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7 42. LIBRARY

New York STATE COLLEGES
OF
AGRICULTURE AND HomME ECONOMICS

AT

CORNELL UNIVERSITY

EVERETT FRANKLIN PHILLIPS

BEEKEEPING LIBRARY

Sectional Volume No. 7.

Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries.

COLLECTED LEAFLETS

ON

BEE KEEPING.

LONDON:

“PRINTED FORFHIS MAJESTY’ § SEATIONERY OFFICE
by Metcuim & Son, pinta Street, ‘Wiehe 8.W.1.

Od obtain, a fromthe, sj fromitha Oftce of the

“AGRICULTURE: AND SRERIES
s 10, Whitehall Place, London, S. W,

Advertisement Agents: C, VERNON & SONS, Ltd., 38, foorn Viaduct, E. Ch

1922,

Price 6d.'net,Post Free,

IF YOU KEEP BEES
IF YOU GROW FRUIT
IF YOU KEEP POULTRY
IF YOU ARE A FARMER
IF YOU ARE A GARDENER

READ THE

JOURNAL

OF THE

MINISTRY or AGRICULTURE

PUBLISHED MONTHLY:

Order direct from the Ministry of Agriculture
and Fisheries, 10, Whitehall Place, London, §.W.1,

PRICH 6s. FOR 12 MONTHS POST FREE.

Sectional Volume No. 7.

Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries.

COLLECTED LEAFLETS

ON

BEE KEEPING.

LONDON:

PRINTED FOR HIS MAJESTY’S STATIONERY OFFICE
by Mzutcuim & Son, Princes Street, Westminster, S.W.1.

To be obtained from the Office of the
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES,
10, Whitehall Place, London, 8. W.1.

Advertisement Agents: C, Vexnon & Sons, Lrp., 38, Holborn Viaduct, E.C. 1.
1922.

Price 6d. net, Post Free.

BEES, HIVES

All Apiry Aasiages:

Taylors have been making Hives and breeding Bees
for over forty years. They are now the largest manu-
facturers of Bee-Hives and Appliances in Europe,
and their Apiaries contain over ten million Bees.
This tells its own story. The benefit of Taylors’
experience is always at the disposal of their customers
and those who wish to start Beekeeping.

Write to-day for 40 page Illustrated Catalogue, post free.
No Beekeeper can afford to be without one.

E. H. TAYLOR Lo., S2522v" Welwyn, Herts.

LIST OF CONTENTS.

Introduction -.- ae bes

LeaFvet No, TITLE.
128. Advice to Beginners in Bee Keeping Me
The Hive—Stocking—Methods of obtaining Honey
—Subduing and Handling.
e 349, Methods of Obtaining Strong Colonies of

334.

378.

141.

32.

395.

Bees for Wintering es eh

Union of Weak Colonies —Addition of Frames—
Temperature — Feeding to inerease Brood-
Rearing-Syrup — Winter Storage — Candy —
Late Swarms.

How to Increase Colonies of Bees axe
Preparation— Vethods—Production of Queen Cells.

Beeswax re sins Ree

How to collect Wan Methods of aeisteiim—
Characteristics of Pure Waxr—Adulteration.

The Preparation and erin of anes for
Market... , as

Qualities— Comb Bone, y in Bootieni Completed
Racks — Packing and Glazing Sections —
Extrocted Honey, ~*~

Foul Brood ... ae i ss vee
Deseription—Symptoms—Sources of Infection—
Prevention and Remedies.
Diseases of Adult Bees—
Nosema Disease (Microsporidiosis)
Acarine Disease
Acarine Disease in Summer... ee
Dysentery wis nie ae aa

ApprenpDIx: Acarine Disease. Examination of Bees ...

PAGE,

19

30

34

38
38
42
43
44

46

Be Bee Worlo

The leading monthly Bee Journal in the United Kingdom,
and the only International Bee Review in existence.

To the Progressive Beckeeper, the Modern Farmer and
Fruit Grower, the Naturalist, and to the General Educa-
tionist, The Wee World is invaluable. It is extensively
read by men and wonien of all professions. Obtainable
mid-monthly from Newsagents, Bee Appliances Manufac-
turers, or direct from the Publishers, The Apis Club,
Benson, Oxon, at 9d. per copy, or 103d. post free. By
joining The Apis Club as a member (Annual Fee, 10/6),
you secure the free delivery of the paper, and several
other advantages.

Beekeepers’ Associations affiliated to The Apis Club
(Annual Affiliation Fee, £1 1s.), are entitled thiough their
Secretaries to receive the paper in bulk (minimum. one
dozen copies), at no more than 5d. per copy, for distribution
to their menrbers at 64d. per copy, post free. Have you
availed yourself of this helpful offer? Specimen copy free.

Fominson’s Hiuminium Semie Comb.

In British Standard, Simmins’ and Shallow Sizes.
[Awarded First Prize at the Royal Show, Cambridge, 1922. ]

Admingon’s Semt=Comb represents the latest and
most advantageous compromise between the primitive
wax or metal foundation and the complete artificial comb.
It has a large cell area, which exceeds that of any other
comb in existence, an unique simplicity of construction
which embodies both strength and adaptation for clean-
liness, and a thorough finish which ensures for the
appliance a life-long duration with reasonable care.

HAdminson’s Semi=Comb is the outcome of prolonged

painstaking studies and experiments—a triumphant result

of scientific beekeeping and modern engineering. Ot

valuable assets of the progressive apiary, it commands
distinct appreciation.

OBTAINABLE FROM :

LEE’S BEEHIVE WORKS, Messrs. C. T. OVERTON & SONS,
George Street, Uxbridge. Crawley, Sussex.
Messrs. PEARSON & GALE, Messrs. AINSLIE BROS.,
Bee-Farmers, Marlborough. 106, Oaklands Road,

Hanwell, London.
Mr. R. WHYTE, Cumbernauld Station, Dumbartonshire.

And from other leading manufacturers of and dealers in Bee Hives and Aopliances
in Britain and Abroad.

MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES.

Sectional Volumes of Collected Leaflets.

Well Illustrated, Recently Revised,—
in stiff paper covers.

Ist Edition.

Price
Volume. Title. (Post free).
No. 1. Fungus Pests of Fruit Trees _... ee 8d.
No, 2 Insect Pests of Fruit Trees oa = 10d,
No. 3. Cultivation and Diseases of Potatoes ... 8d.
No, 4 Fruit: Its Cultivation, Marketing and
Preservation ... i Hk .. 1s. 6d.
No. 5. Diseases of Animals a as .. 4s. Od.
No. 6. Weeds a ss sis 53 3 8d.
No. 7. Bee Keeping wish ies 7m Bes 6d.
No. 8. Manures and Manuring ... ... (In preparation)

Other Volumes in Preparation.

Order direct from the Ministry, 10, Whitehall Place,
London, 8. W.1.

(44608) P.917/B.66, 3,000. 9/22. M.&S.

INTRODUCTION.

Owing to climatic conditions, bee-keeping on a large scale
as an occupation has, in this country, found few people who

have made it a success. On a small scale, however, it is

being practised increasingly by the cottager and smallholder.
The city worker, too, living in the country, has found it to
be a fascinating hobby, as well as an additional source of
income.

The leaflets contained in this volume are designed to inform
those who are desirous of commencing to keep bees, and also
to assist those who, already having some practical experience,

are anxious to keep themselves in touch with modern hygienic

methods. They will be revised from time to time, particularly
hex dealing with the diseases which affect bees, in order
that the information given should be kept up to date; and it is
hoped that leaflets on other aspects of bee-keeping will be
added. Readers are accordingly advised to secure new editions

of the volume when published.

London, 8. W.1.
September, 1922.

ADVICE TO BEGINNERS IN BEE-KEEPING.

Bee-keeping is an occupation that can be followed on a small
scale in one’s spare time, and, as only a small space is neces-
sary upon which to stand the hives, it is eminently suitable
for smallholders, cottagers, and others with a limited area at
their disposal. It also has the advantage of being a suitable
occupation for women. Moreover, bees are active pollinators
of fruit blossoms, and the keeper of bees therefore renders
valuable assistance in the production of fruit.

In comparison with the skep method of bee-keeping followed
by our forefathers, the perfection and simplicity attained in
the construction of the present-day movable comb hives and
appliances mark a revolution in apiculture. When skeps are
used, the bee-keeper is compelled to carry out the inhuman
practice of killing the bees to cbtain their honey, and this,
when secured, is full of foreign substances, such as liquid
matter from the crushed bodies of the grubs, pcllen, propolis,
and other substances, which are incorporated with it during
the necessary process of squeezing the honey from the
comks. The modern system, however, enables any person
with ordinary intelligence to follow this lucrative occu-
pation successfully without injury to the bees, combs or brood.
Further, natural swarming can be controlled, and if it is
desired to increase the number of colonies, this can be done to
a larger extent by artificial methods* than if the bees are
allowed to swarm naturally, when there is a great danger
of the swarm being lost by its issue and escape during the
absence of the owner. ;

First Steps.—One of the first steps to be taken by those
desirous of becoming bee-keepers is to obtain a good book on
apiculture, and to study it carefully. There are several books
from which a choice may be made. It would also be advis-
able to join the local bee-keepers’ association, as in this way
much advice and information can be obtained; moreover,
secretaries of such associations will be able to furnish names
of expert bee-keepers willing to help if needed. The associa-
tion will also be able to render assistance in many other ways.

The prospective bee-keeper will be well advised to make haste
slowly. Beginning with not more than a couple of stocks, he
should increase the number as he acquires experience and
becomes more capable of dealing with a larger apiary.

* See Leaflet No. 334 (How to Increase Colonies of Bees) included in
this volume.

6

Appliances.—The appliances should be as simple as pos-
sible, and only those absolutely necessary should be purchased.
These consist of a complete hive, containing supers (section
racks, or shallow comb boxes), a queen excluder, quilts, ten
frames with a division board in the brood chamber, comb
foundation for the brood frames and also for the supers, @ veil,
and a smoker or carbolic cloth for subduing the bees. If the
shallow combs are to be used for procuring surplus honey, a
centrifugal honey extractor will also be needed, but this will
not be required if comb honey is worked for exclusively. A
scraper for cleaning floor boards, frame tops, &c., an uncap-
ping knife for use when extracting (a carving knife will serve
this purpose), and a bee escape fitted into a board for clearing
the bees out of the supers, will also be required.

The Hive.—The outside design of the various hives
manufactured differs considerably, but in most cases the
interior is of uniform measurement and made to take the
British standard frame. A hive should be chosen of simple
construction, accurate workmanship and sound material, in
order that it may stand permanent exposure to the weather.
The outside of the hive should be painted thoroughly to keep it
proof against rain and damp. A material aid to this end is to
cover the roof (which must be made plain and not from feather-
edge boards) with calico stretched as tightly as possible, and
tacked securely along the under edges of the eaves and gable
ends. This should be done after the first coat of paint has
been applied to the hive, so that the calico will receive the
subsequent coats. An extra coat of paint should be given to
the calico-covered roof,

Double-Walled Hive.—A hive of sound pattern is that
called the ‘‘ W.B.C.”’ Fig. 1 shows the arrangement of this
hive, the side of which has been omitted sco that the internal
fittings are exposed to view. It consists of a floor-board
having four splayed legs, and a brood chamber containing ten
frames with a division board. These frames hang by ears or
lugs on a metal runner, so that there is a space of + in.
between the end bar of the frame and the side of the hive.
This is a bee space, and therefore left clear. If the end bar fits
close to the hive side so that the bees cannot pass between,
they will fill the crevice with propolis; if more than +} in.
space is given they will build comb between; in either case
making it difficult to take out the frames for an examination
of the combs. Between the bottom bar and the floor-board
3 in. space is given so that the incoming and outgoing bees
have a free passage, and are also able to clean out in comfort
both the bees which die and any dirt which accumulates
Their natural instinct teaches the bees to leave this space
open, and they therefore do not build comb there. To obtain
comhs of the right thickness for brood rearing, i.e., % in.,

M

Be

oe

WIRED _

FOUNDATION

PASSO 55198

WIRED

COMB FOUNDATION

VI

32

Bee way.

Section.

Metal divider.

End following board.
Spring block.

Spring.

Section rack end.

Stop for frames.

End of shallow frame box.

. Shallow frame.

Rebate under frame lugs.

hive side.

15. Brood frame.
16. Plinth.

17, Floor board.
18. Floor joist.
19. Leg.

20. Roof.

21. Lifts.

G. 1.—DovsiE-WaALLED (W.B.C.) Hive.

12. Air space.
13. End of brood chamber,
14. Bee space between frames and

. Plinths.

