34 ALEXANDER'S WRITINGS ON PRACTICAL BEE CULTURE 



stores or not. The syrup is given tliem slowly to stimulate brood-rear- 

 ing. This feeding is continued clear on to the honey-flow, when, of 

 course, it is discontinued. The result is that the hives are overflowing 

 with bees and brood." 



Then still further on the author says, "While It costs considerable 

 to feed bees in this way I believe Mr. Boardman's experience has been 

 such that he feels warranted in continuing it; and then if the year 

 proves to be a good one he will get a tremendous crop of honey. One 

 year when I visited him he had secured a fair-sized yield from each 

 colony, and a poor year at that, while his neighbors round about him 

 did not get any surplus, and all they did get was brood-nestfuls of honey 

 and nothing more." 



Father Quinby and his son-in-law, L. C. Root, many years ago were 

 the first to call my attention to the value of stimulative feeding In the 

 spring. They were very enthusiastic on the subject, and advised me to 

 practice it every spring if I expected to make an early increase or secure 

 a nice surplus of clover honey. I think you will find In Quinby's book, 

 "Mysteries of Bee-keeping Explained," something on this subject. I have 

 lost the copy I once had, and therefore can not quote his words. And 

 now while I am in company with these shining lights of apiculture that 

 I have just quoted above, I wish to be put on record as saying that I have 

 practiced spring feeding for over 30 years, and during that period I have 

 fed at least 5000 colonies for the purpose of promoting brood-rearing 

 during the spring, and I am sure that, all things considered, It has been 

 one of the most useful and profitable things I have ever done In the 

 apiary. 



May, 1908. 



MAKING INCREASE VS. BUYING COLONIES. 



BUYING BEES IN HIVES OF ALL KINDS AND SHAPES A BAD PLAN; DANGEB OP 



BEINGINO IN FOUL BEOOD; HOW TO MAKE EAHLT 



INCREASE. 



This question is of considerable Importance to those who have but 

 few colonies and are anxious to secure a larger number as soon as 

 possible. If we could buy good Italian bees at a fair price in the same 

 kind of a hive we use, filled with good worker combs, then it might be 

 as well to buy part of our increase as to make them from the colonies 

 we already have; but this we can seldom do unless we buy of a supply- 

 dealer. Then we can get a good standard hive with good combs and as 

 choice a queen as we care to pay for. 



If you want to buy bees I think, when all things are considered, 

 this is the better party to buy from. 



If we get our bees of some one who has never kept more than a 

 few colonies and is anxious to go out of the business, then we usually 



