Cottager and Smallholder 



21 



r?-:^';;:A=:^ 



Fia. 27. 



quilt (see "Feeders and Feeding"). Two additional quilts 

 of thick material, such as felt or carpet, or severa.1 neatly 

 folded newspapers, are also placed over the calico and feeder 

 to make the hees snug and warm. Another method, to be 

 adopted only in cold or 

 damp weather, is to remove 

 half the frames, spacing 

 the live remaining ones 

 equal distances apart, then 

 shake the bees in from the 

 top. Swarms should te 

 run into the hive in the 

 evening about six o'clock 



A swarm does not, as a 

 rule, do more the first 

 season than establish itself 

 and store sufficient food 

 for the winter. 



The second season the 

 colony reaches full strength 

 about May or June, and 

 unless more room is 

 provided the bees will 

 swarm. 



The modern method is to prevent this, and obtain surplus, 

 by giving room in advance of requirements by means of extra, 

 chambers called supers. These are of two kinds — section racks 

 Fig. 22, for the production of comb honey, and shallow frame 

 boxes. Fig. 23, to obtain extracted honey. The section rack 

 contains twenty-one sections, which are purchased in the flat. 

 Fig. 24 ; folded and fastened by lock joints they make a 

 square 4^ by 4J and 2 inches wide. Fig. 25. There is a 



groove in the centre into which 

 very thin super foundation is 

 pushed. Fig. 26, and secured by 

 being gripped in the top, which 

 is cut in half for the purpose. 

 Fig. 25, and completed. Fig. 27. 

 The foundation must be 

 placed BO that the rows of cells 

 run parallel with the top as on the right side. Fig. 28, and not 

 diagonally as left side of the same illustration. The sections 

 are placed in the rack in seven rows, three in a, row, upon slats 

 to allow the bees to pass into them. Between each row is a 

 divider to prevent the comb from being built beyond the wood- 

 work of the section; Fig. 29 makee this clear. 



Fig. 28. 