. Queen excluder.

. Metal end.

. Metal runner for frames.
. Outer case.

. Poreb.

. Groove for entrance slides.
. Tunnel board.

. Entrance.

. Alighting board.

. Space under frames.

&

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NS COMB FOUNDATION
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WORKER
COMB FOUNDATION
WIRED

1. Bee way.

2. Metal divider.

3. Section.

4. End following board.

5. Spring block.

6. Spring.

7. Section rack ed.

8. Stop for frames.

9. End of shallow frame box.
10. Shallow frame.
11. Rebate under frame lugs.
12, Top block between inner and

outer walls.

Fie. 2.—SINGLE-WALLED Hive.

13.
4,

Air space,
Stop when reversing lift for
wintering.

. Bee space between frames and

hive side.

. Brood frame.

Bottom block between inner and
outer walls,

. Floor board.
. Floor joist.

. Leg.

. Roof.

. Shallow lift,

Plinth,

. Deep lift.

. Inner stop for lift.

. Queen excluder.

. Metal end.

. Metal runner for frames.
. Brocd chamber,

. Porch.

. Groove for entrance slides.
. Entrance.

. Alighting board,

. Space under frames,

9

metal ends are fitted on to the lugs of the frames; these are
1} in. wide, so that when they are in position, and.all the
‘frames are pushed together until the metal ends touch each
other, there is a space of 14 in. from the centre of one comb
to the centre of the next, allowing for { in. comb and a ¢ in.
passage between each comb to accommodate the bees when
carrying out their work in the summer, and to cluster in
during the winter months.

To compel the bees to build their combs in the frames, they
are provided with comb foundation. This is pure bees’ wax,
sheeted and impressed with the base of the cells. By its use,
perfectly straight combs consisting of either worker or drone
cells can be obtained in any desired position. To make the
brood comb strong, wire is first stretched across the frame; a
sheet of worker base foundation cut to fill the frame is then
inserted into the saw-cut made in the top of the frame for this
purpose, and a serrated grooved wheel called a spur-embedder
is then heated in the flame of a spirit lamp and run along the
wire, thus melting the wax slightly in order that the wire may
sink into it. This holds the foundation rigid, and when the
comb is built the wire is right in the centre of it, and there
is very little fear, either of the comb dropping out if held in
the wrong position, i.¢., horizontally instead of vertically (as
is often carelessly done when manipulating) or of the combs
breaking down, should the bees at any time have to be trans-
ported by road or rail in their hives or in specially made
travelling boxes. The combs which are built in these frames
are reserved for the rearing of young bees and the storage of the
food upon which the bees live during the winter, and should
not be touched for surplus, honey.

A second chamber, or super as it is termed, contains shallow
“frames, the combs in which are used for the production of
extracted or liquid honey. °

The third chamber is a section rack, and contains 21 sec-
tions (miniature wooden boxes 44.in. square by 2 in. wide)
in which comb honey is produced. Each section when filled
and sealed hclds approximately one pound of honey.

Surrounding these chambers there is an outer case which
encompasses the brood chamber and also carries the porch
over the entrance; the size of the latter is regulated by
sliding doors. There are also lifts which fit on to the top of
the outer case, and on one another, to accommodate the supers
during the honey season. A roof completes the structure.

The advantages of this hive are its simplicity; the air space
between the outer cases and inner chambers, which provides
a more even temperature, both in winter and in summer, than.
is the case with a single-walled hive; its mobility ; its accessi-
bility for cleansing and disinfection ; and its adaptability to being
built up to any height that may be necessary for the accom-
modation of the supers in which the bees work. Shallow

10

comb supers cr section racks can be used in conjunction with
each other, or only one kind may be used on the hive at one
time, according to the desire of the bee-keeper. If a larger
brood nest is desired it can be cbtained by the addition of an
extra brood chamber, or a shallow frame box having ten frames
fitted with worker base foundation and spaced with 14 in. metal
ends according to the bee-keeper’s idea of the extra space
required.

Single-Walled Hive.—A cheaper form of hive is the
single-walled one (Fig. 2). A comparison with Fig. 1 will
show that in this pattern there is an air space only at the
front and back to accommodate the lugs of the frames, and
not entirely surrounding the brood chamber. There are also
various portions which, through the secure nailing of the
parts, are inaccessible for disinfection, and the number of
supers which it is possible to use in tiering up is limited.

Stocking the Hive.—This should be done as early as pos-
sible in the spring of the year. The hive may be populated
in three ways, by purchasing (1) a colony of bees, (2) a
nucleus, or (3) a swarm.

1. The first is the most expensive method, as the bees have
already built the combs, are rearing brood and have stored
a certain amount of food. The advantage is that, given a good
season and proper management, surplus honey is assured in
the first year, and increase may possibly be obtained as well.

2. A nucleus will cost less, as it will consist of four combs
(only two, or at most three, of which will contain brood), bees,
and a, fertile queen, together with the stores, instead of the ten
combs of a colony. By judicicus management it may be worked
into a full colony in time to give a limited amount of surplus
before the end of the season. The beginner, as a rule, does
not possess sufficient practical knowledge to carry this out
effectively.*

3. The safest way for a beginner to start is with a first
swarm (not a cast, or after-swarm). The most satisfactory
method of purchasing a swarm is by weight. About 5,000
bees weigh one pound; and as swarms average from 3 to
5 Ib. each, they will contain from 15,000 to 25,000 old bees
with their fertile queen. After-swarms weigh about 2 lb. and
have a virgin queen. A swarm weighing 5 lb. should be
obtained if possible.

By this method the bee-keeper will avcid all the pitfalls of
disease or lack of condition which beset the inexperienced
purchaser of established colonies or nuclei, and which only the
practised eye can detect. Furthermore, a knowledge of the
working of the colony right from the commencement is thereby

; * Bor details as to building up of a nucleus, see Leaflet No. 849
(Methods of Obtaining Strong Colonies of Bees for Wintering) included
in this volume.

11

obtained. Given a good season, a swarm should be able to
establish itself in its first year and may possibly provide some
surplus for its owner.

_ Stocking from a Swarm.—When the box or skep contaiti-
ing the swarm arrives, it must be placed in the shade near the
hive the bees are to occupy.

If the swarm is in a box, the box should be placed upside
down and the screws fastening the lid taken out. The lid
should then be wedged open at one end about half an inch to
allow the bees to fly. If the bottom of the box consists wholly
or partially of perforated zine it should be covered with a
sack to exclude the light, ctherwise the bees will become
excited, and may come out and escape.

If the swarm arrives in a skep, the cording and wrap should
be removed, and the skep placed on a board with a fair sized
stone under one edge, to allow of flight and ventilation. The
bees will soon quieten down after the shaking and consequent
excitement of their journey, and will then be in a condition for
handling comfortably.

Position of the Hive-—The movable comb hive must be
made ready for the reception of the swarm previous to the
latter's arrival. It should face as near as possible south-east,
with a clear flight for the bees, and should be shaded from
keen north or east winds. The position chosen should be one
where the air can play freely round the hive, and also where
the sun’s rays will not beat down on it. An ideal situation is
by the side of, but not under, a standard fruit tree. It must
also be easy of access for manipulating, but the entrance
should not face a path or other position where human beings
or animals pass, or there will be a danger of their being stung
by the outcoming bees. The legs should stand upon bricks to
prevent them from rotting. The hive must be set perfectly
level from side to side, with a downward inclination of about
half an inch towards the front, to throw out the moisture which
condenses inside, and to prevent the accumulation of moisture
from rain driven in by the wind.

Hiving a Swarm.—In the early evening, say about 6 o’clock
normal time or 7 o’clock summertime, the roof and lift
in the case of a single-walled hive, and the outer-case
surrounding the brood chamber in addition to the lifts if
a double-walled hive, should be removed. To prevent the
bees ascending from the brocd chamber to the roof, and
building their combs there instead of in the frames on the
worker-base foundation provided (which they are very likely
to do, as it is their natural habit to commence comb building
from the roof of their home), a thin quilt of ticking or
unbleached calico is placed cver the frames. The front of the
brood. chamber should be raised from the floor board about an
inch, by means of two wedges. A board, the width of the
alighting board, should then be placed in front of, and level

12

with, the latter, sloping down to the ground. This temporary
board, and the alighting board, are covered with a cloth hang-
ing over the sides to the ground, to prevent the bees from
crawling underneath. The skep or box is then taken between
the palms of the hands, and gently carried mouth downwards,
until it is just above the sloping board. With a smart jerk
the bees are thrown out in front of the brood chamber, about
one foot away from the entrance, when they will at once begin
to take possession of their new home. It is their natural
inclination to run up-hill, therefore the sloping board provides
an incline up which they will immediately begin to run, and
this, culminating in the hive entrance, guides them into the
hive. As they run in, watch should be kept for the queen, it
being a satisfaction to see her safely enter her abode. When
all the bees are in, the wedges should be taken away and the
front of the brood chamber gently lowered to its proper
position. Not a single bee must be crushed in this operation,
and any bees that are in danger should be brushed away with
a feather.

Care of New Swarm.—The swarm will benefit greatly if it
is fed for at least a week with warm thin syrup, made from
white cane sugar, given in a bottle feeder. This syrup is made
by adding three-quarters of a pint of water to one pound of
sugar and heating it over the fire until the sugar is dissolved.
It is administered by means of the bottle feeder (Fig. 3), which
consists of a feeding stage having a semi-circular slot cut
half-way round the tin plate, and a bottle having a cap with a
series of nine holes punched in such a position that the number
of holes exposed in the slot of the feeding stage for the bees to
feed at when the bottle is inverted over it, is regulated by turn-
ing the index finger on the cap to the required number marked
on the wooden portion of the stage. A feed hole is provided in
the calico quilt by cutting a square flap, which can be turned
back for placing the feeding stage in position, and replaced
to prevent the escape of the bees when the feeder is not in
use. The syrup should be given warm, and in the evening;-
access to three holes only being allowed, and a constant supply
kept in the bottle for at least a week.

The bees must be kept warm by adding on the top of the
calico or tick quilt about three thick quilts cut from old carpet,
or other thick clean material of a similar character, or several
neatly folded newspapers.

On the second day after hiving the swarm, an examination
should be made to see that the foundation has remained firmly
fixed in the frames. At the same time close the bees, by
means of the division board, on to the number of frames of
foundation they are able to cover. When these are all built
out and well covered with bees (and not until) add a frame of
foundation in the centre periodically, until all the frames are
occupied by fully drawn out comb and bees.

13

Methods of obtaining Extracted and Comb Honey.—if
the swarm has been obtained early in the season this build-
ing up will proceed fairly rapidly until all the combs are
completed, and brood rearing will be carried out on such a
scale that the hive will become overcrowded with bees before
the honey flow is over. If this condition is allowed to con-
tinue the bees will swarm.

Swarming is the result of overcrowding, and can be prevented,
to a great extent, by giving the bees room in advance of their
cequirements. ‘This can be effected as follows :—Remove the
quilts and place the zinc queen excluder (Fig. 4) in position
over the brood frame tops. This excluder, which covers the
whole ten frames, is perforated with siots made so accurately
to size that the workers can pass through, but not the queen.
The latter is thus prevented from ascending to the supers, with
the result that honey without the intermingling of brood or
pollen is obtained. A super should now be put on. If it is a
shallow frame super as seen in Fig. 1 and 2 the frames should
be fitted with full sheets of wired drone base foundation. These
hang in the supers in the same Manner as those in the brood
chamber, but as they are for the storage of honey only, and
not for brood rearing, it is not necessary to adhere to the
narrow $ in. combs used for this purpose in the brood chamber.
The bees can, and will, store honey in a deep cell, therefore
a wider frame is used spaced by 2 in. metal ends so that only
eight combs instead of ten will fit in the super, thus economis-
ing space, foundaticn, and wax cappings. The larger drone
cells also permit the honey to be more expeditiously extracted
than is the case with the smaller worker cells.

If it is desired to work for comb honey a section rack, as
seen in Fig. 1 and 2 is used. This is a framework which holds
twenty-one sections 44 in. square and 2 in. deep, in. seven
rows, three in each row, standing on slats to allow ingress and
egress of the bees vertically. Each section is fitted with a full
sheet of extra thin comb foundation. To prevent the bees
extending the comb beyond the woodwork of the section thin
metal dividers are placed between each row and following
boards, wedged tight by means of spring blocks at one side and
end, complete the fitted rack. These sections when filled with
honey and sealed over weigh one pound each.

Individual stocks can be worked entirely for either extracted
or comb honey, or a combination of the two kinds of supers
may be used.

