I e
Increase of colonies, to the greatest practical limits, inconsistent with securing surplus
honey. In many sections of country where the honey harvest is soon over, when
hives swarm but once there will be little or no surplus honey obtained. In the management
of bees I have often been reminded of [crossed out: Napoleon] the secret of Napoleon's great
success in his military operations. [crossed out: The lar] Superior forces, at the right time in the
right place. He who would be a Napoleon in them management of bees, must be sure to
have powerful colonies at the precise time when the work of laying in the surplus stores of the
season is to be done. A General may have his forces so situated that the more he has
the worse he may be off, and if swarms are weak when forage is abundant their
extra strength when more honey is consumed than is gathered may be a positive
loss to their owner. A swarm cannot be too powerful when supplies are abundant
and they have ample space for storage, all beyond what are necessary [inserted: at other times] are worse
than useless. Hives insufficiently protected and bad management often results in
feeble colonies when supplies are abundant, and strong ones when strength
is too late. In regions where there is abundance of buckwheat or late supplies
the evils of such a system will not be so severely felt, as the bees even if not strong
in numbers until late in the season will still be able to gather largely from these
fall supplies. The swarming plan as ordinarily managed in most locations only suited
to the old system of taking up the bees. 
Increase of colonies. [inserted: For] plan for a moderate increase suited to regions
where abundant supplies in early part of season but
meager or none late, See Journal, Ke for February 19th, 1862. In lifting
out the two outside combs for upper surplus hive, have if possible
two empty combs to replace them.