THE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEW. 



IN WHAT PROPORTION THE BROOD 

 SHOUI.D BE DIVIDED. 



The old colonies with the field-forces 

 can pull through easily, even when de- 

 prived of all their brood; but such a course 

 is not best. By the time the new brood 

 would begin to emerge, the strength of 

 the colony would be too much reduced to 

 for the best work. They should keep at 

 least one-fourth of their brood. 



A FUI.I. COI^ONY WORKS TO BETTER 



ADVANTAGE THAN DOES A 



NUCEEUS. 



The new colonies should be made with 

 at least six combs. In very warm wea- 

 ther, with no probability of robbing, four, 

 and perhaps three, would do. But I 

 would not advise it. I don't know but 

 that it might be best, after all, to form 

 full colonies, and draw some from them 

 in future divisions as soon as they are 

 strong enough. 



The advice given in the text books, to 

 divide a colony into five or more nuclei, 

 and then buiid these up, is "no good at 

 all," and should be expunged. Such 

 small nuclei cannot work to any advan- 

 tage, and will, nine times out of ten, be 

 numbered among the "casualities" dur- 

 ing the next winter. 



Queens should be furnished ready to 

 lay; or, at least ready to mate, to each 

 new colony, to avoid loss of time. 



SECURING MODERATE INCREASE. 



Here comes the question of allowing 

 swarming, hiving the swarm on the old 

 stand, or preventing swarming, or, at 

 least, preventing increase. 



That depends on the locality, and I will 

 not enter into this subject now. I take it 

 for granted that only a small increase is 

 wanted, and the old colonies are kept as 

 strong in bees and brood as possible in 

 order to get a surplus. In such a case, 

 take a comb of brood, honey, and bees 



out of each colony, and form the new 

 colonies with them, complying with the 

 conditions enumerated above. In the 

 place of every comb taken out, put in a 

 frame of foundation. As soon as the 

 foundation is drawn the queen will fill it 

 with eggs; and, if the operation is repeat- 

 ed every week, enough room will be fur- 

 nished for the brood, so as to prevent 

 swarming unless some adverse conditions 

 obtain, such, for instance, as a failure of 

 the queen. A built comb will not an- 

 swer, as the bees would fill it with honey. 

 It would not do to take out more than 

 one comb at a time, otherwise some 

 would be filled with honey, before the 

 queen could take possession. 



RAPID INCREASE. 



Taking two or three combs of Ijrood 

 and bees, or, perhaps, only one out of 

 each colony, and forming as many new 

 full ones as the number of combs will al- 

 low, is probably the best way. The opera- 

 tion can be repeated every few days. 

 The trouble is that it is too umcli work. 



HOW A COLONY OUGHT TO BE DIVIDED. 



After trying all the processes advised, I 

 simply divide each colony in two, putting 

 two-thirds or three-fourths of the brood 

 in the new one, and leaving the rest on 

 the old stand. Both hives are completed 

 with empty combs or foundation. Three 

 days later, I look for the queen. Only 

 the new colonies need be examined, and 

 it takes but little time, since they are not 

 strong in bees. Queens are then intro- 

 duced where needed, and the cells cut 

 out, if there are any. 



Laying queens can be introduced any- 

 where, but the virgins, ready to mate, 

 should be introduced only to the new col- 

 onies; otherwise there might be trouble. 

 If necessary, take the old queen out of the 

 new colony, and put her back in the old 

 one, and give the virgin to the new colony. 

 Knoxville, Tenn. June 26, 1902. 



