6 A YEAR'S WORK IN AN OUT- APIARY 



fifteen miles an hour, which is fast enough, considering the roughness of 

 the roads and our hilly country. The above was what was done at the 

 second visit. 



CHAPTER III. 



BLOOM TIME. 



As I looked out over the valley, and to the hills beyond, on the 

 morning of May 20, 1905, a beautiful sight met my gaze. The dew- 

 covered grass, in many fields, was glistening in the morning sunshine, 

 while the plum and cherry trees, with their white flowers, in the or- 

 chards, nestled down among the more showy apple, whose pinkish-white 

 bloom so ladened the air with fragrance that, from sight and smell, one 

 could hardly think but that he was in the sinless "Eden land" when the 

 "stars sang for joy" on creation's early morn. But a neighing from the 

 barn calls out "horse to be fed," and the "rounds of another day" are 

 begun. After breakfast the horse was hitched up, as the roads to the 

 out-apiary are too muddy, from the rain of the afternoon before, for 

 comfort with the auto. 



Arriving, I find the bees starting out in good earnest for the apple- 

 trees, which is just what I want, as they will now be out of the way 

 when I am hunting for the queens, for to-day's work is to consist in part 

 in finding and clipping the wings of all undipped queens. This clipping 

 part would be wholly unnecessary with the plan to be given were it not 

 that, owing to certain peculiar seasons, the bees in a few colonies will 

 take it "into their heads" to swarm a tew days before I am ready to do 

 the "swarming;" and in such cases as these, where all queens have their 

 wings clipped, these colonies are held together until the time has fully 

 arrived for making swarms. As such peculiar seasons do not come 

 oftener than about one year in four, I have sometimes thought I would 

 give up the clipping; but so far I have adhered to it, very much as a 

 man will stick to the insuring of his buildngs when there has not been 

 a "fire" In his school district for forty years. 



There are many ways of finding queens for clipping or otherwise; 

 but after trying all I much prefer the following: Take a light box with 

 you, the same size as the hive, only three inches wider, so as to allow 

 plenty of room for the combs. After looking over the first comb, set it 

 in the box, next to the farthest side of the box, always sitting or stand- 

 ing with the back to the sun, and having the box and hive so the sun 

 will shine on the "face" side of the combs next to you. On taking out 

 the second comb, quickly glance over the "face" side of the next comb in 

 the hive, and if the queen is there she will be seen running to get around 

 on the dark or opposite side of the comb, she being easily seen in the 

 strong sunlight when thus moving. If not seen, immediately look on 

 the opposite side of the comb you hold in your hands, when this comb 



