59 



bers of colonies to increase his annual yield. The natural tendency of 



bees to increase by swarming and the care and attention occasioned 

 thereby have given rise to various plans for its prevention or control. 

 One of the best of these plans, yet one little used, is outlined in the 

 following, the value of which, at the suggestion of Mr. Aikin. of Love- 

 land, Colo., I undertook to test: Early in spring two colonics were 

 selected, as nearly alike in strength as it was possible to gel them. 

 These were kept at the same strength, the amount of brood in the hives 

 having been equalized several times. The harvest did not open until 

 about July G, and upon the 8th supers were given them. July 12, 

 queen cells were found partly constructed in colony No. 1. The queen 

 was removed, and four days and also eight days afterward all queen 

 cells were destroyed. On July 25 (thirteen days after her removal) the 

 queen was returned. This colony did not swarm at all. The other 

 colony (No. 2) was allowed to work without interference, and it was not 

 until July 21 that they swarmed. As the harvest from Linden was 

 about closing, the swarm was returned and all queen cells destroyed in 

 the hope that they would not attempt to swarm again before the close 

 of the season. They did not swarm, yet it maybe supposed that this 

 interference with their instincts tended slightly to decrease their 

 energy. The results in total amount of honey gathered are as follows: 

 No. 1 gained in weight 37 pounds between July G and 25, and No. 2 

 gained 46 pounds during the same time. 



If from the total gain of No. 2 we substract 5 pounds as the weight 

 of brood it contained in excess of the brood in No. 1 on July 25, we still 

 have 4 pounds as the amount of honey gathered by No. 2 greater than 

 the amount gathered by No. 1. These colonies were both worked for 

 comb honey with like treatment of supers. 



This experiment is valuable testimony to prove that the removal of 

 the queen to prevent swarming does somewhat affect the amount of 

 honey gathered by the bees. The supers showed even a larger differ- 

 ence in the amount of honey stored in the sections for the reason that 

 where the queen is absent the bees fill the brood chamber with honey. 

 When the queen is returned this will to a greater or less extent be 

 removed to the sections. Although the interference in this manner 

 with the economy of the hive probably always reduces the amount oi' 

 honey stored, yet because of the lessening in the labor and watching 

 necessary during the swarming season, I deem it advisable to follow 

 this method when any similar plan seems necessary, 



WAX SECRETION. 



To determine the amount of honey consumed by the bees in secreting 

 one pound of wax, this experiment, firsl undertaken in 1891, was repeated 

 this year. As the conditions were much more favorable, the results 

 were very gratifying. There was entire absence of a natural honey 

 How, the weather was favorable, the colonies were of the same strength. 



