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diff --git a/58229-0.txt b/58229-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6ee503a --- /dev/null +++ b/58229-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,5599 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 58229 *** + + + + + + + + + + + +Transcriber Note + +Text emphasis denoted by _Italics_. Whole and fractional parts of numbers +as 123-4/5. + + + + +[Illustration: Principio sedes Apibus statioque petenda, ---- Virgil.] + + + + + HUMANITY TO HONEY-BEES: + + OR, + + _PRACTICAL DIRECTIONS_ + + FOR + + THE MANAGEMENT OF HONEY-BEES + + UPON AN IMPROVED AND HUMANE PLAN, + + BY WHICH THE + + LIVES OF BEES MAY BE PRESERVED, AND ABUNDANCE OF HONEY + + OF A SUPERIOR QUALITY MAY BE OBTAINED, + + + + BY THOMAS NUTT. + + + + + ---- Vos non vobis mellificatis Apes: + Sic --------------------------------- + + Virgil. + + + + SECOND EDITION. + + + + WISBECH: + + PRINTED BY H. AND J. LEACH, FOR THE AUTHOR, + + OF WHOM IT MAY BE HAD AT MOULTON-CHAPEL, + OR AT 131, HIGH HOLBORN, LONDON. + SOLD ALSO BY LONGMAN AND CO. PATERNOSTER-ROW, LONDON. + + _Price Ten Shillings,_ + + + + 1834. + + +ENTERED AT STATIONERS' HALL. + +Also may be had on application to my agent, Mr. G. Neighbour, 131, High +Holborn, near Southampton Street, London, honey taken on the principles +here specified, with hives stocked with bees, or unstocked. All letters +must be post paid to the author. + + + + + DEDICATION, + + + BY PERMISSION, + + TO HER MOST GRACIOUS MAJESTY, + + QUEEN ADELAIDE + + + +MAY IT PLEASE YOUR MAJESTY, + +To pen a dedication skilfully is generally the most difficult part of +an Author's task; but a dedication to ROYALTY is so delicate a matter, +that I almost tremble for the success of my undertaking--tremble lest I +should fail to express myself dutifully, gratefully, properly; though I +am not without hope that your Majesty's goodness will graciously extend +to the Author that degree of indulgence of which he is sensible he stands +so much in need, especially as nothing unbecoming a dutiful subject to +write, or improper for a gracious Sovereign to read, is intended to be +here expressed. + +As, however, every colony of Bees, wherever domiciled, whether in a +box, or in a cottage-hive, in the roof of a house, or in the trunk of +a hollow-tree, is under an admirable government, the presiding head +and Sovereign of which is a QUEEN,--as no colony of Bees, deprived of +its QUEEN, ever prospers, or long survives such loss,--as this insect +government, or government of insects, exhibits to man the most perfect +pattern of devoted attachment, and of true allegiance on the part of the +subject Bees to their Sovereign, and of industry, ingenuity, prosperity, +and apparently of general happiness in their well-ordered state,--and +as these most curious and valuable little creatures have hitherto been +most cruelly treated--have been, and still are, annually sacrificed by +millions, for the sake of their sweet treasure; I do feel a pleasure, +and think there is a sort of analogical propriety, in dedicating to your +Gracious Majesty this work, the leading feature of which is--Humanity to +Honey-Bees. Under your Majesty's fostering and influential Patronage, +I cannot but anticipate that this object will be essentially promoted, +and that the management of Bees, in this country at least, will not +hereafter reflect disgrace upon their owners. + +In this pleasing hope, I humbly beg to subscribe myself, + + YOUR MAJESTY'S + + most dutiful + and + most grateful + + Subject and Servant, + + THOMAS NUTT. + + + + Moulton-Chapel, Lincolnshire, + Nov. 27th, 1832. + + + + +PREFACE. + + + +Could I disarm criticism as easily as I can deprive Bees of their power +to sting, this would be the proper place to do so; though I am doubtful +whether it would be well-judged in me, or to my advantage, to stay the +critics' pen. But, possessing no such talismanic power, I shall adventure +my little book into the world, without any attempt to conciliate the +critics' good-will, or to provoke their animosity, conscious that from +_fair_ criticism I have nothing to fear. That I shall be attacked by +those apiarians who are wedded to their own theories and systems, however +faulty, is no more than I expect: of them, I trust, I have nowhere spoken +disparagingly; towards none of them do I entertain unkindly feelings--far +otherwise. Their number, I am led to believe, is not formidable; and as +gentlemen, and fellow-labourers in the same work of humanity, their more +extensive learning will hardly be brought to bear against me with rancour +and violence. Should any one of them, or of any other class of writers, +so far degrade himself, I shall have the advantage of the following +preliminary observation, viz. that one set of my collateral-boxes, placed +in a favourable situation, and _duly and properly attended to_, for +one season only, will outweigh all the learning and arguments that can +be adduced against my Bee-practice,--will be proof positive, visible, +tangible, that there is in my pretensions something more than empty +boast. Luckily for me, there are plenty of those proofs to be met with in +the country, and there are some--several, not far from town; they are at +Blackheath, at Kensington, at Clapham, and at other places. As hundreds +of the Nobility and Gentry of this country will recollect, there was +one of these incontrovertible proofs of the truth of what I am stating, +exhibited for several weeks at the National Repository last autumn, where +it was seen, examined, admired, and, I may without any exaggeration add, +_universally approved_. Practice, which has resulted from more than ten +years' experience in the management of an apiary, and from innumerable +experiments, carried on, and a hundred times repeated, during that +period, is what I ground the utility of my discoveries upon. To theory I +lay no claim. Born and brought up in the fens of Lincolnshire, where I +have spent the greater part of my life amidst difficulties, misfortunes, +and hardships, of which I will not here complain, though I am still +smarting under the effects of some of them, my pretensions to learning +are but small: for, though sent to the respectable Grammar School at +Horncastle in my boyhood, my education was not extended beyond writing, +arithmetic, and merchants' accompts. As soon as it was thought that I had +acquired a competent knowledge of these useful branches of education, +it was my lot to be bound apprentice to learn the trades and mysteries +of grocer, draper, and tallow-chandler. Whilst endeavouring to gain an +honest livelihood as a grocer and draper, at Moulton-Chapel, in 1822, +I was afflicted with a severe illness, which, after long-protracted +suffering, left me as helpless as a child, the natural use and strength +of my limbs being gone; and, though supported by and tottering between my +crutches, it was a long time before I was able to crawl into my garden. +Fatigued and exhausted with the exercise of journeying the length of a +garden-walk of no great extent, it was my custom to rest my wearied limbs +upon a bench placed near my Bees. Seated on that bench, I used to while +away the lingering hours as best I could, ruminating now on this subject, +now on that, just as my fancy chanced to fix. Among other things my Bees +one day caught my attention: I watched their busy movements,--their +activity pleased me,--their humming noise long-listened to became music +to my ears, and I often fancied that I heard it afterwards when I was +away from them. In short, I became fond of them and of their company, +and visited them as often as the weather and my feebleness would permit. +When kept from them a day or two, I felt uneasy, and less comfortable +than when I could get to them. The swarming season arrived; and with +it ideas took possession of my mind which had not until then possessed +it:--I conceived that swarming was an act more of necessity than of +choice,--that as such it was an evil; but how to provide a remedy for +it--how to prevent it--was a problem that then puzzled me. I studied +it for a long time, and to very little purpose. The old-fashioned +method of eking did not by any means satisfy my mind; it might answer +the purpose for one season, but how to proceed the next did not appear. +Then the time for taking honey was approaching: to get at that treasure +without destroying my little friends that had collected it, and that had, +moreover, so often soothed me in my sorrow and my sufferings, was another +problem that long engaged my mind. After some years' unremitted attention +to my Bees, for I had formed a sort of attachment to them during the +first stage of my convalescence, which never left me, an accident aided +my studies by directing my attention to the effects of ventilation, as +will be found related in the body of this work, and I began to make +experiments, which being repeated, varied, improved, and then gone +through again, have gradually led to the development of my improved mode +of Bee-management, attempted to be explained in the following pages. + +At the time I have been speaking of, I had not read one single book on +Bees; nor had I then one in my possession. Whatever my practice may be, +it has resulted from my own unaided experience and discoveries. To books +I am not indebted for any part of it: nay, had I begun to attempt to +improve the system of Bee-management by books, I verily believe, I never +should have improved it at all, nor have made one useful discovery. _The +Bees themselves have been my instructors._ After I had so far succeeded +as to have from my apiary glasses and boxes of honey of a superior +quality, to exhibit at the National Repository, where, with grateful +thanks to the Managers of that Institution for their kindness to me, I +was encouraged to persevere, Bee-books in profusion were presented to +me, some of them by friends with names, some by friends whose names I +have yet to learn. I have read them all: but nowhere find, in any of +them, clear, practical directions, how honey of the very purest quality, +and in more considerable quantity than by any of the plans heretofore +proposed, may be taken from Bees, without recourse to any suffocation +whatever, or any other violent means;--how all the Bees may be preserved +uninjured;--and how swarming may be prevented. These are the grand +features in my plan; and minute directions for the accomplishment of +these most desirable objects are laid down in this book. + +I by no means maintain that my system of Bee-management is incapable +of improvement; but I do think that the principles upon which it is +founded _are right_,--that the foundation is here properly laid,--and +that every apiarian, who may hereafter conform to, or improve upon, my +practice, will be instrumental in contributing a part towards raising the +superstructure--namely--an asylum or sanctuary for Honey-Bees. + +I cannot close this preface without acknowledging myself to be under +the greatest obligations to the Rev. T. Clark, of Gedney-Hill. But for +his assistance the following work would not have made its appearance +in its present form; if indeed it had appeared at all. He has revised, +corrected, connected, and arranged the materials of which it is composed; +and he has, moreover, gratuitously added much that is original and +valuable from his own rich stores of knowledge. To him I am indebted for +the selection of the Latin mottos. As an apiarian he is one of my most +improved and skilful pupils, and bids fair to become an ornament to the +science of Bee-management. As a mechanic he is ingenious enough to make +his own Bee-boxes, and has actually made some of the very best I have +yet seen. To his knowledge of mechanics it is owing that the description +and explanation of each of the different boxes, of all the other parts +of my Bee-machinery, and of my observatory-hive, in particular, are more +detailed, clearer, and more intelligible than they would have been in my +hands. As a scholar there are passages in the following work that afford +no mean specimen of his abilities. I have only to regret that the reward +for the pains he has taken with it must be my thanks--that it is not in +my power to remunerate him for his kind labours more substantially than +by this public acknowledgement of the obligations I am under, and of my +sense of the debt of gratitude that is due to him. + + + + +PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION. + + +"Out of print," though a somewhat laconic, might be a not inappropriate +preface to this second edition, and of itself a quaint apology for +its appearance. _Out of print_ is certainly exhilarating news to the +author anxious for the success of a work inculcating a new system of +Bee-management, in which not only is his reputation as an apiarian +involved and evolved, but, it may be, the very means of his subsistence +are _bound up_ in it; the oftener therefore he hears the bibliopolist +expression--_out of print_--the more animating and welcome it becomes; +because its reiteration can hardly fail to be considered by him an +indication that the demand for his book continues.--that his system is +progressing,--or, at any rate, that either curiosity respecting it, or +some higher and more laudable motive, is still existent in the public +mind. Thus cheered on, thus, as it were, _encored_, it has become his +duty to the public no less than to himself to proceed forthwith to the +publication of a new edition. + +Previously, however, to stating what alterations, emendations, &c. have +been introduced in order to render the work, as far as I am yet able to +render it, worthy a continuance of public patronage, I consider it to be +my duty to record my grateful thanks for the success and encouragement I +have already received. + +To the scientific and literary press, and to the several gentlemen of +scientific attainments connected therewith, who, by their influence +and kind professional assistance, and promptitude in the furtherance +of my interest, have greatly contributed to my success, my best thanks +are due, _and are hereby respectfully tendered:_ amongst these I +have sincere pleasure in particularizing Dr. BIRKBECK--the talented +President of the London Mechanics' Institution,--Dr. HANCOCK--Fellow +of the Medico-Botanical Society--a veteran of high and esteemed +attainments,--and Mr. BOOTH--the popular Lecturer on Chemistry--a young +man of first-rate abilities. + +To J. C. London--the erudite editor of the Gardeners' Magazine,--to E. +J. Robertson, Esq.--the able and ingenious editor of the Mechanics' +Magazine,--to Richard Newcomb--the editor and publisher of the Stamford +Mercury,--and to the several editors of the Metropolitan and Provincial +Press, who have made favourable mention of my labours, my public thanks +are justly due,--and particularly to the editor of the Cambridge +Quarterly Review, for a highly commendatory notice of my work, evidently +written by a practical apiarian, and with competent knowledge of his +subject, which appeared in No. 3 of that Review, published in March +1834. Also to my long-tried, worthy _Friend_--George Neighbour--it is +gratifying to me to have this opportunity of offering my sincere thanks +for his valuable services in my behalf;--and to the conductors of those +excellent and useful institutions--the National Gallery of Practical +Science, Adelaide Street,--and the Museum of National Manufactures, +Leicester Square, London, I gratefully acknowledge myself to be under no +slight obligations for the advantageous opportunities which I have there +possessed of extending the knowledge of my system, and of exhibiting, +year after year, to thousands of visitors, the products of my apiary. + +With the view of making "The Humane Management of Honey-Bees" more +interesting, the dialogue, which formed the introductory chapter in the +first edition, has been withdrawn, and in its place have been substituted +some valuable remarks of Dr. Birkbeck, Dr. Hancock, and Mr. Booth, +respecting Bees, honey, wax, &c. of course _the first chapter is new_; +as is chapter X. giving an account of the apiary of the Most Noble the +Marquess of Blandford, at Delabere Park, which can hardly fail of being +interesting to every reader: it is principally from the able pen of Mr. +Booth. Chapter XVIII. on Apiarian Societies, is new also. And, besides +these three entire chapters, not short paragraphs merely, but whole pages +of new matter have been introduced interspersedly by my most respected +friend--the Rev. T. Clark, of Gedney-Hill, who has revised, corrected, +and re-arranged the whole; and who has not only bestowed much time and +pains upon the improvement of my work, but in the kindest and most +disinterested manner has, in superintending this and the former edition +through the press, actually travelled upwards of _eight hundred_ miles. +The friendly performer of services so generous, so laborious, and so +perseveringly attended to, without any stipulation for fee or reward, +merits from me, and has from me, every expression of my gratitude, and, +were it in my power, should have _one expression more_. + + + + +TABLE OF CONTENTS. + + + Chapter Page + + I. _Introductory Matters_ 1 + + II. _Bee-Boxes and Management of Bees in them_ 14 + + III. _Ventilation_ 49 + + IV. _Thermometer_ 58 + + V. _On Driving Bees_ 90 + + VI. _Inverted-Hive_ 96 + + VII. _Observatory-Hive_ 107 + + ---- _Mode of Stocking an Observatory-Hive_ 119 + + VIII. _Fumigation_ 121 + + IX. _Objections against Piling Boxes_ 135 + + X. _Apiary at Delabere Park_ 149 + + XI. _Honey-Bees_ 156 + + ---- _For the Sting of a Bee_ 171 + + XII. _Impregnation of the Queen-Bee_ 175 + + XIII. _Supernumerary Queens_ 181 + + XIV. _Bee-Feeding_ 190 + + ---- _Bee-Food_ 200 + + XV. _Catalogue of Bee-Flowers, &c._ 206 + + XVI. _Honey-Comb_ 211 + + ---- _Bees' Wax_ 232 + + XVII. _Winter Situation for Bees_ 237 + + XVIII. _Apiarian Societies_ 246 + + XIX. _Miscellaneous Directions_ 253 + + + + + INDEX TO THE ENGRAVINGS. + + + Frontispiece, to face title. Page + + Octagonal-Cover for the Pavilion 16 + + Collateral-Boxes apart 17 + + Ditto closed. 29 + + Inverted-Hive 100 + + Observatory-Hive 109 + + Ditto with additions 118 + + Fumigator 123 + + Tower at Delabere to face 149 + + The Three Bees 157 + + Honey-Comb 213 + + + + +MANAGEMENT OF BEES. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +INTRODUCTORY MATTERS. + + +The object of the generality of persons who keep Bees, is--profit: and +that profit might be indefinitely augmented were Bees properly managed, +and their lives preserved--were the still extensively-practised, cruel, +and destructive system superseded by a conservative one. Some few there +may be in the higher ranks of life, who cultivate bees from motives +of curiosity--for the gratification of witnessing and examining the +formation and progress of their ingenious and most beautiful works, and +with a view to study the instinct, habits, propensities, peculiarities, +or, in one word, the nature, of these wonderful, little insects, in +order to improve their condition, and to gain additional knowledge +respecting their natural history, hitherto, it must be confessed, +enveloped in much uncertainty, and very imperfectly understood. To this +class of Bee-masters and _Bee-friends_ the system of management to be +explained in the following pages, will, it is hoped, unfold discoveries +and impart facilities and improvements hitherto unknown in apiarian +science. And they, whose sole object in keeping Bees is _profit_, may +derive incalculable advantage from conforming to the mode of management, +and strictly attending to the _practical directions_ hereinafter to be +detailed: because as their profits are expected to arise principally +from honey and wax, it evidently must be for their interest to know how +to obtain those valuable Bee-productions in their purest state and in +the greatest quantity. The quantity obtained in a good honey-year (viz. +1826) from a well-stocked and exceedingly prosperous colony--still in +existence, and still flourishing, (i. e. in 1834) was so considerable, +and so far beyond anything ever realized from a common straw-hive +colony, that my statements respecting it have been doubted by some, and +totally discredited by others, unacquainted with my (I trust I may say) +_improved_ system of Bee-management. With respect to the purity of the +honey taken according to my plan, and the general properties and medical +virtues, and, of course, _value of honey when pure_, I have much pleasure +in being enabled to submit to the reader the opinions of my scientific +friends--Dr. Birkbeck, Mr. Abraham Booth, Lecturer on Chemistry, and Dr. +Hancock; because their opinions may safely be considered as unimpeachable +authority on this subject, viz. the uses and medical virtues of _pure +honey_. + +In some observations on the effect of the temperature of Bee-hives on +the quality of honey, published in a scientific journal, Mr. Booth +observes--"notwithstanding the adequate justice which has been done to +Mr. Nutt's improved and admirable system of Bee-management, there is +one point which does not appear to have elicited much attention--the +superiority in quality both of the honey and the wax. It does not appear +to me that the whole of this superiority consists in freedom from +extraneous animal or vegetable matters, a point of very great importance, +however, as its dietetic purposes are concerned; but that it greatly +depends upon the modified degree of temperature at which the Bees effect +their labours, and which is insufficient to produce any chemical changes +in the constitution of these substances; whereas under the old system, +the continued high temperature of the hive is sufficient to induce those +changes which impart the colour that so materially deteriorates the +quality as well as the value of the products. _From Mr. Nutt's hives we +obtain pure honey, as it is actually secreted by the Bee_, which cannot +be ensured by any other mode of management." + +To my very intelligent friend and patron, Dr. Birkbeck, whose uniform +liberality and kindness, from the infancy of my pursuits, I have +reason to appreciate, I am indebted for introducing this subject in a +Lecture[A] at the London Institution, Moorfields, on the application +of the oxy-hydrogen light to illustrate the economy and structure of +the insect world. In the course of his observations, on referring to +the tongue of the Bee, the learned Doctor made copious allusions to my +system, and the advantages which would in his view result from its +general extension. He observed that "so small is the supply that we +derive from the labours of Bees in this country, that the production of +wax does not even more than equal its consumption in the simple article +of lip-salve. Under this improved system, we may however hope that the +advantages of Bee-management may be more generally diffused throughout +the kingdom,--that Bee-hives will be multiplied, and that the choicest +flowers of the field and forest will no longer 'waste their sweetness in +the desert air.' In a dietetic point of view, it is of great importance +that a saccharine, secreted by one of the most beautiful processes of +nature, should be substituted for one produced by the most imperfect and +complicated process of art, whilst the more salutary properties of the +former would recommend it as far more eligible for use. He could not but +hope that, in this view the system would soon receive that extension in +practice to which its merits fitted it."[B] + +[Footnote A: Delivered April 23d 1334.] + +[Footnote B: Dr. Birkbeck related the following instance of the power +of recognition possessed by Bees to myself and Mr. Booth, which I +cannot suffer to pass unnoticed. When a boy, he was accustomed to cover +his hand with honey, and go to the front of one of the hives in his +father's garden. His hand was soon covered by the Bees, banquetting on +the proffered sweets, and the whole of it was speedily removed. The Bees +appeared to recognize the learned Doctor ever afterwards when he appeared +in the garden, his hand being always surrounded by them in expectation of +there finding their accustomed boon.] + +Some very important observations on honey, in a medical point of view, +are those which were contained in a paper written by my very learned and +valued friend, Dr. Hancock, and read before the Medico-Botanical Society +at their sitting November 26th 1833.[C] + +[Footnote C: For a copy of the first edition of this work, with specimens +of honey, &c. the author received the thanks of the Society; and he has +since been honoured with a diploma, which constitutes him a corresponding +member thereof.] + +An abstract of this important paper[D] I shall communicate for the +information of my readers. + +[Footnote D: An abstract of the paper was published in the Lancet and +several other journals.] + +"The great objects which recommend Mr. Nutt's plan, consist in the +great improvement in quality and augmentation of honey produced, and +that without destroying the Bees--a discovery equally creditable to Mr. +Nutt, as a man of benevolent mind, and to his industry and indefatigable +research. + +"The cultivation of Honey-bees is of remote antiquity. The Bee was +regarded as the emblem of royalty with the ancient Egyptians, and Bees +have been held in the highest esteem by all nations, whether barbarous +or civilized; yet the united experience of ancients and moderns has +never hitherto led to the happy results, which, by a connected series +of experiments, patient research, and logical induction, have in twelve +years been achieved by Mr. Nutt. In the course of his observation he saw, +not only that the destruction of the Bees was barbarous in the extreme, +but that this cruelty was equally subversive of the crops of honey; his +inquiries were hence directed to find how this destructive system could +be exchanged for a conservative one. In this he has completely succeeded, +and by preserving the Bees has been enabled to increase their produce +many-fold, and that too, in a far more salutary and improved quality. It +is equal even to the samples usually obtained from young hives called +virgin honey, which is scarce, dear, and seldom to be had genuine. + +"Owing to the want of knowledge on the subject, the consequent +impurities, and the great price of foreign honey, together with the +adulterations practised, the use of this valuable article has been nearly +abandoned in this country, whether as an article of the materia medica or +of domestic economy; and for the reasons just stated, the preparations +of honey have even been expunged from the Edinburgh Pharmacopeia. From +the recent improvement, however, by the gentleman just mentioned, we have +reason to hope its use will be restored in a condition vastly improved, +and that at a great reduction in price, the facilities of production +being greatly enhanced, and such as to render it in time available to all +classes of society. + +"Pure honey was justly considered by the ancients to possess the most +valuable balsamic and pectoral properties--as a lenitive, ecoprotic, and +detergent; and it is well-known to dissolve viscid phlegm and promote +expectoration. As a medium for other remedies, it is in its pure state +far superior to sirups, as being less liable to run into the acetous +fermentation. It appears that honey procured on Mr. Nutt's plan is not +excelled by the finest and most costly samples from the continent, as +that of Minorca, Narbonne, or Montpelier. The various impurities and +extraneous matter usually contained in honey, cause it in many cases to +produce griping pains, or uneasy sensations in the stomach and bowels; +this however has no such effect, unless it be taken to an imprudent +extent. + +"Pure honey, though in its ultimate elements similar to refined sugar, +yet differs considerably in its physiological effects on the body, being +a _lenitive_, _aperient_ or gentle laxative, and hence incomparably more +beneficial in costive habits. It has in a dietetic or medicinal point of +view been recommended in gravel or calculous complaints; of this however +I have no knowledge, but its utility in asthma I have experienced in +my own person as well as in others;--as also as an efficacious remedy +in hooping cough, taken with antimonial wine, camphor, arid opium. For +sedentary persons and those troubled with constipation of the bowels, +there is no dietetic or medicinal substance so useful as pure honey, +whether taken in drink or with bread and butter, &c. It is well-known +as a detergent of foul sores, and I have often found it to succeed in +healing deep-seated sinuous or fistulous ulcers, and thus to obviate the +necessity of surgical operations. + +"In South America and amongst the Spaniards, honey is considered as +one of the best detergents for sloughing sores and foul ulcerations; +so it was formerly in Europe. Its uses in a surgical point of view +have in this country long been lost sight of. Its detergent power is +such, that it was formerly denominated a _vegetable soap_, as we may +see in the older writers. It is still made the basis of _cosmetics_, +and this empirical practice goes to prove its efficacy--to those at +least who have experienced its effects in cleansing and healing sinuous +ulcers, its stimulating property producing withal the sanitary adhesive +inflammation. A species of wine made from honey, called metheglin and +mead--the _mulsum_ of the ancients--was formerly much in use in this +country, and most deservedly so from its pleasant taste and salutary +properties. By the perfection of honey, this may now be obtained no doubt +of equal excellence here, and a rich mellifluous species of wine of the +most wholesome kind will be acquired, and open a new source of national +industry. + +"It has been said, that where the air is clear and hot, honey is better +than where it is variable and cold, and this seems to have served as +an apology for the inferiority of much of the honey contained in this +country. It is a position, which I am persuaded is not well founded; +for the honey in hot climates, notwithstanding the fragrance of the +flowers, is mostly inferior to the commonest samples produced here. This +inferiority, however, may be entirely owing to the difference in the +Bees--for I speak here of the wild or native honey--and it is probable +that the _apis mellifica_ might, in South America, on Mr. Nutt's plan, +produce the best of honey, and in very great abundance, because it would +there work all the year, and the product therefore would be greatly +increased. + +"I have seen honey taken in the forests of South America from several +different species of Bees; they were always destitute of a sting, +although entomologists consider it as one of the generic characters of +_apis_. It is also singular that their wax is always _black_, or dark +brown, although the pollen of the flowers, which is said to give colour, +is equally yellow as in this country. Bees obtain honey from most kinds +of flowers, but appear in general to prefer the labiati or lip flowers, +as those of sage, marjoram, mint, thyme, lavender, &c. + +"Mr. Nutt, in the course of his observation, has noticed the curious +fact, that the nectar or honey obtained from different plants is +carefully deposited by the Bees in separate cells, or at least that the +nectar from different _genera_ of plants is kept distinct. It appears +indeed, that the produce of the flowers is classed by them, and arranged +with a precision not inferior to that of the most accurate botanist. +What but a hand Divine could guide these little insects thus to mock the +boasted power of human reason! This consideration too, coupled with our +own interests, should operate as a powerful argument in favour of Mr. +Nutt's new conservative system of management, and against the reckless +destruction of the Bees. Mr. Nutt has already been patronised by the +Royal Family and several of the nobility, and no doubt his plan will +be adopted by all persons of intelligence, who engage in this pursuit, +whether for profit or the most rational amusement." + +When I first entered into my apiarian pursuits, I felt convinced of the +great and profitable extent to which they might be carried; and of this I +have been all along since confirmed as success has crowned my efforts. If +I could demonstrate--and I have repeatedly demonstrated--how much honey +might be increased in quantity, its superior quality also struck me as +a point of no less importance; and in this I am now most satisfactorily +confirmed by the sanction of those scientific friends whose valuable +opinions have been above quoted. With alacrity and pleasure I will +therefore proceed, without further introduction, to give a description +of my Bee-boxes, and other hives, and of all my Bee-machinery,--and +directions for the proper construction of them,--and also for the proper +ordering and management of Bees in them. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +BEE-BOXES AND MANAGEMENT OF BEES IN THEM. + + +The schemes and contrivances, and ways and means, to which apiarians +have had recourse, in order to deprive Bees of their honey, without +at the same time destroying their lives, have been various, and some +of them ingenious; but hitherto not one of them has been crowned with +the desired success. The leaf-hives of Dunbar and of Huber--Huish's +hive with cross-bars,--the piling of hive upon hive, or box upon box, +(called storifying), and several other contrivances, have all had this +great object in view,--have all had their patrons and admirers,--have +all had fair trials,--but have, notwithstanding, all failed of fully +accomplishing it. + +Whether my inventions may merit and may meet with a similar or with +a better fate, it is not for me to predict,--time will show. I feel +warranted, however, in asserting of my COLLATERAL-BOX-HIVE, which I am +now about to explain,--of my INVERTED-HIVE, and of my OBSERVATORY-HIVE, +of which in their proper places minute descriptions will be given,--I +feel, I say, warranted in asserting that these--my inventions--possess +such conveniences and accommodations both for Bees and Bee-masters, that +the pure treasure stored in them by those industrious, little insects +may at any time be abstracted from them, not only without destroying +the Bees, but without injuring them in the least, or even incommoding +their labours by the operation;--that they afford accommodations to +the Bees which greatly accelerate the progress of their labours in +the summer-season;--and that the Bees never leave them in disgust, as +it were, as they not unfrequently _do leave_ other hives, after being +deprived of their stores; but, as if nothing had happened to them, +continue day by day to accumulate fresh treasures, the quantity of which +has astonished the beholders, and not only the quantity, but the quality +also. + +That my boxes do not, admit of improvement is more than I assert; but +having worked them most successfully for many years, and knowing that +several other persons, following my directions, have succeeded with them +as well as myself, and far beyond their most sanguine expectations, I do +flatter myself that the principle of managing Bees after my plan is right. + +[Illustration] + +[Illustration] + +The plates here presented to my readers exhibit a set of my collateral +Bee-boxes open, and every compartment exposed to view, especially to +the view and for the examination of experienced workmen. I make use of +the word _experienced_, because the better the boxes are made, the more +certain will the apiarian be of success in the management of his Bees in +them. + +There has been some difference of opinion as to the most suitable +dimensions for Bee-boxes. I approve of and recommend those which are from +eleven to twelve inches square inside, and nine or ten inches deep in the +clear. + +The best wood for them is by some said to be red cedar; the chief grounds +of preference of which wood are--its effects in keeping moths out of the +boxes, and its being a bad conductor of heat. But of whatever kind of +wood Bee-boxes are made, it should be well seasoned, perfectly sound, and +free from what carpenters term _shakes_. Good, sound, red deal answers +the purpose very well, and is the sort of wood of which most of my boxes +have been made hitherto. The sides of the boxes, particularly the front +sides, should be at the least an inch and a half in thickness; for the +ends, top, and back-part, good deal one inch thick is sufficiently +substantial; the ends, that form the interior divisions and openings, +must be of half-inch stuff, well dressed off, so that, when the boxes and +the dividing-tins are closed, that is, when they are all placed together, +the two adjoining ends should not exceed five-eighths of an inch in +thickness. These communication-ends, the bars of which should be exactly +parallel with each other, form a communication, or a division, as the +case may require, which is very important to the Bees, and by which the +said boxes can be immediately divided without injuring any part of the +combs, or deluging the Bees with the liquid honey, which so frequently +annoys them, by extracting their sweets from the piled or storified boxes. + +This is not the only advantage my boxes possess: the receptacles +or frame-work for the ventilators, which appear upon each of the +end-boxes,--the one with the cover off, the other with it on--must be +four inches square, with a perforated, flat tin of nearly the same size, +and in the middle of that tin must be a round hole, to correspond with +the hole through the top of the box, and in the centre of the frame-work +just mentioned, an inch in diameter, to admit the perforated, cylinder, +tin ventilator, nine inches long. This flat tin must have a smooth piece +of wood well-made to fit it closely, and to cover the frame-work just +mentioned, so as to carry the wet off it, then placing this cover over +the square, perforated tin, your box will be secure from the action of +wind and rain. The perforated cylinder serves both for a ventilator, and +also for a secure and convenient receptacle for a thermometer, at any +time when it is necessary to ascertain the temperature of the box into +which the cylinder is inserted. Within this frame-work, and so that the +perforated, flat tin already described may completely cover them, at each +corner make a hole with a three-eighths centre-bit through the top of the +box. These four small holes materially assist the ventilation, and are, +in fact, an essential part of it. + +We next come to the long floor, on which the three square Bee-boxes, +(A. C. C.), which constitute _a set_, stand collaterally. This floor is +the strong top of a long, shallow box, made for the express purpose of +supporting the three Bee-boxes, and must, of course, be superficially of +such dimensions as those boxes, when placed collaterally, require; or, if +the Bee-boxes project the eighth part of an inch over the ends and back +of this floor-box, so much the better; because in that case the rain or +wet, that may at any time fall upon them, will drain off completely. For +ornament, as much as for use, this floor is made to project about two +inches in front; but this projection must be sloped, or made an inclined +plane, so as to carry off the wet from the front of the boxes. To the +centre of this projecting front, and on a plane with the edge of the part +cut