ALEXANDER’S WRITINGS ON PRACTICAL BEE CULTURE 23 
very essential; but to have a good queen of a good honey-gathering 
strain in every colony is of more importance than any other one thing 
connected with the business; for if the colonies have poor old queens 
that can not be induced to keep their hives half full of brood we might 
as well give up at once, for we shall get little or no surplus, and our 
hopes will be blasted. We should continually try to profit by our 
past experience, not only in caring for our bees, but in disposing of 
our honey. Don’t be satisfied with the results of the past, but strive 
to make the coming season the most profitable one you have ever had. 
April, 1908. 
THE ALEXANDER PLAN FOR BUILDING UP WEAK COLONIES. 
SOME VALUABLE HINTS CONCERNING STIMULATION TO INDUCE EARLY BREEDING. 
The early spring is one of the most important seasons of the year 
to the honey-producer, for if he neglects his bees at this time it is 
almost impossible for him to obtain any surplus from his early harvest. 
We should care for our bees so as to gain two or three weeks’ time 
instead of losing any precious days. First, I wish to call your atten- 
tion to the importance of keeping your bees as warm as possible all 
through the spring. If you can, try to have them set where they will 
have a natural windbreak of some kind. This is very essential to pro- 
tect them from the cold northwest winds; and at all times of the year 
avoid shade. There may be some places where shade is necessary in 
the apiary, but I have never seen a colony do as well in the shade 
of a tree as those out in the sun. During early spring I advise by all 
means contracting the entrance until it is quite small. We allow an 
entrance only 34x1 inch, and sometimes still less; then when a warm 
day comes we enlarge it according to the needs of the colony; then 
toward night close it again if it is likely to turn cold. Also cover your 
hives with tarred building-paper. This is an excellent thing to retain 
the heat from the sun during the day, and in this way you can, with 
the natural heat of the colony, keep the whole hive so it will remain 
nice and comfortable all night. 
Then if you will do as I advise in the above, so far as keeping them 
warm is concerned they will gain fully three weeks’ time over the way 
they are generally cared for. 
Now we will take up the next most important part of spring man- 
agement, that of stimulative feeding. This, with its twin brother, keep- 
ing them warm, is the magic word that unlocks the door to a successful 
summer. I care not how much old capped honey a colony may have, 
there is nothing that can be done to your bees during early spring that 
will pay like keeping them warm, night and day, and feeding a little 
warm syrup daily, made very thin from honey or granulated sugar, 
or both. If fed in the feeders I invented a few years ago a very little 
will answer the desired purpose. Two cents’ worth per day, or about 
