288 To Avoid Sxvarming. 



board, and keep the bees crowded, especially if weak in 

 the spring. Only give them the number of combs that 

 they can cover. Keep them warmly covered. Though 

 this last may with proper management be unnecessary, it 

 certainly does no harm; it may aid greatly. True, Mr. 

 Heddon objects to this work of feeding and manipulating 

 division boards, and makes much honey and money. I 

 have often wondered what his genius and skill would accom- 

 plish should he vary his method in this respect. Instead 

 of feeding by use of the White (Fig. 91) or other feeder, 

 we may uncap a comb of honey and with it separate combs 

 of brood as the bees get two or three full frames of the 

 latter. This will stimulate the bees, and as they will carry 

 the honey from the uncapped cells the queen will be 

 impelled to most rapid laying. We may also fill empty 

 combs as already described and place these in or close beside 

 the brood-nest. By turning around the brood combs, or 

 separating them by adding combs with empty cells as the 

 colonies gain in strength, we hasten brood-rearing to the 

 utmost. This matter of separating the brood-combs must 

 be very cautioush- managed or brood will be chilled and 

 much harm done. 



TO AVOID THE SWARMING FEVER. 



This is not always possible by any method, and has ever 

 been the obstacle in the way of successful comb-honey pro- 

 duction. The swarming impulse and great yields of this de- 

 lectable product are entirely antagonistic. Mr. James Hed- 

 don, Davis, and others let the bees swarm. They hive these 

 swarms on foundation, and hope to have this all done, and 

 both colonies strong, in time for the honey harvest. Messrs. 

 Hutchinson and Doolittle hive the swarm on empty frames, 

 always, however, with starters, placing sections with their 

 foundation or better, comb on the hive at once. They also 

 restrict the brood chamber, either by filling space with 

 division boards (Doolittle), or by using the lower half of 

 a horizontally divided brood chamber (Hutchinson, see 

 new Heddon hive, p. 189). In this way the whole work- 

 ing force is put at once into the sections. Some of our 

 best Michigan and New York bee-keepers, with Dr. 



