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diff --git a/old/67816-0.txt b/old/67816-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index a655df4..0000000 --- a/old/67816-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,3154 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Bee Preserver; or, Practical -Directions for the Management and Preservation of Hives, by Jonas De -Gelieu - -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 Preserver; or, Practical Directions for the Management - and Preservation of Hives - -Author: Jonas De Gelieu - -Translator: Anonymous - -Release Date: April 11, 2022 [eBook #67816] - -Language: English - -Produced by: Tom Cosmas compiled from materials made available at The - Internet Archive and placed in the Public Domain. - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BEE PRESERVER; OR, -PRACTICAL DIRECTIONS FOR THE MANAGEMENT AND PRESERVATION OF HIVES *** - - - - - - - -Transcriber Note - -Text emphasis denoted as _Italics_. - - - THE - - BEE PRESERVER. - - - - - THE - - BEE PRESERVER; - - OR - - PRACTICAL DIRECTIONS FOR THE MANAGEMENT - AND PRESERVATION OF HIVES. - - - TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH OF - - JONAS DE GELIEU, - - LATE MINISTER OF LIGNIERES, AT PRESENT MINISTER OF THE CHURCHES OF - COLOMBIER AND AUVERNIER, IN THE PRINCIPALITY OF NEUCHATEL; MEMBER OF - THE SOCIETÉ ECONOMIQUE DE BERNE, &c., &c., &c. - - - PUBLISHED AT MULHAUSEN. - - - - JOHN ANDERSON JUN. EDINBURGH, - - 55, NORTH BRIDGE STREET; - - AND SIMPKIN AND MARSHALL, LONDON. - - MDCCCXXIX. - - - P. NEILL, PRINTER. - - - - - TO - - THE HIGHLAND SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND. - - -In respectfully dedicating this little Work to the Highland Society -of Scotland, the Translator hopes, that, under their efficient and -enlightened patronage, it may be made generally known in Scotland, -where the system which it explains is calculated to be as extensively -applicable, and as highly profitable, as it has proved in the native -mountains of its amiable and venerable Author. It seems, indeed, both -from the plain practical directions which it contains, and the valuable -discoveries which it communicates relative to the history and economy -of bees, to be singularly adapted to forward the views of the Society, -who have this year turned their attention to the encouragement of -Apiaries among the peasantry of our own country; and it is no small -advantage, that the rules laid down are applicable to hives of every -form. - -The Translator has no fear of its being objected, that plans which -are very suitable in Switzerland, may be less successful as applied -to Scotland. Switzerland and Scotland present so many points of -resemblance--in their mountains--in their valleys--and in their -climate--that which is beneficial in the one, can scarcely fail to be -so in the other. And as the Swiss honey is known to be not only very -abundant, but of a very superior flavour, especially in those districts -where De Gelieu's or some similar plan is adopted, the Translator is -desirous to see the simple and successful methods of that country -transferred to our own, that the Scottish peasantry may derive from -their practice the same advantages. To the Swiss peasantry, bees are -a great source of wealth; a stranger is attracted by the appearance -of substantial comfort, conveyed by well appointed apiaries, where -the hives are ranged in double and triple rows along the sunny side, -and under the shelter of the projecting roofs of the cottages; and in -Scotland there is little doubt that, if similar care were bestowed on -the cultivation of bees, they would be equally profitable. - - Edinburgh, } - _19th April, 1829_. } - - - - - CONTENTS. - - - Page - - CHAPTER I.--Situation of an apiary, 11 - II.--Proper time to transport a swarm to the - situation designed for it, 16 - III.--Situation of the hives ought never to - be changed, 18 - IV.--Most convenient shape of hives, 21 - V.--Hives of straw and wood, 23 - VI.--Thickness or solidity of hives, 24 - VII.--Size of the aperture or entrance of hives, 25 - VIII.--To ascertain the weight of hives, 27 - IX.--Quantity of honey necessary to maintain a hive, 20 - X.--The use of capes or hoods, 34 - XI.--How to expel the bees from the capes, 41 - XII.--Size of hives, 42 - XIII.--Manner of uniting new swarms, 44 - XIV.--Methods of uniting two or three swarms in autumn, 48 - XV.--Manner of uniting old hives in autumn, 53 - XVI.--Neighbouring hives should be united, 55 - XVII.--How to feed united swarms, 59 - XVIII.--Quantity of food requisite for united hives, 62 - XIX.--Benefits resulting from the union of weak hives, 67 - XX.--Time and manner of renewing old hives, 71 - XXI.--The signs by which to ascertain whether a hive - requires to be renewed, 76 - XXII.--Artificial swarms, and different methods of forming - them, 84 - XXIII.--Advantages of isolated hives, 94 - XXIV.--Enemies of bees, and means of overcoming them, 96 - XXV.--Diseases of the bees, 106 - XXVI.--Of the different varieties of bees, and their - language, 107 - XXVII.--Signs of recognition among the bees, 110 - XXVIII.--Preservation of hives in winter, and means of - protecting them from the cold, 112 - XXIX.--Manner of preserving hives, by taking them into the - house in winter, 117 - Conclusion, 121 - - - - - THE - - BEE PRESERVER - - - - - AUTHORS PREFACE. - - -Having attained old age, I think it a duty, before quitting the world, -to communicate to the public the observations I have made during -sixty-four years that I have been occupied with bees. From my earliest -years I have been very fond of these admirable insects. I began to -observe them under the direction of my father, Jacques de Gelieu, -pastor of the church of Bayards, and afterwards of that of Verrieres, -in the principality of Neuchatel. He instructed me in the principles -of this interesting study, and taught me to like and to admire it, by -making me read the memoirs of the immortal Reaumur, with whom he had -the honour to correspond. Being a nice observer, he had prepared, so -early as 1746, a work in two volumes, entitled "A New and Economical -Method for the Preservation and Increase of Bees, and how to procure -a more abundant supply of Honey and Wax." But when his work was ready -for the press, he lost in one day, by an unfortunate accident, the -whole of his hives except one, which he presented to me, and which I -subsequently managed under his direction. - -Thrown from that time into a succession of pressing occupations, he -lost sight of the printing of his work, which is now in my possession, -in his own handwriting. It contains the description of the storied -hive, of which he was the inventor, and which has since been so -variously modified. These hives have been made known only through his -correspondence with M. de Reaumur, and other literary men, as will -appear from the note at the end of this Preface. - -In the collection of observations which I now present to the public, I -limit myself to what is strictly practical, leaving to superior minds, -the Swammerdams, the Reaumurs, the Shirachs, the Hubers, to dive into -the theory with which they are so successfully engaged. - -Theory, however, leads to practice; and I have built on the foundation -which they have so skilfully laid down. I shall make known what my -long experience has taught me to consider the best form of hives. To -ascertain which merited the preference, I mixed all sizes and shapes -of them in my apiary, noting down their condition and product, thus -securing a result to which no doubt could attach; convinced that it -is easier to multiply hives in good seasons than to preserve them in -bad ones, since, in the first case, one has only to leave them in some -measure to themselves, while in the second there must be assiduous care -and attention bestowed on them. Vexed at hearing of the great losses -that have so generally taken place of late years, and of the sensible -and rapid diminution of these precious insects, I shall point out how I -succeeded in preserving mine in the worst seasons, especially in those -of 1812 and 1813; and I shall lay down the principles from which no one -should swerve, if he wishes to be constantly successful. - -Many people are fond of bees--indeed have a passion for them; but it -is not enough to be fond of them,--they must be skilfully taken care -of, according to certain rules, applicable in every case, but more -particularly in bad years. Mistaken care annoys them--niggardliness -ruins them. In laying down rules, I shall always take care to assign my -reasons for them. - -Among the discoveries which I had the happiness to make, there is one -of the greatest importance to the practical apiarian, of which I had -not even the slightest suspicion, and which astonished me so much that -I could not believe my eyes. It was only after trials a hundred times -repeated and diversified, that I could fully convince myself. The fact -is certain, the reason is to me unknown, and I leave to persons more -learned than myself to give the explanation. - -I have read most of the treatises that have been published on bees, -and have found errors in most of them. To avoid them myself, I shall -advance nothing that I have not verified by numerous experiments, which -every one may repeat. I shall make my narrative as short as possible. - -I have said that the storied hives invented by my late father, were -known only through his correspondence with M. de Reaumur, and other -literary men; the following is the proof: - -Extract from the _Corps d'Observation of the Society of Commerce and -Agriculture of Great Britain_, 1757-58. Printed at Rennes in 1761, page -162. - -"Monsieur de la _Bourdonaye, Procureur General-Syndic_, to whom the -custom of our peasants (of drowning the bees, or suffocating them with -sulphur, in order to deprive them of all the store they have laid up to -maintain them during the winter) has been long known, wrote to M. de -Reaumur, during the last assembly of the states, 1756, to ask for some -instructions on this subject. - -"This academician pointed out, in his answer, the methods which he had -expounded in the fifth volume _des Memoires pour servir à l'Histoire -Naturelle des Insectes_; but he recommends, more particularly, to use -the curiously shaped hives, invented by Gelieu, a gentleman of the -principality of Neuchatel. - -"Reaumur's letter, which, at first sight, seems to contain a sufficient -description of Gelieu's hive, does not clear up certain difficulties -that presented themselves in the detail, when we come to attempt their -construction from his directions; and therefore Nevel, member of the -Committee of Rennes, resolved to request a pattern hive from Reaumur -himself, which he accordingly obtained, and sent to the society. It -appears that hives of this kind would supply all that can be desired in -the management of bees; but they would cost more than one louis each--a -price infinitely beyond the reach of a labouring man, and which would -even be too great for the rich. It was necessary, therefore, to think -of profiting by the invention of Gelieu, in contriving hives so cheap -that every peasant might use them. - -"Monsieur de la Bourdonaye, who paid great attention to this subject, -kindly communicated to the Society both the letter of Reaumur, and the -plan which he himself had formed, of making hives at a small expence. -He began by using, on his own estate, those which he recommended as -an experiment to the Society. It was called an _experiment_, because, -in reality, notwithstanding the probability of success attending the -use of hives like those of which he sent the model, his modesty made -him afraid that experience might, in some shape, belie his hopes. The -Society was not long in ordering hives to be made after the model. They -have made trial of them in the different faubourgs of Rennes. The rainy -summer has prevented these trials being completed, but the commencement -has succeeded very well. - -"It is perhaps not altogether useless to give here an abridged -exposition of the accidents that might be prevented, in changing the -shape of ordinary hives, and of the means that might be employed for -that purpose. - -"It has been already said, that it is but too common to suffocate or -drown the bees, at the end of the season, for the sake of profiting -by the honey and wax. Those who manage them with more profit and -intelligence, watch the time when the hives are nearly full, to force -the bees up into an empty hive. This operation must be done in fine -weather, in order that the bees may have time to make a sufficient -provision for the winter. This practice, though the best of those in -use at present, causes considerable loss; the brood-comb is taken away -with the wax; so that the proprietor loses a swarm just coming out, as -well as the swarms that this one might have afterwards produced. It is -this loss particularly that Gelieu would prevent. - -"The hives at present on trial are, in shape, like a little round -tower, or hollow cylinder, composed of four equal pieces, placed one -above another." - -"It is a certain fact, that the cells destined for the reception of -eggs are always situated in the lower part of the hive, which is never -disturbed. According to Gelieu's plan, it is only the storey above the -hive that is taken, until after the brood-comb has furnished a swarm, -and the swarm has taken flight. - -"It seems, then, the interest of Rennes to patronize Gelieu's hives; -they guard against the inconveniences of the methods now in use; and -this has induced Bourdonaye to adopt the means of making them of straw, -in place of wood, like those of Gelieu. - -"Monsieur de la Bourdonaye's hives are a little higher priced than -those in common use; but they give nearly a quarter more room, and -are, of course, more profitable in regard to price; they are in the -proportion of five to eight. - -"We shall soon be able to determine, with certainty, the advantages -to be derived from this invention. Montluc has placed some joinings, -such as Bourdonaye has contrived, underneath his own hives, upon his -estate of Laille. Similar ones, at different places in the faubourgs of -Rennes, will furnish decided proofs of comparison. - -"The preservation, and also the increase of bees, is an object of such -interest to Brittany, that the peasants cannot be too much encouraged -to turn their attention to it. - -"The Society is well aware that it will be necessary to publish general -instructions on that head, and that the greatest merit of such a work -will be to give _only necessary_ instructions, and nothing more. It -must be made so simple and so cheap as to be within every one's reach, -and, above all, applicable only to practical