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 Papers on A.pic\ilt\ire 
 
 hy SWARTHMORE 
 
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 COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
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iL7 
 
 INCREASE 
 
 SECOND EDITION 
 
 COPYRIGHT 1904 
 
 f 
 
 This Little 15(»t)k Was Made by Hand 
 in the Swarthmore Shops 
 
 First in a Series of 
 
 Papers 5^ Apiculture 
 
 by SWARTHMORE 
 
'Ip 
 
 APR 12 i^U^ i 
 
 ll2 
 
 Publiqhed by the 
 
 SWAETHMORE APIARIES 
 
 Swarthraore, Pa., U. S. A. 
 
 19 5 
 
 f3f 
 
nn 
 
 PLATE NO. 1. 
 Shaking Bees Into the Prepared Hive. 
 
<« 
 
 Increase" 
 
 O U are doubtless anxious to increase 
 your colonies to make up for winter losses. 
 Many of the plans of dividing, taught by the 
 text books, are ruinous to good working 
 stocks — prospects of honey, even for winter- 
 ing, say nothing of surplus, are crippled 
 frightfully; both halves of the division are 
 disheartened, set back or weakened, and it 
 is weeks and weeks before either can re- 
 cover from the shock of deprivation — by this 
 time the honey flow is past, all is lost, and 
 you simply have two half-starved colonies 
 to feed and nurse up for winter. The loss 
 
increase: 
 
 in egg-laying by the old methods of divi- 
 sion is serious, and the death of open brood 
 deplorable. Don't ruin good working stocks 
 by practicing old, obsolescent methods of 
 dividing; they have had their day. The 
 "Swarthmore" method of increase is so sim- 
 ple that the novice can practice it with full 
 success. Labor is reduced to one sure and 
 simple operation. Full stocks are not bled 
 to death, nor does it "rob Peter to pay Paul." 
 
 This method is so close to the natural way 
 that the increase at once goes to work with 
 the vigor of a prime swarm and will not only 
 build up rapidly to a full stock but will give 
 a surplus. By the purchase of queens to 
 head them, new colonies may be established 
 surely and safely from powerful stocks every 
 ten or fifteen days. 
 
 A\ hen bees increase naturally they takj 
 with them a queen, young bees and honey, 
 
 Don't try to increase with half- starv- 
 ed bees-feed. 
 
INCREASE 
 
 nothing more. Take advantage of this con- 
 dition and form your new colonies accord- 
 ingly. 
 
 Scoop the loafers from the fronts of your 
 hives and set them to work. 
 
 PREPARING THE HIVE. 
 
 Make a bottom-board fast to an empty 
 eight-frame body and adjust a screen to the 
 entrance, that will be convenient to remove 
 and replace later on, and select a cover that 
 will fit bee-tight and not bother when the 
 time comes to use it. 
 
 Place in this prepared hive five nice clean 
 combs making sure that some of them con- 
 tain a littlfe honey, to guard against starving 
 your swarm should it rain for several days 
 <lirectly after hiving*, but no brood. 
 
 If you have no drawn comb and still de- 
 sire to increase your colonies, full sheets of 
 foundation can be used the same as though 
 
 Don't iRcrease faster than yoy can 
 car® for wall. 
 
INCREASE 
 
 they were combs. Place in the hive one 
 comb of honey, then four full frames of well 
 wired foundation, then the follower — then 
 shake in the bees. 
 
 In connection with the use of foundation 
 it might be well to say here that bees shaken 
 in this manner will almost invariably build 
 worker comb, if given a laying queen, and 
 if starters only are furnished in the frames 
 one is almost certain of securing some hand- 
 some all-worker combs at no cost. 
 
 If starters of foundation are to be given, 
 the number of frames should be reduced. 
 Give two when the bees are shaken and 
 then add one at a time, on the outside, until 
 the hive is filled with combs. 
 
 To build up colonies in this manner one 
 must have a good field, and a constant honey 
 flow; feeding will answer in lien of a honey 
 flow. 
 
 By a careful exercise of wit swarm- 
 ing can be prevented entirely. 
 
1 N C R E A S E 
 
 VRR AXGEMENT OF THE NEW HIVE. 
 Push the five combs to one side, msert a 
 hanging- division-board and make all fast 
 with two nails in such a manner that the 
 hive can be carried without fear of the 
 frames shifting out of place. 
 
 Cover the whole surface of the hive with 
 a sheet of enamel cloth and' tack it in place 
 With four tacks — two at the corners and 
 two directly over the division-board in 
 such a manner that the portion of the sheet 
 coming over the space in the hive not filled 
 with combs can be turned over for purpose 
 of shaking in the bees. 
 
