THE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEW 



For the bee-keeper with out-yards, what peace of mind it would 

 bring" to him to know that his bees are securely housed in buildings 

 out of all danger from storms and marauders, and where they can 

 have a flight at any time when the temperature is suitable. 



Management of Three Thousand Colonies Bees in 



Fifty Yards 



By J. J. WILDER, Cordelia, Ga. 



A Critical Period in a Bcc-Kceper's Life is JVlieii He ReocJies lOO 



Colonies 

 ^^^ HE most critical time in a bee-keeper's life, so far as making a 

 \Jj sole business of it is concerned, is when he is around the ]00-col- 

 ony mark, for at this point his interest is at a standstill, decline, or 

 incline, as the case may be, which will determine his procedure. I men- 

 tion this, because so many energetic beginners have started on the journey 

 to success with high ideas and about this point fainted by the wayside 

 or for some reason abandoned the journey. This ought not to be the 

 case, for 100 colonies are not enough to determine the future of a 

 large business. It is just a good starting point and bee-keepers 

 should be encouraged when they reach it to go on. If there ever was 

 a time in my bee-keeping life when I had even the least inclination to 

 stop it was here. But instead of a halt the next season I had made 

 great preparations, and for the first and last time took every cent T 

 had in the bank from my previous season's returns and invested it 

 in bees and fixtures. At the close of the season that year I had a 

 few over 100 colonies, and during that winter I bought enough bees 

 in modern hives to make 127 colonies. I bought 47 colonies in box 

 hives, and in the spring I transferred per my method, and about the 

 same time made some increase, running the number of colonies up 

 to a few over 200. But very early in the spring I established an 

 outer yard, three miles from home yard, of 61 colonies, which were 

 in modern hives, and I built a nice honey house there, which I used 

 for three seasons, when I bought a conveyance and moved the house 

 home. I found it more economical to haul the honey to the home 

 yard for packing, etc. 



About the first of March I hired a helper with some experience, 

 whose duty it was to look after the bees and set up supplies, which I 

 had in stock at both honey houses. 



Surplus Storage Room Given as Soon as the First Honey Plants Came 

 in Bloom. — (This is Important — Ed.) 



I instructed him to give all strong colonies some storing room 

 as soon as the first honey plants came in bloom and to keep a close 

 watch on the brood nest of the strongest colonies, and as soon as he 