When the combs in the first super put on are drawn out,
and about two-thirds of the whole are filled with honey (i.e.,
when the bees commence to seal over the honey in the middle
of the central combs), the super should be lifted and a second
one placed underneath it. In this way work in advance of
the requirements of the bees is provided for and swarming is
prevented, as the bees will continue completing the work in

14

the upper super as well as proceed to build combs in the new
one provided between the upper one and the brood chamber.
(If the extra super is placed on the top of the occupied one,
It is quite possible that instead of entering it, and commencing
to work, the bees will swarm.) Another advantage is that,
as the heat of the hive rises, the temperature in the top super
will be higher than elsewhere, so that the ripening of the honey
by the evaporation of the excessive moisture contained in the
newly-stored honey in the cells will be accomplished more
quickly.

When the honey flow commences to decline it is better
to allow the bees to complete those supers already in situation
than to give extra ones. The former procedure will procure
a complete and well-matured harvest, while the latter will
resulé in a large quantity of unfinished work, and honey of
an inferior quality. It is an advantage at this stage to proceed
as follows:—If there are say three supers on, all should be
removed. From each super should be taken out those combs
which are completed and sealed over. The remainder will
probably be accommodated by one super in which they should
be placed and returned to the bees for completion.

Supers are fit for final removal from the bees only when
all the honey is hermetically sealed over with wax. This
is not done by the bees until the honey is ripe, i.e., when the
excessive moisture has evaporated, and such a density obtained,
that when the honey is extracted and stored it will remain
sound and will not ferment.

The bees are cleared frorn the supers by means of an
escape (Fig. 5) from which it will be seen that the bees pass
through a hole into a passage-way in which there are two
springs placed in a ‘‘ V’”’ shaped position. This escape is
fitted into a clearing board (Fig. 6) consisting of a cleated
board so made that it entirely covers the top of the brood
chamber. The clearing board, with the escape in position 1s
placed in the evening under the super or supers which it is
desired to remove. The only means of exit for the bees is
from the wide ends of the springs in the escape, which are
so finely adjusted that the bees can push them apart to pass
out at the points, but are unable to return when the springs
are closed. Any attempts to return result in the springs being
closed more tightly. In twelve hours or less the super or
supers will be quite free from bees, and can be removed. In
the case of comb honey all that is necessary is to remove the
sections, clean, and store them in a dark, warm, dry and dust-
proof cupboard, until required.

Hixtraction.—The honey in the shallow combs must be
extracted as soon as it is removed from the hive, while the
honey is still warm. If it is allowed to get cold it will not
leave the cells so readily. If, however, a period must elapse
between removal and extraction the supers should be stored in

15

Fig. rE Honey Eulraclor Seg. 9. Smoker.

16

4 warm situation. Extraction is carried out by means of an
extractor (Fig. 7) which consists of a tin cylinder fitted with
an inside cage working on a spindle, to the top of which is
attached a handle so that when the latter is turned the cage
will revolve. The cage will accommodate either two standard
or shallow combs, one on either side, or twelve sections, six
on either side.

The first operation in extracting honey is to uncap the
combs. For this purpose a special knife can be purchased,
but an ordinary sharp carving knife will serve the purpose
equally well. A jug, the depth of the length of the knife
blade, is filled with hot water, and the knife inserted. If a
cold knife is used it will tear the comb and spoil it for future
use. A large meat dish will also be required to receive the
cappings as they are cut off. A comb should be taken in the
left hand, held by one lug, the other lug being rested on the
meat dish with the comb in a vertical position. The top is
then slightly inclined towards the right hand, in which the
knife is held. By this means the cappings, when cut off, will
tall clear of the comb and will not adhere to it, which would
be the case if the comb were held quite upright. The cappings
are removed by cutting upwards from the bottom of the comb
with a see-saw movement. A neat operator will be able to
remoye all the cappings in one upward movement. Between
the cappings and the honey there is an air space, so that if a
thin cut is made the knife will pass through this air space,
and very little honey will be left on the cappings, thus saving
the considerable labour which would be involved in draining
them if a thick cut is made with a consequent large amount
of adhering honey.

Having removed the cappings from each side of two combs,
the latter are then placed one in either side of the cage, in
the pocket provided for this purpose. The cage is then turned
rather slowly. The combs are heavy, and if turned rapidly
at first they will break. When a portion of the honey has been
extracted from one side, the combs are reversed, and the other
side treated in a similar manner. After this, both sides can be
extracted completely by revolving the cage more rapidly. As
the cells of the comb have an upward inclination extraction
can be expedited by so placing the combs in the cage, that
when turned, the bottom bar leads.

When the honey in the extractor reaches to the cage, it is
drained off, by means of the tap at the bottom, and passed
through a muslin strainer into 28 lb. tins, or other suitable
vessels.

The wet combs are now given back to the bees to clean down.
To do this neatly and without inciting robbing, the clearing
board is left in position over the colony, and the tin slide
over the hole seen on the front side of the board is withdrawn
so that the bees can pass freely up into and down out of the

17

super, to carry the honey from the wet combs in the super,
and to stcre it in the brood combs. When the combs in the
super are quite dry, the tin slide is pushed back over the
hole, so that the only exit for the bees is through the escape.
In this way the super is freed from bees, and can then be
taken off and stored away ready for use the following season.

The most profitable system is to work for extracted honey.
It takes from 10 to 20 lb. of honey to make one pound of
beeswax, so that when a section is sold the bee-keeper parts
with a valuable asset in the form of wax, the latter being
consumed with the honey. Shallow combs can be used for an
unlimited number of years. They are always clean, as brood
rearing is not allowed to take place in them, and the longer
they are used the tougher and stronger they become. It will
therefore be seen that for every pound of wax in the form of
comb already built which is given to the bees for filling, a
considerable amount of honey is saved. An economy in the
time and labour spent by the bees in comb construction is
also effected.

Subduing and Handling Bees.—The chief attributes
necessary for handling bees successfully, and with the
minimum number of stings, are a knowledge of the habits
of the bee, firm but gentle movements, adequate protection of
the manipulator and proper subjugation of the bees.

The only protection necessary is a veil for the face (Fig. 8).
This is made of black mosquito netting, with an elastic band
both top and bottom, fitting tightly round the crown of the
hat and under the collar of the coat to prevent the ingress of
the bees. ‘This gives confidence, and also prevents the dis-
figurement which would be caused by stings received on the
face. Gloves should not be worn as they conduce to clumsi-
ness, which will irritate the bees. Tight fitting garments to
prevent the bees creeping underneath sleeves or up the trousers
are also essential.

Subjugation is carried out by frightening the bees. When
frightened they gorge themselves with honey, and in this
condition are not inclined to sting. For this purpose one of
two subjugators can be used—a smoker (Fig. 9) or a carbolic
cloth. ‘The former consists of a tin cylinder having a conical
nozzle, cpen at the pointed end. This is fastened to a pair of
bellows with a connection between the two at the back.
Ordinary thick brown paper, corrugated paper, or fustian, is
rolled into a cartridge, lighted, and placed in the furnace of
the smoker, with the lighted end downwards. When the
bellows are worked a volume of smoke is emitted from the
nozzle and can be driven in any direction. A carbolic cloth
is made by sprinkling a piece of calico, the size of the quilt,
with a solution of one.part Calvert’s No. 5 carbolic acid to

poe enn na OPEC A eg ERE Nn fi gece neem
two parts 6 When fiof in use this 1s kept in an air-

tight tin box in order that it should not lose its odour.

18

The smell of the smoke driven into the hive, or the fumes
from the carbolic cloth which descend when it is laid over
the tops of the frames after removing the quilts, frightens the
bees and causes them to gorge as already stated.

When manipulating it is inadvisable to stand in front of
the hive; this infuriates the bees by hindering their work,
which they will resent by stinging the operator.

When handling or turning the combs, keep them vertical
and not horizontal. If held horizontally in warm weather
they are likely to break.

Bright warm weather should be chosen for manipulating
bees, as they are then usually in a good temper. If the brood
combs are exposed during cold or wet weather the larve will
be chilled and the bees made vicious.

Continual manipulation is a mistake, and is the cause of
much harm. Colonies should only be disturbed for the actual
work necessary.

Conditions Conducive to Success.—It is important that
the beginner shculd clearly understand the principles that
underlie successful bee-keeping. A colony of bees consists of
a fertile queen, a large number of worker-bees, and (during
summer) a certain proportion of drones, together with their
combs and brood. The strength of a healthy colony depends on
the vigour and laying power of the queen, who is at her best
in her second season, i.e., a queen hatched in June, 1920, will
be at her best in May, 1921, and should be replaced by a
young one in 1922, by re-queening. Queens may either be
purchased, or be raised by the method described in Leaflet
No. 834 (How to Increase Colonies of Bees) included in
this volume. The economy of a hive depends on: (1) the
generation and keeping up of the warmth of the brood
nest (by means of the heat evolved from the bodies
of the clustering bees) to such a point as will stimulate
the production of eggs, and enable young bees to be
reared; (2) the nursing of the larve, and the cleansing of
the cells for the queen to lay in; (8) the collection of pollen,
water, and nectar for food; and (4) the building of storage
combs and the collection of nectar for future supplies of honey.

The first three of these conditions must be fulfilled before
the last can be begun; it is therefore only by means of a
large and vigorous surpluspopulation that @ colony can gather
enotgh “stores for ifs"future use, and~provide surplus honey
‘for the bee-keeper. The aim of the bee-keeper is to keep
his colonies strong, for weak colonies are always unprofitable.

The next consideration is that the crowded condition of the
hive should be secured at the right time, i.e., at the honey
flow. Honey is made from the nectar of flowers. Spring
and early summer are the times when the land is gay with a
wealth of blossom, and the honey-crop is gathered. Late
summer and autumn are times of seed and fruit, and with the

19

exception of the heather only a gleaning of nectar from bramble
and other wild flowers then remains. There is a period every
year, varying in each district according to soil and altitude,
when the supply of nectar is most abundant. This time should
be ascertained by the bee-keeper, who will then stimulate his
colonies beforehand, so that they may have their largest popula-
tion ready to gather the produce of the various flowers when
at the zenith of their bloom.

METHODS OF OBTAINING STRONG COLONIES OF
BEES FOR WINTERING.

Many bee-keepers make the mistake of attempting to winter
the colonies they have obtained by artificial increase, and also
-other colonies that for various reasons have become reduced
in numbers, in such a weak condition that they often do not
survive the cold weather or the long confinement in the hive
during the winter.

In order to avoid failure from this cause increase should
be made early in the season, so that by the end of July at
least four combs are filled with brood and well covered by
bees. The colonies must then be built up during August and
September until they are sufficiently strong to winter success-
fully.

Union of Weak Colonies.—Colonies covering less than four
combs at the end of July should be united to form stronger
ones. After selecting two or more weak colonies for union,
move them gradually together, not more than a.
daily, and only in the evening of fine days when the bees have
‘beén flying, until they are side by side and almost touching.
Allow them to remain two days in this position and then in
the evening of the second day unite them in one hive. This is
carried out as follows:—First, remove all the combs in each
colony not covered with bees, then, after selecting and caging
the best queen on a comb in the permanent hive, remove the
other queen or queens. Then, after all the bees have been
well dusted with ordinary wheaten flour place the combs in
the permanent hive taking care to inter-space them. The
empty hive or hives are then removed. The operation is com-
pleted by releasing the caged queen forty-eight hours after the
colonies have been united.

Addition of Frames.—The process of building up is carried
out by the gradual addition of frames fitted with full sheets
of wired worker base foundation so that the bees can build
them out into combs and fill them with brood and food, and
in this way increase the strength of the colonies.

20

The frames of foundation must be added one at a time, and
should be inserted in the centre of the brood_nest, . Another
new frame of foundation should be inserted as soon as the
previous one has been drawn out into comb which is not only
filled with brood but is also well covered with bees; several new
frames of foundation should never be inserted at one operation.

If the apiary contains established stocks of bees, combs of
brood may be taken from these and given to weak colonies, thus
ensuring more rapid ‘‘ building up.’’ Only combs containing
good-sized patches of sealed brood should be taken, for, if
unsealed brood is given, the strength of the bees in the weak
colony is overtaxed by the extra labour expended in feeding the
larvee and in keeping the extra space warm. Not more than two
combs of brood should be taken during the season from any
one colony, and then, only one at a time, at an interval of at
least a fortnight between the removal of the first and second
combs.

The combs of brood must be given to weak colonies one at a
time and inserted in a similar way to new frames of foundation,
1.e., in the centre of the brood nest.

