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diff --git a/old/67439-0.txt b/old/67439-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 1f2ad29..0000000 --- a/old/67439-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,2601 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Bee Keeper's Guide: containing -concise practical directions for the management of bees upon the -depriving system, by J. H. Payne - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: The Bee Keeper's Guide: containing concise practical directions - for the management of bees upon the depriving system - -Author: J. H. Payne - -Release Date: February 19, 2022 [eBook #67439] - -Language: English - -Produced by: Tom Cosmas produced from materials kindly provided at The - Internet Archive and placed in the Public Domain. - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BEE KEEPER'S GUIDE: -CONTAINING CONCISE PRACTICAL DIRECTIONS FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF BEES UPON -THE DEPRIVING SYSTEM *** - - - - - -Transcriber Note - -Text emphasis denoted as _Italics_. - - - - - THE - - BEE KEEPER'S GUIDE - - CONTAINING - - CONCISE PRACTICAL DIRECTIONS - - FOR - - THE MANAGEMENT OF BEES, - - UPON THE - - DEPRIVING SYSTEM. - - - BY J. H. PAYNE, - - Author of "The Cottager's Guide." - - - THIRD EDITION. - - - LONDON: - - T. C. NEWBY, 72, MORTIMER St., CAVENDISH Sq. - - 1846. - - - - - PREFACE - - TO THE FIRST EDITION. - - -----o----- - - -Having written the "Cottager's Guide for the Management of his Bees, -upon the Depriving System," which has been printed for gratuitous -distribution among the Cottagers, I am induced, at the particular -request of several Apiarian friends, to enlarge the above little work, -and to give in addition a description of Nutt's newly invented Hive, -and other practical remarks in Bee-knowledge, resulting from nearly -forty years' close observation. - -Should this little work be the means of inducing any person to -promote the culture of Bees amongst the Cottagers in his immediate -neighbourhood, upon the Depriving System, I shall be amply repaid for -the trouble it may have occasioned me; and the hope that such will -be the result, must be my apology for adding to the number of books -(perhaps already too numerous) upon this subject. - -Reaumur, in a letter to M. de la Bourdonaye, in 1757, says, "The -preservation and also the increase of Bees is an object of such -interest to Britanny, that the peasantry cannot be too much encouraged -to turn their attention to it." Surely this is equally applicable -to our own country at the present time, when the condition of the -labouring poor calls so loudly for relief. - -I have little hesitation in saying, that Cottagers who are able to keep -from four to six Hives of Bees, may make from four to eight pounds, -yearly profit, after paying all expenses upon them. I paid last year to -one Cottager seven pounds, fifteen shillings, and to another five pound -and one shilling for Bees and Honey. - -The following anecdote has so much the appearance of truth in it, and -is so well suited to my present purpose, that I cannot refrain from -giving it. - -A good old French Bishop in paying his annual visit to his Clergy, -was very much afflicted by the representations they made of their -extreme poverty, which, indeed, the appearance of their houses and -families corroborated. Whilst he was deploring the state of things -which had reduced them to this sad condition, he arrived at the house -of a Curate, who, living amongst a poorer set of parishioners than any -he had yet visited, would, he feared, be in still more woful plight -than the others; contrary, however, to his expectations, he found -appearances very much improved, everything about the house wore the -aspect of comfort and plenty. The good Bishop was amazed. "How is this, -my friend?" said he, "you are the first man that I have met with a -cheerful face and a plentiful board. Have you any income independent of -your Cure?" - -"Yes, Sir," said the Clergyman, "I have; my family would starve on the -pittance I receive from the poor people that I instruct, come with -me into the garden and I will show you the _Stock_ that yields me an -excellent interest." - -On going to the garden he showed the Bishop a large range of Bee-hives. - -"There is the Bank," he continued, "from which I draw my annual -dividend.--It never stops payment." - -Ever after that memorable visit, when any of his Clergy complained to -the Bishop of poverty, he would say to them, "_Keep Bees! Keep Bees!_" - -In the words of an Apiarian friend, I solicit information from every -one who may have it in his power to transmit it to me, and on the other -hand, I profess my perfect readiness to impart whatever knowledge I -may possess in the management of an Apiary, to any person who will -favour me with the application; my aim is general utility, and the -establishment of a national advantage. - - - - - PREFACE - - TO THE SECOND EDITION. - - -----o----- - - -Since the first appearance of this little Treatise I am most happy in -being able to state that Apiarian Science has in this neighbourhood and -in the adjoining Counties, made very considerable advances, that the -ridiculous notions, and foolish prejudices entertained respecting Bees, -are fast wearing away--that the _Cottagers_ are generally managing them -upon the depriving system, making them a real source of profit and of -comfort, and that a number of influential persons are making themselves -acquainted with the practical management of Bees, upon the simplest and -most profitable methods, for the sole purpose of setting an example, -and for qualifying themselves to give instructions in the management -of them to their poor neighbours. Nor is this spirit of well-directed -benevolence confined to these Counties only, for at Oxford a Society -is just formed to promote an improved and more extensive system of -Bee management among the Cottagers by the diffusion of information on -the subject, and the _loan_ of hives, _not the gift_, their cost to -be repaid from the produce, and also to promote a more extensive and -scientific knowledge concerning the Natural History and cultivation of -Bees among the higher classes. The Society, I find, is flourishing, -a piece of ground has been taken and laid out as an experimental -Bee-garden; there is already a very considerable number of stocks of -Bees placed in it in common straw and experimental hives. Subscribers -pay half-a-guinea a year, and non-Subscribers a shilling each visit. -This is an example worthy of imitation. - -I am just favoured with a letter from a Gentleman who has recently -visited the above establishment, giving me a certain and simple method -of Autumnal union of weak stocks which he there witnessed, but it comes -too late to be embodied in this treatise, the whole of that part being -already in the press; still as I consider the union of weak stocks -important, and Gelieu's method which I have given too troublesome for -most persons, I will venture to give it in this place. "The process," -he says, "is merely _fumigating the Bees_, for which they have invented -a tube, much more simple than Nutt's which they insert into the mouth -of the hive; under the hive is previously pushed either an empty -one reversed, or a shallow' box with a wide rim, this receives the -stupified Bees; cut out the combs and remove all the remaining Bees -from them that none be lost. Now take a little sugared ale and sprinkle -it over them just as they are recovering, place upon them the hive to -which they are to be united; this hive requires no sprinkling nor any -fumigation: the Bees in the latter are soon attracted by the ale, and -go down into the hollow containing the fumigated ones licking them -over; the whole are mixed and go up without the least disturbance. It -is unnecessary to take any trouble about the Queen," he adds, "I was -assured that not a Bee would be lost;" and he further says, "upon my -return home I tested it with entire success on some of my neighbour's -Bees: it was the work of but a few minutes, and not the smallest -danger. I left the hive placed upon the other all night, and the next -morning _every Bee_ had left the bottom one; more perfect quiet I never -saw. I think there were nearly two quarts of Bees fumigated." - -Puff-ball is generally recommended being the safest; mild tobacco -answers very well, great caution, however, is required in its use, -or the Bees may be killed. Common fumigating bellows, or even a -tobacco-pipe, may be used for this operation. After this discovery it -will be absurd not to unite weak stocks, or to destroy a single Bee on -taking up an old hive. - -I have always considered the keeping of Bees and the advantages arising -from them to be the undoubted privilege of the Cottagers and theirs -alone, other persons may keep a few for amusement, or to endeavour to -learn something of their natural history, but all should in my opinion -be made subservient to the Cottagers' benefit. - -The present season has been a most unpropitious one, especially in this -neighbourhood, perhaps the most so that I remember, but I am disposed -to think that this is not a favourable district for the collection of -honey. I have frequently compared the produce of my own apiary with -that of others at a distance, and this year especially, with that of a -friend upon the Essex bank of the Stour, which I assisted in forming -and have frequently visited, the quantity of honey obtained from this -is small, but it is five times as much as that of any one in this -neighbourhood consisting of the same number of stocks. - -I cannot close this preface without acknowledging the very flattering -manner in which my little treatise has been mentioned in various -publications, and my thanks to the many correspondents it has obtained -for me. The addition which I have been enabled to make to it, will I -trust be acceptable and useful. - -I still solicit information from any one who will give it me, and am -ready to impart it to all those who will ask it. - - _Bury Saint Edmund's, - - Oct. 11th, 1838._ - - - - - PREFACE - - TO THE THIRD EDITION. - - -----o----- - - -In again revising this little work for the press, I am not at all -disposed to increase its size; for were I to do so, I should very much -take from it as a purely simple and practical treatise. Matter might -easily be added; but were it not of a useful nature, the work would be -rendered thereby less valuable, and the attempted improvement would -turn out a positive injury. - -The time which has elapsed since the publication of the last edition -has, year by year, convinced me more fully of the advantages of this -system, and of its adaptation especially to the Cottagers, and indeed -to all those who wish to obtain a large supply of the finest honey at -the least possible expense and trouble, giving at the same time, both -to the amateur and to the naturalist, every facility in watching the -economy of our little favourites. - -Although, as I have already said, I am not disposed to increase the -size of this little work, still, however, an Index, and a few practical -hints, which have suggested themselves in the course of the last two or -three years, will be found added to it. - -The system, I am happy to say, is spreading far and wide amongst the -Cottagers, not only in this but in many other counties, and the profits -arising from their Bees are becoming a permanent source of comfort to -many of them, as the quantity of fine honeycomb, which they exhibit at -the various horticultural shows throughout the kingdom, fully proves. - -The following Report which I have this day (June the 24th) received -from a friend, living at Newmarket, shows what quantity of honey may be -obtained from a hive in a good season, on the Depriving System, when -both room and ventilation are properly supplied. And perhaps it may -also prove an inducement to some persons to "keep bees" who hitherto -have not, as well as a motive to perseverance on the part of those -who already possess them. This gentleman had but two hives. No. 1 was -allowed to swarm, No. 2. was not; No. 1. swarmed on the 29th of May, -and has since very nearly filled two small hives. The swarm has also -filled two small hives, and is now filling a third; a box has within a -few days, been placed between the large hive and the small one, which -in all probability, will be filled, should the weather continue dry and -warm for another week; No. 2. which has not swarmed, has given already -one small hive containing sixteen pounds, and another fourteen pounds -of fine honeycomb, as is now filling _three_ other small hives as fast -as possible. - -Since receiving the above communication, I have witnessed the progress -made by a single stock purchased last year by a beginner. His Apiary is -at the extreme west point of this town, within a few paces of the place -where the celebrated Apiarian, Mr. Geo. Hubbard kept his bees, and -who, in 1791, received from the Society of Arts their gold medal, for -his skilful management of them; this gentleman has now three excellent -stocks, and has already taken a box of fine honeycomb of ten pounds, a -small hive of fifteen pounds and two others are filling; and all the -produce of an outlay of ten or twelve shillings less than a year ago, -making, since