336 PFECHASEfG STOCKS AND TEANSPOETING BEES. 

 PUECHASE THE BEST. 



Firstly then, select first-class stocks ; it will make but 

 little difference whether they are ohtained in fall or 

 spring, if winter management is understood. I hare al- 

 ready said that the requisites for winter were, a numer- 

 ous family and plenty of honey, and that the cluster of 

 bees should extend through nearly all the combs, 



AVOID DISEASED STOCK. 



To avoid diseased brood, make your purchases, if pos- 

 sible, in an apiary where it has not n>ade its appearance. 

 There are some who have lost bees from this cause — and 

 yet were totally ignorant of the fact. It is well there- 

 fore, to inquire if any stocks have been lost, and trace 

 out the cause, being careful not to mistake the immedi- 

 ate occasion of the loss, for the primary one — which may 

 be disease. 



OLD STOCKS KOT OBJECTIOSABI-E. 



If you are satisfied that there is no foul brood, you 

 need not object to stocks two or three years old, they 

 are as good and sometimes better than others, especially 

 if they have swarmed the season previous, because such 

 always have young queens, which are said to be more 

 prolific than the old ones, which are nearly always found 

 in first swarms. 



When no apiary from which to purchase can be found 

 except those in which the disease prevails, you cannot 

 be too cautious in making a selection. It would be saf- 

 est in this case to take none but young swarms, as it is 

 very uncommon for any to be affected the first season. 



Old stocks are as prosperous as any, as long as they 

 are healthy, but they are more liable to become diseased 

 than young swarms. 



If you are not allowed to take aU young stocks, ex- 