It is not absolutely necessary to have the full complement
of ten combs in the hive, as the bees will winter quite safely
on eight. In fact, it is much better to winter the colonies on
eight combs well filled with food than on ten which are only
partially completed.

Temperature of the Hive.—The temperature of the hive
must be maintained at about 98 deg. F., not only to
enable the bees to secrete wax and ripen the food, but
also for brood-rearing. The bees generate heat to a
large extent by the movement of various parts of their
anatomy as well as by the normal means of respiration and
the combustion of food in their bodies. Thus, if they occupy
too large a space, the temperature of the hive can only
be maintained at the expense of energy required for comb-
building, nectar-gathering and brood-rearing. Also, too much
room often results in the combs being drawn out very irregu-
larly, or else in bulges, owing to the extent to which the
working capacity of the bees is taxed.

A nucleus, when formed, is usually placed in a nucleus hive
or temporary box, but as soon as it consists of four combs well
covered with bees, it should be transferred to a full-sized hive,
and the bees crowded together on the combs by means of a
division board, until after the gradual addition of frames of
foundation, eight or ten combs are in use. A full-sized hive
may be used from the commencement if so desired. It is only
necessary to use a division board to contract the space to the
requirements of the nucleus.

Feeding to increase Brood-Rearing.—In most districts few
nectar-yielding flowers are in bloom after July onward, and

al

only a small quantity of natural food can, therefore, be
collected by the bees; in any case the supply is not sufficient
to yield a surplus after the daily needs of the bees have been
furnished. It is most necessary, therefore, in such districts, to
supplement the natural food supply by feeding with syrup to
induce the colony to continue building out more combs and
rapid brood-raising. This syrup must always be fed at this
time of the year through a slow feeder, giving just sufficient for
the purpose, otherwise, if a rapid feeder is used, the bees
will store the surplus syrup in the cells which have been
oo out recently, instead of using them for the rearing of
brood.

A ‘ Regulation Bottle Feeder ’’ should be used, if available,
access being confined to not more than three holes. The
bottle should be refilled before it becomes quite empty.

Making Syrup.—Syrup for feeding can be made from
ordinary white loaf or granulated cane sugar by dissolving each
pound of sugar in half a pint of water by heating over the fire;
on no account should brown sugar be used. It is advisable to
medicate the syrup with a strong antiseptic. Izal, Bacterol,
or Flavine may be used for this purpose in the following
proportions :—One teaspoonful of Izal to every eight pounds
of sugar, one teaspoonful of Bacterol to each pound of sugar,

and one grain of Flavine to each pound of sugar.
one grain of Eiauine "22 ch pound of sugal

To prevent Robbing.—In order to prevent robbing, the
entrance to the hives must not be wider than half an inch
during the whole of the time feeding is taking place, and the
syrup, which should be warmed, must be given late in the
evening.

Feeding for Winter Storage.—Towards the end of
September rapid brood-rearing will cease, and the syrup should
then be fed more rapidly, so that the cells not required for
brood-rearing may be filled with food and sealed over before
the cold winter weather sets in. All the nine holes of the
‘‘ Regulation Feeding Bottle ’’ should then be exposed to
the bees.

Feeding Candy.—If there is the slightest doubt that the
supply of food contained in the combs is sufficient to carry
the bees through to the following Spring, a cake of candy
should be placed over the brood nest when packing down for
winter. The candy supply should be renewed from time to
time if required. The entrance to the hive should remain
open about five inches throughout the winter.

Candy can be prepared as follows :—

In a clean pan, for preference of brass as used for pre-
serving, there should be placed 3 lb. of best white loaf or
granulated cane sugar, half a pint of water, and as much cream

22

of tartar as can be heaped on a sixpenny piece. The pan
should be stood beside the fire, stirred occasionally until
the sugar is dissolved, and then placed on the fire and
stirred continuously until the mass boils. When it has been
boiling for about two minutes, the pan should be removed from
the fire and stood in a vessel containing cold water, until the
sugar begins to cloud. The mixture should then be stirred
well and poured into prepared glass-topped boxes made by
glazing one side of a section or into saucers lined with paper,
so that when cold the candy can be lifted out in a block.
When set, it should be a moist solid mass easily cut into
with the finger nail.

A candy-making thermometer is now made which renders
this hitherto somewhat difficult task so simple that a child can
make perfect candy. The bulb of the thermometer is
plunged in to the centre and not to the bottom of the
sugar and water which is boiled until the mercury in the
thermometer rises to the top mark, when the pan is at
once removed from the fire, and allowed to stand until the
mercury falls to the lower mark. The thermometer is then
removed, and the candy stirred briskly until it becomes stiff
and assumes the well-known white appearance, when it 1s
poured into moulds. There are only the two marks on the
thermometer so that no mistake can be made.

Candy given in January should contain pea-flour in. the
proportion of + lb. pea-flour to 3 lb. sugar. The pea-flour
should be mixed during the cooling process, when it should
not be poured in all at once, but should be lightly sprinkled
in whilst stirring, so that it mixes evenly right through the
candy.

To medicate candy when dealing with Foul Brood, to each
pound of sugar should be added as much Napthol Beta as
can be heaped on a threepenny piece. ‘This should be dis-
solved in sweet spirit of nitre, whisky, or methylated spirit,
and added when the candy is cooling, not when it is hot.

Late Swarms.—Late swarms can be built up and strength-
ened in a similar manner with equal success. The swarms
should first be hived on to ten frames of foundation, but after
about three days in the full hive they should be ‘‘ closed up,”
and the bees crowded together by means of a division board,
until all the frames of foundation are well covered with bees.
The surplus frames of foundation should then be removed and
feeding to obtain rapid brood-raising should commence.

23

HOW TO INCREASE COLONIES OF BEES.

Introduction.—Natural swarms should be prevented from
issuing, so far as possible, as in many cases they are lost, and,
even if safely hived, their formation not only interferes with
nectar collection at the height of the season, but weakens
the parent colony to such an extent that its value for produc-
ing surplus honey is reduced to very low limits.

Under these circumstances every endeavour should be made
to increase colonies artificially. New colonies formed
artificially early in the season have every chance of becoming
strong and active honey producers; besides which, the strength
of the parent colonies is reduced sufficiently to prevent them
swarming naturally, but not to an extent which will interfere
with their honey production.

Preparation for Increase.—Colonies must be carefully
nursed to bring them to full strength early in the season.
Those requiring food should be given sufficient quantities of
syrup to induce the queen to lay more eggs than would be
the case if the bees were dependent upon the meagre supply
of nectar obtained from the few flowers in bloom at the time.
If a superabundance of syrup is given, the unconsumed portion
is at once stored in the cells required for brood rearing, and
as a result the development of the colony is retarded.

Colonies having an abundance of stored food should not be
fed with syrup, but brood production may be stimulated by
bruising the cappings covering the food situated nearest to
the brood nest. At the end of February, drinking water, to
each pint of which is added one teaspoonful of salt, should
be provided in a shallow vessel containing stones, to support
the bees while drinking and to prevent them drowning. The
water should be at least twelve feet away, further if possible,
from the hives, and should have a shade board fixed about
eighteen inches above it to prevent the flying bees soiling it
with their excreta. Artificial pollen should also be supplied
by scattering pea flour on shavings or chopped hay in a box
placed in a position sheltered from the rain but accessible to
the bees. To assist the bees to increase their number rapidly,
they must be crowded together and given no more combs
than they can cover thickly. This crowding is attained by
means of the division board, but as the strength of the colony
increases, other combs should be added, singly, as required.

Before dealing with the general methods of artificial increase,
three points must be made clear:—(1) Bees locate the position
of their home and not the hive to which they belong; thus,
if a stock is removed to a new position and is replaced by
another hive, those bees on the wing return to the new hive
in the original position. (2) Natural swarms are made up of
the oldest bees of the colony together with the old queen.

24

(3) Only strong colonies, i.e., those in which the bees ‘are
densely covering ten combs, must be utilized as the basis for
artificial increase, and obviously only colonies free from any
disease must be used.

Metheds of Increase.—1. Formation of a Nucleus.—As
soon as warm weather sets in permanently, one nucleus can
be made from each strong colony in the following manner.
Open the hive about midday, when the old bees are away
foraging, and remove two combs of brood and two of food,
together with the adhéring young bees, replacindthém™ with
four frames filled with full sheets of wired worker base found-
ation. It is necessary to have about a quart of bees, and if
this number is not present on the thrée combs removed, the
requisite number may be obtained by shaking the bees from
two or three other combs, from the parent colony into the
nucleus. Great care must be taken not to remove the queen
with these combs. The two outer combs of the parent colony
usually contain the most food and should therefore be
selected for use in the nucleus. The combs containing the
brood must be placed together between these in the new hive
for greater warmth. Close up with the division board and
wrap up warmly, and confine the bees in the hive for 48 hours
by lightly plugging the entrance with dry grass. During bad
weather give a little syrup. The bees in the nucleus upon

build up much more rapidly. With care this nucleus can be
built up into a colony strong enough to winter successfully.

2. Increasing the Strength of the Nucleus (generally termed
Nucleus Swarming).—When the queen in a nucleus formed
in the manner mentioned in method 1 has been mated and
commenced to lay, open the hive on a fine morning, find the
queen and cage her on a comb. When this is accomplished,
fill up the hive containing the nucleus with either drawn-out
combs or frames fitted with full sheets of wired worker base
foundation to its full complement of ten. Transpose a strong
stock with that of the nucleus. As previously explained, bees
only locate the position of their hive, and not the hive itself.
Thus the bees out foraging from the strong stock will return
to the nucleus and vice versa. As a result the hive containing
the nucleus will become fully populated and sufficient young
bees will be left in the old colony to enable it to recover
strength rapidly. The queen caged in the nucleus is released
after being confined for forty-eight hours.

About a fortnight after this operation has been carried out
each stock will be sufficiently strong to receive a super if
favourable conditions have prevailed.

Artificial increase by the combination of methods 1 and 2
is strongly recommended as producing the best results, owing

25

to the fact that at no period when the colonies are strong are
they queenless,

3. Making one Eztra Colony by Utilizing a Number of
Others.—In this method the increase is obtained by utilising
several strong colonies of bees. An example showing the
utilization of three colonies may be given :-—From two of the
colonies remove three combs of brood without the adhering
bees, and replace them with frames fitted with full sheets of
wired worker base foundation. The six combs of brood, thus
obtained, should then be placed in the centre of a fresh hive,
with a couple of frames fitted with full sheets of wired worker
base foundation on either side, thus making the number of
frames up to ten. The third colony, from which no brood has
been removed, is moved to a new site, and is replaced by the
hive containing the brood combs, which is then populated by
the flying bees from the stock that has been removed to a
new site. These bees will rear a queen from the eggs in the
combs. If, as stated in method 1, a fertile or virgin queen
or ripe queen cell can be given, it will be a great advantage.

This- principle can be applied to a larger number of colonies
by taking fewer brood combs from each, always arranging
for one colony from which no brood combs have been taken
to supply the bees. The parent colonies used in forming the
nucleus will be reduced in strength sufficiently to prevent
them, in the majority of cases, from swarming naturally,
and, provided care is exercised, will not be weakened to such
a degree that aga production is decreased to any great
extent.

4, Formation of an Artificial Swarm.—This is made in the
following manner. Open the hive containing the selected
* colony about ten o’clock on the morning of a fine day. Search
for the queen and when found, place the comb on which she
is, together with the adhering bees, in a fresh hive in the
centre of nine frames fitted with full sheets of wired worker
base foundation. Remove the parent stock to a new site and
stand the fresh hive in its place; the bees from the parent
stock which are out collecting nectar will, as in the other
cases mentioned, return to this hive and so found a new
colony. The young bees left in the parent stock will rear a
queen, or a fertile or virgin queen or ripe queen cell can be
given with advantage.

5. To obtain surplus Honey and yet retain increase of
stock in the case of a colony swarming naturally.—When, in
spite of all precautions, a colony having a super or supers on
it throws off a natural swarm, first hive the swarm into a
temporary home (box or skep), then remove the parent stock
to a new site, replacing it with a fresh hive containing ten
frames fitted with full sheets of wired worker base foundation.
Remove the supers, with their occupants, from the parent
stock and place them over the frames in the new hive. Then

26

run the swarm into this ‘‘ supered’’ hive in the usual way.
By this method, two strong colonies will be obtained, and,
as all the foraging bees from the parent stock will join the
swarm hived on the old location, the population will be in-
creased sufficiently to enable them to complete the work of
filling the supers.

6. Casts or Second Swarms.—Should it so happen that a
cast issues from a colony after it has swarmed naturally, pro-
vided it is known from which colony it issued, it should be
returned. For, although casts can be built up strong enough
to winter successfully, their departure reduces the population
of the parent colony to a dangerous degree.

