ity of surplus honey.

If his bees are kept in non-swarming hives, he may undoubtedly, reap a
bounteous harvest from the avails of their industry. I do not however,
recommend this mode of bee-keeping as the best: still there are many so
situated that it may be much the best for them. Such persons, by using
my hives, can pursue the non-swarming plan to the best advantage. They
can by taking off the wings of their queens, be sure that their colonies
will not suddenly leave them; a casualty to which all other non-swarming
hives are sometimes liable; and by taking away the honey in small
quantities, they will always give the bees plenty of spare room for
storage, and yet avoid discouraging them, as is so often done when large
boxes are taken from them. (See Chapter on Honey.)

By removing from time to time, the old queens, the colonies can all be
kept in possession of queens, at the height of their fertility, and in
this way a very serious objection to the non-swarming, or as it is
frequently called, the storifying system, may be avoided. If at any
time, new colonies are wanted, they may be made in the manner already
described. In districts where the honey harvest is of very short
continuance, the non-swarming plan may be found to yield the largest
quantity of honey, and in case the season should prove unfavorable for
the gathering of honey, it will usually secure the largest returns from
a given number of stocks. I therefore prefer to keep a considerable
number of my colonies, on the storifying plan, and am confident of
securing from them, a good yield of honey, even in the most unfavorable
seasons. If bee-keepers will pursue the same system, they will not only
be on the safe side, but will be able to determine which method it will
be best for them to adopt, in order to make the most from their bees. As
a general rule, the Apiarian who increases the number of his colonies,
one third in a season, making one very powerful swarm from two, (See p.
211,) will have more surplus honey from the three, than he could have
obtained from the two, to say nothing of the value of his new swarms.
If, at the approach of Winter, he wishes to reduce his stocks down to
the Spring number, he may unite them in the manner described,
appropriating all the good honey of those which he breaks up, and saving
all their empty comb for the new colonies of the next season. The bees
in the doubled stock will winter most admirably; will consume but
littl