Constructive Beekeeping

"The bee is an economical 'fellow.' Efficiency is his last name. For ages before our time he has been working at the same task that he has brought to such perfection. The bees that have excited the amazement and wonder of the world as builders of geometric comb, with all its economy and strength, the bees that make from the nectar of the flowers the honey, that is the superlative of all things sweet and good; have not stopped with these two achievements, but have maintained a marvel...
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"The bee is an economical 'fellow.' Efficiency is his last name. For ages before our time he has been working at the same task that he has brought to such perfection. The bees that have excited the amazement and wonder of the world as builders of geometric comb, with all its economy and strength, the bees that make from the nectar of the flowers the honey, that is the superlative of all things sweet and good; have not stopped with these two achievements, but have maintained a marvel within their home, which, when understood, will amaze us more than ever."

"Commercial beekeeping has for its object the production of the maximum quantity of well ripened honey at a minimum of cost. Swarming adds greatly to the cost of producing honey. Most methods of swarm-prevention have in them the element of destructiveness. Ventilating, removing the queen, shaking the bees, removing the brood, exchanging brood-bodies, loosening the cover, all destroying something that the bees have done, or adding to the work to be done in the hive. Let me state here that you are not going to be told that absolute swarm-prevention is a possibility, nor will you be told that honey can be produced by absent treatment. What you will get from a good understanding of the following pages is that the beekeeper who takes advantage of the laws relating to condensation of vapor, and follows where the bees have been leading will have advanced one step nearer the swarm less bee. Instead of going to the hive and telling the bees (by manipulations) "don't do this" ; say to them "keep all your brood, keep your queen, keep the cold damp air out of the hive and I will make your hive so perfect a condenser of water vapor that the work of evaporating water from the nectar will be done quickly." We will bring team-work into play, and each get the benefit of every advantage gained. Constructive beekeeping helps by getting the honey ripened quickly each night and stored out of the way of the queen. The hive will then be maintained in such a condition that the bees have the greatest amount of comfort in relation to the results produced."

CONTENTS:

CONSTRUCTIVE BEEKEEPING

EFFICIENCY

CO-OPERATION

URGE

CONDITIONS.

ROOM

WAX.

BROOD - FRAMES

VENTILATION

SWARMING

EVAPORATION

NECTAR IN THE FLOWERS

ABSORPTION OF WATER BY HONEY

CONDENSATION

PROPOLIS

SHADE

CLUSTERING OUT

ABSCONDING SWARMS

WILD BEES

LATENT HEAT

HIVE WALL TEMPERATURE

CONSTRUCTIVE HIVE

:CROSS SECTION OF THE CONSTRUCTIVE HIVE

OUTDOOR WINTERING

ABSORBENT CUSHIONS

INDOOR WINTERING