224 -^ Modern Bee-Farm 



To those who wish to work their ordinary hives to the 

 best advantage, I may say that 



The Young Queens 



mentioned are first reared in nuclei, one is given to the 

 united swarm soon after the operation, for two reasons, 

 one being that no further swarming will occur, and another 

 that all worker combs are more likely to be built by the 

 bees. In the other case the bees are not likely to swarm 

 with so much comb space allowed, and the young queen 

 with her nucleus is added to the stock in Autumn. 



Throughout all bee-operations the fact must never be 

 lost sight of that every manipulation must tend towards 

 developing that vast population so absolutely necessary to 

 a great success. 



Securing a Profit in Poor Seasons 



is a matter of the greatest moment, but one seldom 

 successfully grappled with by any bee-keeper. The hives 

 are arranged for the summer's work, and should the 

 weather continue unfavourable for the storing of honey 

 the owner sees the season gradually slipping away from 

 him while he remains perfectly helpless. He does,, 

 perhaps, feed when necessary, and return swarms as they 

 may issue, but this is too frequently the full extent of his 

 "management" (?), while the end of the season finds him 

 only out of pocket on the year's unsatisfactory work. 



Even if only an improvement in the quality of the stock 

 had been made during the year, there could have been no 

 loss, but, on the other hand, a decided gain. Indeed, it 

 is the first duty of the progressive apiarist to rear young 

 queens yearly from his best stocks, or by purchasing 

 desirable queens from apiaries that can be relied upon 

 for excellence of stock. 



