How TO Increase the Honey Supply 541 



In case the honey flow is nearly over, the last empty super may be placed 

 on top of all the others. Plenty of ventilation should be given after the 

 weather becomes settled and the nights become warm. An entrance 

 seven-eighths of an inch high by the width of the hive is small enough. 



Provided the season and the locality are favorable, three comb-honey 

 supers, if comb honey is produced, or two extracting supers for each 

 colony are the least that are needed for maximum production. 



INCREASE THE COLONIES 



Another method of increasing honey production is by adding to the 

 number of colonies in the apiary or by starting out-apiaries. Increasing 

 the number of colonies, however, may have a corresponding effect on 

 production only in case the beekeeper is an expert at increasing and does 

 it during an early honey flow and gets all succeeding flows. 



The successful beekeeper who wishes to go into the business more 



extensively or the professional beekeeper is advised to start out-apiaries. 



By so doing the colonies may be scattered so that they have access to a 



greater abundance of honey flow in unoccupied territory and thus increase 



production. 



USE MODERN EQUIPMENT 



It is strongly urged that all colonies from box hives and antiqtiated 

 equipment be transferred to modern equipment, and that modern methods 

 be used. Usually not more than one-third as much honey, at most, can 

 be produced from colonies in box hives, antiquated hives, and those 

 having crooked combs, as can be produced where the equipment and 

 practices are modern. The former hives do not admit of the necessary 

 modem manipulations and practices. 



CONTROL DISEASES 



Disease control is an important factor. In case diseases are suspected 

 in the apiary or the neighborhood and the beekeeper does not know how 

 to recognize or control them, he should ask the help of the Commissioner 

 of Agriculture at Albany. 



Samples of suspected dead brood in the comb without any honey 

 may be sent to the Bureau of Entomology, United States Department 

 of Agriculture, Washington, D. C. Free mailing boxes for this purpose 

 will be sent from the Department on request. A notice of the shipment 

 of the diseased comb should be sent. 



OTHER HELPS 



By selling, by letting out on shares, or by hiring the operation of colonies 

 to which the owner cannot give the necessary attention, the production 