away for the entrance of the Bees into the pavilion, is attached the +alighting-board, which consists of a piece of planed board, six inches by +three, having the two outward corners rounded off a little. The passage +from this alighting-board into the pavilion, (not seen in the plate, it +being at the centre of the side not shown) is cut, not out of the edge +of the box, _but out of the floor-board_, and should be not less than +four inches in length, and about half an inch in depth; or so as to make +a clear half-inch-way under the edge of the box for the Bee-passage. I +recommend this as preferable to a cut in the edge of the box,--because, +being upon an inclined plane, if at any time the wet should be driven +into the pavilion by a stormy wind, it would soon drain out, and the +floor become dry; whereas, if the entrance-passage be cut out of the box, +the rain that may, and at times will, be drifted in, will be kept in, and +the floor be wet for days, and perhaps for weeks, and be very detrimental +to the Bees. In depth the floor-box, measured from outside to outside, +should be four inches, so that, if made of three-fourths inch-deal, there +may be left for the depth of the box-part full two inches and a half. +Internally it is divided into three equal compartments, being one for +each Bee-box: admission to these compartments, or under-boxes, is by the +drawer and drawer-fronts, or blocks, which will be described presently. + +The bottom, or open edge of each of the boxes, (A. C. C.) should be +well planed, and made so even and square that they will sit closely and +firmly upon the aforesaid floor, and be as air-tight as a good workman +can make them, or, technically expressed, _be a dead fit_ all round. +In the floor-board are made three small openings, i. e. one near the +back of each box. These openings are of a semi-lunar shape, (though +any other shape would do as well) the straight side of which should +not exceed three inches in length, and will be most convenient if made +parallel with the back-edge of the box, and about an inch from it. They +are covered by perforated, or by close tin-slides, as the circumstances +of your apiary may require. The drawer (G.) the front of which appears +under the middle-box, is of great importance, because it affords one of +the greatest accommodations to the Bees in the boxes. In this drawer is +placed, if necessity require it, a tin made to fit it, and in that tin, +another thin frame covered with book-muslin, or other fine strainer, +which floats on the liquid deposited for the sustenance of the Bees. +Here, then, you have a feeder, containing the prepared sweet, in the +immediate vicinity of the mother-hive, and without admitting the cold or +the robbers to annoy the Bees. When you close the drawer thus prepared +with Bee-food, you must draw out the tin placed over the semi-lunar +aperture, which will open to the Bees a way to their food in the +drawer beneath. The heat of the hive follows the Bees into the feeding +apartment, which soon becomes the temperature of their native-hive. +Here the Bees banquet on the proffered boon in the utmost security, and +in the temperature of their native domicile. Under such favourable +circumstances it is an idle excuse, not to say--a want of humanity, to +suffer your Bees to die for want of attention to proper feeding. + +I now come to notice the use of the block-fronts on each side of +the feeding-drawer, marked G. These two block-fronts answer many +good purposes, and furnish the apiarian with several practical +advantages: first, in the facility they afford of adding numbers to +the establishment, as occasion may require, which is done without the +least inconvenience or trouble to the apiarian, and without the least +resentment from the native Bees; second, in affording to the Bees a place +of egress when you are about to take from them one of the end-boxes; +third, in the effectual and beautiful guard they furnish against robbers: +for instead of the solid block, seen in the plate, a safety-block (of +which a description will be given presently) may be substituted, which +is so contrived that ten thousand Bees can with ease leave their prison +and their sweets in the possession of the humane apiarian, without the +possible chance of a single intruder forcing its entrance to rob the +magazine or to annoy the apiarian. Perhaps this is the most pleasing +part, and the most happy convenience attached to the boxes. Its origin +was this: Whilst explaining to some scientific gentlemen at the National +Repository the method to be pursued in the management of Bees in a set of +collateral-boxes,--and, in particular, the manner of taking off a box of +honey, it was objected--that, on removing the block-front and withdrawing +the tin that opens a communication into the box above, though a passage +would thereby be opened for the imprisoned Bees to get away, it would at +the same time afford an opening and an opportunity--nay, be a sort of +invitation for the Bees of other hives,--for strange Bees and robbers to +get in, annoy, and destroy the native Bees, then subdued by having been +imprisoned, and to plunder and carry away their treasures. + +This objection, to persons unskilled in Bee-matters, may, I grant, appear +to be plausible--nay, reasonable: but every _practical apiarian_, who has +taken off two or three end-boxes of honey, knows very well that there is +not the least danger to be apprehended from robbers or marauders during +the short time that the liberated, native Bees are hurrying away as fast +as they can get. I have never witnessed any thing like an attempt to +besiege and rob a box so situated. Were, however, the communication to +be left open for any considerable time after the Bees have departed, I +have no doubt that, if not discovered by Bees belonging to other hives, +it (the vacated box) would be re-entered by its own Bees, and by them +be soon entirely emptied of its honey. Nothing, however, but down-right +carelessness on the part of the operator will ever subject a box of honey +to a visitation of this description. But, notwithstanding the conviction +in _my_ mind that the above-stated objection is _in fact_ groundless, I +set my wits to work to answer it in a way more satisfactory to the highly +respectable persons who raised it, and, if by any means I could, to +obviate it entirely. It did not cost me much mental labour to invent--_a +safety-block_,--nor does it require much manual labour to make one. + +A safety-block must be made to fit the place of the common block, and may +be cut out of a piece of half-inch deal board, having one side planed +off so as to leave the bottom-edge less than one-fourth of an inch in +thickness; then with a three-eighths-inch centre-bit cut as near the +lower, that is--the thin edge, as you can, a row of holes. Ten holes +in a length of six inches will allow a convenient space between each +hole. Next, over each of these small holes, suspend a piece of talc, cut +of a proper size for the purpose, by a thread of silk, and make that +thread fast round a tiny brass nail above. The talc, which is a mineral +substance as transparent as glass, and much lighter, and on that account +much better than glass, thus suspended over each hole, is easily lifted +and passed by Bees from within, but is heavy enough to fall again as soon +as a Bee has made its exit, and forms an effectual bar or block against +the entrance of Bees from the outside. A block of this description may be +had for a trifling expense, and is recommended to all such inexperienced +and timid--timid because inexperienced---apiarians, as are apprehensive +of being annoyed by intruders when they are taking off a box of honey. +Though this safety-block rather impedes the escape of the Bees, it has +nevertheless a pretty appearance when it is neatly made,--and it is +amusing enough to see the beautiful, little creatures pushing open first +one little trap-door and then another, popping out their heads, and then +winging their flight to the entrance of the pavilion. After all, though +it certainly is a complete _safety-block_, and was invented to obviate +a groundless objection, it is more an article of curiosity than of real +usefulness. + +Lastly, I have to notice the security which the under-box or frame gives +to the stability of the three upper boxes,--the firmness with which it +supports them,--and the dry and comfortable way in which the Bees by +it are enabled to discharge their dead, and other superfluities of the +colony, without their being exposed to the cold atmosphere of an autumn +or a spring morning. + +The octagon-box, marked H, is a covering for the bell-glass, marked B, +which is placed on the middle-box, or seat of nature. It matters not of +what shape this covering is, because any covering over the glass will +answer the same purpose, provided the under-board of it is wide enough +to cover the divisional openings, and to throw off the wet. I choose an +octagon because of the neatness of its appearance. + +In endeavouring to recommend these Bee-boxes as worthy of general +adoption, in order to succeed in my object, it is undoubtedly necessary +that the parts and construction of them, and of every thing pertaining to +them, be fully explained and clearly understood: I therefore proceed to +give another view of them. + +In the former plate they are exhibited as open, or detached and apart +from each other: in the following one they are represented as closed and +standing together, as when stocked with Bees, and in full operation in an +apiary: in both it is the back of the boxes that is presented. With the +exception of the alighting-board, the front is quite plain, being without +window-shutters in the boxes, and without drawer and block-fronts in the +under-board. + +[Illustration] + +In this plate the engraver has made the floor-box to extend beyond the +ends of the C. C. boxes; but, as has already been observed, and for the +reason before given, it is better that the floor-box be made so that +those (C. C.) boxes project a little over the ends and also over the back +of the floor. + + +EXPLANATION OF THE REFERENCES TO THE DIFFERENT PARTS OF A SET OF +COLLATERAL-BOXES. + + A. is the pavilion, or middle-box, which may be most easily stocked + by a swarm of Bees, just as a cottage-hive is stocked. + + B. is the bell-glass in the first plate,--in the second, it only + points to the place where the glass stands. + + C. C. are the collateral, or two end-boxes. + + D. D. are neat mouldings, about three inches wide, made of + three-fourths-inch deal, and are so fastened to the middle-box in + front, (i. e. the side not here shown) as well as at the back, + that an inch and a half of each may project beyond each corner of + that box, and form a cover and protection for the edges of the + dividing-tins, and also for the four seams, or joints, necessarily + made by placing the end-boxes against the middle one. + + E. E. are the frame-work and covers of the ventilation and + thermometer. + + F. F. are the block-fronts } + G. is the feeding-drawer } already described. + H. is the octagon-cover } + + I. I. I. are the window-shutters, five inches by four, or larger or + smaller, as fancy may direct: these shutters open as so many little + doors by means of small brass-joints, and are kept fast, when + closed, by a brass-button set on the box. + + 1, 2, 3, 4, are so many tin-slides, to cut off, or to open, as the + case may require, the communications between the pavilion and + the bell-glass, between the pavilion and the feeding-drawer, and + between the end-boxes and their under-boxes. + +For a Bee-passage between the pavilion and the bell-glass, is cut, in the +centre of the top of the pavilion, a circular hole, an inch in diameter, +and from the edge of that circular hole are cut four or six passages, +just wide enough to allow the Bees space to pass and re-pass. These +lineal cuts must of course terminate within the circumference of the +circle formed by the edge of the bell-glass that is placed over them. + +Perhaps it may be said,--in fact, it has been said--that these boxes are +in reality nothing more than a common cottage-hive. Be it so: but it is +an _improved_ cottage-hive, made convenient by being divisible, and by +having its parts well arranged. The middle-box, or department, marked +A, is, however, square, and not round, like the common straw-hive. But +beyond this one box the comparison cannot easily be carried; the common +straw-hive possesses no such conveniences and accommodations as those +afforded both to Bees and Bee-masters by the end-boxes of my hive. + +In the middle-box the Bees are to be first placed: in it first they +skilfully construct their beautiful combs,--and, under the prerogative +of one sovereign--the mother of the hive--carry on their curious works, +and display their astonishing, architectural ingenuity. In this box the +regina of the colony, surrounded by her industrious, happy, humming +subjects, carries on the propagation of her species,--deposits in +the cells prepared for the purpose by the other Bees, thousands upon +thousands of her eggs, though she deposits no more than one egg in a +cell at one time: these eggs are hatched and nursed up into a numerous +progeny by the other inhabitants of the hive. It is at this time, viz. +when hundreds of young Bees are daily coming into existence, that my +collateral-boxes are of the utmost importance to the Bees domiciled +in them: for when the young larvæ are perfected upon the cottage +plan, a swarm is the necessary consequence. The Queen, with thousands +of her Bee-subjects, leaves the colony, and seeks another place in +which to carry on her astonishing labours. But as swarming may, by +proper precaution and attention to my mode of management, generally +be prevented, it is manifestly a good thing to do so; for the time +necessarily required to establish another colony, even supposing the +cottager succeeds in saving the swarm, would otherwise be employed in +collecting the pure sweets, and in enriching the old hive. Here, then, is +one of the advantages of my plan, viz. _the prevention of swarming_. When +symptoms of swarming begin to present themselves, and which may be known +by an unusual noise in the hive or box (for it is of Bees in boxes that +I am now treating), and by the appearance of more than common activity +among the Bees; when these symptoms are apparent, then the Bee-master +may conclude that more space is required. At this period, therefore, he +should draw out the sliding-tin, marked 1, from under the bell-glass, +which simple operation will immediately open to the Bees a new room--a +palace--which they will adorn, and fill with their sweets as pure as +the crystal stream. But if by mistake the manager should draw up either +of the collateral-slides, which divide the end-boxes from the pavilion, +the Bees in that case will refuse to go up into the glass, and will +commence their works in the collateral-box opened to them, in preference +to the elevated glass; so well aware are these matchless insects of the +inconvenience attending the carrying of their treasures into an upper +room, when a more convenient store-house is to be had in a lower one. +The natural movements of Bees have demonstrated to me this fact by more +than a thousand trials: year after year I have made this experiment to +my entire satisfaction. The natural movements of the Bees also suggested +to me the idea of the utility of ventilation, and that by its influence +their works might be both divided and purified; and that a place of +safety might still be preserved for the Queen in the pavilion. She wants +a certain situation in which to carry on the work of propagating her +species. Like the fowls of the air, she will not, if she can avoid it, +propagate her young whilst under the observation and influence of man: +she, therefore, prefers the middle-box for her work of propagation; +as well on account of its privacy, as because the ventilation of the +end-boxes so cools their temperature, that they are not the situation +nature requires to bring the young larvæ to perfection; yet they can be +kept at such a temperature as to make them desirable store-rooms for the +Bees' treasures. By this mode of management we prevent the necessity of +swarming; and behold the grandest chemists in the world, and stores after +stores of their pure treasure, unadulterated by the necessary gathering +of immense quantities of farina for the young larvæ, which we see in the +piling system, as well as in the common cottage-hive; but this is all +carried into the immediate vicinity of the seat of nature, the place +where it is wanted. + +When the glass is nearly filled, which in a good season will be in a very +short space of time, the Bees will again want accommodation. Previously, +however, to drawing up the tin-slide to enlarge their crowded house, +the manager should take off the empty end-box he intends to open to +them, and smear or dress the inside of it with a little liquid honey. +Thus prepared, he must return the box to its proper situation, and then +withdraw the sliding-tin between it and the pavilion, or middle-box, and +thereby enlarge the Bees' dominion, by opening an end-box to them, which +will produce the greatest harmony in the hive. The Bees will immediately +commence their operations in this new apartment. This simple operation, +_done at a proper time_, effectually prevents swarming; and by it the +Queen gains a vast addition to her dominions, and consequently additional +space for the population of her enlarged domicile. There is now no want +of store-house room, nor of employment, for our indefatigable labourers. +And while the subjects are employed in collecting, and manufacturing (if +I may so say) their various materials, the regina is engaged in carrying +on the great, first principle of nature--the propagation of her species. +This she does in the department (A.) re-filling with her eggs the cells +which have been vacated by the young larvæ. When, however, her next new +progeny are about to be brought into life, the Bee-master must draw out +the other tin-slide, and thereby open a communication to the other empty +apartment, and so make a further addition to the Queen's realm; which the +new, and even veteran labourers, will presently occupy, and set about +improving and enriching their again enlarged commonwealth. No sooner have +the Bees finished their operations in the several compartments of their +box-hive, which may be ascertained by looking through the little windows +at the back and ends of the boxes, than the Bee-master gently puts in +the tin-slide (1.) lifts up the lid of the octagon-box or cover (H.) and +takes off the bell-glass, filled with the purest and most perfect honey. +Before, however, he endeavours to take away the glass, it is necessary +that he should cut through between the bell-glass and the box, with a +fine wire, in order that the tin may the more easily slide under the +full glass of honey; when this is done, he may take off the full glass +and replace it with an empty one. He must then draw out the tin-slide +(1.) and so on for even The operation of taking off a glass, or a box, +of honey, may be best performed in the middle of a fine, sunny day; +and in taking off a glass, the operator, having put in the tin-slide +(1.) as already directed, should wait a few minutes, to see whether the +Bees made prisoners in the glass manifest any symptoms of uneasiness; +because, if they do not, it may be concluded that the Queen-bee is +amongst them; and in that case it is advisable to withdraw the slide (1.) +and to re-commence the operation another day. But if, as it generally +happens, the prisoners in the glass should run about in confusion and +restlessness, and manifest signs of great uneasiness, _then_ the operator +may conclude that all is right, and, having taken off the octagon-cover, +may envelope the glass in a silk handkerchief, or dark cloth, so as to +exclude the light, remove it with a steady hand, and place it on one +side, or so that the Bees may have egress from it, in some shady place, +ten or fifteen yards from the boxes, and the Bees that were imprisoned in +it will in a few minutes effect their escape, and return with eagerness +to the pavilion and their comrades. + +And what may be done with B, may also be done with either of the C. C. +boxes, as occasion requires. It may not, however, be amiss to be more +explanatory of the mode of taking away the treasures of the Bees in +the side-boxes. It will be necessary to examine minutely the state of +your boxes, particularly when the whole of your colony is full of the +Bees' works. When the tin is put down to divide an end-box from the +mother-hive, you, no doubt, make many prisoners; to prevent which, the +night before separating an end-box from a middle one, lay open the +ventilator, which will not only lower the heat of the box, but will +admit the atmospheric air, which naturally causes the Bees to leave that +apartment, and to draw themselves into the middle-box--their native +climate; when this is done, you may put down the tin-slide (D.) as +already directed, and let your Bees remain fifteen or twenty minutes in +total darkness: then open the windows of the box you are about to take +off, and if the Queen-bee is not within that box, the Bees that are in +it will show a great desire to be liberated from their disagreeable +confinement, by running about in the most hurried, agitated, and +restless manner. But should the Queen-bee be there, you will then find +the Bees show no desire to leave her;--the commotion will appear in +the middle-box. Under such circumstances, which sometimes happen, you +must act with caution; for were you to open the egress from the box, +that is, the block (F.) and tin-slide (2. or 4. as the case may be) to +permit their departure, very shortly would the whole of the working Bees +join their sovereign in the box you intended to take; and this would +be a great disappointment and complete puzzle to the Bee-master, not +thoroughly acquainted with the moves of, or proper mode of managing, his +valuable hive. To me such an occurrence would be a repetition only of a +demonstration of facts--of pleasures unspeakable, in beholding the grand +works of nature, the noble influence of her majesty--the Queen of the +Bees. + +When, however, you do find the Queen in the box you are about to take +off, is it not easy to draw the tin-slide up again? Certainly it is +easy to draw up the dividing-tin. Do so, then, and that done, the +Queen-bee will readily embrace the opportunity of leaving the place of +her confinement; and then, having put down the dividing-tin, you will +presently be in a situation to accomplish your object. You will soon +see the Bees running to and fro upon the windows in the box you are +about to take off, and when you thus find them anxious to leave your +box of honey, close the windows, and you have then only to open an +egress by withdrawing the tin, No. 2. or 4. as your box may require; +the Bees finding an aperture, with light to direct their departure, +will immediately embrace the opportunity of regaining their liberty, +will fly away from their prison, and join their fellow-labourers at the +entrance of the mother-hive. In a few minutes you will be in possession +of a box of honey, and all your Bees will be in safety and harmonizing +with their beloved parent--the Queen of the hive. Take from them the box +your humanity entitles you to, minding that the tin-slide is safe to the +middle-box. You will then empty the full box, and return it empty to its +former place; then draw up your tin, and you again enlarge their domicil, +having gained a rich reward for your operation, at the expense of their +labour. A child of twelve years of age may be taught to do this without +the least danger; there need no Bee-dresses,--there needs no fumigation +of any sort. It is a natural movement for the welfare of these worthies, +that prevents their swarming, and at once secures to the sovereign Queen +of Bees her rightful throne. Reader, this declaration is founded on +facts,--on the practical experience of many years. And that you may +adopt this principle and mode of managing Honey-Bees, that is, of taking +from them their superabundance of treasure, and preserving your Bees +uninjured, and, if you can contrive it, improve upon the instructions +here given you, and upon the example here set you, is my hearty wish, +for my country's welfare, and for the welfare of my admired, nay, my +_beloved_ BEES. + +Should it, however, so happen, as it sometimes may, owing to a variety +of causes, such, for instance, as the negligence, or unskilfulness, +or unavoidable absence of the Bee-master at a critical time, or from +any other cause, should it, I say, so happen that the pavilion, or +middle-box, should swarm, take such swarm into one of the end-boxes, +prepared for such an event, by merely making an entrance to it, at or +as near as possible to the corner farthest from the entrance into the +middle-box; and before this new entrance fix a small alighting board. +The swarm will thus become a family of itself, and as much a stock +pro tempore, as if it were placed on a separate stand, provided the +dividing-tin, which separates the middle-box from that in which the +swarm is put, be carefully adjusted, and made perfectly tight and secure, +so that a Bee cannot pass from one box to the other. To this material +point the apiarian will necessarily attend when he first removes the +end-box in order to put the swarm into it. In the evening place the box +containing the swarm on its floor, just where and as it was before it +was taken off. Let the Bees thus managed work two or three weeks, or as +the nature of the season may require,--I mean--until the end-box appears +to be pretty well filled with combs. Then close up the exterior entrance +of the collateral-box containing the swarm of Bees, and draw out the +sliding-tin which hitherto has separated the two families or colonies, +and the Bees will unite, and become one family. The apiarian will +likewise witness with pleasure the effect of ventilation in the hive; for +as soon as the Bees have deposed one of the Queens, and the end-box has +been cooled by means of the cylinder-ventilator, he will discover that +the combs will be presently emptied of every material necessary for the +support of the young larvæ; so that the combs, that had been so recently +constructed for a seat of nature, soon become receptacles for pure +honey, and the numerous Bees become the subjects of one sovereign in the +middle-box. + +This is a neat method of re-uniting a swarm to its parent-stock; and the +operation is so easy that the most unpractised apiarian may perform it +without subjecting himself to the slightest danger of being stung by the +Bees. It can however only be practised with Bees in boxes. Another and a +more prompt method of returning a swarm to its parent-stock, and which is +practicable with swarms from cottage-hives, as well as with those from +boxes, is the following. + +After the swarm has been taken in the usual way into an empty box, or +into a straw-hive, and suffered to settle and cluster therein for an hour +or two, gently and with a steady hand take the box or hive, and, having +a tub of clean water placed ready and conveniently for the purpose, with +a sudden jerk dislodge the Bees from the box or hive and immerse them +in the water. Let them remain therein two or three minutes: then drain +it off through a sieve, or other strainer, and spread the now harmless +Bees--harmless, because apparently half-drowned, upon a dry towel or +table-cloth, and search for and _secure the Queen_. This done, and which +may very easily be done, place a board or two in a slanting direction +from the entrance of the parent-hive to the ground; upon this lay the +cloth on which are your immersed Bees, and spread them thinly over it, +in order that they may the sooner become dry; and, as they become dry, +you will with pleasure see them return to their native-hive, which they +will be permitted to enter without the slightest opposition from the Bees +already therein. + +By this operation not only are the immersed Bees cooled, but their +re-union with those already in the hive cools them also, and considerably +lowers the temperature of the whole stock. With a late swarm from any +sort of hive, as well as with an accidental swarm from boxes, this is +a good method to be adopted; and, if the apiarian possess sufficient +coolness and dexterity to perform it cleverly, it is a practice I would +recommend whenever it is advisable to return a swarm to its native-hive. +When a swarm has thus been returned to a cottage-hive an eke should be +added forthwith. + +Before I further explain the nature of my collateral Bee-boxes, I shall +briefly express my desire that my readers will attend particularly to +the discovery of the effects of ventilation. I have been asked--"Of what +use is ventilation in the domicil of Bees?" I answer--one of its uses +has already been described, and much more of its use, I may say, of its +necessity, in the humane management of Bees will be told presently. Many +treatises on the management of these valuable insects have appeared, but +in none of them do I find any allusion to this important point--important +in my practice at least, and essentially necessary in it. Therefore-- + + To works of Nature join the works of man, + To show, by art improved, what Nature can. + Nature's great efforts can no further tend, + Here fix'd her pillars, all her labours end. + + Dryden. + +Perhaps the divided labour of the Honey-Bees was anticipated by the +author of these lines: but, be that as it might, I, in my turn, will +ask--How can we preserve the Bees uninjured, divide their works, and take +away their superabundant treasure, without the influence of ventilation? +I think it is impossible. A lesson, a true lesson from nature, has +demonstrated this fact to me, and twelve years' constant labour and +attention to this important subject have put into operation my plans for +the welfare of that wonderful insect--the sovereign Queen of Bees. Well +might Dr. Bevan say-- + + First of the throng, and foremost of the whole, + One stands confess'd the sovereign and the soul. + +Curious facts respecting this extraordinary creature are before me, +which have been ascertained and proved by means of my observatory-hive. +This hive is unknown in any work hitherto published on the interesting +subject of Bee-management: and with reference to it I may observe--that +when a new principle is discovered by studying nature, such principle +will seldom fail to produce effects beneficial in proportion to its being +understood and skilfully applied. So simple and so rational (if I may so +say) is my observatory-hive, that it cannot but be approved, when it is +once understood, by the followers of my apiarian practice. Be my humble +theory what it may, it hath truth for its foundation; and by perseverance +and industry I flatter myself I shall materially improve, if not bring +to perfection, the cultivation and management of Honey-Bees, merely by +pointing out _how_ the produce of their labour may be divided, _how_ a +part thereof may be taken away, a sufficiency be left for the sustenance +of the stock, and _how_ their lives may be preserved notwithstanding. + +Much has been said against the probable results of this practice: +but facts are stubborn things; and luckily for me and my mode of +Bee-management, I have an abundance of the most incontrovertible facts +to adduce, which will, I think and hope, convince all those who have +heretofore entertained doubts upon the subject. + +The first movement in my apiarian practice commences with the pavilion +of nature. This pavilion, which is equivalent to a cottage-hive, is the +subject of my present observations and explanation. + +I say, then,---disturb not this hive--this pavilion of nature: weaken +not its population; but support its influence, and extend to it those +accommodations which no practice, except my own, has yet put into +operation, or made any adequate provision for. This humane practice +partakes not of the driving, nor of the fumigating, nor of the robbing +system. It is a liberal principle of Bee-cultivation founded on humanity. +And it is by such practice that we must succeed, if we hope to be +benefited by the culture of Honey-Bees. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +VENTILATION. + + +To ascertain the degree of heat in a colony of Bees, and to regulate it +by means of ventilation, as circumstances may require, recourse must be +had to the use of the thermometer, as will be explained presently. But +here I would ask my worthy Bee-keepers, whether, in the course of their +experience, they have at any time beheld a honey-comb suspended beneath +the pedestal of any of their hives--a circumstance that not unfrequently +occurs under old stools? The beautiful appearance of a comb suspended +in such a situation is, as it were, the very finger of Providence, +pointing out the effects of ventilation, and teaching us by an example +the necessity there is for it in a crowded, busy hive. Behold the purity +of such a comb; examine the cause of that purity, and you will find that +it is owing--solely and undoubtedly owing--to the powerful influence of +VENTILATION. + +An occurrence of this description, I mean--the discovery of a beautiful +comb suspended, as just described, having excited my curiosity and my +admiration, led me to inquire into the cause of it, and to study to +discover, if by any means I could, why my skilful, little Bees should +have constructed their combs in such a situation. My observations soon +satisfied me that one of these two causes, viz. either a want of room +in the hive,--or a disagreeable and oppressive heat in it,--or most +probably, a combination of these two causes, had rendered it necessary +for them, if they continued working at all, to carry on their work in +that singular manner. My next step was to endeavour to prove the truth +of my reasonings and conclusions, in which, I flatter myself, I have +fully succeeded, after no inconsiderable labour, and many contrivances +to accommodate the Bees with additional room, as they have had occasion +for it, and after repeated experiments to keep such room, when added, +at a temperature agreeable to them by means of ventilation. In short, +my COLLATERAL-BOXES and VENTILATION are the results of my studies and +experiments on this point of apiarian science. + +There are few persons, who are managers of Honey-Bees under the old hive +system, who, if they have not seen a comb constructed and suspended +in the manner just described, have not, however, beheld these little +creatures, when oppressed with the internal heat of their crowded +domicil, and straitened for want of room in it, unhappily clustering and +hanging at the door, or from and under the floor-board of their hive, in +a ball frequently as large as a man's head, and sometimes covering all +the front part of it, for sixteen or twenty days together; and this, be +it remarked, at the season of the year which is the most profitable for +their labours in the fields and among the flowers. During this distress +of the Bees in, or belonging to, such a hive, their labours are of +necessity suspended,--their gathering of honey ceases,--ceases too at the +very time that that saccharine substance is most plentifully secreted by +the vegetable world. And---why? Because they want an enlargement of their +domicil,--an extension of the dominion, or (if it may be so termed) of +the territory of the Queen; by which enlargement swarming is superseded, +and the Royal Insect relieved from the necessity of abdicating her +throne, retains it, continues and extends the propagation of her species, +and of course increases the busy labours of her innumerable subjects. +_This accommodation is provided for Bees in my collateral-boxes._ + +Ancient as well as modern Bee-keepers have frequently adopted the plan +of eking, that is--placing three or four rounds of a straw-hive (called +an eke) under their hives. This method of enlarging a hive does in many +instances prevent swarming during that one season. Notwithstanding, +from all that I can see in it, it tends only to put off the evil day, +and to accumulate greater numbers of Bees for destruction the following +year. This is certain, because on minute examination of the pavilion of +nature, we find an increase of wealth, as well as an increase of numbers +in the state; but there is no provision or contrivance in the common +hive for dividing the wealthy produce of the labours of those numbers: +eking will not do it,--eking enlarges the hive, and that is all it does; +consequently to get at their honey, the necessity for destroying the +Bees follows, and the suffocating fumes of brimstone at length bring +these worthies to the ground--to the deadly pit in which they are first +suffocated, then buried, and are, alas, no more! a few minutes close the +existence of thousands that had laboured for their ungrateful masters; +and their once happy domicil becomes a scene of murder, of plunder, and +of devastation, which is a disgrace to Bee-masters, and ought by all +means to be discountenanced and discontinued. Assuredly Bees are given +to us by the gracious Giver of all good things for a better purpose +than that of being destroyed by thousands and by millions. Are we not +instructed by the sacred writings to go to the Bee and to the ant, +and learn wisdom? We are not told, neither are we warranted, by this +language, to go and destroy them and their works,---to disobey the +commands of their, no less than of our Maker, who has given Bees to us +for our edification and comfort, and not wantonly to commit a species of +murder, in order to procure their delicious treasure. Nor is there the +slightest necessity for destroying Bees in this cruel manner, when an act +of humanity will obtain for us their purest honey, and secure to us their +lives for future and profitable labour. Surely, then, an act of humanity +to Bees cannot be displeasing to any one, especially when we are taught +by the beneficial results of our experience, that their lives _may be +preserved_, and their labours for us thereby continued. + +Apiarian reader, take this subject into thy serious consideration: in +the busy hive behold the curious works of God's creatures--the Bees; +misuse riot, then, the works of his hands; but improve upon this lesson +from nature: and for a moment pause before thou lightest the deadly +match,--before thou appliest it with murderous intent to the congregated +thousands in thy hive. + + It's he who feels no rev'rence for God's sacred name, + That lights the sulphur up to cause the dreadful flame: + Alas! I think, viewing the monster's busy hand + Taking the dreadful match, I see a murderer stand. + +These insects' indefatigable labours alone should humanize our feelings +for them, and induce us to spare their lives, for the rich treasures +which they first collect, and then unresistingly yield up to us when +operated upon by the healthy influence of ventilation. + +Why should we lay the axe to the root of the tree that produces such good +fruit? Rather let us gather from its pure branches, and let the root +live. Examine the nature and effects of my Bee-machinery, and you will +discover its utility and its value in the management of Bees. By the +proper application of that machinery you may instantaneously divide the +treasures of the Bees, even in the most vigorous part of their gathering +season, without the least danger to the operator, and frequently without +the destruction of a single Bee. Is not this, then, a rational and humane +practice? I trust it wants only to be properly understood in order to be +universally adopted. + +Again: Does not she that is a kind mother know the wants and desires +of her children? Take the lovely offspring from its mother's care and +protection, and imprison it before her eyes, and will she not impatiently +cry aloud for its release and restoration to liberty? and will not the +child's screams show its affection for its fond parent? and when its +liberty is restored, does not consolation quickly follow? The lost child +being once more under its mother's care, both mother and child are happy. +Similar facts are exemplified by the mother of the hive, who loves her +multitudinous offspring, and lives in harmony and affection with them. +She evidently dislikes a separation from her subjects, who seem to be, +and doubtless are, most devotedly attached to her. And when, on taking +off a glass or a box, they are divided only for a few minutes, we witness +their sorrow, and hear their lamentations in the hive,--the Queen-mother +calling for her children, anxious on their part to be released; and +as soon as an opportunity is afforded them of effecting their escape, +they embrace it,--the moment they feel their liberty, they gladly take +advantage of it, and return to the pavilion in multitudes, so that in a +short time tranquillity is restored, and peace and happiness are again +enjoyed by the previously unhappy mother of the hive,--her subjects crowd +round her, and the place that had lately been their prison soon becomes +their palace, and a magazine for future treasure, which the humane +apiarian will again be entitled to. + +Much has been said on the piling or storifying mode of managing Bees; +and I admit that there are advantages in it which we do not meet with +in the cottage-hive system. It is, notwithstanding, imperfect in the +design,--it is founded in error,--in practice it is liable to many +difficulties,--and it is particularly disadvantageous to the labours of +these valuable insects, as will be more fully shown when I come to state +my objections to it. + +We have only to study the nature and habits of Bees, and to watch +particularly the desires of these indefatigable creatures. They alone +will teach us the lesson. But follow them through their movements +during a summer's day, and you will behold them, as it were, pitifully +asking for the assistance of man, according to the varying state of the +thermometer. