Contraction of the Brood-Nest 



The Ijnjod-nest is contracted to prevent the production of brood at 

 a time when the resulting bees would c(5me upon the stage of action at a 

 time when there would be no lione\' to gather — when they would be con- 

 sumers instead of iiroducers. It is also contracted to compel the bees to 

 store the hone\- in the sections instead of in the brood-nest. There are 

 several reasons why this is desirable. The honey from clover and bass- 

 \vood is white, iine-fjavored. and brings a higher price than that gathered 

 later ; hence it is more profitable to force this higher-priced honey into 

 the sections, and allow the bees to fill the brood-combs, later in the sea- 

 son, with winter stores from such sources as )ield honey that brings a 

 lower ])rice. When it is desirable, either from its cheapness or from 

 its superi(irit\' as a winter food, to use sugar for winter stores, contrac- 

 tion of the brood-nest can be so managed as to leave the bees almost 

 destitute of hone}' in the fall, which does awa}- with the trouble of ex- 

 tracting, and leaves nothing to be done except to feed the bees. Such, 

 in brief, are the advantages of contracting the brood-nest. AMiere the 

 honey-flow lasts nearly the whole season, with no long periods of scarcit\'. 

 and the quality of the honey is uniform throughout the season, and no 

 advantage is to be found in substituting sugar for honey as winter stores, 

 I see little need of contracting the brood-nest, and would advise that it 

 be of such size that an ordinary prolific queen can keep the combs well 

 filled with brood in the early part of the season ; but where an\- of the 

 first-mentioned conditions exist, the bee-keeper who neglects "contraction" 

 is not employing all of the advantages that are available. 



.\s a rule I don't adA'ise the contraction of the brood-nest of an estab- 

 lished colon)-. If it does not properl)- fill its hive, is too weak, and the 

 time for putting on sections has arri\ed, then contraction is necessar\ 

 if the colon)- is to be worked for comb hcine\ . lint whei-i a colony com- 

 pletel)- fills its hive, and has its combs well filled with brood, I doubt 

 if nmch is gained 13\- contracting the brood-nest. S(j long as the con-ibs 

 are kept full of brood, the surplus will go into the supers. If anv of 

 the conilis of brood are taken away, they n-iust be cared for b\- other 

 bees somewliere else, so nothing is gained. 



It is at the time of hiving a swarm that 1 have found contraction 

 of the brood-nest advisable. Years ago S(.)me of the "big guns" in api- 



