FIFTY YEAES AMONG THE BEES 155 



Having spent this much time telling what was done the 

 previous winter, let us get back to warmer weather. 



GIVING ADDITIONAL SUPERS. 



Understanding now that each colony has had a super given 

 to it about ten days after the very first white-clover blossom 

 has been seen, or sooner, the further history of this super and 

 its possible successors is a matter that varies so much in differ- 

 ent seasons that it is difficult to tell it straight. By the way, 

 you may think that I'm always thrilled with the sight of the 

 first clover blossom. I'm not. Scarcely ever a thrill. The col- 

 onies are rarely all of them as strong as I would like for the 

 beginning of the hai-vest, and that first clover blossom is mere- 

 ly a warning thalf the time for building up for the harvest is 

 becoming very short. 



UNCERTAINTY OF SEASONS. 



As to giving additional super room, it may or may not be 

 necessary. That first clover bloom may have so few successors 

 that there will be no harvest ; or bloom may be abundant with 

 no nectar. So sometimes it happens that after it becomes a 

 clear case that the harvest is a failure, the supers are taken off 

 as innocent of honey as when they were put on. Oftener it 

 happens that the bait-section in each super is filled and sealed 

 and not a cell drawn out in the other sections. Trom that up, 

 the seasons will vary so that the average number of sections to 

 each colony will be 10, 24, 48, and up to 150 or more, although 

 these latter seasons do not come with any alarming degree of 

 frequency. 



If one could, know in advance just what the season was 

 going to be, he could tell a good deal better what to do in the 

 way of giving additional super room. One may give so much 

 room that there will be an undue proportion of unfinished sec- 

 tions at the final taking off, or one may leave the bees so 

 crowded for room as to lose part of the crop. I am not likely 

 to make the latter mistake, which I consider a good deal worse 

 than to have too many unfinished sections. 



