24 



where a clipped one has been; would indicate that the bees had 

 for some reason replaced her, an action called supercedure. 



One may go through each colony carefully about every eight 

 days after the swarming season is on and cut out all queen cells, 

 but this requires considerable time and care. If cells are over- 

 looked, a swarm is apt to be lost. It should be remembered, 

 that a swarm rarely issues with a young queen in her first laying 

 season. 



Our Method in Comb Honey Production 



We feel that our own method is a fairly good one for the busy 

 man who can be in the yard during the swarming period. We 

 practice giving plenty of super room ,at all times until near the 

 close of the flow, giving bottom ventilation and enlarging the 

 entrance. The bees are then allowed to swarm. We plan to 

 be in or near the yard through the middle of the day when the 

 swarms are expected. As they issue, we hive two strong colo- 

 nies together, more if second or small swarms, removing the 

 least desirable queens and pinching oif their heads. The hive 

 is then placed on the stand of the queen that has been killed 

 and the old hive is placed on the hive of the colony whose 

 queen has been saved. By this method we have a strong colony 

 of field bees in the new swarm ready for the harvest. 



As supers on the hives from which the swarms issued are 

 usually partly filled, these are placed on the new swiarm with 

 an empty one underneath or on top, as the season and flow may 

 influence us. 



The old colonies, being united, are not as apt to swarm again, 

 as they have twice the room but if they do swarm, which we 

 rather count on, we have one swarm of double strength where 

 we would have had two to unite. Three or four are often 

 tiered in this way. These united colonies give results in the 

 supers if there is any honey to be had. 



In an apiary of about thirty colonies, this plan can be followed 

 with success and particularly so where it is desired to keep 

 down the number of colonies in the yard. Often several colo- 

 nies unite themselves at swarming time. These should be hived 

 as one unless increase is desired and, ajs soon as possible after 

 the cluster settles idown, as they are more apt to leave than a 