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +THERMOMETER. + + +As I have been frequently asked to explain the utility of ventilation +in a hive or colony of Bees, so have I as frequently been asked, +sometimes with civility and politeness, sometimes jeeringly and in +contempt,--"What has the thermometer to do with Bees?" I answer--We +shall see presently; and I trust, see enough to convince the veriest +sceptic on the subject, that the thermometer is an instrument that is +indispensably necessary in the management of Bees according to my plan. +Such inquirers might as reasonably ask what the mainspring of a watch +has to do with the movements of that machine? Without the mainspring +the watch would not work at all; and without the thermometer we cannot +ascertain with any degree of accuracy the interior temperature of the +hive; the knowledge of which temperature is of the utmost consequence in +the humane management of Honey-Bees. The thermometer is the safest, if +not the sole guide to a scientific knowledge of their state and works. To +ventilate an apiary or colony of Bees, when their interior temperature +is under 60 degrees, would be ruinous to them,--because contrary to the +prosperous progress of their natural labours. From upwards of fifteen +hundred observations in the summer of 1825, I am fully satisfied on this +point. Their nature is to keep up at least that, and sometimes a much +higher, degree of temperature by their indefatigable labours; and as the +temperature of the hive rises, so does it invigorate and encourage an +increase of population, as well as an increase of their treasured sweets. +As the hive fills, so will the thermometer rise to 120 and even to 130 +degrees, before these worthies will by over-heat be forced to leave their +wealthy home. When the thermometer is at the above height, these wealthy +colonists will have arrived at the highest state of perfection,--wealthy +indeed, every store-house being filled nearly to suffocation with their +abundant treasures, and they, as it were, petitioning the observer of +their too-limited store-house for a fresh room. Thus circumstanced then +give them a fresh room,--accommodate them with such a store-house as +either of my collateral-boxes will and is intended to afford them. _Force +them not to warm:_ an emigration from a prosperous colony of half its +population cannot fail of being very disadvantageous, both to those that +emigrate, who must necessarily be poor, and to those that remain, be they +ever so industrious, or ever so wealthy. + +When you discover your thermometer rising rapidly, and, instead of +standing, as it generally does in a well-stocked colony, at about 80 +degrees, rising in a few hours to 90, and perhaps to 96, or even to +100, you may conclude that ventilation is _then_ highly necessary. The +more you ventilate, when their temperature gets to this oppressive and +dangerous height, the more you benefit the Bees labouring under it; for +when they find a comfortable temperature within, they enjoy it, and will +proceed to fill every vacant comb. + +Nature has provided the Queen of Bees with the power of multiplying her +species, and of providing against any casualty which in so numerous a +state may frequently happen. That all-seeing eye that neither slumbers +nor sleeps, but constantly superintends alike the affairs of insects +and of men, has, doubtless, long beheld the shameful neglect of man, +which is the main cause of the distress of the hive, and which _forces_ +it to swarm. Let man, then, remedy the distress and mischief which he +occasions, by _preventing it_. It is the Queen-Bee that emigrates; were +she not to lead, none would lead; nor would any follow were another than +the Queen to lead, to seek and to settle in some place more congenial +to them than an over-heated, over-stocked, though rich hive. She well +knows she cannot live in a state subjected to a suffocating heat, amidst +an overgrown population. So she leaves the royal cradle, impregnated +with the royal larva, and withdraws from the hive, reluctantly, one may +suppose, though accompanied by thousands of her subjects. The Queen-Bee +leads the swarm to seek a place of comfort, and to establish another +home, where not one cell nor drop of honey exists. + +To establish the truth of these assertions, and to prove the utility +of ventilation and of the thermometer, in regulating the degree of +ventilation in the management of Bees, I will now give my reader an +account of some interesting experiments that I made in 1826, and then +add a few extracts from my thermometrical journal of that summer; which +in fact guided me in those experiments, for without the assistance of +my thermometer I could not have made them; from which, taken together, +it will, I think, be sufficiently evident that ventilation and the +thermometer are highly necessary,--are alike important,--in short, are +_indispensable_ in the humane management of Honey-bees. + +On the 26th of June 1826, I suffered a colony of Bees to swarm, in order +to prove the truth of the foregoing statements. It was a very fine +colony: the thermometer had been standing at 110 for six days previously, +in one of the collateral end-boxes; on the eighth day it rose suddenly to +120. I was then forcing my Bees to leave their home; I could have lowered +their temperature, and by so doing, I could have retained my worthies in +their native boxes: but I was then about to prove a fact of the greatest +moment to apiarians. On the ninth day, at half-past twelve o'clock, +the finest swarm I ever beheld towered above my head, and literally +darkened the atmosphere in the front of my apiary. After remaining about +five minutes in the open air, the Queen perched herself upon a tree in +my garden, where she was exposed to the rays of a scorching sun; but +her loyal subjects quickly surrounded her, and screened her from its +influence. I immediately did what I could to assist my grand prize, by +hanging a sheet before it, to ward off the intense heat of the sun. I +allowed the Bees to hang in this situation until the evening. During the +absence of the swarm from the colony, my full employment was to watch the +parent-stock, in order that I might, in the evening, return the Bees of +this beautiful swarm to their native-hive, which they had been forced to +leave. Curiosity and a desire to solve a doubtful problem, for the good +of future apiarians, led me to act as already related, at the expense +of much inconvenience to the Bees. The remaining Honey-Bees continued +labouring during the remainder of the day; and in the evening of that +same day, the thermometer was standing at 90 degrees in the old stock; so +that the absence of the swarm had lowered the temperature of the pavilion +30 degrees, and I was quite sure I could reduce it in the collateral +end-box to that of the exterior atmosphere, which, after the sun had gone +down, was only 65. + +To effect this, I resolved at once to take off a fine top-glass filled +with honey. I did so: its weight was fourteen pounds. This operation +reduced the interior heat of the colony to 75. But looking at my grand +swarm, and intent as I was upon re-uniting it to the parent-stock, I +thought it impossible for the vacant space conveniently to hold all +the Bees. I had one, and only one, alternative left,--and that was to +take from my colony a collateral-box. I therefore took it; and a most +beautiful box it was: its weight was fifty pounds. I immediately placed +an empty box in the situation the full one had occupied. I then drew +from the side of the pavilion the dividing tin-slide, and the whole of +the colony was shortly at the desired temperature of 65, that being the +exterior heat of the evening. I was now fully convinced of the propriety +of returning the swarm. I commenced operations for accomplishing that +object at ten o'clock in the evening, by constructing a temporary stage +near the mouth of the parent-stock. I then procured a white sheet, and +laid it upon the table or temporary stage, and in a moment struck the +swarm from the hive into which the Bees had been taken from the bough +in the evening. My next difficulty was to imprison the sovereign of +the swarm: but with a little labour I succeeded in discovering her, and +made her my captive. No sooner was she my prisoner than the Bees seemed +to be acquainted with her absence. But so near were they placed to the +mouth of the parent-stock that they soon caught the odour of the hive, +and in the space of about fifteen minutes the whole swarm, save only her +majesty, were under the roof of their parent-home. The following morning +increased my anxiety about the welfare of my stock. Fearful lest my +carious anticipations should meet with a disappointment, at sun-rise in +the morning I released from her imprisonment the captive Queen. I placed +her on the front-board, near the entrance of her hive, to ascertain, if +possible, whether there was within the state one greater than herself. +But no visible sign of such being the case presented itself. The +influence of the cheery sun soon caused her to move her majestic body to +the entrance of her native domicil, where she was met, surrounded, and no +doubt welcomed, by thousands of her subjects, who soon conducted her into +the hive, and, it may be presumed, re-instated her on the throne, which a +few hours before she had been compelled to abdicate. The Bees afterwards +sallied forthwith extraordinary alacrity and regularity, and, beyond my +most sanguine expectations, filled a large glass with honey in the short +space of six days. That glass of honey was exhibited at the National +Repository, with a model of my apiary, and was much admired by many of +the members and visitors of that noble institution. + +I have now to remark, that during the nine days after the swarm had +been returned to the parent-stock, the thermometer continued rising +until it reached the temperature of 90 within the collateral-box; and +on the tenth day, at five o'clock in the morning, I witnessed the grand +secret,--I viewed with unutterable delight the extraordinary fact I had +been endeavouring to ascertain,--viz.--_two royal nymphs laid prostrate +on the alighting-board_, near the exterior entrance of the hive. This +circumstance alone convinced me that no more swarming was necessary. +I have further to notice, that on the third day afterwards the Bees +commenced their destruction of the drones,--which was a satisfactory +proof that I had gained my point. That colony has never swarmed since +the period I thus first satisfactorily established the utility of +ventilation. And on minutely attending to the extraordinary movements +of this my favourite colony, it was not uncommon to notice the most +infant appearance of the royal brood lying upon the front-board of the +pavilion. So that I am well satisfied that the royal larva is always in +existence in the hive, independently of the reigning Queen. Let me not +be misunderstood; I do not mean by this expression to assert--that the +royal larva exists in the hive without the instrumentality or agency of +the reigning Queen;--far from it; for no common Bees can make a sovereign +Bee without the egg from the royal body: what I do mean is--that the +royal larva is always in existence in a colony of Bees, notwithstanding +the existence and presence of a reigning Queen--that the Queen is there, +and that the royal larva is there at the same time. In this the wisdom +of Providence is manifest; for Nature has _thus_ provided that the +royal cradle should contain the royal brood, that in case any accident, +misfortune, casualty, or necessity, should occasion the absence of the +reigning Queen, another may be brought forth. This larva in reserve, as +it were, is protected and reared by the inhabitants with the utmost +care, nay, in the absence of the Queen, it is almost worshipped, until +it becomes sufficiently matured to take the office and fulfil the duties +of its royal predecessor; of course it then reigns supreme,--it is +then Queen absolute. On this point I not only coincide in opinion with +Thorley, but have seen enough in the course of my experience among Bees +to confirm the truth of what I have now stated. As, however, the further +discussion of this nice point belongs to the natural history of the Bee +rather than to the explanation and inculcation of my practical mode of +Bee-management, I refrain from saying more upon it, lest by so doing +I should inadvertently excite criticism and controversy. I therefore +proceed with my proper subject. + +The following thermometrical observations are from the journal before +mentioned. The first column gives the day of the month,--the second shows +the hour of the day when the thermometer was examined,--and the third is +its height at those several times in the colony of Bees upon which my +experiments were so successfully made. + + 1826. At this state of the Thermometer + April Hour Ther. it is highly necessary + to remove your Bees to their + 1 8 38 summer stand. A great decrease + -- 12 46 of wealth in the hive will appear + 2 8 38 daily under this temperature; + -- 12 43 and feeding should be resorted + 3 8 32 to until it rise to 50: and if + -- 12 37 _moderate feeding_ be continued + 4 12 37 until the interior temperature + 5 37 reach 55, it will materially + 6 37 strengthen and invigorate your + 7 37 Bees. And as the thermometer + 8 8 40 continues to rise, you will find + -- 12 45 your hive improve. It will soon + 9 8 46 be in a good state for the spring. + 10 12 58 Considerable improvements in + 11 6 46 the combs, and immense gathering + -- 10 58 of farina, appear to occupy + 12 9 52 the Bees at this time. + -- 1 64 + 13 12 64 The enemies of Bees are + 14 64 numerous and active in this + 15 64 month. As much as possible + 16 64 guard against their attacks, and + 17 64 be careful to defend your Bees + 18 8 54 against them. At all times keep + 19 12 60 their floor-boards clean; and + 20 56 now withdraw the dead Bees, if + 21 12 58 there should appear to be any + 22 50 lying on the floor-boards or + 23 52 other stands. This will save + 24 60 the live Bees much labour, and + 25 65 may be done very easily. + 26 70 + 27 74 + 28 68 + 29 74 + 30 70 + + May Hour Ther. Swarming may be expected in + 1 5 42 this month if the hives be rich + -- 9 58 and the season favourable. To + -- 12 70 prevent which enlarge your + 2 5 41 hives, by adding three or four + -- 8 48 rounds, i. e. an eke, to the + -- 12 60 bottom of each of them. + 3 5 43 + -- 12 56 If you have the collateral-box + 4 7 51 hives, you need only draw up + 5 7 52 the tin-slides, or one of them, + -- 4 52 as occasion may require. By + 6 7 46 this means you enlarge the Bees' + -- 1 63 domicil, without admitting the + 7 5 42 atmospheric air. This move + 8 12 60 so pleases these indefatigable + 9 1 78 creatures, that you will behold + 10 12 58 at once the utility and humanity + 11 12 54 of this mode of management. + 12 12 62 + 13 12 72 + 14 12 70 + -- 1 75 + 15 5 43 + -- 12 70 + -- 2 74 + 16 12 70 Should the weather be seasonable, + 17 12 68 the boxes will now be filled + 18 8 58 rapidly, and the thermometer + 19 8 50 will rise quickly. At this period + -- 12 70 ventilation will demonstrate + 20 8 58 what has hitherto been a secret + -- 12 60 of nature;--viz. many young + 21 8 54 sovereigns in various states of + -- 12 62 perfection will be seen daily cast + -- 2 58 out of the hives: and the waxen + 22 8 54 cells will be extended to the + -- 12 62 remotest corners of their domicil. + -- 2 58 + 23 7 50 Riches are now rapidly accumulated: + -- 12 62 and the glasses filled + -- 2 70 with the purest sweets. Small + 24 7 50 glasses may be taken off from + -- 12 68 the inverted-hives, if the weather + -- 2 72 prove fine. + 25 5 60 + -- 8 62 Mem.--A glass of honey, weighing + -- 11 64 12 lbs. and a collateral-box, + -- 12 70 weighing 42 lbs. taken. + -- 3 71 + 26 7 58 After taking the above treasure + -- 10 74 from the collateral-hive, + -- 1 80 and placing an empty glass and + -- 4 73 an empty box in the places of + 27 6 61 those taken off, the interior + -- 10 74 temperature was reduced to 60 + -- 12 84 degrees, while the atmosphere + -- 2 82 was 56 at twelve o'clock at + -- 4 80 night. + -- 5 70 + 28 6 60 + -- 12 68 The pure honey taken was + -- 2 68 about one-fourth of the weight + -- 3 70 of the hive, and it will be + -- 8 61 observed that the heat shows a + 29 5 60 decrease in the temperature of + -- 10 64 one fourth. + -- 1 76 + -- 7 66 + -- 9 64 + 30 6 60 + -- 8 64 + -- 9 74 + -- 12 78 + 31 6 61 + -- 12 74 + -- 2 78 + -- 4 76 + + June Hour Ther. + 1 7 62 + -- 12 76 + 2 6 62 + -- 12 78 + -- 5 76 + 3 6 60 Mem.--A collateral-box of + -- 12 76 honey, weighing 56 lbs. and a + -- 5 74 glass on the 10th, weighing 14-1/2 + 4 6 60 lbs. taken. + -- 12 74 + -- 3 78 + 5 6 54 + -- 12 68 + 6 6 58 + -- 12 66 + -- 3 62 + 7 6 54 + -- 2 62 + -- 4 64 + 8 6 52 + -- 12 56 + -- 4 52 + 9 7 54 + -- 12 74 + -- 2 80 + 10 6 60 + -- 12 74 + -- 3 72 + 11 6 60 + -- 12 70 + -- 3 76 + -- 4 78 + -- 9 70 + 12 6 64 Mem.--A collateral-box, + -- 12 74 weighing 60 lbs. and + -- 2 82 another, weighing 52 lbs. + 13 6 60 taken. + -- 10 82 + -- 12 90 + 14 6 64 + -- 12 84 + -- 2 88 -------------------------- + -- 4 86 + 15 7 66 + -- 10 70 + -- 3 88 + -- 6 80 24 7 66 + 17 12 70 -- 8 82 + -- 3 88 -- 3 90 + -- 9 68 25 6 70 + 18 6 66 -- 10 90 + -- 12 70 -- 12 94 + -- 2 76 26 7 86 + 19 6 60 -- 11 94 + -- 12 70 -- 5 91 + -- 5 66 -- 9 86 + 20 8 60 27 7 84 + -- 12 70 -- 9 90 + -- 3 76 -- 1 96 + 21 7 60 28 6 88 + -- 12 70 -- 12 94 + -- 3 72 -- 11 90 + 22 9 70 29 6 86 + -- 12 70 -- 12 94 + -- 3 65 -- 2 96 + 23 6 70 -- 7 91 + -- 12 75 30 5 90 + -- 3 82 -- 12 96 + -- 6 76 -- 4 84 + + July Hour Ther. + 1 6 94 If the pasturage for Bees begin + -- 12 96 to fail in your neighbourhood + -- 4 94 at this time, it is advisable, if + -- 7 94 it be practicable, to remove your + 2 6 94 colonies to a better and a more + -- 12 96 profitable situation. You will be + -- 6 94 richly rewarded for this attention + -- 10 94 to the prosperity of your apiary. + 3 6 94 + -- 12 96 + -- 6 94 + -- 10 90 -------------------------------- + 4 6 92 + -- 12 94 July Hour Ther. + -- 6 90 14 6 76 + 5 6 90 -- 12 78 + -- 12 92 -- 6 76 + -- 6 90 15 6 74 + 7 6 90 -- 12 76 + -- 12 92 -- 6 78 + -- 6 92 16 6 78 + -- 10 92 -- 12 86 + 8 7 92 -- 6 86 + -- 12 92 -- 10 80 + -- 6 90 17 6 78 + -- 11 90 -- 10 78 + 9 6 88 -- 12 80 + -- 12 92 18 6 76 + -- 3 82 -- 12 80 + -- 10 80 -- 6 78 + 10 6 78 -- 10 76 + -- 12 80 19 6 76 + -- 6 82 -- 12 80 + 11 6 80 -- 6 74 + -- 12 84 -- 10 74 + -- 6 86 20 6 68 + -- 10 90 -- 12 70 + 12 6 86 -- 6 70 + -- 12 80 -- 10 70 + -- 6 76 21 6 66 + -- 10 74 -- 12 68 + 13 6 74 -- 4 64 + -- 12 76 + -- 6 76 + +Summary of memorandums of the several deprivations or takings of honey +from one set of boxes this season: + + May 27. Glass and box 54 lbs. + June 9. Box 56 .. + ---- 10. Glass 14-1/2 .. + ---- 12. Box 60 .. + ---- 13. Ditto 52 .. + Collateral-box 60 .. + -------- + 296-1/2 lbs. + +Did I deem it necessary, I could, from the letters of a variety of +highly respectable correspondents, show that the mode of managing Bees +in the way, and upon the principles, now explained, has been adopted, +and _has succeeded_ even beyond the most sanguine expectations of many +of my worthy friends and patrons; but I will content myself at present +with giving the two following letters, which I have just received from +a gentleman in this neighbourhood, whose very name, to all who have any +knowledge of or acquaintance with him, will be a sufficient guarantee +that his statements are facts. Besides, his letters are a condensed, and +I must say--clever epitome of my practical directions for the management +of Bees in my boxes, and may be useful on that account; and moreover, I +have, as will be seen presently, his unsolicited authority to make them +public, and therefore run no risk of being called to order for so doing. + + "Gedney-Hill, 13th July, 1832. + "Dear Sir, + +"You will, I am persuaded, excuse me for troubling you with the +information that I yesterday took off a fine glass of honey from one of +my Bee-colonies. I went to work secundum artem, that is, in one word, +_scientifically_, or in four words, _according to your directions_; and +I have the satisfaction, nay more,--I have the pleasure to add that +I succeeded--I had almost said _completely_, but I must qualify that +expression by saying, that _I succeeded all but completely_; for one +luckless Bee had the misfortune to be caught between the edges of the +dividing-tin and the glass, and to be crushed to death in consequence. +Excepting that accident, I believe that not one Bee was injured, nor +lost. They left the glass, as soon as I gave them the opportunity of +leaving it, in the most peaceable manner; in a subdued and plaintive +tone they hummed round me,--settled upon me,--crept over me in all +directions,--but not one of them stung me; in short, they returned to +their home without manifesting the slightest symptoms of resentment, and +in less than half an hour from the commencement of the operation, _there +was not a single Bee left in the glass_. In my eye it is a very handsome +glass of honey; it weighs exactly 13 lbs, and it has not one brood-cell +in it. I intend to close it up,--to label it,--and to keep it, at least +until I get another as handsome. It is a _rich_ curiosity to exhibit to +one's friends, especially to those who have never seen such a thing. + +"On the other side, I send you a fortnight's register of the heights and +variations of a thermometer, placed in the colony from which I have taken +the glass, and also, of one placed in the shade, and apart from all Bees; +from which register you will know, in a moment, whether I have managed my +Bees properly. I am willing to flatter myself that I have, and that you +will say I have been very attentive indeed. + + Ther. Ther. Ther. Ther. + 1832. in the in the 1832. in the in the + July Hour Colony Shade July Hour Colony Shade + -------------------------------- ------------------------------- + 1 11 86 66 5 9 88 64 + .. 6 88 66 6 8 88 64 + 2 6 90 65 .. 2 88 65 + .. 1 92 66 .. 9 88 64 + .. 1 92 66 7 8 89 64 + .. 9 86 65 .. 9 88 64 + 3 8 88 65 8 9 86 64 + .. 1 87 65 .. 9 86 64 + .. 3 89 65 9 7 90 64 + .. 5 87 64 .. 2 89 65 + .. 9 88 64 .. 8 88 66 + 4 4 88 64 10 8 88 66 + .. 10 83 64 .. 2 89 66 + .. 12 86 65 11 9 88 66 + .. 5 90 65 .. 2 89 66 + .. 9 86 64 12 9 90 65 + 5 7 89 64 .. 1 94 66 + .. 10 88 64 .. 9 89 68 + .. 1 90 65 13 8 89 66 + .. 5 89 65 .. 5 90 66 + +"In addition to this I could, time and space permitting, tell you from +what point the wind blew on each of these days, when it came full in +front of my boxes, and when it came upon them in any other direction, +when it was high, and when it was otherwise, on what days the Bees were +able to get abroad, and also when they were kept at home by rain, or by +any other cause. From these observations of the wind and weather, and +particularly from the manner in which the wind is directed towards, or +into the ventilators in the boxes, in conjunction with the movements +of the Bees, I think I can account pretty satisfactorily for what may +appear, at first sight, to be a little contradictory, viz. for the rising +of the thermometer in the boxes sometimes when it was falling in the +shade; and vice versa, for its sometimes rising in the shade when it was +falling in the boxes. But instead of writing you a dissertation on these +subjects, or on any of them, I choose rather to put you into possession +of the whole of my Bee-practice, by submitting to your notice a copy, +or as nearly as I can make it a copy, of a letter I took the liberty of +addressing to the Editor of 'The Voice of Humanity,' in October last, +after the appearance in No. V. of that publication, of a representation +and _imperfect_ explanation of your boxes. I was encouraged to write +that letter by the following announcement in an article in that No.--'A +due regard of rational humanity towards the Bee, though but an insect, +we shall feel a pleasure in promoting in the future as well as the +present pages of our publication. This subject has, moreover, a very +strong claim, inasmuch as it also exemplifies the grand principle upon +which The Voice of Humanity is founded--the true _prevention of cruelty_ +to animals, by substituting a practical, an _improved system_, in the +place of one which is defective; this, in reference to the present +subject, &c, _is true prevention of cruelty_, not only to units, but to +thousands and tens of thousands of animals.' Notwithstanding this very +_rational_ announcement, and the prompt acknowledgment of the receipt of +my letter, it did not appear in either of the next two numbers, nor am +I aware that it is in the last, but I have not yet seen the last No. of +that publication, therefore must not be positive. But this is not all: +in No. 6, the conductors of that work express i sincere pleasure' in +inserting an article which, they say, c forms an admirable addition to +that on Mr. Nutt's Bee-hive;' and that 'the plan which it developes, in +addition to its humanity, has the recommendation of being more simple +and practicable than even the excellent improvements of Mr. Nutt.' Now +what do you suppose this _admirable_ addition to your Bee-hive,---this +plan recommended on account of its _humanity_, as well as on other +accounts--is? It is no other than that most cruel and destructive one +of depriving Bees of their honey _and of every thing else_, by 'driving +them out of a full hive into an empty one, so early in the season as to +afford the Bees sufficient time to provide themselves with another stock +of winter food before the bad weather begins.' Very considerate this, +certainly! but who can tell how soon the bad weather may begin? Of all +the methods ever resorted to of getting their honey from Bees, this, +in my humble opinion, is the most cruel and _inhuman_: suffocating the +Bees and destroying them at once is far preferable to this (I had hoped) +exploded mode of robbing them. If practised, it will, however, soon cure +itself: but is it not a strange practice for 'The Voice of Humanity' to +revive? Either the utterers of that sweet Voice are unacquainted with +the humane management of Bees upon your plan, or they are unaware of the +mischievous and destructive consequences attendant on the driving mode +of deprivation, or they have little claim to the title they bear on the +score of their humanity to Bees. I believe the former to be the case +with them: and therefore, in addition to the reason already given for +troubling you herewith, and in order to set them right on this _vital_ +subject, I give you full power to do what you please with these letters. +If they will be of any use to you in your projected publication, give +them a place in it, and welcome: only do not garble them, _give them +entire, if you give them at all_. I am decidedly opposed to the driving +scheme; and I as decidedly approve of yours, which is, if properly +attended to, at once simple, practicable, profitable, admirable, and +truly humane. + + Accept me, Dear Sir, + Yours very truly, + Thomas Clark." + +"Mr. Editor, + +"Since the publication of the last No. of 'The Voice of Humanity,' +in which you treated your readers with some interesting particulars +explanatory of the construction and different parts of Mr. Nutt's +Bee-boxes, and also of the mode of managing the Bees in them, so +far at least as regards the taking away a box when stored with the +delicious sweet (i. e. with honey), it has been suggested to me, that +a plain, simple history of a colony of Bees in my possession, and +managed according to Mr. Nutt's excellent plan, may not be altogether +unacceptable to the general readers and friends of 'The Voice of +Humanity' and may be even _a treat_ to amateur apiarians, who may be +unacquainted with the merits of Mr. Nutt's plan; or who, if partially +acquainted therewith, may have their doubts as to its practicability, or, +at least, as to its advantages, i. e. superiority over other plans. As +far, then, as 6 The Voice of Humanity' can make them (the merits of Mr. +Nutt's plan) known, I trust it will be as music to that Voice to publish +the following facts. + +"Having had a complete set of Mr. Nutt's boxes presented to me, I, +though comparatively a novice in apiarian science, and not at that time +particularly attached to it, could not, in compliment to the donor, +do less than endeavour to work them, that was--get them stocked. That +was done with a swarm on the 18th of May 1830; and the middle-box, or +pavilion of nature, as Mr. Nutt calls it, into which the said swarm was +taken just in the same way it would have been if put into a common +straw-hive, was conveyed a distance of nearly four miles and placed +in my garden in the evening of the same day. The next day being fine, +I observed that the Bees were very busy constructing comb, and had, +within twenty-four hours of their being domiciled in their new abode, +actually made a progress in that most curious work that astonished me: +they were passing and re-passing, and literally all alive; many were +visibly loaded with materials for their ingenious work. My curiosity +was excited, and so much was I pleased with my multitudinous labourers +that I visited them daily, and many times in the course of each day, +when the weather was favourable for their getting abroad. Their combs +were rapidly advanced; but to my great mortification they very soon +obstructed my view of their interior works, by bringing a fine comb quite +over the only little window at the back of the pavilion, at the distance +of about half an inch from the glass. I was not, however, without the +means of ascertaining that they were filling the pavilion with their +treasures, and consequently that they would soon be in want of more +room. I, therefore, at the end of a fortnight admitted them into the +large bell-glass by withdrawing the slide, which, when closed, cuts +oft' the communication between the pavilion and the said glass. They +(the Bees) immediately reconnoitred it, as it were, and examined it +round and round, and presently took possession of it in great numbers; +and in the course of the second day afterwards I could perceive that +they began to continue their work upwards from and upon the combs in +the box. Here I was again inexpressibly gratified by daily observing +the progress of their beautiful work, and by the busy thousands in +perpetual motion. When they had about half-filled the glass, and before +I was aware that there was any occasion for their admission into either +of the collateral-boxes, they suddenly threw off a swarm. That event +I attribute partly to my own inexperience in apiarian matters, and +partly--principally to the want of a thermometer by which to ascertain +and regulate the temperature of the crowded pavilion, so as to keep +the Bees _at the working, and below the swarming point of heat_. Mr. +Nutt assures me that a barn would not contain a colony of Bees if its +temperature were raised above a certain degree. What that precise degree +of heat is I leave to Mr. Nutt to determine and explain: at present +it is enough to state that I am convinced it is possible, nay, quite +easy, to keep Bees at work, and to prevent their swarming, by giving +them plenty of room, and by proper ventilation. After my Bees had thrown +off the swarm, as above mentioned, the work in the glass progressed but +slowly, indeed it was for some time almost deserted, owing, I presume, to +the room made in the pavilion by the absence of the thousands that had +left it: for, whenever the weather was such that they could get abroad, +they were always busy. The season, however, it is well-known, was so wet +as to be very unfavourable for Bees:--the summer of 1830 was not by any +means what is called a Bee-year; and early in the autumn I could see +that, instead of adding to their store, they were under the necessity of +living upon it. They were, however, abundantly provided for the winter, +and lived through it almost to a Bee. In the spring of this year (1831) +they appeared to be strong and in excellent condition. As early as the +middle of May they had replenished the emptied combs in the glass, and, +it may be presumed, in the pavilion too. In the first week of June, the +glass was completely filled in the most beautiful manner. I therefore +opened the communication to one of the end or collateral-boxes, and two +or three days afterwards, viz. on the 10th of June, I took off the glass +and replaced it with another. So rapidly did those industrious little +insects proceed with their work, that in about six weeks they completely +filled the end-box. I then opened the way to the empty box at the other +end of the pavilion: and a few days afterwards had the full box taken off +by Mr. Nutt himself (who happened to call upon me, and who handsomely +volunteered his services on the occasion), without any stifling of any +sort--without the destruction, or the loss, of--scarcely a Bee,--as +nearly in the manner described in your last No. as circumstances would +permit; for the Queen-Bee being in the box taken off made it necessary +for Mr. Nutt to vary the operation a little;--not a person was stung, +though ladies, very timid ladies, and children too, were among the +admiring lookers on; only, in returning the Queen-Bee, found in the box, +to the pavilion, I myself was stung, owing to my over-anxiety to see +how she would be received by the Bees in the pavilion. Her majesty's +presence in that box (the box taken off) at that time might probably +have puzzled me; but to Mr. Nutt it presented no difficulty; and to +witness his operation was to me a most instructive lesson, and would have +delighted any friend of humanity. It was performed in the middle of a +fine day. That box contained, as nearly as we could estimate, about 35 +lbs. of honey, incomparably purer and finer than any I ever saw, except +from Mr. Nutt's boxes. The glass beforementioned contained 12 lbs.