!46 A Modern Bee- Farm 



nor bees of this variety can compete with a more prolific 

 kind in the large hive. Hence, in striving to obtain the 

 greatest average annual returns, the progressive bee- 

 keeper requires a prolific race of yellow bees, selected also 

 for other good qualities. It will therefore, readily be seen 

 how misleading are some disparaging reports from those 

 who think they have finally tested the matter. 



"How am I to Stock the Commercial Hive?" 

 is a frequent question. Well, if you wish to stock it to 

 the best advantage, of course you must begin well. You 

 may unite, and at the same time transfer to it, two other 

 stocks from standard frames, thus making a grand work- 

 ing colony at a stroke. 



Then again, you may, towards June, select two good 

 colonies standing near together ; place the Conqueror hive 

 between them to receive a swarm artificially made from 

 each, and uniting with one queen. The standard hives, 

 from which the swarms are taken will then be moved right 

 away, and these again united, with the other queen 

 presiding. Thus my plan of combined swarming and 

 uniting, without increase, will give two rousing colonies 

 for honey production. The entire contents of two straw 

 skeps may also be made use of in the same way, if these 

 are on hand. There is really no reason whatever for the 

 bee-keeper to use single swarms and stocks when he is 

 assured the same bees will be doubly profitable when 

 united ; while if worked singly, little or nothing may be 

 obtained from them. 



" If I Adopt Commercial Frames 

 what am I to do with my Standard combs ? " is another 

 query frequently presented. If not transferred to the 

 Commercial frames the Standard combs will always do 

 for extracting, and will be most useful for that purpose, 