that time a profit of very nearly seven hundred per cent. - -I must not again take leave of my friends and the public, without -expressing myself gratified by the very flattering and kind manner -in which this little treatise has been noticed, both by the public -journals as well as by private friends. - - _Bury St. Edmund's, - - July 2nd, 1846._ - - - - - CONTENTS. - - - Chapter I. - - PAGE - - Situation of an Apiary and directions for placing the Hives - - 1 - - Chapter II. - - Directions for Purchasing Bees - - 10 - - Chapter III. - - Materials of which Hives should be made, and the Improved Cottage - Hive described - - 15 - - Chapter IV. - - Method of placing the Small Hive, Box, or Glass, upon the Improved - Cottage Hive, by which means fine Honey may be obtained without - destroying the Bees - - 21 - - Chapter V. - - Proper time for taking away the Box, and how to expel the Bees from - it - - 30 - - Chapter VI. - - Method to be pursued in case a Swarm should leave the Hive, after - having commenced working in the Box - - 37 - - Chapter VII. - - Method of uniting Second and Third Swarms - - 41 - - Chapter VIII. - - Manner of uniting Swarms and Old Stocks in Autumn - - (and page 5 of preface) - - 46 - - Chapter IX. - - Manner of Feeding weak Stocks, and the time most appropriate for - this operation - - 54 - - Chapter X. - - Food proper for weak Hives - - 58 - - Chapter XI. - - Enemies of Bees, and means of overcoming them - - 61 - - Chapter XII. - - Directions for Hiving Swarms: and the proper time for placing - glasses upon them - - 68 - - Chapter XIII. - - Description of the Knife for cutting out the Combs - - 76 - - Chapter XIV. - - Remedies, proposed as Cures, for the Stings of Bees - - 78 - - Chapter XV. - - Means of preventing the Bees from being Stolen especially in the - Country - - 82 - - Chapter XVI. - - Method of dislodging Bees from Trees or Buildings, and put them - into Hives - - 85 - - Chapter XVII. - - Description of Nutt's Newly Invented Hive for obtaining the Honey - without destroying the Bees - - 89 - - Chapter XVIII. - - The Apiarian's Monthly Manual, or Hints for the Management of Bees - for every month in the year upon the Depriving System - - 96 - - - - - THE BEE KEEPER'S GUIDE. - - - - - CHAPTER I. - -_Situation of an Apiary, and directions for placing the Hives._ - - -I have no hesitation in saying, that a South aspect is decidedly -preferable to any other situation for an Apiary. I have tried various -aspects, but the Bees in the South I have always found to be the -healthiest, and to collect the largest quantity of honey. It is very -important that the hives be sheltered from the wind by trees or houses, -and that they are not placed in the vicinity of ponds or large rivers, -for high winds will dash them into the water, where numbers will perish. - -It was the opinion of the ancients, that Bees, in windy weather, -carried weights to prevent them from being driven about by it. Virgil -says, - - "That with light pebbles, like a balanced boat, - Poised through the air on even pinions float." - - Sotherby's Georgics. - -This is now ascertained to be erroneous, and is ascribed, by Swammerdam -and Reaumur to preceding observers having mistaken the Mason Bee, for a -Hive Bee; the former builds its nest against a wall, with a composition -of gravel and its own saliva, and when freighted with the former -article, may easily have led a careless observer into the erroneous -opinion alluded to. The Abbe della Rocca appears to have fallen into, -and perpetuated, the same error. - -Though large ponds are very injurious, a small stream is beneficial -to them, which if they are not supplied with, water must be given -them, for it is absolutely necessary, and enters, as much as honey and -farina, into the composition with which they nourish the brood. The -plan that I have for many years adopted, is to fill an unglazed earthen -pan, eighteen inches by eight, four inches deep, and square at the -sides, with water, upon the surface of which floats a very thin deal -board perforated with holes, a quarter of an inch in diameter and about -an inch distant from each other; in Spring and Summer, the Bees may be -seen coming in great numbers to drink, or rather to carry water into -their hives, to mix with the farina they collect so abundantly at this -season of the year for food for their young. In my opinion, Dr. Bevan -says very justly, that "the Apiary should be near the residence of the -proprietor, as well for the purpose of rendering the Bees tractable, -and well acquainted with the family, as for affording a good view of -their general proceedings." - -I am a decided enemy to Bee houses of all kinds, for they are the -means of causing the ruin of a great number of hives, by affording a -home to their worst enemies, viz.: mice, moths, spiders, earwigs, and -various other insects, thousands die from imprisonment, and many hives -are destroyed by humidity. The method of placing several hives upon the -same bench is also very injurious, it very much facilitates pilfering, -and renders it impossible to operate upon one hive, without disturbing -the others. - -The hives should be placed upon separate boards, supported by single -pedestals four or five inches in diameter, firmly placed in the ground, -and standing about fifteen inches from the surface, (see fig. 1. plate -1;) upon the top of this post should be nailed firmly a board nine -inches square, upon which should be placed the board the hive stands -upon, but not nailed, the double boards will be found very convenient -for weighing or removing the hives, without disturbing the Bees. - -On no account use clay or mortar as is usually done to secure the hive -to the board, the Bees of themselves will do it more effectually;[1] -clay or mortar tends very much to decay the hives, and to harbour moths -and other insects; each hive should be covered with a large milk-pan, -and be well painted every year, for hives managed upon the Depriving -System, are expected to stand from fifteen to twenty years. - -[Footnote 1: This fact, though it has been denied by those who profess -to have had much experience in the management of Bees, is known to -every novice in Apiarian science, for he does not suffer much time to -pass, after having purchased a swarm of Bees, without endeavouring to -ascertain how much honey they have collected, and finds the difficulty -of separating the hive from the board upon which it was placed.] - -The hives should be placed about three feet apart from each other, and -in a right line; but should the number be too great to allow of this -arrangement, and render two rows necessary, they must not be less than -fifteen feet asunder, and those in the front row intersecting the line -formed by the hinder one. - -The boards on which the hives are placed, should be cleaned about four -times in the year--January, March, April and November, much time and -trouble will be saved the Bees thereby. - -Plants which rise in height equal to or exceeding the entrance of the -hives, should not be suffered to grow in their immediate vicinity, and -every facility should be removed by which the enemies of the Bees can -ascend into the hives. - -Still, however, a few shrubs or standard roses of four or five feet may -with advantage be placed eight or ten paces in front of the hives, for -the Bees to alight upon in their return home, when heavily laden with -honey and pollen--it saves their falling to the ground from the weight -of their load, which they frequently do, and in unfavourable weather to -rise no more. It was seeing them rest in this manner that gave rise to -the following lines:-- - - Rest on that Rose's leaf awhile, thou little Busy Bee, - Thou hast winged thy way with thousands, the wand'ring, the free. - Unwearied with thy ceaseless toil in search for future store, - Thou'rt come back to unlade thy sweets, then sally forth for more. - - Thou'st been among the flow'rs of gold, their kiss is on thee yet, - And o'er thy richly powdered wings how many hues are met. - That tell of revelling at the founts of nectar's luscious tide, - Of honey-dews that rest upon each petal's glossy side. - - Where hast thou been since the bright morn first saw thee on thy way - 'Mong scented brier and glittering heath that woo'd thy lingering stay? - Hast thou no voice to tell us of the far-off verdant scenes, - Of the rich limes thou lovs't so well, and of the fresh'ning streams. - - Away! away! once more thou'rt up and e'er the leaf be still'd. - To its soft rest from the trembling that thy light form has thrill'd, - Thoul't be again among thy loves, the fragrant, the bright, - All jealous of their hidden sweets, in murmuring delight. - -I have always found the advantage of planting, in the vicinity of my -hives, a large quantity of the common kinds of crocus, single blue -hipatica, heleborus niger, and tussilago petasites, all of which flower -very early and are rich in honey and farina: salvia nemorosa, (of Dr. -Smith) which flowers very early in June and lasts all the summer, is -in an extraordinary manner sought after by the Bees, and when room -is not an object, twenty or thirty square yards of it may be grown -with advantage; origanum humile, origanum rubescens, (of Haworth) and -mignonette may also be grown; cultivation beyond this, exclusively -for Bees, I believe answers very little purpose. Cúscuta sinensis is -a great favorite with them; and the pretty little plant anacampseros -populifolium, when in flower, is literally covered by them--honey -itself appears not to possess more attractions for them than this plant. - -Doctor Bevan says: "To those who, residing in towns, may consider -it indispensable to the success of an Apiary, that it should be in -the immediate vicinity of good pasturage, and be thereby deterred -from benefiting and amusing themselves by keeping Bees; it may be -satisfactory to learn that the Apiary of the celebrated Bonner was -situated in a garret, in the centre of Glasgow, where it flourished -for several years, and furnished him with the means of making many -interesting and valuable observations which he gave to the world about -thirty years ago." - -My own experience also proves the truth of the above statement, -residing myself for four years in the centre of a large town, in a -house without a garden, I kept two stocks of Bees in my study, in -glass, and four or five others in the improved cottage hive upon the -roof of my house, and I am not aware that they have ever done better, -or afforded me a larger quantity of honey, in any other situation. - - - - - CHAPTER II. - - _Directions for purchasing Bees._ - - -The best time to establish an Apiary is from the middle of February -to the middle of March, the stocks will have passed in safety through -the winter, the combs are then empty of brood, light of honey, and the -removal safe and easy. Stocks should be selected by a competent judge, -as the weight alone cannot be relied on, a swarm of the preceding year -should be selected, and one that contains not less than twelve pounds -of honey; there are few commodities in which a person can be so easily -deceived as in a hive of Bees. I would therefore recommend the young -Apiarian to take the opinion of some experienced person before he makes -his purchase, a hive of the preceding year can only be known by a close -inspection of the combs, which but few persons have courage enough -to engage in; if the hive is not of the preceding year its weight is -no criterion of its value, for an old hive always contains a large -quantity of the pollen or dust of flowers which the Bees carry home on -their legs, especially in the Spring and Autumn, it is an essential -ingredient in the food with which they nourish their young, but good -for nothing else, indeed the Bees will die of hunger upon the combs -that are filled with it;--"Yet," says Gelieu, "they lay up useless -hoards of it, which they go on augmenting every year, and this is the -only point on which they can be accused of a want of that prudence and -foresight so admirable in every other respect." - -The Bees appear to be aware of the perishable nature of this -substance, for they never fill a cell entirely with it, but leave room -for a small quantity of honey in each cell containing pollen, before it -is sealed up, by this means the air is most effectually excluded, and -the pollen preserved for a considerable time; should, however, the Bees -be compelled to consume the honey, from those cells containing pollen, -before they can make use of it for their young, it moulds and become -of no value, and causes them great labour to remove it. For, when in -this state, they have no means of displacing it but by eating away the -cells in which it is contained, and conveying it out of their hives in -small pieces, about the size of peas, hard and mouldy. I have seen the -entrance of old hives in the month of April almost filled up with these -pellets of mouldy farina. The process is tedious, takes up much time, -and the ravages made by it upon the combs appear irreparable; still -in a short space of time, if the weather is favourable, the combs are -repaired, as if no injury had befallen them, and filled with honey -or brood. It is a very heavy substance, so that if weight be the only -criterion, farina will be purchased instead of honey, therefore in the -purchase of old stocks it will be necessary they should weigh eight -pounds more than swarms of the preceding year; in the purchase of -swarms less experience is necessary, and by attending to the following -rules, the young Apiarian will not be imposed upon:-- - -1st. That the swarm be purchased before the 14th of June, the longer -before that time the better. - -2ndly. That it does not weigh less than three pound and a half. I have -known some swarms to weigh six pounds, but this is of rare occurrence. - -It is very important to observe, that when a swarm of Bees is purchased -it must be removed to the place in which it is to remain, upon the -evening of the day it swarmed, for should the removal be delayed even -till the next day, the combs will in all probability be broken and the -stock destroyed. - -I should recommend the purchaser to send his own hive to the person -of whom he intends to buy a swarm, and to desire him not to put any -sticks across the interior of the hive, as is the usual custom, for -they cause much trouble to the Bees in forming their combs, and render -their extraction almost impossible. The prosperity of the hive will -much (perhaps entirely) depend upon its being finally placed upon the -evening of the day it swarmed. - - - - - CHAPTER III. - - _Materials of which Hives should be made, and the - Improved Cottage Hive described._ - - -Much has been said with respect to the materials of which Hives should -be made, and experience has long determined, that straw and wood are -the best. Mr. Huish, to whom I am indebted for some useful information -in Apiarian science, says, "Of all the materials which have been -selected for the formation of a Hive, I conceive no one to be more -eligible than straw." Gelieu, to whose experience as an Apiarian I -am disposed to pay the greatest respect, and whose work containing -Practical Directions for the Management and Preservation of Hives,[2] -I would recommend to every keeper of Bees, says, (when speaking of wood -and straw as materials proper for Hives) "experience has shown me, that -it is a matter of indifference which are employed; except as to price, -according as either material may be more or less abundant in different -parts of the country." I have for seventeen years possessed a Nutt's -hive, which is made of wood, (and which I shall have occasion hereafter -to mention,) without being able to discover any difference in the -health and activity of the Bees; but the facility and economy in the -construction of straw hives, must always be a recommendation, as it is -in every article connected with rural economy. - -[Footnote 2: The 'Bee Preserver,' by Jonas De Gelieu, recently -translated from the French.] - -It has been always my practice to paint my Hives, both wood and straw, -at least once in the year, and I would strongly recommend all persons -to do the same. April I think is the best time, and if done after six -o'clock in the evening, not the least inconvenience will arise either -to the painter or to the Bees. - -Having decided upon the materials of which Hives should be made, their -form is next to be considered; for a straw hive, I would recommend the -following size, nine inches deep and twelve in diameter, straight at -the sides and flat at the top,[3] in shape like a half bushel measure, -a hole should be made in the top of four inches, and a piece of straw -large enough to cover it must be fastened on with skewers, (see fig. -3, plate 1,) not to fit in but to cover _over_, the diameter of the -piece of straw being at least two inches more than that of the opening -at the top of the hive, it will be much easier taken off, and the combs -of swarms of a few weeks standing will not be injured by its removal, -which in favourable seasons should always have a glass, or small hive -put upon them, the early ones especially; an entrance of two inches by -one, must be cut in the bottom of the hive, to which I affix a piece -of copper of about six inches by three, having a grove, to admit two -sliding copper plates, one perforated, and the other having a hole -large enough to allow but one Bee to come out at a time, (see fig. 10, -plate 2.)[4] I have found great advantage arising from this little -apparatus. - -[Illustration] - -[Footnote 3: The Quarterly Review, of December, 1842, page 25, when -speaking of my hive, says, "the only fault, seems to be its flat -top." Now the advantages of a flat top are in my opinion very great; -first, the ease with which the Bees attach their combs to it, when -compared to a dome top; secondly, the facility given to, cutting out -the combs, whenever that operation becomes necessary, and, thirdly, -the convenience which it offers for placing glasses or boxes upon it. -And I am not aware of but one inconvenience, which can possibly arise -from it, which is the sinking of the top, from the heavy weight of the -glasses, or boxes of honey, which year by year it affords, but this, -however, is entirely obviated by the use of the adapter, (fig. 7.) as -recommended, chap. iv., page 21.] - -[Footnote 4: Instead of two sliding plates, I would recommend one only -as given by Mr. Taylor, in his "Bee-Keeper's Manual," lately published, -for as they cannot both be used at the same time, the one out of use is -frequently misplaced. Zinc answers the purpose equally with copper, and -is but half its price.] - -The finely perforated slider is used to confine the Bees to their hive -when snow lies upon the ground, the reflection of which, when the sun -shines upon it, never fails to induce them to leave their hives, and -falling upon it they perish, for a Bee becomes torpid at a temperature -of 32°. The slider with one hole only, is useful both in Spring and -Autumn, preventing either robbers or wasps from entering the hives, -for three or four Bees will, with the help of this slider, guard the -entrance more effectually than ten times the number without it. - -Although I have recommended Bees to be confined in their hives so long -as snow remains upon the ground, it would, however, be very prejudicial -to them if carried on beyond that time, for I never saw Bees healthy -and strong after being shut up through the winter. - -Gelieu, says, "Bees have no real disease, dysentery, about which so -much noise has been made, and for which so many remedies have been -prescribed, never attacks the Bees of a well-stocked hive, that is -left open at all seasons, but those only that are too long and too -closely confined. They are always in good health as long as they are at -liberty, when they are warm enough and have plenty of food. All their -pretended diseases are the result of cold, hunger, or the infection -produced by a too close and long confinement during winter." - - - - - CHAPTER IV. - -_Method of placing the small Hive,[5] Box, or Glass, upon the Improved - Cottage Hive, by which means fine Honey may be obtained, without - destroying the Bees._ - -[Footnote 5: To avoid repetition, we shall in future use the term, -"Box," to express any receptacle employed to obtain Honey on the -Improved System, whether it be in wood, glass, straw, or any other -material.] - - -At the end of April, or very early in the month of May, take the -moveable piece of straw, from the top of the Improved Cottage Hive, -(fig. 3,) and place upon it the adapter, (fig. 5,) then put the Box or -small Hive (fig. 7, and 4,) upon this adapter, and cover the whole -with a milk-pan, to defend them from wet. A glass may be used instead -of the small Hive or Box, with equal success, providing it be covered -with something that will effectually exclude light; a cover of straw, -is perhaps preferable to any other. - -The boxes which I use, and that I would recommend, are made of inch -deal: nine inches square, and eight inches deep, inside measure: with -a piece of glass six inches by seven and a half, let in on one side -and covered by a shutter to exclude the light. The small hives are in -diameter eight inches, and seven inches deep, with a bit of glass on -one side, some are made with a hole in the top, that they may, when -required be placed between a glass partially filled, and the stock hive. - -When the Bees are beginning to work in a glass, a cold night generally -obliges them to forsake their newly made combs, sends them down into -the hive, and compels them to discontinue their labours which are -seldom resumed till the middle of the next day; to prevent this -delay, I would recommend the space between the glass and its cover to -be filled with fine tow or wool, the temperature of the glass being -thereby kept up, and the Bees enabled to carry on their labours without -interruption. The latter is to be preferred, it being not so good a -conductor of heat as the former. - -Experience has proved that the milk-pan is the best of all protections -for a hive, provided it be six inches in diameter larger than the hive -itself. - -When the Box is filled with honey, and the combs partially sealed, or -when the Bees are seen to cluster at the mouth of the Hive, at nine -or ten o'clock in the morning, let no time be lost in lifting up the -Box, and placing between it and the Stock-hive, another Box with a hole -in the top; the adapter (fig. 5.) will be found very useful in this -operation. It is necessary to use this precaution at all times, but -more especially in a rainy season, as a greater disposition amongst -the Bees to swarm then prevails. "Dry weather makes plenty of honey, -and moist, of swarms."[6] However incorrect this position may at first -sight appear, the attentive observer will quickly become convinced of -its truth. - -[Footnote 6: Purchas, on Swarms.] - -Since the publication of the First Edition of this little Treatise, -many persons have said to me, "their Bees would swarm, although the -small hive had been placed on as directed above, and sometimes after -they had commenced working in it," the reason for which, in my opinion -is, that the second small hive was not supplied soon enough, for the -like has never in a single instance occurred with my own Bees. I have -not had a swarm these twenty years, from any of the hives worked upon -the Depriving System, occasionally I have compelled a hive to swarm, -to fill up a vacancy in my number, where the Queen has died, or some -other accident destroyed the stock. - -The population of a hive increases rapidly in April and May, and -consequently the internal temperature rises in proportion, a very high -temperature causes swarming, (Mr. Nutt says 130°) although the Bees -may have abundance of room--I have frequently seen a glass lamp that -has no opening at the top, placed upon a hive, and the result has been -that the Bees swarmed before they had filled it. If both _room and -ventilation_ are carefully attended to, _swarming may be prevented -altogether_, and that the one may be as completely under the control of -the proprietor as the other, I would recommend Mr. Taylor's Ventilator, -which I believe to be a perfect one, for when properly arranged, it -will reduce the temperature of a hive at the swarming season, from ten -to twenty degrees in a few minutes--I would recommend its insertion in -the top of the small hive, box, or glass, before it is placed upon the -larger one. - -"The Ventilator I use," says Mr. Taylor, "(and I have made them of -various forms) consists of double tubes, both resting on a flauch in -the holes prepared for them, the outer tube is of one inch diameter and -six inches long, with six half-inch holes dispersed over it. - -[Illustration] - -"It is soon fixed down in its place by the Bees, and so must remain, -the inner tube is of perforated zinc, with a[7] tin projecting top -as a handle, and a cap to put on or off this as required. The Bees -will stop up the inner tube where they can get at it, when it may be -turned round a little to present a new surface. When wholly stopped, -it may be withdrawn from its place, and a clean tube substituted. This -may be done without the least danger to the operator, but it should -be inserted carefully, to avoid crushing any Bees that may have crept -within the outer tube, an exit to these is afforded by the hole at the -bottom. The substance with which Bees glue up all crevices and attach -their combs is called Propolis--a resinous exudation from certain -trees, of a fragrant smell, and removable by the aid of hot water. - -[Footnote 7: In adopting Mr. Taylor's Ventilator to the small hive, the -inner tube must be made without "the projecting top as a handle," and -the cap made even with the flauch.] - -"In order occasionally to know the temperature of any of the boxes, a -thermometer made to fit the ventilator may be inserted in it. This is -chiefly useful as a matter of precaution towards the swarming season. - -"Some have thought it necessary to cut holes in the floor-board, or -have placed drawers underneath, to aid the ventilation, but I have -always found the mouth of the hive sufficient for all purposes." - -All operations except joining swarms or stocks, should be performed on -a fine day, about noon, they may then be done with much less annoyance -to the Bees, as well as with less chance of danger to the operator. - -I have for some years past performed almost all the operations required -in this system without the defence, even of gloves, but I would not -recommend any person to attempt it, until