86 HANDY BOOK OF BEES. 



hole, down to the hoard ; and in process of time the nadir 

 is filled with comhs and brood, almost all the honey going 

 to the upper storey. At the end of the season the top 

 one is taken oif for honey, and its bees driven into the 

 bottom hive, which is kept for stock. 



Nadirs are most useful for early swarms that become 

 heavy before the end of the season. By placing nadirs 

 beneath them, both honey and a stock-hive may be ob- 

 tained. Since the first edition of this work was published, 

 we have had two stock -hives that swarmed with nadirs 

 beneath them, though we never knew a case of the kind 

 before. 



Last year our earliest swarm was taken off about the 

 10th of May. By the end of four weeks it was full, and 

 nearly ready for swarming. Instead of taking off a virgin 

 swarm, we placed it on a nadir. At the end of the season 

 we found that it weighed 70 lb. All the bees were driven 

 below, and the top one taken. It weighed 50 lb., and 

 the nadir 20 lb. We thus got nearly 30 lb. of honey and 

 a stock-hive from a swarm of May. A few pounds of 

 refuse honey were given to the nadir, which was a strong 

 hive in the spring following. 



We consider nadirs inferior to ekes when weight of 

 honey is the only object sought. We use and recommend 

 them when both honey and stocks are sought from 

 swarms of the current year. For gaining great profits 

 in a favourable season, and for continued prosperity for a 

 succession of years, the system of having strong hives and 

 early swarms is far before all the other systems of manag- 

 ing bees. Supers, nadirs, and ekes are useful, profitable, 

 and indispensable for hives that require enlarging later in 

 the season. The question of which is best, the interest 

 and aims of the bee-master must determine. 



