An Experiment
Categories:
FALL MANAGEMENT.
Bee Keeping:
Mysteries Of Bee-keeping Explained
Notwithstanding all this, I cannot recommend making a _good_ stock
better by adding the bees from another good one as a source of profit.
I tried it a few times. I had purchased some large hives for market,
and wished to dispose of the bees without sulphur, and try the
experiment of uniting two or more. The next spring when they commenced
work such double stocks promised much; but when the swarming season
arrived, the
ingle swarms, such as were good and had just about bees
enough, were in the best condition, in ordinary seasons. Whether this
was owing to the circumstance of there being already bees enough that
were beginning to crowd and interfere with each other's labors, and
less brood raised in consequence, or to some other reason, I cannot
say. I have often noticed, (as others have), that stocks which have
cast no swarms, are no better the next spring than others. The same
cause might operate in both cases. Therefore it would appear
unnecessary to unite two or more _good swarms_, unless it is to spare
our feelings in destroying the bees. The two extremes may generally be
avoided, and not have too many or too few bees.