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Lea diagrammes suivants illustrent la mAthoda. 1 2 3 456 MICtOCOfY RESOLUTION TfST CHA»T lANSI and ISO TEST CHART No, 2l ^ ^PPUEDjrvMGE In ^^ ("61 288 ^ 5989 _ f„. DOMINION OP CANADA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE DOMINION EXPERIMENTAL FARMS /'ST BEES AND HOW TO KEEP THEM BY F. W. L. SLADEN Dominion Aptatitt BULLBXIN No 26 (SECOND 5ERIESI i •ubiithed by direction of Hon MARTIN BURRELL.MIniiter of Agriculture, Ottawa, Ont. OTTAWA GOVERNMENT I'KINTINO BUREAU 1916 i DOMINION OF CANADA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE DOMINION EXPERIMENTAL . .\i«MS BEES AND HOW TO KEEP THEM BY F. W. L. SLADEN Dominion Apiarist BULLETIN No. 26 (SECOND SERIES) Publishad by direction of Hon. MARTIN BURRELL, Miniater of Ayncultura, Ottawa, Ont. 90179—1 OTTAWA GOVERNMENT PRINTING H U R E A U 1916 Ottawa, December 22, 1015. The Honourable The Minister of Agriculture. Sir, — I have the honour to transmit herewith Bulletin No. 2(1 of the Secoid Serirs, entitled " Bees and How to Keep Them," which hns been propnred by Mr. F. W. L. Sladen, Apiarist of the K.xperinioiital Farms. This bulletin replnces our Bulletin Xo 00, ''The Honey-bee," which i.- mw out of print. The demand for a publication of this nature ig steadily increasinjr, and has now reached such proportions that, in my opinion, the issuing of this new bulletin is advisable. The information contained therein is given in a concise form, and I think should prove useful to those of our fai-mers who find that the keeping of bees adds very materiall.v to their income. I have the honour .o he, s-r. Your obedient servant, J. H. ORISDALE, Director, Dominion Experimental Farm*. 90179—11 TABLE OF CONTENTS. I'AOK Introilui'tiuM 7 Tho Advantage* of B«c-koi'piiiK 7 IIow to begin 8 Honey Uouso HoKiriner'a Outfit 10 Location of the Apinry 10 RaceK of Bee* 11 The B^P'^-- are somewhat higher than in Ontario, and in Quebec a fraction lower ^J^^J*^ Taried but little from year to year. Up to one hundred, and sometimes two hundred or mo« colonies, can be kept profitably in a good location. Profe8.ional apiarists fre^uc U- Ty keep one or more out-apiaries, these being situated not less than two miles from the homrapiary. and from one another. In estimating profit*. 60 cents to $1 per coloiv should be deducted for working expenses other than labour. Part of this may be offset by the ralue of the wax produced and so'd. „ . , • j wi»i,„„» The peculiar advantages of bee-keeping are not sufficient y reeognired. Without investing in land or expensive equipment a man or woman who has the aptitude can learn to make money in the production and sale of an article of food which one is never compelled to sell at temporarily depressed prices, because it will keep in good marketable condition, even from year to year if necessary. . ^ , • j v„ A crop of honey and a little wax do not represent al that is to be gained by keeping bees. To the fruit grower, bees may be more valuable for e^unng the crop of fruit than for honey production. It has been experimentally proved that the produc- tion of most kinds of apples, pears, plums and cherries, and also raspberries and gooseberries, depends upon the transmission by insects of the f/!tili«ng pollen from blossom to blossom of different trees or varieties. The industrious and methodical honey-bee is by far the most efficient insect for this work, and in ^^°'^°\^'^'T where wild bees are scarce, or where frequently "n*«y°»"W^ ''f »^«% '*""°« ™ blossoming period demands that pollination be accomplished quickly, a few hives of Les in or near the orchard become a necessity. Bees are "l^." ".f "\P^^'"^^'\°* several farm and garden crops. In the alsike seed-growing districts ?' 0«»«"°JJ« fanners are glad to have the specialist bee-keeper locate his large apiary near their fields, because an abundance of bees increases the seed crop, and bees are a recognized item in the equipment of those who grow cucumbers for market m hot-houses. HOW TO BEGIN. Before starting to keep bees the beginner should, if possible, visit a bee-keeper in his vicinity one who keeps bees in an up-to-date way in modem frame-hives, so as to Z how ^hive is oj^ne^and how the combs are handled, and aUo to learn by question a^d answer many things about bees and their management, which are not nearly so ^nratfstr t: sSl a S^seale. One or two colonies are enough to b^in with. When experience has been gained the number ""^y ^«^ >"«;«!^^ WkZiiS more discouraging to the beginner after he baa gone exten ively into b«^^«P^^ than to lose most of the bees through bad wintering or some other cause, all from the want of a little experience. It is a good plan to make thf^ees pay their way after the first outlay, which need not exceed $20. and can often be made much less. The best time of the year to begin bee-keeping is in the spring. Colonies complete in their hives may be obtained in May. or swarms may be obtained in J»"e °'f '^ July. The former should each give a fair amount of surplus ^oney or a swnrrn .n- wo the same season, but a swarm is not likely to produce much honey the first year, unless '* ''The'cobn^or swarm should be fairly populous, and should have a young fertile nueen. The apiary from which it comes should be free from disease. It is best, if Sb e. to prueuVe the bee. in the neighbourhood, one reason being that bees sen Tng dis anc^ may die in large numbers during transportation unless Papjed skilfully, another reason is that tho risk of introducing disea^a into the ^'strict « ^J^^^J; Besides, the nci^-hbour from whom the bees are purchased can often be induced to aasUt in the moTing and will prove a helpful friend in case of difficulty or doubt. If the colony is procured in April or May the bees will travel with less risk than in the height of summer, because there will then be fewer bees and less honey in the hive and the weather will probably be cooler. Colonies should be moved in autumn or early spring if the distance is less than two miles in order to avoid the return of many of the bees to the old location. If colonies are obtained it is very desirable that they should be in Langstroth hives. Sometimes bees can be bought very cheaply in box hives, or a colony may be found in a hollow tree. Such colonies will have to be transferred to Langstroth hives, an operation for which the beginner ia advised to secure the services of an expert. (See Transferring, page 40.) A method of buying bees that is coming into favour ia by weiffht, without combs, in boxes specially constructed for the purpose. Packed with care the bees will survive \ journey lasting several days, and will not be likely to carry brood disease after so ling a separation from their combs if the food supplied for the journey is free from infection, and they are compelled to build new combs. Before deciding to obtain bees from places outside the province one should com- municate with the local bee inspector, as there are sometimes regulations requiring the quarantining of bees. Those who desire advice as to where to procure beea may communicate with the secretary of the local Beekeepers' Association (see page 64), or consult the advertis- ing columns of the bee journals. The Dominion Apiarist, Central Experiirental Farm, Ottawa, may be able to supply the names of beekeepers located not far from the appli- cant, who have bees for sala HONEY HOUSE. A wooden hut or honey house, for the storage of supplies and combs, for making up the hives and fittings, and for extracting and putting up the honey is a great convenience in a small apiary, and indispensable in a large one. The honey house may be constructed of boards one inch thick laid on a suitable frame work, with the roof covered with waterproof sheeting. It is not usually advisable to line the roof with insulating material, because a high temperature in summer is advantageous for extracting and ripening the honey. The floor should be firm and capable of support- ing a heavy weight of honey. A convenient bize of house for an apiary of forty or fifty colonies is 18 feet long by 12 feet wide. It is important that the honey house should have no crevices through which bees can enter. This may be accomplished by constructing it of tongued and grooved boards. The window openings should be covered with wire cloth. Small holes may be made with the point of a lead pencil in the screen at the top of each window to permit any bees that may have beeen brought in upon combs to escape, these holes being plugged when not in use. The glared sashes should be removable or sliding. The door should fit closely ; it is a convenience to have it capable of swinging both ways and shutting automatically. A door on rollers may be fixed outside the swinging door. 10 bkoinner's ournT. The foUowing ia a list of items that would be needed for making a start with one or two colonies, with the approximate c-st:— One or two colonies of bees in 10-frame Langstroth hive. each costing $8 to $12 »»? *1J JJ Bee smoker ^ gg Bee veil 2 00 Book on bee-keepiiis -. jg i-lb. No. 30 tinned wire ^ 2^ Spur wire embedder • • • • :'":,' For each colony add one spare 10-frame hive with self- spacing frames and IJ lb. medium brood foundation to take a possible swarm (two spare hives will be ueeacU in a good district if rapid increase is desired) ...... d W and either of the following sets of supplies for surplus honey : — For comb-lwney production — 3 comb-honey supc-rs, 150 sections in the flat and 1 lb. thin ^ ^ super foimdation For extracted-honeii production— 2 10-frame hive bodies fitted with Langstroth frames in flat '^"2 "'' 1 queen excluder (wood-bound) " ^" . For extracted-honey produeti- n the following additional articles will be needed:— «in nn Honey extractor, 2-frame, non-reversible q nci Uncapping knife '_ ^^ ^^ LOCATION OF THE APIARY. It has been remarked that the quantity of honey that bees will gather varies considerably in different places. There are, however, few places in Canada where they will not vield enough to make them profitable. ... - i *• While the beginner or amateur is usually limited in the choice of a location for the aoiary to the neighbourhood of his home, the man who has learned to be u'cessful in managing bees and desires to go more extensively into the honey nrnduci^ business may find it profitable to select a location, either for an out-apiair r?o rem.ve to"hich one'or more of the most important of the honey plants mendonS in th^ list given on pages 29 to 32, such as alsike clover or fireweed, abound ^'^t rPra^rfeZvTncrmothoney from wild flowers may be expected on the =erub and timber lands than on the open prairie. ,.,_., j ■ ii„ The spot chosen for the apiary should be sheltered from high -°" -f^-^^ from cold winds in the spring, which in most places blow principally from the north- wesTand no th If the bees are to be wintered out-of-doors, protection from wind reedsspecTal attention (see Wintering). In a windy region it is «« advantage eSDeciaUy for the spring, to locate the apiary where there are windbreaks, to lead the En ?the surrounding country. It is desirable but not essential, to have the hwes pSli shaded in the summer. This is very often accomphshed by using an old Sard for the apiary. Usually the best place for a small apiary, especially in the 11 case of the beginnt.i, is the home garden from which horses and cattle are excluded by a fence, and where the hives are within sight or hearing of the dwelling house, so that any swarms that may come out are seen or heard at once. The bees should not be placed near a public highway, nor where young children are likely to run about in front of the hives. A valley is a better place for an apiary than a hilltop. A situation subject to inundation by floods should be avoided. The ground around the hives, and especially in front of the entrances, should be kept clean, the grass and weeds being cut short periodically. KACES OF BEES. Two races of bees merit considor.ntion, — the black bee and the Italian boo. In the black bee the horny skin under the hair is entirely black, whereas in the Italian the abdomen is striped with yellow. The black bee was introduced into North America from Western Europe nearly three hundred years ago and has now spread all over Canada. The Italian bee was introduced into the United States from Northern Italy in 1859. The Italian is more prolific than the black Lee, gentler and less excitable under manipulation and therefore easier to handle. In regions where the summer is warm, and where most