1901 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



845 



FIG. 2— FINDING QUEENS IN SECTIONAL HIVES WITHOUT HANDLING FRAMES. 



Just alter smoke is blown up through the combs, as explained under Figr. 1, the top section with the cover 

 is set to one side where the cover is removed. The queen, in most cases, will be found either on the under 

 side of the cover or on the top of the frames next to the cover, as indicated by the arrow-heads. The illustra- 

 tion shows the upper section in its place over the lower one; but Mr. Hand, in his article, spates that it should 

 be set to one side, obviously for the purpose of preventing the queen from dodging down into the lower section 

 when the cover is removed. If the queen is not found in either of these two places, proceed as per the direc- 

 tions under the next illustration. 



number that were wintered in the cellar. 

 We think this is owing to the depredations 

 of mice while in the cellar. 



As we are going to work our apiary by the 

 two-queen non-swarming system, we will 

 now unite the 50 fair to light colonies with 

 the 50 fair to medium ones. 



UNITING BROOD -SECTIONS OF DIVISIBLE- 

 BROOU-CHAJIBER COLONIES. 



Uniting colonies should be done just at 

 evening, after the bees have nearly quit Hy- 

 ing, so as to avoid any disturl)ance from rob- 

 bers; and by the next morning the bees are 

 thoroughly acquainted, and no roljber can 

 get a foothold. 



We will remove the covers from 25 of the 

 50 medium colonies, placing on each a queen- 

 excluding honey- board. We will next go to 

 one of the fair to light colonies, tip it up 

 from the bottom, blow a little smoke up into 

 the frames from the bottom, driving the most 



of the bees up into the top section of the hive; 

 drop the hive in position on the bottom-board, 

 separate the brood-sections, placing the top 

 one with the queen and brood and most of 

 the bees on the top of one of the 25 prepared 

 colonies, leaving the lower brood-sections, 

 on which we will place the covers that for- 

 merly belonged to the prepared colonies. 

 These queenless brood-sections, with the few 

 bees that will I'eturn, will make excellent 

 nuclei for the mating of (jueens, which al- 

 ways come handy in any well-regulated api- 

 ary. 



We will now prepare the remaining 25 col- 

 onies each with queen-excluding honey- 

 boards, and proceed as befoi'e until all are 

 covered. 



We have united 100 colonies of bees, and 

 have removed the cover from only 50, and in 

 less time than is re(iuired to tell how it is 

 done. 