use. Any thing more is -only fit for treatises wherein the authors are more occupied with -the interests of their own self love, than with those of the public. -But though much has been written on this subject, the Society is of -opinion that there are yet observations and experiments to be made -before publishing a document by which all the world might profit." - -On this long quotation, I shall merely take the liberty of remarking, -that the only inconvenience ascribed to the storied hives, invented -and made by my Father--the only objection made to them--is, that they -are too dear, "that they will cost more than a louis each; a price -infinitely beyond the reach of a labouring man." The price is high in -Brittany, where wood is very dear. On the other hand, the model which -my Father sent to Reaumur, was made with a great deal of nicety, as -a common one would not have been worth offering to that illustrious -academician who sent him in return a very handsome thermometer, -graduated by himself. My Father's hives, more simply wrought, were less -expensive. - - - - - THE - - BEE PRESERVER, - - &c. - - - - CHAPTER I. - - SITUATION OF AN APIARY. - - -The choice of a good situation is of the utmost consequence. An apiary -will not thrive in a bad situation, however well it may be cared for in -other respects. - -1. The hives must, above all things, be sheltered from the wind. It is -the first precept of Virgil[1]. For that purpose, the force of the wind -must be broken, either by houses or by lofty trees in the vicinity. -A wall, however high, or a simple hedge, is not sufficient, because -the bees that fly to the fields prefer stopping in places where the -air is tranquil, near bushes, or along hedges or dells, where they -find a much greater abundance of honey than in places exposed to gales -of wind. They fatigue themselves flying from flower to flower, and -still more returning to their dwelling, after having completed their -little ladenings: with a rapid flight they get over a great extent of -space, frequently against the wind; but, on approaching their hive, -they slacken their speed, and advance, wheeling round and round, to -recognize it. A mistake, at this time, might be fatal, and cost them -their lives; and if, at this moment, they encounter a strong current -of air, or a whirlwind, to repel them, they are again forced to wheel -round to reconnoitre their habitation. After a hard struggle, the -most vigorous arrive; the others fall, without power to rise again, -especially when the air is cold, or the sky clouded. The ground will -then be strewed with dying or dead bees, which never happens when the -hives are placed in sheltered situations. - -[Footnote 1: - - Principio sedes apibus statioque petenda, - Quo neque sit ventis aditus (nam pabula venti - Ferre domum prohibent). - - Virg. Georg. lib. iv. ] - -2_d_, The second condition of a good situation is its proximity to -a fountain; or, still better, to a little brook, where the bees may -drink[2]. Water is absolutely necessary, and enters as much as honey -into the composition of the pap with which they nourish the brood; and -the pollen or dust of flowers, which they bring home on their thighs, -is also a very essential ingredient in this pap. The vicinity of deep -waters is very hurtful to bees; and I have sometimes seen hundreds of -them drowned attempting to drink out of a cistern. - -[Footnote 2: - - "At liquidi fontes et stagna virentia musco - Adsint, et tenuis fugiens per gramina rivus." - - Georg. l. iv. ] - -If there is no small stream or fountain near them, they should be -supplied by troughs, filled with moss, and then water poured on it, -until they are as full as they can hold. The working bees come in -swarms to them in the spring, and quench their thirst without risk. - -3_d_, It is commonly believed that an apiary is not well situated -unless it stands in the sun. This is an error; bees like the shade when -working, and like the sun only when in the fields, which then animates -and sustains them. For this reason, when people wish a swarm to settle, -after it has left the hive, they hasten to cover it; because the shade -induces them to rest, while a hot sun annoys them, and inclines them to -take flight again. When we wish to disperse a cluster of bees off the -front of a hive, we have only to expose it to the rays of the sun in -the heat of the day. The bees then retreat under the hive, on the side, -or behind it. They thrive well in thick forests, and delight in them; -because there they find a uniform temperature and a propitious shade. -How often, during the dog-days, have we not seen the honey running -down, and the combs melting, in those hives exposed to the heat of the -sun. In one hour, sometimes, a whole apiary will be destroyed. It is -also a mistake to suppose hives exposed to the sun produce the earliest -and strongest swarms. I have oftener than once experienced the reverse. -My earliest swarms have generally come from the best shaded hives, -and which only receive the sun late. I have even lost some in such -situations, because they took flight sooner than we thought of watching -them. We need never fear to shade a hive since Virgil recommends -it[3]. If the roof does not project sufficiently to protect the hive -from the sun in the heat of the day, I would advise them to be shaded -with deals or pieces of matting. - -[Footnote 3: - - "Palmaque vestibulum aut ingens oleaster obumbret." - - Georg. iv. ] - -4_th_, The most favourable exposure is towards where the sun is from -ten o'clock till mid-day. They should never be turned to the east or -west, but, more especially to the north, where the cold and tempestuous -winds would greatly injure them. - -5_th_, Hives should not be placed high, on a first or second floor, -as I have sometimes seen them, unless they be completely sheltered; -because the wind is less powerful near the ground than in elevated -situations. - - - - - CHAPTER II. - - PROPER TIME TO TRANSPORT A SWARM - TO THE SITUATION DESIGNED FOR IT. - - -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, which -have been already pointed out by a most judicious and experienced -author. As soon as a swarm has congregated in the new hive, and seems -to be at ease in it, the most industrious among 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 swarm -be removed as soon as the bees are perceived coming out, with the -precautions I have mentioned. This sign alone is sufficient. Sometimes -I do not even wait until all the bees clustered in front, or on the -sides of the hive, are re-united to their companions in the interior, -as they are never long in being so; and this plan has always fully -succeeded with me. - - - - - CHAPTER III. - - SITUATION OF THE HIVES OUGHT - NEVER TO BE CHANGED. - - -I have seen people shift about their hives very inconsiderately, but -change of place invariably weakens them, as the bees will return to -their old residence, the environs of which are so familiar to them. A -hive should remain as fixed to the spot as the ancient oaks, in the -hollows of which they delight to establish themselves,--where they -have their young, their companions, their beloved queen, and all their -treasures. When the young bees take wing for the first time, they do it -with great precaution, turning round and round, and fluttering about -the entrance, to examine the hive well before taking flight. They -do the same in returning, so that they may be easily distinguished, -conducting themselves nearly after the same maimer as the workers of a -newly hived swarm. - -When they have made a few hundred excursions, they set off without -examining the locality, and, returning in full flight, will know their -own hive in the midst of a hundred others. But if you change its place -you perplex them, much the same as you would be if, during a short -absence, some one lifted your house and placed it a mile off. The -poor bees return loaded, and, seeking in vain for their habitation, -either fall down and perish with fatigue, or throw themselves into the -neighbouring hives, where they are speedily put to death. - -The following fact proves how much these precious insects are attached -to place, and how far they retain the recollection of it. - -During my residence at Lignieres, where I passed twenty-seven years, I -removed all my hives into the house towards the middle of November, to -guard them from the drifted snow, in which my apiary would sometimes be -buried, and I replaced them again some fine day in March. Having hives -of wood and straw, of different sizes and shapes, I arranged them with -more order and symmetry, and, with this view, I placed the first on -the opposite side of the apiary to where it formerly stood. Although -it had been shut up nearly four months, the bees returned to the same -place they had occupied the year before, which obliged me to return my -hive with all speed, and led me to conclude that they should not be -moved about, and that the bees will not be pliable to our fancies and -caprices. - -When hives are transported to a considerable distance, there is no fear -that the bees will return. But this inconvenience would be sure to take -place, and many of the working bees would perish, if they were removed -only a few hundred paces from the spot they have been accustomed -to. The hive may not perish, but it will be greatly weakened. In my -opinion, if the situation is to be changed at all, they should be -removed at least a mile and a half. - - - - - CHAPTER IV. - - MOST CONVENIENT SHAPE OF HIVES. - - -One of the chief objects of my researches has been, to ascertain what -shape of hive is the most profitable; and, with this view, I have -tried all the different kinds in my apiary, and I have invariably -remarked, that bees thrive better in low hives than in high ones; that, -in general, those which are broad and flat, or extended horizontally, -amass more honey, thrive better, and give out stronger and earlier -swarms, than those which are high, and of several stories, and for the -following reasons. - -A hive thrives only in proportion to the success or perfection of its -brood-comb. If the spring eggs come out well, the hive will stock, -give out swarms at the proper time, and collect a great deal of honey, -because the strength of its population will enable it to take advantage -of fine days; while a weak hive will only give out late swarms; and, -having few labourers, will gather very little honey. It is, therefore, -of great importance to assist the hive as much as possible, in the -spring especially, when it is of itself too weak to keep up the -necessary degree of heat for the hatching of the brood; and also, that -in our climate there are frequently storms of frost and snow at that -season, which are very prejudicial to it. If at that time the bees are -lodged in high and roomy hives, they will crowd together in vain to -procure the necessary degree of heat to vivify the brood-comb, which -is always deposited in the middle of the hive, and the heat ascending -is dissipated and lost in the empty space above. I have seen whole -combs full of eggs do no good, in consequence of the want of heat. This -never happens in the low, flat hives, where the heat is more easily -concentrated; here, as the young bees come to life, the heat augments, -and they assist in taking care of the others that are advancing, and -begin to spread out on all sides, and entirely to fill the hive: the -republic prospers, and increasing numbers are distinguished. - -It is, perhaps, for this reason that bees thrive well in conical or -sugar-loaf shaped hives, which are common in some countries: but they -have this disadvantage, that _capes_ cannot be so easily fitted to -them, which facilitate the collecting of the finest honey, and of which -I shall treat presently. - - - - - CHAPTER V. - - HIVES OF STRAW AND WOOD. - - -It is commonly supposed that bees thrive best in straw hives, because -the straw absorbs the moisture, and the combs are less liable to mould. -For my part, I can perceive no difference. The bees are careful enough -to varnish over the interior of the straw hives with a coating of wax, -or rather _propolis_, to prevent the settlement of the moths; and, in -the old hives, this varnish is so thick that no moisture can penetrate -between the cords of the straw. Wooden hives will also absorb moisture, -to a certain extent; and experience has shewn me, that it is a matter -of indifference which are employed, except as to the price, according -as either material may be more or less abundant in different parts of -the country. - - - - - CHAPTER VI. - - THICKNESS OR SOLIDITY OF HIVES. - - -Whatever may be the form or material of which hives are made, -I strongly recommend not to be sparing of it, but to make them -substantial. I would recommend that the boards of the wooden ones be -an inch and a half thick; and that the straw-ropes of which the others -are composed, be well twisted, and more than an inch in diameter. -Such hives will be heavier and more unwieldy than thin hives, but -they afford a better protection from the sun in summer, and the frost -in winter. The heat of the sun is apt to melt the combs in summer: -in winter the cold sometimes candies, and renders them useless; and, -in the spring, the thin hives neither retain the heat necessary for -hatching the eggs, nor for preserving the honey in a liquid state. One -may easily be convinced of this, by laying some folds of linen on the -top of the hive, and then passing the hand between them, and there will -be a degree of warmth felt, which never happens where the hives are -thick enough. They may be a little more costly, but the expence is more -than compensated by the prosperity of the bees. - - - - - CHAPTER VII. - - SIZE OF THE APERTURE OR - ENTRANCE OF HIVES. - - -It is of great importance to widen or contract the entrance, according -to the season, or to the strength of the swarms; and for this purpose -it is only necessary to have a few little wedges, or bits of wood, -that may be taken out or put in at pleasure. Hives are weak in spring, -because the bees are engaged in the interior, keeping warm, and -taking care of the young, and the guard at the door is not strong -enough to prevent invaders. Contract the door, therefore, and four -bees will defend it better than thirty would do, if it were more -spacious, and enlarge it again by degrees, according to the increase -of the population. The working bees must have room enough to go out -and in without hindrance; when they begin to crowd together in groups -at the entrance, it is a sign of the interior being filled, and they -should then have free access, as they will be strong enough to resist -pillage. When the cluster becomes very large, which it will do as the -drones increase, enlarge the entrance as much as possible. It is even -advisable sometimes to open the hive a little at the top, in order -to moderate, by a current of air, the excessive heat that forces the -bees to the outside; and this is the only case in which there is any -advantage in lofty hives. After the destruction of the drones, the -population diminishes, and the bees no longer cluster outside, and then -is the time to begin, by degrees, to contract the entrance, in order to -prevent plunder. - -For this purpose, I use little wooden wedges first, because they cost -nothing, as any body may make them with a knife and a bit of stick; -and, secondly, because they help to protect them from the moths, which -make sad havoc when once they gain access to a hive. They deposit their -eggs in the interstices between the wedges and the hives, and they are -hatched by the heated vapour that is expelled by the constant vibration -of the wings of the bees. In the fine weather of April or May, I -inspect my hives twice or three times a-week, before the bees go out -in the morning, take out the wedges, and scrape and clean them with my -knife; and, in this way, I protect them from the moths. - - - - - CHAPTER VIII. - - TO ASCERTAIN THE WEIGHT OF HIVES. - - -Many apiaries do not prosper, in consequence of the ignorance of those -who have the care of them. How many people follow blindly the way they -have been used to, without knowing wherefore; others go on by chance, -without rule or guide. At one time they ruin their hives, by depriving -them of too much of their honey; at another, they suffer whole colonies -to die of hunger, when they might save them by giving them food; -and, in autumn, they suffocate those that appear to be destitute of -provisions, because they know not how or in what manner to preserve -them. Few amateurs understand thoroughly the state and wants of their -hives, and generally estimate them by lifting them up to feel their -weight; and, as this may be the cause of numerous mistakes, some being -three or four times heavier than others, it is of the utmost importance -to know the exact weight of each hive, when empty, without either combs -or bees. For this purpose, I expressly recommend, that each hive be -weighed before putting a swarm into it, and the weight noted down in a -memorandum book, as well as on a ticket nailed on the hive, the use of -which we shall soon see. - - - - - CHAPTER IX. - - QUANTITY OF HONEY NECESSARY - TO MAINTAIN A HIVE. - - -The quantity varies according to the climate. In southern countries, -where there is scarcely any winter, the bees gather food till towards -the end of autumn, and the flowers offer them pasture again very early -in the spring. In these countries, therefore, they require a smaller -winter store than in colder climates. The directions I am about to -give, are only applicable to Switzerland, or to those countries which -nearly resemble it in point of temperature. Every hive ought to have -at least three pots of honey to nourish it during the winter; and, -as the pot of honey, Neuchatel measure, weighs rather more than five -pounds, of seventeen ounces to the pound, there should be fully fifteen -pounds of honey allowed to each hive. Whether the swarm be strong or -weak, large or small, is of no consequence, as the smallest swarm will -consume as much as a large one. If they have less than that allowance, -they may linger through the winter, but will be sure to die if the -spring happens to be a late one, and the weather cold and rainy. If a -hive is expected to swarm, it should be allowed a quarter more in the -autumn, that is, twenty pounds of honey: or it may be supplied after -another manner, which I shall point out. But let there be no higgling -with bees; better that they have too much than too little: more prudent -than man, they never waste or abuse their superfluity. - -In estimating the quantity of provisions that a hive contains, its -age should be considered; and it is to be taken into account, that -the black combs of old hives weigh ten times more than the white -combs of a young one. It becomes, therefore, a matter of importance -to know the weight of the empty hive, without which the quantity of -provision cannot be estimated, and to weigh it again at the end of -the honey season. When a swarm of the present year, at the end of -autumn, weighs fifteen or sixteen pounds more than its original weight, -I take nothing from it, and I give it nothing, being certain that -it can maintain itself, if not plundered. If it has twenty-five, or -even thirty pounds, neither do I touch it, as it will prosper so much -the better next year. As to old hives, they ought, at the beginning -of winter, to weigh twenty-five pounds above their original weight. -I willingly leave them thirty or thirty-six pounds. The remainder I -consider my own, and of course take it away. - -Some people will wonder at the quantity of provisions which I leave to -my hives; but it is the true means, I may say the true secret, by which -to insure swarms, for a starved one never produces. To this I have seen -only one exception. I lavished honey upon a hive in spring, when it was -crowded with bees, which were in want; this enabled it to give out a -late swarm, but it never prospered. What surplus I bestow upon them, -I consider as not lost, and that, sooner or later, it will return to -me. Besides, the consumption is prodigious during the great _hatching_ -in the months of March, April, and May. It requires an incredible -quantity to nourish the young in the state of _larvæ_ or worms. The -larvæ are involved in a kind of pap, which its nurses lavish upon it, -and which is chiefly composed of honey. If, at this time, there should -happen to be whole weeks of cold rainy weather, and high winds, which -is sometimes the case at that season, the poor bees, unable to get -to the fields, will suffer severely if they have not honey in store; -the hatching is interrupted till the return of fine weather; and the -population makes no progress: while, in well provisioned hives, it goes -on without intermission. Bees are very saving; but it is to our profit. -Let us not deal grudgingly with them. - -Nevertheless, it is not advantageous to leave them greatly too much -honey,--excessive super-abundance annoys them. In plentiful seasons, -I have seen middling sized straw-hives in which the combs were filled -with honey down to the very boards. This happens especially when the -bees have enriched themselves with plunder in the autumn; and there -are two inconveniences attending it; first, the bees have not room to -deposit their brood, which, by the time the swarms are ready to go -off, fills the hive almost entirely; secondly, the old honey candies, -and, in that state, it is of no use to the bees. When hives are to be -renewed by the cutting out of old combs, it is this kind that should, -above all, be taken away. It is always to be found in old hives; and if -it has been left several winters in the hive, it sours and contracts -a disagreeable taste. The best use that can then be made of it is to -dissolve it with more or less wine, and feed the bees with it on the -approach of the swarming season; above all, when the weather is cold -and rainy. Their activity is then increased by it. - -These succours will not be found superfluous even when the trees are -in flower. In fine weather they find honey in abundance on them; but, -should a few rainy days interrupt their labours, and throw them upon -their own resources, the progress of the hatching is stopped, and -injury is done to all. - - - - - CHAPTER X. - - THE USE OF CAPES OR HOODS. - - -Well made straw-hives ought to have a hole in the top, of about an inch -or an inch and a half in diameter, which may be closed with a cork -or stopper of wood. This stopper may be drawn out when it is found -advisable to put a cape or hood on it, so as to give the bees more room -to deposit their honey. These capes are little straw-hives capable -of containing five or six pounds of honey-comb, or more, according -to the size of the hive on which they are placed. They are made very -thin and light: the cords of straw of which they are formed are very -small, being not intended to keep in the heat, but merely to serve as a -temporary magazine for the honey. - -The use of these additions will be easily understood by those who know -that it takes as long a time to hatch a bee as to hatch a chicken, viz. -three weeks. - -I have already said and repeated, that, in the swarming season, the -strong and well provisioned hives are almost entirely filled with the -brood-comb, and that scarcely any of the cells will be found empty. At -that time also, honey becomes abundant; and, when fine days succeed -each other, the working bees amass an astonishing quantity; but where -is it to be stored? Moments are precious. Must they wait until the -young bees have left the brood-cells, a week or perhaps a fortnight -longer, by which time the early flowers will be cut down or withered, -never more to display their honied cups to these little reapers? What -is to be done in this dilemma? Must the young be sacrificed, and torn -from the cells, in order to make room for the riches that nature offers -on every hand? But this destruction of its posterity would ruin the -colony. Mark, then, the resource of the industrious bees. They search -in their neighbourhood for a place where they may deposit their honey -until the young shall have left the comb in which they were hatched, -and nourished, and undergone their metamorphoses; and, if they fail -in their object, they crowd together op the front or sides of their -habitation, forming prodigious clusters. It is not uncommon to see them -build combs on the outside; many did so in the year 1791, the finest -honey year I have seen since 1753. In the year 1791, I drew from one -of my straw-hives that did not swarm, seventy-two pounds of beautiful -honey-comb, merely by emptying the capes as they were filled. All -years, however, are not like that, nor any thing approaching to it. -There are middling seasons, when the bees find little more than merely -what is requisite for their own supply. There are also bad seasons, -when almost all the swarms perish, as well as numberless old hives, -when they do not receive assistance: such, among others, were the years -1812 and 1813. In the worst years there are days and even weeks of fine -weather, when the honey is abundant; but it is of short continuance. -The bees, however, at that time, will deposit their honey into the -capes; and, towards the end of summer, or beginning of autumn, when -little or no more is to be found, they remove it into the hive, filling -the cells which the brood occupied at the time it was collected. - -If, during the summer, we deprive them of this treasure, which is only -deposited in the capes for the time, we impoverish them, unless it is -returned to them in twice the quantity. This was one cause of the ruin -and depopulation of so many apiaries during these two fatal years, and -my principal motive for taking up my pen is, to prevent, if possible, -the recurrence of such disasters, by making known to the public my -observations and discoveries. - -If the bees have room enough in the interior to dispose of their honey, -it is needless to give them capes, for they will not build in them. -These capes are commonly placed on the top of the hive, but it is -matter of indifference whether they be on the right, on the left, or -even underneath, provided there be an accessible way of communication -between them. If we wish to attach them to the bottom of the hive, we -establish a communication between the hive and the cape, by making -a hole in the board on which the hive rests, so as to afford a free -passage to the workers. I have capes of all kinds, above, below, and on -the sides, which all succeed equally well. Those placed above have an -advantage not to be despised, which is, that they prevent the combs -from moulding during the winter, an evil to which hives are liable in -those countries where they are taken into the house, to protect them -from the frost and snow. - -All those that are well stocked, produce a moisture which, having no -vent, collects in drops on the sides, and at the base of the hive, -in which the bees are kept close prisoners until the return of fine -weather. Many perish during their long captivity, and, oftener than -once, I have found large icicles in strong hives. This never happens -to those that have capes on the top: the moisture ascending evaporates -through the opening, as by a chimney; and then one has the satisfaction -of finding the combs healthy and free of mould in the spring. Care, -however, must be had to cement it all round with clay or mortar, or -some composition suited to exclude the wind, and to prevent the bees, -sometimes very impatient, from getting out during the winter. - -With this precaution, very few will be found dead in the spring; and, -in well-stocked hives, the laying of eggs begins about the end of -January or beginning of February. - -Capes may be adapted to wooden hives, or to those of any other -material, as well as to those of straw. - -Many people place capes over all their swarms the very day, or the -day after, their emigration, and I approve of this plan for early and -strong swarms. - -Capes neither prevent nor retard the issuing of swarms. I have -frequently had hives that filled them, or were in the way of doing so, -when the emigration took place, but on their numbers being diminished, -stopped the work, and returned to it again as soon as they were -reinforced, provided they did not give out a second swarm. Hives that -have capes rarely give out second swarms, and this is no loss. - -The honey obtained by the capes is very pure, beautifully white, and -very superior to what is obtained by the cutting out of combs. - -It sometimes happens, that the queen will ascend into the cape to -deposit her eggs, when she has not room in the interior; therefore, -should any brood-comb happen to be in it when it is intended to be -removed, let it be replaced until such time as the young are completely -hatched. The brood-comb is easily distinguished: the cells that -contain it have their covers darker, more raised, and much thicker, -than those that contain honey, the covers of which are white, flat, and -very thin. - -There is no fixed rule for the time of removing the capes; it must -altogether depend on the abundance of the honey. In six years, there -are usually two bad, two good, and two middling seasons. - -In bad seasons there is nothing to take away; on the contrary, some -must be given, or, properly speaking, be _lent_ to them, for the -industrious bees always repay three, four, and five fold