and its Economic Management. 203 



ahout two-thirds of the frame capacity ; other empty frames 

 take their place, and so on in rotation. This process cannot 

 be carried out to any extent between brood combs, except as 

 described for spring work or when a young queen presides 

 over the colony, otherwise some drone comb will be built ; 

 and the production of useless drones shows a great defect in 

 management. 



Another plan, by which a large number of colonies can be 

 kept and much wax produced at little expense of labour, is to 

 place several chambers fitted up with starters under the brood 

 nest early in May. The bees will gradually work down, and 

 the production of brood will be regulated in accordance with 

 the amount of income, and no trouble with swarming will be 

 experienced. 



The most economical plan for producing even and useful 

 worker combs is that of arranging small colonies of three and 

 four combs with vigorous bees and queen. Shift about occa- 

 sionally, making nuclei on old stand to dispose of the older 

 bees and so prevent the clogging of combs with honey. Keep 

 all closed up warm and feed gently, but always. Put in a 

 frame with narrow guide only, and in three or four days such 

 colonies will produce a beautiful worker comb nearly filling- 

 the frame and being generally crowded with eggs. These 

 may be utilised as required, and the same process continued. 

 •For three months at a stretch such small (carefully-tended) 

 colonies will continue the process, giving something like two 

 dozen good combs, while the brood removed will represent 

 two powerful stocks. Such a profit, and saving of outlay in 

 foundation, should satisfy the most economic bee keeper. 



Where Swarms have been Hived upon Starters, 



I have avoided the building of drone combs by placing the 

 frames rather less than i|-inch from centre to centre. This 

 point appears to have been overlooked by many in America 

 who have followed Doolittle, who for a long time stood almost 



