212 AUSTRALIAN BEE LORE AND BEE CULTURE- 



41. It should enable the apiarian who relies on natural 

 swarming and wishes to multiply his colonies as fast 

 as possible, to make vigorous stocks of all his small 

 after-swarms. 



This can only be done at the expense of the honey-crop. These 

 after-swarms have young queens, and they occur most frequently 

 during good seasons. If combs containing all the requisites for 

 brood-raising — bee-bread, honey, and developing brood be taken 

 from strong colonies to strengthen weak ones, it must be done 

 judiciously, and as early in the season as possible, otherwise the 

 strong colony may become the weak one. 



42. It should enable the apiarian to multiply his colonies 



with a certainty and rapidity which are impossible if 

 he depends on natural swarming. 



As before stated, this should only be done when the multi- 

 plication of colonies is required, rather than the production of 

 honey. 



43. It should enable the apiarian to supply destitute col- 

 onies with the means of obtaining new queens. 



Under the old skip and box system of bee-keeping, bees could 

 supply themselves with queens, providing there were eggs or brood 

 of the proper age , but the bar-frame hives opened tip a new era 

 in this respect. Prior to this the manufacture of queens was not 

 under the control of the bee-keeper. 



44. It should enable him to catch the queen for any pur- 

 pose especially to remove an old one whose fertility is 

 impaired by age. 



Colonies die out too frequently through the infertility of the 

 queen either through old age or mismating. In both cases they 

 become drone breeders. With the bar-frame this can at once be 

 remedied, and a fertile queen can be introduced to take the other's 

 place, and thus a colony of bees can be perpetuated indefinitely. 



45. While a complete hive is adapted to the wants of those 

 who desire to manage their colonies on the most im- 

 proved plans, it ought to be suited to the wants of 

 those who, from timidity, ignorance or any other rea- 

 son, prefer the common way. 