interest on -the advances that are made them. - -In good years, the capes may be emptied three or four times; and unless -this be done the bees will build their combs on the outside. - -In middling seasons, strong and well provisioned hives fill at least -one cape, which may be taken without remorse, if they have not swarmed. -I seldom or never take any from those that have swarmed, because -they are thereby very much weakened. Good sense must here direct the -proprietor. - -The only fixed rule which can be laid down is, never to take the capes -that are not quite filled, unless the hive happens to be very large, as -there is always abundance of honey when the labourers determine to go -to work in the capes. But beware of taking half-filled capes from small -or middling sized hives: restitution will repair but a small portion of -the evil this will do them. - - - - - CHAPTER XI. - - HOW TO EXPEL THE BEES - FROM THE CAPES. - - -It is in the heat of the day that the honey should be taken from the -capes. A number of bees will always be found (commissioned no doubt) to -guard the treasure. - -Various methods are resorted to, to expel them without smoking. Some -carry the cape to a distance from the apiary, turn it upside down, -rest it on the ground, and cover it with a napkin, leaving on one side -a space of about a finger-length uncovered, to allow an exit to the -bees, which, escaping by this opening, return to their habitation; -and, to hasten their departure, some one knocks, from time to time, on -the outside. - -Others take a cape 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 cape by -tapping gently on the full one. They soon go up into the empty cape, -calling on each other, and flapping their wings; and, when they are -all housed, replace them again on the parent hive whence they were -withdrawn; and, if the season is favourable and the honey abundant, -they soon set to work again. - -I prefer this last method, which is the speediest and easiest. - - - - - CHAPTER XII. - - SIZE OF HIVES. - - -Most amateurs have all their hives of an equal size. Some will have -only very large ones; others very small ones; and others there -are who prefer those of middling dimensions, into which they lodge -indifferently, early and late, weak and strong, and even double swarms, -that have re-united on leaving the parent hive; this is not very -judicious. There should be a roomy lodging for first and for strong -swarms, and even more so for double ones; and there ought to be small -hives to receive feeble and tardy swarms, as well as for second and -third ones at least, if proprietors do not reinforce them, by uniting -them, according to my plan. Middling sized hives are convenient for -ordinary swarms, which are neither the first nor the last ones. - -When two or even three swarms come off at the same time and mingle -together, as sometimes happens in large apiaries, I take care not to -separate them, but give them a hive big enough to contain them all. - -One strong population supports itself better, and is incomparably -more profitable, than feeble colonies, that must be often in need of -assistance. But there is a measure in every thing, and there should be -no excess; should four or five swarms mingle, it is proper to separate -them and lodge them in two hives of suitable dimensions; when I have -not done so, I have always, except once, had cause to regret it. Before -swarming time, it is as well to prepare hives of various sizes, just as -one would have casks ready in a cellar before the vintage, to be ready -for use. Here experience is in harmony with reason. - - - - - CHAPTER XIII. - - MANNER OF UNITING NEW SWARMS. - - -Feeble and tardy swarms can do no good excepting in very fine seasons. -In bad seasons they greatly weaken the hives that produce them, without -being able to shift for themselves. In ordinary years, they can only -be preserved by much care, and at the expence of a great deal of -honey; and most of them die, after all, without bringing any profit to -their master. I have saved some that have turned out well, but only -at the end of two or even three years; and I advise no one to try -the experiment unless they have a great deal of honey to spare. It is -better to unite them, and proceed after the following method:-- - -When two small swarms come off the same day, I gather them separately, -and leave them at the foot of the tree or hush on which they have -alighted. Towards evening I spread a table-cloth on the ground, on -which, by a smart and sudden movement, I 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 on the cloth, and they instantly -ascend into it, flapping their wings, and join those which, not having -been disturbed, are quiet in their new abode. Early next morning I -remove this newly united hive to the place it is destined to occupy. -This doubled population works with double success, and in the most -perfect harmony; and generally becomes a powerful colony, from which -a great profit is derived. Two feeble swarms may be united after the -same manner, although one of them may have come off some days later -than the other, and the first may have constructed combs; taking care, -however, not to make the first one enter the second, but the second -the first, as the bees will ascend more readily to join those that have -already begun to make honey and to hatch brood; and next day they will -proceed together, with increased ardour, with the work which the first -had already begun, and which will now advance more rapidly from the -increase of the labourers. It is to be understood, that, after this -union, the hive should be placed early next morning in the same place -where the oldest of the swarms has already passed some days. - -I have recommended the uniting of swarms to be effected in the evening, -when the bees are quietly housed for the night. If it were to be during -the day, when the labourers are in full activity, they might fight and -kill one another, to the total destruction of one of the swarms, which -I have seen happen more than once. But in the evening they are grouped -together; those that have been displaced alight upon, and take hold -of, the others, and thus merely extend the cluster, now composed of -two distinct masses, the one covering the other: their peace is never -disturbed, and next day they work together in perfect harmony. Their -fighting is always after the fashion of a duel, and not of a battle. In -their wars, they do not range themselves in close battle lines, like -men, breaking through and overturning each other; they fight bee to -bee, excepting in cases of plunder or the killing of the drones, and -then the combatant who first engages in the attack is speedily assisted -by all those within reach uniting their forces to overthrow the -enemy. But when the whole of a new swarm, suddenly displaced, ascends -precipitately into a hive, peaceably occupied by another, the bees of -each colony cannot recognize each other, and having no field to fight -after their own fashion, they pass the night together, and, doubtless, -acquiring the same smell, live happily together. But such is not the -case when we wish to make a swarm enter an old hive, or to unite it -to one whose hive is already full of honey-combs. Then another way of -proceeding, and precautions of another kind, are necessary, concerning -which I shall now give directions. - - - - - CHAPTER XIV. - - METHODS OF UNITING TWO OR - THREE SWARMS IN AUTUMN. - - -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 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 cleaning 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 front with two little bits of stick, so -as to leave a division of an inch in front between it and the board, -to give free access to the bees. I also spread a table-cloth on the -ground before it, raising and fixing one end of it on the board, by -means of the two bits of sticks 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 clusters on the front of -the hive, which they enter during the night without disturbance, much -pleased to rejoin 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 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. The reason of this we shall soon see. - - - - - CHAPTER XV. - - MANNER OF UNITING - OLD HIVES IN AUTUMN. - - -When old hives are weakened by giving out too many swarms, and have not -amassed a sufficient provision for the winter, many proprietors place -them one above another, simply making an opening in the board, to serve -as a communication between them, and closing the entrance to the upper -one, with a little clay, for the purpose of making the bees go out and -in through the lower one by the only opening that is left them. Several -authors advise it; I have done it also, but shall do so no more, having -found it attended by two serious inconveniences. - -The first is, that the two colonies do not always agree; indeed they -fight sometimes to extremity, and thus the one is destroyed and the -other is weakened. The reason is, that the bees of the upper hive, -descending one by one, or only few at a time, are examined at leisure -by those in the lower one, and, not having the same signal, are -mistaken for robbers, and killed without mercy. This occurred to me the -first time I attempted to unite them in this way; but it never happens -in the tumultuous union of two swarms, when the one has been sprinkled -and almost glued with honey, in consequence of which it is not in a fit -state to commence an attack on those that are hastily displaced. - -A second inconvenience is, that, even supposing there should be no -warfare, the habitation is much too large for those that are henceforth -intended to be but one family. Whether they unite in the upper or the -under hive, one of them must be left empty, into which thieves can -find easier access; and although they should not be plundered, they -would suffer from the cold of a severe winter. The population, indeed, -is doubled, but so is the size of the lodging, and in that case there -will be no swarms. Very large hives seldom swarm, it requires so much -more time to fill them. My method has not these disadvantages, for two -families living together in the same hive are warmer, and better able -to resist any hostile attack. - -It is to avoid these two inconveniences that, in autumn, I empty an old -hive which has not sufficient provision, and, in the evening of the -same day, I introduce the bees into one of its neighbours on the right -hand or on the left, proceeding in the same manner as with the swarms; -with this single difference, that the sprinkling of honey should be -more liberal to the old hive than to the swarm. - -If the hive of which I have doubled the population is well enough -furnished with provision for the winter, I give it nothing. And if -there is not enough, I give it before winter as much as it requires, in -the manner hereafter to be detailed. - - - - - CHAPTER XVI. - - NEIGHBOURING HIVES - SHOULD BE UNITED. - - -I HAVE already said, in Chapter III. that bees which have not swarmed -voluntarily return to the place they have been accustomed to, even -after having been shut up for months: the same thing would happen if -you united swarms distant from each other. Next day, or the day after, -you would have the mortification to see the bees return by hundreds to -their old residence, flutter about for a length of time, and lose their -lives, either by falling down from fatigue, or throwing themselves -into the neighbouring hives, where they are put to death. Not having -left their new dwelling with the same precaution that a swarm uses to -reconnoitre the one it has chosen, or that has been given to it, and, -supposing themselves at home, in spite of the disorder of the night -before, they rush out on a rapid flight, and, returning from their -excursion, go back to the place of their ancient domicil; and thus the -purpose of fortifying your hives, and of preserving them, by uniting -them, is defeated. I have frequently tried to unite distant hives, and -always met with this result. - -There is only one remedy for this that I know of, but it is an -imperfect one, and gives a great deal of trouble. It is, to put in some -combs of wax into the hive that has been emptied, and replace it in -its old situation. The bees return to it in great numbers the following -day, and some days after; at length, after a great deal of bustle, -they settle towards evening on the combs, and, before night, when they -are quite tranquil, I take the combs one after another, and, with a -feather, sweep off the bees, so as to make them fall upon the board of -the one that contains their companions, and which they now enter with -evident marks of joy. This operation may require to be repeated for -seven or eight days, with this difference, that every succeeding day -fewer will return. Thus the evil may be repaired, though incompletely -and with infinite trouble. - -It is to avoid the perplexity which displacing them occasions to these -precious insects, and also the loss that results to myself, that I move -the united hive a little to one side, so that it may occupy the space -that was before between them. As displacing them only a few inches -does not confuse them, for the same reason, when I join three hives, -as I often do, I never displace the middle one, but remove those I -have emptied on the right hand and on the left, which is sufficient -to prevent mistakes, and the bees, finding no hive on either side, -enter the middle one without hesitation. It is a very essential point, -however, to join only neighbouring hives, as being less troublesome and -more successful. - -It would be a good plan to mingle in the apiary strong and weak hives -alternately, and to place small and late swarms near each other, in -order to unite two and two, or three and three, in autumn, if they have -not enough of provision laid up for their winter subsistence. - -When a deprived swarm happens not to be near another in the same state, -there is nothing to hinder it being united to any old well provisioned -hive that may be near it, as it will thrive all the better for such -an addition to its population. I have done so oftener than once, and -always with success. - - - - - CHAPTER XVII. - - HOW TO FEED UNITED SWARMS. - - -There is always honey in hives that are emptied to be united. If there -are six pounds more or less, I lay aside the combs that are full, after -having separated those that are but half filled, and of which the cells -are not hermetically sealed by the little thin chip of transparent -white wax which invariably covers those cells that are full of honey. -Twelve or fourteen days after the union, when the cold forces the bees -to congregate themselves in their hives, I give the