204 
DR. MILLER^ 
Q. Would it pay to have a Rietsche press for 100 colonies (I 
use shallow extracting-frames and sections on each colony), or 
would it pay to sell the wax and buy foundation? 
A I doubt that you could easily make foundation with a 
Rietsche press that would be satisfactory for section honey. For 
brood-frames you can make foundation with it that might be 
satisfactory. Whether it would be advisable to make or buy de- 
pends upon circumstances. 
Robbing. — Q. What is a good sign of bees being robbed? 
A. When you see unusual activity at the entrance, especially 
if the colony is weak, catch one of the bees that comes out with 
considerable bustle, kill it and see if it has honey in its sac. If 
it goes out with a full sac, you may count there’s robbing. In a 
large number of the cases of robbing that occur in the spring, it 
is because the colonies are queenless and practically worthless, 
and the best thing in such case is to let the robbers carry out all 
the honey without disturbing them. About the worst thing is to 
take the hive away, for then the robbers will pitch into the ad- 
joining hives. If you take the hive away, put in its place another 
hive just like it, with a comb or combs having just a little honey 
in them, letting the robbers clean out the little honey without dis- 
turbing the neighboring colonies. 
Q. If bees begin robbing a hive, can it be stopped, and how? 
A. If bees have a good start at robbing a weak colony, it is a 
hard matter to stop them. Perhaps the best thing is to take away 
the colony, putting it down cellar for two or three days, and put 
in place of the hive another hive like it, containing some comb 
and a little honey. (If you leave nothing for them to work at, 
they will attack one or more of the nearest colonies.) When they 
have cleaned out the little honey, and satisfied themselves there is 
no more to be had, they will quietly give it up. Then, after two 
or three days, return the colony to its place, closing the entrance 
to a very small space, perhaps allowing passage for only one or 
two bees at a time, and it may be that the robbers will not make 
another start, especially if a good queen is present. But if the 
colony is queenless, the case is hopeless. Sometimes robbing has 
commenced at a fairly strong colony with a good queen. The first 
thing is to limit the entrance. Perhaps painting carbolic acid 
about the entrance will answer. A pretty good way is to pile hay 
or grass in front of the entrance and keep it well wet with water. 
