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Italians from Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Texas, 

 and in each instence, they were a disappointment. They did 

 not winter so well nor build up as readily in spring as the Blacks 

 and they swarmed quite as much. In aJl of these qualities, they 

 are supposed to be superior to our niaitive bees. 



My own experience has been the common one of all who have 

 tried them in Aroostook, so far as I am able to learn'. I am 

 mot able to say what results have been obtanied in tihe other 

 counties of Maine. There have been both favorable and 

 unfavorable' reports. 



Swarm Control 



In comb honey pToduction, the bees have to be crowded to get 

 the best results in the super. In other words, they do not enter 

 a comb honey super as quickly, separated as it is in sm'aller com- 

 partments. In consequence, it requires greater care in the con- 

 trol of these colonies to prevent swarming. 



As the weather gets very warm, the entrance must be enlarged 

 to full width. This can be done gradually as the strength of 

 the colon.ies increases. Some use an entrance two inches in 

 depth, others practice raising the hives on inch blocks. This 

 provides excellent ventilation but has the objection of comj>el- 

 ling the bee-keeper to work in front of the entrance regardless 

 of which side he is on. Again, when the hive is dropped back 

 at the close of the flow, there is some confusioin among the bees 

 for sometime. Neither are serious objections. Some bee-keepers 

 practice clipping the wings of the queens. This prevents the 

 prime or first swarm from leaving, or the loss of valuable 

 queens. Since the queen cells have been built and sealed at 

 the time the first swarm issues, it will only be a few days until 

 the swarm will issue with one or more virgin queens present 

 and the liability of loss of swarm has only been delayed by- 

 clipping. In case a queen is valuable as a breeder, she should 

 be clipped, care being taken not tO' clip a virgin queen as she 

 would then have no value. The process of clipping is simple. 

 Pick the queen up between the thumb and forefinger and, with 

 a fine pair of scissors, cut off one wing. Care should be taken 

 not to jamb the queen. By having all clipped queens, one is 

 able to keep track of them better, as an undipped laying queen. 