hive that contains -the double population a few puffs of tobacco-smoke; then, turning it -upside down, I cut away the empty combs, that are always below and on -the sides of the hive. While performing this operation, it is necessary -to give them an occasional whiff of smoke to keep them quiet. I only -take out the one-half of those that are half filled with honey, and -cease as soon as I find the comb quite full. When there is room enough -to contain the fragments of honey-comb that I mean to put in, I place -them as nicely as I can, without breaking or bruising them, filling -the empty space, without leaving any division but the little intervals -between the combs, to allow a free passage to the bees. This done, I -lay a board over it, and, with the aid of another person, we return it -gently to its former position, and, shaking it as little as possible, -replace it in its proper situation. - -This operation may be done in the morning or in the evening, but never -in the heat of the day. I prefer the evening, in order not to attract -thieves. - -The diligent bees soon discover the change that has taken place; and -finding bits of honey-comb heaped up in all directions, they set about -giving them solidity, soldering them together before the following -night, in such a manner, that all these fragments soon form one mass, -intersected only by little alleys of communication. Thus it remains -during the whole of the winter; and, in the month of March or April, -according to the temperature of the weather, I take out this irregular -mass, which I find entirely emptied; the bees having lived upon it, and -spared the provisions which they had stored in the middle of the hive. - -I have supposed that the hive whose population I have doubled has also -received the addition of six pounds of honey-comb, given in the way I -have just described. These constitute, as it were, the dowry of the -new comers, who are themselves at the whole expence, as it was they -who constructed and filled the combs of which I took possession. The -doubled hive having then sufficient food to subsist on till spring, -I trouble it no more, certain, from past experience, that I shall -then find it in good condition. Every one of these swarms would have -perished from want, had they lived separately; and, by joining, I give -them the means of subsistence, without costing myself any thing. If the -supposed six pounds do not suffice to support them, I lend them more; I -say _lend_, for the bees always return with interest whatever advances -are made to them. - -I proceed exactly after the same manner when I unite two old hives -that have not been able to lay up a sufficient provision, remembering -always, as already mentioned, that old dark-coloured combs, being -much heavier than white ones, contain also less honey, and that, -consequently, it requires a greater number of pounds to make up a pot -of this nectar. The difference is so great, that six pounds of white -comb will produce more than a pot of honey, whereas the same quantity -can scarcely be extracted from eight, or even ten, pounds of black comb. - - - - - CHAPTER XVIII. - - QUANTITY OF FOOD REQUISITE - FOR UNITED HIVES. - - -I have said, in Chapter IX. that each hive must have three pots, or -fifteen pounds of honey, to sustain it during the winter, and until -the bees can find food for themselves again in the spring. For this -reason, I have advised the empty hives to be weighed, before the swarm -is admitted into it, and again in the autumn, when the honey season -is over, in order that we may be assured that there is food enough to -maintain them during the winter. - -In doubling the population, I naturally expected that we must also -double the quantity of food, for I had always seen that two or -three families, living together, used more meat than each would -have done singly, however rigid their economy. The more mouths the -more meat, thought I; and, in consequence, I augmented greatly the -amount of provision the first time I doubled a hive; but, to my great -astonishment, when I weighed it again in the spring, I found that the -united swarm had not consumed more than each would have done singly. I -could not believe my eyes, but thought there must be some mistake, nor -could I be convinced, until I had repeated the experiment a hundred -times over, and had always the same result. - -I have made a point, in every instance, to mention the reasons of my -advice and proceedings; here, however, I humbly confess my inability -to do so, nor can I conceive how an army of thirty thousand troops -could be served with the same rations allowed for an army of only ten -thousand, supposing the soldiers of both to have an equal appetite, and -to have each wherewith to satisfy it. But the fact exists in regard to -the bees; any one may have it in his power to convince himself of it; -the cause is to me unknown, and must be left to wiser heads than mine -to explain. Does the increase of heat supply, to a certain extent, the -place of nourishment? Does the greater and more uniform heat, in a -well-stocked hive, make the food more nourishing? - -These are questions which I propose to naturalists, but which I cannot -answer. - -After this discovery, as important as it seems to be inexplicable, I -varied my experiments, not only to convince myself of the fact, but, -if possible, to arrive at more extended results. I joined three hives -in the autumn, by introducing into the middle one, the bees of two -neighbouring hives; and I found, on weighing it in the spring, that its -inhabitants had scarcely used one pound more than those of hives that -had not been united. I went farther: Having a large well-stocked and -amply provided hive, I added to it, in the autumn, without displacing -it, the swarms of four neighbouring hives, two on the right hand and -two on the left, that were so scarce of provisions that the quantity -of honey that would have been necessary to have kept them alive, would -have far exceeded their value, and that all the four would, to a -certainty? have perished. This enormous population produced a heat so -great, that, during the whole of a very severe winter, the bees kept -up a buzzing noise equal to that of a strong and active hive in the -evening of a fine day in spring. The steam expelled by the vibration of -their wings, collected in drops at the door, and formed icicles round -the entrance of the hive during severe frost. The hive was left out all -the winter, and would infallibly have perished had I shut it up; and -what was my astonishment, on weighing it in the spring, to find that, -notwithstanding that it contained five pounds, the total diminution -did not exceed three pounds more than took place in my ordinary hives. -It gave out excellent swarms, long before any of the others, and -recompensed me well for my pains. I have not repeated the experiment to -the same extent, but have limited myself to the union of two, or at -most three deprived hives, and have been very well paid. - -What, in these circumstances, becomes of the supernumerary queens, -since their hatred to one another is so great that there can be but -one in each colony? I give myself no trouble to answer the question, -more curious than useful; the aim of my experiments being only to give -practical rules. - -I have often been astonished that so important a discovery should not -have been made sooner by some of the superior minds that have taken -an interest in this branch of rural economy; and that, in the course -of their researches, not one of them should have thought of uniting -two or three weak swarms, before winter, to compare them with single -swarms, in order to ascertain how much honey was necessary, according -to both plans, till the end of the winter season. Doubtless they had -believed, as I formerly did, that the more numerous the family the -more provisions would they require, and that little would thus be -gained by uniting them. I should have regretted quitting the world -before publishing this discovery; and it had nearly perished with me; -for, continued and indispensable occupations, as well as a dangerous -illness, prevented me setting about giving it to the public, till now -that I am far advanced in life. - - - - CHAPTER XIX. - - BENEFITS RESULTING FROM - THE UNION OF WEAK HIVES. - - -The advantages of uniting weak hives are very considerable. I need only -mention three. 1. The bees are saved; 2. They are saved without trouble -or expence; 3. All the hives are strong. - -The first of these advantages is the preservation of the bees. In -every country, swarms are destroyed that have not been able to gather -a sufficient store of provision. Those found to be too light are -unmercifully condemned to be suffocated; and what little honey they -have collected, is considered as pure gain, because the bees would -have perished from want, after having consumed the scanty fruits of -their own industry; and, by putting them to death a little sooner, -something at least may be made of them. Thus people reason, and thus -the murderous practice is so generally adopted. The same plan is -followed in regard to old hives that are exhausted by giving out too -many swarms; and in short, to all those that have not abundance of -provision laid up; and the very heavy ones, on the other hand, have -their bees slain to get possession of the honey. What a frightful -proscription is this! What blanks occur in the apiaries, especially in -bad years, such as 1812 and 1813! And how injurious to our own interest -is this indiscriminate destruction of weak and healthy, of rich and -poor! There is no mercy shewn but to them that have just enough to -keep them alive; and not even one of them would be spared, were they -not indispensably necessary to repeople the apiaries by new swarms. -According to my method, all these evils are prevented. All the hives -may be robbed of their treasures; but the lives of the bees are spared. - -A second and very considerable advantage is the saving of honey. I -have already said, that there must be at least three pots or fifteen -pounds of honey to maintain one hive, whether it be strong or weak. If -three swarms, then, have only that quantity among them, each has but -a third of the provision that it requires; and, to keep them alive, -you must sacrifice six pots of honey, that is, two-thirds of the whole -provision, or two pots for each. It is to avoid this great expence, -which would equal if not exceed the value of the swarms, that most -people have recourse to the prompt measure of suffocation. But, by -uniting the swarms, all the working bees may be saved, without any -expence, and without any waste of honey but the small quantity employed -to sprinkle the combs of the hive, into which you make them enter. The -honey-combs found in those which you empty, are sufficient to feed -the three united swarms, by giving it to them after the manner I have -directed at page 33. The wax is all your own. It costs only a little -care and a little trouble, which will be amply repaid by the benefit -insured. And will it be accounted a slight pleasure to witness the -prosperity of the bees we have saved? - -A third advantage, which appears to me one of great value, is, that -all the hives which we possess are strong hives (meaning by the term -strong, such hives as are well stocked with bees). Weak hives decline -and yield nothing; have frequent need of assistance; are exposed to -pillage; give out no swarms; and produce scarcely heat sufficient to -hatch a little brood in a corner of their dwelling, which never comes -to good. How often have I seen the brood come to an untimely end. In -vain the bees will crowd together, to procure the necessary degree of -heat, when there is much empty space in the hive. A number of weak -hives may do well enough to make a shew in the apiary, but will be no -profit to the proprietor. It costs a good deal to feed them, if one -would keep them alive; and there is very little to be gained by putting -them to death. Not so with the united hives; they were all vigorous; in -condition to defy the rigour of the seasons; to repel their enemies; -and to gather a great quantity of honey. The population augments -rapidly, and they give out early swarms; or if some of them do not -produce swarms, they furnish so much the more wax and honey, and will -collect more in one day than weak hives will do in a whole week; in -short, there is no comparison between them. - - - - - CHAPTER XX. - - TIME AND MANNER OF - RENEWING OLD HIVES. - - -It is a common prejudice, that hives cannot be profitably preserved -beyond three, four, or six years at most, and that, beyond that -term, they become weak, give out no more swarms, and finish by being -pillaged, or becoming the prey of moths, which, if suffered to -establish themselves, soon make horrible devastation among them. A -great many experiments, however, have fully convinced me that such -is not the case, and that the duration of the hives may be greatly -prolonged by renewing them. - -I have several from twelve to twenty years old, that are as -prosperous, and swarm as well, as the young ones. I have even one of -June 1789, consequently now in its twenty-fifth year, and it gave off -an excellent swarm on the 4th of June 1811, the same in 1813, then aged -twenty-four years, and again another this year 1814. Besides these -numerous swarms, I have taken from it 142 pounds of honey-comb, either -by pruning, or by means of capes. I have never united it with other -bees, because its neighbours had always enough to subsist on, and I -have renewed it only once. - -The decay of old hives proceeds from three causes. The first is the -candying of the old honey, of which the bees have sometimes an ample -store, but which, from inability to eat it, becomes in that state very -troublesome, in place of being of use to them. When forced by hunger to -have recourse to it, they draw it out of the cells, and throw it down -on the board that serves as a floor to their habitation, in order to -profit by any of the sweet drops that happen to be in a liquid state. -In nibbling and scraping to empty the cells, it happens that many -of them become so daubed, that, being unable to get away from it, -they fall down, and soon perish, if the weather is cold. Thus the old -honey is lost as much to the proprietors as to the labourers that have -gathered it. Supposing, again, that they do not touch it, the place -it occupies is lost either for the purpose of depositing new honey or -brood, and hence the weak state the hives fall into, if not renewed. - -A second cause of their decay is owing to the great quantity of the -pollen or dust of flowers that the bees gather and carry home on their -legs, especially in the spring and autumn, when large