118 HANDY BOOK OF BEES. 



price of honey be Is. per lb., and comb Is. 6d. per lb., the 

 one mode of enlargement ■will be equal to the other for 

 profit. In the use of supers there is the risk (in hot 

 seasons very great risk) of swarms coming off unexpectedly 

 and flying away, In the eking mode there is the trouble 

 of running the honey and jarring it up for sale. 



But eking does not always prevent bees from swarming? 

 Not always, but in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred it 

 does. In some hot seasons, and on rare occasions, bees 

 have been known to square the ends of their combs 

 before their hives were quite full, and swarm. But this 

 so seldom happens that it may be considered exceptional, 

 and out of the usual run of events. When our hives are 

 timely eked we have never the shadow of a fear that they 

 will send off swarms. 



It is by the use of ekes that the bee-keeper can get 

 hives in good seasons to weigh 100 lb., 120 lb., and 140 

 lb. each. But why not have hives big enough to do 

 without eking? This question has been already answered. 

 In rainy seasons, or cold ones, swarms cannot fill such 

 large hives ; and it is of great importance to have all the 

 hives kept for stock full or nearly full of combs. 



When ekes are used, cross-sticks are put in them at 

 the highest parts, so that the combs become securely fas- 

 tened to them. 



