Putting On And Taking Off Boxes
Categories:
PUTTING ON AND TAKING OFF BOXES.
Bee Keeping:
Mysteries Of Bee-keeping Explained
Putting on boxes may be considered a duty intermediate between spring
and summer management. I cannot recommend putting them on as early as
the last of April, or first of May, in ordinary circumstances. It is
possible to find a case that it would be best. But before the hive is
full of bees it is generally useless, very likely a disadvantage, by
allowing a portion of animal heat to escape that is needed in the hive
to mature the brood. Also, moisture may accumulate until the inside
moulds, &c. Some experience and judgment is necessary to know about
what time boxes are needed. That boxes _are needed_ at the proper
season, I think I shall not need an argument to convince any one, in
the present day. Bee-keepers have generally discarded the barbarous
practice of killing the bees to obtain the honey. Many of them have
learned that a good swarm will store sufficient honey for winter,
besides several dollars worth as profit in boxes.