of the honey gathering takes place at a temperature above 70*, it is more industrious than the black bee; but the black bee is le:-s adversely affected by unfavourable weather in spring when the temperature hovers for long between 50* and 60° F., and the colonies consume less food in August. Thus it happens that the Italians are preferred by most progressive bee-keepers in Ontario and western Quebec, in the Prairie Provinces and the inland parts of British Cclumbio, while blacks have their strongest supporters in the St. Lawrence Gulf region and in the northern part of Nova Scotia. Italians resist European foul brood much better than blacks, and in regions where this disease occurs it is necessary to keep Italians in order to make a success of h'-'V-keeping. It is quite easy to Italianize an apiary of black bees. This is done by replacing the black queens with fertilized Italian queens, which may be purchased from a professional queen breeder. Hybrids between blacks and Italians have the prolific qualities of Italians and the hardiness of blacks, and they are often more industrious than either race, but they lire rather more inclined to sting. This is especially the case with the darker-coloured hybrids. Golden Italians, in which the first three segments of the abdomen are clear yellow, are not, if pure, quite so hardy as three-banded Italians in which these segments are edged with black. Cnrniolan bees are sometimes recommended on account of their rapid breeding in the spring, their white-capped honey-comb, and when pure, their gentle temper, but they have the serious fault of an excessivj tendency to swarm. THE BEES, AND HOW THEY DEVELOP. A colony of bees consists normally of one queen bee, — the mother of the colony, — from 10,000 to 50,000 or more workers, non-reproductive females specialized for a life of labour and, in the summer, a few hundred males or drones. These three kinds of individuals may be recognized by their size and shape. (See Fig. 1.) The combs which fill the interior of the bees' dwelling are composed of wax secreted by the workers from glands situated in the under side of the abdomen, and are in the form of vertical slabs built downward from the top of the cavity or hive. Each comb consists of a dividing wall with hexagonal cells on either side. St The honey w stored in the odle in the upper part of the comb^ and in theouter combe. In the celli in the middle and lower part of the interior «»mbe we reared the dereloping beet. Thii region of the hire U caUed the brood ncBt Pollen w stored in the oeUt iurrounding the brood neat. The majority of the cell* m the brood neat aie about one-fifth of an inch acroM. They are used for rearing worken, each ceU forming the cradla of a single bee. There ia alao a small quantity of comb consisting of larger cells measuring one- fourth of an inch across; in these the drones are reared. The dronea are stingless and do not Tisit the flowers to gather honey. Their function is to fertilize the queens, for which purpose but a few are needed. The bee-keeper can control the P'"^""**""^ drones by fitting full sheets of worker foundation (see page 16) into the brood frames. , A worker bee does not conunence to gather nectar until about two weeks '>ld, and during a period of abundant nectar gathering it is worn out and dies at che ige of about six weeks, but one that cmerses late in the summer will live until spring, xo replace the constant loss of bees and also to build up the colony after the heavy Iots of life during the winter and early spring, the queen must necessarily be very prolific She commences to lay on the first signs of spring, and it has been estimated that m J ine a good queen will lay from two to three thousand eggs per day. The larva or maggot hatches from the egg at the end of the third day. It is fed during the first three days on a milky food rich in proteid. and then for two days upon a mixture into which a considerable amount of honey enters. On the eighth day after the egg was laid the cell is capped ovct with wax. Within the capped cell the larva throws ofl its last skin and becomes a pupa. This develops into the perfect bee, which emerges twenty-one days after the egg was laid. Twenty-four days are needed for the drone to pass through the same stages. The work of preparing the food for the larvse and of feeding them is carried out chiefly by the young bees. In the production of a queen to replace one that has died, the workers select about a down \ ^rker larva that have not yet been weaned from the richer f w)d and supply them with an excess of this food, upon which the larva floats and feeds during the rest of its growing period. At the same time the cell containing the larva is enlarg^ and extended downwards to form what is known as the queen cell, which is capped over in due time. Queen cells are also made when the bees are preparing to swarm. These are not built over young larvse, but they take the form of inverted cups constructed on the comb, chiefly along its bottom edge and the queen lays an egg destined to develop into a queon in each. The queen emerges from her cell as early as 15J days from the time the egg was laid. As the queen will not tolerate another in the same hive, the first of the young queens to emerge will destroy the others in their cells, or if it is in the swarming season and the colony is strong she may lead oH a swarm. Four or five days after enr- rgence-later, if the weather is unfnvourabl^the queen leaves the hive for her nuptial fl-.:ht. The drones follow her and g « success- ful at the cost of his life. The queen is impregnated for the remainder of her life, which may extend to five years, although her fertility becomes impaired, and she is con- sequently usually not worth keeping after the second or third year. If, as a result of long-continued unfavourable weather, or through injury to or malformation of her wings, or through scarcity of drones, a queen fails to get mated within about five weeks after emergence she will commence to lay eggs, but these eggs will produce drones only. Occasionally a fertilized queen that produces only or mostly drones is found. A drone-breeding queen is worthless and should be replaced. In a colony that has been long queenless, certain workers may lay eggs which also produce drones wJy. The presence of a drone-breeding queen or fertile workers may be detected before the drones actually emerge by the much raised and very convex capping of the brood. The capping of worker brood is almost flat. I'lATK I. yig, 1. — Wurktr bve, qumii \xo and diuue Ki^. -Corner uf biXMHl (x>utli Mliuwing capi^ed wiirkcr brood capped drone Itrood and four sealed queen cells. iMilT!" p. 1-->. 0' v]^■^ 13 HIVES WITH MOVAIJI.K tKAMi:>. During the niiictii-iith (.outury the igiiuruiit uiul burl.aiic methods of bee-kecpiiiK thut had previously bueii in voRue gradually gave p'acc to intelligent and humane methods, with the result that the production of the hivo was greatly increased. Noth- ing contributed to this great change more than the adoption of movable frames for the combs. A frame liive was invented l)y Hnber in France about ITSO and Langstroth in the United Stntos introduced an improved t.vpe of hive with movable frames in 1801. The Langstroth hive with slight modifications is the standard hive in North America at the pre-eiit time. Unfortunately, bees in box hives without frames are still to be found in the older settled parts of Canada, but the poor returns from, and heavy loss of bees in, such hives, due to the impossibility of making a proper examination of the combs and so discovering and supplying the bees' needs, are causin;x their gradual disappia-auee. At the present time no one who undersUinds bees keeps them in frameless hives. The niothr.d of taking the honey that is usually employed rig. :» -A lO-fnimi' I.angftroth hive, with tlii' iipiKT imits «o|iarat<'d. by those who keep such hives, namely destroying the bees by the fume„ of burning sulphur or by drowning is unjustifiable destruction of valuable live stock and a relic of the barbarism of the middle ages. The form of Langstroth hive recommended in this bulletin is sho.'Ti in the accom- panying engraving. It consists essentially of (1) a plain wooden box known as the hive-body or brood chamber, with (2) a loose bottom-board or floor, and (3) a cover which constitutes the roof. The frames containing the combs are suspended from rabbets in the top of the hive-body, so that they hang free in the hive and do not touch the sides or bottom, one-quarter to five-si.xteenths of an inch space being left for the bees to pass around the sides of the frames and about five-eighths of an inch being left beneath the frames. In the majority of hives the last mentioned space is provided entirely in the floor section and there is a bee space of one-quarter of an inch above the frames. The Langstroth frame is of a certain size, — 17i inches long and 9J inches deep. This is the size most generally adopted, but frames of other sizes are used in some 90179—3 oiwotb quilt, «f .hkh .h« oii«i .i. <■ .i»ui.i bo »» ';;^„j ^,„^ ., rt, ,„d, two parts,-a o.x or seven-inch bottomless box te'cop. K ^,^^^ {\,\n , e(irn.'i»"f tw.. ^tapli 8|uu'e« 7™«^ three-eiAth The frames should be spaced in the hive at a distance of one and three ei^n ■'ft i'sTg^T liicn- to have the frames s.lf-spaoinK. This may be done by -T^^:^Spac.?;^;t^;i^Sa!rf^^^^^^^ Hoffman frames are liable to bo firmly glued ^^^'^Yl^'trrs a d used by them to fill spaced frames may bo used. 15 In order to (ret the \>c<* tn b\iiM ^tniitrtit oomh* in thn frBme*. there munt be fitted into each frame, faHtoiud to ti'c tcip bur, a ^ 't of li('er'>n. V\g. *'). ll<)ITiiiuii fi'iuiu- ^^it)l full ^li IKtiUioIl Wirt'<) ! Upon the foundation the bees build out their cumb, of which it eventually becomes the midrib. Narruw strips of foundation, known as starters, are some- times used, but it is better to fit full sheets and to support the comb by stretching wire horizontally across the frame three or tour times through holes made in the end bars and embedding the foundation in it. No. 30 tinned iron wiie should be used. The wire is embedded in the foundation by means of an embedding tool made for the purpose, which should be heated if the wax is not warm and soft. The ordi- nary foundation sold by dealers is of the worker-cell pattern, and an additional advantage in using full sheets of it in the brood chamber is that the production of a large brood of useless drones is prevented. The frames supplied by most dealers have two grooves on the underside of the top bar, one to receive the foundation and the other a wooden wedge to hold it tight. Tt is a good plan to fiT a wirp clip ■•■,nd<^r the hivn rover t.- t:;!;p a r:;r.-l for notes. Upon the approach of the houey flow a chamber, knowr as the super, to receive the surplus honey, is placed over the brood chamber. As the honey flow proceeds additional supers are usually needed. 90179—3} Accurocy of diincu.icui in beehive, and tJttinni. is of prime imjKjrtance, and it usually pay. Utur lu procure the... lro„. u M\. "' '''"'''"■" W'-' i!i" %'!!r -IIy to make them ouc«cl». At leait a pattern hive ihould be to obtained. J! or ewy handliiiK »" tlie pnrt. of the hive should bo i.h few, us .imply constructed and •• liffht lis possible, consistent with streiifrth. warmth and eftloieixy. A sufficient supply of hive., supers, frames, foundation, etc., to cover all jH-ssible need, during the scaso.. should be ordered during the winter or early •prmir. ihe hives should be nmdc up and painted and the tra.nes put together and wired befor« the busy season. It is advisable to have the foundation shippo.1 during mild weather. and to defer fitting it into the frames until ju.t before these nre to be given to the bee.. HANDLING BEES. It is .ometimr. snid that bees tolerate some people and dislike others. It ^""W be more cor-eet to »f that they resent interference, but can be easily controlled by KiK-".