Casts should be returned in the same manner that a swarm
is hived on the second evening after the day of issue.

If more than one cast issues at the same time, and it is not
known from which colonies they came, they should be united
so as to form one strong colony. This is accomplished by
hiving them at the same time into their permanent homes.
The excitement caused by throwing them on to the hiving
board together causes them to intermingle without fighting
and cbviates the necessity for using flour.

Production of Queen Gells.—Queen cells can be produced
ready for insertion into the nuclei twenty-four hours after
they have been made, in the following manner :—

Select two colonies the previous season, one for rearing
queens and the other for rearing drones. In doing this it
should be borne in mind that constitution and working quali-
ties are transmitted by the queen, while disposition is trans-
mitted by the drone, therefore, the one chosen for drone
rearing should not only have the qualities required for queen
rearing but in addition should be good-tempered.

Both colonies must be stimulated so that they become strong
early in the season, when both lots are covering ten combs.
Insert into the centre of the drone-rearing colony a comb
consisting of drone cells or a frame fitted with drone base
foundation. In this way early selected drones can be secured.

A fortnight later insert into the centre of the queen-rearing
colony a frame fitted with an unwired sheet of worker base
foundation. When this sheet has been built out into comb
and the cells contain eggs, make it queenless by removing
three combs with the queen and adhering bees, placing them
in a separate hive close to the parent stock.

Twenty-four hours after the colony has been made queenless
cut away a strip two inches deep from the bottom of the
unwired comb. Break down the walls of the worker cells
and expose the eggs round the freshly-cut edge at intervals
of 14 inches, so that the queen cells which are built round
them can easily be removed. The queen cells can be cut out
and placed in queenless nuclei as soon as they are sealed over.
The original queen belonging to the colony used for queen

27

rearing is reintroduced to the colony as soon as the series of
queen cells have been removed from the comb on which they
have been built. Other series of queen cells can be obtained
by repeating the process.

Note.—Care must be exercised to make the production of
queen cells coincide with the formation of nuclei
suitable for their reception.

BEESWAX.

Wax is not gathered by the worker bee, but is organically
produced in her body from honey and pollen, by secretion.
It is formed voluntarily by the bees filling their stomachs
with honey, hanging in the hive in chain-like clusters, and
remaining perfectly quiet for twenty-four hours. A good
deal of pollen is consumed to make up for the wear and tear
of tissue during wax secretion. During this period the wax
glands convert the honey taken into their bodies into liquid
wax, which exudes through tiny perforations into eight small
pockets, or moulds, situated on the underside of the last
four abdominal segments, where it hardens into small white
scales (Fig. 1). It is then plucked out, made plastic by the
admixture of saliva, and utilised for the building of the
comb, the hermetic sealing of honey cells, and, with the
addition of pollen, for the porous sealing of brood cells. Jt
is computed that from 10 to 20 Ib. of honey are required to.
make 1 lb. of wax. The work of wax secretion tells severely
upon the vital powers of the bee, and as wax is a valuable and
costly product, none of it should be wasted.

How to Collect Wax.— When cleaning hives or appliances,
a box should be kept for the collection of all refuse and
burr combs. The scrapings from the floor board, which are
generally thrown on the ground during spring cleaniug,
should be saved, although they contain a quantity of dirt
and propolis, for there is generally sufficient wax to make
it worth the trouble of collection and extraction. The
honey combs used for extracting do not wear out, but last
indefinitely ; brood combs, on the contrary, become thickened
by the cocoons and cast skins of the moulting larve, and
must be continually renewed. Wax can therefore be
obtained from old brood combs and the cappings from
extracting combs.

Methods of Extraction.—The extraction of the wax may
be made by using: (1) The Solar Wax Extractor; (2) steam ;.
(8) boiling water; or (4) the heat of the oven.

28

The Solar Waz Extractor is the most efficient and
economical method. The cost of the extractor is the only
expense incurred, as the sun provides the necessary heat.
The appliance is really a miniature garden frame, with a
double glazed and hinged light (Fig. 2). Inside, the frame
is fitted with a metal tray which slopes down to a tin
trough covered with wire gauze. The extractor is placed
in a sunny position and the material to be treated is spread
thinly over the bottom of the metal tray. The wax melts
and runs into the trough, being strained of impurities by
the wire gauze covering. When the melted wax ceases to
flow, the dross remaining in the tray is removed and a
fresh supply of material given. Another advantage of this
extractor is that no storage of old combs or refuse is
necessary; these can be put in for treatment as collected.

If a garden frame is available, it can be used for extracting
wax by placing the material to be treated in a perforated
zine tray over a metal box (such, for instance, as a biscuit
tin), placed close up to the glass light. Wax extracted by
solar heat improves in colour instead of deteriorating, as it
may do when steam or boiling water is used.

Steam.—The material to be extracted by methods (2) and
(8) must be stored until required in an air-tight tin, for
protection against the ravages of the wax moth. In the
winter it can be melted over the kitchen fire by means of a
Gerster wax extractor (Fig. 3).

This is an arrangement similar to a domestic steamer, as illustrated
in Fig. 3. It consists of a cylindrical, perforated, tin basket (A),
having a cone-shaped tube running up the centre (c), which is also
perforated, and cpen at the top to allow the steam to percolate right
through the combs or wax that are placed in it for meliing. The upper
part of the appliance (B) consists of a circular shaped pan, having a false
bottom or tray (tr.) about 14 in. deep. This is fixed so that there is a
space between it and the wall of the pan, in order that the steam can
pass up the sides and into the perforated basket, as indicated by the
arrows.

From this tray the melted wax passes through a tube (indicated in the
drawing by the word ‘‘wax"’). ‘There is also a cone-shaped tube (st.)
running up from the tray, which fits very loosely into a similar
perforated tube (c) in the basket. When placed in position, as shown
in section at B, this is open at the top to allow the steam to pass
through as indicated by the arrows, and thus permeate the wax or combs
in the basket. The basket does not fit close down on the tray, but is
raised about lin. on three legs. The bottom pan is for water only

The method of working is as follows:—The perforated basket is
filled with comb which has first been broken into small pieces; these
should not be pressed down, but put in as loosely as possible The
basket is placed in position in pan B, and covered with the lid (1).
Pan B is now fitted on pan (c), which has previously been filled with rain
water. The appliance is then put on the fire, and when the water
boils the steam will pass in the directions indicated and will melt the
wax from the combs in the perforated basket. The molten wax will
ooze out through the perforations, run down the sides of the basket
into the tray, and thence out of the tube, where it drops into cold
rain water, contained in a vessel (D) placed for the purpose of
receiving it. As soon as it is cold, the wax will be found to have

Fie, 1.—Drawing of Worker Bee, showing
Wax Scales.

Fia 2.—Solar Wax Extractor.

Fig. 8.—Gerster Wax Extractor.

Facing p. 28.

29

set in a cake, when it can be lifted off. When all the wax hus been
extracted the dross is removed from the basket and the process repeated.

As the water boils away very rapidly it will be necessary to replace
it from time to time; by means of the funnel (f) this can be done
without removing the appliance from the fire.

Cappings from the shallow combs, when cut off for
extracting the honey, can also be melted in the same
manner. Before putting them in the basket, however, they
should be drained free from honey, well washed in rain
water, and dried in the sun.

A cheaper form of wax extractor is shown in Fig. 4. This
is made on similar lines to the Gerster, but the cost is
reduced by omitting the central cone-shaped tube; in all
other respects it is identical. As steam is not admitted
into the centre of the perforated wire basket, the operation
of extraction is prolonged. :

Boiling Water.—To extract wax by means of boiling water,
the material should be tied in a bag made of porous fabric,
such as cheese straining cloth, and stood on laths,of wood
placed across the bottom of a copper or saucepan, so that
the bag does not touch the bottom. The bag should be
weighted with a stone, and water then poured in until it
flows above the bag. The water should then be boiled very
gently. The melted wax will percolate through the bag
and float on the water, and when cold it can be lifted off
in a solid cake. A little dross will be found on the bottom
of the cake, but this can be removed by scraping. If a
well-cleansed sample is desired, the cake should be remelted
in a similar manner, and cooled slowly. Rain water must
be used in methods 2 and 8, as hard water contains lime,
which would spoil the texture and colour of the wax. More
wax will be obtained if pressure is applied to the bag while
boiling, and in the case of old combs, if these are well soaked
in water previously to melting.

The Heat of the Oven.—If only a small quantity of wax is
to be dealt with, it may be placed on a piece of perforated
zine over a bowl of rain water, and put in the oven. The
wax will melt and drop through the perforated zinc into the
water; the impurities will remain on the zine and can be
thrown away. The bowl is then taken out of the oven and
the water and wax allowed to cool, when the latter will
have set in a cake and can be lifted off.

Characteristics of Pure Wax.—The melting point of pure
beeswax is between 63° and 64° ©., which is higher
than that of any other wax. The colour, which varies from
pale primrose to orange red, depends to a great extent upon
the variety of pollen consumed by the bees. It is a curious
fact that dark honey produces a light wax, while light honey
yields one of a darker hue.

For commercial purposes the lightest coloured wax
commands the hest price, and therefore, before extracting,

30

it is advisable to grade the combs. Those which have not
been occupied by brood, and also cappings removed from
combs previous to extracting the honey, will yield the best
wax, and should be sorted out and melted separately from
old combs, which will yield a darker and consequently less
valuable wax.

Adulteration.—The following are simple tests for detect-
ing adulteration of beeswax :—

(1) A small piece of wax placed in the mouth and chewed should

not adhere to the teeth, or become pasty, but, generally speaking,

should disintegrate into small fragments, and have no unpleasant
taste.

(2) Place a piece of suspected wax (of the size of a small nut)
into a test tube, half fill with spirits of turpentine, and carefully
warm over the flaine of a spirit lamp. If the solution is cloudy, or
a deposit is thrown down, the solution is not complete, and the wax
is adulterated, as spirits of turpentine completely dissolves pure
beeswax.

THE PREPARATION AND PACKING OF HONEY FOR
MARKET.

Qualities of Honey.—The honey classes which are now a
common feature of agricultural and horticultural shows, have
taught the consumer the value of first-class home-produced
honey; therefore, to obtain the best prices for their produce,
beekeepers must pay careful attention to grading and packing.
Gomb-honey should be translucent, showing the clear bright
colour of the contained honey, the combs should be fully
worked out to the sides and bottom of the section, and
scrupulously clean, the cappings should be thin and of even
surface. The finest liquid extracted honey is bright and clear,
of a light amber colour, and delicate in flavour and aroma.
Extracted honey when granulated should be of fine, even
grain, creamy white in colour, and of good flavour. There are
many grades of medium and dark-ccloured honeys which fail
to reach this standard but which are of excellent quality in
flavour and aroma, and in some localities these honeys will
sell more readily than the lighter samples. Colour is only
a matter of fancy and does not affect the eating qualities. For
instance, heather honey commands the highest price of all.
It is in a class by itself, dark amber in colour, gelatinous in
consistency, redolent of the moors in both aroma and flavour.

Preparation for Obtaining Comb-Honey in Sections.—In
the case of comb-honey, the preparation commences with the
fitting of the wax foundation in the sections. To ensure a
well worked out section this should be cut so as just to fit

31

in the grooves at either side and to hang to within one-
quarter of an inch of the bottom, thus allowing for a slight
stretching of the foundation caused by the heat generated by
the bees when clustering in the hive. The fitted sections
must next be placed in the section rack, with separators
between the rows, reaching to within three-eighths of an inch
of the top and bottom, and wedged up perfectly square and
tight; this is important, for not only will the bees place
propolis in every crack and over every exposed small surface,
causing disfigurement and extra work in cleaning the sections
when completed, but also sections ‘‘ out of square’’ are
difficult to glaze and are much more liable to breakage when
packed for travelling, owing to the unavoidable spaces caused
by their irregularity. The rack must be placed perfectly
level over a strong colony of bees, and should be well covered
with warm material to exclude the smallest draught and con-
serve the heat; the sections will then be filled with good,
straight and even combs.

