398 A Modern Bee-Farm 



experiments have I not conducted in this direction, ex- 

 tending over many years ? It is both a destructive and a 

 helpful process. Hurtful if applied before warm weather 

 is really near at hand ; greatly beneficial if used in a 

 proper manner, only after the bees have once hatched 

 plenty of young. 



Greenhouses, coal-stoves, paraffin stoves and lamps ; all 

 of these have I brought into requisition, and in the light 

 of past result all are condemned. 



A joyous sight though it was to an enthusiast to stand 

 in summer heat at mid-winter and watch the hundreds of 

 .busy workers at the artificial pollen, and rushing with their 

 loads to the hives as though they made sure summer was 

 upon them. 



But judged by the stern light of facts it remained a 

 pleasant experiment only, for of what value were those 

 stocks after the excessive unseasonable loss of life and 

 consequent failure to pick up when the second and real 

 summer approached ! 



And yet artificial heat gave me some of the most forward 

 stocks I ever possessed — they were up strongly in the 

 supers by the end of April. But it was not until March 

 was well on the way that they were placed upon and care- 

 fully packed round with long stable manure. They did 

 well right along, and being exempt from all outside 

 changes, there was nothing to hinder their very rapid 

 progress. 



While I am not an advocate of double packed walls to 

 the stock hive in winter, nor such arrangement even for 

 summer, yet where shade is provided by an independent 

 outer case during hot weather, very great progress is made 

 by the bees, 



