1905.] Advice to Beginners in Bee-Keeping. 



79 



Longmans, Green & Co., Paternoster Row, for the British 

 Bee-Keepers' Association ; and the " British Bee-Keeper's Guide 

 Book " (price is. 6d.), by Thos. W. Cowan, F.L.S., 10, Buckingham 

 Street, Strand, London. As a personal explanation of the 

 terms used and of the outfit required is a great help, an inter- 

 view should, if possible, be obtained with an experienced 

 bee-keeper. In " Modern Bee- Keeping" will be found a list of 

 Secretaries of County Bee-Keepers' Associations, any of whom 

 will be able to furnish names of expert bee-keepers willing to 

 render assistance if needed. The appliances required are : 

 Black net veil ; smoker, for subduing bees ; wax comb founda- 

 tion (brood and super) ; bottle-feeder ; section boxes ; frame- 

 hive, fitted with brood-foundation in ten or twelve standard 

 frames, two division boards, section -rack or lift of shallow 

 frames, a queen excluder and quilts. If the hive is to be 

 worked for extracted honey, a centrifugal honey-extractor will 

 also be needed. Additional useful articles are : Scraper-knife, 

 for cleaning floor-boards, frames, &c. ; comb-uncapping knife, for 

 use when extracting ; a straw skep, for taking swarms ; spare 

 coverings of felt or carpet ; a super-clearer, for clearing bees 

 from section racks or supers. 



There are many patterns of hives, all made to take the one 

 British Standard frame. A simple one should be chosen 

 possessing accuracy of workmanship and soundness of material, 

 so as to stand exposure to the weather for years. The outside 

 of the hive should be thoroughly painted, to keep it rain and 

 damp proof. It must be placed on its stand in a spot sheltered, 

 if possible, from the cold north and east winds, and with a free 

 flight for the bees in front. Space should be left behind it for 

 easy access, then all manipulations can be carried on from the 

 back ; this avoids irritating the home-coming bees. 



The swarm should be ordered either from a recognised dealer 

 or from a neighbouring bee-keeper. The only safe way for a 

 beginner to start is with a " head " or first swarm. By this 

 means he will avoid all the pitfalls of disease or lack of 

 condition, which only a practised eye can detect, but which 

 beset the purchaser of second-hand stocks. Given a good 

 season, a swarm should be able to establish itself, and provide 

 some surplus for its owner, in its first year. 