he has had several years' -experience in the management of Bees. - -The being perfectly defended in every part against their stings, gives -that coolness and confidence to the operator, upon which the happy -accomplishment of his intentions so much depends. I cannot too strongly -urge, that coolness and confidence on the part of the operator are -essential qualification, for any thing approaching to hurry irritates -them beyond measure; indeed whilst engaged with them the hand ought -never to be hastily removed from one position to another. Dr. Bevan -says, "quietness is the surest protection against being stung." - -The best defence is a mask of wire, very similar to, but much finer -than a fencing mask, with a rim of tin made to fit the head, to which -a silk handkerchief is attached, a pair of thick worsted gloves, and -stockings or gaiters of the same material; stout leather gloves are as -good protection as those of worsted, but leather, from the closeness of -its texture, will not allow the Bees to withdraw their stings from it -and the consequence is, that many perish. - -It is recommended to persons during their operations on Bees, to -carefully avoid breathing upon them, as nothing is more offensive, -or more irritating to them than the human breath; this however, is -partially obviated by closing the mouth, and suffering the breath to -pass gently through the noise, by which a full current is not allowed -to fall upon them. - - - - - CHAPTER V. - - _Proper time for taking away the Box and how to - expel the Bees from it._ - - -When the Box is filled with honey and the combs all sealed up, (which -will generally be done about the middle of June) it may be taken off, -or it may remain till the one placed beneath it is also sealed up, -which in all probability will be completed by the first week in August. - -Upon the very strong and populous hives, it is necessary in some -seasons to place even a third, which must be removed with great -caution, for at this time of the year every stock should contain at -least twenty pounds of honey; should, however, the stock have that -quantity, it may be safely removed and placed upon a weaker one, for -the combs not being all sealed, the honey therefore is not saleable. -The Box taken off, must be lifted very gently at noon, upon a fine day, -and carried forty or fifty yards from the hive; place it upon a board -or table, raising it a little that room may be given to the Bees to -make their escape, which they will do in a very short time. - -Much difficulty appears to have arisen with some persons in getting -the Bees to leave the Box when taken off, but in this as in all other -operations with Bees, gentleness is very important, indeed it is the -only means of accomplishing the end desired, and as I have before said, -"the Box must be lifted _very gently_," and placed about six inches -from the ground, or table, upon bricks, flower pots, or something of -the kind. Shaking, beating, or burning paper under it, as is sometimes -done, have all a contrary effect upon the Bees, they are alarmed by it, -and will not leave the box perhaps for days, when these means have been -resorted to. - -The box being thus placed, a loud humming noise is first heard, and -the Bees are then seen to leave it within five or six minutes, (all -except a few stragglers) but should the Queen be in the Box, (which -very rarely happens) quite a different appearance presents itself, no -noise will be heard, or a Bee scarcely seen to leave it, but the hive -from which it has been taken will in a very short time appear in great -confusion. Whenever this occurs, the Box must be returned immediately, -and taken off again the next day. - -When a hive or glass of honey is taken, it ought not to be left till -the Bees are all out of it, for it is very likely to be attacked by -robbers, thus a great part of it will be carried away in a short time, -and what is left rendered unfit for sale, on account of the cells -being opened, from which the honey will drain out, upon the position of -the hive being changed. - -Robbers may be known by their desire to enter the hive or glass, the -Bees belonging to it, being separated from their Queen, fly home -immediately upon leaving it. - -In taking off a box of honey it will be found convenient to pass a very -thin knife, or fine wire between the hives or boxes intended to be -separated; if that precaution be not taken, a piece of comb frequently -projects from the top of the one left, or the bottom of that taken, -which causes much trouble to the operator: two adapters (fig. 5.) -placed between the boxes will be found very convenient, for the knife -or wire will only have to be passed between them, and the danger of -breaking the combs will be obviated--they should be made of mahogany, -for it will allow of being worked very thin, without the risk of -warping; they are three eights of an inch thick, twelve inches square, -with a circular hole in the middle four inches in diameter. - -To expel the bees from the box or hive when taken off, Gelieu says, -"Take a hive or box of the same size, place it over the full one that -is turned upside down, bind them round with a napkin, to intercept all -passage to the bees, and force them to ascend into the empty box, by -tapping gently on the full one. They soon go up into the empty box, and -when they are all housed, replace them on the parent hive, whence they -were withdrawn; and if the season is favourable and the honey abundant, -they soon set to work again." - -Honey taken by this method is acknowledged to be very superior in -quality to that obtained by the usual barbarous and unprofitable -manner of burning the Bees, which arises from the combs in which it is -deposited being new and perfectly white, the early period at which it -is collected, and from its being unmixed with honey gathered later in -the season as well as from the Queen very rarely ascending through the -opening at the top of the improved cottage hive, that neither brood nor -farina are found amongst it. - -This honey sells readily at two shillings a pound, whilst that obtained -by burning the Bees, is scarcely saleable at eightpence. - -It is usual to obtain from every good stock twenty or perhaps thirty -pounds of honey annually. I once obtained forty-five pounds, leaving -the stock rich in honey. - -It is frequently asked what becomes of the Bees managed on this system, -if they are never suffered to swarm nor are destroyed;--the hives will -never contain them? To which I would reply, that it is well known -to those who are conversant in the care of Bees, that their numbers -decrease greatly in Autumn, not only by the destruction of the drones, -but also by the unavoidable deaths of many of the working Bees, owing -to the thousand accidents they meet with in the fields, and to age;[8] -a much less space therefore is wanted for them in the winter than was -necessary in the summer. - -[Footnote 8: Mr. Purchas, in his "Theatre of Political Flying Insects," -published in 1657--says, "it is manifest that the Honey Bees are -but yearly creatures," and when giving the sentiments of Aristotle, -Pliny, Columella, Cardanus, and others, he says, "the truth is, -notwithstanding these men's opinion, that Bees live but a year and a -quarter at most, for those Bees that are seen in May, lusty, full, -brown, smooth, well winged, will, by the end of July following, -begin to wither, become less_e_, look gr_a_y, and have their wings -t_o_ttered, and tom, and be_e_ all dead before the end of August."] - - - - - CHAPTER VI. - - _Method to be pursued in case a Swarm should leave the - Hive, after having commenced working in the Box._ - - -This is a circumstance of very rare occurrence, and more especially -when the directions given in the former chapter are strictly complied -with; however, should it happen, let the swarm be hived in the usual -manner into the improved Cottage Hive, (see fig. 3.) as directed in -Chapter XII, when the Bees are settled, take off the moveable piece of -straw from the top of the hive, and place upon it the box partially -filled with honey and Bees; cover the old hive with the piece of straw -belonging to it, and the milk-pan, as no further profit (except the -cast or second swarm) will be obtained till the next season; should the -proprietor be unwilling to increase his number of stocks, the swarm may -be returned immediately to its parent hive; the process is very simple, -and I have always found it succeed--as soon as the swarm is settled, -turn the hive bottom upwards, and if the Queen Bee does not make her -appearance in a few seconds, dash the Bees out upon a cloth, or upon -a gravel walk,[9] and with a wine glass she may be easily captured, -upon this being accomplished, the Bees will immediately return to their -parent hive, and resume their labours; she may also very easily be -taking during the departure of a swarm, for she appears to leave the -hive reluctantly and may be seen running backwards and forwards upon -the alighting-board before she takes wing. - -[Footnote 9: The method of performing this operation, consists in -lifting the hive gently about a foot, and with a smart and sudden jar -returning it to the ground, so that the Bees be completely dislodged -from the hive, and left upon the cloth, the hive may now be removed to -a short distance, and as the Bees are attempting to return to their -former habitation, the Queen may be easily captured.] - -A second swarm generally leaves the hive about nine days after the -first, but the time may be exactly ascertained by standing quietly -beside the hive after sunset, when the Queen may be distinctly heard -"to tun' in hir treble voic',"[10] which is a certain indication that a -second swarm will leave the hive. Should two or three Queens be heard -one after the other, it will be on the following day, if the weather -be not _very_ unfavourable, (for the second and third swarms appear to -have less regard as to the weather than the first.) Should the Queens -continue to pipe after the departure of the second swarm, a third will -certainly follow in a few days, but if one or two Queens be found dead -beneath the hive on the next morning, no more swarms can be expected. - -[Footnote 10: Butler's Feminin Monarchi, Edit. 1634.] - -That the old Queen accompanies the first swarm is established beyond -a doubt; that many Queens are bred in a hive, a number sometimes -exceeding thirty in one year, is also ascertained; and that the Bees -have the power of producing a Queen from an egg deposited in the combs -of the working Bees, by treating it in a different manner to those that -are to become workers, has also been satisfactorily proved, all that -has been said beyond this, regarding their natural history, must, I -believe be considered principally conjecture. - -"It is, however," says a modern Author, "not the least interesting part -of the study of the Bee, that this apparently insignificant insect, has -hitherto baffled all the research and ingenuity of man, to discover the -manner of its propagation; analogy presents no guide to the solution -of this secret, and the result of every anatomical experiment has -tended rather to mystify the subject, than to conduct us to the road -to truth," and Purchas, who I have before quoted, says, "God humbles -us with ignorance in many things, not only divine but natural, and in -common use, in the nature of Bees how blind are we, notwithstanding all -our observations and labour, in the production and continuance of the -Queen Bee, in the generation of other Bees, and generally in the forms -of all things." - - - - - CHAPTER VII. - - _Method of uniting second and third Swarms._ - - -Second and third Swarms, or Casts and Colts, are seldom or ever able to -collect a sufficient quantity of honey, to support themselves through -the winter, and can only be preserved by much care and expense, and -most of them die after all without bringing any profit. It is much -better therefore to unite them in the following manner:--when two -_Casts_ or _Colts_ come off upon the same day, hive them separately, -and leave them till an hour and half after sunset, then spread a cloth -upon the ground, upon which by a smart and sudden movement, shake -all the Bees out of one of the hives, and immediately take the other -and place it gently over the Bees that are heaped together upon the -cloth, and they will instantly ascend into it, and join those, which -not having been disturbed, are quiet in their new abode; next morning -before sunrise, remove this newly united hive to the place in which it -is to remain; this doubled population will work with double success, -and in the most perfect harmony, and generally become a strong stock, -from which much profit may be derived. - -Two Casts or weak Swarms may be joined in the same manner, although -one of them may have swarmed some days or even weeks later than the -other, taking care however, not to make the first one enter the second, -but the second the first, a third, and a fourth parcel of Bees may be -joined to them at different times, till the stock becomes strong. - -It is almost impossible sufficiently to impress upon the mind of every -person who keeps Bees, the necessity of having his stocks all strong, -for weak stocks are very troublesome, very expensive, and seldom, if -ever, afford