19 



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Another time there were two beekeepers, each in a good location. The one 

 took good care of his bffes and had the hives full to overflowing with workers when 

 the honey flow started. At the end of the season he had a large crop. The other 

 neglected his bees, and the spring weather being unfavorable, they were just about 

 as weak on the 10th of June as they had been in April. Of course they built up 

 during the honey flow and were in good shape for winter that fall; but another 

 season's crop had been lost, owing to lack of proper care at the right time. 



There are several things that have to be taken into account in the spring 

 management of bees. They may "spring" poorly because they have wintered 

 poorly, leaving the hive with only a few bees of weak constitution. The hive may 

 be in an exposed place, where persistent winds keep the inside temperature down 

 and compel the nurse bees to huddle together, thus restricting the size of the brood 

 nest; or the cover of the hive may be thin and open, allowing the heat to pass up 



A commercial apiary winteriag in quadruple cases. Note windbreak inade of lath 

 nailed on frames 6 feet by 8 feet. These may be removed and stacked in summer, 

 and are easily transported in case of moving an apiary. 



and out. On the other hand, the brood-chamber may be crowded with old honey, 

 depriving the queen' of laying space, or feed may be so scarce that the bees have 

 a job to keep themselves, let alone feeding the brood. They may have a poor 

 queen. Any or all of these conditions are liable to prevail, and cause the beekeeper 

 heavy loss where he goes entirely on 'the " let alone " plan. 



The queen condition of the colony should be watched during summer, and 

 although queens brought from the South can be introduced in April or May, it 

 is much better to have a good queen in the hive to start -rearing brood ealrlier than 

 that. Stores sufficient for winter and spring should be given in the fall, but can 

 be given, in spring if heoessary. 



It is frequently stated that the life of the worker bee is anywhere from six 

 weeks to six months, depending on the amount of work that it does. Bees do not 



