I30 BEE-FARMING. 



going, they will speedily fill the whole hive with honey to 

 the exclusion of eggs, for no sooner does the sharp-eyed 

 Ligurian observe a tenantless cell than it is speedily made 

 use of for honey ; but if the two end bars are removed 

 frequently, and the honey taken out, it will prevent them 

 encroaching upon the central combs, which will, in this 

 case, be conscientiously used as a nursery. 



THE VALUE OF ITALIANS. 



To the active bee-farmer this bee opens up a rich 

 harvest. Hundreds of bee-keepers would gratefully pur- 

 chase swarms of pure Italians, but they cannot be ob- 

 tained excepting at exorbitant prices, too high for the 

 general run of bee-keepers in this country. A few words 

 may help our readers to help themselves. First, if possi- 

 ble, and no other way seems open, purchase a queen from 

 some dealer who will deal honestly with you, and introduce 

 this to a good flourishing stock in the Bee-Farmer's Bar- 

 frame Hive. Keep this stock apart from your other bees, 

 at some cottage, where no bees are kept for some dis- 

 tance. Early the following year it will commence swarm- 

 ing. Take care of every hive or swarm until you have 

 succeeded in obtaining a good apiary of Italians. The fol- 

 lowing year you may search for orders for swarms ; each 

 will be worth a guinea if sent away the same day as 

 hived in a common skep ; the honey of itself will reward 

 your toils ; this can be gleaned whilst the breeding and 

 swarming are in active operation. Speaking within 

 bounds, a second year should witness a dozen good 

 swarms ; we say this from experience. A working man, 

 on the outskirts of Manchester, a few years ago, realised 

 in one year I20/. from his Italian swarms. In a quiet 

 neighbourhood sheltered from the winds vast results 



