7O PROFITABLE BEE-KEEPING 
and be it noted that manipulation is not good for 
bees, and the less they have of it the better. 
The strength of a colony may be gauged by 
the number of the flying bees; the presence of a 
queen by the way in which they carry in pollen; 
want of food will be known when larve are cast 
forth ; robbing will be easily discovered ; the pres- 
ence of disease indicated, and even a desire to 
swarm occasionally foretold. The alighting board 
of a bee hive is an open book to those who can 
understand its language, and many things of which 
I havé no space to tell will be found printed there. 
Study carefully your hive entrances, and watch 
the movements of the bees. You will thus save 
yourself the.trouble, and the bees the annoyance 
of many unnecessary disturbances of the colony. 
It is here that you will often see the first dread 
signs of Isle of Wight disease, and be able to take 
immediate steps for effectively dealing with it. 
The different colours of the pollens will tell you 
what are the sources of supply, or the lethargic 
demeanour of the bees betray the fact that the 
honey flow has ceased, and that there is no work 
to do. The experienced bee-master rarely pulls 
his colonies to pieces, but he never ceases his 
watch over the entrances of the hives. Never 
open up a colony if you can possibly discover 
what you require from outside indications, 
