AUSTRALASIAN BEE MANUAL 



fore, when a colony does not cover more than three or 

 four frames the hive should be contracted to that space 

 with division boards (Fig. 67) in the manner shown in 

 Fig. 68. They can be purchased or be readily made 

 out of an inch board, 9 in. wide, cut into lengths that 

 will fit the hive lengthwise as in Fig. 67. 



If the ends are 

 bevelled a little as 

 at A, A, in Fig. 66, 

 they can be made 

 to fit better, and be 

 more readily fixed 

 in place. As the 

 gradual enlarge- 

 ment of the colony 

 demands it, the 

 division boards 

 should be moved 

 from time to time 

 till they can be dis- 

 pensed with alto- 

 Fig. 68. gather. 



SHOWING DIVISION BOARDS IN USE. 



SPRING FEEDING. 



The chief contributing factors to successful spring 

 management are warmth, and an ample supply of food 

 in the hive ; when these are present breeding will go on 

 satisfactorily, but without either one it cannot. The 

 former can readily be obtained in the manner described, 

 but the latter is frequently neglected, either through 

 oversight or carelessness. My position as Government 

 Apiarist gave me many opportunities of observing this, 

 and was the cause of my drawing attention to it in my 

 Government Bulletin, as follows : — 



" Next in magrnitude to the losses of bees which result 

 from inattention to disease are those which occur in the 

 spring months through starvation. Few but experienced 

 bee-keepers and those who have suffered financially from 

 losses realise how readily the food-supply may become 

 exhausted after breeding is in full swing in spring. In my 