portions of the -combs will be found filled with it on both sides. It is an essential -ingredient in the pap with which they nourish the young brood, but good -for nothing else. Different authors have named it _bee-bread_; but -the bees never eat it: indeed it is a well attested fact, that they -will die of hunger on the combs that are filled with it. As it is very -heavy, it sometimes cheats those people who estimate the provision of a -hive by its weight. This is one of the reasons why I have recommended, -in Chap. IX. to allow eight or ten pounds more to old hives than to new -swarms. - -The bee-bread being generally, when present, deposited in the centre -of the combs, where the brood thrives best, of course the place which -it takes up is so much lost. It is liable to mould in winter, and the -working bees have a great deal of trouble in tearing it from the cells, -and putting it out of their way. It spoils the honey, takes away its -whiteness, and gives it an unpleasant taste; it destroys the wax even -more, and forms that brown scum under the cakes, when great care is -not taken to separate it. Nevertheless, bees 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. By renovating the hives, one -frees them of this superfluous substance, and the space it occupied is -directly replaced by beautiful white combs, and the whole hive becomes -as good as new. - -A third cause of the weakness of an old hive is the blackness of the -combs in the centre and front of the hive. These old combs are mostly -pierced with holes large enough to hold two or three fingers, or even -a whole hand. They are not openings which the bees have cut out for -themselves, to pass from one comb to another; but are the result of -some violent measure to which they have had recourse, for the purpose -of defending themselves from the moths, one of which, establishing -itself in a comb, will soon destroy the whole hive, if they do not -speedily rid themselves of it. The young moth is not so easily got the -better of, being cased in a sort of strong silk, by means of which it -forms galleries, and slides from side to side of the hive; and the -bees are unable either to get within reach of the enemy, or to rend -this silken covering that defends it; but, perceiving their danger, -they join together in forming a plan of attack for their deliverance, -by gnawing the comb in which the moth is established, as far as the -galleries extend; throw down the piece, and finish by reducing it to -crumbs, and never rest until they kill the foe. They require to be in -great force for this operation. Weak hives need not attempt it; indeed -they generally finish by becoming the prey of the moths. - -It is singular that bees, which know so well how to build combs, should -not be able to repair them. I have found as many as six of these holes -in one comb. Are they left standing thus, like so many monuments of -victories gained over a formidable enemy,--the most formidable and the -most difficult to conquer? All useless combs should be taken away, as -they tend to weaken the hive, and they will soon be replaced by entire -and healthy ones. - - - - - CHAPTER XXI. - - THE SIGNS BY WHICH TO ASCERTAIN - WHETHER A HIVE REQUIRES TO BE RENEWED. - - -As long as a hive produces honey and swarms, it is needless to touch -it; but, when it ceases to be productive,--when, during several months, -the bees form clusters, without swarming, I then think it necessary to -renew, or, properly speaking, to prune it; the directions for which -will be best understood by my simply relating how I managed my two -first experiments. - -The first time I performed this operation was on a pretty large-sized -straw-hive, which, for ten years, was very productive. One year alone, -it yielded me seventy-two pounds of very fine honey-comb in the capes, -mentioned in Chapter X. The eleventh and twelfth years it made me no -return, though it was heavy and very populous. About the beginning of -the thirteenth year, I gave it a little tobacco-smoke, with my pipe, -and proceeded to prune the combs away with my knife, until I came to -brood. There remained only four in front, in which the bees always -begin to lay their eggs in the spring. They were very black, and -contained little honey, but I saved them, that the population might -not be destroyed. The honey that I took out was hard and candied, -but I melted it with a little wine; and, filling some bits of empty -combs with it, gave them a part of it two or three times a-week, being -careful to place them in the hive in the evening, and take them out -again in the morning, for fear of attracting thieves. - -I thus fed the bees with their own store; the combs were always empty -in the morning. By the month of April, they began to build in the -space I had left. By the middle of May, they had completely filled it -with beautiful white combs, like those of a new swarm; and the same -year, on the 9th of June, it gave me, contrary to my expectation, an -excellent swarm. Next year, by the end of March, I took away the four -black combs that I had left, and in which was no brood. The brood was -by this time deposited in the middle combs; thus my hive was completely -renewed. - -Encouraged by this success, I performed the same operation next spring, -on a common sized hive, which, during eleven years, had annually -yielded me honey or swarms: one year I took from it forty pounds -of beautiful honey-comb; but, for two years, it had been languid -and unproductive. On the 4th of March, I pruned away all the combs, -excepting two in front, containing brood; and I nourished the bees, by -giving them a little of the liquid honey every evening, upon a bit of -comb, until they could get out to gather food for themselves. - -In the month of May, all the combs that I had cut out were replaced -with the most beautiful new ones. This hive, which was weaker than the -other, gave out no swarm the same year, but it filled a cape with some -pounds of honey-comb, which I took possession of. - -The following year, on the 4th of March, I cut away the two black combs -that were left in front, and thus this hive was also entirely renewed; -after which it produced me four swarms, and nearly forty pounds of -honey-combs in the capes: this I consider a clear profit, there not -being the smallest doubt that the hive would have perished, had it not -been renewed. - -These two examples may suffice to shew the advantage to be derived from -the renewing of old hives. What would mine have yielded had I resorted -to the common method of suffocating the bees? A little indifferent -honey; for that of candied combs is very inferior to that of new ones. -As to the wax, I should have had no more, since I took away all that -the hives contained, and the exchange gave me good strong colonies, -which are more valuable than the best swarms. - -The advantage of my plan will be better understood, if we shall -suppose two neighbouring apiaries, equally good, and in all respects -equally well taken care of. Suppose one of them shall be managed in -the ordinary way, and that, every year, the owners shall suffocate the -heaviest swarms for the sake of the honey, and that they also destroy -the old hives that have too little provision for the winter. Let the -other apiary be managed according to the principles I have detailed, -that not one bee shall be put to death, and that, in the autumn, the -swarms that are too light, as well as the old hives that are scarce of -food, shall be united, and that the latter shall be renewed when they -cease to prosper. - -At the end of fifteen years, compare these two apiaries, and see -which has the strongest hives, the greatest number, and in the best -condition. It would be surprising indeed, if they preserved their -original equality. - -Will these operations be objected to, on account of the difficulties -attending the performance of them? Will it be said that every one has -not the courage to run the risk of being stung, or the dexterity to set -about handling the bees? - -In all countries there are people to be found who are accustomed to -gather swarms, and to put joinings on hives. Let them be employed, and -directed in every part of the work that the proprietors do not like -to perform themselves. This practice is common in Lusatia, a country -celebrated in the history of bees, by the very useful discoveries of -M. Shirach, and where they make annually, according to his principles, -a great quantity of artificial swarms. The country people, of whom the -greater number understand nothing of these complex operations, which -take more time, and are much more difficult than the union of swarms, -or the renewing of hives, employ people who are bred to the business, -and who, in the proper season, go from village to village, making -swarms, and are paid for their trouble. - -From the result of my experiments, it is evident that the duration -of hives is indefinite; and here a multitude of questions present -themselves. How long does a queen live? Would she live twenty years and -more? Is the term of her existence prolonged beyond that of the working -bees? I cannot answer; but I have reason to think that bees live only -one year, and that those which have lived over the winter, and have -assisted at the work during the spring and summer, and which do not -perish by accident, die of age in the month of August. By that time, -they seem to become paralytic; and, unable to fly, they fall down in -the neighbourhood of the hives, and creep about until they expire from -fatigue and exhaustion. - -One then sees many of them, with their wings fringed, which is a sign -of decrepitude, similar to the wrinkles of an old person; while the -young-bees may be discerned by their grey ashy colour, which becomes -darker, approaching to black, as they get older. I do not believe that -the queen (on whose existence depends that of the colony), lives ten, -fifteen, or twenty times longer than the working bees. But they have -the means of filling her place when she comes to die. M. Shirach has -completely demonstrated, by very varied and multiplied experiments, -that they require only for that purpose a common bee-worm that has been -hatched within two or three days, and that this worm becomes a queen, -and a fruitful queen, in less than a fortnight, by means of a thicker, -more roomy, and differently formed cell, which they construct expressly -for her, and by a different sort of pap with which she is nourished. I -have repeated the experiment oftener than once. - -Forty days after I had put a bit of brood-comb into a wired box, after -the manner of M. Shirach, I saw young bees come out; and the young -queen I had made be hatched, was the mother of my artificial swarm. It -is therefore probable that a hive, from twenty to twenty-five years -old, has not always the same queen, but that the queen has, from time -to time, been replaced. Moreover, every time that a swarm comes off, it -is the old queen that emigrates with it. - -The sudden decline of a hive that has lost its queen, and which never -long survives the loss, when it has not young brood to create another, -proves that bees live but one year, as the depopulation would be less -rapid if the lives of the individuals extended beyond that term. - - - - - CHAPTER XXII. - - ARTIFICIAL SWARMS AND DIFFERENT - METHODS OF FORMING THEM. - - -One often sees well-stocked hives that do not swarm, and which, during -the whole of the summer, form large clusters, until the cold of the -autumnal evenings forces the idlers to re-enter their hives; and it -were vain to disturb them, to smoke them, or torment them, in the hope -of forcing them to swarm. Some people have thought they might attain -their object by dividing them in two; but they did not succeed. There -are, however, two ways of obtaining artificial swarms; and the one -which the celebrated Shirach practised successfully in Alsatia, and -which was followed with the same results in the north of Germany, -requires a long course of difficult and complex operations. I shall, -however, proceed to give my readers some idea of it. - -In spring, a little box is prepared, about six inches square, with an -opening in the top, about three inches square, and another the same -size in front. Each of these openings is covered with a wire-grating, -close enough to prevent any bee getting through. This box rests on -a stand provided with twelve wooden pins, four or five inches long, -placed perpendicularly, in two rows, at the distance of three inches -from each other. These pins should be so far separate as that five -pieces of honey-comb, each about as big as a person's hand, may be -placed between them. - -Between the farthest of the pins, on the right and left hand, are put -three bits of empty combs, the same height as the pins: a piece of very -fine honey-comb, not candied, occupies the fourth place; and the fifth, -which is the centre, remains empty. It is to be understood that the -pins supporting the combs on both sides, keep them in a perpendicular -situation, and prevent them touching each other, and that the spaces -left between the combs is much about the same as those in the hive to -allow free passage to the bees. Neither the honey-comb nor the empty -combs ought to touch the board, in case of the moths taking possession -of them; they are rather made to rest on two little bits of wood, -raised a little above the board, and crossed by the pins. - -Above the combs and the pins, a large piece of comb is placed -horizontally, and covering the whole, to keep in the heat while the -hatching goes on. - -After all these preliminaries, a fine day is chosen, about the end of -April or beginning of May, according to the climate, and according as -the season is more or less advanced; and, in the heat of the day, a -little before noon, a strong hive, while in full activity, is lifted -up, its top rested on the ground, and the bees driven off the combs -with a little tobacco smoke, in order that the proper pieces may be -seen and chosen. - -A piece of comb, about the size of a hand, is then cut out, containing -all the three kinds of brood, that is, eggs, nymphs, but principally -the little maggots, just two or three days out of the shell. The hive -is then replaced on its stand, and the little bit of comb that was -taken out of it is put into the box, to occupy the empty space that was -left in the centre, between the pins, and about a thousand or fifteen -hundred bees, taken from a cluster in some other manner, are then -introduced, and the box closed, to prevent them getting out. - -Their extreme agitation, approaching to despair, produces a heat so -great that they would be suffocated, but for the wire-gratings above -and in front. Towards night, when they become tranquil, nothing