68

66. CHAPMAN'S HANDY-BOOK

summer, the mildness of the winter, the greatest conse-
quent increase of the bees; these, and many other
things, require so very different treatment in the colony,
that we consider ourselves justified in assisting to devel-
ope this very important branch of colonial industry.
We will conclude with a few hints that we have not
been able to find a place for previous to this. The Brood*
Combs are generally in the centre of the hive; therefore,
in cutting out comb, take the outside if you require
honey; but if you want to prevent swarming, cut out
early in the season the brood combs containing the royal
cells. Young broods are hatched in strong healthy hives
throughout the year, but less about July (mid-winter)
than at any other season. Honey is gathered in mild
weather in this country throughout the year. In April,
if the hives are small and the first or virgin swarms
strong, two or three of the side combs may be taken out,
and even where the hives are heavy with store honey the
bee may be driven into new boxes, giving the bees back
the inferior or dark combs to clean, as by feeding in this
manner the above operations may be delayed as late as
July. Bees swarm much earlier if there is too much heat
or too little room in the hive. Rev. R. Taylor says that
bees work all the year and make two kinds of honey - the
spring or summer honey is liquid, the autumn or winter
honey is solid and completely crystalised. In building
the combs the bee begins at the top of the hive and works
downward. The sting of the bee is barbed , and is always
left in the wound, therefore instantly pull it out without
breaking it and suck the poison from the wound; a key
pressed on the spot will stop the pain and inflammation,
or hartshorn rubbed on the place, but perhaps the best
cure is a little honey; this keeps the air out and is
always handy. A stock is a hive of bees at the end of
the swarming season, or a hive that has sent out one or
more swarms, it being the stock left in the parent hive.
Swarms are those recently hived who have themselves
not yet thrown out swarms.
After two years' patient observation M. Duchemin has
discovered the source of the parasite which attacks bees.
He has found the parasite on the flowers of Helianthus