any profit. - -Mr. Taylor say, "the stronger the colony at the outset the better -the Bees will work, and the more prosperous it will become. I never -knew a weak one do well long, and a little extra expense, and trouble -at first, are amply rewarded by succeeding years of prosperity and -ultimate profit;" and again, "thus strength in one year begets it in -succeeding ones, and this principle ought to be borne in mind by those -who imagine that the deficient population of one season will be made up -in the next, and that the loss of Bees in the winter is of secondary -consequence, forgetting how influential is their warmth to the earlier -and increased productive powers of the Queen, and how important it -is in the opening spring to be able to spare from the home duties of -the hive a number of collectors, to add to the stores, which would -otherwise not keep pace with the cravings of the rising generation." - -It is a remarkable fact, that two weak stocks joined, will collect -double the quantity of honey, and consume much less than two of the -same age and strength, kept separately. Stocks must be joined after -sunset, upon the day that one of them has swarmed, or before sunrise -the next morning, and the doubled stock must be placed upon the stand -it previously occupied. Great care must be taken not to shake the hive, -nor must it be turned up, the combs being new, and tender, will easily -break, and the stock by that means be destroyed. - - - - - CHAPTER VIII. - - _Manner of uniting Swarms and old stocks in Autumn._ - - -For this very useful information, I am indebted to that excellent -Apiarian, Gelieu; I have tried it upon some of my own stocks, as well -as upon those of my friends, and have found it in every instance fully -to answer my expectations. Persons possessing these instructions should -not allow a weak stock to remain through the winter. - -The operation is performed very easily and without danger: I have -frequently accomplished it without any protection whatever, and I will -give the method in the words of Gelieu--"When the swarms have not been -able to lay up a sufficient provision during the fine weather, I weigh -them at the end of the season, and knowing the weight of each empty -hive, I can tell exactly the quantity of honey they have in store. If -they are three, four, five or six pounds too light, I preserve them -and feed them in the manner I am about to detail. When the swarms -have only about one-third or one half of the quantity of honey which -would suffice to feed them, I might keep them alive by giving them -as much more as they require. I have frequently done so, but I have -already remarked that this plan costs too much honey, and gives too -much trouble: and, therefore, I generally join them into one. For this -purpose, I leave the heaviest swarm untouched, and, in the morning of -a fine day in September, or the beginning of October, I commence by -blowing a few whiffs of tobacco-smoke with my pipe in at the door of -the hive of the lightest swarm, to disperse the sentinels; then turning -up the hive, and placing it on its top on the ground, I give it a -little more smoke, to prevent the Bees from becoming irritated, and to -force them to retire within the combs--I proceed to cut out all the -combs in succession, beginning with the smallest, sweeping the Bees -with a feather off each piece back into the hive; and then I place the -combs, one after another, into a large dish beside me, keeping it, at -the same time, carefully covered over with a napkin, or small table -cloth, to prevent the Bees returning to their combs, or the smell of -the honey attracting others that may be flying about. The last comb is -the most difficult to come at, being completely covered over with Bees. -I detach it, however, in the same way as the others, but with greater -precaution, sweeping the Bees off very gently with the feather, until -there is not one left on it. This operation, I perform without gloves, -or any other protection, armed only with my pipe; and for ten times -that I treat them after this fashion, I seldom receive one sting, even -when I act unassisted. - -"The combs being all removed, the swarm remains as completely destitute -of food as it was on the day of its emigration, and I replace it on -its board in the same spot it occupied when full, and leave it till -the evening, by which time the Bees will be clustered together like a -new swarm. During the whole of the day, which I shall suppose to be -fine, they occupy themselves with great earnestness cleansing their -house, and making such a noise in removing the little fragments of wax -that have fallen on the board, that any one who did not know it had -been emptied, would take it for the best and strongest of the hives. -Before night, when they are all quiet, I throw a few whiffs of smoke -in at the door of the hive which I mean my deprived swarm to enter, -and which should be its next neighbour on the right hand or the left; -then, turning it up, and resting it on the ground, I sprinkle it all -over with honey, especially between the combs where I perceive the -greatest number of Bees: five or six table spoonfuls generally suffice; -at other times three or four times as many are required. If too little -were given, the new comers might not be well received; there might be -some fighting; and by giving too much, we run the risk of drowning -them.--One should cease the sprinkling when the Bees begin to climb -up above the combs, and shelter themselves on the sides of the hive, -this done, I replace the hive on its board, which should jut out about -seven or eight inches, raising the hive up in the front with two little -bits of stick, so as to leave a division of an inch between it and the -board, to give free access to the Bees. I also spread a table cloth -upon the ground before it, raising and fixing one end of it on the -board, by means of two bits of stick, that are placed as a temporary -support to the hive. I then take the hive that was deprived of its -combs in the morning, and with one shake, throw the Bees out of it upon -the table-cloth, which they instantly begin to ascend; while, by the -help of a long wooden spoon, I guide them to the door of the one that -is placed for their reception. A few spoonfuls of the Bees raised and -laid down at the door of the hive will set the example, they enter at -once, and the others follow quickly, flapping their wings, and sipping -with delight the drops of honey that come in their way, or officiously -licking and cleaning those first inhabitants that have received the -sprinkling, and with whom they mingle and live henceforth on good -terms; one division of the new comers always cluster on the front of -the hive, which they enter during the night without disturbance, much -pleased to join their companions. - -"Next morning, early, it is necessary to take away the table-cloth, -and the bits of stick, that were placed to raise up the hive, and -facilitate the entrance of the Bees, and for some days the door should -be left open as wide as possible. The hive should also be moved a -little to the right or left, that it may stand precisely in the centre -of the place they both occupied before the union. - -"I have frequently united three swarms in the same manner, and with -the same success, taking care only to empty in the morning those on -each side, and to make the Bees enter the middle one in the evening, -after it has been sprinkled with honey. In this case I do not remove -the one that unites the three swarms." - -I have adhered strictly to these directions except in "raising and -fixing the table-cloth to the board,"--making the Bees ascend, I have -always found to be a slow process, but placing the hive they are to -join over them when heaped upon the cloth, is much quicker and equally -successful. - -Old stocks that are rendered weak by swarming, or by having too much -honey taken from them, may be united in the same manner, with this -difference only, that double the quantity of honey should be used in -sprinkling. - -If a stock of Bees, containing fifteen or twenty pounds of honey in -September, be carefully managed during the winter, which consists in -narrowing the entrance to exclude robbers, carefully covering the hive -with a milk-pan, and raising it from the board every month or six weeks -to clean it, no doubt can be entertained to its affording a good box of -honey. - - - - - CHAPTER IX. - - _Manner of feeding weak Stocks, and the time - most appropriate for this operation._ - - -Autumn and Spring are the most proper seasons for supplying weak stocks -with food. Bees ought never to be fed during the winter, as food given -at that time, not only causes disease, but induces them to go out of -their hives, when many of them perish from cold. - -Food should be administered only at night, and the sooner after sunset -the better; the vessel in which it is given ought to be carefully -removed by sunrise the next morning, or robbers will be attracted to -the hive by the smell of the honey and far more injury be sustained -from them, than the benefit arising to the Bees, from the food given. -In feeding, therefore, it will be necessary to observe the greatest -neatness. In Autumn, Bees should be fed copiously, those hives -containing less than fifteen pounds of honey must be made up to that -weight by feeding; the most effectual method I have been able to devise -is to excavate a board of four or five inches in thickness, so as to -allow a soup plate, or pewter dish to fit into it without rising above -its level; this dish may be filled with honey, and covered with pieces -of paper to prevent the Bees from being drowned, it may then be placed -under the hive at sunset, and a napkin tied round the bottom of it, -to prevent any of the Bees from making their escape; in this manner -three or four pounds of honey may be given at one time, so that twice -feeding, it is supposed will be sufficient for any hive, for if more -than this quantity is wanted, the stock must be joined to another as -directed in Chapter VIII. Should the honey be very thick, a small -quantity of warm water may be added to it, in the proportion of half a -pint to three pounds of honey, observing to mix them well together. - -If the honey be much candied it may be placed over a fire for a few -minutes till it becomes liquid--another plan of feeding is to prepare -a rim of straw, or a wooden hoop, the exact size of the hive, and four -inches deep, within which place the dish of honey, and put the hive -over it, making the union secure with a napkin. - -In the Spring, Bees should be fed sparingly, three or four ounces of -honey twice in the week, will be found amply sufficient; the easiest -method of giving these small quantities is by a vessel of tin, upon -the same principle as a bird's fountain, holding about a pound or a -pound and half; (see fig. 9.) the projecting trough or mouth, must be -put in at the entrance of the hive, it is one inch and three quarters -wide, and three inches and a half long, covered with a perforated tin: -this vessel being filled with honey, has only to be placed in the hive -at night, and removed in the morning, the feeder itself effectually -stopping up the entrance of the hive. - -Some persons feed their Bees at the top of the hive, but it is much too -tedious and sparing a way, in my opinion for Autumn feeding, in the -Spring it does very well. This feeder is of wood with a cover of glass, -it has a hole through its centre, corresponding with one at the top of -the hive, which enables the Bees to pass into it, and take the honey--I -believe it was invented by Wildman. - - - - - CHAPTER X. - - _Food proper for weak Hives._ - - -I am decidedly of opinion that Bees fed in the Autumn should have -honey, in preference to any other kind of food. Mr. Huish recommends -"eight pounds of honey, six pounds of water, a bottle of white wine, -and a pound of sugar, boiled and skimmed, to be bottled for use," -he adds, "the most advisable method is not to make more than is -immediately wanted, because there is some danger of its fermenting." -Now if the Bees are allowed to store a quantity of this, or any other -similar kind of food in their hives, will it not in all probability -ferment _there_ also? this is my reason for recommending honey -only--indeed I have never seen Bees so healthy as those fed on the -simple mixture of honey and water. In Spring, other kinds of food may -answer very well, as a small portion only is given at a time, and -very little of it deposited in the combs. A very good Spring food may -be made with honey and sweet wort, or with raw sugar and sweet wort, -boiled and skimmed. - -The proportions would be, one pound of sugar, or half a pound of honey, -to two pints of strong wort. - -For feeding weak stocks many things have been prescribed, but nothing -is so proper and natural as honey, I dislike feeding altogether, except -a little in the beginning of the year, through the lateness of the -Spring some hives (otherwise sufficiently supplied) may require it. -Early swarms may also require a little honey when the weather proves -unfavourable for their collecting it the four or five first days -succeeding their being hived, but in both these cases a very small -quantity will be found sufficient. Autumn feeding very rarely answers -the purpose