 If your covers are of the flat types the 
 sheet may be omitted, and by simply sliding 
 the roof to one side, as shown in tiie photo- 
 graph, (plate No. t) the bees may be shaken 
 forthwith into the opening. 
 
 Give a colony a good queen and It 
 wHI work out its own salvation. All 
 other thought-to-be-!mpoH:ant-point« 
 
 are in reality subordssiate. 
 
increase: 
 
 SHAKING THE SWARM. 
 
 On a fine morning take your prepared 
 hive to a booming stock, slide the cover over 
 or turn back the flap. Set the hive in a posi- 
 tion to receive shaken bees without loss of 
 time. 
 
 Now smoke and open the full stock and 
 shake into the prepared hive all the bees 
 from off four or five combs of brood, being 
 careful not to get the queen. 
 
 To shake the bees neatly and well, lower 
 the comb to half its depth into the opening, 
 and with several quick downward jerks all 
 adhering bees are suddenly dislodged. 
 
 If you have prepared your hive as it 
 should be the shaken bees will immediate- 
 ly run under the division-board and up ontoi 
 the combs under the sheet or cover out of 
 the way, leaving all free to turn back the 
 flap or slide on the cover. 
 
 Make your bees pay their way — and 
 a litt!e more if you can. 
 
INCREASE 
 
 After closing the prepared hive return all 
 the brood combs to the full stock and close 
 that hive. 
 
 Then remove the prepared hive, now 
 stocked with queenless bees, to a cool dark 
 place, and there let it remain in hopeless 
 qucenlessness until towards evening — then 
 and not until then run in a laying queen. 
 INTRODUCING THE QUEEN. 
 
 To introduce the queen slide the cover 
 over a bit on the comb side and turn back 
 a corner of the sheet to admit her without 
 allowing a bee to escape. If you do not ob- 
 ject to cutting your hives a small hole bored 
 in the front, to be plugged with a cork, will 
 be found convenient for a flight-hole as well 
 as for introducing queens. 
 
 When the queen has run in, nail the cover 
 down and that night or the next morning 
 earlv remove the prepared hive to a loca- 
 
 1 have seen bees m cheese boxes 
 quite as prosperous as those in the 
 most elaborate chaff hive. 
 
I N C R E A S E 
 
 tion at least a mile away and there let it re- 
 main for two or three days, or even longer 
 will do no harm. 
 
 When you bring the bees home, which 
 should be done before they get too heavy, 
 fill the hive with empty combs and in sixty 
 days you wnll have a stock which will itself 
 stand a ''shake" or section boxes may be put 
 on. 
 
 In ten or fifteen days the full stocks will 
 stand another shake and so on until you 
 have multiplied to your full number of 
 colonies. 
 
 It is better to introduce laying queens to 
 colonies formed in this manner, but virgins 
 of any age may be used, and if the season is 
 not too far advanced these young queens 
 will mate and build up strong colonies in 
 time for winter. 
 
 For this purpose natural swarm cells can 
 
 A smoker in the hands of a thought- 
 less man does much more harm than 
 good. Spare the bellows. 
 
i^ 
 
 Photograph toy Mr. John M. Hooker, 
 
 PLATE NO. 2. 
 Portable Swarm Box Arranged for "In- 
 
1 N C R EASE 
 
 be saved and hatched in Swarthmore nur- 
 sery cages as explained in "Cell Getting." 
 
 A SIMPLE CELL GETTING PLAN. 
 
 Shaken bees will build a number of cells 
 which may be cut in the old way, and 
 hatched for use in future forc^'d swarms. 
 Place a partially built down comb, or a 
 wide starter of foundation, into the hive 
 containing your best queen mother three or 
 four days previous to forming the first new 
 colony and eggs in plenty, the exact age for 
 queen cells, will be secured— now, when you 
 shake your first swarm put this comb into 
 the swarm-box oi* prepared hive. Ten days 
 later cut and cage ail but one cell. To 
 mate these queens when hatched see *'F>aby 
 Nuclei." 
 
 By inserting a comb of young brood, at 
 time of shaking, the forced swarm will rear 
 a queen, in time, for itself ; but unless this 
 
 Don't discourage Increase, but pre 
 vent swarming If you know how. 
 
1 N e R E A S E 
 
 is done qiiite early in tlie season one's in- 
 crease will be very slow in bnildnig" to 
 stronf^- colonies. 
 
 THE BUSY MAN'S WAY. 
 
 If yon are a busy man and have only 
 mornings and evenings at home this plan of 
 increase is jnst what yon need — it holds 
 s^varming in check and rednccs manipula- 
 tion. Queens, either virgin or^ fertile, are 
 safely introduced directly and there is no 
 fuss in looking- after colonies too weak to 
 defend themselves. 
 