more -is heard but a soft murmuring, and they begin to construct one of -the great cells, that has its opening underneath, and in which they -nurse and rear queens. Before the cell is completed, they carry into -it a little maggot, out of the egg within two days; which being then -suitably nourished, becomes a perfect queen in less than a fortnight. - -For three days the box should be kept shut, and the light carefully -excluded, for it would only serve to increase the agitation of the -prisoners; and the upper wire-grating, being of no farther use, may -be plastered over with a little clay. The fourth day the box may be -carried to the apiary, and the bees set at liberty, by opening a part -of the wire-grating in front. - -Having now got a new establishment, with the certainty of soon having a -queen, they think no more of returning to the hives whence they were -taken, but come and go, cleaning their little dwelling, and working -like a weak swarm. - -While they are thus occupied, a little cage should be prepared, in -which to shut up the queen when her metamorphoses shall be completed. - -This cage is of a semicircular form, and in size resembling the half of -a large orange; it is made of wood, scooped out, and has a wire-grating -on the front of it, so fine that no bee can get out or in: a hole is -made in the lower part of it, large enough to permit a bee to pass -through, and a wooden pin, from six to eight inches long, of the size -of the hole, is prepared to shut it up with. - -These preparations being completed, the box is opened fourteen or -fifteen days after the bees have been put in, but it must be one of -these fine spring days when the bees are busy at work: should the -weather be cold or wet, the opening of the box must be delayed. The -combs are then all taken out, and the queen will be easily discovered. -She is much longer in the body, and altogether larger, than the other -bees, as may be observed from the following figures, where Fig. 1. -represents the Queen; Fig. 2. the Drone; and Fig. 3. the Working Bee -[4]. - -[Footnote 4: To those not much acquainted with bees, the following -particulars may be useful.] - -[Illustration: Fig. 1 Fig. 2 Fig. 3] - - Fig. 1. The _Queen Bee_: the head is of a triangular shape; her - wings very short, not extending beyond the one-half of her body, - which is longer, and more pointed, than that of the working bees. - Her legs and corselet are copper coloured; thorax grey, and - abdomen brown. There is only one queen to a hive; while there are - from 10,000 to 15,000 workers, and perhaps 1000 or 1200 drones. - - Fig. 2. The _Drone_, or Male Bee; the head is round, its large body - is almost entirely covered by its wings. It has no sting. The - drones appear only at the season of swarming, and are all put to - death by the workers in the autumn. - - Fig. 3. The _Working Bee_. Head somewhat triangular; the smallest - and most numerous of the hive, which every one knows as the - _honey-bee_, and which fabricates the combs, makes the honey, and - feeds the young. - -The queen must be seized by the wings and introduced, head -foremost, through the hole into the cage, along with a dozen bees to -bear her company, and then the hole through which they have passed is -stopped up with the wooden pin. This being completed, an empty hive -must be prepared, similar, in every respect, to the one out of which -artificially the swarm is to be taken. A hole, parallel to that in the -cage, is pierced in the bench on which it is to stand, and the end -of the wooden pin fixed into it, so that the cage may be suspended, -perpendicularly, about two-thirds the height of the hive. Between -eleven and twelve of the same day, while the bees are mostly on the -wing, a strong person takes one of the old hives, that is not likely to -swarm, lifts it steadily, and rests it for a few seconds on a table, at -hand for the purpose, while its place is instantly filled by the one -containing the young queen and her cage. Any bees that may be grouped -about the board are lifted up with a wooden spoon, and laid down at the -door of the new hive; these ascend immediately; and all the working -bees, returning in crowds from the fields, enter without hesitation; -when, finding neither combs, nor honey, nor any provision whatever, -they go out and return several times, and fly round and round it; while -the inhabitants of the old hive, having no suspicion of their place -being changed, leave it without precaution, return to the situation of -their ancient dwelling, and increase the swarm that is forming. - -Wearied at length of their researches, and finding in this new -establishment a great number of their companions, with an imprisoned -queen, they unite themselves together at the top of the hive, begin, -even the same evening, to build combs; and thus is obtained an -excellent artificial swarm. Next day, and some days after, many bees -continue to join them from the old hive, which delays not to repeople -itself from the brood-comb with which it is filled, as it is not more -weakened than if it had swarmed naturally. The second day after this -operation the new hive must be lifted up, the cage taken out, and the -queen set at liberty, which is easily done, by drawing out two or three -of the wires that form the grating. It would not be possible to make -her descend by the hole through which she entered, and, by delaying -too long to take her out, she would be completely surrounded by combs, -that must be broken before she could be released. The precaution of -keeping the queen in prison for two days is indispensable; for without -this precaution she would be put to death as a stranger, or she might -escape from the hive during the first tumult, which would cause the -total failure of the swarm. But after being shut up in it for a little -time, she is looked upon as the hope of the new colony, and sure of a -favourable reception. - -To succeed in this operation, there must be, at least, six inches -between each hive: should they touch each other, many of the working -bees would infallibly lose their lives, by throwing themselves into -some of the neighbouring ones. - -Such is the result of these tedious and difficult operations to obtain -artificial swarms by the method of M. Shirach, at this time generally -pursued in Germany. There is another, easier and less tedious, said to -be in usage in the Archipelago, in Ancient Greece, and several other -countries, which I have followed with great success. - -Choose a hive of wood or straw, exactly the same in form and size of -the one from which you mean to take the swarm. On a fine day in May, -or, in mountainous countries, which are later, about the beginning of -June, throw a few whiffs of tobacco-smoke into a well-stocked hive, -turn it up, and, with a little more smoke, disperse the bees that are -upon the combs; then cut out a bit of comb, about the size of the -palm of a hand, taking care that there be the three kinds of brood, -viz. eggs, maggots, and nymphs, already enclosed in the cells that -serve them for cradles, but especially those maggots that have been -hatched within two days; after returning this hive to its place, then -proceed to fix the bit of comb with some wooden pins, in the top of -the newly prepared one, and support it underneath with a thin chip of -wood. Between eleven and twelve in the forenoon, lift a very populous -hive (not the one out of which the brood-comb was taken), off its own -board to another that must be ready to receive it, and put the empty -one in the place it occupied. All the bees, returning from the fields, -enter the one that has been substituted, seem at first to be greatly -agitated, but, by degrees, gather round the brood-comb, and begin -before night to construct a royal cell, to which they transport a -maggot of two days old, and where it undergoes its metamorphosis, and -comes out a queen. By this method, I have procured excellent swarms -from hives that would not have swarmed naturally; and, the following -spring, renewed the old hives, after the manner indicated in Chapter -XXI, thus preserving my hives in good condition. - - - - - CHAPTER XXIII. - - ADVANTAGES OF ISOLATED HIVES. - - -A swarm, taking flight, rushes out of the hive, and seems bent -on fixing itself in some distant quarter, as if it feared the -neighbourhood of other swarms--as if it felt that its most formidable -enemies were those of its own kind. - -Swarms will unite, however, when they take flight at the same time, -because the bees of one hive cannot be distinguished from those of -another when on the wing, and crossing each other in every direction; -and as soon as one group begins to knot upon a branch, the bees of -the other crowd round, supposing them to be their companions. Their -instinct, however, rather leads them to isolate themselves, as they do -in great forests; but their proprietors resist this instinct, assemble -a great many hives together in the same apiary, to shelter them from -the weather, as well as to protect them from thieves, and to watch over -them at the time of their emigration. - -Such are, doubtless, great advantages, but not sufficient to -counterbalance those that would result from keeping them separate. The -mixing and uniting together of several swarms, that often take place -in large apiaries, and which is not always an advantage, would thereby -be prevented. There would be greater facility in forming artificial -swarms, and one hive would not be disturbed in operating on another. -The great expence of bee-houses would thus be spared; these are much -more costly than stands for isolated hives, for which there is nothing -more necessary than a board, supported by a pile of wood, sunk into -the ground, with a thatch of straw, which any one can spread over the -tops of the hives, to protect them from the rain and the heat of the -sun. - - - - - CHAPTER XXIV. - - ENEMIES OF BEES, AND - MEANS OF OVERCOMING THEM. - - -All amateurs that have written on the subject of bees, have spoken of -their enemies, but few have given any directions in what way they may -be overcome. I should neither attain my aim, nor realise the title of -my work, if I did not notice them. - -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 for fear of the snow, without -considering that many more perish in their unwholesome prison; and that -the great humidity, having no outlet, moulds the combs, and sometimes -even rots them. Who shuts up the wild bees in the forests of Lithuania, -where they thrive so well? Their own instinct suffices; there they have -no master to thwart them. - -In spring, the giving them a little honey, that would suffice to save -them, 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. In summer I have seen -persons leave only very small entrances to very populous hives, even -when the bees were forming clusters, and so increase the ardour and -activity of the workers. But this embarrassment only pained them, and -retarded the gathering and laying up of their store. - -Some let swarms escape from mere carelessness. 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; and they even sometimes annoy them by -leaving too great a quantity of candied honey-comb, which is of no use -to them, and the extraction of it from the cells costs many valuable -lives, as I have already observed. - -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. - -Ants are their least dangerous enemies; true, the bees cannot sting -them to death, because they are small and well defended with armour, -but they seize hold of them with their teeth, and carry them to a -distance. Had they not this means of getting rid of them, their -colonies could not exist in the vast forests full of ants' nests, and -where they thrive so well, in spite of the horrible massacres that -annually take place. I have never seen a hive destroyed by ants; they -attack only weak swarms, that have been either pillaged before, or -happen to be established in a lodging too large for them to defend. - -I recommend, however, to plaster up all chinks through which these -little insects could gain an entrance. - -Moths are little known, and never injurious, in the high valleys, nor -on the mountains, but they attack and destroy a vast number of hives in -the plains or in the vineyards, where they are a great scourge. As soon -as a moth has penetrated a weak hive, it establishes itself in a comb, -envelopes itself in a silken web, multiplies rapidly, consuming the -wax, and spreading its destructive galleries from side to side, until, -arriving at a certain point, the evil has no remedy. - -I shall not repeat what I have said in the twentieth chapter, of the -admirable ingenuity with which well-stocked hives defend themselves, -by gnawing and reducing to crumbs every part of the wax that harbours -a moth. Nor the means I have pointed out in Chapter VII. to diminish -the number of their enemies in the spring, by frequently examining the -little bits of wood used for contracting the entrance, or whenever -the heated air of the hive is likely to attract butterflies, for the -purpose of depositing their eggs. I shall only add, that when any -trace of a moth is observed about a hive, it should immediately be -cleaned away, and every little fragment of wax be swept off the board. -If, in defiance of these precautions, it should seem that the moths -have invaded some of the combs, the only means of saving the colony -is, to imitate the surgeon, who cuts off a deceased limb to save the -other,--every bit of infected comb must be cut out, leaving only those -occupied by the bees. And the bees must then be liberally fed, by -giving them every evening as much honey as will maintain them until the -fields shall yield them a sufficient quantity. Thus I have preserved -hives whose circumstances seemed to be desperate. - -Spiders annoy the bees much. The bees get entangled in their webs, and -are not able to extricate themselves. Here cleanliness is the best -protection; therefore care should be had to sweep the webs away from -the hive and its avenues as fast as they appear. - -Birds eat a prodigious quantity of bees, especially in spring, when the -trees are in blossom. Whatever people may say to the contrary, I have -reason to think that the swallows, which are perpetually cruising about -in the air, like so many corsairs, destroy a great number, to regale -themselves, and to feed their young: this was the opinion of Virgil[5]. - -[Footnote 5: - - "Absint ... meropesque, aliæque volucres, - Et manibus Progne pectus signata cruentis. - Omnia nam late vastant, ipsasque volantes - Ore ferunt, dulcem nidis immitibus escam." - - Georg. iv.] - -Moths destroy whole colonies: birds do not entirely destroy, but they -diminish the population; the queens, especially, become