- ''••••■ ►iii'ikf KiK X lliw tcKil anil hei" l>ni»h. anybody who knows how to handle them. Fear, induced by the Bmell of smoke and the opening up of the hive, makes tht bees perfectly tractable pi./Vided they are in an active state and have not been previously irritated. Tht '.est time to opra the hive is on a fine warm day when the bees are flying freely. If possible they should not be disturbed in cold weather nor when rain threatens, and never at night. Care should be taken to avoid stings, not only because they nr=- rai"ful, but because the odour of the poison irritates the bees and makes them difficv. it to manape. To apply the smoke a bee-smoker is required. This consists of a tin firebox attached to a pair of bellows. The best fuel for the smoker is dried cedar bark, dnad i: rotten wood, plauer thuviiiir* or piecet of old "ackiiiir' To aturt the tu^okcr the firebox if opened und a iinuU quantity of the fuel in lit and |)l;ii'eil in n>! hnx. When, b> the work of the bellovrn, thi.4 i;* well ali^rht the reinaindrr i>f the fuel i« thrown in and the lid ihut down. A few puffs niven (ti'i-osiniuilly will keep the imoker alinht. When not 'n use the smoker should lie stnml (in eiul; if l.id upon it* aide it usually Hues out. To protect the faeo from posuihle stiiiu^, a beexeil should be worn. The veil •hould be made of light und durable material, such as Hriis.seU net. The upper end of the veil is gathered with an elastic hand so us to fit closely around the crown of a broad brimmed hat. The lower end of the veil may be tucked inside the coat collar or slipped under the suspenders, or hehl down with a strins? tieil around the waist. Gloves may be worn by the beginner to create oonfidriici', hut they hamper work ami are seldom used by experts. nd in the aid are the box ■idd Vig. '.>. —()\ienmg the hivt— lifting the quilt. For separating frames and hive parts a cbisel-like tool should be used. This can be easily made by a blacksmith from an old buggy spring. A screw-driver will serve the same purpose. A brush or turkey feather is useful for brushing the bee from their combs. as Before opening the hive have the smoker well alight and drive a light puff or two into the entrance. Stand behind or to one side of the hive so as not to interfere with the flight of the bees. Lift off the roof gently, and if there is a quilt remove it or tuni it back, and immediately direct a few liglit puffs of smoke downwards between the frames. With the aid of the hive tool loosen and lift out, or push to one side, the division board if one is present, and push to the same side the adjacent frames so a« to make room to lift out one of the central combs without crushing the bees. Another puff or two of smoke will probably be needed after this frame is lifted out; this i» Fig. I0.-Oi>ening the hive -removing division board. effectively administered by driving it into the gap formed by the removal of the frame. The work should be done quietly and slouly, quick, jerky moveinents being avoided. It is desirable to examine the central comb because this will probably contain brood, and the presence of worker brood in all stages is evidence of the presence of a fertile queen and of the wellbeing of the colony. If it is necessary to examine the other combs, the one first removed may be stood up on end and loaned njrainst the outside of the hive, care being taken not to crush the bees upon it when setting it do^- ^^^ danger of the queen getting injured or getting lost by dropping off the comb should always be borne in mind and guarded against. Do not keep the hive open longer than rt\TF IT. i'i|{. 11.— hxaiiiiimijf llm bruuU. !K)i:0-p. I''. 18 n( beci COVI Fig. 12. -Turning a comb to exa..m.etl,. other «i"metimes cause b rash to appear over the body and dilliculty in JirpatliinR. Persons wlio experience these symp- toms sliould not go near an apiary. Fig. 13. Shiiking thi' !«••■» from ii comb in fiont of tlic liive. To minimize the unpleasant effects of a bee-sting, the sting, which is always left in the wound, should be extracted immediately, that is to sav, before it has pumped in much poison. Rubbing the wound only aprfrrnvates the irritation and should be avoided. So-called sting antidotes for external application, such as solutions of ammonia and washing soda, are of practically no value, because the puncture made by the sting is so small that it closes immediately. sPRixo maxagemp:xt. Sprint; is an important and critii-al period of the bee year because it is during this season that the bees have to build up their strength, often under trying weather conditions and in a shcirt time, in readiness for the honey flow, and also because colonies that are in bad condition may die if not attended to. The principal abject of spring management, tlierefore, is to get a largo number of bees reared in each colony, and also later on, to prevent the tendency to swarm. For a maximum production of honey there should be, during the honey flow, an abundance of bees between the ages of two weeks and six weeks. If the bees have been well prepared for winter no anxiety need be felt about their condition in early -pring and tliey are bos-t left uiicli>tiirbe tll(J^e that are detii'ient. If it is found there are not enough bees to cover two combs the colony should bo united to a stronger one. It is often possible to save the queen of a weak colony by '■lacing the colony on top of the strong one with a queen excluder between the two, care being taken to see that the weak colony has suflScient brood (taken, if need be, earlier in the day from the strong colony) to keep the bees from deserting, and the colonies may be separated a month later. When the weather improves a warm day on which the bees are flying freely should be selected for making a thorough examination of the ' rood nest. Evidence of the presence of a fertile queen may now be found in the appearance of worker brood. Any colony that is found to be queenless r to contain a drone-breeding queen (see page 12) should be united to one containinsr a fertile queen. Colonies may be equalised by shaking bees from the combs of strong colonies in front of the entrance of those to be helped: of eo- the queen must not be included and preoaution> may have to be taken to a\ iting. (See under Uniting, iwge 41.) 9017!»- 22 Since a hi)jL temperature is needed for brood rearing, care should be taken to con- serve the heat generated by the bees in the hive by providing good insulation. Colonies wintered out-of-door* should be kept in their wintering cases until settled «Mrni weather. In most places this is not until niid-Juno. The amount of protection to be given to colonies that have been wintorrd in the cellar will depend on the spring climate and the extent of sholtor from wind. Jn many places it pays to give special protecUon in the form of an outer case deep rnnugh to cover the sides of the brood chiimbor and projectiiii; several inches above it, giving room for several sacks or a chail cushion to lie placid over the bees. In exposed places and those subject to great changes in temperature it will be advisable to have the case large enough to take packing material hetweci. the hive and the case. The size of the entrances should be kept small in early spring — only an inch or two wide in the case of weak colonies. liees need water in spring. If there is none within easy reach it should be supplied in a warm shelterrd place in or near the apiary. The building up of colonies may be seriously delayed by spring dwindlin;.', that is, the dying of the bees that have wintered faster than young bees can be reared. The common cause of dwindling is bad wintering, the bees having died in large numbers or become enfeebled through age oi- dysentery, and it is more likely to occur in coastal regions where the spring is long drawn out than in the interior where the transition from winter to summer is mor"- rapid. The colonies should be c.\arained weekly, wc ..her permitting, or fortnightly if thj (veather has been cool, to see that the brood nest is expanding pro-icrly. the aim being to get the bees gradually to consume the stores and replace them with brood. If stores accumulate it may be necessary to remove a portion of them and give empty comb. The befet stimulus to breeding is the natural gathering of homy and pollen in favourable weather; these ore usu.ally supplied in abiindaufo, first by the willows and later by dandelions, and, where it is plentiful, fruit bloom, as well as from a number of minor sources. In many places there is a short period of dearth between fruit bloom and the opening of the honey flow from alsike and white clover. If the weather dnring this period ie warm nn.l fine a little thin syrup given every evening will maintain breeding, but whether It will pay to do this depends on the duration of the honey-flow and other considerations. Teriods of inclement weithor preventing the collecting of nectar may occur at nny time in the .=prin^. Short periods of this kind may be gnanled against by makin? certain that the bees have a reserve store of a few pounds, but longer periods (l(^ni:i'"l feeding to avert starvation, especially if such periods occur late in the spring or in the •snninier when the rate of foo;1 eonsinnption is high. As ipriuir advnnoos the puttiuR on of .-upcrs and preventing iirepnratinn for swarming will need attrntlnn. System- ntic miinnfic'iiu nt of ilir .npiary from this time forwnrd i« of gr(>at imiwrtaiKC. puoitn riox of iioxf.y. The sources of nectar within a mile or two of tW apiary should lie studied so that the period and abundance of the honey llow- may be estimated and the bees may be managed to make the most of them. The question whether it will i.ay better to jirodnee extra-ted-honey or eomlv honey nce.ls careful consideration. In the rrodnction of extraeted-honey the bees an saved the great labour of building combs, these being emptied bj means of a machine known at, the lioncy extractor. They are then returned to the bees to be filled again pnd again. .\ 'olony will yield nearly twice as much extractod-honey as comb-honey, but liiis is balance,! tiv tiie iaet that the price of eomb-honoy is in many pbccs almost double that of extract ed-honey. Extractcd-honey is a marketable article at all seasons everywheriN is easily transported and keeps well. On the other hand, the demand for comb-honey at a fcatisfaetory price is limited, and it i* somewhat fragile and difficult 23 to lieep. Comb-honey i< not so easy to proiluco as cxtraotpd-hoiipy, a rapid lioncv flow being desirable and skilful management being needed to control swarming and to get the seotions finished. The?e considerations will had, in many cn«es, to a decision in fovour of extracted-honey for the bullc of the crop, but it must not bo forgotten that comb-honey is a luxury that appeals to many people in a way that nothing put up in a tin can or a glass jar can do, so that it will not be wise to neglect it. The beginner will t-ometimes prefer to produce lomb-honey in order to avoid the expense of a honey extractor the first year. EXTRAf TED-H- NEY. The extracting super may be of the same size as the brood chamber, taUing franu- of the same size, or a shallow super taking frames only 'li; inrh<~ deep Tiiny br used. A shallow super is more readily occupied by the bees in the spring and is not so heavy to remove when filled, but there are important advantages in having the frames in the brood chamber and the super interchangeable, and the employment of full depth supers saves much time in apiaries in regions where the honey flow is lieaw. The extracting frames should be fitted with full sheets of foundation, which should he wired in, as already explained. Kit;. l."i. -ijiiicrii cxcliidir uf iiirfur.iti'd zitir. To prevent the queen from entering the super and laying egps therein, a queen excluder is placed between the brood chamber ana the super. The queen excluder contains numerous holes about "'lloon of au inch wide which permit the passage of the workers, but are too small to allow a well-developed queen to go through. The queen excluder is usually made of perforated zinc, but wire excluders have lately been intro- duced and they allowed freer passage for the bees. In the hive there should be a clear bee space of a quarter of an inch on bnth sides of the que I'ticappinf; knift*. .tlicr side is emiitied in a similar way. In the best extractors the combs are reversed automatically. Large extractors taking eight frames and driven by gasoline engines may be profitably used in large apiaries. It is convenient to use a honey pump when employing a power outfit. To expedite the work of uncapping a pair of knives should be employed, the one not in use being kept in hot water, or a hollow knife heated by steam supplied through a rubber tube from a small boiler may be used. It is sometimes advisable to keep the honey from different successive sources separate as far as possible, especially to prevent the main crop of light coloured and mild flavoured honey from becoming degraded by the admixture of darker coloured or stronger flavoured