Hello Herve & All,

> Farrar figured out a way to get the queen to move
> to the next box without
> reversing  and the method  works.

>Unfortunately, I do not have his book. Would you
>accept to describ both his method and yours about this
>particular point ?

Dr. Farrar would drill a hole under each handhold of his brood chamber boxes
and plug with a cork. If he wanted the bees to move into another brood box
he would plug a hole and open another into the brood box he wanted the bees
to use. The queen would soon move into the box in which the new entrance was
being used.

Dr. Farrar used six and five eighths *mediums* which were 18 in. by 18 in.
square. Four of these for brood chambers on a single queen hive and eight
for a double.

I do not use the method of drilling holes and corks. Nor do I practice
regular reversing.

I use a method taught me years ago by George Vanarsdall of counting days to
honey flow and the size you want your hive to be at the start of the flow
and doing a complete teardown of the hive and remake.

I have given precise directions of the method in the archives.

Very little swarming happens with the method and reversing is seldom needed
but if I see a hive which needs reversing while inspecting I reverse.

If the honey flow is later than you anticipate then swarm control is
achieved by using the E. L. Sechrist "Clear brood nest method of apiary
management" outlined in his 1944 book.

I have also discussed the Sechrist method in the archives.

A search with my name and either Sechrist or Farrar should provide
information.

Sincerely,
Bob Harrison

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