of the proprietor. Uniting the weak stocks at that season, -as directed in Chapter VIII. will be found much more advantageous. - - - - - CHAPTER XI. - - _Enemies of Bees, and means of overcoming them._ - - -Gelieu says--"that nothing is more prejudicial to Bees than ignorant -attention; their most formidable enemies are, perhaps, their -possessors, who busy themselves to torment them, and weaken and kill -them by too much care. In Winter, they hurt them by shutting them up, -and in Spring, the giving them a little honey is not always attended -to, neither is the guarding them from moths, which, at that time, make -the greatest havoc, nor is the narrowing of the entrances to prevent -them being robbed. Some people suffocate them in Autumn, that they may -possess themselves of their provisions; and others take out the best -of the honey, and often too much of it, and so expose them to die of -hunger. - -"I therefore place, in the foremost rank of their enemies, those of -their possessors, who, by their own ignorance and inexperience, hinder -them from prospering and multiplying." To all this I am sorry to say -that I can bear testimony. - -Amongst the enemies of Bees are enumerated, ants, moths, birds, -poultry, mice, wasps, and spiders. Ants, perhaps, are their least -dangerous enemies, for though they cannot sting them, they carry them -to a distance. - -Ants may be destroyed by pouring boiling water into their nests, and -the operation will be greatly assisted by making holes into them with a -sharp stick, so as to allow the water to flow readily to the bottom of -them. Mr. Huish says, "to preserve my Bees from these vermin, I always -fasten a piece of sheep's skin, with its wool on round the bottom -of the pedestal;" it has been said, that these insects dislike both -garlick and shalots, and they will not harbour in the ground in which -these vegetables are grown. - -Moths[11] are by far their most formidable and dangerous enemies, -great numbers of hives are destroyed by them every year, it therefore -requires the utmost vigilance on the part of the Bee-keeper to defend -his favourites from these most powerful assailants. It is in the -caterpillar state that they commit their ravages, and it is truly -astonishing to observe the rapidity with which they destroy a hive, -when they get established in it. It must be observed that hives managed -upon the Depriving System, that are expected to stand for ten, fifteen -or even _twenty years_ are much more subject to the incursions of -moths, than those which are destroyed every year. - -[Footnote 11: Entomology designates two species of wax moths: the -greater is the most common _gallerea cerreana_, and the smaller -_gallerea alvearia_.] - -The best method of preventing their increase is the frequent cleansing -of the hive floors, for the female generally deposits her eggs between -the hive and the board on which it stands, or in the dust that -accumulates at the bottom. Upon removing the hive the moths may be seen -in the _larva_ state upon the floor, and are easily destroyed. "Moths -and spiders," says Dr. Bevan, "should be watched and destroyed, in an -evening, as at that time the former are hovering about, and the latter -laying their snares." He also recommends a frequent cleaning of the -hive floors.--Huish says, "the butterfly of the moth that redoubtable -enemy of the Bee, appears in April, and continues until October. -Destroy them as much as possible; frighten not away the bats which fly -about the hives, as they devour a great number of them." He says also, -"I would alway advise an Apiarian to fix his attention particularly on -a hive, the Bees of which appear to be in inaction, whilst the Bees of -other hives are in activity. If this inaction continue for ten days, -or a fortnight, not a moment then should be lost in examining the hive, -and the ravages of the moth will soon present themselves." - -Amongst birds, that little marauder the blue titmouse (_parus major -of Linneus_) stands the foremost as their enemy, for, says Purchas, -"she will eat ten or twelve Bees at a time, and by and by be ready for -more; she feeds her young ones also with them. She eats not the whole -Bee, but divides it in the middle, pulls out the bag_g_e of honey, -l_i_tting drop the skinny outside; in the spring she watches for them -in the willow and sallow trees, and takes them when they are at their -work." Destroy their nests in breeding time, and shoot them in winter. -Lapoutre, a French Naturalist, assures us, "that he saw under a tree in -which there was a tom-tit's nest, a surprising quantity of the scaly -parts of Bees, which this bird had dropped from its nest." Sparrows and -swallows have both an ill name, but I could never observe any great -hurt done by either of them. Poultry will occasionally destroy Bees, -for I once recollect seeing a hen and her brood pay dearly for their -freedom with a hive, the chickens were all stung to death, and the hen -escaped only with her life. - -From mice, the surest safeguard is the single pedestal (see fig. 1, 2 -and 3.). - -The destruction of Queen Wasps in the Spring, and wasps nests in the -Summer, will prove the best security against these formidable enemies: -Queen Wasps are seen in April and May, and are very easily captured, -every one which is then destroyed, would probably have been the founder -of a nest, which may be computed at 30,000, at least. - -In Autumn, it is very common for Bees to rob and plunder each other's -hives; the best remedy for this evil, as well as to guard against -wasps, is to contract the entrances; to effect this object, I would -recommend a copper guard to be attached to each hive; (see fig. 10, and -page 18,) the wooden one of Espenasse, as well as Huish's tin guard, I -have found very inconvenient, which induced me to construct the one -referred to. It is made of thin copper, and stitched to the hive with -copper wire, it has two sliders, one pierced with a number of small -holes, and the other having one only, but large enough to allow the -passage of one Bee through it. The advantages of this, above all other -guards, arises from its not projecting beyond the hive, the alighting -board not being encumbered by it, and the angles formed by Huish's with -the hive, so annoying to the Bees, being avoided. - -"In a word," says Purchas, "if you desire to have your Bees thrive, and -prosper, keep them well from winds and wet, heat and cold, _destroy -their enemies_, and let them enjoy a sufficiency of food gotten by -their own industry; and if there be a want in some, timely supply them, -and doubt not, if by God's blessing on your endeavours, the increase -and prosperity of your Bees." - - - - - CHAPTER XII. - - _Directions for Hiving Swarms._ - - -Bees managed upon the Depriving System, rarely swarm, and are seldom -found clustering at the mouth of the hive, for every bright hour during -the honey season they seem to turn to profit, when, however, Clustering -or Swarming takes place, it generally arises from the Box not having -been put on sufficiently early in the season, or for the want of a -second Box; if a swarm should from these causes be compelled to leave -the hive, let it be put into a new improved Cottage Hive, (see fig. -3.) in the usual manner. - -I have always adopted the plan of placing my swarms where they are to -remain, within ten or fifteen minutes after the time of their being -hived, and in this practice Gelieu agrees with me, for he says, "most -people who have Bees allow their Swarms to remain till the evening in -the place where they have alighted, and do not move them to the Apiary -till after sunset, this method has many inconveniences. - -"As soon as a swarm has congregated in the new hive, and seems to be -at ease in it, the most industrious amongst the Bees fly off to the -fields, but with a great many precautions. They descend the front of -the hive, and turn to every side to examine it thoroughly, then take -flight, and make some circles in the air in order to reconnoitre their -new abode, they do the same in returning. If the Swarm has taken flight -in the morning, the same Bees make several excursions during the day, -and each time with less precaution, as becoming familiarized with -their dwelling, they are less afraid of mistaking it, and thus, next -morning, supposing themselves in the same place, they take wing without -having observed where they have spent the night, and surprised at their -return not to find the hive in the same place, they fly about all day -in search of it, until they perish with fatigue and despair. Thus many -hundreds of the most industrious labourers are lost, and this may be -entirely avoided, if the Swarms be removed as soon as the Bees are -perceived coming out--this sign alone is sufficient. - -"Sometimes I do not even wait till all the Bees clustered in front -or on the sides of the Hive, are reunited to their companions in the -interior, as they are never long in being so; and this plan has always -fully succeeded with me." - -Experience has long since proved, that the custom of beating -warming-pans and the like, at the time a swarm leaves the hive is -perfectly useless, as well as the ridiculous practice of dressing the -Hive, as it is called, by drenching it with beer, honey, fennel, &c.; -the former is considered by persons of observation, actually to prevent -the Bees from alighting so soon as they would otherwise do; and the -latter frequently to compel them to leave the hive. The best method is -to watch the Swarm in silence, and after it has once collected, to lose -no time in hiving it into a _new_, _clean_, and _dry_ Hive. Much time -and trouble may be spared the Bees, if the loose straw be removed from -the interior of the hive, the best method of effecting which, is to -singe them with a wax taper, and afterwards to remove them with a hard -brush. - -I have for many years past discontinued the use of sticks across the -interior of my hives, for they cause much unnecessary trouble to the -Bees in the construction of their combs; every facility should be given -to a fresh swarm in their labors, for they have much to do, as Dr. -Aikin has very beautifully said for them in the - - SONG OF THE BEES. - - We watch for the light of the morn to break, - And colour the grey eastern sky - With its blended hues of saffron and lake, - Then we say to each other, "Awake, Awake! - For our winter's honey is all to make, - And our bread for a long supply." - - Then off we hie to the hill and the dell, - To the field, the wild wood and bower; - In the columbine's horn we love to dwell, - To dip in the lily with snow-white bell. - To search the balm in its odorous cell, - The thyme and the rosemary flower. - - We seek for the bloom of the eglantine, - The lime, painted thistle, and brier. - And follow the course of the wandering vine, - Whether it trail on the earth supine, - Or round the aspiring tree-top twine, - And reach for a stage still higher. - - As each for the good of the whole is bent, - And stores up its treasures for all, - We hope for an evening with heart's content. - For the winter of life without lament - That summer is gone, with its hours mis-spent, - And the harvest is past recall. - -And not only do sticks across the hive cause much unnecessary trouble -to the Bees in the construction of their combs, but render their -extraction almost impossible; for in this System it becomes necessary, -after a Hive has stood seven or eight years, to cut out part of its -combs, which by that time will have become very black, very thick, and -the cells, from the number of Bees hatched in them, (every one leaving -a deposit) much contracted. The times best suited for this operation -will be March and September; if performed in March, two leaves of comb -may be taken, if in September, one only; it is a very simple process, -and easily accomplished with the aid of a little tobacco smoke, and a -knife (fig. 6.) which I will hereafter describe. - -Gelieu says, in 1814, "I have several Stocks from twelve to twenty -years old that are as prosperous as the young ones, and one stock -_twenty-five years old_." - -I cannot say so much as this, but I do not in the least doubt the -truth of it; fifteen years is the longest time that I have kept a -stock, and the reason of my losing it at the expiration of that period -was from the decay of the Hive, it being badly made and not painted; -its annual profit was never less than forty, and some years, fifty -shillings. - -I would recommend every person who keeps Bees, to have a few -well-painted new hives always by him, that each hive be weighed, and -its weight upon a ticket of lead fastened to it, the board also upon -which the hive stands should be weighed. - -Every swarm that is hived in May, or before the middle of June, in a -moderate season will afford a glass of honey, of from six to twelve -pounds, besides their winter's store; and in very good seasons, I have -frequently taken twenty-five and sometimes thirty pounds, leaving the -hive very rich. The most proper time for putting the glass or box -upon the swarm will be from the eighteenth to the twenty-first day -after their being hived, and should it be quickly filled and more room -required, lift up the glass as directed at page 23. - - - - - CHAPTER XIII. - - _Description of a knife for cutting - out the combs. (fig, 