Removing Completed Racks.—Racks containing com-
pleted sections should be removed from the hives with as little
disturbance to the bees as possible; undue excitement will
cause the bees to perforate the cappings covering the honey te
such an extent as to make them unsaleable. The best method
is (1) to place a “‘ super-clearer ’’ on a stool or box by the
side of the hive, raise up the bottom edge of the rack from the
brood chamber or under super by means of a screwdriver, or
a similar tool, and insert a small wedge of wood underneath
the rack; (2) puff a little smoke between the rack and the
top of the under chamber, remove the rack steadily with a
screwing motion and put it down gently on the ‘‘ super-
clearer ’’; (8) place a cloth on which a few drops of diluted
carbolic acid have been sprinkled over the top of the under
chamber; (4) in about ten seconds remove the cloth, and it
will be found that the bees have been driven down, leaving the
top of the under chamber free from crawling bees; (5) then
immediately take up the rack with the ‘‘ super clearer ’’ and
place it back in its original position. If this operation is
carried out in the afterncon, by next morning every bee will
have found its way down to the body of the hive through the
bee-escape in the centre of the ‘‘ super-clearer,’’ and the rack
can be removed with comfort to the bee-keeper and without
disturbance to the apiary.

The racks of completed sections should be carried into a
bee-proof room, and the spring blocks and following boards
removed. No matter how much care has been exercised, it
will be found that the bees have used a certain amount of
propolis to fasten the sections together and it will be necessary
therefore to loosen them by inserting a knife and easing them
sideways, when they can be lifted out without damage. The
sections should then be sorted, those which are well filled and

32

sealed and light in colour being placed in the first grade.
Those nct so well worked to the bottom and sides cr which
are dark in colour, will make a second grade, while any only
partially filled must be given back to the bees to finish, unless
the ‘‘ honey flow ’’ has ceased, in which case they must be
emptied by the extractor.* All propolis must be scraped care-
fully from the woodwork of the sections, which, if not already
sold, should be protected from dust by tying them in packages
of four or six in clean paper and storing them in a dry, warm,
dark cupboard. Care must be taken not to place any material
having a strong odour near a honeycomb, or it will spoil the
flavour of the honey.

Packing Sections.—If the sections are sold to wholesale
dealers no further preparation is needed. To pack them so as
to travel safely, not more than three dozen should be put into
one package.

A satisfactory method of packing is as follows:—(1) Pro-
cure a strong wooden box, bore two holes in each end, about
one-third down, and knot firmly into them rope handles by
which the box can be safely and easily lifted; (2) put a deep
bed of straw in the bcttom of the box and on this place, quite
close together, a layer of the wrapped-up packages of sections,
leaving at least two inches between the sides of the box and
the sections: this space must be filled with straw, tightly
pressed in, and, to prevent possible damage to the comb, the
ends of the packages must be protected by pieces of cardboard
er thin wood; (8) continue with layers of packages, filling in
‘round the sides as befcre until within about two inches of the
top; (4) then fill up tightly with straw, and screw on the lid.
Fig. 2 shows the method of packing three dozen sections in a
Tate cube sugar box. The sections are tied in packages of
six. One side cf the box has been removed to show the sec-
tions and straw in position. The bottom bed of straw should
be very deep to prevent the sections being jarred when the box
is set down. For small consignments of one dozen sections
it is better to use a spring travelling crate (Fig. 4). Packages
should be plainly labelled: ‘‘ Comb-honey, With Great Care.”’

Retailers of honey-comb prefer to have the sections sent to
them glazed, the comb being thus preserved from injury by
careless handling, and, which is still more important, kept
free from the dusty impurities unavoidably present in shops.

Glazing the Sections.—For glazing sections, glass cut to
the correct size may be purchased from any dealer in bee
appliances, together with the strips of lace paper edging,
which, when pasted round the angle formed by the glass and
wood, serve to fix the glass in position. In country towns the
local glazier will gladly cut up waste glass to the small size

* See Leaflet No. 128 (Advice to Beginners in Beekeeping) included
in this velune.

5

Fic. 1.—Jars packed in a Tate’s cube sugar box. The side of box
has been removed to show jars in situation.

Fie. 2.—3 doz. sections packed in a Tate’s cube sugar box. The
side of box has been removed to show packages in situation.

Fic. 8.—Crate holding two 28 lb. lever-top tins.

Facing p. 82,

Fic. 4.--Cowan Travelling Section Crate.
Fie. 5,—Spring bottom box for 1 doz. jars.
Fie. 6.—Honey Ripeners with strainer in situation.

en |

|

33

(viz., 4%, in. by 44%, in.) required, while neatly printed
bands of coloured paper, 19 in. by 8 in., may be used instead
of the lace edging. ‘They are more easily pasted on than the
loose paper edging, and they also give an opportunity of
placing the names of the apiary and producer on each section.
Neat cardboard cases, plain or glazed on cne- or both sides,
can be purchased cheaply from appliance manufacturers.

_ Extracted Honey.—‘‘ Extracted ’’ honey has been greatly
improved in quality by the introduction of modern methods.
The use of the centrifugal extractor compels the abandonment
of the skep system of bee-keeping, with its waste of bee life,
waste of combs, and taint cf sulphur. It necessitates the
adoption of the moveable comb hive, which enables the
gathered surplus to be stored in combs apart from the brood-
nest and to be removed at will by the bee-keeper.

Honey improves in flavour and density while ripening in the
hive, therefore the shallow comb supers. should be left until
the honey is well sealed over before being removed by the
super-cleaner in the same manner as already described for the
removal of section racks. The supers containing the full
frames of sealed comb havitig been "carried mto the store-
‘room, “they should be graded b holding them upto the
dight: all” those “containing dark“6F medium “coloured honey

“Tay thus be separated from those containing light honey.
Fermentation is the great enemy of extracted honey, but it can
only affect badly ripened honey or honey exposed to moisture
and warmth; if, therefore, it should be necessary to extract
unripe honey, i.e., honey which has not been sealed over, it
should be fed back to the bees for re-storing and ripening.

The method of extracting honey is described in Leaflet
No. 128 (Advice to Beginners in Bee-keeping) included in this
volume. Heather honey cannot be extracted by centrifugal
force, on account of its gelatinous nature. Therefore it is
necessary to put the combs through a press to squeeze out the
honey.

Packing Extracted Honey.—After uncapping and extract-
ing the honey it should be strained through a bag made of
muslin in order tu remove all loose particles of wax. Tin
vessels, called honey ripeners (Fig. 6), with strainer and honey
tap, made to contain 56 lb. or 112 lb., can be obtained, in
which, if the honey is allowed to stand for twenty-four hours
after straining, it will be freed from air bubbles, and can then
be drawn into whatever jar or tin will best suit the local
market. For the retail trade extracted honey is usually put
into 1 Ib. or } lb. glass jars, with metal screw caps having a
cork wad inside the cap. To prevent any leakage the cork
wad should be dipped in molten wax and placed on the jar
while still warm, the cap being screwed down upon it. A neat
label (of which varieties are obtainable from appliance makers

34

or from the Secretaries of many of the County and District
Bee-Keepers’ Associations) will set off the honey jar and make
it more attractive. The darker honey is more suitable for
marketing in its granulated state; when extracted and strained
it should be run into wide-mouthed glass or earthenware jars,
covered down with parchment paper, and stored in a cool,
dry place. Dark and coarse-flavoured varieties may also be
sold for manufacturing confectionery and for medicinal pur-
poses, or for the making of mead and honey vinegar.

For transit the same kind of box as that used for sections
can be used. Each jar should be well wrapped in newspaper
and then packed as illustrated (Fig. 1.) For an odd dozen a
box with square cardboard containers and a spring bottom
(Fig. 5) can be used.

Honey designed for sale in bulk should be put into 28 lb.
lever top tins. For transit cases to hold two of these tins are
made (Hig. 3). These are convenient to handle and simplify
the making up of any consignment from 4 cwt. to tons. If a
family trade is cultivated, 7 or 14 lb. lever top tins can be used.

FOUL BROOD.

Description.—Foul brood is a disease affecting bees which
spreads so rapidly by contagion that, in a single season, unless
precautions are taken, the colonies in a whole neighbourhood
may become affected, and the chances of successful bee-keeping
therein will be seriously imperilled, if not utterly destroyed.

Two forms of foul brood have long been known to exist in
Europe, a virulent or strong smelling, and an cdourless form.
A third type has recently been’added ; this is called Sour brood,
and it has usually been found associated with the strong smell-
ing type. In the first two forms of foul brood, microscopic rod-
shaped bacilli are present; these bacilli increase by cross-
division, and have, under certain conditions, the power of
forming spores. It is important to note that bacilli are present
in the earlier stages of the disease, but in the later stages, when
the brood has become rotten and coffee-coloured, or has dried up
to a scale, the bacilli produce spores and then perish. These
spores represent the seeds of the evil; they constitute a resting
resistant stage tiding the bacterium over unfavourable condi-
tions, and are capable on the return to favourable conditions
as regards food, temperature, &c., of giving rise to the growing
form of the bacillus.

The spores are endowed with wonderful vitality. Freezing,
carbolic acid, thymol, salicylic acid, beta naphthol, perchloride
of mercury, as well as creolin, lysol, eucalyptus and naphtha-
lene, which evaporate at the ordinary temperature of the hive,
prevent the growth of the bacilli, but have practically no action
on the spores. In 5 per cent. carbolic acid the spores persisted

[From a photograph lent by the Department of Agriculture and
Technical Instruction, Dublin.]

Fic. 1.—Portion of a comb affected by foul brood in an advanced stage.
The empty cells are those from which healthy bees have emerged, or
which have been occupied by diseased larve, the remains of which are
not discernible in the print. All the capped cells bear the appearance of
containing diseased brood. This is indicated by the sunken cappings of
the ceils, and the numerous irregular perforations in the cappings.

Facing p. 34.

B. HLL. HLL.

[From a photograph lent by the Department of Agriculture and
Technical Instruction, Dublin.]

Vic. 2.—Pertion of comb affected by foul brood, in a less advanced
stage than Fis. 1. The raised cappings indicate that there is a good
deal of healthy brucd, but the presence cf diseased brood all over the
‘comb is indicated by the sunken cappings.

H. A. group of cells containing healthy brood; similar cells being
observable all over the cciumb.

D. Two groups cf cells containing diseased brood uf which there are
many more. ae ot

B. Healthy bees emerging from their cells.

H.L. Healthy larve.

DI. Diseased larve. Note that these larve are not lying like the
healthy larveo.

35
two months; the spores also resisted the boiling temperature of
water for 15 minutes. From this it will be seen how great is
the difficulty in curing foul brood unless the disease is attacked
in its early stages.
“ Sour brood ’’ is distinguished from the other types of foul
brood by the absence of a spore bearing organism.

Symptoms.—When colonies are found to be weak and are
working languidly, with little desire to fly, foul brood may be
suspected. If it is present, an examination of the combs will.
show some cells (many or few) containing dying or dead larve,
and others with their cappings sunken or perforated (see illus-
trations), the cells of healthy brood being usually compact, and
the larvee plump and of a pearly whiteness.

When a colony is attacked by the strong snvelling foul brood
(Bacillus alvei, Cheshire & Cheyne), the larva begins to move
unnaturally and loses its characteristic plumpness and its white
colour assumes a flabby appearance and lies at the base or lower
side of the cell. The colour changes to pale yellow, then to
brown, and when the larva begins to decompose the mass
becomes paplike or gluey, and shows slight ropiness. The
difference in the decomposed larva depends on the proportion
of ‘‘ sour brood ’’ associated with this form of foul brood. If
the former predominates the mass is paplike, and if the reverse
is the case the decomposed larva is of a gluey and slightly ropy
consistency. In every case a most disagreeable stench, re-
sembling that given off by bad glue, is emitted, and in an
advanced stage of the disease the foul odour may frequently
be detected at a considerable distance from the hive. The foul
mass in the end dries up in the cells and leaves only a smooth
dark brown scale adhering to the lower side of the cell, and
this scale is difficult to remove.

In the odourless foul brood (B. Burri, Burri; B. Branden-
burgiensis, Maasen; B. larve, White) the progress of the dis-
ease is much slower, as the larve are usually affected at a later
stage, just before or after they are sealed over. The diseased
larva. lies extended on the bottom side of the cell, and soon
assumes 2 brown colour. The decomposed mass is odourless,
and on inserting a piece of stick into one of the cells, it will
have adhering to it on withdrawal a ropy coffee-coloured mass,
which can be drawn out in a fine thread before it breaks. The
resultant dry scale, which is dark brown and rough, sticks to
the lower side of the cell. The cappings of the affected cells
are very much more depressed, are darker in colour, and some-
times perforated with irregular holes. ;

In sour brood (B. Giintheri, Burri; Streptococcus apis,
Maasen) the larva is attacked while still curled up, and after
death it changes first to a greyish, and then to a yellow colour,
and there is a strong odour resembling that of vinegar. The
remains are easily drawn out of the cell without rupturing the

36

chitin covering. Sour brood is seldom found by itself, but is
usually associated with the strong-smelling form of foul brood.

