NOTES FOR BEEKEEPERS

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 3604, 30 November 1905, Page 4

NOTES FOR BEEKEEPERS

With good management it costs little to keep a few hives of bees. Do not neglect to look for the queens or brood when opening the hives in the spring.

No matter when bees are moved, they should be fastened' up so that none can escape.

To a very considerable extent spring dwindling' is the result of poor winter management. Have the entrance to the hives and the vicinity around 1 them clean and convenient for the bees to get out and in readily. The life of bees during the working peason is very short, and it requires a good laying queen to keep up the force of bees in the hive.

The proper time to transfer bees from box hives to movable frames is early in the spring, before the comb becomes heavy with brood and honey. • Hives should be located in good sea* son in whatever particular location they are expected to occupy in readiness to receive the swarms as they come off.

If any colonies are found too weak in the spring to take care of a frame of brood give them bees from the strongest colonies, but be careful not to give them the queen. When the weather gets warm enough for the bees to fly without becoming chilled give them finely ground cornmeal, wheat or the finer parts of sifted ground oats. The secret of large honey crops is strong colonies and plenty of room for the bees to store honey. Give each frame in the hive exactly one and a half inches of space. ,

Do not open the hives to excite the bees when it is too cold for them to fly. The best time to remove surplus for brood frames is after two or three days of good honey weather. Do not. open the hives to excite the bees when it is too cold for them to fly. The best time to remove surplus for brood frames is after two or three days of good honey weather. If in the spring any of the colonies are found without queens give them a frame of brood. Do not allow the colonies to rear queens until drones are hatched to insure mating.—St. Louis