honey. In some parts of the country just before the main honey flow from clover comes on, small quantities of a disagreeably flavoured dark honey may be stored. This should be removed promptly. After the clover honey flow there will often be a crop from polden rod, aster and other fall flowers, varying in colour and flavour. The honey should bo freed from particles of wax, etc-., by straining through cheese cloth, or by allowing it to stand for a few days in a deep gravitation tank, in which the wax rises to the surfiioe. The honey is drawn through a honey gate or treacle tap fixed in the bottom of the tank. Should nny of the honpy have been extracted from unennped cells, it will need to be ripened, that is, to liuvc the excess of water evaporated out in a warm room before it is run into the containers. At the end of the season the extracting combs may be returned to the bees to be cleaned prior to their beinjx put away f< r the winter. A large supply of empty combs is a valuable asset. Most kinds of lioiiey granulate quickly after extracting. The honey should, therefore, be run into the containers as soon ns it has been strained and is ripe. Stored in a dry place, honey will keep good for months and even years, but it will absorb moisture from moist air, and is then liable to ferment and decompose. Fig. 17. — Uiicappinga comb of honey. .Si>are iincAppiiiK knife in hcit wattr an' witli luiiltr. Size* hold 10 pounds, 6 pounds and 2i pounds of honey. For family use. or for supplying honey to grocers to be bottled, tin cans holding 30 pounds and 60 pounds may be employed. Those who buy small quantities of honey in a retail way ataost always prefer it in glass, despite the higher relative cost of the package Probably the most popular glass jar for retail stores is the metal screw-top jar, holding about one pound, and retailing when tilled with honey at from 20 cenU to 30 cents each. Quart sealers holding about 3 pounds of honey are preferred in some places, and glass jars holding only about half a pound appeal to a small class of city dwellers. Honey in glass jars sells largely on account of its appearance. It will, therefore, pay to make it as attractive looking as possible. Care should be taken to see that the jars do not easily leak. For this purpose, the screw-top jars may be provided with a wad of cork or other material and a circular piece of paraffined paper under it. \ label, speciaUy printed for the producer, attached to each tin or jar, helps wonder- fully to .ell the honey and to build up a demand for it. In many places it is e.isy to develop a local market for honey. Honoy in glass jars often sells better in the liquid condition than when granu- lated. To liquify honey so that it will remain liquid for some time, it should oe placed in a water bath over a stove and heated to a temperature of about 150 C. The temperature of the honey must not be allowed to go higher than 160 i., because above that point the flavour is liable to be injured and the colour darkened. For this reason honey should never be heated directly over a stove or flame. Hermetically sealing the jars of liquified honey helps to prevent regranulation. COMB-HONEY. Comb-honey is now almost entirely produced in '■ sections "-small bo.xes made of basswood, each containing from twelve to sixteen ounces of honey when hlled. Ihe common size of the section is H inches square. A new size that is becoming popular in '^ome places is 4 inches ^^ide by 5 inches high. A comb-honey super usually contains from 28 to 32 sections. To ensure the building of the combs to a uniform thickness, a thin sheet of wood or metal, liiiowu as a separator, should be placed between the faces of the sections. If the sections are self-spacing the separators used are plain, but if the sections are plain the separators are in the form of a fence to supply the necessary spacing. 27 I}..forL. the .•onib-h.,ii.'.v »i.per it placed upon the hive a sluit of oonil. foundation must be fitted into eu-h .e.-tion. Special thin fom.dation. kn. w., n. tliin or extra th.a super foun.iation, i^ i.imIo for use in iectioi>.. Swtion* are usually made w.tl. . -nw cut in the top bar to reeeivo this foundation. There nre vi,r..M,. devie. s f..r htt.ng the foundation into section., lot hnvinir the sBw-cut. Kit,'- ■-'"'■ ''"iiil' l"iiii> -n|Mi . The queen is less inclined to enter the comb-honey super than the extracting super. ,.s„eei.llv it tlie fern, of super in whicli each row of sections is rh..e,i ... a ^e.■l.on holder is used, consequently, it is usmlly unnecessary to use a queen excluder for comb- honey production. 2 3 ± Kitf. 'il. A i"w ..( »i-iticin» III liiilcliT. Stitiim Httiil willi rttiiiter of thin -mi-t f.iuiulatiHii. S.1 tii.li titt.il with full ^h.i-t .if Ihiii -ii|« r fuuiKliitl.ill. INirtlv lill'il miction. Cm i|ilitiy almost •• large a crop of bon«7 may often be obtained aa when swarming d*- .ot take place. The Tolume and durutiu' honey How must be well estimated in order that aufficient, but not too mat^. tMiions may be giren, so that the bees may finish as large a proportion of them as possible, an unfinished section being of value only for extracting and for use in the following year as a bait comb to entice the beea into the super which, with its many little compartments, is less readily tuken possession of by the bees than an extracting super. Fig. 22. — AlmIKI Clovkk {TriMium hnhntlum). FIow.th white or pink whitf. Notice the upright branchi-l «tein. Since comb-honey is a fancy article it usually pays to produce it in perfection. A good section of honey should ha'-e all the cells filled and capped over, excepting perhaps a few in the row next the wood, and the wood should be scraped clean and free from propolis. Comb-honey should be kept in a dry warm place from the time it is removed from the hive until it is sold, and it calls fur u paekat^e protecting it from diwt and insects. For selling it in quantity a glass fronted shipping case containing 12 or 24 sections is perhaps the most satisfactory packaiore. Single sections may be enclosed in cardboard cartons. 89 U«T or raiNCIPAL IIONKy-PROmciNO PLANTil WITH THim APPROXtM«TK SEAHOSi Of TTKLO. For Brood Rearing. WiUowi.— Mid April to mid May ; on the Paoifia eout, Much. JftplM, /arioui iiicciM. The Pacifio cout tpecies are eapecially raluable, but tli« Manitoba maple and some of the • ?utem apeciea are unimportant \pril and May. DtndalioB. — Will often produce turplua honey in a favourable leaaon. May and early June. On the Pacific coaat, April. / Vi^. 23.— Whitk l)i'TfH Cloveh I Trif'thitiu rt'ftfiiA). Flowers wliitf. Nuticp tli»' crt^ping stt^ni. Apple, Plum, Cherry and Peach orchards. In places w.iere apples are grown exten- sively surplus honey is o'otained from apple bloom in favourable seasons. May and early June. On the Pacific coast, April. Pin Cherry and Choke Cherry.— May. Beaiberry (Arctostaphylos vva-ursi), kn.-.Tm Incally by the Indian n.-jme " Kini- kinic." Kootenays, B.C., and other places. The abundant nectar in this plant is not entirely within reach of the bees. May. BIneberriei. — Eastern Canada, May. 30 For Surplus llun>y Vrodiici'wn. Raspberry, principalis in forc^' doarinp'^. June. Alsike Clover {TrifoUam hyhridum) and White Dutch Clover (Trifolium reptns).- Wild and cultivntod throufrliout the farming regions of Cunada except on the drier parts of the prairies. These are tlie most important honey plants of Can.nda, but under e.Nces.iv.ly dry or cool conditions they fail to yield eouner than many other plants. In some years the amount of clover is much reduced by the plants being killed by repeated severe freezing and thawing when unprotected by snow in winter and spring. In the districts of Ontario where alsike clover is grown for seed, bee-keeping is an important industry. Colour of honey light, Fin. -.M-WimK SttEKT Cl llVKK. (.Ut'/'"("« ""•■')■ flavour excellent. These clovers do not usually commence to yield motar i Ontario until thov have been in bloom for one or two weeks, and on the fam coast for three or four weeks. Duration of honey flow, two to ve weeks. -Mi June to end of July. Alfalfa.-Southern Alberta and Brir. June to August. Wild flowers of different kinds found on the prairies. Collectively these are importai Among them may be mentioned Wild Bergamot (Monardri fisfulosa^ and vano mints. June to September. I < ini (■i^CMVv V ' ^A' '^SJifjf^'^'\3f vC«£^?^ ^^Bf^^^^l 1^^^^^^^ % ^--- jfflff «'. V ■ l^bA^EI3h^BiHHB9&^n3QSS 5^V^ ■ • • 'iZ KBHu^.. nvJLMBHk-efllH^ ikCMSOBRrTi •tuiTit |.. :n. 31 Basswood (Tilia am. ricana). -Ontario and Quebeo. U-^ plentiful than forinorly. Yield very uncertain, in some year, heavy. Coh.ur of honey light, tlavour ,,ro- nounced. July. Snowberry (Symphoricar: .s).— Britir-h Columbia. July. Wild Radish (Raphanus rap/ianiWrum). -Maritime Provinces. Abundant in the Annapolis Valley, N.S., where it yields a considerable amount of honey. July. Sweet Clo'-er (Melilolus) white and yellow.-Very attractive to bees and of growing importancu because the plant is spreading. The honey is inferior to clover honey. July and August. l-i^'. -2' IKWKKI.. Flcwcrs ]iUl|i!e. Great Willow-herb or Firewjcd (Epilolnam a«ousUfohnm).-A tall P'-^"' ^^^^« ^o seven feet high with long racemes of showy red-purple flowers; a valuable source of honev in forest clearinffs and places recently devastated by fire. Colour ot honey almost water white, flavour mild. In British Columbia the colour is darker, but this may be due to the admixture of other h..ne.vs. Duration of honey flow. seven to eight weeks, not stopped by droupht. July and August. Bnckwheat (Fagopyrum esculcnlurn). -Imvortmxt in the T'tper St. Lawrenco valley. sruthern QuebJ^ and old Ontario. Colour of honey is dark and flavour strong. August Golden Rod {Solidago) ; Aster.— Of the many species of golden rod and aster some are good honey producers under suitable conditions, especially in the east; othaw, including some of the common early flowering species, are of little value. The honey varies in colour and quality. That gathered in the Gatineau Valley, north of Ottawa, in September is white. Solidago puherula and Solidago aq'tarroaa have yielded about 40 pounds of light-coloured honey per colony on a sandy plain fortv inile3 north of Ottawa. August and September. Fig. -7. -Snfiflailn pulu ntla. It should be noted that a large crop of honey depends not only upon the abundance of flowers but upon favourable weather,_in the case of most plante, ram, followed by warm sunny werther during the honey flow and also upon the ''l'-^'^^;! ^".^j^f^^^ conditions best suited for each variety of plant. In some places «"t serious disadvant- age of swarming is the fact that the swarm and the parent colony produce less honey than the same bees had they remained in one colony. Indeed, instances are not rare in which unrestricted swarming has entirely prevented the production of surplus honev in an apiary. It is not too much to say that the control of swarming is prob- ably the most important and difficult problem that most bee-keepers in Canada have to face Careful study of the bees' behaviour is needed to successfully cope with it. i or- tunateiy for the bee-kccpcr, sevnral days' warning of the probability of Ue issuing of a swarm is given by the appearance ot eggs in queen cells. Colonies vary mi'ch i-i their prospensity to swarm, even under the same con- ditions and in the same apiary. By replacing the queens of colonies that swarm with queens that are the progeny of queens whose colonies have not swarmed the bee- keeper may hope to reduce the percentage of colonies that swarm. Another point that should be noted is that colonics containing queens under a year old are less inclined to swarm than those in which the queen is older. , , „^ However at the present date the most successful methods of swarm control are bv manipulation. Easy manipulations tending to the provontion of swarming are: ,1) giving abundant ventilation and room at the mouth of the hive in warm weather and (2) preventing over-crowding and giving ample room to store the honey by ..Idin- a Miner i.referaMv on,, containing empty oxtract.ng combs dirc-tlv alo^e £ T;;^ ;^nmbel. ns so„„ as the brood ehambov is .Injost full of l»oe-, and h^^ i coming in. As soon as this super is fillod rapidly with honey, another super con- taining preferably empty extracting combs -houhl be placed between it and the brood ■ A good way to provide ventilation at the mouth of the hive is to insert a wooden wed^e 20 inchJ long and J-inch x i-inch at the thick end, on either side between the side of the bottom board and the hive body. . In most places these steps are not sufficient to prevent swarming and t is nec^ sarv to add to them the more e^Tecti^e one of enlarg.ng the brood nest so that it will become less crowded with young bees and the queen will have more room to 'ay. A frcquentlv successful practice is to put no queen excluder between he brood chamber and the first super of empty extracting combs in order to permit the brood ncMo ex" nd int. the super. When tlu. honey rtow has well st„rte.l |h^n-en should be again confined to the brood chamber by means of the queen excluder Seven or cUf dav. later anv queen eoll^ that may have been built ,n the super should be cut out ^ Ilowevor. in many places it is often impo.ssible to l.c sure of preventing swarming bv this mnui.ulation. and it is necessary, from the time that the brood ^J^.'