of 



BY GEORGE B. HOWE. 



I promised you that I would tell you how 

 I produced that four tons of honey from 70 

 colonies, spring count. In the first place, 

 I had all young queens. I do not believe in 

 keeping queens after they are two years 



Last spring and early summer we had 

 cold rainy weather. I used to go down in 

 the yard and close the entrance according 

 to the strength of the colony, on cold nights. 

 Sometimes it would keep so cold that I 

 would not open them up for two or three 

 days. I have found that those with large 

 entrances, especially on cold nights, did 

 not breed as rapidly. When they ^ re mak- 

 ing comb honey in very hot weather they 

 need a good deal of ventilation from the 

 bottom. I have tried raising the hive in the 

 heat of the day, and then lowering it toward 

 evening as it begins to get cooler. I use 

 shade- boards, and I never raise the cover 

 to ventilate unless it is a powerful colony, 

 as they can not cap when there is a draft 

 through the hive. If you do raise the cover, 

 always lower it at night. Work with the 

 bees, for they always want their ventilation 

 at the bottom. Give them plenty of section 

 room. As soon as they get one super well 



APIARY OF Gp;0. W. HOWE. 



old, for my experience has been that it does 

 not pay. My method is to keep the bees 

 from swarming if I can. I believe in dou- 

 ble-deckers. I find that it works the best 

 to add the extra brood-chamber when they 

 need it. When the queen gets her hive full 

 of eggs and brood, and needs more room, I 

 do not wait for them to get the swarming 

 fever, but raise up the hive and put another 

 under it with drawn combs. I find that 

 drawn combs are far ahead of foundation 

 to keep them from swarming. I do not claim 

 that they will not swarm, nor are all queens 

 good enough for double-deckers, so an api- 

 arist would be foolish to try to use a double- 

 decker with a poor queen. With Dr. Mil- 

 ler, I am still looking for a strain of non- 

 swarming bees. To produce comb honey 

 we must have strong colonies, and keep 

 them so without a desire to swarm. Prop- 

 er ventilation goes a long way toward this. 



started I raise it up and give them another. 

 I have found that they work all right in 

 three supers; but when you get up to four 

 or five they cap slowly in the upper supers. 



I sent you a photo of my yard last night. 

 In order to get the most of the hives in I 

 was obliged to get so far away that it 

 brought some berry-bushes and grass be- 

 tween the camera and hives. I did not get 

 a very good picture, and will try again 

 some time. 



Black River, N. Y. 



[The readers who have followed me for a 

 number of years back can not help failing 

 to note that I have been an advocate of 

 double decker colonies. They are less in- 

 clined to swarm; and if the honey-flow is 

 short or moderate, they are the only colo- 

 nies in the yard that will make much of a 

 showing. As the years go on, I note there 