--so +that I have this year taken _forty-seven pounds_ of the very finest +honey from one stock of Bees;--I have all my Bees alive--and they are +at this time abundantly provided for the ensuing winter; nay, without +impoverishing them, I believe, I might take 6 or 8 lbs. more; but I have +already had enough; and, if my Bees have more than enough for their +winter's consumption, they will not waste it;--it will be found next year. + +"The preservation of the Bees unhurt, uninjured, very many of them +undisturbed at all,--the quantity of honey that may be had,--and the very +superior quality of that honey, are advantages of Mr. Nutt's mode of +Bee-management, over the barbarous, stifling system, that cannot fail to +recommend it to the adoption of every friend of humanity,--to every lover +of the delicious sweet,--and to every apiarian who has nothing beyond +self-interest in view. + +"One word more, and I have done. There are, I observe with pleasure, +persons of considerable influence among your subscribers, and probably +there may be persons of still greater influence among your readers. To +such I would most respectfully suggest the propriety of doing something +to reward Mr. Nutt for the services he has already rendered the Honey-Bee +and the cause of humanity. I--an obscure, country clergyman, know not how +to set about procuring it; but a _premium was never more richly deserved_. + +"Though longer than I intended, when I sat down to write, I hope you will +find no difficulty in giving the foregoing communication a place in your +pages; and, in this hope, I beg to subscribe myself, + + Your humble servant, + Thomas Clark. + +"Gedney-Hill, near Wisbech, + October 20th, 1831." + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +ON DRIVING BEES. + + +As my reverend correspondent has introduced the subject of _driving_ +Bees from their full hive into an empty one, in order that they may be +deprived of their honey and wax, and has animadverted upon that practice +with some severity, I will take the opportunity of here stating my +objections to it. + +Mr. Huish, in his treatise on Bees, has twice described the manner in +which "_driving a hive_" may be performed; but nowhere, that I can +find, has he once recommended it. In a note (in page 24) he says---that +"by _driving a hive_ may be understood the act of obliging the Bees to +leave their own domicil, and take refuge in another. This is performed +by placing the full hive under an empty one, (or he might have said, by +placing an empty hive upon the full one inverted) and by gently tapping +the lower hive the Bees will ascend into the upper, and the lower one +then remains vacant for experiments, or the purpose of deprivation." He +afterwards (in page 252) gives a more detailed account of the manner of +performing this operation; and having done so, he presently observes that +"by the driving of the Bees a number is unavoidably killed." I do not +find that Mr. Huish himself practises it further than for the purpose of +making experiments; and that, having made those experiments, he returns +the driven Bees to their hives and to their treasures in them. In short, +he describes it to his readers because they may wish to be acquainted +with it, and not because he approves of it. I mention this because I +consider Mr. Huish to be respectable authority on such a subject. + +Now, were there nothing in a hive but Bees and honey, driving them into +an empty hive (were it as easy in practice as it seems to be upon paper, +though I presume it is not) in order to rob them of their all, would be +a most arbitrary and unjust method of treating them: but, besides Bees +and honey, there are other substances in a prosperous hive which ought +not to be disturbed. There are the future inhabitants of the colony in +every stage of existence, from the egg to the perfect Bee, and these in +a driven hive are all totally destroyed--eggs, larvæ, nymphs, in one +word, _the brood_, in whatever state, is all destroyed, when the Bees are +driven from it and not suffered to return. And is it not an unnatural +operation that thus destroys many thousands of lives in embryo, over and +above the "_number unavoidably killed_" thereby? as painful must it be +for the Queen--the mother of the colony, and to all the other Bees, to +be _forcibly expelled_ from a hive and home of plenty and prosperity, +as it is for an industrious man and his thriving family to be rudely +ejected from a comfortable house and home, without the least notice +of, or preparation for, so calamitous an event, and forced by lawless +marauders to take shelter in an empty house, and left there destitute, +to subsist as best they can, or to starve, as probably they may, their +spirits being cast down by the violent deprivations and desperate robbery +they have experienced, and it may be, the winds, and the weather, and the +elements of heaven, are warring, as it were, against them at the same +time. And, comparatively speaking, is it not so with _driven_ Bees? They +are turned topsy-turvy, and in that strange, unnatural position their +fears are operated upon, or excited, by unusual, and to them, no doubt, +terrible sounds made by even "gently tapping" their inverted-hive--their +house turned upside down. Though no advocate for suffocating Bees, +but the contrary--a decided opponent to it, I agree in opinion with +my correspondent that suffocation at once is preferable to the very +reprehensible practice of "driving a hive," inasmuch as an instantaneous +death is preferable to a lingering and unnatural one by starvation, +which, whatever may befal the driven Bees, is the hard, untimely fate +of the brood and young larvæ of a hive when the Queen and commoners are +driven from them into a new and empty domicil. They leave, because they +are forced to leave behind them, and to perish, thousands of the young +brood in a state of helplessness. Their mother and their nurses are +driven into banishment and pauperism, while her offspring are doomed to +perish for the want of their aid and support. If driving be practised +early in the season, that is in June or July, all the brood then in +the driven hive must inevitably perish; if later, it is hardly to be +expected that the surviving Bees will or can prosper. Can the Bee-master +for a moment think that when Bees are so driven from their old hive, they +will work in their new one, as if they had swarmed voluntarily and then +been put into it: it is some considerable time before Bees thus treated +will work vigorously; and during that time of lingering and irresolution +the honey-season fast declines,--the Bees' difficulties multiply,--and +they become paupers at a time they should be rich. Nine times out of ten +the hive so treated perishes by famine, and like the young brood, dies +the worst of deaths,--the whole hive becomes a melancholy wreck, and is +absolutely sacrificed to the mistaken notions of the speculating, or +experiment-making proprietor. It is a practice of which _I disapprove +altogether_: and I am surprised that any one could so far misunderstand +the principles and nature of my practice as to recommend the driving +of Bees out of a full hive into an empty one as an admirable addition +to my Bee-hive--that is--to my Bee-boxes. I have the satisfaction, +however, to state that in the management of Bees in my boxes _no driving +is necessary, nor even possible_: by them _driving_ and _suffocation_ +are both superseded, and rendered as useless to operators as they have +long been destructive to Bees,--and, I cannot but say--disgraceful to +apiarians. What I have already said (in page 48) I will here repeat with +as much emphasis as I am able, because that passage comprehends the +very essence of my directions relative to the management of Bees in the +middle-box,--and because those directions are utterly incompatible with +_driving_. "I say, then, DISTURB NOT THIS HIVE--THIS PAVILION OF NATURE: +WEAKEN NOT ITS POPULATION; RUT SUPPORT ITS INFLUENCE, AND EXTEND TO IT +THOSE ACCOMMODATIONS WHICH NO PRACTICE, EXCEPT MY OWN, HAS YET PUT INTO +OPERATION, OR MADE ANY ADEQUATE PROVISION FOR. + +"This humane practice partakes not of the _driving_, nor of the +_fumigating_, nor of the _robbing_ system. It is a _liberal principle_ +of Bee-cultivation, founded on _humanity_. And it is by such practice +that we must succeed, if we hope to be benefited in the culture of +Honey-Bees." + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +INVERTED-HIVE. + + +Many useful discoveries have been made by accident;--and to some +of the greatest and grandest of those discoveries even philosophers and +men of science have been led by accidents apparently the most trifling +and insignificant. + +To the playful tricks of some little children that astonishing and most +scientific instrument--the telescope, it is said, owes its origin; and it +is said also that that great and good man--Sir Isaac Newton was led to +investigate the laws of gravitation by accidentally observing an apple +topple to the ground from the twig that had borne it. One of the sweetest +of our poets, however, informs us--that + + All Nature is but Art, unknown to thee, + All Chance, Direction, which thou canst not see. + +If, therefore, a beautifully delicate honey-comb suspended from the +stool of a hive first led me to discover the utility of ventilation in a +colony of Bees, though there may be nothing very surprising, there is, I +trust,--nay, I am convinced, and therefore I assert--there is something +very useful in it: and if an accident of another description induced me +to endeavour to turn it to advantage, there is nothing to be greatly +wondered at. So, however, it happened; and here follows the account of it. + +On rising early one morning in July 1827, and walking into my apiary, as +my custom then was, and still is, I discovered that some malicious wretch +had been there before me, and had overturned a fine colony of Bees. The +reader may judge how much my indignation was aroused by that dastardly +act of outrage against my unoffending Bees. My feelings of vexation soon, +however, subsided into those of pity for my poor Bees; and fortunately +for them, no less than for me, their overturned domicil, which consisted +of a hive eked or enlarged by a square box upon which I had placed it +some weeks previously, was so shaded from or towards the east by a thick +fence, that the rays of the sun had not reached it;--this compound-hive, +and the countless thousands that were clustering around it, were +prostrate in the shade. I viewed my distressed Bees for a considerable +time, and studied and planned what I might best do to relieve them, and, +if possibly I could, rescue them from the deplorable situation into which +they had been thrown. At length I determined to reverse the whole, which +I effected by first carefully drawing the box as closely as I was able to +the edge of the hive, and then placing the hive upon its crown, so that, +in fact, the whole domicil was inverted. I shaded, protected, shored-up, +and supported the Bees, their exposed works, and their hive, in the best +way I could, and afterwards reluctantly left them for the day, being +under the necessity of going from home a distance of almost twenty miles, +viz. to Wisbech. On my return in the evening I could discern evident +proofs of the willingness of the Bees to repair the sore injury they +had sustained; and on the third day afterwards I was highly pleased +to witness the progress their united efforts had made to rescue their +dilapidated habitation from the ruin that had threatened it and them too, +and which, I confess, I had anticipated. I was particularly attentive to +their movements. I assisted them by every means I could devise. They +gradually surmounted all the difficulties to which they had been exposed. +In short, they prospered; and from that malicious trick of some miscreant +or other I first caught the idea of an _inverted-hive_, which I have +since studied and greatly improved. + +Every Bee-master will have had opportunities of observing--that this +curious, I may say--intelligent, little insect--the Bee, is ever alive to +the most ready methods of extricating itself from difficulties, and of +bettering the condition of the state, whenever accident or misfortune has +placed it in jeopardy: and, I will add--that the timely assistance of the +Bee-master will frequently save a stock from that ruin, or at least from +that trouble and inconvenience, which apparently trivial circumstances, +such for instance as uncleanliness, excessive heat in summer, intense +severity of winter, too contracted an entrance at one season, a too +extended and open one at another, or wet lodged on and retained by the +floor-board, may, and very often do occasion. + +The subjoined cut is a representation of an INVERTED-HIVE fixed in its +frame, trellised, roofed, completely fitted up, and just as it appears +when placed in an apiary and stocked with Bees. + +[Illustration] + + +EXPLANATION OF AN INVERTED-HIVE. + +A. is a stout octagon-box, in which is to be placed an _inverted +cottage-hive_ containing the Bees. Its diameter within the wood, I mean +its _clear diameter_, is seventeen inches, and its depth, or rather +its height, is fifteen or sixteen inches, or just sufficient to reach +to, and be level with, the edge of the inverted cottage-hive, when +placed within it: in fact, the octagon-box (A.) is a strong case or +cover for the inverted-hive; and, if made an inch or two deeper than +the hive to be placed in it, it is an easy matter to pack the bottom, +so that the edge of the hive and the top-edge of the octagon-box (A.) +may be exactly on a level. Fitted and fastened to this is a top or +floor, made of three-fourths-inch deal, which top should sit closely +upon the edge of the hive all round. The centre of this top is cut out +circularly to within an inch and a half of the inner circumference or +edge of the hive upon and over which it is placed. Upon this floor is +a box, made of inch or inch-and-quarter deal, seventeen inches square +within, and four inches deep. This I call the ventilation-box, because +through two of its opposite sides are introduced horizontally two +cylinder ventilating-tubes, made of tin, thickly perforated, and in all +respects similar to those described in page 20. The top of this box is +the floor upon which nine glasses are placed for the reception of honey, +namely--a large bell-glass in the centre, and eight smaller ones around +it. By a _large_ bell-glass I mean--one capable of containing twelve +or fourteen pounds of honey, and by _smaller_ ones--such as will hold +about four pounds. The Bees of an inverted-hive in a good situation +will work well in glasses of these sizes, and soon fill some or all of +them: but, if in an unfavourable situation, lesser glasses, down to +one-half the abovementioned sizes, will be more suitable. Situation, +season, and strength of the stock,--strength, I mean, as respects the +number of Bees, must, after all, guide the apiarian in this matter. +The floor abovementioned should be made of three-fourths-inch deal. Of +course proper apertures must be cut through this floor under each of +the glasses to admit the Bees into them from the box beneath. Around +and over the glasses is placed another neat box or case, made like the +ventilation-box, upon which it rests or stands. The lid of this box is +made to open and shut. It is represented in the foregoing cut as opened +at B. an inch or two, and may be so retained at pleasure by a proper +weight attached to a cord passed over a pulley fixed in the inside of the +roof (C.) and fastened to the edge of the lid above B. The depth of the +box or cover for the glasses must of course be regulated according to +their different sizes. The alighting-board is on the front-side, directly +opposite to the latticed doors, and on a level with the upper-side of the +first floor; so that the entrance for the Bees must be cut through the +lower edge of the ventilation-box; and is made there most conveniently +for them to pass either into the inverted pavilion below, or into the +glasses above such entrance, as their inclinations may direct. + +The octagon-cover placed upon the pavilion-hive, as represented in the +view of the closed boxes (in page 29) if _inverted_, would be a tolerably +good model of part A. of the inverted-hive. + +I advise that every part be well-made--the floors and the boxes +particularly so; and that the whole exterior be well painted too, +previously to being exposed to the sun and to the weather. This advice +has reference to all my boxes and hives, collateral as well as inverted. + +The stocking of this hive may be effected in the following manner. +Having made choice of a good, healthy, well-stocked, cottage-hive, +you may, at any time between the beginning of March and the end of +October, _carefully invert and place it in the octagon below the +ventilation-box_, that is, in the apartment (A.) then fasten the floor +with four short screws to the top of the octagon, taking especial care +that this floor sits upon the edge of the inverted-hive all round. It +will be necessary to keep the Bees from annoying you whilst adjusting +this floor and the other parts of the hive, by putting a sheet of tin +over the open circular space in the floor; by which tin every Bee may be +kept in the hive below. When the boxes, ventilators, glasses, and all +things, are duly adjusted, the dividing-tin may be withdrawn; and the +operation of stocking will be then completed. + +Another method of accomplishing the same object, i. e. of stocking an +inverted-hive, is this: + +Take the floor that is to rest upon, and be fastened to, the top of the +octagon A. and that is to rest also upon the hive when inverted, and +with a sheet of tin cover and securely close the circular space made by +cutting out its centre: then invert it, that is--let the tinned side +be undermost, and place upon this floor, thus prepared, the hive you +intend to be inverted. Return it to, and suffer it to occupy, its usual +place in your apiary; and _there_ for two or three weeks let it work in +which time the Bees will have fastened the hive to their new board with +propolis. Then, early in the morning, or late in the evening, when all +the Bees are in the hive, make up the entrance, and, having two doors +made in opposite panels or sides of the octagon (A.) ten inches by six, +or sufficiently commodious for the admission of your hands, _steadily +invert_ your hive and prepared board upon which it has been standing, +and, without sundering from the hive the board that will now be at its +top, _carefully_ place them in the octagon; which, with the help of an +assistant, and by the facility afforded by the two little doors in the +panels of the octagon for staying and properly supporting and adjusting +the hive and its attached floor, may be performed without the escape of a +single Bee. As soon as this, which is properly the inversion of the hive, +is completed, proceed with the ventilation-box, glasses, &c. as before +directed; and, lastly, be careful to liberate the Bees by withdrawing +the tin that has kept them prisoners since the entrance was closed. In +inverting a hive by this method an expert apiarian need not confine the +Bees five minutes. + +The Bees will commence their labour by filling the square box between the +pavilion and the glasses; they will then extend their beautiful combs +into the glasses above. The appearance of their most curious works in +this stage of their labour is highly interesting--nay, gratifying, to +the apiarian observer; and, moreover, proves the extraordinary influence +and utility of ventilation in the domicil, or, rather let me say, in +the store-house apartment of Bees; for in the pavilion, or breeding and +nursing apartment, it is seldom wanted. + +The method of taking off the glasses, whether large ones or small ones, +when stored with honey, is in every respect the same as that of which a +particular account has been already given, (in pages 37 and 38): to that +account, therefore, I beg to refer the reader, instead of here repeating +it. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +OBSERVATORY-HIVE. + + +Having now given such a description and explanation of my +_collateral box-hives_, and of my _inverted-hive_, as will, by referring +to the plates or cuts that accompany them, make both of those hives, +and every thing pertaining to them, to be clearly understood; I proceed +to explain, in the next place, my OBSERVATORY-HIVE. With the help of +the subjoined representative figures or cuts, I hope to succeed in my +endeavour to make the reader thoroughly acquainted with every part +of it, novel, though it be, and, as far as I know, unlike any hive +hitherto invented. At first sight it may probably appear to be a piece +of complicate machinery, but upon examination it will be found to be +otherwise--I may say--simple and easy. A little curiosity and a little +patient attention are all the requisites that I entreat my apiarian +friends to bring with them to the studying of this _grand hive_. I +call it _grand_, not because it is my own invention, but because it +is admirably adapted for advancing, and perhaps for perfecting, our +knowledge of the habits and economy of Honey-Bees. + +With the variation of one short word, the following passage from Evans' +delightful poem on Bees is so applicable to my observatory-hive that I am +tempted to adopt it as a motto. + + By this bless'd hive our ravish'd eyes behold + The singing masons build their roofs of gold; + And mingling multitudes perplex the view, + Yet all in order apt their tasks pursue; + Still happier they, whose favour'd ken hath seen + Pace slow and silent round, the state's fair Queen. + +[Illustration] + +The observatory-hive, as here exhibited in Fig. 1, consists of two +apartments--an upper one and a lower one. The upper one, (marked a. +b. c. d. e. e.) is properly the observatory-hive, and may be called +the summer-pavilion; the lower one, (marked g.) may be termed the +winter-pavilion. Of this winter-pavilion but little need be said, except +that it is an octagonal box, in size, in substance, and in every respect, +similar to the octagon-part of the _inverted-hive_ described in the +last chapter; save only that its top must not be cut away, as is there +directed to be done. At present let us suppose this top to be a perfect +plane--an entire surface, without any aperture of any sort to form a +passage for the Bees from and through it down into the pavilion below; +farther let us suppose an alighting-board of the usual size to be fixed +in front, and on a level with this floor or top; then the quære will +be--how, from the same front-entrance, the Bees are to have a passage +both into the observatory-hive above, and into the winter-pavilion below? +The difficulty is--to get a convenient passage into the summer-pavilion, +because the whole of that pavilion is made to turn round on the shoulder +of an upright shaft, through which shaft the passage for the Bees must +of necessity be made, and which does not admit of a bore of above an +inch in diameter. As, however, this narrow, perpendicular passage is of +no great length, (it need not be more than three inches) many thousands +of Bees will, in the course of a few minutes, if necessary, make their +egress and regress through it without incommoding one another. That this +rather intricate part--the construction of this passage-work--may be +fully comprehended, I will endeavour to illustrate it by references to a +well-known article, now standing on the table, on which I am writing. It +is a telescopic candlestick, the pedestal of which covers a square space +upon my table, each side of which superficial square is three inches. +Now suppose this candlestick was screwed or glued to the centre of the +plain, tabular top of the octagon (g.) having one of its sides parallel +to that side of the floor to which the alighting-board is attached. Next, +suppose _that_ side of the candlestick to be cut away so as to form an +entrance into the interior of the pedestal, two inches in front and half +an inch in height; and let there be a covered-way of this height, from +the opened side of the pedestal to the front-entrance of the hive: then, +if the front-entrance be six inches wide, the Bees on coming in will +enter this covered-way, which from six inches narrows to three at the +part where they enter the pedestal, and begin to ascend the perpendicular +passage which leads through it and through the upright shaft of the +candlestick into the--at present--_supposed_ apartment above. The +top-part of a telescopic candlestick may be turned round at pleasure; +consequently, if the pedestal be fixed and made immoveable, the top, and +whatever may be upon that top and fastened to it, may be moved round +notwithstanding: this is what we particularly want in the construction +of an observatory-hive, and must, therefore, be particularly attended +to. A piece of clean, close-grained wood--beech, elder, mahogany, or any +other firm wood--made much in the shape of our telescopic candlestick, +but of not more than two inches and a half in height, with a bore through +it of an inch in diameter, and turned, that is, wrought in a lathe, so +that an inch of the top-part may enter into, and neatly fit, the cap +fixed round the inch bore at the centre of the bottom-frame of the upper +pavilion (Fig 2), and which cap is represented by the moveable top of the +candlestick, is, as well as I can describe it, the pedestal to support +the observatory-hive,--is, with the cap just mentioned, the compound, +or double-hinge upon which that hive is turned round,--and is also the +Bee-way into that hive. + +The way into the winter-pavilion, or octagon (g.) is made by cutting +a circular hole through the very centre of the plane top, an inch in +diameter, directly under the upward passage; so that the Bees, whether +their way be into the summer-pavilion above, or into the winter-pavilion +below, lies through the pedestal, and the only difference is, that one +passage leads upwards and the other downwards. The covered-way which +has been so often mentioned, may easily be made by taking out of the +under-side of the bottom-board of the paneled and roofed box, made to +secure the observatory-hive, and which is placed upon the top of the +winter-pavilion, just as much as will allow a sufficient space for that +way. + +Having completed the passages, my next business is--to describe the novel +apartment into which the passage through the pedestal leads--that is, the +real observatory-hive. + +Figure 2 shows the upper glass-frame of this hive with two small circular +openings through the top of each arm, over which openings are placed +small glasses, (at e. e.) in both Figures, for receptacles for honey, and +are intended to answer the same purpose as those do which are placed upon +the inverted-hive. A line drawn from one extremity of any one of these +arms or wings, to the extremity of the arm or wing directly opposite to +it, is twenty-three inches; and the distance between the dotted lines, +which are intended to mark the glass-way, or, in joiners' phrase, the +_rebate_ to receive the edges of the glass, is exactly one inch and +three-fourths. The lower glass-frame, which (in Fig. 1) is placed upon f. +the shaft of the pedestal already described, is the exact counterpart of +the upper frame, with the exception of its not having any perforations +for honey-glasses: the only perforation in this frame is that at its +centre; which must be made to correspond with that of the shaft, and be +a continuation of the Bee-passage into the hive. These two frames are +connected and made one by four upright pieces, or ends, (marked a. b. c. +d. in Fig. 1,) these upright, end-pieces must be rebated, or channeled, +to receive the ends of the glass-plates. Eight squares of glass, each +ten inches and a half by ten inches, fastened with putty into this +frame-work,--that is, two squares into each wing, will complete the +glass-hive; which, when placed upon the top of the pedestal, and made +steady by an axis fixed at the central point of the upper frame, and +turning in a socket under the ball, constitutes _an observatory-hive_. +Confined as is the space between the glass-plates in each wing, they +being but an inch and three-fourths apart, there is, nevertheless, room +enough for the construction of one comb; and space for more than one comb +would spoil it as an observatory-hive: and, though each wing may appear +to be but small, there are upwards of 760 cubic inches of clear space +in the hive. It is so constructed that plenty of light and the utmost +transparency are afforded for observing and minutely examining the Bees +and the works of the Bees in all their stages. Indeed the grand object +of this contrivance is--to expose to view the labours of the Bees in the +inside of their hive; and as the machine may be moved round at pleasure, +not a Bee can enter it, without being observed, nor can a single cell be +constructed in secret. I will only add--that the appearance of the Bees +in this hive is beautiful, and excites admiration and surprise,--nay, +is capable of enlivening the drooping spirits of the most desponding +apiarian; for who can view the Queen of the hive constantly laying her +eggs, and, by so doing, constantly propagating her species, and her +thousands of loyal subjects, whose indefatigable labour in all its +parts is so conspicuous, without experiencing sensations of the purest +pleasure,--nay, more of gratitude to God for his goodness to man! + +It has been suggested to me by some ingenious friends--that a couple of +magnifying glasses set in the doors, and some mechanical contrivance to +open a part of the roof by simply pulling a cord, and to throw a proper +light upon the four wings of the hive, would be a great improvement; +because, by these means, or by some such means as these, the opening and +shutting of the doors would be rendered unnecessary,--and, because the +Bees and their curious works would be more interesting by being viewed +through magnifying glasses,--and because the exterior appearance of the +whole concern would be more handsome. Without the slightest hesitation +I admit--that, to those persons to whom expense is no object, the +mode of examining the observatory-hive would be improved by some such +arrangements as those just mentioned; but _the hive itself would not be +improved in the least_,--it would remain just as it was before these +costly additions, whether ornamental, or useful, or both, were made to +its covering only--_not to the hive_. + +The following cut will, in some degree, represent and tacitly explain an +observatory-hive, fitted up in this way. + +[Illustration] + + +THE MODE OF STOCKING AN OBSERVATORY-HIVE. + +This operation may be performed in various ways, and almost at any time +during the summer months, by an experienced apiarian. I will content +myself with describing _how_ it may be done most easily, if not most +scientifically, by any person possessed of courage enough to operate at +all among Bees. It is as follows: + +When your Bees swarm from a cottage-hive, take it (the swarm) into a +common hive in the usual way 7 place it in a cool, shaded situation, and +let it remain there until the evening; and even then attempt no further +operation, unless the Bees be all settled and quite still. When they are +all within their hive, peaceable, and retired, as it were, for the night, +you may suddenly strike them from their hive upon a clean, white sheet, +spread over a table prepared and ready for the purpose, and within the +space occupied, or rather--enclosed, by four bricks placed edgewise. Upon +these bricks place your glass-hive as expeditiously as possible with its +entrance just over the Bees. Then envelope your hive with a cloth so as +to darken its interior, and, lastly, throw the corners of the sheet over +the whole. This done, the Bees will presently ascend into the wings of +the hive. When they are all safely lodged in it, you may carefully remove +the sheet and the other coverings; and, having securely made up the +entrance into the winter-pavilion, then place the stocked hive upon its +pedestal, and the Bees will be ready to commence their labour the next +day. + +At the latter end of August invert the parent-hive from which the swarm +issued, and place it in the octagon-box (g.) below the summer-pavilion. +Take out the plug that is between the two hives, that is--open the +passage into the winter-hive, and you will have accomplished the union +of the two families: they will join or unite, and thenceforward continue +to labour as one family. By this movement you give to your Bees a +winter-residence, secure from all enemies, which are numerous at this +season. And so well-stocked will the winter-hive be, that an early swarm +from it, for the observatory-hive, the following season may reasonably be +expected. + +The honey may be taken from the e. e. glasses, placed upon the arms of +the summer-pavilion so easily, by turning round the loose boards under +the glasses, that further explanation is unnecessary. The machine itself +will point out to the perfect stranger the proper method of doing it. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +FUMIGATION. + + +Fumigation is a rather portentous word; but, as soon as I shall have +explained for what purposes, and in what manner, I occasionally make use +of it, it will be totally divested of all deadly signification. In my +practice it is not a Bee-destroyer, but a Bee-preserver;--when resorted +to by me it is never carried, nor intended to be carried, to suffocation: +but, in the operation of uniting weak swarms or poor stocks with more +wealthy and prosperous ones--which I consider to be a meritorious and +most humane practice,--when it is necessary to examine the state and +condition of even a populous colony, should unfavourable symptoms as +to its healthiness or its prosperity manifest themselves,--when it +is known, or but suspected, that there are wax-moths, mice, spiders, +or other Bee-enemies lodged in a hive, which the Bees of themselves +cannot dislodge nor get rid of; and which, if not got rid of by man's +assistance, would soon destroy almost any colony,--when Bees and their +works (for I never transfer the former without transferring an ample +sufficiency of the latter at the same time) are to be taken out of a +decayed straw-hive, in order to be put into a more substantial one, or +into collateral-boxes, which I hold to be the best of all hives,--and on +innumerable other occasions, it is absolutely necessary _to subdue Bees_ +so far as to render them incapable of using that formidable, venomous, +little weapon, with which Providence has armed them, and which generally +dreaded little weapon they can use so dexterously, before we can operate +upon them for their own good. By means of a very simple apparatus, which +may be called _a fumigator_, and which is a contrivance as novel and as +useful in the management of Bees, as any of my hives or other inventions, +_Bees may be totally subdued without being injured in the slightest +degree, and dealt with as if they had neither stings nor wings_. + +I beg, however, to re-state distinctly--that, in taking off a box or a +glass of honey, _no fumigation whatever is necessary_, or ever practised +by me. It is only in cases such as those just enumerated that I have +recourse to it; but in no case for the destruction of Bees. Fumigation, +therefore, in my practice, is not suffocation. + +The following figure is a representation of a fumigator, which a brief +explanation will render intelligible. + +[Illustration] + +This useful article consists of a square top-board upon which is placed a +straw-hive (E.) so as to show an open, circular space under the hive and +through the square board into the bag below. I need hardly observe--that +the straw-hive is no part of the fumigator, but is here represented as +standing upon it in order to exemplify its use. The top-board is of +inch-deal, and is nineteen or twenty inches square. A round piece is cut +out of its centre of not more than thirteen inches in diameter--that +being something near to, or perhaps rather more than, the inside diameter +of a common hive--so that a hive will stand upon the wooden circumference +of the part left, without there being any ledge inside, that is--any part +so enclosed by the hive as to catch and detain the falling Bees. From the +upper-edge of this circle is suspended a bag, a yard in length, made of +glazed calico, the bottom-part of which draws round the rim of a shallow, +funnel-shaped, tin Bee-receiver, which Bee-receiver is about ten inches +across at the top, and its lower part, or neck (D. or F.) is three inches +and a half in length, and its throat (if I may so term it) is nearly +three inches in width. To fit this neck, which is thickly perforated +for the purpose of admitting fresh air, when fresh air may be required, +is a close lid, just like that of a common, tin canister, to hold up the +fumigated Bees, and also to stop the ventilation when not wanted. C. is +the fumigating-lamp with a perforated top through which the fume ascends, +and is made conical, so that a fumigated Bee in its fall cannot rest upon +it and be thereby scorched or injured, as would inevitably be the case +were this top flat. The tie (B.) closes the bag and keeps every Bee above +until the lamp and every thing below be adjusted, and it is _then_ to be +untied. The fumigator is here represented as standing upon three legs +made fast to the top-board by small bolts, as at A.; but it is quite as +convenient in practice, and more portable, if, instead of these legs, it +be made like a common scale with a cord from each corner, which may be +gathered into a small iron-hook, and thereby suspended from the branch of +a tree, or from any other convenient place, when used. The lower part of +the bag is represented as being transparent, but that is done purposely +to show how the lamp is placed inside when prepared for operation. + +By persons inexperienced in such matters it may be thought to be +an extraordinary feat to unite the Bees of one hive with those of +another---to bind, as it were, the legs and wings, and pro tempore, to +render useless the sting of every individual Bee, until such union be +effected. Nothing, however, is more easy; nor is any part of apiarian +practice attended with more pleasing consequences to the operator, or +with more important and beneficial ones to the Bees themselves. When in +a state of temporary intoxication from the fume made to ascend through +the perforated tin (C.) into their hive, these beautiful insects are +perfectly manageable,--perfectly harmless. + +This intoxicating fume is caused by introducing into the fumigating-lamp +a piece of ignited vegetable substance, called puck, puckball, or +frog-cheese, or, most commonly, _fuzzball_. It is a species of fungus, +or mushroom, and is plentiful enough in the autumn in rank pastures +and in rich edishes. Shepherds, milk-maids, or country-school boys are +well acquainted with them,--know very well where to find them,--and +for a mere trifle will easily pick up as many of them as will supply +the demands of twenty apiarians. They are frequently as large as a +man's head, or larger. In 1826 I had an unripe, white puckball, which +weighed ten pounds. When ripe they are internally of a brown colour, +and turning spongy and powdery become exceedingly light, and are then +properly _fuzzballs_. For the substance of the following directions +respecting the preparation of fuzzballs for Bee-fumigation, and for its +application to that occasionally necessary purpose, I have no hesitation +in acknowledging myself to be indebted to Thorley's treatise on Bees--no +mean authority on such a subject. + +When you have procured one of these pucks, put it into a large piece +of stout paper,--press it down therein to two-thirds, or, if you can, +to one-half, of its original size, and then tie it up closely,--and, +lastly, put it into an oven sometime after the household bread has been +drawn, that is, when the oven is nearly cool, and let it remain there +all night, or, until it will hold fire and smother away like touch-wood, +i. e. burn without kindling into flame. In this state it is fit for the +fumigating-lamp, and may be used in the manner following, when the union +of two stocks is the apiarian's object. + +Take a piece of this prepared fungus, as large as a hen's egg, (it is +better to have too much of it than too little to begin with) ignite one +end of it with a candle, and then put it into the fumigating-lamp,--next +fix the lamp in its socket over the Bee-receiver, and place the whole +inside the bag, as shown in the plate, and untie B--the fastening round +the middle. In a very short space of time the Bees in the hive placed +upon the top-board (which is necessarily the first thing to be attended +to in every operation of this kind) will be totally under your control. +The operator should be particularly careful to close every vacancy, +however small, that there may happen to be between the top-board and the +edge of the hive, by tying a cloth round it--the hive--as soon as ever it +is placed upon the board. This precaution will prevent the escape of any +of the fume, and will also prevent the Bees from annoying the operator +during the time he is making the arrangements necessary previously to +every fumigating process. + +In the course of a minute or very little more you will hear the Bees +dropping like hail into their receiver, at the bottom of the fumigating +apparatus. + +When the major part of them are down, and you hear but few fall, gently +beat the top of the hive with your hands, in order to get as many down +as you can. Then, having loosened the cloth, lift the hive off and set +it upon a table, or upon a broad board, prepared for the purpose, and +knocking the hive against it several times, many more Bees will fall +down, and perhaps the Queen amongst the rest; for, as she generally +lodges near the crown of the hive, or is driven thither by the fume, and +surrounded and protected there by the other Bees to the very last, and +as long ever they have the power loyally to cling round