It should be noted that ‘‘ chilled brood ’’ must not be mis-
taken, as it very frequently is, for foul brood. The dead larve
of “‘ chilled brood ’’ turn first grey, and afterwards become
nearly black, whereas in foul brood the larve turn at first pale
yellow and then brown, except in ‘‘ sour brood,’’ when they
turn from grey to yellow. The larvee in ‘‘ chilled brood ’’ are
also generally removed by the bees, which seldom attempt to
carry away larve which have died from disease, unless dis-
infectants to arrest decomposition are used.

Sources of Infection.—Experience has plainly shown that
with foul brood—as in all epidemic diseases—the weak, sickly,
and badly nourished colonies are specially liable to take the
disease, and become centres of infection.

1.—A diseased colony becomes too weak to defend its stores;
robbers from healthy neighbouring colonies then descend upon
it and probably steal the honey, and in doing so carry away
the seeds of disease and death, which are thus spread, until all
the colonies of a neighbourhood may be fatally affected. Unless
a disinfectant is used the bees do not seem to have the power
to clean out the foul cells, which consequently remain as
centres cf infection within the hive.

2.—Another very important point is that the bee-keeper may
himself be the means of spreading the disease by indiscrimi-
nately manipulating, first diseased, and then healthy colonies
without taking proper precautions to disinfect both himself and
the appliances used.

8.—Combs which have contained foul brood retain the spores.
The queen lays eggs in the cells or the workers deposit their
honey and pollen in them. The honey and pollen in this
way become vehicles for the transmission of the disease to the
larvee in the process of feeding by the nurse bees. Under no
consideration should infected hives or combs’ be exposed to the
visits of bees. Carelessness in this respect may work immense
mischief to neighbouring colonies and apiaries.

Prevention and Remedies.—1. The hives should be placed
in suitable positions, and be kept clean, well ventilated, ard
weather-proof.

2.—In endeavouring to get rid of foul brood, efforts must
be made to raise to a high standard the lowered vitality of
the bees, which first enables the germs of the disease to
develop. Strong colonies only, with young and prolific queens
should be kept, while good wholesome food, and freedom from
dampness are also important. The combs in the brood
chamber should be frequently renewed. At least two frames
fitted with full sheets of wired worker base foundation should
be inserted in each colony, every spring.

37

3.——When the bee-keeper has been in contact with diseased
stocks, the appliances used, and also the hands, must be
washed with carbolic soap, or with a solution of one ounce
Calvert’s No. 5 carbolic acid. in 12 oz. of water. Before:
washing the appliances and the hands with the disinfectant,
all propolis, which is insoluble in water, must be removed by
rubbing with a small piece of cloth saturated with methylated,
or other, spirit.

4.—It was formerly thought that honey was the only source
of infection, and that if bees were starved until they had got
rid of the honey carried by them from the diseased stock, a
cure would be effected. It is now known that the starvation
method often fails when it is not supplemented by disinfection
of hives, &c.

5.—-When the disease is discovered in a weak colony, the
destruction of bees, combs, frames, and quilts, together with
a thorough disinfection of the hive, is by far the best course
to pursue. The spores are then destroyed, and the source of
infection removed. The bees may be killed by pouring 4 oz. of
saturated solution of cyanide of potassium into the brood
chamber of the hive, turning back a corner of the quilts for
this purpose, having first taken the precaution of seeing that
the quilts fit. properly, and also that the entrance is securely
stopped up with earth to prevent the escape of the fumes.
Another method is to sprinkle powdered sulphur on the
fuel in the smoker, see to the quilts and blcck up the entrance
with earth, as described above, then make a hole through
the earth just large enough to admit the nozzle of the smoker
so that the sulphur fumes may be blown into the brood
chamber until all the bees are suffocated. When the bees
are all dead destroy the combs, quilts, and dead bees by burn-
ing. This is best accomplished by diggin a hole in the ground
eighteen inches deep and one yard in diameter, in which the
material is burnt. When this is reduced tc ashes fill in the
hole with earth so that the possibility of infection is entirely
removed. Both these operations must be carried cut at night,
when the bees have ceased to fly. The hive should then
be disinfected by scorching the interior with a painter’s blow
lamp, or, failing this, the interior should be painted with
petrol or paraffin oil, which, when lighted, will disinfect by
scorching the surface of the wood. After the outside has been
well painted with oil paint, the hive will again be ready
for use.
' 6.—If an affected colony be still strong, the bees may
be preserved by. making an artificial swarm into skep cr
swarm box. ‘The bees should be confined in the skep or
box, in the former case by tying over the mouth some open
material for ventilation purposes, such as scrim cloth; in
the latter case ventilation is already provided. They should
be kept confined in a cool place, such as a cellar, for 48 hours

38

without food, by which time all the honey they may have
taken with them will have been consumed, and such of the
bees as are diseased will have died. If the bees are confined
in a skep, the latter should be placed mouth upwards while
in the cellar or other cool place. At the end of the period of
starvation the bees should be hived intc_ a moveable comb
hive in the same manner as a swarm. “They are then fed
for at least a week on syrup to which as much Napthol Beta
as can be heaped on a threepenny piece has been added to
every pound of white cane sugar used; the Napthol Beta
may be dissolved in methylated spirit, sweet spirit of nitre,
er whisky, and added to the syrup while warm but not hot.
If a swarm box is used it should be disinfected by scorching
when empty, and if a skep, it should be burnt. In both
these cases the bees which die during treatment should be
burnt.

Note.—In the case of mild attacks disinfection or fumiga-
tion may be resorted to with success, Formaldehyde being
the chief agent used. To accomplish this, tack a sponge or
piece of flannel on the back of the division board and soak
this every six days with 14 oz., 40 per cent. Formaldehyde,
at the same time keeping a continuous supply of two balls
of Napthaline in the brood chamber of the hive. In attempt-
ing these remedial measures, however, or other remedial
measures of the nature described above, it would be desirable,
wherever such help can be procured, to seek the advice of
an expert bee-keeper.

DISEASES OF ADULT BEES.

Much attention has recently been paid to diseases of adult
bees. The term ‘‘Isle of Wight Disease’’ has become
ambiguous, as it appears to cover two distinct diseases :—

(1) Nosema Disease, or Mlicrosporidiosis, caused by a

protozdon, Nosema apis (Zander);

(2) Acarine Disease, caused by Tarsonemus Woodi (Rennie).

From time to time other diseases have been reported from
various parts of the world, but not much is known as to their
causes and they do not appear to be of much importance in
this country.

Nosema Disease (Microsporidiosis).

In the first investigations on the disease sometimes called
Isle of Wight Disease, it was supposed that Nosema Apis was
the causal agent. Recent investigations, however, have shown
that this is not the case but that Nosema is a separate disease.

Nosema disease is not confined to the British Islands, but
has been found in Switzerland, Italy, Australia, America,
Canada, Germany and Denmark. This goes to show that the

39

occurrence of the disease is not governed by climatic
conditions. ;

The disease is an insidious one, and in its first stages can
only be detected by examination with a microscope. For this
reason it often becomes well advanced before its presence is
suspected. Colonies, apparently healthy, often reveal a high
percentage of infection when the bees are subjected to
microscopical examination.

The disease is caused by a microscopic animal parasite
consisting of a single cell, which is present in vast numbers
in the walls of the chyle-stomach and intestine of diseased
bees. This protozdon has been given the name of Nosema
Apis, Zand., and, as it belongs to the group called the
Microsporidia, ihe disease has been named Microsporidiosis.

During jts short life Nosema Apis passes through three
stages. First, on emerging from the spore, it is known as a
“* planont,’’ on account of its capacity to move from place to
place; during this stage it wanders in search of a convenient
cell in the body of the bee which it can penetrate. As soon
as it has entered a cell, the parasite loses its capacity to move
and passes into the second stage of its life history, when it is
called a ‘‘ meront.’’ During this stage it feeds, grows, and
multiplies enormously, and after a series of changes, each
daughter form becomes a spore. The spore is the third form
of the Nosema, and it is in this form that the parasite spreads
from one colony of bees to another. The spore has a hard
protective coat and is about one-thousandth of the size of a
grain of rice, which it resembles in shape. Both planonts
and meronts can increase in number by division, though the
meronts have a greater capacity in this direction than the
planonts. The rate of increase is important since there is
reason to believe that the virulence of the epidemic depends
on the circumstances which favour the rapid increase or other-
wise of the Nosema in the intestine of the bee. Further it
should be noted that it is the increase in numbers that causes
disease in the infected bee.

The symptoms of the disease are so variable that until
recently Nosema disease has been referred to under several
different names. In its least harmful form it develops slowly
and kills very few bees, while the colony is often replenished
by the young bees that emerge from the cells. In this form
it is commonly termed ‘‘ spring dwindling,’’ and frequently
escapes the notice of all but expert bee-keepers. In other
cases the disease is diagnosed as ‘‘ starvation.’’ The loss of
foragers causes a diminution in the income of food supplies,
and eventually the colony dies from starvation. It is possible
that the combs, if subsequently made use of, may start the
disease at indefinite intervals. At other times, especially in
the spring, the mortality is so great as to prevent the colony
from gathering surplus.

40

Nosema disease is an infectious disorder of adult bees and
attacks both the queen and drone as well as the worker but
not the brood. The chief sources of infection are the drinking
places visited by bees; stagnant pools should not be allowed,
there being less danger in running water.

The resistance* of the disease is as follows :—

1. Nosema Apis suspended in water is destroyed by heating
for 10 minutes at about 136° F. (58° C.).

2. Suspended in honey, Nosema Apis is destroyed by heat-
ing at about 138° F, (59° C.).

3. Nosema Apis, drying at room and outdoor temperatures.
respectively, remains virulent for about 2 months; at incubator
temperature about 3 weeks and in a refrigerator about 74
months.

4. Nosema Apis suspended in water is destroyed by exposure
to the sun’s rays from 87 to 51 hours. (Hence it is advisable
not only to control the water supply to the bees, but also to
have it regularly exposed to the sun's rays; at the same time
a board should be so arranged above that the hees cannot drop
their feces into the water. A glass water fountain is superior
to one of zinc, or to a metal or wooden pail or tub.)

5. Nosema Apis remains virulent in honey for from 2 to 4
months.

6. Nosema Apis in the bodies of dead bees lying on the
soil ceases to be virulent in from 44 to 71 days.

7. Nosema Apis is readily destroyed by carbolic acid, a
1 per cent. aqueous solution destroying it in less than ten
minutes.

Remedial and Preventive Measures.—No certain remedy
has been discovered for Microsporidiosis, most cises cf so-
called cures that have been investigated having been based
on faulty observations. A few recommendations, however,
can be given for preventing the spread of disease, and for
mitigating its severity when it appears.

1. Cleanliness,—Great care should be taken to keep the
hives and the surroundings of the apiary clean. Cleanliness
will not in itself secure immunity from disease, but dirty or
damp surroundings lower the vitality of the bees and render
them more liable to attack. All bee-keepers who can give
the necessary time to their attention should adopt British
standard frames and moveable comb hives, but those only
able to use skep hives should renew them every two or three
years.

After an outbreak of. disease the interior of all moveable
comb hives should be charred with a painter’s lamp as advised
in the text books.. They should not be used again for several
weeks. All skeps, quilts, old combs, and dead bees should

* White, G. F., Nosema Disease, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture Bull. 789,
1919.

Al

be burnt and the soil round the hive turned over and sprinkled
with paraffin and then dug over and covered with quicklime.

2. Drinking Water.—Water is required by bees at all times.
when they can leave the hive, though only sufficient is taken
to serve the needs of the colony for a short time. ;

A ereat deal of water is carried into a hive at the height of
the breeding season. It is collected, on dewy mornings and
after showers, from the blades of grass and the leaves of
other plants. In dry weather bees resort to streams and
ponds, certain selected spots being made use of. They often
select dirty pools of warm stagnant water rather than take
clean water that is colder. In showery weather, water is
probably a greater source of infection than in dry weather.
Thé bright intervals which permit the gathering of water are
also utilised for cleansing flights by many bees. Since the
excrement of infected bees is often full of spores, many of
the puddles and drops must be highly contaminated where
infected bees are present. :

3. Movement of Bees.—It need hardly be said that bee-
keepers who live in districts which are free from disease,
should on no account purchase swarms or driven bees from
an infected area. There is no surer way of spreading disease
than by transferring bees from one district to another, for
swarms even from apparently healthy colonies sometimes
develop disease when placed in new hives. It is probable that
all the parasites have not the same degree of virulence, and
that the passage of the parasite through successive bees may
increase its virulence. It is, therefore, important to prevent
the disease being spread by parasite-carriers; that is, bees in
which the parasite is present without the disease showing
itself. These parasite-carriers may be divided into two
classes: (1) those which have come in contact with diseased
individuals, and have in some other way acquired the
organisms without contracting the disease; and (2) those
which have suffered from the diserse, offen in a slight and
modified form, and have subsequently continued to harbour
the organisms for long periods.

