ILLINOIS STATE BEE-KBERE3RiS' ASSOCIATION 



215 



entrance. Into this supel", after shak- 

 ing off the bees, 'we put all the oombs 

 of honey that are in the body on the 

 bee-tight bottom-board. The combs of 

 honey are placed in near the sides and 

 the center filled in with empty combs. 

 On top of all we place the body with 

 the young brood, and on the eighth 

 and ninth days we destroy the queen- 

 cells built in the upper stories. 



Evefy bee-keeper knows how a col- 

 ony will concentrate its efforts on an 

 empty super when placed under an- 

 other partly filled with honey. In ma- 

 nipulating to prevent swarming, I take 

 advantage of this knowledge and di- 

 vide the hive vertically and horizon- 

 tally. A colony with a hive arranged 

 in this w-ay will need no energy shaken 

 into it. 



With this plan the comb-builders 

 and nurse-bees, which are the young 

 and hatching bees, are not taken away 

 as in the, case of "shook"-swarming. 

 As fast as they hatch in the upper 

 story they replace the bees constantly 

 dying of old age. It makes no differ- 

 ence witib the plan whether queen-cells 

 are started or not. This going over all 

 colonies once every week, as some ad- 

 vise, to see if queen-cells are started 

 is an endless job. When you and the 

 bees are ready, you just go right on 

 and do the work, and you will find that 

 such as have queen-cells started will 

 do no better than those that have not. 

 By going right ahead when you and 

 the bees and the harvest are ready, 

 you have your swairaning all done up 

 at once, and you are ready to go at 

 other work. E. L. HOFMANN. 



Janesville, Minnesota. 



Mr. France — As a judge at the Min- 

 nesota State Fair, I want to say in be- 

 half of Mr. Hofmann, of all the attrac- 

 tions, the one that held the audience 

 lOf bee-keepers was his practical ma- 

 nipulation and explanation of this 

 same thing. If we can put such things 

 as that into practical demonstration, 

 to advertise our business at the fairs, 

 it is a good thing. If we will carefully 

 read his manipulation up in the North, 

 it is applicable to other climates as 

 well as Northern Minnesota. 



PROPORTION OF SUGAR SYRUP. 



"In the formula for sugar syrup for 

 reeding, are the proportions 'two of 

 sugar to one of water,' meant for 

 weight or by measure?" ' 



Mr. McEvoy — Either. 



INTRODUCING OLD VIRGIN 

 QUEENS. 



"What is the simplest and best way 

 to introduce old virgin queens?" 

 A member — 'Cut her head off. 



INTRODUCING VIRGIN QUEENS. 



"How soon after hatching can a 

 virgin queen be caged without injur- 

 ing her, before introducing to a col- 

 ony?" 



A member — The sooner the better. 



POSITION OF COMBS IN WINTER- 

 ING. 



"Should combs be close together or 

 far apart for wintering bees?" 



Mr. McEvoy — No, leave them in 

 -their regular position, and as soon as 

 the honey is used out in the spring 

 they are ready for use. K they are 

 spaced out a queen will neglect these, 

 and you will get less brood. 



BEE-ESCAPES. 



"Is there any better bee-escape than 

 the present Porter escape?" 



Mr. McEvoy — None. 



Mr. Stone — I think the escape on 

 the cover of the box is very much 

 better than the Porter bee-escape. 



WHEN TO ITALIANIZE, 



"When is the best time to Italian- 

 ize a colony of bees?" 



Mr. McEvo5^ — ^During the honey-flow.. 



INTRODUCING QUEENS. 



"When is the best time to intro- 

 duce a new queen into a weak col- 

 ony ?" 



Mr. Selser — As quickls' as possible. 



BEES AS LIFE WORK. 



"A young man having had twelve 

 years' experience with bees desires to 

 go into the business extensively and 

 make it his life work. How could he 

 locate a first-class bee-range and still 

 not get into conflict with another bee- 

 keeper's territory?" 



Mr. McEvoy — Hunt for one. 



Mr. Ross — Advertise in the bee- 

 papers. 



SIZE OF HIVES. 



"Would it be advisable for a be- 

 ginner to start with 12-frame hives?" 