^^^'^' ^'^^^' full of bees until all likelihood of swarming has ceased, to open the hive every seven days (thp eighth dav will do if the weather is unfavourable on the seventh) and examine thl brood combs to see if queen cells containing e.g. or larv^ are present^ If any arc found the combs shenld be carefully gone over and all of them should be cut o„t^ At the same time, whether queen cells containing eggs or larv«- are found or not, one or two combs containing honey, or if this is not present in quantity, capped brood, are fmcmmmmmmmi i915 3ft lifted out of the bn^od chambrr which should pri tVrably contain not lew than t.t. frames, and are removed or are placed above the queen ex.'luder. and empty combs (it th.'.e aro unobtainable, frames with full sheets of foundation will do) are put in then plac'o but not next to ..„■• Mnotli.r This pra.ti.e will uMially preve.it or >top pre- parations for swarm; rii.'. , , , , , ■ „ Making this weekly exarai.iati,..i may ior.k like a lot of work, but when expencncfc has iteen gained it can be simplified and carried out expeditiously. Some colonies however.-.-spe.'ially those in which the bees are crowded for tl... irodu.'tion of eoinl.-hone.v,-may i.ersil!s have been built, but the=e eases are rare. Swarming is more frequent when the honey flow is light or irregular than when it is abiiu'lant and steady. DIVIDING COLONIES FOK INCREASE. To build up an apiarv dividing may be practised, but this is done at the expense of honev production. As a rule no colony should be divided until the bees nearly, or quite, m the brood chamber. The part that is removed to a new stand should consist largely of young bees, because these are not so likely to return to the parent h've as field bees and all, or nearly all, of its brood should be capped, because eggs and youiig larvte are likely to be destroyed In large numbers. The part that does not contain the iiueen sb..uid be mm -11, 1 ultli a fr-ri',^ r,::vr:i rv a vl-e .loeen r^l. that i^. :^ in which the queen is about to emerge. With a normal colony it is hardly possible to fulfil all these conditions in one operation. One of the best imthodj of dividing a colony into two i» the followinK- The queen i« found and placed with one comb of brood containinR no queen celU in a new hive which is then filled up with frames of empty comb or foundation. Thi« hive ii then put on the old itnnd. a queen excluder ia placed over it and on top of thii is put the old hive contniniriK the remainder of the brood. Nine or ten duy» later the old hive which now contains younR bees and capped brood but no egga or young larvae, is removed and placed on n new sfand and a fertile queen or ripe queen cell is intro- duced to it. any queen cells that may have been built in the combs above the queen excluder havinR been cut out on the fifth day after the first operation, and again at the second operation on the ninth r.r tenth day. If no ..m,ii puj fur itsflf ..i an apiary of tliirty or nx.r.. culuiiica. If th. iiil.s art- r.'iM.'f.l nn.I pr.s^fj out ,,f ,i,„,M. tlic work sh.nii.l bo done durii.K tb.i hoiioy llovv ^o tiiiit rol.biiijf will not Imk.. iiluce. Hce mipiJy d.-ilfH will usually tulio Ui-.w;i\ in cx' lianife for conili luiiiKlali'ni, cb.irBitiK only a Vc\ puund fur ninkiriK tin' I iindatiim. !iv cent* p<>t Villi. JK>. - KilliliTiiiK nicl ininlm in «ax |irr«a. WINTERING BEES. Beob do not become torpid in winter like other insects, but they generate heat and consume their stores in so doing. In cold weather the bees form a compact spherical cluster, the interior of which may be as warm as 80° or 90° F. Successful wintering depends principally upon the number of bees in the cluster, the youth of the bees, sufficient and wholefeome stores, and protection from cold. When good pro- tection is provided the bees do not need to produce so much heat consequently less stores are consumed and there is less drain upon the vitality of the bees. Preparation of bees for winter, therefore, begins by seeing that each colony has a good fertile queen and enough bees to crowd the spaces between seven to ten combs. .he .ore the boUa d that the.e -n-t^prin^^Uy^ >;;;"-_;;-y ^^.'l^t: but little field work. Weak colon>rs n>u be un ted To g. ^ P ^^^^^j j^^„.g ^^ Augu.t and Sc,.tombor '"'''«'''"* ••..^ten^ared LrinK the summer. S.nce montha. the queen .hould b'" j'"« '"' j her "olny more raimlly and to Bteater .uch . Queen will also "-'''lly/'" ^f "' J^ „;.i , ^,„r,n than .... old <,uj«n the strength in the spr>n,. and ;'"^';;'\:;':. ,,,.,,.,,. are great and it w.U often advantages of re-queen. ntr '•°'»""^*.;'^"^ 'u'^ ° ot be.n reared. ,,.,y to buy queens for ih.s purpu.e .f they hn^e not be . ^^„,^, ,,.,,,, if Ka-h .■ol.ny .UouM have thirty to '"'■'- '^-^'r^'^ ;Vthe intensity of the cold, it i. to be wintered out-.,. -doors the "-"^l^'/'j^td in the cellar. The wei«ht of and tlurty to thirty-fiv- rounds >f.t '^ »";; ^^"JhUe pine with walls I of an m-^h ,„. ordinary lO-franie l.;,np.troth hue """^^^ "5 ^'J^ ' Hen. but without covet. >s. thiek. with i in.h thi.k bottom --''•, ;7;^;,,^^^ ^2° in weighing hives for the ti, m.l.- IVIIIOV'-'I. KiH. 31. - W.nur.ni? caw- f'.r f. vir 1.."", ». ,.„ p„u„J. of .1-.'^ Th.. .. ••«";^, ';;i;j%r„Bed. .nr coinlm iiliouM im rt'inuveil » 'd rt-plafoil with cotiihs turc. The entrance to the hive ahould be reduced to 6 or 8 inches long by | of an inch deep. In colder and drier regions the hive without its roof is i)laccd in an outer case large enough to take two to four inches of good packing such as planer Khavinirs or closely packed dried leaves around the sides (in severe climates the bottom also) of the hive and six to twelve inches on top. The material on top may be placed in bags or a cushion for easy removal. It is an advantage to make such a case large enough to take four hives in two pairs, back to back, because the colonies keep one another warm. The cases made to take four hives have proved very satisfactory in many apiaries in southern Ontario, and with three inches of planer shavings at the sides and under- neath and ten inches on top, tiiey have met with fair success at the Central Exjieri- mental Farm, Ottawa, in the winters of 1012-13 and 1913-14. The roof of the wintering case should be covered with waterproof roofing. Above the packing material an air space should be left which should be ventilated by holes in the gables. To prevent the mouths of the hives getting choked with dead bees there should be a space of at least an inch between the floor and the bottom bars of the frames. A suitable size for the outside entrance where the winters are severe is one at^d one-quarter inches high by eight inches wide, the width being reduced to three- eighths of an inch during the winter by means of a piece of wood revolving on a screw and resting on a projecting nail or block of wood. To prevent the small entrance getting partly closed with ice there should be no projecting ledge under it. To Ve buried under a moderate depth of loose snow does bees no harm in mid-winter, but snow may advantageously be cleared away from the hives in March. Bees wintered out-of-doors must be sheltered from wind. Protection from wind is especially important in the colder regions. In such regions if the apiary is not sur- rounded by evergreens or other satisfactory shelter a close board fence about eight feet hisrh should be erceted around the nniarj-. It is necessary to emphasize the impor- tance of wind protection in the winter, because it is often given insufficient attention. Bees wintered out-of-doors start breeding earlier than those wintered in the cellar, and they benefit by the better protection provided by the wintering case in the spring. 40 CEM.AB WINTEBINO. will usually be arouud 48 F., but as the **^^%"™" ;, ;„ .i, u„ cellar must not be F to 45- F.) with more fresh air will be needed. The air in the bee ceuar m ■'"' The''i''"f''£';S.n=. i. ™.ll, ...Uhcwry fo, .i„u„in, b.e. » i. «.n be »„« i««r f^mnprature with excessive humidity is particularly injuiiouB. *°° 'rbrcXTo crtiin many colonies should be furnished with a eh mney ^ ^aw ff f KnT«l air the draught being regulated by dampers. Good insulation may be :Lr^ by ha ;g tL cX" hol^^^ or in the sideof a hill and the fre.h irmTy be brouiht in through a six-inch or eight-inch earthenware drain pipe laid "•^^ TheleeTshould be brought into the cellar as soon as possible »«- thelast good fl:„l,t tl,flt thev are likely to get. This is usually some time in November. It is Santai,usTo con a t'the fntrances and give light protection for two or three wtks pSu ly. During transportation to the cellar the entrances to the hives T i!l kT Pmn^rarily closed with, for instance, soft paper or burlap. Ins.de the celTar th^Tz^rthe ent^^^^ sho'uld be large enough to allow Buffieien^ enti ation Klol hut it mTy be advisable to bring them out earlier if they are restless and Tlf^t Thev should be brought out when the weather is mild, but too cool for '!r\TL aloL preferably laie in the afternoon of the day before a good flying t is expectl-^T^^^^^^^^^^ tL day the forecast of the Dominion weather service -"rav^d^^r'^itrgT^tred:^:^^^^^^^^^^ - ^ ^^ - - ^- winter is a sign of bad management. TRANSFERRING. To transfer a colony of bees from a box hive into a hive with movable combs. 41 into frames, string being used to hold them in the frames. These combs are placed in the new hive and the bees are shaken into it. If no honey is coming in the bees should be fed. The best time to transfer is in May or June before much honey has been gathered. If the work is done when the honey ilow is over robbing must be guarded against. Instead of cutting out the combs the bees may be placed in the new hive contain- ing frames fitted with foundation and the box hive may be placed over it with a queen excluder between, keeping the queen below. In three weeks the box hive may bo removed, all the brood in it having emerged. To transfer colonies located in hollow trees and other places where the bees cannot be drummed out the combs must be cut out with the bees still adhering to them. Where the combs cannot be got out as, for instance, in the case of colonies located between the walls of a house, a bee-escape may be placed over the hole through which the bees pass in and out. The hive, in which has been placed a frame of brood and some combs, is then set up close to the hole. The field bees, beit\g unable to return home, gather on the brood and these are joined by bees passing out through the escape. In a few weeks' time almost all the bees except the queen will have left their old home. A good bee escape for this purpose may be made from a piece of wire cloth by shaping it into a cone six inches long with a hole at the apex just large enough for one bee to pass. A queen or queen cell should be given to the colony as soon as possible. UNITING. In uniting colonies there are several principles to be borne in mind. The bees know the exact location of their hive, consequently, colonies to be united during the active season should stand within eight or ten feet of one another, otherwise bees will get lost. If it is desired to unite two colonies standing further apart, they may be gradually moved towards one another at the rate of two feet each day on which the hccs fly freely until tliey stand side by side. In cool weatliei- in aiitunni when the bees remain for days together in the hives, colonies in different parts of the apiary may be united with only trifling loss. Each colony has its own odour which the bees recognize, so that it is necessary to guard against fighting, especially at times when honey is scarce. At such times robbing, too, has to be avoided, and it is, therefore, advisable to defer the uniting until late in the day. To avoid fighting, both colonies are well smoked, and the combs are arranged in the new hive with a vux to mixing the bees as much as possible. The brood combs should be placed in the centre of the hive and the heavier combs of honey at the sides, the combs that are light in weight or otherwise undesirable being left out. From these the bees may be shaken on to a large board leaned against the entrance. The bees usually take good care of the queen, but as a precaution she may be caged in the hive for 48 hours. If both colonies have queens it is advisable to keep the poorer one caged in the hive until it has been ascertained whether the other has been accepted or not. In uniting in the autumn it :s advisable to do any necessary feeding for winter before releasing the queen. A simple way to unite colonies situated in ditTcreiit parts of th(» apiary in mode- rately cool weather in the autumn is to place the hive containing the weaker or queenless colony on top oi the other with a sheet of newspaper between. When, after some time, the imprisoned bees succeed in gnawing their way through the paper there is no fighting and few return to the old location. Five days after uniting the double colony should be examined and all brood placed in the lower story, the upper story being removed. Swarms that have recently emerged may be united by simply shaking them together. 