Hither of these classes of parasite-carriers may spread disease
if brought into contact with susceptible stocks, so clearly it is
equally dangerous to introduce bees from _a disease-free dis-
trict, into a neighbourhood where disease abounds. LBee-
keepers in such districts should, therefore, if they wish to
acquire fresh colonies, purchase them in the immediate neigh-
bourhood where there is a possibility that the bees are capable
of resisting any infection with which they are likely to come
into contact. ;

4. General Management.— Finally, bee-keepers must
remember that much may be done by careful and proper
management of their apiaries. It cannot be stated too
emphatically that the production of disease depends on many

42

important factors besides the mere introduction of the infect-
ing agent, though of course, Nosema disease cannot arise
unless Nosema is introduced. Every infected bee dies sooner
ov later in consequence of the infection, but parasites some-
times occur in small numbers and reach the spore stage with-
out apparently affecting the health of the bee. Old spores
from dead bees seem to be less virulent than fresh spores
from bees recently dead of the disease, and there is some
reason for believing that while unsuitable food, and damp or
unhealthy conditions, are favourable to the more ready
development of the parasite, suitable focd and favourable
conditions increase the natural resistance of the bees, and,
at least for a time, keep the symptoms of the disease in
check. Requeening at regular intervals, if practised
systematically, is a valuable aid in combating disease.

In comparison with Acarine Disease the following conclu-
sions are interesting :-—

1. There is a disease produced by Nosema which is
infectious.

2. That although Nosema may be present it does not always
produce the characteristics of Acarine disease (so called ‘‘ Isle
of Wight ”’ disease), and that this disease may exist without
Nosema being present.

3. Drs. Graham-Smith, Fantham and Porter found no spores
of Nosema in 18 out of 66 cases of ‘‘ Isle of Wight ’’ disease
investigated. If Nosema were the cause of the disease it
should have been found in every case.

4. Crawling is one of the chief characteristics of Acarine
disease, whereas Nosema may be present in large numbers
without the bees showing any signs of crawling.

5. Infection with Nosema does not produce the charac.
teristics of Acarine disease.

6. In Nosema disease the colony may appear healthy, the
only symptom being the heavy mortality of bees.

7. In Acarine disease ‘‘ crawling’’ is one of the chief
characteristics. Dr. Porter has stated that in some bees show-
ing the ‘‘ crawling’ symptoms and sent for diagnosis no
Nosema was found. Dr. Graham-Smith also found nothing
special in bees sent to him from a crawling colony.

8. Dysentery, frequently present, but not invariably
evidenced in Acarine disease is nob a primary symptom, and
may be due to other causes.

9. In Acarine disease the queen is often the last to succumb,
while in Nosema she may be amongst the early victims.

Acarine Disease.

In the past few years investigations have been carried out
in Aberdeen under Dr. John Rennie, which have resulted in
the discovery of a parasite belonging to the genus Tarsonemus,
hitherto unknown in bees.

43

This parasite breeds within the bee and is confined to an
extremely limited, but very important region of the breathing
system—the first pair of traches of the thorax. The multi-
plication of the mite causes this to become either partially
or wholly obstructed. In the latter case the bee dies at once,
while in the former, being unable to fill the air sacs which
permit of flight, the bee is reduced to crawling (one of the
symptoms of the disease). In this case also the feces are
not evacuated, as normally this is accomplished on the wing,
and hence arises a congested condition of the bowel and a
consequent staining of the combs, hive front and alighting
board (another marked symptom of the disease).

Acarine Disease in Summer.*

Since our knowledge of Acarine Disease is steadily advanc-
ing it is probably more satisfactory not to offer advice beyond
that applicable to the present season.

First Signs of Disease.—lI{ a stock begins to show signs of
listlessness and works indifferently, if the bees come up and
loiter on the tops of the frames when the hive is opened, or
if an excess of brood for the number of adult bees is notice-
able, the bee-keeper will do well to have the bees tested for
the presence of Acarine Disease. The Ministry of Agriculture
will do this for a nominal fee. It should be noted that when
‘* crawling ’’ from this disease has become an obvious feature
in a stock, the proportion of affected bees is already
dangerously high and the degree of infestation within the bees
is past remedy. Therefore, do not wait for the appearance
of ‘‘ crawlers.’’ Act at once.

It cannot be too strongly emphasised that from the practical
standpoint the most important thing for the bee-keeper in
relation to this disease is to prevent stocks remaining
stationary or going down in numbers of bees. He must bear
in mind that, viewed practically, the control of Acarine Disease
is a problem of counteracting the spread of a destructive
parasite from bee to bee. While he may not be able to do
this directly, the bigger the stock built up at the critical time
the less important the parasite becomes from his point of
view.

The secret of success in management of the diséase in
summer is therefore to work for the maximum of young
foragers at the time of the honey flow.

In the writer’s opinion the readiest way in which this can
be effected is to head all doubtful stocks with this year’s
queens as early in the season as possible.

Remember that such a queen can produce bees faster than
disease can destroy them.

* Reprinted from a leaflet published by the Aberdeenshire and_Kin-
cardineshire Bee-Keepers’ Association and written by John Renn‘e, D.8c.,
F.R.S.E., Lecturer in Parasitology, Universitty of Aberdeen.

Ad

Stocks thus saved, even temporarily, can be maintained
with profit.

Swarms in Relation to Disease.—It is a very general
occurrence, when affected stocks swarm, for extensive crawl-
ing to develop within a short period afterwards, and this is
frequently the first indication to the owner that his bees are
diseased. Therefore stocks preparing to swarm should be
closely watched for the suspicious signs mentioned above and
also for the beginnings of crawling. If these are recognised it
will be well to make an artificial swarm and to give a new
queen to the parent stock with the young bees on the new
site. This is a ready method of separating the older infected
bees from the younger. Watch closely the lot on the old
site (the older bees).

If the swarm crawls heavily it should be destroyed.

There is risk in purchasing swarms from infested districts.

Danger of Robbing.—Disease is spread through robbing.
In the interests of the bee-keeping community, bee-keepers
should not afford facilities for robbing by keeping stocks weak
from disease.

Remember that in this matter the robbers suffer rather than
the robbed.

Drones.—If you are not requiring drones, do all you can to
keep them out of your hives. Diseased drones pass from
stock to stock and thus actively spread the trouble.

Prevention rather than Cure.—Finally, it may be suggested
that the movement of colonies of swarms throughout the
country should be restricted as far as possible, unless these
have been previously tested and found free from disease.
Whatever cures may eventually become available, there is as
yet no royal road to the eradication of Acarine Disease, but
intelligent application of the suggestions given above is likely
to enable the bee-keeper to carry on with some degree of
profit in the meantime, and to develop a system of prevention
which in the long run is more valuable than cure.

Dysentery.

Syimptoms.—Bees afflicted with dysentery discharge their
excrement on the interior walls of the hive, on the surface of
combs and on the floor board, the evacuations being usually
of a dark colour, cloudy in appearance with an extremely
offensive odour. While dysentery may be a symptom of either
of the two foregoing diseases, the condition also arises (usually
towards the end of winter and in the early spring) if the bees
have been confined in the hive for a considerable period,

Causes.—The main causes of the diseise are :—

(1) Unsuitable food, such as honey which has fermented;

(2) Unsealed stores for winter which contain too much

moisture ;

(8) Honey dew as stores, eaten in the winter;

45

(4) Impure cane sugar, beet sugar, or brown sugar used for
artificial feeding; the latter is frequently fatal as
it contains a large percentage of molasses and other
foreign matter ;

(5) Glucose used for artificial feeding; and

(6) Damp and badly ventilated hives.

Bees when in a natural and healthy condition void their
feeces when in flight, thus keeping their hive clean. During
the winter and early spring months there are often protracted
periods of bad weather during which the bees are confined to
the hive, and so are unable to take the cleansing flights which
they would naturally do on every suitable warm day. If
during these periods of inactivity the bees consume food con-
taining an excessive amount of waste matter, the intestines
become abnormally distended with the preducts of digestion
and being unable eventually to retain these, dysentery is the
result.

The bee-keeper who delays till the late autumn what artificial
feeding may be necessary, and who then supplies syrup con-
taining tco much water, is courting disaster; for at this time
‘of the year the temperature is generally too low for the bees
to evaporate the excess of moisture necessary for ripening
purposes, and if this does not take place they do not hermetic-
ally seal the stores with wax cappings. If feeding is necessary,
it should be completed in good time, and the white cane sugar
‘syrup given should be as dense as possible so that the bees
may store and seal it over with the least possible delay. It
is much better, when possible, to winter the bees on their
natural food, which is good sound stores of honey, properly
sealed. Artificial food should be given to supplement and not
as a substitute for their natural food.

Disturbing bees during the winter months is also likely to
cause dysentery, as it excites them and causes them to con-
sume. a larger amount of food than they would do under normal
conditions. .

Treatment.—lf a colony becomes affected with dysentery,
remove all the combs not covered by bees, close up the remain-
ing combs with the division board, see that the interior of the
hive and its fittings are dry, give ample ventilation by open-
ing the entrance, and put a cake of warm candy over the
cluster of bees. If the outbreak occurs when the weather is
warm enough to manipulate the combs, a clean hive should
be warmed inside by exposing it to the heat of a fire and the
combs and affected bees transferred to it. In both cases
should the bee-keeper have by him combs containing sealed
honey, these should be warmed and given to the bees in place
of the stained combs of food removed and in preference to
candy.

46

APPENDIX—ACARINE DISEASE:
EXAMINATION OF BEES.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries wishes to inform
bee-keepers that bees can now be examined for the presence
of Acarine Disease, on payment of a fee of 2s. for each
sample submitted. The following instructions should be
carefully observed :—

(1) Specimens should be live bees, of about 30 in number,
taken from off the combs and not collected from outside the
hive. It is in this way only that the true condition of the
colony can be diagnosed. Dead bees will not be accepted as
they are unreliable for microscopic examination.

(2) The bees should be placed in a small cage or box,
preferably of wood, provided with ventilation holes, and
having a piece of muslin fastened across the inside for the
bees to cling to during transit.

(3) A supply of candy sufficient to last for a few days,
or a lump of sugar moistened with water, should be wrapped
in muslin and firmly fixed to the inside of the box.

(4) The box should be secured with string and a label
attached addressed to the Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture
and Fisheries, Whitehall Place, $.W.1, with the name and
address of the sender written on the reverse side, but crossed
through to prevent an error in the post.

(5) Not more than three samples may be submitted by a
bee-keeper at any one time, but further samples may be sent
at intervals of four days. In all cases where more than one
sample is sent at a time, these should be numbered 1, 2 and 3
as the case may be.

(6) At the same time as the bees are despatched, a remit-
tance at the rate of 2s. for each sample submitted should
be forwarded under separate cover. No bees will be examined
unless or until this remittance has been received. Payment
should be made by cheque or Postal Order payable to the
order of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, and not
to any individual by name, and crossed ‘‘ Bank of England.’’
Postage stamps will not be accepted. The Ministry will not
be responsible for any loss occasioned by inattention to these
instructions.

(7) In the letter forwarding the remittance, as much in-
formation as possible should be given with regard to the past
history and present condition of the stocks from which the
bees were taken. This may help the Ministry in giving
advice when furnishing a report of the examination, and will
assist in general bee cisease research.

THE PRAGTICAL BEE GUIDE.

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Nom. Ones. om - 11/65,
oo gis Halves 2: el = -* -, 6/6 i

We offer a quantify cf EMPTY GREEN GLASS
JARS, SCREW TOP :—
Ones -.- -. oe -- + = 16/- gross.
Halves - - - Wy-
; TO CLEAB F.0.R, READING, :
PARTITION CASES, strongly made to hold four doz. Jars 7/6 each,

” » ” ” a ~ three, ” ” ‘ 5/- ”
FOR, ‘READING.

STANDARD HEALTH FOOD CO. L.,

« Joybells nf Works, READING.

GAYLAMOUNT Cornell University Library

PAMPHLET BINDER SF 523.G786 1922
> lected leaflets on bee
Manufactured by
geri il WN iii
Syracuse, N. Y.

Stockton, Calif.

7 DATE DUE

DEMCO 38-297