 For such a man I have designed a plan 
 that :can be followed with perfect satisfac- 
 tion as regards labor, trouble and expense. 
 it is as follows: 
 
 PORTABLE SWARM-BOX. 
 
 Build a neat, light hive body to hold just 
 five frames ; cover the bottom of your box 
 with wire netting nailed on firmly with cleats 
 
 Th® ioss of a queen to a big colony 
 is a loss indeed — too great to continue 
 
 loRg. 
 
INCREASE 
 
 rth around. Now provide a lid of thin stuff 
 that will just fit the top of the swarm-box; 
 cleat it well and provide means for fastening 
 this cover. Bore an inch hole at one end of 
 the box, low down, for an entrance and pro- 
 vide a cork or a button of section stuff for 
 purpose of speed in opening and closing the 
 entrance. 
 
 This box may then be used on the same 
 plan as outlined above and you will have 
 something that can be conveniently carried 
 on street or steam cars — just like a suit case. 
 . Shake your bees in the morning and at 
 evening run in the queen. After dark throw 
 a strap or cord around the box, board a car 
 with it and set it out one mile away. Draw 
 the cork from the flight hole and catch the 
 next car home. 
 
 When you take out another boxful bring 
 home the one formed a few^ davs before and 
 
 Swarming is not increase — nor is it 
 decrease, exactly. 
 
I N G R E A S. £ 
 
 SO on. In this manner two boxes will keep 
 yon goin,^- with all the increase you can take 
 care of. 
 
 To hasten the work of preparation for 
 moving we liaA'e what w^e call i\n ndjustable 
 handle; which is simply, two wires slid 
 through a handle and bent in such a man- 
 ner that the four ends will hook into four 
 staples driven into the sides of the swarm- 
 box, as shown in plate No. 2. One of these 
 handles will answer for several boxes and 
 the shawl strap may then be dispensed with. 
 CARE OF BEES FROM OUT-YARD. 
 
 When the boxes of bees are brouhgt home 
 let them fly from the box a few days, then 
 lift them into standard hives and fill with 
 empty combs or those containing some 
 hone}^, or foundation in starters and full 
 sheets may be used, and in a remarkably 
 short time all the combs will be covered 
 
 A clipped qyeen is quite as good as a 
 dead one, "[f you don't watch out." 
 
increase: 
 
 witli bees and well filled with brood and 
 honey. 
 
 If no honey is coming in, feeding will ac- 
 complish the same end and increase can be 
 carried on to the same extent. Have the 
 feed flavored with a little honey if possible 
 and provide it regularly in the feeder that 
 suits you best. I have used an entrance 
 feeder with satisfaction because it is applied 
 from the outside, can be filled quickly and 
 is convenient for the one who is feeding for 
 increase. 
 
 1liis feeder is simph' a shallow tin or 
 paper pan which can be slid into the entrance 
 to any hive flat upon the bottom-board. A 
 portion of the pan protrudes from the en- 
 trance (not over one inch), allowing one to 
 simply pour in the feed from a tea pot, 
 (juickly. 
 
 Unlike other stock, bees consume 
 nothing — yet add much. 
 
I N CREASE 
 
 If you have a sure autumn honey flow 
 colonies may be started quite late in the 
 season, and by inserting a frame or two of 
 hatching brood, taken from some of the 
 powerful colonies, at time of bringing home, 
 these late formed colonies will build to 
 moderate strength and will gather enougli 
 from the golden rod, yellow flower and aster 
 to winter over. The earlier ones are more 
 successful, however, in that they will likely 
 store a surplus. 
 
 Never give brood to a newly formed 
 colony until after the queen is safely intro- 
 duced lest the confined bees ball the queen 
 directly she is run into the box. 
 
 He who depends upon natural 
 swarming entirely for his increase will 
 ever live in hopes. 
 
"Baby Nuclei** 
 
 ~~|N this book Suarthmorc 
 Jjl ! thorou^^^hly covers the 
 
 =r=rz:ri ficld Of Slliall Ilia t; HOT 
 
 J9 i nuclei management; he 
 I has had 20 years' ex- 
 perience in mating^ yoiincr 
 queens from section cornbs, 
 with buta a hndful of bees, and 
 feels competent to write on the 
 subject. . . • • 
 
 Handsomely Diinted, charmingly illu- 
 minated, artistically bound and profuse- 
 ly illustrated with actual photographs 
 talcen U a booming queen-rearing estab- 
 lishment at the height of the season. 
 50 cents postpaid. 
 