her, she often +falls one of the last. If the Queen is not among the Bees on the table, +search for her among the main body in the Bee-receiver; first, however, +putting them upon the table, if you discover her not before lying among +the uppermost Bees therein. + +During this search for the Queen, or with as little delay as possible, +you, or some one for you, should be proceeding in a similar manner with +the Bees in the other hive, with which those already fumigated are to be +united. As soon as the Bees of the hive last fumigated are all composed +and quiet, and you have found and secured one of the Queens, you may put +the Bees of both hives together into an empty one, for the purpose of +mingling them thoroughly together, and of sprinkling them at the same +time with a little ale and sugar; this done, put them and _one only_ of +the two Queens among the combs of the hive you intend them to inhabit, +and gently shake them down into it. When you have thus got all the Bees +of your two hives into one, cover it with a cloth and closely bind the +corners of that cloth about it, and let them stand during that night and +the next day, shut or closed up in this manner, so that a Bee may not get +out; but not so close as to smother them for want of air. + +In the evening of the following day, having previously removed the hive, +containing your united-stock, to its proper stand, viz. that which it +had occupied before the operation, loose the corners of the cloth and +remove it from the mouth of the hive, and the Bees will, with a great +noise, immediately sally forth; but being too late to take wing, they +will presently go in again; and remain satisfied in and with their new +abode--new at least, to one-half of them, and new to the other half also +when transferred into a fresh hive, or into boxes. + +But in taking away the cloth discretion and caution must be used, because +the Bees will for some time resent the affront put upon them by such to +them, no doubt, offensive treatment. + +The best time of the year for unions of weak stocks with strong ones +is in autumn, after the young brood are all out--in the latter part of +August, or any time during September: but for removals of stocks from +straw-hives into boxes, the best time is early in the spring before +the eggs of the Queen have changed and quickened into larvæ,--I will +say--in the month of March; and if the weather is cold, it is advisable +to perform the operation in a room where the temperature is about 60 +degrees. For if Bees are displaced, that is--taken from their hive, in +a cold atmosphere, it is but rarely that they recover from the effects +of the fume so as to marshal themselves into working order in a box or +new hive. But this they can do, and will do most effectually, under this +agreeable temperature. As twelve hours are sufficient for the Bees to +regain their former independency in their new domicil, you may place them +at the end of that period on their summer stool, and they will work, as +soon as the weather will permit them, as if they had never been removed +from their former hive, nor in any way disturbed. + +The great number of operations of this kind, which I have performed +before hundreds of admiring and gratified spectators, chiefly of the +higher ranks of society, renders it almost unnecessary for me to +observe--that once being present at and witnessing it, will convey a more +perfect idea of the whole performance than any written description of +it can give. If, however, any gentleman, or other apiarian friend, who +has not yet seen the performance of this operation, should be desirous +of witnessing it, the author will freely undertake that, or any other +Bee-service in his power, by which he can oblige, assist, or instruct him. + +The same degree of precaution is not necessary on the removing of the +Bees of a cottage-hive on my principle; it is only requisite in the +particular case of joining or uniting two or more hives together, +that such nice management need be observed. And certainly the more +expeditiously the whole is performed, the more pleasing will be the +result of the operation, and the more certain of success. + +I will conclude this subject with an anecdote:--In the year 1828, I +was engaged by the Honourable Lady Gifford, of Roehampton, to unite the +Bees of two hives; and as the operation was novel to the spectators, +who on that occasion consisted principally of the branches of that +worthy family,--when I had drawn the Bees from the cottage-hive and they +were all spread on a white cloth, and every eye was anxiously intent +upon discovering the Queen-Bee, there was some trouble in finding that +particular Bee; even I myself--an old practitioner--had overlooked +her; and having occasion to leave the table and my fumigated Bees +surrounded by my young Lord and Lady Gifford, and by the rest of her +Ladyship's family, her infant son, in the arms of his nurse, eagerly +called out--"Mamma, mamma, what is that?" Hearing the child's animated +expression, I returned to the table, and instantly beheld and caught the +Queen of the Bees,--and her actually pointed out by an infant not three +years of age. Is there any excuse then for not knowing the Queen-Bee? +And, as a true description of this Bee and of the office she fulfils +in the hive, will be given in the course of this work, accompanied +with a plate of her and also of the other Bees, I trust my Bee-friends +will not hereafter allow a child of only three years of age (although +that child was the son of a late Attorney-General,) to excel them in +this particular point of apiarian knowledge, which is not only highly +interesting, but very useful to the operator, when uniting stocks, or +transferring Bees from one domicil to another. Never shall I forget the +look of satisfaction that beamed on the countenance of the affectionate +mother. To see each of her eight amiable children around the table with +her Ladyship, minutely searching every little cluster of Bees, in order +to give the first information of the Queen, was a lovely sight; but to +hear her infant son proclaim, as it were, the Queen of the Bees, by +pointing his little, delicate finger to the object of his curiosity, and +exclaim--"Mamma, mamma, what is that?" was most gratifying even to me. +Well might the little naturalist inquire--"what is that?" when he was in +the presence of royalty, and pointing to one of the most extraordinary +monarchs in the world, while I myself--an old practitioner, had not +previously observed her. Be it so, I acknowledge my oversight in this +instance, and feel it incumbent on me to give the merit of the discovery +to him, to whom on that occasion it was so justly due. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +OBJECTIONS AGAINST PILING BOXES. + + +Having gone through the explanation of my different hives, +and of all my Bee-machinery, I will, previously to entering upon other +matters, here state my objections to the piling of Bee-boxes one upon +another, which is sometimes, and not improperly, called--_storifying_. It +is also termed super-hiving, nadir-hiving, or centre-hiving, according +to the place occupied by the added box: if an empty box be placed +upon a stocked one, it is _super-hiving_;--if put _under_ such box, +it is _nadir-hiving_;--and if introduced _between_ two boxes, it is +_centre-hiving_. But with whatever term dignified--not to say--mystified, +it amounts to, and in effect is--_storifying_. From an old book in my +possession I find--that in 1675 a patent was granted to John Gedde, +to secure to him for a term of fourteen years the advantages of his +invention of boxes for storifying; so that it is at least of a hundred +and sixty years' standing. After Gedde it was successively adopted and +encouraged by Rusden, Warder, and Thorley, and has been the fashionable +or fancy practice down to the present day; for it is a mode of managing +Bees that has been recommended by some modern authors,--principally, if I +mistake not, by Dr. Bevan; and it is practised by some Bee-masters, who, +I am told, consider it to be the most humane mode, and the only humane +mode of managing Honey-Bees. I have no wish to depreciate the inventions +and labours of others, nor to offend any man, and particularly that man +who has exerted himself so much to better the condition of the Honey-Bee. +If he has been mistaken in the means to be employed to gain so desirable +an end, and in my humble opinion he certainly has been mistaken, every +praise is due to him for his good intentions. + +My first objection to the piling system is--because it occasions a +great deal of extra trouble, labour, and inconvenience to the Bees, and +consequently prevents their collecting so great a quantity of honey and +wax as they will do where they are not subjected to these drawbacks. And +where, I would fain know, is the humanity in increasing and obstructing +the labours of these indefatigable, little insects? Is it not inhumanity +to force them to deposit their treasures in a garret, two or three +stories high, when a far more convenient store-room may be provided +for them on the first floor? Let not, then, the piling advocate of the +present day any longer recommend this faulty practice, nor erroneously +contend that the elevating of boxes one upon another, is the best and +only way of ensuring an abundance of honey and wax. But fairly to get +at the merits--not to say--demerits of this practice, I will examine it +a little in detail. First, then, the piling practitioner puts a swarm +of Bees into a box, which I will call box A. This box, if prosperous, +of course soon becomes a pavilion of nature,--that is, it soon contains +quantities of brood-comb, young brood, larvæ, and embryo Bees in various +stages of existence. It is allowed to stand alone until it be filled, or +nearly filled, with the Bees' works. It requires no great skill to know +that the contents of box A. at this period are as just described. When +nearly full it is placed upon another box (B.) to prevent what is called +the maiden-swarm. This box, like box A. is quickly filled with combs: the +Queen too follows her labourers and progressively lays her eggs even to +the lowest edges of the combs. Of course box B, like box A. soon contains +quantities of brood. The second box (B.) gets full just as the first did, +and as a cottage-hive does--not with pure honey, but with brood, pollen +or farina, and other substances, as well as with honey; in short, there +is no provision for, nor means of, dividing the works of the working +Bees from the works of the Queen-Bee; consequently they become, as _of +necessity_ they must become--one promiscuous mass. The brood continues +to increase and occupies that part of the box which should be of pure +honey and wax. This goes on until more room is wanted; and _then_ it +is that the two full boxes (A. and B.) are exalted and placed upon the +third and last box (C.) This, however, does not mend the matter; but, +as will be seen presently, it does occasion a great deal of additional +labour and inconvenience to the Bees. In the meantime they carry on their +works of nature and of art--they construct new combs and store some of +the cells with honey, and the Queen lays her eggs in others, just as in +the other boxes. The fact is--the three boxes soon become as one: they +soon become and continue to be of one temperature,--the same compound +of the old hive,--the brood-cells are intermixed with those containing +honey,--wreaths of pollen are: in every pile,--and animated nature is +everywhere peeping from the waxen cells, in which nothing but pure honey +should have been deposited. But this is not all, nor the worst part; +though bad enough, if _purity of honey_ be any consideration. + +It is a fact known by me and by every one at all experienced in the +management of an apiary, that no sooner are the combs in box CL got +into a state of forwardness--it would be saying rather too much to +say--completed, than numbers of working Bees are, as it were, struck off +their work there, and set about removing all superfluities and nuisances +from the combs lately filled with young brood in the uppermost box +A. Every cell in those combs that has been the nest and nursery of a +young Bee they cleanse thoroughly and repair, where repairs are needed, +preparatory to its being made a receptacle for honey, or for the other +treasures brought from the field. At this time, that is--as soon as the +combs are free from the first brood, the uppermost box is nearly empty, +instead of being full: it contains _empty combs and Bees, but little or +no honey_. Here then the Bees are subjected to that extra labour and +inconvenience which form my first objection to the piling-plan. From +the entrance into box C. through box B. and up into box A. the way, to +a loaded Bee, is neither short nor pleasant; it is a labyrinth beset +with difficulties and obstructions, in surmounting which much of that +time is occupied which would otherwise be more profitably, and we may +suppose--far more agreeably employed, in passing from flower to flower, +and in culling their various sweets. Any person, it may be presumed, +would rather set down a heavy load on the ground-floor than have to tug +it up two or three long flights of stairs, and through intricate, winding +passages, and be jostled and impeded and pushed about, and perhaps +backward every now and then, by countless crowds of busy men, unceasingly +hurrying up and down and passing and re-passing the burdened man in every +direction. And is it not comparatively the same with Bees going through +boxes C. and B. up into box A.? I maintain that it is so,--and that Bees +in piled-boxes lose much time in performing the unnecessary, climbing +labour, imposed upon them by their unskilful masters. + +The natural consequence of this--I repeat--_unnecessary_ waste of their +time, must not be placed to the account, or laid to the instinct of the +Bees; for of all creatures in the world, Bees perhaps work with the +most extraordinary celerity. The beautiful piles of honey, and _when +unobstructed_, the regular movements of these wonderful insects, are +admirably scientific and correct. The consequence, namely, a deficiency +in the quantity of honey and wax, is chargeable solely to the account of +the unskilful manager. + +At length the time arrives when the three piled-boxes are, or are +supposed to be, well stored,--and when a part of the Bees' treasure is to +be taken as a remuneration for the _care_ and trouble of the proprietor. +Let him then put on his grotesque Bee-dress, and booted up to the middle +and gloved to the very elbows, let him proceed to take the uppermost box. +He divides it from that on which it stands, that is--from box B. by a +slide or a divider of some sort prepared for such an operation, or in +any way he pleases, for that I leave to him. Well, he succeeds in getting +off his prize; not, however, without the destruction of a considerable +number of Bees: for _to presume_ that he is acquainted with my easy mode +of taking away a box, would be to presume too much; I therefore allow +him a Bee-dress at once, and have accoutered him in the best way I can +for his arduous undertaking. The box, then, is off. He turns it up and +examines it, and to his great disappointment, he finds that the combs +are discoloured, that each pile of the expected treasure contains parts +of the young larvæ, and that there is much pollen commingled with the +other substances in the box; in short, he finds that the whole is dirty +and filthy in appearance; and that he has destroyed a part of the most +valuable brood for another year. And, if instead of box A. he take box +B. he will fare little, if any better; nay, he will in all probability +destroy a greater quantity of brood: and in box C. he cannot expect to +find more than half-filled cells, or empty combs. Such are the fruits and +profits of the piling system of Bee-management. There are Bee-masters +resident within twenty miles of the good town of Spalding, and in many +other places that might be mentioned, who know that the foregoing account +is true, _lamentably true_: but, until such practitioners are sensible of +the faultiness of their system of Bee-management, it would be folly in +me to appeal more directly to any of them for a confirmation of what _I +know_ to be the truth. How, I would ask, can the Bees' sweet treasures +be divided from their other work, if there be no means of varying and +regulating the temperature in their hive? Without the aid of ventilation +it is, in my opinion, impossible; but with it, it is perfectly easy, +perfectly safe, and not at all distressing nor even unpleasant to the +Bees. + +Before I take my leave of the piling or storifying practitioner, whom I +consider, as perhaps he may consider me, to be very, very imperfect in +the management of Bees, I feel it to be my duty to my readers, and of +course to the piling Bee-master, if he should vouchsafe to me a reading, +to record a few other facts that bear strongly against the piling +practice--facts derived from long and attentive observation of the nature +and habits of Honey-Bees. Twelve years' steady practice and constant +attention to the movements of these ingenious insects are the foundations +I have to build upon. Besides I have proofs, well-authenticated, +indisputable proofs, of the abundant produce of honey having been taken +from collateral-boxes, and that of very superior quality too; which honey +I take from the Bees as being a superabundant store, and not as a part, +the taking away of which has any tendency to weaken, or in any way to +injure, the prosperity of the colony from which it is taken. But what +do we behold when a box is taken from a storied pile?--what that in the +least deserves to be termed humanity? Do not a thousand murders stare us +in the face? Why should the operator be veiled and muffled up and made +sting-proof, if no conflict was expected--if no deeds of violence were +anticipated? But violence is anticipated, and practised too, to such +an extent that it is no uncommon occurrence for the Bees that escape +destruction to desert the other boxes altogether. This ends one part of +the business. + +And these objections against the practice of storifying boxes will, I +trust, induce the reflecting, ingenuous reader to turn his attention +to the importance of ventilation in collateral-boxes. By regulating +the interior temperature of the hive, suitable and generative heat +is confined to the pavilion, that is--to the mother-hive, which heat +causes the Queen to propagate her young in the pavilion--this being +the middle-box, and near the entrance, a great advantage is thereby +afforded to all the Bees passing in and out, that fully demonstrates the +necessity of their labours being assisted in the breeding-season, _and +not obstructed_. + +It is the heat which causes the working-Bees to deposit their pollen +in the immediate vicinity of the seat of nature. This pollen, which is +called by some writers Bee-bread, is gathered and deposited for the +special purpose of supporting the young larvæ, while helpless insects, +or babies, as it were, in the hive. Combined with heat, it is this +material which discolours the much admired works of the Bees; it is this +which also makes the wax and honey yellow: besides where this pollen is +deposited by the Bees, there, or in that part of the hive, will the Queen +lay her eggs,--and there of course propagate her species. And as animal +nature advances to perfection, so rises the interior temperature of the +hive, until an almost suffocating heat obliges the Bees to leave their +home. This heat extends itself to the most remote parts of their domicil; +and were it not for the influence of ventilation in the end-boxes, a +discolouration of their beautiful works would also be extended through +the hive, and the Queen would lay her eggs promiscuously as she does in +the cottage-hive. But this mischief is corrected by ventilation: can then +any reasonable man deny its powerful and useful effects in the management +of Bees? + +The Queen-Bee is but seldom seen by the most acute observer; she loves +to propagate her young in secrecy, at the regular temperature of the +hive at her own birth. If she can possibly avoid it, she will not lay +her eggs where man can overlook and examine her movements; consequently +the ventilation in the side-boxes prevents her extending her works of +nature beyond the limits of her native hive. As soon as she feels a +cooling change of temperature, she immediately withdraws to her native +clime, and leaves her working subjects to store the beautifully white +combs with the purest crystal sweet. Bat, were the Queen permitted, as +she is in the piling system, as well as in the cottage-hive, to follow +her subjects through the whole hive, with one and the same temperature +throughout, she would most certainly propagate her young just as she does +in the piled-boxes. In that case there would be no advantage derivable +from the purity of the honey. Again, on my plan, the middle-box is so +situated that the Queen in it is placed conveniently to superintend her +labourers; her eye can behold them in the throngest of their labour, +being so near the well fortified entrance of her pavilion. In such a +favourable situation, she can view the movements of her subjects, and not +a moment need be lost, because all their streets and passages are short. +The direct ascent to the top of one of my boxes is not quite eleven +inches, and with a middle-sized bell-glass superadded, it does not exceed +eighteen inches; so that in one day, when the honey-dew is plentiful, +ten thousand Bees will gather more treasure than three times that number +on the piling system, in which the Bees are compelled to mount up to the +Babylonian height of Thorley's fourth box. + +These (partly repetitions of what has been stated before, I am aware,) +are conveniences which collateral-boxes possess, and which _do not +belong to piled-boxes_. In piled-boxes Bees are subjected to unnecessary +labour, which is so far a waste of time. From piled-boxes not nearly +the quantity of honey and wax is procured, that may be procured from +collateral-boxes,--nor is that deficient quantity of a quality at +all comparable with the other. In managing piled-boxes many Bees are +destroyed. + +These are my objections to that system of Bee-management; and I put it +to every person who has practised storifying to say whether they are not +well-founded. + +[Illustration: + + L. Bennett and Co. Typ. 10, Guilford Place, Spa-Fields, London. + + THE APIARY + + At the most noble the MARQUIS of BLANDFORD'S, + + DELABERE PARK, PANGBOURN, (near READING,) + + BERKSHIRE. +] + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +APIARY AT DELABERE PARK. + + +Having stated (in page 144) that "I have well-authenticated, +indisputable proofs of the abundant produce of honey having been taken +from collateral-boxes, and that of very superior quality too," I could, +in support of this statement refer the reader to a great number of my +apiarian friends, a bare catalogue of whose names would fill several +pages of this book. But as the best proofs of the merits, advantages, and +practicability of anew system, are in its established success, I will +select one instance, and have great pleasure in referring to that of the +apiary established on my principles, at the seat of my noble patron--the +Marquess of Blandford, at Delabere Park, near Reading. Situated in a +part of the country most abundantly favoured by nature,--effete with +every variety of Bee-herbage, and with every local advantage combined +in its favour, the noble Marquess has prosecuted his apiarian pursuits +with a spirit of liberality and enterprize redounding to his credit, and +well meriting the success which has equalled my own as it has his most +sanguine expectations. I do not consider that I can introduce this better +to the notice of my readers, than by transcribing the account of a visit, +that was paid to it by my intelligent friend Mr. Booth, the Lecturer on +Chemistry, and which appeared in the _Stamford Mercury_ of July 26th, +1833. It is as follows:-- + + "To the Editor of the Mercury. + + "Sir, + +"From the interest you appear to take in whatever relates to the +extension of Mr. Nutt's invaluable system of Bee-management, and the +prompt attention you have given to former communications on the subject, +I am induced to detail the successful results of that system in the hands +of the Marquess of Blandford, who has gone most extensively into the +subject, and with an ardour and enthusiasm second only to that of the +intelligent inventor. As I had the permission of the noble Marquess to +make my observations, so I am enabled to make reference to his Lordship +for the accuracy of my statements, and I am only fulfilling' the wishes +of the noble Lord, in making these details as extensively public as +possible, for the information of those who are interested in this most +important, though long neglected branch of rural economy. + +"His Lordship's park is most pleasantly situated near the beautiful and +romantic village of Pangbourn, in Berkshire, and the choice of situation +for the apiary is most excellent. It is at the top of a tower[E] +forty-six feet high, situated in the midst of a wood, and commanding a +most extensive view of the surrounding country, including Hampshire, +Berkshire, Wiltshire, and Oxfordshire, the face of nature being clad in +an almost endless variety of fertility, and old Father Thames gently +meandering through the valley, formed by the distant hills which bound +the scene, affording but few prospective traces of the immense physical +developments of his powers, which render him, truly, the monarch of +rivers. At the top of this tower his Lordship possesses four colonies in +collateral-hives, and one inverted-hive, all of which have been started +since April 1833. In the collateral-hives the labours of the Bees have +been highly successful. From one colony has already been taken a box +containing thirty pounds of honey; whilst another box and three small +glasses, which cannot together contain less than forty pounds, are quite +ready for taking, and which will afford the sum of seventy pounds, and +this without infringing on the quantity necessary for the winter support +of the Bees. The thermometer in the collateral-boxes did not exceed 70 +degrees, whilst in the air it was at 64. A most remarkable contrast +was afforded by the superior quality of the honey in the end-box and +that of the 'pavilion of nature:' the superiority of the former was +most evident. Mr. Smith, the keeper, who quite follows in the steps of +Mr. Nutt, informed me that the average quantity of honey produced from +a cottage-hive, upon the old principles, does not exceed from thirty +to forty pounds; whilst, but in one case, did he ever obtain from a +hive, enlarged by eking, the amount of fifty pounds. It is extremely +satisfactory and fortunate, that, for the sake of reference, Mr. Nutt's +system has fallen into such good hands, as both his lordship and the +keeper appear as devoted to the subject, as they have been happy in their +results. For young beginners the results reflect great credit. + +[Footnote E: Vide, plate at the head of this chapter.] + +"I am not able to speak much regarding the progress of the +inverted-hives, of which his lordship possesses two; the one being at +the top of the tower and the other situate on the lawn, at the back of +the house; the former containing twenty-three glasses and the latter +thirty-three. The latter is really a magnificent construction--an +ornamental appendage such as the gardens of few noblemen can boast. The +Bees had, in each, filled all the intermediate parts betwixt the hive and +the glasses, and were just then commencing their labours in the latter. +Next summer his lordship will, I anticipate, reap a glorious harvest +both from these, and his collateral-hives, which are getting into prime +condition for the winter. + +"I have troubled you with these details because they relate to facts, +and a publication of such facts is all that is required to introduce +this admirable system of Bee-management into universal practice. To +what extension it may be brought, it is impossible to state, but these +results most strongly impress upon others of the nobility to 'Go and +do likewise.' The mantle of the warrior has indeed fallen upon the +philanthropist in the person of the heir to the title and fortunes of +a Marlborough; and let the example but be extended, and the practice +inculcated amongst our rural population, and, whilst it will greatly +conduce to their advantage, we need no longer look to France or Italy +for a supply of treasures, which our own country and peasantry can so +efficiently produce. Nothing could possibly more advance these objects, +than the formation of an Apiarian Society, which should offer premiums +and prizes to the most successful competitors; and I do hope that for +the sake of humanity as well as philanthropy, and when I see the long +and noble list of names which dignify Mr. Nutt's patronage, I shall not +be deceived in my anticipations of the speedy formation of a society, +established for such laudable purposes. + + Yours, &c. + + Abraham Booth, + + Lecturer on Chemistry. + + "Reading, July 22d, 1833." + +To the above very able and explicit description, and which is to me +the more interesting because not written by a _practical_ apiarian, I +have nothing to add, but that it has met the cordial approbation of his +Lordship, whose still more recent and continuous success has confirmed +him in the practicability and value of my system. + +The sketch which precedes this account was taken for the purpose by +his amiable Countess, whose kind solicitude for the welfare of the +industrious and valuable little insects, to which so much of my attention +has been devoted, and approbation of my exertions, have not been amongst +the least valued of my rewards and consolations. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +HONEY-BEES. + + +That branch of natural history which treats of INSECTS is +called entomology. And Linnæus, the celebrated naturalist and botanist, +and the father of the classification of animated and vegetable nature, +has divided insects into seven orders; the fifth of which is termed +hymenoptera, and includes all those insects that have four membranous, +gauze-like wings, and that are furnished with a sting, or with a process +resembling one. To this class the Honey-Bee belongs. It has, however, +been so repeatedly described by naturalists and by apiarian authors, that +it would be difficult to say any thing respecting it as an insect merely +that has not been said before. It is, moreover, so universally known, +that it may seem to be a superfluous undertaking to attempt to describe +it at all. As, however, my little work might be deemed to be imperfect +without some account of it, I will present to my readers the substance +of what appears to me to be a condensed, well-written article on the Bee. +It is from Watkins' Cyclopædia. + +There are, he says, and I believe it, fifty-five species of Bees. The +general characteristics of the Bee are these:--its mouth has two jaws +and a proboscis enfolded in a double sheath; its wings are four, the +lower or under pair of which is smaller than the upper pair; in the anus +of the female and working Bees is a concealed sting. Of the fifty-five +species the HONEY-BEE--classically, or at any rate entomologically--apis +mellifica, is the most interesting and important, and that with which I +am directly concerned. Of this Bee there are three kinds--the Queen, the +drone, and the working Bee; it is no more than justice to the draughtsman +and to the engraver to say, the following are beautiful representations, +except the head of the working Bee, which is too round. + +[Illustration] + + Fig. 1. represents a Drone. + -- 2. ---------- a working Bee. + -- 3. ---------- a Queen Bee. + +The _Drones_ are larger than the others; their heads are round, eyes +foil, and their tongues short; they are also much darker and differ +in the form of the belly; they have no sting, and they make a greater +noise in flying than the common Bees. Generally speaking, they are +found in hives from the beginning of May to the middle or latter end of +July: sometimes they may be seen earlier, especially in good stocks; +and sometimes their destruction does not take place till the middle +of August, or even later. They neither collect honey nor wax. It has +been supposed that their office is to impregnate the eggs of the Queen +_after_ they are deposited in the cells; but according to Mr. Bonner +this _supposition_ is a mistake. In this I agree with him, and beg to +remark--that in no case is a supposition a proof. Bonner says that the +Queen lays eggs which produce young Bees without any communication with +the drones. He supports this position by the statement of several very +exact experiments. In this opinion he is supported by the respectable +evidence of Schirach. On the mysterious subject of the Queen's +impregnation I am inclined to coincide in opinion with Huber, whose +multiplied observations, and various and curious experiments, do render +it highly probable that the Queen is impregnated by the drone, not whilst +in the hive, but whilst flying in the air: but of this debatable subject +more by and by. + +The QUEEN-BEE is easily distinguished from other Bees by the form, size, +and colour of her body. She is larger, longer at least, and her wings are +shorter in proportion to her size than those of other Bees. The wings of +drones and of common working Bees cover their bodies, but those of the +Queen scarcely reach beyond the middle. Her hinder part tapers more than +the corresponding part of other Bees, and is admirably adapted for the +purpose of being introduced into the cells to deposit her eggs, which she +does without being incommoded by her wings, as she no doubt would be, +were they long in proportion to the length of her body. Considering then +the office she has to perform, the shortness of her wings and the length +and tapering of her body are alike conveniences to her; her belly and +legs are yellower, and her upper parts darker than those of other Bees. +Though furnished with a sting, she very rarely uses it, and will bear +being handled without being provoked. A young Queen is smaller than a +full grown one. When three or four days old she is quick in her motions; +but when impregnated she becomes heavy. The common or working Bees have +the faculty or instinctive power of raising a Queen-Bee, when they are +in want of one, from an egg in a common cell. To do this, they choose a +common cell in which is an egg, and inject a thick, white, liquid matter +from their proboscis, they then build on the edges of that particular +cell and enlarge it; on the fifth day the royal maggot appears in the +form of a semicircle, in which form it swims in the midst of the matter +in the cell; and on the seventh day it is sealed up. During which period +the embryo Queen undergoes various metamorphoses. On the fourteenth or +fifteenth day afterwards it comes forth a perfect Queen-Bee. Schirach has +discovered a method of multiplying Queen-Bees to almost any extent, and +consequently of making artificial stocks. This can only be successfully +accomplished when there are in a hive eggs, nymphs, and little maggots +two or three days out of the cell, that is, when there is in a hive +young brood in these three different stages of existence. When a Queen +dies and the Bees are left without the means of raising another, that +is--when there are no eggs nor young brood of a proper age in the hive, +the Bees cease working, consume the honey, fly about at random, and if +not supplied with another Queen, soon dwindle away; but if supplied +with a new Queen, they revive, and exercise their labour with new and +increased activity. The Queen is, as it were, the very soul of the hive. +It has been computed that the ovary of the Queen contains above 5000 eggs +at once, and that in the space of two months she may produce 10 or 12,000 +Bees. I am inclined to think that this computation is too-limited: from +what I have witnessed in my observatory-hive this summer (1832), I am led +to conclude that a fertile Queen is capable of laying far more than the +beforementioned number of eggs in the space of two months. + +The _working Bees_ are considerably smaller than either the drones or +the Queen. They, like the others, have four wings, which enable them to +fly with heavy loads. They have six legs, of which the two foremost are +the shortest, and with these they discharge themselves of their loads. +The two last or hindmost are the largest, and on the outside of the +middle joint of these is a cavity in which the Bees collect the materials +for wax, which materials they carry home to their hives; this hollow +is peculiar to the working Bee. Each foot terminates in two hooks. The +honey-bladder is of the size of a small pea, and very transparent. The +sting is horny and hollow, through which the poison is ejected. The wound +inflicted by it is mortal to many insects; and instances are not wanting +of horses and cows having been stung to death by Bees. When the sting is +left in the wound, and being barbed it commonly is left there, the Bee +that loses it dies in consequence. + +With regard to the age of Bees, the drones have a short life, being +destroyed annually by the working Bees; these--the workers--are supposed +by some to live but one year, but others are of opinion that they live +several years: those of them that escape a premature death will live, if +I mistake not, three or four years, or even longer. I once clipped one +of the wings of a Queen so that I could identify her, in case I should +ever meet with her again: I then returned her to her hive, and had the +good fortune to see her several times afterwards during three successive +years. Of course she lived more than three years. What became of her at +last I do not know; nor whether she may not still survive I do not know. +If, however, working Bees be as long-lived as Queen-Bees, and I think +it will be difficult to assign a good reason why they should not, they +may live to be three or four years of age, and perhaps more than that. +The ample provision they make for life seems to me to be a _natural_ +indication that they expect at least to live to have occasion for it. +Sometimes fierce, destructive battles take place between the Bees of +different hives in an apiary, and when the Queen of one hive is killed, +the war ceases, and the surviving Bees of the two hives unite and become +one peaceable stock. + +Some apiarians have obtained an extraordinary command over Bees, +particularly Mr. Wildman, who could entice a whole swarm to settle +just where he pleased--on his chin, on his head, on his hand, or on +any particular branch of a tree; but these feats, so surprising to the +beholders, he effected, as any other dexterous person may, by getting +possession of the Queen-Bee, and placing her where he intended the Bees +should settle; for it is a well-ascertained fact, that such is the +attachment of Bees to their Queen, that they will congregate around her, +and, as far as they can, protect her in whatever situation they find her. +Were the attachment and _allegiance_ of all subjects to their legitimate +sovereigns thus true and powerful, it would, as Sterne says, be