25 



swarm with their own queen alone. If too many swarms unite, 

 it is better to divide them, ais too heavy a swarm does not take 

 kindly to tlhis condition. 



We do not try to .'■ecure the first early flow of honey in the 

 supers, as in our location, it is apt to be dark in color, and does 

 not command as high a price as the later flow. One practice is 

 to give all colonies, which need super room before the white 

 honey flows, an extra brood chamber. Dark honey can be 

 stored in this and later used to give colonies which may be short 

 of stores. The brood in combs may be given to weak colonies 

 and supers then given the colony at the opening of the white 

 honey flow. Ajs' the colony is apt to be heavy with brood at 

 this time, if increase is not desired, it is best to remove a few 

 frames of sealed brood and give frame filled with full sheets of 

 foundation. 



If working the bees for extracted honey, the early flow or 

 any flow which is dark may be extracted or sold by itself. 



Uniting 



It is not a difficult feat to unite swarms or colonies when nec- 

 tar is coming freely, but at other times one has to be extemely 

 careful. In springtime, two colonies to be united may be 

 handled somewhat dififerently. One method is to carry the 

 weaker colony to the istand of the stronger one, first smoking 

 them a little. Smoke each colony enough to cause them to fill 

 the honey sacks so that they will remain quietly on the combs. 

 Find the queen least desirable and dispose Oif her, then remove 

 from the other colony the frames which do not contain brood, 

 take from the colony whose queen has been disposed of, one 

 at a time, the frames of brood and bees and place in the other 

 hive, alternating them first one of Colony No. i, then one from 

 ■Colony No. 2. If any space is left, replace combs containing 

 new honey and pollen, then sealed stores and cover frames with 

 quilt or board and smoke at entrance a few good puffs. Close 

 hive for a few hours or over night if done late in the day. 

 When hive is opened, a board should be leaned against entrance 

 for a day or so to help the bees Oif the moved colony locate 

 their new home. 