 THE SWARTHMORE APIARIES. 
 Swarthmore, Pa., U. S. A. 
 
LIST of BOORS 
 
 TO FOLLOW 
 
 Cell Getting by the Swarth- 
 more Pressed Cup Plan 
 
 The plan that has revolutionized queen 
 rearino- throuohout the world. The en- 
 tire process fully explained and illustra- 
 ted by photos., from ac.ual life and viv- 
 idly showing" ail the labor-saving' points 
 in the best system ever invented. 
 
 IioT«r to MaKe Hives of Paper 
 
 At cost of only a few cents each. Full 
 specifica ions, complete bill of stock and 
 detailed drawings which will enable any 
 beekeeper to construct his own hives, 
 supers, etc., with a pair of shears, back 
 SAW and hammer. Used by Swarthmore. 
 
 A. New Comb-Honey Device 
 
 Which entirely does away with close fit- 
 ting holders and separators, allowing a 
 producer to secure more marketable 
 comb honey with no more danger of 
 swarming than when run for extracting. 
 
Breeders of the Brightest Golden Bees — Prize Stock 
 Queens Posted Safely at Ji or 5s each. 
 
 SWARTHMORE 
 
 QUEEN REARING 
 
 OUTFITS. 
 
 Price List of Complete Outfits for 
 
 Rearing and mating Numerous Queens. 
 
 Perfect Nursery Gages with removable 
 compressed queen cells. Directions go with 
 each Outfit which will enable the small bee 
 keeper to rear a few queens for his own 
 use Simple devices easily underst)od by 
 any beekeeper; ist prize, Royal Show, London. 
 
 Leading queen specialists have adopted 
 the Swarthmore plan because of its simplic- 
 ity and saving — testimonials for the asking. 
 
 1.25 
 
 OUTFIT NO. J: — ^Experimental. 
 
 3 Transfer Cages 
 
 12 Wooden Cups, waxed, ready for larvae... 
 
 I Cell-Bar, bored, for shells « 
 
 1 Holding-Frame, with full directions Post Paid 
 
 We will add a Swarthmore Nursery for 25c more. 
 ^ \ OUTFIT NO. 2:-Amateur. ^ ,^^ 
 
 ^ 2 Cell-Bals, bored, 16 hoifs ^^ ^tf 
 
 35 Waxed wooden cups ,...l %^ m^^^^ 
 
 • 1 Holding Frame...,. 77. TTT.t:;:. 
 
 18 Transfer Cages, or hatchery Post Paid 
 
 Cell-cleaning sticlj, grafting tool and directions. 
 We will add a Swarthmore Nursery for 25c more. 
 1 sample Baby Mating Box, with directions, by post, 50c. 
 1 sample Transfer Cage with waxed wooden cup, 10c. 
 
 OUTFIT NO. 3:— Professional. 
 Includes, 1 Grace Cell Compressor, 100 blank Shells, 1 set 
 Cell Bars and Starting-Frame, 2 Swarthmore Nursery Cages 
 and Holding FrameJO Improved and complete b iby Mating 
 Boxes, 18 Transfer Cages, Etc By express or freight, |6.50 
 
 Compressed Cells can b-^ used over and over; the ofteuer 
 they are used thn better they work — we compress cups in 
 removable Wooden Cups at 2c each; or you can own a 
 Grace Cell Compressor for |2, pose paid ; with goods, flat, 
 11.75. Blank Shells, Ic each. Glass Bottle Feeders, 5c each. 
 Mating Boxes in lots of 6, flat, $1. Bulb Filler or Feeder |1. 
 
 THE SA\^ARXIinyEOR.E afi^hijes. 
 
APR 12 1905 
 
 We wish to call particular attention 
 to the S.varihmore wooden cup ard its 
 many advantages for rapid handling of 
 queen cells. We make these cups in 
 many sizes, to order, and drill holes to 
 suit special purposes, but for the ordi- 
 nary ruii of queen work wc recommend 
 the standard th ee-fourth sholl wi h o e- 
 half inch hole, for holding the wax to be 
 compressed into queen cuj-s, with f ange 
 to present the c\x,) f r un siippin clear 
 through when cells are i seited in 
 eitl.e • cell-bars or cages. Some use a 
 tick to attach the cells to the under 
 sid? of a {) ain bar— ^ye will add these 
 tacks to the s andard flange shell and 
 will drill holes tt) receive sepaiate wax 
 cups, if desired without extra charge; 
 th n th^ same shell can bo us* d either 
 way. But we believe tl e most of \('\i 
 will prefer the convenience of drawirg 
 your cells from top for th'' reason that 
 iuanip 'lation is reduced fully fifty p< r 
 cent., for all the work of cell sh'ftirg 
 can be done thn^ugh a slit in the sheet, 
 \vith;)ut remoAing combs, one cell at a 
 tiiue or by th^ barfil. IMuch disturb- 
 ance to cbloaies ruins tlieii- chances on 
 honey and in wi itering well. This stan- 
 dard sht 11 in Combination with a com- 
 pressed cup makes an everlasting quef n 
 coll; one that cm be graft h1 over aid 
 t>ver a;aiu with increasing success— it's 
 wastef il to destroj^ a good cup cac.i tin e 
 a queen 1 a'ches. 
 
