HONEYBEES AND HONEY PEODUOTION. H 



later by the method of artificial swarming, which is, simply, 

 division by the apiarist, after the removal of the honey sur- 

 plus, of one strong colony into two or more, which are then 

 allowed or assisted to build up in number and store supplies, 

 so that by winter they may be strong colonies. 



The results of an inquiry concerning the per cent of the 

 total swarming, natural or artificial, occurring each month 

 is shown in Table II. 



In Florida, Arizona, Cahfornia, and Texas, and occasion- 

 ally in other States along the southern edge of the country, 

 a few swarms will sometimes issue in February. It may be 

 seen that swarming begins quite generally along the Gulf 

 coast and in Arizona and Texas in March, becomes heavy in 

 these States in April, continues there with lessened intensity 

 during May, in which month it begins strongly throughout 

 the central tiers of States and sMghtly in the northern tiers. 

 In June it largely terminates in all the southern group, but 

 reaches its maximum in the Central and Northern States. 

 Diiring July swarming continues heavy in the far Northern 

 States and in the elevated portions of the Southerly and 

 Western States, while in August swarming is limited, except 

 in a few locaMties. Swarming occurs in September in certain 

 sections where there is a heavy fiow of nectar that month, 

 such as the swamp sections of northern Indiana, although 

 for the country as a whole and for all States swarming is 

 practically over by the beginning of that month. 



WINTERING BEES. 



The provision made in the way of fooa supplies and extra 

 protection for wintering, bears directly upon the rate of loss. 

 Inquiry was made concerning winter food requirements of 

 bees and the winter protection given, and the results are 

 shown in Table III. Since the heaviest, and quite possibly 

 the majority, of losses are due to starvation, inquiry has 

 been made regularly in November concerning the supply of 

 honey in the hive for winter, and the results are shown in 

 this table. These last figures can not, imfortunately, be 

 taken to reflect the average for all colonies, but more nearly 

 that for colonies in the possession of progressive and pro- 

 fessional beekeepers. These figures show that while con- 