42 RE-QUEENINQ. The queen beinR the mother of the colony, she is by far the most important insect in the hive. Should she die. leaving no young worker larv» from which another queen can be raised, the colony will dwindle away unless another queen be given to it. A queen may prove unsatisfactory and require replacing for ^'e"""! 'f^«°°^^ She may be a worthless drone breeder, or she may be unprohfic. Ihe prolificness of a queen is very likely to be reduced after her second year so that she fails to mam- tain the large population of the colony that is needed for getting a maximum honey yield. Another common reason for re-queening is to change the race of the colony from black bees to Italians. If the Italian queen has been mated by a pure Italian drone all the bees in the colony will bo pure Italians as long a3 the queen remains alive. PtHCHASlNG ITALIAN QUEEN8. In purchasing queens care should be taken to get them from a reliable breeder whose apTary is f^ f rom disease. Fertile Italian queens reared during the current jear TreTbtaTnable from the end of June (earlier if ordered from the southern States) to ^'^ Kuth^ast''ftm"a professional breeder of Italians it is u-ally advisable ^ order "untested" queens, that is, queens that have been kept only until ^ey ^a^ commenced laying, in preference to "tested" queens, that is. queens whose worker off" have been found to be uniformly banded with yellow to the extent demanded by the trade, because the untested queens are less liable to sustain injury in trans t and those sent out by a good breeder are usually purely mated; ^^J^^' ;j^.f;j7*L'° the colour of workers does not prove that they are pure. Untested Italian queens usually cost $1 each or a little less and. if taken in quantity, they can be got for from $8 to $10 per dozen. , , , .„„„,, The queens are sent by mail accompanied by about a down workers and a supply of candy in small wooden boxes covered with wire cloth. (See Fig. 33c.) QUEEN INTRODUCTION. Before a queen is introduced into a colony the old queen must be removed. H possible, this should be done one or two days, not longer before the introduction of K new queen. Beginners sometimes experience much difficul^ in finding the old queen especiallv if she is a black one. When the hive is opened she will be m the brood n^T and rfiould be diligently searched for on each «)mb oonta.mng brood before the b^ have begun to rush about the hive or gather in knots, which usually occurs after thThive has been open a few minutes. If by this time the queen has not been secured he h ve luld be closed and another search made a few hours later As a last resort the queen may be isolated by sifting the bees through a queen excluder Pl^<=ed over the entrance of an empty hive into which the combs are placed after the bees have been shaken o«f them onto a runway placed in front of the hive. Precautions have to be taken in introducing the new queen to prevent the workers attacking and killing her. One of the most reliable and widely practised methods of queen introduction is to confine the queen in the hive in a wire cloth cage until she has acquired the odour of the colony. A queen introducing cage may easily be made from a piece of wire cloth screening 2i laches by 2i inches by euttms a ^^}f^^f^ square out of each corner and folding over the sides so formed This cage with the queen inside is pressed into a tough portion of comb near the centre of the hive. On y one or two of the cells enclosed by the cnge should contain honey. The queen should 43 be liberated about forty-eight hours later, provided the bees are not clustering closely around her, in which case she is left caged another day or two. The colony should not be di^^turbed or examined to see if the queen is safe until five days after the queen's release. Another very good queen introducing cage is the " candy '' introducing cage, which contains a hole plugged with candy. The bees will usually eat through the candy in about twenty-four hours, and will thus release the queen automatically without any ;sFT .<<^^ ^-\- t»^^ Fi^. S2. — ?S*'archin^ for the qut^nii. disturbance of the bees by the bee-keeper. To delay the release of the queen the candy may be kept covered during the first twenty-four hours with a piece of wood or tin. The candy is made by mixing powdered sugar and honey into a stiff dough. The travelling cage in which the queen is mailed is usually adapted for use as a candy intrndii" ing cage, aiid it i= "ftrn itsi-H in ff>TnTTiorrinl avis'if's tn ssve troiihle. but it is safer to take the queen out of the travelling cage and introduce her alone, or with a recently emerged worker from the hive in a new cage. As a precaution against intro- ducing disease the mailing cage and workers may be destroyed. 44 Queens are less liable to be attacked find killed by the workers after introduction during a honey flow than during a honey dearth. The period immediately after the honey flow when robbers are prowling about should, if possible, be avoided for intro- ducing queens. In autumn the colony should be well supplied with food before the queen is liberated. , „ n u u If the colony has been queenless for more than three days, all queen cells should be out out at the time of caging the queen in the hive. If eleven or more days have elapsed since the colony lost its fertile queen and young brood was in the hive, a young virgin queen (possibly two or more about the eleventh or twelfth day) will be present and must be found and killed before the queen is introduced. ^i-;-:'!:; % h! Fig. ;W. - A. i-^iifin iiitriiilm-inK cMgi- for pn-.^^iin; into tin- ciiiil). li. XliUi-i'.' fiimiv-iiitroiliK inu ciiifi'- . i-x.) IMut; of ciuidy U'twern two Htri|.s of wood licl.i to^THth.-r by tw,, Hina.fs of tin. 111. I ricd- of wool! to lie ii'movKl when inxcrtinp (lui-cn. C. Mailing cagi-. BEAHINO QUEENS. Too little attention has been paid in Canada to queen rearing. A large apiary kept for honey production possesses all the best conditions for the successful rearing of queens and frequently also for obtaining a high percentage of matings with drones of Fclectod parentage for the improvement of stock. Space forbids giving more than an outline of the process. Beginners may save queen cells from their best colonies that swarm, breaking up the colony into several little colonies or nuclei shortly before the young queens are due to hatch, each nucleus consisting of two combs containing brood, honey and a queen cell, w; h the adhering bees. Spare queen cells may be given to other unelei specially formed to receive them. p^^pvi^y, it is better to rear queens from the best colonies that do not swarm. This may be 'dor by transferring on the turned-up point of a sharpened quill about twenty young worker larvic of the desired parentage into artificial (or natural) queen cells and gi\ing them to a colony which four hours previously was deprived of its queen and all brood, except one comb containing chiefly capped brood. The colo> , 48 should contain plenty of young bees for feeding the larra. The krre should not be more than about one day old. The artificial queen cells may be madq by dipping the rounded and moistened tip of a wooden stick three-eighths of an inch thick into melted wax to a depth of one-half inch three or four times, tb'> cups so formed being afterwards fixed on to the edge of a narrow board which it suspended in the hive. Handy queen cell cups that can be used repeatedly may be mnde by hollowing out one end of a short cylinder of wood to the size of a queen cell base and lining it with wax. The bases of the cups are fastened to the edge of the board by means of projecting nail points. The operation of transferring the larree is carried on during the honey flow, and care is taken to see that the larree are continuously supplied from the time of transference with on abundance of lirood food. For this luirpose the cup.s may be primed with food from an uncapped queen cell, but as this food is apt to dry up and the bees sometimes remove it before they commence to give the Inrvte a fresh supply it is better to replace the larv» to which the bees have supplied food with a new batch of larvae the next morning. On the tenth morning after the transference of the Fi- ■•Men c» Us in wood*'n cuiw attached ut Uwnl. larvte the queens will be due . , emerge in a few hours and the queen cells should be distributed to nuclei in cell protectors made of wire cloth, or of wire wound in a spiral with a hole at the tip of the cell through which the queen will emerge. These protectors prevent the bees from tearing open the sides of the cell. In due time the queen in each nuflcus will get mated provided no accidents occur, and she may be introduced to any colony requiring a queen at any convenient time thereafter. FEEDING. The various occasions on which feeding is necessary or advisable have been mentioned under "Spring Management,' "Swarming" and "Wintering," and only a few remarks on how to make and give the food are here necessary. Syrup mnde from the best grade of white granulated sugar is a cheap and safe substitute for honey in spring and summer, and a desirable supplementary food for winter. For spring and sinmer feeding, two jiarts by measure of sugar stirred into three or four parts of water until dissolved makes a satisfactory syrup. For autumn feeding, use two parts of sucar to one of water in the interior of Canada, and two and a half of sugar to one of water on the coasts. To get the sugar to dissolve completely in the ease of autumn syrup the water must be hot. If the syrup is made over the fire the sugar must be added to the water in small quantities 46 at . tin,e and kept constantly .tirxed until ^-\'f„^\7rv?rV^^^^^^^^ bottom of the vessel and burning. ^'^Z^^'^' '^^^^^^^^I'^^^Zm granulating, .nd would cause their de«tV""Xaddek tl eveS^ twentj ^unds of sugar, a teaspoonful of Urtanc acid "^'^^^'tt^^Z^^^Zerl made by dissolving over a Candy for feeding in an emergency during ^^ „ , Vt„_ ;' ,0 238° F. over a slow fire? pounds of sugar in 1* P'^^J^^" Jfirlut wiSi^ut S^^^^ Boil r/eririoVsoTTh'e^ iSirS iS- lL:s!7ooTenough for the fingerto W irft "hlldVe tlrrS uTtil ^^ begSs^to wluten. It should then be poured .uickly into moulds to form cakes about one »'»<=»' **"'^'': . • • , .^le hive and covered up so ,H.£'.zi^%rs.t™sr .t.^"° rrpU.. ....... — will be needed to cover it. FiK 35.— l)ivi»inii board fecdir to luiiig in hive in place of frame. oU K» «r n loss for feeders. A simple feeder may be made b, p^„er,"-:='.r.t!rbr r;Lp c, . ;.-;»«r j'»;:id ■:»": j.Vi. ,h., filled .itb .ir.p .ud tte c,p ""r" °a SiJ . to.po«nd fe.er lid tin hoi. In tte quilt 0. tb. lop of .he '"°" J^ 'S'',i7t °o ,' ^^" „p.id. do.n o,.- KiK. a;. -Section.. f Miller f.e-ler, -Lowing metl..«l -'f/"""'""="°'J;.^ A, B, n»..rv,.ir f.,r Kyrnp; C, pasi-ug.- forl,ew to syruii, V, vviie cloth; K, iiu.valilecover. and fill it up with grass or weeds which enables the bees to ooiain any danger of their getting drowned. 