something! + +In working the Bees are said by some, whose sayings are perhaps more +fanciful than correct, in the following instance at least;--it has, +however, been _said_--that in working the Bees form themselves into four +companies, one of which roves the fields in search of materials for the +hive, another is employed in laying out the bottoms and partitions of the +cells, the third in smoothing the inside from the corners and angles, +and the fourth in bringing food for the rest. According to this account +some are labourers, others are builders, others finishers, and others +purveyors. As there is no difference in the formation of the workers, I +see no reason for assigning them any particular task or sort of work, +nor do I think the allotment of labour just mentioned rests upon any +other foundation than that of vague conjecture. Their diligence, however, +and activity, are so great, that in a favourable day they will make +cells which lie on each other, sufficient to contain some thousands of +Bees. To keep their habitations--their hives, close and tight, they make +use of a resinous gum, which the ancients called, and which is still +called--_propolis_. This substance is at first soft and pliable, but +becomes firmer every day; when it has acquired its proper consistency, +it is harder than wax and is an excellent cement. They guard against the +entrance of ants and other inimical insects into their hive, by gluing +or filling up with this propolis the smallest inlets; and with it they +fasten the edge of their hive to its floor in a very secure manner. Some +Bees stand as sentinels, and mount guard, as it were, to prevent the +intrusion of strangers and enemies. But if a snail, or other reptile, or +any large insect, forces its way into the hive, they first kill it, and +then coat it over with propolis, to prevent being annoyed by the noisome +smell, or by the maggots which might proceed from its putrefaction, if +left to putrefy. Bees can perceive the approach of bad weather; for +when black clouds are in the sky indicating rain, they immediately hurry +home with the greatest speed; and when to the eye of man there is no +visible token of a sudden shower or other immediate change from fine +weather to foul, Bees are aware of it, and by their sudden, hurried +return to their hives, are the first to prognosticate a change as near; +nor, often as I have observed them, have I ever found them wrong in this +respect. The manner in which Bees rest when they settle, after having +swarmed, and frequently in the hive also, is by collecting themselves +into a cluster and hanging to each other by the hooks of their feet. +When the weather has been warm I have frequently seen them, presently +after being admitted into an end-box, hang in catkins or ropes: this +they no doubt do to cool themselves the more. To view the Bees suspended +from one another in these single ropes is a natural curiosity well worth +attention. The flight of Bees when swarming is singularly rapid and most +extraordinary: during some minutes after having risen into the air, they +dart across each other in every conceivable direction, wheel round and +shoot through the merry crowd again, again wheel round and again dart +through; and notwithstanding the very limited space within which they +confine their gambols on these occasions, they never seem to come in +contact or to clash with each other; though animated and excited to a +degree of apparently frantic ovation, I never have observed one Bee fall +foul of another, and this it is that strikes me as being wonderful. The +balls attached to the legs of Bees returning to the hives, consist of +a powder gathered from the stamina of flowers, not yet brought to the +state of wax. The Bee, when it enters the cup of the flower, rolls itself +till its whole body is covered with the yellow farina that is therein. +It then brushes off this powdery farina with its hind legs, and kneads +it into two balls or small pellets, loaded with which it returns to the +hive. Bees powdered all over with farina may frequently be seen entering +their hive: the Bees thus covered carry their loads upon their whole +bodies, without the labour of packing them upon their thighs. Probably +when farina is collected in the immediate vicinity of their hives, Bees +may have the wisdom (I know not what else it can be properly called) to +save themselves the labour of brushing and making it into pellets. Some +authors hold that this substance is eaten by degrees, and being digested +in the body of the Bee, that it becomes wax,--or that by some peculiar +process it certainly is converted into wax,--and that when there is a +superfluous quantity of this undigested, or unmanufactured matter, it is +laid up in store, and is called _Bee-bread_. For my part I am of opinion +that farina is stored up purely as Bee-bread and food for the young +brood, and that _it enters not into the composition of wax_. The material +of which wax is formed I take to be quite distinct from farina--a +material of a different nature. + +The following account of a working Bee appeared in the Farmers' Journal +some time ago, I subjoin it, because, in some respects, it is more +particular than that just given; but in one thing it is deficient--it +makes no mention of the eyes--the two luminaries or lights of the body. +The eyes of Bees are of an oblong figure, black like jet, transparent and +immoveable. + +BEE, says the Farmers' Journal, a small and well-known insect, famous +for its industry. This useful and laborious insect is divided by two +ligaments into three parts or portions,--the head, the breast, and the +belly. The head is armed with two jaws and a trunk, the former of which +play like two jaws, opening and shutting to the right and left; the trunk +is long and tapering, and at the same time extremely pliant and flexible, +being destined by nature for the insect to probe to the bottom of the +flowers, through all the impediments of their chives and foliage, and +drain them of their treasured sweets: but were this trunk to be always +extended, it would prove incommodious, and be liable to be injured by a +thousand accidents; it is therefore of such a structure, that after the +performance of its necessary functions, it may be contracted, or rather +folded up; and besides this, it is fortified against all injuries by +four strong scales, two of which closely sheath it, and the two others, +whose cavities and dimensions are larger, encompass the whole. From the +middle-part or breast of the Bee grow the legs, which are six in number; +and at the extremity of the paws are two little hooks, discernible by the +microscope, which appear like sickles, with their points opposite to each +other. + +The wings are four, two greater and two smaller, which not only serve to +transport them through the air, but, by the noise they make, to give +notice of their departure and arrival, and to animate them mutually to +their labours. The hairs, with which the whole body is covered, are of +singular use in retaining the small dust that falls from the chives of +the flowers. The belly of the Bee consists of six rings, which slide over +one another, and may therefore be lengthened or contracted at pleasure; +and the inside of this part of the body contains the intestines,--the +bag of honey,--the bag of poison,--and the sting. The office of the +intestines is the same as in other animals. The bag of honey is +transparent as crystal, containing the sweet juices extracted from the +flowers, which the Bee discharges into the cells of the magazine for the +support of the community in w inter. + +The bag of poison hangs at the root of the sting, through the cavity of +which, as through a pipe, the Bee ejects some drops of this venomous +liquor into the wound made by the sting, and so renders the pain more +excessive. The mechanism of the sting is admirable, being composed of two +darts, inclosed within a sheath that tapers into a fine point, near which +is an opening to let out the poison; the two darts are ejected through +another aperture, which being armed with several sharp beards, like those +of fish-hooks, are not easily drawn back again by the Bee; and indeed she +never disengages them if the wounded party happens to start and put her +in confusion; but if, when stung, one can have patience to continue calm +and unmoved, the stinging Bee clinches those lateral points round the +shaft of the dart, by which means she recovers her weapon, and gives less +pain to the person stung. + + +FOR THE STING OF A BEE. + +The poisonous liquor which the stinging Bee infuses into the wound causes +a fermentation, attended with a swelling, which continues sometimes +several days; but that may be prevented by immediately pulling out the +sting, and enlarging the puncture, to let the venomous matter have room +to escape. + +Many nostrums have been recommended as cures--_infallible cures_, of +course--for the sting of a Bee, a few of which I will just mention; +premising, however, that I myself never make use of any of them; for, +if by chance a Bee happens to sting me, which is very rarely indeed +the case, though I never so much as cover my face, nor even put on a +pair of gloves, when operating among thousands and tens of thousands of +Bees, I extract the sting instanter, and never afterwards experience the +least pain, nor suffer the slightest inconvenience. But, if the sting be +suffered to remain in the flesh, during a few seconds only, it is not +very easy to stop the inflammation and to allay the pain. An onion cut +horizontally into thin slices, and pressed closely to the wounded part, +and renewed at short intervals, has been accounted a good application. If +the part stung be first well-rubbed with one of those slices, that would +perhaps have a soothing effect. The juice of the plantain is also said to +be a specific; olive oil is another; so is common salt; so is laudanum; +so is spirits of hartshorn; so is a solution of sal ammoniac; and so is +chalk or whitening. + +The DOCTOR (and who so likely to prescribe properly for the case +as the Doctor?) says[F] "common whitening proves an effectual remedy +against the effects of the sting of a Bee or wasp. The whitening is to be +moistened with cold water, and immediately applied. It may be washed off +in a few minutes, when neither pain nor swelling will ensue." + +[Footnote F: See "The Doctor," page 15.] + +In "The Apiarian's Guide, by J. H. Payne," published since the first +edition of this work, I find the following novel mode of treatment +recommended as "almost a perfect cure," and which is said to be "as +immediate as it is effectual." "The method I (J. H. Payne, Esq.) have +of late adopted, by which the pain is instantly removed, and both the +swelling and inflammation prevented, is to pull out the sting as soon +as possible, and take a piece of iron and heat it in the fire, or for +want of that, take a live coal, (if of wood the better, because it lasts +longer) and hold it as near to the place as I can possibly endure it, for +five minutes; if from this application a sensation of heart (quere heat) +should be occasioned, a little oil of turpentine or goulard cerate must +be applied. + +"I have found the quicker the application, the more effectual the +cure."[G] + +[Footnote G: See the Apiarian's Guide, pp. 58, 59.] + +Pressure with the hollowed end of a small key, or with a pencil-case, is +practised by some unfortunates, and is said to check the circulation of +the poison. + +This last mode of treatment--i. e. pressure with a small key, or +pencil-case--the smaller the better--is the simplest, and, if +_immediately_ adopted, is I believe the very best: but its efficacy +depends upon the instant application of the key or pencil-case to the +part stung, by which the poisonous matter is not only prevented from +being absorbed into the system, but the puncture is laid open, and the +virus thereby expressed and entirely got rid of more readily than by any +other means. + +Accidents may sometimes happen, and the most cautious and humane apiarian +may occasionally receive a sting; but gentle treatment does not irritate +Bees; and when not irritated they have no disposition to use their +stings. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +IMPREGNATION OF THE QUEEN-BEE. + + +Notwithstanding the most persevering attention of Huber and +of other ingenious apiarians, and notwithstanding the experiments +and expedients had recourse to, to discover the secret, it is still +doubtful--it is still undiscovered, in what precise way the Queen-Bee +becomes impregnated. No one has ever yet witnessed the fact of her +copulation with a drone, either in the hive or elsewhere,--in all +probability no one ever will be witness to it; consequently the +contradictory conclusions apiarians have come to on this subject are +unsatisfactory, because unsupported by sufficient and convincing proofs. +Huber, after having made a variety of observations and tried numberless +experiments to get at the fact, gives it as his opinion--that the +impregnation of the Queen is accomplished by her intercourse with the +drone during a flight in the open atmosphere; but modestly states that +he never witnessed the act of copulation. On this last point I entirely +coincide with him, and firmly believe that no man ever yet has been +present to confirm the supposed fact; neither can any person deny the +possibility--not to say--the probability of such an union. On the other +hand, Mr. Huish is an advocate for the drones in another way, stating +them to be the male Bees, and that they fecundate--_not the Queen_, but +all the eggs of the Queen, produced by her, the year in which the drones +are brought into existence. But Mr. Huish has nowhere stated, in his much +admired treatise on Bees, what fecundates those eggs of the Queen which +are produced by her in the absence of the drones. It is well-known that +those eggs do well and come to perfection, long after the drones have +ceased to exist in the hive. _Eggs are laid and matured into Bees when +there is not one drone in the hive._ This, therefore, is an argument in +favour of Mr. Huber's opinion--namely--that the Queen once impregnated +remains so during her life,--and that, as the Queen lives some years, +the drones are called into being to fecundate the young Queens, brought +into existence for purposes that will be noticed in the next chapter. +Neither should we overlook the singular services of the short-lived +drones in other circumstances of the colony; for most essential is their +presence in the hive during the months of May, June, and July. Do we +not in those months behold the extraordinary rapidity with which the +working Bees leave their hive in search of materials for their various +works? So indefatigable are these admired insects, after enriching their +commonwealth, that in the time of honey-dews, scarcely a mechanical +labourer is left in the hive. Now, were it not for the drones--those +large bodied Bees--what would become of the young larvæ then in +existence? It would undoubtedly perish. No sooner, however, is this busy +season at an end, than the total destruction of the drones takes place; +but not until the animal heat which the drones impart to the hive has +accelerated the production of the young Bees, and added thousands of them +to the mother hive. + +It is not possible that the drones can influence the impregnation of +the Queen's eggs, particularly those eggs which are produced after the +total destruction of the drones, which generally takes place in August, +and sometimes in the latter end of July. These later eggs are hatched, +and brought to a state of perfection by the crowded population of the +hive at that period: for a sufficient number of common Bees, that is--a +well-populated hive, will always bring to perfection the Queen's eggs +that have been deposited in the cells, after the total destruction of +the drones. This seems to prove, that there is some probable truth in +Huber's opinion respecting the agency of the drones in the procreation of +Bees, by their sexual union with the Queen. Though I was once inclined +to differ in opinion with Huber on this subject, and even went so far +as to venture to say with Huish, and in Huish's own words--that the +Queen knows not coition, and that she is both virgin and mother,[H] from +what I have seen in my observatory-hive this summer (1832) I am led to +doubt the accuracy of that remark, and am disposed to lean to Huber's +doctrine, and to think, that there _may be_ more truth in his experiments +than has hitherto been awarded to them: in short, I see no objection to +Huber's theory, although there is no direct proof of the copulation of +the Queens with the drones. All apiarians allow that there are male and +female in a hive or stock of Bees;--all admit--indeed, it is impossible +to deny---that Bees _do increase and multiply_ at a prodigious rate, +and so fulfil the Divine injunction; the only question to be solved is +this--_How_ is the Queen-Bee impregnated? This secret in nature--if +those matters, or natural operations which we cannot clearly explain, +which, though in themselves sensible and gross, may, nevertheless, be too +subtile, too refined, for our obtuse understandings to comprehend, and +for our dull faculties to investigate,--if these may be called secrets in +nature, there is a secret of this description respecting the sexual union +of Queen and drone Bees, or, at any rate, respecting the manner of the +impregnation of the Queen-Bee. I condemn no man who differs from me on +this nice subject, as I have no direct proof, either that Huber is right, +or that Huish is wrong, in their surmises relative to this disputable +matter. Individually they are men deserving the highest respect; their +labours and perseverance to throw light upon this mystic branch of +apiarian science deserve the utmost praise; as also do the labours +of the learned and ingenious Dr. Bevan, whose treatise on Bees I have +read with much pleasure; and have occasionally referred to, and shall +again make use of it, in this my humble attempt. We have all exerted +our best abilities to become the favourites of our patrons and friends. +How much each of us deserves the honours conferred on us, is best known +to those who have been most benefited by our unceasing endeavours to +improve and extend apiarian science. My great object is--not to dispute +with the naturalist, the philosopher, or with the apiarian, _how_ the +Queen-Bee becomes impregnated: because, be that as it may, it is, no +doubt, consistent with the law of nature,--it is, no doubt, a part of +that all-prevailing law; and though hitherto undiscovered,--hitherto +"one of nature's gambols with the human mind," I do cherish strong hopes +that the observatory-hive I have constructed, will on some auspicious, +future day, disclose such facts as will set the matter at rest for ever: +my great object at present is--to endeavour to improve the culture of +Honey-Bees, and to lay before my readers _practical_ instructions for the +more humane, and more profitable management of those interesting, little +insects. + +[Footnote H: See Huish on Bees, page 13.] + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +SUPERNUMERARY QUEENS. + + +In the last chapter we were at sea without a compass by which +to steer our course aright,--with two pilots on board, 'tis true; one +of them a foreigner, _experienced_ beyond most other men, though aged, +and infirm, and defective in his eyesight, but willing, nevertheless, +nay--anxious to conduct us to our wished-for haven; the other, though not +inexperienced, less practised, it is thought, in voyages of discovery, +and more venturesome than his senior in the office, contending that the +respectable, old gentleman had put us on a wrong tack,--that we were in +a wrong latitude,--that our reckoning was incorrect, and even making +merry with the old man's infirmities. Perplexed, and doubting in whom it +is most reasonable and safest to confide, we seize the helm ourselves +and make to the nearest shore, and luckily land on terra firma--terra +cognita, and are now approaching a _field_ with every corner of which +we are thoroughly acquainted. But metaphor apart, lest we should not +properly sustain it. + +There is but one reigning Queen in a colony of Bees at one time: but +previously to swarming, royal-cells are constructed, and provision made, +for ensuring a successor to the Queen that leads the swarm and emigrates, +when the too-crowded population, and over-heated temperature of the +hive, render such emigration necessary. That it is the old Queen that +leaves the hive with a swarm I am well convinced, notwithstanding what +some apiarians assert to the contrary. To satisfy myself on this point, +I have sometimes in the evening of the day on which a hive has swarmed, +at other times on the second, and at others on the third day after +that event, put the parent-stock under, or rather, I may say--_over_ +fumigation, dissected and examined the combs and Queen-cells minutely, +and the Bees also, and whenever I did find a Queen, she was invariably +a young one; but, instead of a Queen, I have more frequently found a +royal-cell just ready to give birth, as it were, to a successor to +that that had left the hive; and in general there are several of these +royal-cells containing embryo Queens, in different states of forwardness: +so that it seems, Bees have an instinctive foresight which leads them +to provide against casualties, for they are generally provided with the +means of bringing forth _supernumerary Queens_, that in case the first +that comes forth should prove steril, should be defective, or in any way +unfortunate, or unfitted to assume the sovereignty of the hive, there +may be others ready to burst into being, and remedy the misfortune that +would ensue, were there but one chance of a successor, and were that +one chance to prove abortive. But no sooner is a young Queen enthroned, +as it were, and established in the government of the hive than the +supernumerary ones, in whatever stage of existence, are all discarded, +and cast out of the colony, Mr. Porter, of Cowbit, has this year (1832) +picked up eight of those discarded, virgin Queens, together with the old +Queen, which last was sorely mutilated, _but not killed_--she alone was +cast out alive, the others had been killed: these nine supernumerary +Queens were all cast out of one fine colony of Bees in the course of two +successive days. That colony is a remarkably prosperous one, _and has not +swarmed_. I myself have observed no fewer than twenty-four supernumerary, +virgin Queens that were cast out of one of my stocks; and that stock is +flourishing, and _has not swarmed:_ and my respected friend, Mr. Salmon, +of Stokeferry, informs me that he once collected upwards of thirty of +these young Queens; whether his stock swarmed or not I am unable to +state positively, but presume it did not; for, generally speaking, +when supernumerary, virgin Queens are cast out of a colony, it may be +considered as an indication that that colony is not only prosperous, but +that swarming is not contemplated--in fact, is abandoned for that season. +The question then is--how are Bees to be managed, in order that they +may be induced to rid themselves of these supernumeraries? The relation +of the following practical lesson will both answer the question, and +exemplify and confirm the foregoing remarks. + +It has already been related (in pages 62-66) that in 1826 I forced a +colony of Bees to swarm,--that I returned that swarm to its parent-stock, +and managed so as to prevent its swarming in future,--and that two +royal nymphs were cast out on that occasion. To prove whether I could +not accomplish the same object, and prevent swarming altogether, I had +recourse to the following experiment. + +On the 26th of June, 1827, at one o'clock p.m. the thermometer, in one +of my colonies of Bees, suddenly rose to 96. The progressive rise and +constantly high temperature in that colony, during the evening and night, +together with the extraordinary weight of the hive, induced me to suspect +that swarming, if not prevented, would shortly take place. Not, however, +perceiving any of the symptoms that usually precede the immediate act of +swarming, I suffered matters to go on until the 6th of July, on which day +the thermometer stood at 102. The drones came out and sung their merry +tune; and during the whole night the temperature of the colony continued +to increase. On the next day unequivocal symptoms of swarming presented +themselves. These urged me to push my experiment to the highest pitch of +proof; I therefore went on narrowly watching and ventilating this stock, +until the 10th of July, when, in spite of my endeavours to keep down the +temperature by _merely ventilating_ the thermometer was standing at 112, +consequently I concluded that it was high time to lay this prosperous +colony under contribution; and in the evening of that day, I took from +it a beautifully finished glass of honey, as pure as the crystal stream; +its weight was sixteen pounds. I continued ventilating the side-boxes, +and placed an empty bell-glass upon the middle one, from which I had just +before taken the full one, I then withdrew the dividing-slide, and the +Bees immediately entered the glass, and began their works in it, and in +four days filled it with comb, and partly filled the cells with honey. On +the sixth day after those operations had been performed, a continuance of +the former temperature demonstrated to me the necessity of taking away a +side-box. I did so, and found its weight to be no less than sixty-five +pounds. On removing the box of honey, I replaced it with an empty one; +and on drawing up the tin-slide, in order to admit the Bees into the +empty box, to my great gratification I found the thermometer standing at +82 in that box, and in the space of five minutes the other collateral-box +was under the same agreeable temperature. By this continued ventilation, +within the short space of twenty-four hours afterwards, I ascertained the +following important fact,--viz.--that no sooner did the Queen-Bee feel +the agreeable change that had taken place in the interior of her domicil, +than the royal nymph was dislodged from its cell, and by the Bees brought +out of the pavilion, and laid lifeless on the front-board. + +This fact taught me by experiment, that the reigning Queen would very +soon, from real necessity, have been compelled to leave the now discarded +nymph to take possession of the hive. + +The Queen, owing to the excessive and daily increasing heat of the +hive, would have left her wealthy colony--would have been compelled to +leave it--had not the ventilation, and the enlargement of her domicil, +prevented the painful necessity of her so doing. This, I think, proves +the truth of the observation--that it is the old Queen which leaves, when +Bees are compelled to swarm; but, if not, the following experimental +operations have demonstrated the fact. I have united many swarms, and +every sovereign Bee I have been under the necessity of making a captive, +has invariably been an old one. + +On the 25th of June, 1828, I took up a parent-stock, four days after +it had thrown off a swarm, and there found only the royal nymph within +its cradle--_there was no Queen left in that stock, save the one in +embryo_--the old Queen had gone with the swarm. This lesson caused me +to carry my experiments farther. Having taken up the parent-stock, as +just stated, I united all the working Bees of that stock to those of the +swarm already mentioned, and I also put the young larvæ found in the +parent-stock, to the now united-stock; I then placed the intended royal +species--the nymph already mentioned--with the remainder of the young +brood, in one of the collateral-boxes, and immediately let the odour of +the stock through the communicating slide. To my great satisfaction I +discovered the willingness of the old Bees to bring to perfection the +young they had been compelled to leave in their former domicil. The royal +nymph, however, was an exception; she alone was instantly dragged from +her cell, and cast out of the hive. + +This confirmed the proof of the important fact gained the preceding +year,--namely--that ventilation and the means of dividing the treasures +of the Bees, by taking off a glass or a box of honey,--or, if necessary, +by taking off both a glass and a box, set aside the necessity for +swarming. On all occasions, under this practice, a proper temperature +may be supported in a colony; and in all critical points, by a just +observation of the state of the thermometer, Bees may be relieved and +assisted, and all the mischiefs attending the old mode of management +may be guarded against and prevented. For when adequately relieved +and properly assisted, they proceed to rid the colony of all embryo +Queens, which would only become so many supernumeraries in a hive +where the reigning Queen is fertile, and the necessity for emigration +is superseded. But, unless Bees could be made to understand that +accommodation will be extended to them at the proper time, they, guided +by _their_ sense of their situation--not by ours--naturally and wisely +provide _their own means_ of relieving themselves; and in so doing +frequently bring forth what afterwards become supernumerary Queens, +which are invariably destroyed and cast out of the colony, as soon as +the Bees are sensible that they have no occasion for them. And, whenever +a royal nymph or a virgin Queen is thus cast out, swarming need not be +apprehended. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +BEE-FEEDING. + + +Neglected generally, as is the management of Bees by their +cottage possessors, there is no part of it less attended to, nor more +slovenly performed, when performed at all, than that of feeding. The +cottager commonly takes up, as he terms it, his best hives for the sake +of the treasures they contain, or are supposed to contain. This is +destroying Bees because they are rich! He also takes up the lightest and +poorest--of course the late swarms--and those that are the least likely +to live through the winter; because if he get from one of these but two +or three pounds of honey, though he seldom gets so much, and a few ounces +of wax, he thinks that that is all clear gain: and, if he get neither +honey nor wax, he, at any rate, gets rid of the _expense_ and _trouble_ +of feeding _his good-for-nothing swarms_, which, in his opinion, however +fed, would never come to any good. A pennyworth of brimstone will do +the job at once, and is more easily paid for than a pound of sugar, and +after that another, and perhaps another. Such is the reasoning, and +calculation, and cruel practice of the generality of cottage Bee-keepers! +Such is the destruction annually dealt out to hundreds of poor swarms, +and thousands and millions of _poor_ Bees!! I do from my heart pity +and deplore the untimely fate of these suffocated, innocent, valuable +insects. To destroy Bees because they are rich is a _barbarous_ practice, +and ought by all means to be discountenanced and discontinued;--to +destroy Bees because they are poor and may need support, is cruel---is +inhuman--is shocking, however little may be thought of it by those who +still adhere to this practice. Even with the common straw-hives, this +terrible havoc among poor stocks and late swarms might be prevented, +if they, who happen to have them, would so far improve themselves in +the practical management of an apiary, as to be able to fumigate, and +to take such Bees out of the hives containing them, and to join them +to their richer stock-hives, in the latter end of August, or any time +in September. This is by far the best plan that can be adopted with +poor hives; and there really is no difficulty in the operation. This +strengthens the population of rich stocks, and causes them to swarm +early in the ensuing spring, _it preserves the Bees_, which is of +itself, independently of the advantages accruing from it afterwards, a +consideration that never should be lost sight of,--it leaves the contents +of the fumigated hive, as absolutely in the possession of the Bee-owner, +as if the Bees had been suffocated and destroyed,--and in most cases it +entirely does away with the necessity of feeding. I confess I should +rejoice greatly, and flatter myself that every friend of humanity would +rejoice with me, to see this mode of disposing of weak hives universally +adopted; because, it may be presumed, that the next step in the way of +improvement would be to take away the superabundant treasure of the Bees +and _still preserve them_. + +Notwithstanding, under certain circumstances it will always be necessary, +and judicious in Bee-masters, to have recourse to _feeding_. If, for +instance, after an early swarm is put into a hive, or into a box, two or +three or more cold, ungenial days should follow, and more particularly if +those days should happen to be rainy also, by feeding such a swarm you +will assist your impoverished labourers, not only with _necessary food_, +but with materials and treasure, which, unfortunately for them, they +cannot at such an unfavourable juncture get abroad to collect elsewhere. + +Different apiarians have adopted and recommended different ways of +feeding Bees, none of which, in my opinion, possess any great merit; in +order, therefore, to improve this part of Bee-management, my endeavours +have been directed to the contrivance and construction of a feeding +department; which is attached to my collateral-hives in so convenient a +manner, that I can feed my Bees, at any time when feeding is required--in +spring, in autumn, or in winter, without disturbing the position of the +hive, and without changing its interior temperature; which temperature +cannot be kept equable and comfortable, where a hive is frequently lifted +up from its stand, and its interior is suddenly exposed to the action of +perhaps an extremely cold atmosphere. Besides, a hive cannot be lifted up +without breaking the propolis by which it has been cemented all round +and made fast to its stool. In sharp, cold weather, disruption of the +hive from its stool is a serious mischief done to the Bees; because, +however carefully it maybe set down again, there will have been made many +vents and crevices between the edge of the hive and the stool, which +will occasion various currents of air, cold, frosty, or other--proper or +improper--to be continually passing through the lower part of the hive. +And should Bees be tempted by food, or urged by hunger, to descend into +these currents in sharp, frosty weather, but few of them will get away +alive; the keen air acting upon them whilst feeding, paralyzes and kills +them. I am an advocate for keeping Bees cool in winter--yes, _cool and +still also:_ let them not be disturbed nor disunited,--let them not be +forced nor tempted to (if I may so say) uncluster themselves. I have no +objection to a current of air passing through the lower part of a hive +in winter, _provided the Bees be not disturbed--be not exposed singly to +its nipping influence;_ but I strongly object to the feeding of Bees in +such currents, because, in that case, feeding is prejudicial to them. +The cottager seldom protects his hives in winter with any other covering +than that which a pot, called a pancheon, whelmed over each hive, forms; +capped with this unsightly piece of earthenware, his hives are exposed +to all weathers; consequently the less he disturbs them the better. He +therefore should give his weak stocks _a copious feeding_, in September +at the latest,--not molest them during the severity of winter,--but in +the spring, as soon as the Bees begin to make their appearance at the +mouth of his hives, introduce his wooden trough furnished with a _little_ +Bee-sirup, and then close up the entrance,--withdraw the trough in the +morning, and return it replenished every evening, as long as feeding is +necessary. Tearing off a hive at Christmas, and scattering a few ounces +of brown sugar upon the stand, and then setting down the hive again, +deserves not the name of feeding; though it is all the bounty that is +bestowed on some stocks; and is even more than others are treated with. +It need not then be wondered at that so many stocks of Bees perish in the +winter, and in the spring of every year. _By judicious feeding, at proper +seasons, almost any stock of Bees may be preserved: by injudicious +feeding_, at an improper season, even good stocks--stocks that would +survive, if not fed at all, nor molested, during the depth and severity +of winter, may be seriously injured--may be totally destroyed. The +peasant Bee-keeper, however, does not often subject himself to the charge +_complimental_ of being accessary to the death of his Bees _through +mistaken kindness_. + +The sum and substance of my directions, as respects Bee-feeding, are +these:-- + +1. In spring feed _sparingly_. + +2. In autumn feed _plentifully_. + +3. In winter _do not feed at all_. + +4. Feed swarms, if unseasonable weather immediately follow the act of +swarming. + +5. Preserve the Bees of weak stocks, and prevent a great deal of the +necessity for feeding, by adding them to those that are rich and able +to support them. This last is the best and cheapest, nay--it is even a +_profitable_ method of feeding Bees. + +Early swarming, where swarming is necessary as in the straw-hive +colonies, is of great advantage to the watchful apiarian, but not to the +inattentive and slothful manager. I have seen in a cottager's garden a +swarm of Bees on the 10th of May, which was considerably weaker in the +month of August, than was a swarm on the 10th of July, and that solely on +account of not being fed and properly attended to. + +If early swarms are judiciously fed, and supported by a natural heat +within, they will be greatly benefitted thereby, and eventually prosper. + +But, notwithstanding what has been already said, the cottager may +probably ask--"how can I feed my Bees without lifting up their hive?" I +again and again request him to examine my collateral box-hive; and he +will perceive that he may easily feed the Bees in his cottage-hive in +the same easy manner, if he have but ingenuity enough to attach a proper +feeder to the stool or floor of his hive. + +Mr. Huish advises apiarians to make choice of a fine and warm day in +which to feed Bees, he says, the danger to be apprehended from the +change of the temperature in the hive will thereby be obviated. This, I +grant, is rational and humane, and in some degree a confirmation of my +already expressed opinion, respecting the mischiefs resulting from the +inconsiderate practice of exposing the interior of a hive to sudden +and extreme alternations of temperature. But it matters not what sort +of weather it may be, if my mode of feeding be adopted. I feed my Bees +in their native temperature, without disturbing them or exposing their +food to the temptation of robbers, which feeding in the ordinary way so +frequently encourages, during the spring and autumnal seasons; and it is +at these times that Bees stand in most need of assistance. + +In the year 1828, I purchased a cottage-hive of a neighbour, it was +a large hive, and well-stocked with Bees, but extremely light; I was +fearful for the safety of its inmates, and, therefore, placed it over one +of my feeders; in order to give them support by feeding, I placed the +sirup intended for their food beneath