 To transfer larvae— Select none but 
 just-hatched efjgs and with a camcl's- 
 hair brush, quill, or pointed tool, lift, 
 the "little worm" tenderly and d<^- 
 l*osit it i;>i^the bottom of the cup in 
 the same position it occupied in the 
 comb. 
 
 The Swart 'inn re transfer cage i.^ v sep- 
 arate nursery cage u^ed for intrc* uc- 
 Ing queen> on the candy plan. This 
 cage has been sold by us for several 
 years and we have found it useful for 
 hatchl ig, introducing or pre-irtroduc- 
 ing, and for confining either ferlile or 
 unfertile queens, also for mailii g qt:( < i s 
 away. Twelve of these handy nui>cry 
 cages will fit in the Swarthmorp op( ii 
 fi'ame; thirty-six will hang loose ly on 
 bars in a Hoffman brood -frame; or -S 
 will fit tightly in any standard brood - 
 frame; making a perfect all-purpose 
 cage and the most successful separate 
 nursery ever put on the market— Send 
 for sample and convince yourself of 
 these claims. 
 
 The Swarthmore Nursery is, with ut 
 doubt, the most extensively sold queen 
 rearing device ever put on the market. 
 By its use much labor is sav( d in rar- 
 ing for queen cells at the incubating 
 period. It can be permanently located 
 in any colony ready to receive cells at 
 any tima without the least disturbance 
 to honey stocks, being on a level with 
 the tops of the frames cells ! may i e 
 manipulated at will, singly or by the 
 barful, by simpljs raising the quilt.s; fur- 
 
 thermore no dequeening of stocks i^ 
 necessary when this cage piinciple is 
 used. As a combined hatchery it has 
 no eiiiial and breeders d«»ing business on 
 a large scale can hardly get along with- 
 out it. 
 
 The CJrace Cell Ct mpres'si; g Machine 
 needs no introduct'on— it has been used 
 for several years with most astonishing 
 success and h.ns eiowded all cell dip- 
 pins off the earth We can supi)ly hand 
 tot Is for foi'niirg eells but we believe 
 vuu will at last resort to the mgchire 
 because of its saving in time and labcr. 
 Many have earned the priee of a ma 
 chine ten times over by viressing cell? 
 fer others. 
 
 Any queen rearer who uses more than 
 a hundred or two bees for mating vir- 
 gin queens is not using the most eco- 
 nomical pli n. We are working large 
 numbers and s ill recommend Sv.arih- 
 m< re Fertilizing Boxes. If you care {o 
 investigate the wonelrous savinc^ quali 
 ties of this niptiig nucleus we will glrd- 
 ly suj ply what inft rmation we have 
 gained in several years practical work 
 with them in mating thousands (,1 
 queens for market. 
 
 SWARTHMORE APIARIES, 
 
 Swarthmore, Pa., U. S. A. 
 
 THE BEST THERE IS 
 
 LEWIS GOODS AT FACTORY PRICES 
 
 It has been our constant aim for 
 eight years to give best goods, best 
 prices, best service and best of 
 everything connected with supply- 
 ing Bee-keepers' wants. 
 
 We aie excelled by nobody. S| ecial 
 discounts jjiveii on all orders before Apiil 
 1. Catnlof; Free. 
 
 C. M. SCOTT & CO. 
 
 1001 E WHsh. St . INDIANAPOIIS, IN1>. 
 
 I READ The American Bee 
 Keeper from cover to cover; 
 it has brought results as an 
 advertising medium and much 
 pleasure and profit in the reading. 
 
 "Swarthmore" 
 H« E. HILL, Editof» Fort Piefce, Fla. 
 
 Rural Bee Reeper 
 
 All Beedom is interested in this 
 bright, independent, new bee jour- 
 nal — Instructive and up-to-date. 
 
 We S(>li<dt your pntronaj^H ns adverti^- 
 ers and subscribers; for sample, address, 
 
 W. H. PUTNAM, River Falls, Wis. 
 
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