6,)_ - - -This knife, which is so simple in its construction, and so easily -used, deserves to be made generally known. Gelieu, to whom Apiarians -are much indebted, tells us, that in Switzerland it is commonly used, -and that the combs from hives of any shape or materials are extracted -without any difficulty. It is formed of a slip of steel (see fig. 6.) -two feet long, by an eighth of an inch thick, the handle is twenty -inches long, by half an inch broad, the turn-down blade of two inches -in length, is spear pointed, sharp on the edges, and bent so as to form -an angle of 90 degrees with the handle; the other blade is two inches -long, by one and half broad, and sharpened all round; the broad blade -cuts and separates the combs from the sides of the hive, and the spear -point, which is also sharp on each side, admits, from its direction and -narrowness, of being introduced between the combs to loosen them from -the top of the hive. - - - - - CHAPTER XIV. - - _Remedies proposed, as cures, for the Stings of Bees._ - - -"The sooner the Sting is extracted," says Dr. Bevan, "the less venom -is ejected, and consequently less inflammation induced. To alleviate -the irritation, numberless remedies have been proposed, of the most -opposite kind and uncertain effect; as oil, vinegar, bruised parsley, -burnet, mallow, or the leaves of any succulent vegetable, (renewed as -soon as warm, and probably therefore, operating by cold alone) honey, -indigo dissolved in water, &c., &c., the most effectual remedy appears -to be Aq. Ammon, or Spirits of Hartshorn, nor is this surprising, when -we consider that the venom of the Bee is evidently Acid." - -I have known both the pain and inflammation greatly relieved by -Laudanum; but for myself I could never experience the slightest relief -from its application. - -Its effects are very different in different persons, for, whilst a -single Sting will sometimes produce alarming symptoms in one person, -another may receive many without being inconvenienced either by pain -or swelling; this I am sorry to observe is not my case, for a single -sting causes me the most acute pain, accompanied by violent swelling -and inflammation, which lasts two or three days; the above remedies -have proved totally ineffectual in affording me the slightest relief, -but I consider myself very fortunate in having lately met with almost -a perfect cure, and it is as immediate as it is effectual; I have much -pleasure in communicating it, for notwithstanding every precaution, -persons, who are much amongst Bees occasionally meet with a sting. -The method I 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 heat should be occasioned, a little oil of Turpentine or -Goulard Cerate must be applied. - -During the last three years I have used for myself and those about me, -who might chance to meet with a sting, a still more effectual remedy -than the above, and as its application is more simple, it is certainly -to be preferred. It consists in applying the least possible quantity -of _Liquor potassæ_, immediately upon removing the sting, either with -a fine camels' hair pencil, a sharp pen, or even with the point of a -needle. The venom of the Bee being an acid, this very powerful alkali, -consequently neutralises it, the pain is instantly removed, and -neither swelling nor inflammation follow. Should too large a quantity -of this alkali be used, (as from the hurry in which it is usually -sought after frequently happens) the part should be plunged into cold -water, or a scar will be the consequence, which will last for some -days. I have found the quicker the application, the more effectual the -cure. - - - - - CHAPTER XV. - - _Means of preventing the Bees from being stolen, - especially in the Country._ - - -I entirely disapprove of Houses of every description for Bees, as a -protection against weather, because they tend in various ways most -effectually to destroy the lives of those valuable insects, for, as -before stated, they form a shelter for, and promote the increase of -some of their most determined enemies; but there are other things to -provide against, not only robbers of their own species, but those -who would carry away hives as well as honey, and at the request of a -friend, who has twice been deprived of all his hives by this latter -description of robbers--I am induced to give what in my opinion is the -best kind of house to answer this purpose, and likely to be the least -injurious to the Bees. It may be sufficiently wide to allow of six -hives with a milk-pan upon each, to be placed in a line, which will -occupy about eleven feet, its depth may be about twenty-two inches, -the top and ends weather boarded, the front and back composed of wood -or iron bars, placed so that a small hive or box will not pass between -them, the front ones may be fixed, but those at the back must be made -to remove, and secured by a lock. - -At fifteen inches from the ground must be placed two pieces of wood, -about four inches square, well secured by cross pieces at the ends of -the house, and by an upright in the middle, upon these pieces place the -boards on which the hives stand, sufficient height must be given to -allow of two boxes to be placed upon a hive, three feet at least should -be allowed. - -Another method of security may be adopted which is equally effective, -and as the inconveniences of a House are avoided, perhaps it is the -most preferable. It is to have a stout iron ring of four inches in -diameter, a little flattened at the sides so as to become oval, worked -in the back of the Hive a little below its centre, when the Hives are -placed in a line upon pedestals of equal height, a chain may be passed -through these rings, and locked at each end. - - - - - CHAPTER XVI. - - _Method of Dislodging Bees from Trees or Buildings, - and putting them into Hives._ - - -It very rarely happens that Bees in Buildings or in Trees survive the -Winter, cold and humidity usually kill them, but the comb and the -little honey remaining in it induces others to visit their abode in -the Spring, and which in all probability will be followed by a Swarm -from some neighbouring Apiary in May or June, and on this account Bees -are said _always_ to be there, a little observation will prove the -incorrectness of this statement, and I believe the only criterion by -which it can be proved that Bees have _actually existed in such places -through the Winter_, is to see them carrying in pellets of farina upon -their legs in March and the early part of April. - -The most proper time for dislodging a Stock, which from having fixed -upon some warm and dry abode, has lived through the Winter, is towards -the end of May, or the beginning of June, but a Swarm ought to be -removed upon the day of its arrival, or as soon afterwards as possible. - -The only method that I can recommend at all likely to succeed, and -which I have found to answer the purpose, is to lay the combs quite -bare, and then to cut them out one by one, sweeping the Bees with a -feather, or the back of the knife, from each piece of comb into an -empty hive. - -Should the Queen not be observed during this process, it will be -advisable to take a leaf of comb that is filled with eggs or brood, -and fasten it inside the hive intended for the Bees, that they may -be enabled to make a new one, should their original Queen have been -killed or lost during this operation; for it is now proved beyond all -doubt, that they have the power of doing this, provided they have -either eggs or brood in their hive. - -The use of a little tobacco smoke throughout this operation will be -necessary, a cigar in the mouth of each operator (for there must be two -persons, if not more, engaged in it) will be found sufficient. - -The Queen Bee may easily be distinguished by a common observer, her -wings are very short, not extending beyond one half of her body, which -is much longer, and more pointed than that of the working Bees, her -legs are copper coloured, and her body brown. - -The combs being all removed and the Bees swept off them into the hive, -it must now be put upon a board and placed exactly where the Bees -entered before they were disturbed, and, if possible, it should remain -in this situation till Autumn, but its remaining for a week or two is -absolutely necessary; should there be many combs filled with brood, -three or four of them may be placed in the hive, by putting some wooden -pegs at the top of it to keep them at proper distances, and allowing -them to rest upon the hive-board. - -This, however, is a tedious operation and very seldom pays for the -trouble it occasions; for stocks thus obtained are generally weak and -require feeding, or to be united to others to keep them alive through -the winter. It is, therefore, more to the advantage of the proprietor, -to cause the combs in trees or building, in which Bees have died, to be -destroyed, and the places effectually stopped up with clay or mortar. - - - - - CHAPTER XVII. - - _Description of Nutt's newly invented Hive, for - obtaining Honey without destroying the Bees._ - - -This Hive consists of three collateral Boxes, (see fig. 8.) the -centre one fourteen inches, and the side ones ten and a half square -inside measure, depth eleven inches; the middle box has a number of -holes in the top three quarters of an inch in diameter, bored in the -circumference of a circle six inches in diameter, with one in its -centre, over which a glass is placed. The side boxes (_aa_) have each -a hole of four inches square in the centre of the top, into which is -fitted a piece of tin pierced with small holes, and in its centre a -hole of an inch in diameter, wherein is placed a tube of tin of the -same size, reaching nearly to the bottom of the Box, and supported -by a shoulder resting upon the square tin, which is also perforated. -This square tin and cylinder constitute the ventilator, the opening in -the Boxes is covered by a piece of wood, (_bb_) the Boxes have each a -glazed window (_c_). The centre Box communicates with the side ones -by a grating cut in the wood and corresponding with each other, this -communication is cut off when necessary by sliding tins. - -The method that I have adopted for protecting this Hive from wet, is -to cover the glass with a common straw hive, upon which a milk-pan is -placed, and each of the side boxes by two pieces of board eleven inches -by fifteen, put together so as to form an angle of ninety degrees, -resembling the roof of a cottage. The whole should be made of inch deal -and well painted, the board upon which the three boxes stand must be -of two-inch deal and of one piece, except the alighting board which is -nailed on; three strong pieces of two inch deal will be necessary on -the under side of the board as braces to prevent its warping. - -In this I have differed a little from Mr. Nutt, because I think the -solid board more substantial and less likely to harbour insects, his -being hollow to allow the bees to escape at the time of deprivation, -when the communication between the centre and the side boxes is cut off -by means of the sliding tins, for which I have made provision by having -an entrance at the back of each of the side boxes, to which is attached -a copper slider, (fig. 10.) but without the entrance for a single Bee. - -The middle Box must be stocked in the usual way, by hiving a swarm -into it, and if the swarm be not a large one, it will be better to put -two swarms into it as directed in Chapter VIII. It will be necessary -to have both the top and side tins securely fastened to the centre -box at the time of hiving, and till after the union, when they may -be removed, thereby giving the bees the full range of all the boxes -as well as of the glass upon the centre one, nothing further will -be required till the next Summer, except carefully placing the roofs -to defend the boxes from wet. "Perhaps," says Mr. Taylor, "there is -nothing more prejudicial to Bees than the moisture they engender during -the Winter season, particularly after frost, and in certain states of -the atmosphere. It accumulates on the top and sides of the pavilion, -moulding and rendering offensive the combs, and producing disease. For -this reason boxes with flat roofs have been objected to. I have tried -different experiments to obviate this serious evil, and have found -nothing better than the practice of condensing the vapour as much as -possible and conveying it away. This I have done for several years by -means of the bell-glasses. - -[Illustration] - -"At the beginning of Winter I place over the holes on the top of the -pavilion, pieces of perforated zinc, and on these I set the glasses, -each within a circular leaden or zinc trough, open in the centre. As -the exhalation rises from the warmth below, it is condensed on the -glass, and received, often in considerable quantity, in the troughs. An -imperceptible current of air is thus produced, of great advantage to -the inmates; for ventilation is as much wanted in Winter as in Summer, -and particularly when the population is numerous. The holes at the top -of the glasses may be left open to assist this, for of two evils it is -better to have too much than too little air. Nor, with good protection -from weather, need the effects of cold be apprehended; for the Bees, -(if not weak in numbers) will always of themselves