(i INlANAGEMKxXT OF OUT-APIARIBS 



I have dwelt on this matter, as I consider it one of tlie most important 

 things when an out-apiary is worked for comb honey. After seeing that 

 all had 20 pounds or more of honey, the entrances were enlar-ed to about 

 5 inches in length for the best colonies, to 11/2 indies for the weaker ones, 

 or enough so the bees would not be crowded till the next visit, which would 

 be nearly a month later, or during fruit bloom. A careful inspection of 

 the brood showed that all the queens were good, as all brood Avas in com- 

 pact form, with eggs on the outside of the outside comlis to tlie brood-nest 

 (not brood-chamber), all the cells within this circle of eggs being occupied 

 with one egg in each. 



I have noticed for years that a poor or failing queen does not lay like 

 this, but "scatters" to a greatei' or less extent according to her i.)ooi-ness. 

 AMiere I find queens that are poor, as I sometimes do at this time of the 

 year, they are killed, and one of the weak colonies, with its good queen, is 

 united with the colony from which the queen has been killed. By attending 

 to tins queen matter when taking off the clover or basswood honey ea<4i 

 year,i superseding all queens more than three years old, and those younger 

 which may show signs of failure, the problem of poor queens in the spring 

 is practically solved. Far better supersede at that time than in the spring. 



If there are no weak colonies, or the poorer queens are not too poor, 

 it is more profitable to leave these poorish queens till the close of the white 

 honey harvest, before trying to supersede tliem. It seems to be much harder 

 to introduce queens at this time of the year than when the main honey 

 harvest is nearing its close, whicli is the time the most of the queens are 

 superseded by the bees, when allowed to take their own course. Hence, if we 

 try to make a change at this time, save by way of uniting, as given above, 

 the colony will often be from a week to ten days without n queen at a time 

 when every egg laid would gi\ e a bee in its prime riglit when the honey 

 yield was at its maximum. Therefore, fewer in number of bees at this time 

 will give far better results than will multitudes when there is no nectar in 

 the fields for them to gather. ,Vnd, besides, if we try to replace queens 

 which are not quite up to the standard at this time at the o'ut-aiiiary, it 

 \yi\l make an extra journey to the same, unless we take along queens for 

 this purpose at this time, without any knowledge of whether they will be 

 needed or not. This is something well worth "pasting in the hat." 



A careful look over the yard, the last thing, to see that all was in 

 "applepie" order, and T was soon gliding in the auto over the road toward 

 home at the rate of fifteen miles an hour, which is fast enough, considering 

 the roughness of the roads and our hilly countiy. Tlie above was what was 

 done at the second visit. 



("HAPTFi; 111. 



IlLOOJI Tl.ME. 



As 1 looked out over the valley, and to the hills beyond, on tlie morn- 

 ing of iMay 20, lOO.'i, a beautiful sight met my gaze.' The dew-covered 

 grass, in many fields, was glistening in tlie morning sunshine, while the 

 plum and cherry trees, with their white flowers, in the orchards, nestled 

 down among the more showy api>le, whose pinkish-white bloom so ladened 



1 The latter part of July. Sit p;is;p 46. 



