70 PROFITABLE BEE-KEEPING 



and be it noted that manipulation is not good foi 

 bees, and the less they have of it the better. 



The strength of a colony may be gauged bj 

 the number of the flying bees ; the presence of a 

 queen by the way in which they carry in pollen ; 

 want of food will be known when larvae are cast 

 forth ; robbing will be easily discovered ; the pres- 

 ence of disease indicated, and even a desire to 

 swarm occasionally foretold. The alighting board 

 of a bee hive is an open book to those who can 

 understand its language, and many things of which 

 I have no space to tell will be found printed there. 



Study carefully your hive entrances, and watch 

 the movements of the bees. You will thus save 

 yourself the trouble, and the bees the annoyance 

 of many unnecessary disturbances of the colony. 

 It is here that you will often see the first dread 

 signs of Isle of Wight disease, and be able to take 

 immediate steps for effectively dealing with it. 

 The different colours of the pollens will tell you 

 what are the sources of supply, or the lethargic 

 demeanour of the bees betray the fact that the 

 honey flow has ceased, and that there is no work 

 to do. The experienced bee-master rarely pulls 

 his colonies to pieces, but he never ceases hi& 

 watch over the entrances of the hives. . Never 

 open up a colony if you can possibly discover 

 what you require from outside indications. 



