Management in Bar-frame Hives. 59 



that there is no better method than making three 

 stocks out of two, as previously explained. 



If it/i appens that the bee-keeper has stocks enough 

 and does not wish for swarms, he may usually prevent 

 swarming, but not always. The reason why bees 

 swarm is because the hive gets so full of bees as to 

 become practically unbearable. They will then swarm 

 out. If more room is given in time — i.e. before they 

 get the swarm fever — swarming is frequently prevented. 

 Bees always like to build down to the floor of their 

 hives. If, therefore, the hive is raised, and a box of 

 frames with only strips of foundation put under it, the 

 bees will probably not swarm. If supers are also 

 added at the same time, they will be still less likely to 

 swarm. The principle involved seems to be this. 

 Bees will not swarm while they have unfinished combs 

 nearest the entrance. Therefore, take care they never 

 finish them. A noted Russian bee-keeper used to do 

 this. He took a tall box, and stood it up on end. 

 In the upper part of the box he introduced a swarm 

 of bees. The first year they worked about a third 

 of the way down the box, and the bee-keeper allowed 

 them all that year's takings. At the end of the second 

 year they had worked another third, while the top 

 part was full of honey. He cut out the top third for 

 himself, and left the bees the rest. At the end of the 

 third year the bees had worked to the bottom of the 

 hive. He then cut out the next (or middle) third, 

 leaving the bees the bottom lot. When the bees were 