the hive; but to my great surprise +the Bees refused to take the proffered bounty. I persevered in my +endeavours to induce them to feed for four days, but they would not touch +the well-intended boon: I therefore resolved to ascertain the cause of +their refusal, and on turning up the hive I discovered that thousands of +the Bees were in a dying state, I had the curiosity to take the whole of +them out singly. After several hours' particular attention and patient +search, I found the Queen was dead. I then united the weak, enfeebled +Bees to a rich stock, and they nearly all recovered their strength. +Their numbers greatly assisted in the labour of the hive to which they +were joined. Certain it is, that if any accident befal their Queen in +winter, it is total _ruin_ to that stock of Bees: where such a death is +discovered, feeding will avail nothing, the Bees dwindle away and perish. + +Mr. Huish says--and he is perfectly correct in saying--that there are +some persons who defer the feeding of their Bees until the moment they +suppose that they may be in actual want. This is a most reprehensible +plan; for should feeding be too long delayed, the Bees will become so +weak and debilitated, that they will be unable to convey the food into +their cells: the food ought to be administered to poor stocks, three +weeks or a month before they may be supposed to be in actual want; +it will then be conveyed with the greatest despatch into the cells, +and the hive will be saved from a death of famine. He then goes on to +observe--that some apiarians conceive that the feeding of Bees in the +spring renders them lazy and inactive. On what this opinion is grounded +he is at a loss to conjecture, as must be every practical apiarian; +for it is in direct contradiction, not only to Mr. Huish's experience, +but also to that of many other apiarians. A little food granted to +a populous, and even well-provisioned box or hive in the spring, is +attended with very beneficial consequences. It diffuses animation and +vigour throughout the whole community;--it accelerates the breeding +of the Queen--and consequently conduces to the production of early +swarms, where room is not previously given in order to prevent swarming +altogether. + + +BEE-FOOD. + +Artificial food proper for Bees may be made by mixing _coarse_, raw +sugar, and good, sound ale, in the following proportions:-- + +To a quart of ale add a pound and a half of sugar, gently boil them, in +a sweet, well-tinned saucepan, over a fire clear from smoke, for five or +six minutes, or until the sugar be dissolved and thoroughly incorporated +with the ale; and, during the process of boiling, skim off the dross +that rises to the surface. Some persons boil these ingredients much +longer, and until they become, when cool, a thick, clammy sirup; this +not only diminishes the quantity of the mixture, but renders it rather +disadvantageous, to weak Bees in particular, by clogging and plaguing +them, if, as they are almost sure to do, they get their legs or wings +daubed with it. I prefer sirup in a more liquid state. + +For spring feeding, I advise--that not more than a pound of sugar be put +to a quart of ale, or sweet wort, if it can be obtained, and that a small +quantity of common salt be added. By a _small quantity_ I mean--a drachm +or two at the most to a quart of the sirup. Salt, it has been said, is +conducive to the health of Bees, and the most efficacious remedy for the +dysentery, which sometimes affects Bees in the spring; therefore, it may +not be amiss to put a little salt into their food, by way of preventive, +rather than to have recourse to it afterwards as a remedy. + +Speaking of the substances which are proper for the feeding of Bees, +Mr. Huish says[I]--"he is perfectly convinced that honey alone is very +injurious to Bees, as it in general gives them the dysentery." Whether +by this _extraordinary passage_ Mr. Huish has, or has not, subjected +himself to the lash of his own ridicule, it would be hypercritical and +unbecoming in me to determine. As an apiarian I respect him; in no other +character am I acquainted with him. His work on the management of Bees +I have read, and have derived information and occasionally assistance +from some of its pages. There are in it, nevertheless, several untenable +positions, of which I consider the above-quoted passage to be one: and, +if what he has remarked somewhat sarcastically, in a note at the foot of +page 31, be read in conjunction with this passage, it will be for the +candid reader, apiarian, or other, to decide whether Mr. Huish in propriâ +personâ does not, oddly enough, exemplify his own remark. It is there +said--that "there is no wonder in nature which an apiarian has not seen." +Professedly an apiarian himself, he must have seen some, at least, of +_the wonders in nature_, otherwise he never could have been "_perfectly +convinced_"--that honey--"_honey alone_"--the very substance which Bees, +guided by the instinct of their nature, collect with so much industry, +and store up with so much care, for their subsistence, should be "very +injurious to them, and in general give them the dysentery." From this +it seems that the substance, which is the natural food for one stock of +Bees, is physic for another, if not poison!! I cannot but express my +astonishment that a gentleman, so acute and experienced as Mr. Huish +undoubtedly is, should have asserted in the most unqualified manner--that +"honey alone is very injurious to Bees." Were this the fact, rich stocks, +and all stocks that subsist upon "honey alone" during winter, would "in +general" be affected with dysentery in the spring, which certainly is +not the case. "In general" rich stocks are healthy and strong in the +spring. Poverty is the predisposing cause of dysentery among Bees: a +regular supply of their natural--their peculiar food, does not induce +dysentery or disease of any sort. Had Mr. Huish analyzed the honey given +to Bees as food, and which induced dysentery, he would, I suspect, have +discovered that it was not "honey alone," but--_medicated honey_--_honey +and brimstone_, or honey strongly tinctured either with brimstone or +tobacco. That honey, tinctured with the pernicious qualities of those +substances, should have a laxative effect upon impoverished, debilitated +Bees, is no more than might be expected: but then it is not the honey +that has the "injurious" effect, but the essence of the brimstone or of +the tobacco that is administered along with it. What effect honey, that +has not been stoved and saturated with brimstone or with tobacco, may +have upon _weak_ Bees, when given to them for _spring food_, I pretend +not to determine, because I have never tried the experiment. But I do +say that before the arrival of spring, honey, that has been drained or +expressed from the comb, undergoes fermentation, and that fermentation +may, for aught I know, impart to it physical properties, which in its +pure, liquid, unchanged state, in the warm hive, it does not possess. I +am not chemist enough to venture to assert that it is so, but I think +it highly probable that fermentation may alter the properties of honey, +and perhaps may render it unwholesome to Bees. But fresh, unfermented +honey, even that in the blackest and oldest combs--the very refuse, and +all such as the cottage-housewife makes into common mead, if spread upon +large dishes and placed in an apiary, will be banqueted upon by the Bees +in the most eager manner, and is apparently much enjoyed by them. They +soon carry into their hives what they do not consume on the spot, and +suffer no inconvenience whatever from the treat. I have feasted my Bees +in this way scores of times, and esteem it the very best mode of autumnal +feeding, and the most profitable way of disposing of broken combs and +refuse honey. "Honey alone" is the natural food of Bees, and if given +to them pure and untainted, in its primitive, limpid state, so far from +being injurious, it is highly beneficial to them; of this I have not the +shadow of a doubt. For autumnal feeding, I prefer honey to all other +substances, and recommend it as the most proper food that can be given to +them. + +[Footnote I: Huish on Bees, page 272.] + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +CATALOGUE OF BEE-FLOWERS, &C. + + +From the account of the mode of supplying Bees with artificial +food, to the enumeration of such trees, plants, and flowers as are most +frequented by Bees, for the purpose of culling from them the various +substances, which their necessities, their nature, or their instinct +(which is a part of their nature) urge them to seek for, the transition +is so easy and natural--is so akin to the subject of Bee-feeding, as to +be rather a continuation thereof than a transition to a fresh one; I +therefore proceed to give a catalogue of those trees and plants which +afford pabulum for Bees. It is furnished principally from my own ocular +observation, and is partly collected from the observation of others, +whose curiosity has led them to pay attention to the subject, and to make +remarks upon it. + + * * * * * + + Alder-tree Celery + Almond-tree Cherry-tree + Althea frutex Chesnut-tree + Alyssum Chickweed + Amaranthus Clover + Apple-tree Cole or coleseed + Apricot-tree Coltsfoot + Arbutus (alpine) Coriander + Ash-tree Crocus + Asparagus Crowfoot + Aspin Crown-imperial + Cucumber + Balm Currants + Bean Cypress-tree + Beech-tree + Betony Daffodil + Blackberry Dandelion + Black-currant-tree Dogberry-tree + Borage + Box-tree Elder-tree + Bramble Elm-tree + Broom Endive + Bugloss (viper's) + Buckwheat Fennel + Burnet Furze + + Cabbage Goldenrod + Cauliflower Gooseberry-tree + Gourd + + * * * * * + + Hawthorn Mallow (marsh) + Hazel-tree Marigold (French) + Heath Marigold (single) + Holly Maple-tree + Holly-hock (trumpet) Marjoram (sweet) + Honey-suckle Melilot + Honey-wort (cerinthe) Melon-tree + Hyacinth Mezereon + Hysop Mignionette + Mustard + Ivy + Nasturtium + Jonquil Nectarine-tree + Nettle (white) + Kidney-bean + Oak-tree + Laurel Onion + Laurustinus Orange-tree + Lavender Ozier + Leek + Lemon-tree Parsley + Lily (water) Parsnip + Lily (white) Pea + Lime-tree Peach-tree + Liquidamber Pear-tree + Liriodendrum, or Peppermint + Tulip-tree Plane-tree + Lucerne Plum-tree + Poplar-tree + Poppy + Primrose + Privet + + * * * * * + + Radish Tacamahac + Ragweed Tansy (wild) + Rasberry Tare + Rosemary (wild) Teasel + Roses (single) Thistle (common) + Rudbechiæ Thistle (sow) + Thyme (lemon) + Saffron Thyme (wild) + Sage Trefoil + Saintfoin Turnip + St. John's wort + Savory (winter) Vetch + Snowdrop + Snowberry-tree Violet (single) + Stock (single) + Strawberry Wallflower (single) + Sunflower Willow-herb + Sycamore-tree Willow-tree + Woad + + Yellow weasel-snout + + * * * * * + +Of these some are valuable for the supply of pabulum they afford Bees +early in spring; as _the white alyssum, broom, crocus, furze, hazel, +laurustinus, mezereon, ozier, plane-tree, poplar-tree, snowdrop, +sycamore-tree, the willow-tree, &c._ Others again are valuable on +account of the lateness of the season that Bees derive assistance from +them; as _the golden-rod, heath, ivy, laurustinus, mignionette, ragweed, +&c._ Some abound with honey; as _borage, buckwheat, burnet, coleseed, +currant and gooseberry-trees, heath, leek, mignionette, mustard, onion, +thyme, the blossoms of apple, apricot, cherry, nectarine, pear, and +plum-trees, and the leaves of those trees remarkable for what is called +honey-dew, as the aspin, blackberry, laurel, laurustinus, lime, maple, +oak, plane, poplar, and sycamore-tree._ Among those that are rich in +pollen, may be classed--_the arbutus, ash, blackberry, box, chesnut, +cypress, elder, laurel, marsh-mallow, turnip, &c._ + +The cultivation of some of the most valuable of these is too-limited +to be particularly advantageous to Bees, as _alyssum, borage, burnet, +golden-rod, laurustinus, mezereon, mignionette, &c._ The most extensive +and lasting Bee-pasturage in this country is _clover, heath_, and +in my own immediate neighbourhood _mustard_. In short, every one of +the flowers, &c. mentioned in the foregoing catalogue, and others +innumerable, are in their turns resorted to by Bees, and of course are +more or less advantageous to them. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +HONEY-COMB. + + +To excite our admiration of the industry and ingenuity of Bees, +we need only take into our hands a piece of _honey-comb_, and examine it +attentively. Its neatness, its beauty, its construction, the similarity +and exact proportion of its double web of cells, for a honey-comb is, +in fact, a web of cell-work on both sides, are most admirable, and +calculated to lead the contemplative mind from nature's work up to +nature's God. + +When a swarm of Bees is put into a hive, or into a box, they immediately +set about constructing combs in it, and proceed in their building work +with a rapidity that is truly astonishing. The cells that are opposite to +each other are advanced alike: the work on one side is just as forward +and in the same state as that on the other side. In the cells first +finished the Queen begins to deposit her eggs. In an incredibly short +space of time, an immense number of cells is completed, and the Bees +store pollen, farina, or Bee-bread, (which are so many names for the same +substance) in some of those not already occupied by eggs, and in others +honey soon becomes visible: all is activity, industry, and apparently +happiness. But, to come to particulars:-- + +As Dr. Bevan, in the course of his _masterly_ chapter "On the +Architecture of Bees," has given an engraved representation of a piece +of honey-comb,--and as Mr. Huish also has given a somewhat similar +representation, but better than Dr. Bevan's, inasmuch as it is more +varied, and shows the royal-cells in their different stages to more +advantage, and the drone-cells likewise;--I cannot, perhaps, do the +_honey-comb_ so much justice in any way, as by presenting to my reader +a copy of Mr. Huish's piece of comb, which has been _greatly improved_ +by the skilful hand of my engraver, and by giving along with it Dr. +Bevan's able description. Though after all, a piece of _real comb_, to +look at and examine, is more beautiful and far better than any engraving +possibly can be, however cleverly it may be executed: and therefore, +notwithstanding the plate, I would recommend it to my reader to procure +a piece of real honey-comb, and with it in his hand read the following +account, which is chiefly from Dr. Bevan's pen. + +[Illustration] + +Royal-cells in different states of forwardness, common-cells, and +drone-cells, are intended to be severally represented in this plate. The +ranges forming the upper half, and marked--a. are intended to represent +common brood-cells and honey-cells--most of them in an empty state. The +lower ranges, marked--b. are drone-cells, and are represented as closed +up, and as they appear when full of brood. Drone-cells, when filled +with brood and sealed up, present a fuller and more convex surface than +the cells containing common brood--these, that is--the cells containing +the brood that becomes working Bees, are sometimes flat and even, and +sometimes rather concave. The four large cells, attached perpendicularly +to the edge of the comb, and marked--c. d. e. f. are royal-cells in +different states of forwardness; that marked--c. is similar in size +and shape to an acorn-cup, and is supposed to be quite empty; that +marked--d. is in a more advanced state, and is supposed to contain +a royal embryo, in its _larva_ state: the royal-cell, marked--e. is +considerably lengthened, narrowed, and nearly closed, because the larva +it is supposed to contain is about to be transformed into a royal nymph, +in which stage of its existence, as it does not require the assistance of +nurses or common Bees, it is closed up entirely, as in the royal-cell, +marked--f. In this closed cell it progresses from nymph to Bee, and in +due time--that is, in about sixteen days from its being deposited as +an egg, it emerges a virgin Queen. When the temperature of a hive, or +pavilion of nature, is at a proper height--namely, between 70 and 80 +degrees, sixteen days is the period nature requires for the production +of a Queen-Bee,--twenty-one for the perfection of a working Bee,--and +twenty-six for a drone Bee. But, as Dr. Bevan very justly remarks, "the +development of each species proceeds more slowly when the colonies are +weak, or the air cool,--and that when the weather is very cold it is +entirely suspended." + +But to return from this short, though it is hoped, not uninteresting +digression, into which the explanation of the Queen-cells has led us. + +"The combs of the Bee-hive comprise a congeries of hexagonal cells, +formed by the Bees, as receptacles for honey or for embryo Bees. A +honey-comb is allowed to be one of the most striking achievements of +insect industry, and an admirable specimen of insect architecture. It has +attracted the admiration of the contemplative philosopher in all ages, +and awakened speculation, not only in the naturalist, but also in the +mathematician: so regular, so perfect, is the structure of the cells, +that it satisfies every condition of a refined problem in geometry. Still +a review of their proceedings will lead to the conclusion, as Huber has +observed, that, "the geometrical relations, which apparently embellish +the productions of Bees, are rather the necessary result of their mode +of proceeding, than the principle by which their labour is guided." "We +must therefore conclude, that Bees, although they act geometrically, +understand neither the rules nor the principles of the arts which they +practise so skilfully, and that the geometry is not in the Bee, but in +the great Geometrician who made the Bee, and made all things in number, +weight, and measure. + +"Before the time of Huber, no naturalist had seen the commencement of the +comb, nor traced the several steps of its progress. After many attempts, +he at length succeeded in attaining the desired object; by preventing +the Bees from forming their usual impenetrable curtain by suspending +themselves from the top of the hive; in short, he obliged them to build +upwards, and was thereby enabled, by means of a glass window, to watch +every variation and progressive step in the construction of a comb. + +"_Each comb in a hive is composed of two ranges of cells, backed +against each other: these cells_, looking at them as a whole, may be +said to _have one common base_, though no one cell is opposed directly +to another. This base or partition, between the double row of cells, +is so disposed as to form a pyramidal cavity at the bottom of each, as +will be explained presently. _The mouths of the cells_, thus ranged on +each side of a comb, _open into two parallel streets_ (there being a +continued series of combs in every well filled hive). These streets are +sufficiently contracted, to avoid waste of room, and to preserve a proper +warmth, yet _wide enough to allow the passage of two Bees abreast_. +Apertures through different parts of the combs are reserved to form near +roads, for crossing from street to street, whereby much time is saved to +the Bees. + + These in firm phalanx ply their twinkling feet, + Stretch out the ductile mass, and form the street, + With many a cross-way path and postern gate, + That shorten to their range the spreading state. + + Evans. + +"_Bees_, as has been already observed, _build their cells of an +hexangular form, having six equal sides_, with the exception of the first +or uppermost row, the shape of which is an irregular pentagon, the roof +of the hive forming one of the members of the pentagon. + +"There are only three possible figures of the cells," says Dr. Reid, +"which can make them all equal and similar, without any useless +interstices. These are--the equilateral triangle, the square and the +regular hexagon. It is well-known to mathematicians, that there is not a +fourth way possible, in which a plane may be cut into little spaces, that +shall be equal, similar, and regular, without having any interstices." Of +these three geometrical figures, the hexagon most completely unites the +prime requisites for insect architecture. The truth of this proposition +was perceived by Pappus, an eminent Greek philosopher and mathematician, +who lived at Alexandria, in the reign of Theodosius the Great, and its +adoption by Bees, in the construction of honey-comb, was noticed by that +ancient geometrician. These requisites are:-- + +"First, Oeconomy of materials. There are no useless partitions in a +honey-comb, each of the six lateral panels of one cell forms also one +of the panels of an adjoining cell; and of the three rhombs which form +the pyramidal base of a cell, each contributes one third towards the +formation of the bases of three opposing cells, the bottom or centre of +every cell resting against the point of union of the panels that are at +the back of it. + +"Secondly, Oeconomy of room; no interstices being left between adjoining +cells. + +"Thirdly, the greatest possible capacity or internal space, consistent +with the two former desiderata. + +"Fourthly, Oeconomy of materials and economy of room produce economy of +labour. And in addition to these advantages, the cells are constructed +in the strongest manner possible, considering the quantity of materials +employed. Both the sides and bases are so exquisitely thin, that three or +four placed on each other are not thicker than a leaf of common writing +paper; each cell, separately weak, is strengthened by its coincidence +with other cells, and _the entrance is fortified with an additional +ledge or border of wax_, to prevent its bursting from the struggles of +the Bee-nymph, or from the ingress and _egress_ of the labourers. This +entrance border is _at least three times as thick as the sides of the +cell_, and thicker at the angles than elsewhere, which prevents the +mouth of the cell from being regularly hexagonal, though the interior is +perfectly so. + + On books deep poring, ye pale sons of toil, + Who waste in studious trance the midnight oil, + Say, can you emulate with all your rules, + Drawn, or from Grecian or from Gothic schools, + This artless frame? Instinct her simple guide, + A heaven-taught insect baffles all your pride. + Not all your marshall'd orbs that ride so high, + Proclaim more loud a present Deity, + Than the nice symmetry of these small cells, + Where on each angle genuine science dwells, + And joys to mark, through wide creation's reign, + How close the lessening links of her continued chain. + + Evans. + +"Having just adverted to the ingenuity of Bees in thickening, and thereby +strengthening the mouths of the cells, it may here be observed--that +_additional strength is also derived from the Bees covering the whole +surface of the combs, but more particularly the edge of the cells, with +a peculiar kind of varnish_, which they collect for the purpose. At +first the combs are delicately white, semi-transparent, and exceedingly +fragile, smooth but unpolished: in a short time their surfaces become +stronger, and assume more or less of a yellow tint. The deepening of the +colour of honey-combs has been supposed, by some, to be the effect of +age; and in part it may be: but it is principally owing to the coat of +varnish, with which the Bees cover them. This varnish strongly resembles +propolis, appearing to differ from it only in containing the colouring +material which imparts to wax its yellow hue. The source of this +colouring matter has not been discovered: it is insoluble in alcohol, but +the manufacture of white-wax shows that it is destructible by light. But +to return to the construction of the cell-work. + +"_The pyramidal basis of a cell is formed by the junction of three +rhomboidal or lozenge-shaped portions of wax:_ the apex of the pyramid +being situated where the three obtuse angles of the lozenges meet. To +the exterior edges and angles are attached the six panels or sides of +each cell. The apex of each pyramidal bottom, on one side of a comb, +forms the angles of the bases of three cells on the opposite side, the +three lozenges respectively concurring in the formation of the bases of +the same cells. This will, I hope, explain what is meant by "each cell +separately weak, being strengthened by coincidence with others." The +bottom of each cell rests upon three partitions of opposite cells, from +which it receives a great accession of strength. + +"As it is desirable that the reader should thoroughly comprehend this +subject, I will re-state it in other words. The partition which separates +the two opposing rows of cells, and which occupies, of course, the middle +distance between their two surfaces, is not a plane but a collection of +rhombs, there being three at the bottom of each cell: the three together +form in shape, a flattened pyramid, the basis of which is turned towards +the mouth of the cell; each cell is in form, therefore, a hexagonal +prism, terminated by a flattened trihedral pyramid, the three sides of +which pyramid are rhombs, that meet at the apex by their obtuse angles. + +"The union of the lozenges in one point, in addition to the support which +it is the means of affording to the three partitions between opposing +cells, is also admirably adapted to receive the little egg and to +concentrate the heat necessary for its incubation. + +"Each obtuse angle of the lozenges or rhombs forms an angle of about 110 +degrees, and each acute one, an angle of about 70 degrees. Mr. Maraldi +found by mensuration that the angles of these rhombs, which compose +the base of a cell, amounted to 109 degrees and 28 seconds, and 70 +degrees and 32 seconds: and the famous mathematician Koenig, pupil of +the celebrated Bernoulli, having been employed for that purpose by M. +Reaumur, has clearly shown, by the method of infinitesimals, that the +quantity of these angles, using the least possible wax, in the cell of +the same capacity, should contain 109 degrees and 26 seconds, and 70 +degrees and 34 seconds. This was confirmed by the celebrated Mr. Mac +Laurin, who very justly observes, that Bees do truly construct their +cells of the best figure, and with the utmost mathematical exactness. + +"The construction of several combs is generally going on at the same +time. No sooner is the foundation of one laid, with a few rows of cells +attached to it, than a second and a third are founded on each side, +parallel to the first, and so on, (if the season give encouragement to +the operations of the Bees,) till the hive is filled with their works; +the first constructed comb or combs being always in the most advanced +state, and therefore the first to be completed. + +"_The design of every comb is sketched out, and the first rudiments are +laid by one single Bee._ This founder-Bee forms a block, out of a rough +mass of wax, drawn partly from its own resources, but principally from +those of other Bees, which furnish materials, in quick succession, from +the receptacles under their bellies, taking out the plates of wax with +their hind feet, and carrying them to their mouths with their fore feet, +where the wax is moistened and masticated, till it becomes soft and +ductile. + + Thus filter'd through yon flutterer's folded mail, + Clings the cool'd wax, and hardens to a scale; + Swift, at the well-known call, the ready train + (For not a buz boon nature breathes in vain) + Spring to each falling flake, and bear along + Their glossy burdens to the builder throng. + + Evans. + +"The architect-in-chief, who lays, as it were, the first stone of this +and each successive edifice, determines the relative position of the +combs, and their distances from each other: these foundations serve as +guides for the ulterior labours of the wax-working Bees, and of those +which sculpture the cells, giving them the advantage of the margin and +angles already formed. + +"The expedients resorted to by that ingenious naturalist, Huber, unfolded +the whole process. He saw each Bee extract with its hind feet one of the +plates of wax from under the scales where they were lodged, and carrying +it to the mouth in a vertical position, turn it round, so that every +part of its border was made to pass in succession, under the cutting +edge of the jaws; it was thus soon divided into very small fragments; +and a frothy liquor was poured upon it from the tongue, so as to form a +perfectly plastic mass. This liquor gave the wax a whiteness and opacity +which it did not possess originally, and at the same time renders it +tenacious and ductile. The issuing of this masticated mass from the mouth +was, no doubt, what misled Reaumur, and caused him to regard wax as +nothing more than digested pollen. + +"The mass of wax, prepared by the assistants, is applied by the +architect-Bee to the roof or bottom of the hive, as the case may be; +and thus a block is raised of a semi-lenticular shape, thick at top +and tapering towards the edges. When of a sufficient size, a cell is +sculptured on one side of it, by the wax-working Bees, who relieve one +another in succession, sometimes to the number of twenty, before the +cell is completely fashioned. At the back and on each side of this first +cell, two others are sketched out and excavated. By this proceeding the +foundations of two cells are laid, the line betwixt them corresponding +with the centre of the opposite cell. As the combs extend, the first +excavations are rendered deeper and broader; and when a pyramidal base is +finished, the Bees build up walls from its edges, so as to complete what +may be called the prismatic part of the cell. Every succeeding row of +cells is formed by precisely similar steps, until there is a sufficient +scope for the simultaneous employment of many workers. + + These, with sharp sickle, or with sharper tooth, + Pare each excrescence and each angle smooth, + Till now, in finish'd pride, two radiant rows + Of snow-white cells, one mutual base disclose. + Six shining panels gird each polish'd round, + The door's fine rim, with waxen fillet hound, + While walls so thin, with sister-walls comhin'd, + Weak in themselves, a sure dependence find. + + Evans. + +"The pyramidal bases and lateral plates are successively formed, with +surprising rapidity; the latter are lengthened as the comb proceeds, for +the original semi-lenticular form is preserved till towards the last, +when, if the hive or box be filled, the sides of all the cells receive +such additions as give them equal depth. + +"_The cells intended for the drones_ are considerably larger, and more +substantial, than those for the working Bees, and, being later formed, +usually appear near the bottom of the combs. Last of all, are built the +_royal-cells_, the cradles of the infant Queens: of these there are +usually three or four, and sometimes ten or twelve, in a hive, attached +commonly to the central part, but not unfrequently to the edge or side +of the comb. Mr. Hunter says that he has seen as many as thirteen +royal-cells in a hive, and that they have very little wax in their +composition, not one third, the rest he conceives to be farina. Such is +the genuine loyalty of Bees, that the wax which they employ with so much +geometric economy, in the construction of hexagonal cells, is profusely +expended on the mansion of the royal Bee-nymph, one of these exceeding +in weight a hundred of the former. They are not interwoven with them, +but suspended perpendicularly, their sides being nearly parallel to the +mouths of the common-cells, several of which are sacrificed to support +them. + + No more with wary thriftiness imprest, + They grace with lavish pomp their royal guest, + Nor heed the wasted wax, nor rifled cell, + To bid, with fretted round, th' imperial palace swell. + + Evans. + +"The form of these royal-cells is an oblong spheroid, tapering gradually +downwards, and having the exterior full of holes, somewhat resembling the +_rustic_ work of stone buildings. The mouth of the cell, which is always +at its bottom, remains open till the maggot is ready for transformation, +and is then closed as the others are. + +"Immediately on the emergence of a ripened Queen, the lodge which she +inhabited is destroyed, and its place is supplied by a range of common +cells. The site of this range may always be traced, by that part of the +comb being thicker than the rest, and forming a kind of knot; sometimes +the upper portion of the cell itself remains, like an inverted acorn-cup, +suspended by its short peduncle. + + Yet no fond dupes to slavish zeal resign'd, + They link with industry the loyal mind, + Flown is each vagrant chief. They raze the dome, + That bent oppressive o'er the fretted comb, + And on its knotted base fresh garners raise, + Where toil secure her well earn'd treasure lays. + + Evans. + +"In this mutilated state only, and not in the breeding-season, could Mr. +Hunter have seen this cradle of royalty; for he describes it as the half +of an oval, too wide and shallow to receive its supposed tenant. + +"I have spoken of the perfect regularity in the cell-work of a +honey-comb;--particular circumstances, however, induce a departure from +this exactness: for instance, where Bees have commenced a comb with +small cell-work, and afterwards wish to attach to it a set of large +cells, as in the case of drone-cells being required to be appended to +workers'-cells. These deviations from the usual regularity renew our +admiration of Bee-ingenuity, though Reaumur and Bonnet have regarded them +as examples of imperfection. They effect their object by interposing +three or four series of, what may be called, _cells of transition_, the +bottom or bases of which are composed of two rhombs and two hexagons, +instead of three rhombs; the rhombs and hexagons gradually varying in +form and relative proportion, till the requisite size, namely, that of +the cells which they are approaching, has been attained. + +"The same gradation is observed when returning to smaller cells. Every +apparent irregularity is therefore determined by a sufficient motive, and +forms no impeachment of the sagacity of the Bee. + +"The common breeding-cells of drones or workers are occasionally (after +being cleaned) made the depositories of honey; but the cells are never +made so clean, as to preserve the honey undeteriorated. The finest honey +is stored in new cells, constructed for the purpose of receiving it, +their configuration resembling precisely the common breeding-cells: these +_honey-cells vary in size_, being made more or less capacious, _according +to the productiveness of the sources from which the Bees are collecting, +and according to the season of the year:_ the cells formed in July and +August vary in their dimensions from those that are formed earlier; being +intended for honey only, they are larger and deeper, the texture of +their walls is thinner, and they have more dip or inclination; this dip +diminishes the risk of the honey's running out, which, from the heat of +the weather, and the consequent thinness of the honey, at this season of +the year, it might otherwise be liable to do. _When the cells_, intended +for holding the winter's provision, _are filled, they are always closed +with waxen lids_, and never re-opened till the whole of the honey in the +unfilled cells has been expended. The waxen lids are thus formed;--the +first Bees construct a ring of wax within the verge of the cell, to which +other rings are successively added, till the aperture of the cell is +finally closed with a lid composed of concentric circles. + +"The brood-cells, when their tenants have attained a certain age, are +also covered with waxen lids, like the honey-cells; the lids differ a +little, the latter being somewhat concave, the former convex. _The depth +of the brood-cells_ of drones and working Bees is about half an inch; +_their diameter_ is more exact, that of the drone-cells being three +lines[J] and one third, that of the workers two lines and three fifths. +These, says Reaumur, are the invariable dimensions of all the cells, that +ever were, or ever will be made. + +[Footnote J: A line is the twelfth part of an inch.] + +"From this uniform, unvarying diameter of the brood-cells, when +completed, their use has been suggested, as an universal standard of +measure, which would be understood, in all countries, to the end of time." + + While heav'n-born instinct bound their measured view, + From age to age, from Zembla to Peru, + Their snow-white cells, the order'd artists frame, + In size, in form, in symmetry, the same. + + Evans. + + +BEES' WAX. + +BEES' WAX, in its strictest sense, _is a secretion from the body of the +Honey-Bee_, and is that peculiar substance or material with which Bees +principally construct their combs;--I say--_principally_, because the +foundation of every comb is _propolis:_ it is by this tenacious substance +(propolis) that combs are securely attached to, and suspended from, the +roof of a hive or a box,--and it is by this that they are firmly glued to +the sides, wherever they are made to touch them. + +BEES' WAX, however, in the common acceptation of the term, is that +well-known, valuable article, obtained from honey-comb by the following +process:-- + +Having _drained_ all the honey from the combs, put them into a clean pot, +together with as much rain-water as will make them float; then simmer +over a clear fire until the combs be completely dissolved; and the wax +and the dross mixed with it will swim at the top of the water. Pour the +whole into a strong and tolerably fine canvas bag, made wide at the top +and tapering downwards to a point, in the form of a jelly bag. Hold this +over a tub or large vessel in which is a quantity of cold water. The +boiling water will, of course, soon drain through, and leave in the bag +the greater part of the liquefied wax commingled with dross. Have ready +then a piece of smooth board of such a length that, when one end of it +is placed in the tub of cold water, the other end may be conveniently +rested against, and securely stayed by your breast. Upon this inclined +plane lay your dripping, reeking strainer, and keep it from slipping into +the cold water by bringing its upper part over the top of the board so +as to be held firmly between it and your breast. If the strainer be made +with a broad hem round its top, a piece of strong tape or cord passed +through such hem will draw it close, and should be long enough to form +a stirrup for the foot, by which an additional power will be gained +of keeping the scalding-hot strainer in its proper place on the board: +then by compressing the bag, or rather its contents, with any convenient +roller, the wax will ooze through and run down the board into the cold +water, on the surface of which it will set in thin flakes. When this +part of the operation is finished, collect the wax, put it into a clean +saucepan, in which is a little water to keep the wax from being burnt to +the bottom; melt it _carefully_ (for, should it be neglected and suffered +to boil over, serious mischief might ensue, liquid wax being of a very +inflammable nature) therefore melt it _carefully over a slow fire_, and +skim off the dross as it rises to the top; then pour it into such moulds +or shapes as your fancy may direct, having first well rinsed them, in +order that you may be able to get the wax, when cold and solid, out of +them without breaking either the moulds or the wax: place them, covered +over with cloths or with pieces of board, where the wax will cool slowly; +because the more slowly it cools the more solid it will be and free from +flaws and cracks. You will thus have your wax in cakes, which may be +rendered still more pure by a second melting and moulding. If run into +very thin cakes, and afterwards exposed to the influence of the sun and +the air, frequently turned, and occasionally wetted, it will lose its +yellowness, and become beautifully white. This last process is called +_bleaching_; and, though more simple and practicable than that pursued +in establishments where large quantities of wax are bleached--where +bleaching wax is of itself a regular business--it may probably be +sufficient to answer all the purposes for which _white-wax_ is wanted in +private families. I have by me wax of my own bleaching that is equal in +whiteness and delicacy to any I have ever met with. + +Good wax is a heavy, solid substance, of a deep yellow colour, has an +agreeable, balsamic odour, and possesses several medicinal and other +valuable qualities. + +Combs that have never been filled, and those that have been filled with +honey only, afford the best wax. Of the former kind but very little need +ever be taken from Bees in collateral-boxes; and when any such combs are +taken, they may be far more advantageously disposed of than by being +melted down for the wax they contain. + +Instead of crushing and melting all the combs of three or four hives +together, as is mostly done by cottage Bee-keepers, the fine, clean +parts should be separated from those that are discoloured, less pure, +and inferior, by reason of their age,--of having been brood combs,--or +of containing pollen, and should be melted first. By this very easy mode +of manipulation, the quantity of wax would not be lessened, and the +superior quality of the fine would command a price that would be an ample +remuneration for the additional trouble attending the management of it in +this way. + +Should the preceding directions be thought to be tediously or +unnecessarily minute, my apology for making them so is--an anxious +wish on my part to render every thing relating to Bees clearly +understood--understood so as to be set about and properly managed by +persons who never before bestowed one thought upon the subject. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI I. + +WINTER SITUATION FOR BEES. + + +There is no part of Bee-management more utterly disregarded by +cottage-hive Bee-keepers than that which relates to a proper situation +for store-hives during winter. From whatever cause this inattention may +proceed,--whether from custom, ignorance, or prejudice, it is much to +be regretted; because nothing is so essentially conducive to the future +prosperity, and often to the very preservation, of a colony, as due +attention to its winter situation. Left, as stock-hives commonly are, in +their summer aspect, and to stand upon the very spot they have occupied +ever since the day of their existence as stocks,--with their entrances +wide open, just as they were in summer,--exposed alike to every change of +weather and to every attack of prowling enemies; or, if covered at all, +it is mostly with a rude coat of straw, or reed, or such material as +affords to mice, vermine, and various sorts of Bee-enemies, shelter and +concealment, and, in fact, encouragement to attack and destroy the hives. +Thus, neglected and unheeded, it is no wonder that so many stocks of Bees +perish in the winter and spring of every year; the wonder rather is that +any should escape. + +Some apiarian authors are opposed to the confinement of Bees in their +hives, except when snow is on the ground: _then_, and _then only_, they +recommend the confinement of Bees as necessary for their safety. Now, +I would respectfully ask--if, in the North of England and in Scotland, +snow does not lie on the ground for weeks, and in some years for months +together? and I would ask further--if Bees can bear this confinement +with snow on the ground, why they cannot bear it when there is no snow? +They argue, however, in the face of this admission, that confinement +is injurious to Bees, and that a flight in the open air on a fine +day, if there should happen to be a fine day, in the depth of winter, +is beneficial to Bees, otherwise, they say, the Bees would not take +it. A mild, open winter, every body knows, renders unconfined Bees +poor--and when kept in a state of perpetual agitation and alarm by the +restless enemies that surround them and nestle in their straw covering, +and tempted by the faint, wintery sun-beams that gleam upon their +floor-board through the unclosed entrance of their hives, they will, +no doubt, sometimes sally forth. But what is the consequence? Hundreds +and thousands of them become paralyzed[K] and never return; and those +that do get home again have occasion for food: of course, the oftener +these winter flights take place, the more the population of the hives +they issue from is diminished, and the more pauperized that diminished +population becomes in consequence of such flights: whereas, if Bees +were confined, kept in darkness, or, at any rate, out of the influence +of the sun, kept dry, cool, still, and undisturbed, no such disastrous +consequences would ensue. + +[Footnote K: In the 15th page of his "Apiarian's Guide," J. H. Payne, +Esq. says--"a Bee becomes torpid at a temperature of thirty-two +degrees"--Payne is an experienced apiarian. What credit then is due to +the anonymous critic, who in one of the weekly periodicals[L] has told us +that "Bees in a glass hive, exposed in the open air, when its temperature +was twenty degrees below freezing, instead of being in a state of of +torpor, continued very lively?!!"--Before yielding implicit credence to +this statement, it would be exceedingly satisfactory to be informed _how +long_ the Bees so exposed continued very lively.] + +[Footnote L: _Mechanics' Magazine_, No. 564, p. 155.] + +The following detail will show my readers the results of some +experiments, relative to the aspect and situation of Bee-hives during +winter; and whilst in some degree they corroborate the foregoing +observations, they may perhaps induce those, who are anxious for the +prosperity of their Bees, to submit to be taught a useful lesson +respecting the winter management of them. + +In 1824 I had six cottage-hives, which had prospered well with me during +the summer of that year. In the autumn of the same year I resolved to +weigh those six hives, and to place three of them on the north side of +my house, and to let the other three remain in their summer situation. +The separate weights of my hives, in November of the year 1824, were as +under, viz. + +No. 1. 35 lbs. No. 4. 42 lbs. + 2. 38 -- 5. 32 -- + 3. 40 -- 6. 37 -- + --- --- + 113 111 + --- --- + +The first three of these Nos. viz. 1, 2, and 3, weighing together 113 +lbs. remained during the winter in their summer situation: Nos. 4, 5, +and 6, weighing together 111 lbs. were removed to a cold dry place, on +the north side of my house. On the 26th of March, 1825, I again weighed +those six hives, and found their respective weights to be as follows, viz. + +No. 1. 15 lbs. No. 4. 37 lbs. + 2. 16 -- 5. 27 -- + 3. 19 -- 6. 32 -- + -- -- + 50 96 + -- -- + +So that the three hives, remaining in their summer quarters during the +winter, had decreased in weight just 63 lbs. being on an average 21 lbs. +each; while the three which had wintered on the north side of my house +had decreased only 15 lbs. being on an average only 5 lbs. each. This +gives an average difference of 16 lbs. a hive, between a proper and an +improper winter situation and aspect for Bees. It is lamentable to think +how many people lose their Bees, either from ignorance, prejudice, or +want of attention to this particular point--_a proper winter situation_. + +I need scarcely relate to my readers, that the Bees which were placed +fronting, or open to the north, were the first that swarmed the next +spring. They swarmed in the month of May; while those hives that had +remained fronting, or open to the south, did not swarm until July; and +one hive (No. 2.) never swarmed at all during the season. At the latter +end of October, 1825, I again weighed my hives, and found them to be as +under:-- + + No. 1. 28 lbs. Swarm from ditto 10 lbs. + 2. 22 -- + 3. 30 -- Swarm from ditto 14 -- + -- -- + 80 24 + -- -- + + No. 4. 44 lbs. Swarm from ditto 32 lbs. + 5. 43 -- Swarm from ditto 28 -- + 6. 41 -- Swarm from ditto 30 -- + --- -- + 128 90 + --- -- + +Hence it appears that the three hives (Nos. 1, 2, and 3) that had never +been removed from their summer stands, were 33 lbs. lighter than when I +first weighed them, that is, on an average, 11 lbs. a hive; and even with +the weight of their two swarms added to them, there was a falling off in +the year of 9 lbs. or, on an average, of 3 lbs, a hive: whilst Nos. 4, +5, and 6, had gained 17 lbs. or, on an average, nearly 6 lbs. each; and +with the weight of their swarms added to them, they had gained 107 lbs. +or, on an average, nearly 36 lbs. a hive in the year. + +I could carry this subject much further in my explanations, as I did in +my experiments, but it requires no facts in addition to those just stated +to explain the difference of aspect in the winter-season to Bees. + +Every cottager must know that the richer his Bees are in spring, the +sooner they will swarm. Then, to make them rich, he must not neglect to +place his hives out of the influence of the sun during winter,--_in a +dry, cold, and quiet situation_. He will find by this practice, that not +more than five or six pounds of honey will be consumed by a good stock; +but if he suffer his Bees to remain fronting the south, they will in a +mild winter, if they survive it at all, become paupers before spring. + +Now what is proper during the winter for stocks in common hives, is +equally proper for stocks in collateral-boxes, of which the middle-box +is the winter-pavilion or stock-hive. Long before winter all the Bees of +the most populous stock will draw into the middle-box and cluster round +their Queen; and when that is the case, the dividing-tins should be put +down, in order that all the Bees may be securely kept in the pavilion; +and previously to removing them from their summer situation, the entrance +should be carefully closed with a piece of wire-cloth, or perforated tin; +which, whilst it admits fresh air into the box, will keep the Bees within +and all their enemies without. It is hardly possible for the smallest +enemy to make its way into a box thus secured. A perforated tin may also +be put over the way down into the drawer. Towards spring this last may +be withdrawn, and the Bees, when they begin to revive, will soon rid +themselves of those that may have died in the winter, by carrying them +down into the drawer. Having made every necessary preparation, remove +your stocks to such a situation as that herein before recommended, and +there in quietude let them pass the dreary months of winter. I do not +advise that they be taken too early to, nor that they remain too long +in, their hibernacula: generally speaking, they may be removed towards +the latter end of November, and again in the third or fourth week of +February; but the Bees themselves, if duly observed, will be the best +directors. + +This is _my_ practice, and it is also the practice of my apiarian friend +at Gedney-Hill, than whose, no stocks in this neighbourhood are more +healthy or much more prosperous. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +APIARIAN SOCIETIES. + + +The encouragement of any internal branch of industry, which +will supersede the necessity for the employment of British capital +in speculative adventures where no equivalent is returned, is in the +mind of every patriot a subject worthy of consideration. And that +the prosecution and encouragement of my system of Bee-management, +undertaken by those who are qualified by their means, abilities, and +powers of patronage, to set the example, and thereby influence others, +will effect this to a considerable extent, as far as the production of +honey and wax is concerned, will, I think, be sufficiently obvious to +those who have witnessed, or who hereafter may witness, the successful +results--the almost incredible quantity of these productions from my +apiary alone; or, leaving my apiary entirely out of the account, I will +venture modestly to assert, _that from any one set of collateral-boxes, +well-stocked and well-managed, the quantity and quality of honey that +may be annually taken, without either destroying or impoverishing +the Bees, must be seen to be believed; and being seen, will not be +disputed_. The exact amount annually paid to other countries for these +two commodities--honey and wax--I have not the means of ascertaining +with accuracy, but it is probable that it exceeds £350,000.--a sum +lost to this country, because, not only have we in the vegetable world +a profusion of these productions, that "waste their sweetness on the +desert air," but we have, or might have, if we would but encourage +them, the labourers necessary to collect them, and this too without the +deterioration of any other department of rural economy. Were Bee-colonies +multiplied to any thing like the number that the Bee-pasturage of +this country would support; were there, for instance, but one set of +well-stocked collateral-boxes on every square mile of England, Wales, +and Scotland,--or, to compute moderately, on every square mile of every +rural district of Great Britain, that is fertile in Bee-pasturage,--and +were the price of the finest box-honey reduced to a shilling a pound, +the annual _surplus_ produce of these colonies would realize a sum far +exceeding £350,000. which would be put into the pockets of, generally +speaking, an industrious and deserving part of the community--the rural +population, and a profitable remuneration given to them for their +indulgence and perseverance in a most rational pursuit, requiring but +trifling, and this only incidental attention. I know of no time more +proper for throwing out these hints than the present, when the subject of +_rural allotments_ excites, and that justly, almost universal attention +amongst those desirous of securing an industrious, prosperous, and +virtuous peasantry. + +I do not presume to imagine that, antiquated as are the practices +hitherto so generally adopted, and so pertinaciously adhered to in +Bee-management in this country, and characterized as are these practices +by so many superstitious and irrational usages--I do not presume to +imagine that my system will, at once, up-root prejudices, dispel +superstitions, and be immediately and heartily adopted by the cottager. +The generality of apiarians have yet to be taught that _Bee-management is +a system;_--that it is something more than merely stocking a hive or box +with a swarm of Bees, and then leaving it to chance alone to prosper or +to perish; and, if to prosper, it is only until the time for its final +doom--the reckless destruction of every Bee--arrives. They have yet to +learn that the whole, or at least, the greater part of the contingencies, +to which Bee-colonies are subject, may be averted; that the casualties +of Bees are analogous to those of other descriptions of stock; and that, +if they would ensure success, or expect to derive profit from them, it +must be by attention to their domicils, to their protection from the +variations of climate and atmosphere, and from external enemies,--in +short, by proper management. If in many instances, the success of my +hives has been so unqualified and extensive, it has been because the +necessity for careful management has been impressed and adhered to, +and because Bees, in whose welfare their owners had been previously +uninterested, have been looked upon with some degree of attention, and +their labours facilitated and requited by timely administering to their +wants and comforts. In the same way, I believe, that by attention to the +observations contained in these pages, the cottagers' labours may be more +amply repaid, and that more honey may be obtained, even by their rough +practices; whilst this will be preparing them for the adoption of my +improved plans and gradually pave the way for its general introduction. +For this I more particularly refer to the preceding chapter, and to that +on Bee-feeding, i. e. chapters XIV. and XVII. + +It has often been suggested to me, to point out _how_ the culture +of Honey-Bees might be more generally extended in this country, and +rendered more advantageous to the cottager than it has been hitherto. +As regards the extension of Bee-cultivation, I would observe, that if +those gentlemen, especially those gentlemen resident in the country, who +possess affluence, influence, and leisure, would undertake to promote +it--would set the example and keep Bees, their example alone would go +far to induce the cottager to keep them; and that, as other countries +boast, and that so usefully, their apiarian societies, the formation +of such a society, or societies, could not fail to be attended with +beneficial effects. Some feeble attempts, it is true, to establish such +a society have been made, but have proved abortive, whilst premiums on +the subject have been offered by other societies,[M] injudiciously, as +they have tended to perpetuate mistaken views, and to retard the progress +of more correct ones. I am not insensible of the extreme benefit which +has resulted to the different branches of industry, and to agriculture +and horticulture in particular, by well-regulated scales of premiums, +emulating to superiority and necessarily promoting a beneficial stimulus +in the different branches with which they are connected. And, in my +opinion, nothing would more easily tend to the inculcation of sounder +views of practice, than, if gentlemen, pursuing my principles, would +interest themselves in connecting with the objects of such associations +more generally, graduated scales of prizes, regulated by the quantity of +honey obtained from stocks, the prosperity of the hives afterwards, and +the state of the apiary generally, &c. Were they also to countenance the +plan of placing colonies under the care of labouring cottagers, giving +them premiums as an inducement to careful management, they could not +fail of conferring a benefit, by initiating them into the plans of the +system, as well as by more advantageously dividing the pasture of the +district among the different hives, and thereby rendering the labour of +their collecting the stores considerably less to the Bees. This would, +undoubtedly, effect much, but I know of no means so decidedly calculated +to foster and encourage the culture of Honey-Bees among all classes, and +more particularly among the population of rural districts, as apiarian +societies, formed for the express purpose of extending and improving the +cultivation and management of Honey-Bees. + +[Footnote M: A premium was last year (1833) awarded by the Cambridgeshire +Horticultural Society, to a Mr. Widnal, for his exhibition of a glass of +honey. But whether the encouragement of Bee-culture be an object of that +very respectable society,--or whether the reward given to Mr. Widnal on +that occasion was a sort of bye-premium, bestowed for the gratification +of seeing a curiosity, it did not appear.] + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +MISCELLANEOUS DIRECTIONS. + + +In undertaking this work, as I originally did, at the pressing +solicitations of several of those Noblemen and Gentlemen, whose names +graced the list of the subscribers for the first edition, I had two main +objects in view; of which a full and particular explanation of the mode +of managing Honey-Bees, in my boxes and upon my principles, was one,--and +the other, which I do ardently hope will result from the adoption and +encouragement of my long-tried plan, is--the prospective improvement, +not only of the culture and condition of those ingenious, admired, and +most interesting little creatures, but also of honey and wax--the two +valuable articles which Bees, and Bees alone, afford us. To prepare +the way for the accomplishment of the latter of these objects, I have +exerted my best endeavours--I have spared neither pains nor expense, +to give minute, and, I trust, intelligible descriptions of all my boxes +and hives, of my Bee-machinery, and of every thing thereto pertaining; +which descriptions have been accompanied with such practical directions +and relations of experiments, as will, _if duly attended to_, enable my +Bee-friends to put their apiaries upon my _humane and profitable system +of management_. Therefore I do not think it is incumbent upon me to +proceed farther at present. I might easily double the size of my book, +by entering into and giving lengthy details of several matters relative +to Bees, which are not here so much as hinted at; such, for instance, as +the distance that they sometimes fly from their hives in quest of honey, +and the experiments that have been made to determine that distance;--the +nature of honey-dew, and how it is occasioned,--why it abounds on some +trees and plants, whilst others are entirely destitute of it,--whether +it be a natural exudation of the plants that afford it,--or whether it +be produced by the leaf-lice, called aphides;--why, if the impregnation +of a Virgin-Queen be retarded beyond a certain number of days after her +coming into existence, all the eggs she lays during her whole life, +should invariably produce _drones;_--the language of Bees, for Bees, +it has been held, have their peculiar language, though I profess not +to understand it, nor even to have studied it, my business being with +their _habits;_--the various diseases or maladies with which skilful +men assure us they are occasionally affected;--their senses, their +anatomy, and their instinct;--their affinity to the wasp;--exotic Bees +from those of Lapland to those of China; and from those of Siberia to +those of the Cape of Good Hope;--the stingless Bees of South America, +mentioned by Dr. Hancock, that from the luxuriant ever-blooming, +tropical plants and flowers, produce black wax;[N] what Aristotle hath +remarked on one subject,--what Pliny hath said on another,--what classic +Virgil hath so delightfully sung of the nature, economy, and management +of Bees in Italy,--what Gelieu in modest prose hath said of Bees in +Switzerland,--Huber and Reaumur in France, and a host of writers in +Germany, and in our own native England; what opposite opinions have +been entertained respecting honey; whether plants and flowers secrete +pure honey, or whether the saccharine matter culled from them undergoes +any percolating, rectifying, chemical process in the stomach of the +Bee.--I might observe, that the illustrious Hunter was of opinion that +it undergoes no change; although the no less illustrious naturalist +Reaumur, and the entomologists Kirby and Spence, imagine that some +change does take place before the honey is stored in the cells,--that, +as the nectarious exudation of plants is not of the same consistence as +honey from the hives, it is reasonable to suppose that it undergoes some +change _in transitu_ whilst in the body of the Bee; that, as far as my +experience has enabled me to make observations on this subject, I am +disposed to lean to the opinion of Reaumur, Kirby, and Spence, and to +ascribe the difference between honey in the nectarium of a flower or on +the leaf of a tree, and honey in the cells of a comb, to the absorption +of the volatile parts of the saccharine of the plants and flowers +whilst in the honey-bag; which absorption is aided and accelerated by +the natural heat of the Bee, and by which process honey is rendered of +uniform consistence, in the graphic language of my chemical friend--Mr. +Booth--I might exclaim, "How necessarily do the least valued products in +the economy of nature, eliminated in the most miniature laboratory of her +operations, confirm us in the belief of the existence, wisdom, and power +of nature's God--the Great Chemist--who has not only imbued matter to act +upon its fellow matter in the infinity of space, to produce an infinite +diversity of changes in the material world; but, within the small compass +of a Bee, has provided apparatus for certain changes to take place, +which are more elaborate, important, and complicated, than are produced +in the largest apparatus of the manufacturer! In this little insect +are performed all those chemical processes of life, by which nature is +kept in the equanimity and beauty of existence--here composition and +decomposition, solution and precipitation, sublimation, volatilization, +distillation, and absorption, through the agency of heat and attraction, +take place on the minutest matters, secreted by the plants and collected +by the Bees; and in the hive, by the concentration of their individual +efforts, is elaborated that immense quantity of those important products, +which constitute such useful commodities in the arts and economy of life." + +[Footnote N: See page 11, antea.] + +The discussion of some of these topics, and dissertations on others, +might be made amusing, perhaps interesting, and would, at all events, +swell the size of my book; but whether I should thereby enhance its +intrinsic merits (if intrinsic merit it possess) is more than I dare +venture to affirm. In short, these topics come not within my plan,--they +are foreign to it, and I gladly leave them to be treated of by others, +whose learning is mare able to cope with them, and whose taste may +direct them to such subjects. _I have withheld nothing that I deem to +be essentially necessary to the thorough understanding of my mode of +Bee-management;_ consequently, I anticipate that my two main objects +will eventually be attained--that Bee-culture will become a pleasing +and a profitable study--a source of instructive amusement and of profit +too,--and that our country will, at no great distance of time, be +everywhere studded and ornamented with neat, well-ordered apiaries. I +will, therefore, now close my present labours with a few miscellaneous +directions, chiefly recapitulatory, which, on account of their +importance, every apiarian should constantly bear in mind. + +Have your Bee-boxes _well-made_, and _of good substantial materials_. +Strength and durability are of greater consequence than neatness, +though that need not be neglected--neatness and strength are not +incompatible--they may be combined. + +Paint your boxes annually, when they are in their winter situation. + +Make a clear ground or floor-way from the pavilion into each of the +end-boxes, by cutting away about two inches from the lower edge of each +of the corresponding ends, to the depth of half an inch; and make this +way or passage as near the front-entrance as it conveniently may be. This +convenience has been suggested to me _since_ the directions for making +collateral-boxes were printed, and I therefore mention it here as an +improvement, because such a way on the floor, and _without any climbing_, +will afford an additional accommodation to Bees on many occasions. + +Boxes will not work Bees, neither will Bees work boxes to advantage, +unless due attention be paid to them--i. e. both to boxes and to Bees. + +Situation is of prime importance: for summer it should be clear and open +in front of your boxes, and sheltered at their back by a north-wall or by +a thick hedge. + +In summer let their aspect be south-east:--early in spring, and again in +autumn, due south is the best point to be in front: therefore, as spring +advances turn the front of your boxes eastward, and as summer declines +move them back again to their spring aspect; or, in other words, when +there is not more than twelve hours' sun, let the front of your boxes be +due south; and during the time that the sun is more than twelve hours +above the horizon, let it be south-east. + +Always have the cheerful rays of the morning sun fall upon your boxes: +but contrive to throw a shade upon their front for a few hours in the +middle of the day, when the weather is very hot. Such a shade will be +grateful to your Bees. + +Elevate your boxes twenty inches or two feet above the ground: and always +keep the grass or ground, under and near them, neat and clean, and +entirely free from all nuisances. + +A constant supply of water in the immediate vicinity of your apiary +is highly desirable; if therefore you have not a natural supply of +that element, _so necessary for Bees_, contrive to let them have it +by artificial means--by placing it in or near your apiary, in large, +shallow dishes, or in wooden troughs, partially covering the surface with +reed or moss, and be careful to replenish them, so that your Bees may +always find it there. + +Suffer not ants to burrow near your Bees. Ants are enemies to Bees, and +will annoy them, if they get among them. + +Spiders also are Bee-destroyers; therefore, brush away their entangling +webs, whenever and wherever you find them about your boxes. + +Fowls should not be permitted in an apiary. + +Early in spring let the entrance be not more than an inch, and increase +it gradually to its full extent, as you find occasion: contract it again +towards the fall of the year; and, if the moths be troublesome in summer +evenings, nearly close it every evening; but take care to open it again +either early next morning, or as soon as the evening flight of the moths +is over. This attention is more particularly due to weak stocks, and +affords them great protection against the attacks of moths, which are +among the boldest, the most persevering, and, when once they have got +into a hive, most destructive enemies to Bees. + +Destroy wasps and wasps' nests wherever you find them in the vicinity +of your apiary. The destruction of queen-wasps in spring is the +most effectual method of diminishing the number of these formidable +Bee-enemies; because the destruction of a queen-wasp in spring is +tantamount to the destruction of a whole nest afterwards. + +Light in the domicil of Bees, if not actually prejudicial to them, is, at +any rate, displeasing to them; therefore, be careful never to expose your +Bees unnecessarily to its glare: never leave the window-doors open, nor +suffer careless visitors to do so. + +My ingenious friend, the Rev. T. Clark, of Gedney-Hill, suggests the +propriety of recommending that the window-doors be _self-shutting doors_. +This, he says, may be done by fixing upon each door a light, easy +spring, similar to those made use of to shut doors in good houses; or +by a cord attached to each door, and passed through an eye, and over a +small pulley fixed to the side of each box; from the end of which cord +a weight of two or three ounces must be suspended. This weight, acting +upon the cord, will draw the little doors to the windows, that is, it +will shut them. The cords, eyes, and pulleys, he further says, may be so +arranged, that one small weight will keep all the hive doors, in a set +of collateral-boxes, closed and safe, and may be made to hang under the +floor. I have no hesitation in recommending his suggestion as ingenious, +practicable, and useful. The best security, however, after all, is that +afforded by lock and key, the key being in the constant possession of the +owner. + +Ventilate your collateral-boxes and bell-glasses, when the interior +temperature is at, or above, 70 degrees. + +Never irritate your Bees, nor offer any sort of violence or opposition to +them; and should an angry Bee or two at any time attack you, walk quietly +away, and leave them to settle into peace again. + +On no account drive your Bees; it is a ruinous practice. With boxes, +however, I trust, it is impracticable, and totally superseded. + +Never disturb, nor in any way interfere with, the middle-box. + +_On no account destroy any of your Bees:_ independently of its cruelty, +it is an impolitic practice: it is like cutting down a tree to get at its +fruit, which may easily be gathered by less laborious and indestructive +means. Encourage your Bees,--accommodate them,--support them,--and _by +all means preserve them_; and, when seasons are favourable, they will +_richly_ reward you for your attention to them. + +Always keep a cottage-hive, or single box or two, in your apiary, for the +purpose of having swarms from them, with which to stock empty boxes, or +to strengthen such stocks as may stand in need of additional numbers; and +proceed with such supplementary swarms as directed in pages 42-45. + +Never impoverish your Bees by taking from them more honey than they have +to spare. Always suffer them to be in possession of a plentiful store. +Over-deprivation distresses them, and is no gain to the proprietor. Among +other reasons this is one for my repeated directions--not to touch the +middle-box. + +Honey of the very finest quality may commonly be obtained from +collateral-boxes, as early in the season as the months of May and +June, without injuring the parent-stock in the slightest degree. The +enlargement of their domicil by returning an empty glass, or an empty +box, to the place from which a full one has been taken, is at this busy +period of their labour an accommodation to Bees, and is one great means +of preventing the necessity for their swarming, as it enables them to +continue their work at the time that there is the greatest abundance of +treasure for them in the fields, and when Bees in cottage-hives cannot +profit by it, owing to their want, not of inclination to gather it, but +of room in their hive to store it; they therefore swarm once, twice, +perhaps three times. What then can be afterwards expected from such +exhausted stocks but weakness and poverty? The more numerous the working +Bees are in any colony, the more honey they will collect, _provided they +have room wherein to store it_. Accommodate them, then, with convenient +store-room, and the more workers you have in your boxes the better. Up to +the middle of August you may, with safety, that is, without injury to the +Bees, take off glasses and boxes, as they become ready. _After that time_ +it is advisable to have, and to leave, in every colony, honey sufficient +for the subsistence of the Bees until next spring; and should you take +off a full box, later in the season than the middle of August, instead of +emptying it of all its treasure, be content with a part of it,--take a +part, and _return a part--share it with your Bees, and let their share be +a liberal one_. As has been already enjoined--_on no account impoverish +them by over-deprivation_, at that precarious season especially. They +possibly may collect much honey after that time; if so, share with them +again; if not, have them rich from your first bounty. + +When a box, well-stored with honey, is taken off, it is not an easy +matter to extract the first comb or two, without breaking them and +spoiling their beauty, besides shedding more or less of the honey; +therefore, be prepared with proper knives. Any common knife that has a +blade long enough, may serve to sever the combs from the sides of a box: +but, to cut them from the top, it is advisable to have an instrument, +which may be called a Bee-knife, of the following construction:--a +two-edged, lancet-shaped blade, two inches long and three-eighths of an +inch broad, having the hole, through which the rivet would pass to fix +it in a haft, drilled large enough to admit the end of a steel rod, upon +which it is to be well brazed or riveted: the other end of this rod may +be finished with a neat handle, leaving its clear length between the +contrate blade and the handle eleven inches--that being rather more than +the depth of my Bee-boxes. A knife of this description may easily be +passed between the combs, and is very convenient for cutting them from +the top of a box. + +Whenever you have occasion to perform any operation among your Bees, be +provided with every requisite material, implement, &c. Have not any thing +to seek for, much less to get made, at the moment it is wanted: _that +moment may perhaps be a critical one_. + +In September unite the Bees of poor stocks to rich ones; and now, or in +March, transfer stocks from straw-hives into boxes. + +Previously to withdrawing the tin-divider, for the purpose of opening +the communication into an end-box, take off the end-box and dress its +inside with a little liquid honey; this will bring the Bees into it, +when, but for the honey, they would perhaps refuse to enter it; and at +that time close the ventilation. It is wrong to ventilate empty boxes, +because it drives the Bees into the pavilion: and it is a fact, that +they will swarm from the pavilion, rather than take possession of an +empty end-box, if its temperature be, and be kept, disagreeably cold, +by having the ventilation open at the very time it should be carefully +closed. This will both explain and remedy the difficulty, that some +apiarians complain of having experienced, in getting their Bees to take +possession of an empty box; it will also account for swarms sometimes +leaving the pavilion when there is no want of room: the fact is--that the +temperature of _that room_ is not agreeable to them: but it is owing to +the mismanagement of the apiator that it is otherwise than agreeable. + +Whenever a box is taken off, be careful to open the perforations in the +cylinder-ventilator, many of which will be found sealed up with propolis. +These perforations may be cleared at any time, by introducing a piece of +wire with a sharpened point, turned so as to pick out the propolis; but +they are most effectually opened when a box is off. + +Towards the latter end of November, or earlier, if the weather be +inclement and severe, remove your Bee-boxes to their winter situation: +this should be _dry, quiet, cool_, and _dark_, and place your boxes in it +so that they may front towards the north or north-east. + +Guard and close the entrance with a piece of fine wire-cloth, of +Lariviere's patent tin, or of perforated zinc, (which is the best, on +account of its not corroding) made fast to the box, either of which +will confine the Bees within their domicil, admit plenty of fresh air, +and keep out inimical intruders. Thus prepared for winter, having every +tin and block in its proper place, _disturb your Bees as little as +possible_, and, come winter as it may, they will pass it in that state +of semi-insensibility, or torpor, which nature, or with reverence let me +rather say--nature's God has appointed for them. + +Towards the end of February, or as soon as vegetation begins to make its +appearance, take your boxes from their winter to their summer stands, +and commence another course of attentions, observations, and humane +management, similar to that herein directed and explained. And, though +cases may arise, and difficulties occur in the course of your practice, +for the remedying of which no specific directions are, or can be, here +given, your own experience and progressive improvement in the pleasing +science of Bee-management, will lead you to adopt the proper mode of +treating the former, and the proper means for surmounting the latter. + + +THE END. + + + +H. AND J. LEACH, PRINTERS, WISBECH. + + + + + * * * * * + + +Transcriber Note + +Minor typographical errors have been corrected. Hyphenation standardized +to most utilized form herein. + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Humanity to Honey-Bees, by Thomas Nutt + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 58229 *** |