22 ALEXANDER'S WRITINGS ON PRACTICAL BiuE CULTURE 



there are several conditions that help to bring about these disastrous 

 results, there are three that stand out as the principal causes of spring 

 dwindling. 



The first cause Is an old queen — one that stopped laying early the 

 previous fall. Colonies with such queens become weak in bees during 

 the latter part of winter, and, not being able to keep their hives warm 

 enough, they are soon affected with dysentery, and, after they are set 

 out, they waste away until none are left. This cause of spring dwin- 

 dling can be easily prevented by introducing young queens early in the 

 summer, so they will have a fine lot of brood at the close of the season. 



Another serious cause is poor honey for winter stores. This is a 

 more frequent cause, and far more disastrous than the loss from old 

 queens, for the losses from poor winter stores affect all colonies alike, 

 and the poor bees die by the thousands while in the cellar, and still 

 faster when first set out, until nearly every colony is dead. 



One winter I lost 417 colonies from this cause out of 432; but we 

 can now prevent all loss from this source by giving our bees sugar 

 syrup to winter on in the place of unsuitable honey. 



Another very serious cause of spring dwindling is the desire of the 

 bees to fly on those changeable days I spoke of above. This loss can 

 also be almost wholly prevented by placing the hives, when taken from 

 the cellar, so the entrance will face the north; then in addition to this 

 have a shade-board so it can be easily placed where it will shade the 

 entrance still more, and somewhat darken it. To prevent still further 

 their desire to fly on cloudy days, give the colonies about a pint of 

 warm sweetened water every night about dark. This will encourage 

 them to breed fast, and at the same time prevent thousands from 

 becoming lost on chilly days in search of water. If you prefer to have 

 the hives face some other direction it is but a short job to turn them 

 around to any point after the changeable weather of early spring has 

 gone by. Please try this method, and you will find that the bees will 

 have but little desire to fly except when the temperature is warm enough 

 to fly safely in the shade; consequently the old bees are saved until 

 the colony has a fine lot of maturing brood. 



As experience enables us to cast aside the fatal results of spring 

 dwindling, it seems as if we had taken another step forward along the 

 line of progress. The cares and anxiety of another busy season will 

 soon be here, and our plans should be well matured for the coming 

 summer. Have you secured your necessary help and your supplies? 

 Do you know how much increase you will make and how you 

 will make it? Have you decided whether you will rear your queens 

 or buy them? It you Intend to purchase, have you sent in your order? 

 If not, attend to this at once. I find that some of our best queen- 

 breeders by Febiuary 2.5 have all the queens engaged that they can 

 rear the coming season. These are important matters to look after, 

 and should be attended to very soon. 



You may talk and white about the importance of a good location, 

 also of the knowledge and experience of the man In charge, each being 