generate sufficient -warmth, and a dry, cold season is better withstood than a mild, moist -one, particularly after a good honey year." - -This leaden or zinc trough of Mr. Taylor's exactly resembles in form -the feeder mentioned in page 57. - -In the following Summer, when the Bees are working in the side boxes -and the glass, the ventilation must be particularly attended to, (for -upon this _alone_ depends the success of the hive,) and here I would -especially recommend Mr. Taylor's ventilator as given in page 26; a -small thermometer should be kept in one of the ventilating tubes, and -when it is observed above ninety degrees of Fahrenheit, the covers -(_bb_) must be taken off, and should the temperature of the boxes be -found at, or above a hundred, the perforated copper slides at the back -of the side boxes must be used, for if it reaches to a hundred-and -thirty, a Swarm in all probability will leave the hive, which next to -starvation is most fatal to this mode of treatment. When either of the -side boxes or the glass upon the top of the centre one is filled with -honey and sealed up, introduce the dividing tin; if the glass, remove -it immediately thirty or forty yards, from the hive without changing -its position, leaving room at the bottom for the Bees to escape, which -they will very soon do, but if either of the side boxes are to be -taken away, open the copper slider at the back of the box, and in less -than an hour from the time of the dividing tin being introduced, the -bees will have made their escape and joined the centre box, it may then -be removed, emptied and replaced, or another may be substituted for -it. All operations must be performed upon a fine and bright day. The -entrance to the centre box should be opened to its fullest extent, by -removing both the sliders from the first of April till the first of -September. - - - - - CHAPTER XVIII. - - _The Apiarian s Monthly Manual, or Hints for the - Management of Bees for every month in the year, - upon the Depriving System._ - - -JANUARY. - -Should the cold be intense, no operation whatever should be performed -on the Bees that requires the removal of the hives. If snow be on the -ground keep the perforated sliders (page 18.) closely down that air may -be admitted, but not a Bee allowed to escape until it be thawed; but -immediately upon the disappearance of the snow remove the slider, and -give them full liberty. I have known many stocks lost by not attending -to this precaution, and more especially after a long confinement, do -not suffer the snow to melt either upon the covers or hive-boards, but -brush it off every day as it falls. Attend regularly to the condenser -(page 92) which to boxes with flat roofs is a very necessary and useful -appendage. - - -FEBRUARY. - -Upon a mild day in this month let the floor board of each hive be -cleaned, and a little food administered, should the stock of honey be -very low. See that the coverings be sound, and that no moisture comes -upon the top of the hives. Should it be found that any of the hives -have perished, which will sometimes occur, and from causes which cannot -be exactly ascertained, let them be immediately removed, and the honey -which they contain taken out, and reserved for feeding those that may -require it. - - -MARCH. - -Clean the hive-boards again, and should any of the stocks require -feeding, supply them, attending strictly to the directions given in -Chap. IX. Towards the end of this month place a vessel, containing -water, near the Bees, as directed in page 3. This also will be found -a good time to examine the pedestals upon which the hives stand, for -after remaining for some years in the ground they are subject to decay -at a few inches below its surface, especially if regard was not paid to -the quality of the timber at the time of fixing them. - - -APRIL. - -Clean the hive-boards for the last time, and supply food, if required, -as before directed. The Wax-moth, that redoubtable enemy to Bees, -appears this month; they may be seen frequently at twilight running -upon the outside of the hives: destroy them as much as possible, and, -as Huish says, "frighten not away the Bats that fly about the hives, -for they destroy numbers of them." A full supply of small hives, boxes, -glasses, and adapters should now be provided, old ones cleaned, or new -ones purchased. A few large hives also should be ready, for if from -inattention to giving room and ventilation, a swarm should be compelled -to leave their hive, they will be wanted. - -Weak hives are now very subject to an attack from robbers, the best -protection that can be afforded them is the slider, page 18, with -the help of which three or four Bees will guard the entrance more -effectually than many times that number without it. - - -MAY. - -The time will now have arrived for supplying each stock with a small -hive or other receptacle for honey, as directed in Chap. IV. and should -the season be a favourable one, the supply even of a second may be -found necessary before the end of the month. Continue to destroy Queen -wasps and hornets, and to watch carefully for moths. Should the bees -of any hive appear inactive at this time, or should they not be seen -to carry in pellets of farina whilst others are doing it, and this -inaction continue for eight or ten days, lose no time in examining -the hive, and should the moths have begun their work of destruction, -which may be known by seeing the combs joined together by their silken -webs, cut away the combs affected with a sharp knife, and the hive may, -perhaps, be saved. - - -JUNE. - -Strict attention should now be paid to room and ventilation, for, -as has been said in page 24, if both these be carefully observed, -_swarming may be prevented altogether_. Swarms may now be purchased as -directed in Chap. II. About the middle of the month, in good seasons, -small hives and glasses may be taken off, full directions for which may -be found in Chap. V. - -At the end of the month look for wasps' nests, and destroy them;--a -very easy and effectual method of doing it is to fill a common squib or -serpent case with a mixture of sulphur and gun-powder, in equal parts, -with a very small quantity of nitre all finely powdered and rammed very -hard into the case, set fire to it by means of touch-paper, and when -in a state of ignition, stick it into the hole of the nest and place -your foot upon it, when it ceases to burn let a person with a spade -turn out the nest; in this manner a great number may be effectually -destroyed in one night. And a more simple method than this, even, has -been recently discovered: It is by putting turpentine in a bottle, and -inserting the neck of the bottle into the hole leading to the nest and -surrounding it with earth; very little turpentine is required, merely -as much as will wet the sides of the bottle; if applied in the dusk of -the evening every wasp will be dead by the following morning. "In no -instance,"--says a Correspondent, in the _Gardeners' Chronicle_,--"have -I known it to fail of the desired effect, except in cases where the -nest was deeper in the ground, or at a greater distance from the mouth -of the hole than I had anticipated; a partial failure may sometimes -occur where there happens to be two entrances to the nest, instead of -one, but a second application the following evening is sure to prove -effectual." - - -JULY. - -Small hives and glasses must now be taken off as they are filled and -sealed up, (and stored in cool places, observing to keep them in the -same position as when standing upon the stocks,) and their places -supplied by empty ones. Go on destroying wasps' nests. - - -AUGUST. - -Continue to take off hives and glasses as they are filled, but supply -no fresh ones, the honey season being now chiefly over. - - -SEPTEMBER. - -Small hives remaining upon the stocks that are only partially filled -with honey may now be taken off, providing the stock will not be too -much impoverished thereby; wherever the chance of this presents itself -leave them on through the winter, or until they are emptied by the -bees; those partially filled hives taken from rich stocks may be given -to weak ones, now, or in the spring as required. Robbers will at this -time be carrying on their depredations, and should a serious attack be -observed the sliders must be used as before directed. - - -OCTOBER. - -Examine the coverings to the hives that they be all sound, and that no -rain be admitted through them; the entrances may now be narrowed; if -Taylor's slider be used (page 18) the side with three openings will be -most proper for this season. - - -NOVEMBER. - -Clean the floor-boards of the hives, and see that they stand firmly on -their pedestals, contract the entrance so that only one bee can come -out at a time, for at this season mice are likely to lodge themselves -in the hives. - - -DECEMBER. - -The same attentions are necessary this month as in the two preceding, -but if the cold should be intense the hives must not be removed. - - - FINIS. - - - INDEX. - - - Page - - Apiary, situation of 1 - Apiary, to be near the residence of the proprietor 3 - Adapter, description of 33 - Aspect for an apiary 1 - - Bee-boxes, size of 22 - Bee-glasses, to place 21 - Bee-houses, injurious 3 - Bee-mask and gloves 29 - Bee-sting, to cure 78 - Bees, their disposition to swarm in a wet season 24 - Bees, to expel from a glass or box 31 - Bees, age of 35 - Bees, to purchase 10 - Bees, torpid at 32° of Fahrenheit 19 - Bees, swarm at 130° of Fahrenheit 25 - Bees, enemies of 36 - Bees, to dislodge from trees 85 - - Cleaning floor boards 5 - Comb-knife, description of 76 - Condenser, Taylor's 92 - - Damp, to guard against 102 - Diseases, in Bees, the cause of 20 - Duration of a hive 63 - - Early flowers, a list of 7 - Elevation of a hive 4 - Enemies of Bees 61 - Entrances for hives 18 - - Feeding, method of 54 - Feeding, proper time for 54 - Feeder, fountain 56 - Feeder, Wildman's 57 - Floor-boards, to clean 100 - Food proper for Bees 58 - - Gelieu, his Work on Bees recommended 15 - Glass of honey, to take 30 - Glass of honey, to expel Bees from 31 - Gloves, proper for defence against stings 29 - - Honey quantity to take from a swarm 74 - Hive, flat top, advantages of 17 - Hive-guard, described 66 - Hive-dressing, remarks on 71 - Hive, improved cottage 17 - Hive, Nutt's described 87 - Hive, small (or Cape) described 22 - Hives, manner of placing 5 - Hives, materials for making 15 - Hives, to paint recommended 16 - Human breath offensive to Bees 29 - - Increase of Bees 35 - Interior of a hive to be examined before purchased 11 - Instructions for depriving Bees 30 - - Knife for cutting out combs 76 - - Man, the principal enemy of Bees 60 - Manual, Apiarian's Monthly 96 - Method of giving food to Bees 54 - Method of uniting swarms and old stocks 46 - Method of uniting second and third swarms 42 - Method of uniting second and third swarms (preface) 5 - Method of placing glasses upon the Improved Cottage Hive 21 - Milk-pan, good protection for hives 22 - Mortar or clay, injurious to hives 4 - Moths' wax, described 63 - - Operations, noon the best time for 28 - - Painting hives, benefit of 16 - Plants, to cultivate 7 - Pollen, useless as food 11 - Purchas, quotations from 36, 67 - Purchasers of hives, caution to 11 - - Queen, Bees power to produce a 40 - Queen-wasps, to kill in spring 66 - - Robber-bees, to know 33 - Removing Bees 10 - - Slider, Taylor's described 18 - Snow, a great cause of the destruction of Bees 19, 96 - Snow, Bees to be confined in their hives so long - as it remains upon the ground 19 - Stealing of Bees to prevent 82 - Sticks in a hive, injury of 72 - Stocks, method of joining 44 - Stocks and swarms to unite 46 - Stocks, ages of 73 - - Tomtit, an enemy to Bees 65 - Temperature of hives 25 - Thermometer useful in swarming time 27 - - Ventilation and room prevents swarming 25 - Ventilator, Taylor's recommended 26 - - Wasps-nests, easy way of destroying 101 - Water, important in the breeding season 3 - Water, method of supplying it 3 - - -London: Newby, Mortimer Street, Cavendish Square. - -[Illustration: Figures 1-7 - - Fig. - 1 Improved Cottage Hive - 2 Improved Cottage Hive with small hive affixed - 3 Hive showing the opening on top - 4 Small Hive with glass opening - 5 Adapter for small Hive or Box - 6 Knife for cutting out the comb - 7 Box to be used instead of small Hive -] - -[Illustration: Figures 8-10] - - - * * * * * - - -Transcriber Note - -The text constantly refers to illustration figures from "The Cottager's -Guide" by the same author and are included in the Fourth Edition. -Therefore, a copy of the two Illustrations which show Figures 1-10 have -been provided at the end of the volume. To accomodate placement of the -two footnotes and an associated illustration, a split in the paragraph -was made on page 19 after the word "apparatus". - - - - - - - -*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BEE KEEPER'S GUIDE: -CONTAINING CONCISE PRACTICAL DIRECTIONS FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF BEES UPON -THE DEPRIVING SYSTEM *** - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the -United States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part -of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm -concept and trademark. 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