47 ROBBmO. In warm weather when there i» little or no honey to be got from the flowers the beee will easily yield to any temptation to obtain it by any other means that come in their way. After more or less fighting they will overpower any very weak colonies, especially those that, having long lost their queen, consitit entirely of old bees, and will carry the honey to their own hives. Kobbing may also be started by the carelessness of the bee-keeper during manipulation, especially when removing the honey. During a honey dearth the bee-keeper should in all uis work carefully avoid doing anything that will excite robbing, for robber-bees are a constant annoyance and danger in the apiary. No colony Cihould be allowed to grow weak and no honey or syrup should be exposed in the ariary. If robbing has begun the attacked colonies should have a bunch of wet grass or weeds thrown over the entrance. Hives should be opened as little as possible, and then only during the hour before sunset or early in the morning or under a net tent. Robbing is mo6t likely to be troublesome in the late summer during the decline of, and immediately after, the honey flow. It is advisable at this time to contract the entrances of all hives. One can tell if a colony is being robbed by seeing the robbers enter hurriedly with the abdomen contracted and leave with the abdomen distended, flying straight home. Old robbers have a shiny appearance, the hair having became rubbed off. BEE DISEASES. Five bee diseases are known to occur in Canada, — three affecting the bro.jil. nameb', Amorican foul brood, European foul brood and sacbrood, and two uffecting the adult bee, — paralysis and dysentery. Vig. 37. — American foul linxMi comb, showing: irreKuhir capinn^rs ,ind hcuIcs. The |>OHition of thf comb intlicati's tlif h*'st way to \ipw the xcalt's. (Phllliiif. Fiirmtr,' Hull. A'". W- V.S. Itrjit. A;in,:) American foul brood and European foul brood are serious diseases which havo caused enormous loss to bee-keepers in the United States. They have also appeared in various parts of Canada and. unfortunately have gained foothold in some regions. They are highly infectious, but by proper treatment they can both be controlled and their spread checked. It is, therefore, important that every bee-keeper should acquaint himself with the symptoms of foul brood and the proper methods of treatment and should keep a careful watch for its appearance in his apiary. 48 AMBUCAM rOCL BtOOD. This disease affecU principally the larv just after they bive b«m «?PI«J °Y;: si.r^ .,11 L"i:; '::?z\ irr.r, .t ,i "^"f^- 5: ™S"«S»br The colon, jn,.. ~.k through to dimfa,d.iM .umW .( tniorping bees and usually dies sooner or later. ML 38 — Vmerican foul bnxjd: a, '., /, normal waled ■ cells ; r, j, minkeii capping*, xhowmg iwrforation ; n. Bunken uippinK not perforat«- appears, to return the following spring. It spreads through the apiary and district more rapidly than American foul brood. Black bees are more susceptible to European foul brood than Italians, but both races are equally susceptible to American foul brood. Neglected apiaries of black bees quickly die out when attacked by European foul brood, and many a careless bee-keeper has been put out of business by it. European foul brood is spreading in Ontario and Quebec, the principol centres at present being the Niiifrnra district nnd from Diirlinm county in Ontario eastwards into southwestern Quebec. The organism causing European foul brood is Bacillut pluton (White). UETHODS or BPREADINQ OF rOl'L BROOD. Both Americai. foul brood and European foul brood spread from colcny to colon.v and from apiary to apiary in much the same way. An affected colony becomes very weak or dies. The hive is robbed and the honey containing the germs of the disensi- is carried by the robbers to their hives. The bee-keeper may imwittingly aid the spread of the disease by feeding the bees with infected honey or by putting swarms into hives or upon combs that have come from diseased colonies. Discarded recep- tacles that have contained honey from a diseased colony, if not thoroughly cleaned, may also be a source of infection. Fig. 31K— Kurui'tan foul hnn-Mi; *i, J, k\ nornial sfiilcil ccll> : /'. i, il. c. ij. I. I. til. ;/, 7. liirMe aff»*ctfr! hy (^i?*^'ast■ : r, normal l:ir\(e at age at- tacked by lii^fUNt*; /', /(, n, •*, (IriKt-dnwii larvw (»r "scales. Twice natural si/c. fPliillij,.', Pii-iM r.s' Hull. .\„. 4ii. VS. l),j:t. A fjrir. ) PREVENTIVE MEASURES. The following precautionary measures are recommended for adoption by all bee- keepers : Never purchase colonies of bees unless it is certain that they are free from disease. Never feed bees with honey of unknown origin. If the bees need feedinp give sugar syrup, not honey. Do not purchase old combs, used hives or second-hand bee supplies unless it is certain that tliey came from healthy apiaries. Keep ail colonies strong. The disease should be explained to neighbouring bee-keepers, and they should be invited to co-operate in its prevention and treatment. Such practices as leaving colonies to die on their stands and exposing combs of honey taken from 00 colonie. that h.,e died for the hoc. ^°J-Jj7r»^.:!'^aii^''Thi' iSo S rMi.It in all the •piariea n the neighbourhood becoming aiMMea *"?""". S:;: in bo "wve. Should b. urged to tran.fer them to hive, with moTabl. comb.. TRtATMBNT Or AMERICAN rOCL MOOD. The treatment of American foul brood con.i.U in t^e remoTja «d djrtrBrticn o^ all infected matter and compelling the colony to make a freah .Urt by building new -"-"^Ct^'^S L-^'rea-r if PO«ible during, the hon^ fl^ « Uuit^he other heea in the apiary will not be inclined to rob, and a'.w that the treated bees m^ mwe Xd «Urt I?no honey flow i. taking place, the newly treated bee. wdl need feed^ tngwith Snip. To further reduce the riA of robbu.g the work rfiould be done towards evening unless the number of colonies to be treated is great towards evening u appliances that will be required should be in readinis The hbe con Jning the disea'red colony is lifted back two f«t or «,.and Tctean hive eontaTning frames fitted with strips of foundation about half an inch tide is .e Tn ts place. A spare cover or similar board is placed in front of the clean Kijr. 40. — Kmcin-an foul lirixKl. hive to act as a rimwav. Five frame, are lifted out of the clean hive to make a cant space" to which'thc bees are to be shaken, and the part -nte>m^ th« res o. the frames is covered with a board or sack . prevent the bees crawling out at top. The oTdTveirnow opened and the comb, are lifted out one at a t>nie and the bees ai^ shaken ofi them into the nev Sive. each comb being put -.^tdTn^t^s tht Jh u d has been placed nearby. As soc is the combs have been «°'1«^^;^^*X cl^ W be covered over. The five frames of foundation are now returned to the clean hive and the «,ver is put on. If honey drops out of the combs the bees should not be shaken inTtheMve. but instead, on to sheets of newspaper spread over the junjay close to Se hive so ihat the bees will run in. The soiled newspapers are afterwards **''* mfn most of the bees are in the hive a queen excluder should be placed under the hiv^ W^n the bottom board and the brood chamber, or a strip of queen exdud- n inc zino ahould be futaned over the entraaoe to preTmt Jie beet from deMrting thoit hire next mominc. As non at the operation is over thj hive body containing the combs is brought in- doors so that no bees can get access to them. Care must be taken that no honey or scrap* of combs are left lying about for robbery from healthy colonies to carry home the disease. As soon as conTenieiit the combs should be melted down in water which should be kept boiling for at least half an hour to destroy the virus. The wax may then be pressed out in a wax press. The honey in the supers may be extracted and ia perfectly safe for human consumption. Three days later the beea will have consumed the infected honey they carried with them, and they should then be given frames fitted with full sheets of foundation in place of the frames fitted with starters. Colonies that have become much weak- ened by the disease should be united during treatment. Hives that have formerly contained diseased colonies or infected combs should bf cleaned of honey and wax, and should be disinfected by being scorched inside with a gasoline lamp such as is used by painters. If this appliance is not available hive bodies may be tiered upon a bottom and gasoline poured over the inside of the pile and on some excelsior placed within it. The gasoline is then ignited and after a few seconds the flames may be extinguished by placing a close fitting cover on top. TREATMENT OF EUROPEAN FOUL BROOD. The shaking treatment above described for American foul brood is also correct for European foul brood where the colonies are badly infected with the disease, but it should always be followed by the introduction of a young Italian queen. In light cases of European foul brood in strong colonies, introducing a young Italian queen is sufficient treatment In an affected apiary of black bees every colony should be Italianized in this way whether it be diseased or not The '■emporary cessation of brood rearing during the introduction of the queen and the youth of the queen both contribute to the success of the treatment. It is sometimee advisable to keep the colony without young brood for two or three weeks. This may be done by making the colony cjucenlcss and then, after a few days', pivinc it a riiie quoou cell containing an Italian of resistant strain. Th6 colonies should be kept strong at all times so as to avoid robbing. The resisting power of Italians to European foul brood varies both in individual colonies and in the strain. The brightest golden Italiana are usually leas resistant than darker goldens and three-banded Italians. 8ACBR00D OR PICKLED BROOD. In this disease the larva dies about the time of scaling. It usually lies stretched out in the cell with its head turned up. The body is swollen and the contents are watery. There is no ropiness. This disease seldom occasions serious lose, and as a rule no treatment is necessary. It is, however, infectious, and in extensive outbreaks the precautions and treatment prescribed for American foul should be adopted. OTHER AFFECTIONS OF THE BROOD. Brood may die from various causes other than disease. It may get chilled or starved. When the honey flow is suddenly stopped by the onset of unusually cold weather the bees will destroy a laige quantity of drone brood and sometimes also wor- ker brood. Such dead brood is soon removed by the bees. Another condition that may be mistaken for disease is what is known as bald headed brood, in which t).-:- pupse are yneapped or only partly capped. If the uncapped cells are in lines it may be suspected that wax moth larvs are working in the combs, but if the uncapped cells are mixed or scattered and the pups are seen to be normal there is nothing seriously wrong. inBMTBBT. H-lthy bee. ejec-t their f.e.t» .('.linK Hi«ht. When in winter flight i. inH-o^ible the f"-^ n^.V .coumuUte W *uch . u Utut that tlie l«e. .re unable to retau, th m :iwT.oTlth„hive.ud ca.nb.v .., llowi.h brown mx-U. ]■'>« J^^^ --'^i^'^j ^^ part, of the food th.t c.nnot be ,'e.»cKl. and .!«. the waste product.. The omi 'hould. therefore, contain a, little i„.n. : ble nu.t,er a* po^»bk. J"«" ;;y[;';, J ^ thii condition well, but it .. not a co.nrl ■ . fo<,d for W.. A Px^l A'^ht '«> [^;'!^'^ '^ weather u.ualiy put. a stop to dy nt .ut if the bee. are unable to fly or if tl.. ■» Tke anTtimerfliirht in ^oM , - u„ weather the, oiay die m groat numb r. u n»/l- .hn .u..rT excrem • i' '^ or orhidc!.. depositeit..;o flavour and dark colour. Fortuiiatoly. in ■iei.' '. ^ itity to h.' harmful. The honey R.ttliored ', • .!■ ■ !• va Scof.a haa also been found to produce .,„ , J ;)■«•■ •'. ' V supplemented with syriin by tlio bees, contain, a lar(f»> an;' tery. Uoney-dew honey has a " Canada it is seldom stored in si. by bee. located on certain marul dyspntry. Becj wintered ."1 BEE P/ ! " \ *• augur are little vr not at all Bee paralysis i. the name gi . to .^ .l..u,. " .ease of the aduU b«e in wluc^ the bee* are seen to crawl out o' their hive with a trembling jerky motion and fre- ?uen^wUh their abdomen, distended. They ofu-n climb blade, of ^a" -^,"^7; reaching the top. being unable ro fly, they fall to the ground. The affected "^ome. ^^ti^e. dwindle co^iderably. The trouble usually occurs - 'P-«^ J^^ «^/' i", remedy for b«» paraly.i. i. known, and it usually disappears at the advcT.t of the '""The^n^ture of thi. dise.