35 



Treatment of Swarms. — Provision of Supers. 



There is little doubt in the minds of many of the beekeepers who 

 have been accustomed to box hives as to the surplus to be obtained 

 from a swarm. It is not uncommon to find swarms put into frame 

 hives, and not provided with room for surplus. Unless supers are given 

 to strong early swarms from ten to fifteen days after they are esta- 

 blished these colonies will often swarm again, and no surplus will be 

 obtained. It must be understood that the season plays an important 

 part in the returns netted, but large amounts are yearly lost through 

 the beekeeper neglecting to give ample room for the swarm to store 

 honey. When a swarm has been established a few days a hurried 

 examination should be made to note progress, and from this the bee- 

 keeper will be able to form some idea as to the time at which the super 

 will be required. 



ARTIFICIAL INCREASE. 



Many methods are in vogue relative to what is commonly termed 

 "increase." The word "increase" in this case means adding to the 

 number of colonies. Strong stocks are built up by early feeding, and 

 are then divided, the portion containing the old queen being removed 

 to a new location. As nearly as possible an equal part of brood and 

 stores is given to each, and the remaining space is filled with frames 

 of foundation. Early queens must be reared and introduced to the 

 half that is queenless, or, failing this, a ripe cell should be inserted. For 

 rapid increase this method is perhaps the best known in bee-culture, and 

 is highly recommended. Always remember a good spring is necessary 

 to ensure the young queens mating in time. If a large number of 

 colonies are required, those already divided may be further fed with 

 sugar-syrup or sealed stores until sufficient strength has been gained 

 for a second division. Just here judgment is required as to whether 

 some stocks are too weak for a second division, for only the very strong 

 should be so broken down. 



Nucleus Hives. 



During the summer months every attention should be paid to 

 raising a stock of young queens to replace old and failing ones. To 

 buy new queens each successive season is too expensive, and with a 

 little attention and care good queens can be raised by the beekeeper 

 in his own yard. An apiary should be requeened each year, and 

 queens should not be tolerated for more than two seasons at the 

 most. In the long-run it is the queens that tell in the production of 

 big crops, and unless the beekeeper takes the trouble to requeen in 

 the summer only a small percentage of the stocks will yield a surplus. 



In order to facilitate the work of queen-rearing a few nucleus 

 colonies should be run in conjunction with every apiary. In these 

 small colonies queens can be raised and cared for until they are mated 

 and laying. It is an easy matter, once the queens are laying, to transfer 

 them to the larger hives in the apiary. Perhaps no branch of apicul- 

 ture receives less attention than the production of young queens ; and 

 yet if the beekeepers who get the big crops of honey are asked what 

 counts most in their production the reply is invariably " young queens." 

 In New Zealand it has been proved over and over again that the best 

 months for raising queens are from November to February. During 

 this period everything is favourable for the operation, as the hives are 

 at their highest state of prosperity. Under normal conditions the 

 workers and drones are at their best, this being the swarming-peroip. 



