Beekeeping in Wisconsin 19 



to five weeks. The colonies should be managed throughout 

 the year so as to have the largest possible working force in 

 each colony at the beginning of the main honey flow in order 

 that the maximum amount of honey may be made. In gen- 

 eral then, spring management largely consists of building 

 up the colonies suffering from winter losses. 



Summer management alone consists in so handling the 

 colonies as to encourage honey production and hive increase. 

 For comb honey production it is necessary to create pressure 

 in the hive so as to force the bees up into the small unnatural 



fig. 7.— winter quarters from side wall and roof 



Colonies may be arranged in long rows and covered by tenement sheds. 



square compartments in which the comb honey is stored. 

 This pressure is gained by keeping the main hive practically 

 filled with combs containing brood and honey so that nearly 

 all of the freshly gathered nectar will have to be stored in 

 the supers above. 



When the Bees Are Ready to Swarm 



As a result of the crowded condition in the hives, swarm- 

 ing often results and this forms one of the chief troubles of 

 the comb honey man. Swarming can be prevented to a cer- 

 tain extent by the removal of queen cells, proper manipu- 