«, ha. not been ascertained and it i. not -^^Jf yj"*^^' .Tmotoin. noted are due to different cause, in different cases. In Great Britain a SderknowTa. Lie of Wight disease with symptom, like thou, of bee Pa'«ly«« ^a. tlaS yearrca^ enormou. lo«i. The cause of Isle of Wight disease ha. been tra e?tn'<„.m« apU, a unicellular parasite of the alimentary cnn.-,! of the bee. rhe nara^te mav however be present without causing any disease. There arc grounds for «Sng that ^L of the case, of bee paralysis in Canada may also be ^-l^J^Z opJTwhich ha. been found in the United State.. Care should be taken not to import the British variety of this parasite into Canada. BKE DISEASE lEQISLATION. Acts for the suppression of Foul Brood have been passed by the following pro- vincial legislatures: — Ontario, 1807, repealed 1900. Quebec, 1908. British Columbia, 1911. Manitoba. 1914. New Brunswick, 1915. lue Ontario Act of 1906 provides for the appointment of bee inspectors ^riderjhe controfand direction of the Minister of Agriculture. The -«Pf %'• jt^of^elf. In- tlu- Minister visits and examines aj-iaries to ascertain whether foul broo.1 exists in a mali^a^t tvpe. It is the duty of the inspectors to order all affected colonics, Lethcr -^th tbe^ives and contents and Uinted appurtenances that can not be di.- Scd,To be immediately destroyed by fire under his personal superintendence, but if the inspector finds the disease to exist in a mild type or incipient stage and can be successfully treated he may omit to destroy. Th<> iii«i>wtor liiiH xiiwer to orck-r het'n \u liox hiv«'si to b<) traiisfcrrcd to u riioviibin fruliit' hix( within n njM'cifli'd time, in default nf which mich hive* niid tin- bct-s rnii.v l«> destroyed. Any |»cr»oii who kriowiii(;)y iolls. K.irters or iiives awny (iisoaKi>d i-oloiufit or iiifti'tp U|Hiti conviction to a houvy fine or itnpriRonninnt. Any perHoti whoRo biv's have b<"<"n destroyed or treated for fi>iil brood who Hell* or offers for smIb any bee , hives or aiipliaiiiT'^ after sneh di"'t>^ :jn)onf;hi'< been I- nUo liable ufmn coin iefion to fine or iiniirisonment. Provision i-s made for dealinjr with bee-keep«ra who refuse to mMow the i%,peetor to freely examine hi» Imm-s or refuse to destroy infeeted bees or disoln-y ihe .lireiti -ns of the iiisiM-etor. " Kvery biM'-ke( . • or other per«on who is nure of the existeiie*- of foul brnnd either ii' his own apiarv or el-.vv cto. shall imniofiiitcly riotifv the Minister of A»rri<-'ilture of the 'xisteiieo of such disense, and ii. default of so doine Ik- -hall, on summary eonviclion before a jiisfiei .f t;,e ppaei-. be liable • • a fine of ffi and costs." C' is the usual practice to send the notsfication t" the ne i. I inspector, in this .>ft(ii saves ilela.v in inspi'ctii'ii ,'iii.l tr.-.if mci-.') The inspector is refpiired to make a repur' to the .Vfinister of Airricuiturt- of opiuries inspected b.v bini The Quebe.- Act passed in inos is franail on similar lines to the Onti\r . Act, but provision is made for the indemnificatiun under cerfnin circumstances, of the bf-e- ker-per in the case of compulsory destructioi. of hires hre* or accessories, and notifica- tion of (he ilisi'ii-j' i- not (•■iTniiulsorv. The British (\ilimbin \i-t passed in llMl is nlso dvawn up in .1 similar way to the Ontario Act, hut spreial pre.initions ;i- fo i|isinfectii,i mtc enjoined and the Minister of Aprieultun- i- .rnpnweri'd to order into (piarantine for a period lot cxeii'dinj; nine months any or all lie.s imported itito the prl.^ inee. and if »hesc ;ire found tu he infi' i„,| differ in anv inipoitant detail fiom the Ontario Act. Tn lltll Ontario had twenty-oia- reirular (.'ovi'mnant i; -pectors. Qm hei- had six chief inspectors and six assistant inspectors. British Columbia had three inspectors and Manitoba one inspector. The work of these men i- not only that of polio.- offi.-ers to enforce the law. but is very largely ediOMtional and is of ijreat value to the hee- keepinir imlustry. ENEMIES OF THE BEE. War modi. — The caterpillars ( the Wax Moth (Gallina me mella, ,ir<- found in nejrlectid apiaries where they destroy the comb's and brood of ueak ' ulonies, and also the einibs of colonies that hav died out, lln:nff the tu.cnels th(> make in the combs with a silky web. They will also pet into the honey house and destroy the combs there. Colonies that arc strotjir and well looked after resist tia- depred.itions of wax moth. The full srrown ■ itcrpillar is about one inc! in lencth and it sjons an oval white cocoon in soi'-.e crevi e in the hive when it cliuiscs to the chrysalis. As the different stajres r-i wns moth are killed by severe col't it is a good phi- to store combs for the winter in the honey hou.se and not in the cc iar. All spare -oribs should be looked over and t'i' f'n to th(> bees, .ir finni;;:i: d, at Ic^j-t oocc a .vear. T tumifiate conihs the\ shonM he pliiced i- hive- 1 1 red mn' ahove the oti it with an empty hive or super on top. In this .super i- placed a saucer containinsr bisulphide of carbon, the fumes of whifh, hein^ ' eavier than air. -ettle down throuL'li tin combs, (are she ild be taken not to bring - flame near, as the funics are ' ighly inflammable. Sulphur fumes may be used in.s-ead. < olonies affe<'tcii with h' ..xl di- ;iso are very likely to become the prey of wax moth ii the List stages of their existeni'c. M Other enemies.-Aimug^t other enemies of the bee may be mentioned wasps, toads and certain birds. These do no serious harm to strong colonie.. M.ce and rats, how- ever wU sometimes destroy colonies in winter if care is not taken to exclude them Cm the bee cellar or wintering case. Colonies wintered outs.de may be pro ccted by reducing the width of the entrance t.. R-inch «o that nuc are unable to get m. BEKS AND FRUIT. The value of bees a. pollinators in orchards has already been referred to in the discussion uiwn the advantages of bee-keeping. Complaints are sometimes made of the poisoning of bees as the result of the.r visitfng fruTbloom that has been sprayed with insecticides. Fru.t t-es should never brsmJayed with poison while in full bloom. Not only may the po.sou kill the be^. but it alS damages the reproductive organs of the flower, and ,n both ways .t reduces ''' rr';r^.!:"" o":!?r A.., pa...., >„ ,s,. p^hi..its th.. spr„>.n. of f>.ut trees who in full bloom with any mixture .-ontaining Paris green or other po.sons SiluB to bees under penalty of fine or imprisonment. A snn.lar law ,s now m ^""^BistaniJtin.et S':^.' feeding on ripe plums and other sweet frui, and this has fersome'-fruit growers to fear that thoy -'-Vamage fru.t. Lxpe .en ts con- ducted at the apiary of the Central Experimental Farm m 1901, and ei....here, have " conclus !ely that bees do not injure sound fruit. It is on^ when the sk.n hasTeen broken by birds or wasps or in some other way that the bees suck the fru.t juices. BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCTATTONP. Bee-keepers, like the members of any calling, are greatly helped by Pf t'"^ i"*" touch Titr^ne another for the exchange of id..as and the discuss.on of problems "'^"Br^e^it. wStions have sprung up in various --^^f-^^:: the Ontario Beekeepers' Association, which is one of the most P^j^^^ ."»^^;^'^,; fnl bee-keepers' organizations in the world, to the young societies that h«je o„,y recently been established, all are doing g..od work for the «^J"»7"J;^ association The Ontario Bee-keepers' Association was orgnin/.ed ,n 1880. 1 his association had in November. 1915. I.IW mcn.hors. Each member receives monthly a copy of "The Canadian Horticulturist and Bee-k.vper." He also gets a timely repoit of the honev cropTith the prices it is suggested should be asked. A three-day annual Lnvenrn o" he On.nri.. Bee-keepers' Association is held in Toronto in NoveniW wherf Z. are exchange.1 nn.l matters pertaining to th.- s.-coss of the bee-keep- ing industrv in Ontario r.re fully discussed. This convention is very well attended. aTd i looked forward to as one of the principal .vents of the year ^X ""any men. ^n. The members of the Ontario Bee-keepers' Association have also the pnv leg. ^"eeuring Italian .ueens at co-operative prices. There are --- ,f " ^^^^;;;«^^^^^^ membership. Mr. Morley Pettit. Provincial Apianst. Apiculture Department, OiTaHo Agricultural College. Ouelph. is the secretary-treasurer^ There .re twenty six county associations affiliated with the Ontario Bee-keepers Association. 66 The Quebec Province Ui'e-keeiHJrs' As!i(K'iuti()ii lias been establisbcd several years. The ])resident of this us-fuciation is Dr. K. J.ulonile, mid the secretury-treasurer (1915) is Mr. Osc. Comiri', AU'nukis .Sprinft^. (^lu'. This association fosters proKressive methods of bee-keeping among its members, aids in the disposal of their honqr and co- operates with the jirovincial povernnienl in the control of foul-brood. It holds a two- day annual convention at idontreal in Muvcnilier, the proceedings of which are carried on in the French lanfrua^re. This convention is also larjiroly attended. The Quebec District Bee-keepera' Association, of which Mr. Jacques Verret of Charlesbourg, Que., is the president, has over 60 members, and is doing useful work in teaching; nioilcrn mctli<)1,'') had 7H niembers. The Bee-keepers' Association of British Columbia, incorporated 1916, hon. secre- tary-treasurer, Mr. Williams Hugh, 316 Beckley Ave., Victoria, B.C. PUBLICATIONS ON BKE-KEEPINO. No bee-keeper shoi'id be without a book that treats in much fuller detail than can bo done here the ditftreiit features of bee-keeping. The following are standard works : — " The A. B. C. and X. Y. Z. of Bee Culture " by A. I. and E. R. Root, published by the A. 1. Root Co., Medina. Ohio, U.S.A. at $2. An altractively ritteii and pro- fusely illustrated encyclopedia of all the phases of practical bee-keeping. A French edition is published. " Bee-keeping " by E. F. Phillips, Ph.D., published by the Macmillan Co., Toronto, $2. A valuable text-book on bee-keeping, in which the subject is treated from the scientific point of view and the principles underlying success are discussed. " How to keep bees," by Anna B. Comstock, published by Doubleday, Page & Co., New York, U.S.A., at $1. A charmingly written manual especially suited for those who think of taking up bee-keeping as a recreation. Several bee journals are published which keep the bee-keeper in touch with cur- rent events and progress, and give helpful hints, and also information about the doings and personality of bee-keepers, and about the meetings of the various bee-keepers' associations. Canadian bee-keepers will find much interesting and helpful information in any of the following journals : " The Canadian Horticulturist and Bee-keeper," published monthly at Peterboro, Ont., " The American Bee Journal," published monthly at Hamilton, 111., U.S.A., and " tileanings in Bee Culture," published semi- monthly at Medina, Ohio, U.S.A. BEE-KEEPING AT THE DOMINION EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. Bees are now kept at fourteen of the Dominion Experimental Farms, namely: — the Central Experimental Farm, Ottawa, and the following branch farms: — Charlottetown, P.E.I., Nappan, N.S. ; Kentville, N.S.; Fredericton, N.B. ; St. Anno de la Pocatiere, Que. ; Cap Rouge, Que. ; Brandon, Man. ; Indian Head, Sask. ; Lacombe, M Sask.: Lethbridge, Alta.; luv.rmc-r... B.C.; Asass.z. ii.V.; and Sidney B.C. At a^l the.'* stations, «itli the exception of Indian Head where bee* h,r o not been kept sutti- ciently long to produce definite results, bee-ktvping has been found to be prohtable. At I^thbridge alfnlfa has pmved the prineipal sonrce of surplus honey. At Urandon, Lacombe and Invermere. the source, have been mixed. At the remaining stations, alsike or white clover are the principal, but by no means the sole, sour.vs. CONCLUSION. In the foreRoing pajres an endeavour has been made to present briefly the main features of successful be.- mannt-'enieut in as concrete a form as possible, it may be wfll in .■nn..lusi.m to suniniari/,,. \h,- wo>t important points in fi few words. The bee year may be said to connnen.-o in the autumn, and success the followu.!; season depends very larRoly on the proper preparation of the bees for winter followed l,v .'areful and systematic spring- and summer n.anagement. Colonies shouUl be kept stron- and everv c|ueen that is not proliiic and do.^s not produce industrious and hardy workers should'be replaced. A sutii.'ient sup|dy of stnudanl hive parts franies and foundation to meet all i>..ssible nee.ls slu.uld be procured an