THOUSAND ANSWERS 243 



and generally most of the combs would have at least some very 

 young brood. 



The plan is a good one for extracted honey, but not available 

 for comb. 



Q. The other day a book came to me from a friend in Mis- 

 souri. It was Dr. Jones' book on how to prevent swarming. What 

 do you think of the plan? 



A. I think that shaving off the heads of all sealed brood will 

 b< likely to prevent swarming; but I don't suppose many would 

 want to use such a plan. 



Q. In the American Bee Journal for November, 1914, page 

 385, the plan given by J. E. Hand on swarm control and the in- 

 crease problem looks possible, and I would like to have your opin- 

 ion of it. I note he uses 16-frame hives. Do you think the plan 

 will work with the 10-frame hive? He says take six frames from 

 each colony at the close of the basswood harvest and give them 

 to the nuclei. But that will not be necessary, as I can build a 

 2-frame nucleus into a full colony by winter. Is it necessary to 

 wait until each colony has made preparations to swarm, or can 

 it be done just before the swarming season? 



A. As a rule, it is not well to attempt any changes on any 

 plan given, but to follow out exactly instructions. A plan that 

 succeeds with 16 frames might be an utter failure with a less 

 number. 



When colonies in general are making preparations for swarm- 

 ing, it will usually be all right to operate at that time upon other 

 colonies that have made no such preparations, provided they are 

 strong; for some colonies make no preparation for swarming 

 throughout the entire season. 



Q. In the September issue, 1914, page 310, is an article by C. 

 F, Greening on "Controlling Swarming," which I find most valu- 

 able. I wish to ask a few questions concerning it. 



(a) It being supposed the colony is a strong one, and of course 

 no queen-excluder being used, will the queen always lay eggs in 

 the super added to the brood-chamber "as soon as it becomes 

 warm" in the spring? In case she does not, this plan is doomed 

 to fail at the very start. 



(b) In case she does not come to lay in the super, what shall 

 I do? 



(c) Would this plan work with large brood-chambers, such as 

 the Dadant, the Quinby, or the Massie hive, which has a double 

 brood-chamber of a capacity equal to 14 Langstroth frames? 

 With such large hives, how can I make sure the queen will lay 

 eggs in the first super added in the spring? 



A. (a) I don't think you can always be sure of the queen 



