1 92 A Modern Bee- Farm 



It has sometimes been stated that by depriving a colony of its 

 queen during a honey flow, a much larger harvest will be secured. 

 Quite true ; if a heavy flow is on ; but what is to compensate for 

 the wear and tear during the six weeks, more or less, when no 

 young bees are coming forward to take the place of those worn 

 out? There is no compensation, and when a queen is given, 

 these old bees will not raise enough young ones to go through the 

 winter. The additional surplus, therefore does not pay for the 

 total loss of stock. 



To be in the highest degree profitable, year after year, a colony 

 must always be in possession of a good queen. Hitherto it has 

 been considered that a queen is at her best during her second 

 season ; but in the future, the apiarist who wishes to compete with 

 the times will give his stock a young queen every year. Such 

 young queen is not to be inserted either in the spring or usual 

 swarming time ; but by observing the " Tenth Method" it will be 

 seen that the whole matter is reduced to a system. 



Systematic management is the corner-stone of successful 

 bee-keeping. Plans and methods may be well in themselves, 

 but unless carried out at the right time with due regard to 

 what has preceded or may follow a certain manipulation, they are 

 like broken links in a chain ; bringing only disaster where success, 

 should have been attained. 



I have found bees working two and three miles away from 

 home in good weather, but when there has been nothing nearer 

 little or no surplus would be stored. In the best of weather stores, 

 accumulate slowly, and at great expense of life if the bees have to- 

 go more than one mile ; but with a sea of bloom within half-a- 

 mile or less, honey almost pours into the hive ; hence the necessity 

 of planting large crops to come on in succession near the apiarjr 

 — the only course that will give a certain income year after year. 