an easy prey to -them, their flight being heavy, from the great length of their bodies -and shortness of their wings; and the queen, being the very soul of -the hive, when she dies the whole will infallibly perish, if there is -not some of the proper brood ready to fill her place; and, even in the -latter case, the population is retarded in the fine weather, and the -hive becomes languid. As this happened to me several times, I imputed -it to the loss of my queens. - -The poultry, too, that roam about near the water where the bees go to -quench their thirst, gobble up a great many of them, making a constant -war on them, as deadly as that carried on by the birds. I have even -seen a tame magpie place herself between two hives, peck right and -left, and snap up hundreds of bees to her breakfast. She was caught in -the act, condemned to death, and executed in the same instant. - -Mice, especially the red mouse, or _Sorex araneus_, sometimes penetrate -a hive in the winter time, either from the entrance being left too -wide, or by gnawing a hole for themselves in the straw. They eat the -honey, and even the bees, when clustered together on the side of the -hive, in which position they are unable to defend themselves, and -scarcely even see the enemy. I have frequently seen a mouse's nest -inside of a hive in spring, seemingly unperceived by the inhabitants. - -Wasps are also reckoned among the numerous enemies of bees. I have, -however, seldom seen a hive destroyed by wasps: although they -are larger, stronger, and armed with a formidable sting, and an -impenetrable cuirass, they seldom dare enter a well stocked hive. -Once attacked, they soon fall beneath the united efforts of these -brave citizens, who sacrifice themselves to defend the place of their -nativity. Wasps only appear in great numbers when the fruit is -ripening, and then they range unceasingly round the hives, and enter -the weak ones, or those of which the too spacious lodging hears no -proportion to the number of its inhabitants. There are three ways of -providing against the attacks of wasps. The first, is to unite weak -hives by doubling or tripling the population, thereby enabling them to -defend themselves. The second, is to contract the entrances as soon as -the swarming time is over, after the massacre of the drones: and the -third is, to destroy their nests. - -The bees are continually fighting between themselves, and robbing each -other; avarice, not necessity, leads them to do so, it being almost -always the strongest and best provisioned hives that pillage the weak -ones. When once a bee has been able to introduce herself into a hive, -and carry away a load of honey without being arrested, she will return -a hundred times the same day; and, making it known to her companions, -they will then come in hordes, nor cease their pillage until there -is nothing left to take. In one day the whole of the honey will be -carried off, and with a determination which one can scarcely have an -idea of without seeing it. This kind of pillage is most frequent in -the spring and autumn, and it is easier to prevent than to stop it; -and, for this purpose, the entrance of the hives ought to be straitened -in proportion to the population. Four soldiers, as I have already -said, will more easily guard a narrow pass than thirty or forty would -defend a great one. Whenever the bees cluster themselves in front of -the hive, it is a proof that the whole of the interior is filled, and -there is then no fear of pillage, excepting in a very rare case, when -they happen not to observe the thieves, and of which I shall speak -presently. In proportion as the cluster increases, the entrance should -be widened, even opened entirely, and contracted again in the autumn -after the destruction of the drones. When these precautions are not -sufficient, and the pillage has commenced, it is not easy to stop it. -It may succeed, however, in spring or autumn, by entirely closing the -entrance of the besieged hive for one or two days, and putting a large -cape upon it, or an empty hive, plastering it all round to prevent -the bees getting out. This affords them a volume of air sufficient -to prevent them from being suffocated, and they go up and down at -pleasure through the hole in the top of the hive from which the stopper -must have been previously withdrawn; every evening the entrance must be -opened to give them air, and carefully shut up again in the morning. I -have always found the two days seclusion sufficient to put a stop to -the pillage. But this means is not practicable during the hot weather, -for then the bees would infallibly be suffocated, if they were to be -shut up but one hour. In this case, I have saved several by covering -them with a wet table-cloth, and extending it over the front of the -hive. The thieves, who were arriving in hundreds, threw themselves -into the neighbouring hives, where they were arrested and killed; for -all theft, even suspicion of theft, is invariably punished with death -in these republics. Some of the thieves that happen to escape, regain -their own dwellings, and warn their companions to beware of returning, -and next day there will be no more thieving. I have never been obliged -to spread the wet table-cloth a second time. True, many of the bees of -the hive I was defending were sacrificed, returning from the fields, -and being unable to gain admittance, they perished in some way or -other: it was a small sacrifice, to avert a greater evil, but my hive -was saved, and that was my object. It is a cure that does not always -succeed, however, and is quite useless when the besieged hive is a weak -one, or if much of the honey has been carried away. - -I shall not speak of toads, lizards, and all kinds of reptiles, that -are ranked among the enemies of the bees, for I have never seen that -they did them much harm. - - - - - CHAPTER XXV. - - DISEASES OF THE BEES. - - -Bees have no real disease. Dysentery, about which so much noise has -been made, and for which so many remedies are prescribed, never attacks -the bees of a well-stocked hive, that is left open at all seasons, but -only those 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 hunger, cold, or the infection produced by a too close and -long confinement during the winter. - -Some intelligent people have erroneously thought that the honey -gathered from the flowers of the lime-tree caused dysentery, but -experience convinced me to the contrary; for my hives were never in -better condition than when the lime-tree flowers supplied them with -honey in abundance. - - - - - CHAPTER XXVI. - - OF THE DIFFERENT VARIETIES - OF BEES, AND THEIR LANGUAGE. - - -Almost all authors speak of four different kinds or varieties of the -honey-bee. I frankly acknowledge that I know but of one; and that all -the bees I have seen are equally profitable when properly taken care -of. It is true my travels have not been very extended. - -As to their language: a slight buzzing or confused noise and a -sharp sound, are signals by which they proclaim their danger, or -seek assistance from each other. They appear to have the power of -communicating their desires, their fears, their situation, and their -circumstances. Their language, or whatever name is given to it, -suffices to procure a concert of wills and actions, absolutely to -attain a certain end; and of which I shall give a few examples. - -When a hive has lost its queen, a general agitation takes place, that -cannot escape the notice of the most ordinary observer. They seek about -for her on all sides, and, if she cannot be found, they set to work to -supply her place. For this purpose, a great cell must be constructed, -to serve her for a cradle: a single working bee cannot manufacture -it. There must absolutely be a concerted plan,--to choose the place -to do the work--to transport the newly hatched maggot--to nurse it -suitably--and properly to close the cell when it is to undergo the -metamorphosis. - -There must also be the same re-union of wills and efforts, when it -relates to the getting rid of a moth that has established itself in -a comb; they must ascertain its presence, feel the evil it may do, -examine with care the extent of its galleries, and agree in the plan of -attack and mode of operations; and how can they form and execute this -plan, without the perfect concurrence of a great number of labourers? -Such agreement is impossible without some sort of language. - -Is the hive to be cleaned? A general assessment is commanded, and the -people instantly obey. A throng of labourers remove the dead, carry out -the little bits of wax that are on the board, which would otherwise -serve to feed the moths. Each of these crumbs costs them a journey; and -that toil is spared them when care is taken to scrape and sweep the -board from time to time. - -Another scheme of agreement that indicates a language, is where a -bee finds honey, whether in a room, where it may have been deposited -without shutting the windows, or in a stranger hive, where it has -gained entrance. It communicates it to its companions, who rush out by -hundreds or by thousands to obtain a share of the booty. How could they -give this advertisement, without a species of language understood by -every one of them. - - - - - CHAPTER XXVII. - - SIGNS OF RECOGNITION - AMONG THE BEES. - - -The bees of a hive have the means of recognition, and of distinguishing -their companions from every stranger bee; without which they could -not defend their honey. In vain would the Creator have armed each of -them with a formidable sting, had they not been also given to know -the enemies which that sting was to pierce. Strangers would have gone -in and out without risk of detection or punishment, mingled with the -workers, and deprived them of treasures industriously collected. But -the All-wise Author of Nature, who has given them the means of defence, -has also endowed them with the instinct to distinguish enemies from -friends, even among their own species. Let a bee fall by accident, or -be driven by the wind, into a hive not its own, it is seized as one -suspected of evil intention, and put to death that moment. - -What is their signal of recognition? What is the organ and the -instrument? Is it the antennæ,--those little flexible horns in front of -their heads? or is it by the smell they recognize each other? - -A great inconvenience attending crowded apiaries is, that two or more -hives may have the same signal; but happily, in this case, which is -a rare one, they have the power of changing the signal; in proof of -which, the following circumstance happened with mine, in one of the -most abundant honey seasons. - -In the month of May I had lodged my first swarm, which was a very -strong one, in a large straw hive. The weather being very mild, they -set to work immediately, and very soon filled more than half of the -hive. In a few days, I observed it was invaded by a swarm belonging to -one of my neighbours; that they went in and came out, without being -detected; and that they were carrying out as much honey as my bees were -bringing in. - -I shut up one-half of their door; and, for nearly a whole week, -whenever I was at leisure, I stationed myself near my swarm, and killed -every day hundreds of the thieves, which were easily distinguished by -their shape,--slender enough when they went in, but puffed up as they -came out, with as much nectar as they could contain. This, however, did -not stop them, and they continued coming and going, in greater numbers, -till night, and beginning again early in the morning. - -I had plenty of sport, but my labour was in vain, and I began to -despair of saving my swarm, when, one afternoon, I perceived it to be -agitated and troubled, as if it had lost its queen. The bees buzzed -about before the hive, and on the board, smelling and touching each -other, as if they would have spoken. It was to change their signal, and -which in fact they did change, during the night; and all the strangers -that came next day were arrested, and put to death. Some escaped the -vigilance of the guards that defended the entrance, and doubtless -warned the others of the danger they had escaped, and that they could -no more plunder with impunity: they returned no more, and my hive -prospered wonderfully. I have, in the course of my life, seen only -other two similar instances that had the same result. - - - - - CHAPTER XXVIII. - - PRESERVATION OF HIVES IN WINTER, AND - MEANS OF PROTECTING THEM FROM THE COLD. - - -The most important point that remains to be treated, is the -preservation of hives in winter. This severe season, which lasts at -Neufchatel four months, from the commencement of November to the end -of February, and which is even longer in the mountains, causes the -death of more bees than all the enemies of all the other seasons put -together; and mostly, too, from our own want of attention. It is -by practice only that true principles can be laid down: and these -principles must be variously modified, to adapt their application -to the differences of temperature and locality. One can learn with -certainty only by the light of experience. I shall proceed to tell -what it has taught me; and here I enter on the most difficult and the -most essential part of my task. - -We must suppose that the necessary care has been taken to ascertain -that each hive has the quantity of provision necessary for its -subsistence until the return of the fine season, and it is better -that they should have too much than too little; for bees are great -economists, and never waste their superfluity. - -I lay down as a general rule, and without any exception, that bees -ought never to be fed during the winter. Food given them during that -season causes disease, breeds infection, particularly if they are kept -confined; and if they are at liberty, and forced out by the unwholesome -smell of the hive, they are likely to perish from the cold. Besides, it -always appeared to me that they consume more when food is given them by -little and little, than when they have it in store. I have pointed out, -in Chapter VIII. the certain rule by which the quantity of provision -may be estimated; and, in Chapter XVII. I have detailed the method -of supplying them in autumn. Thus they will be saved from hunger, if -my advice be followed. Let us now see how they may be defended from -cold, and the fatal effects of a long imprisonment. Some winters are -so long and so rigid, that our valuable insects suffer greatly from -the intensity of the cold; and the least evil it does them, is to -crystallise their honey, which is then no longer of any use to them. -The warmth keeps it in a fluid state; but this warmth, concentrated -in the middle, or on one side of the hive, does not prevent it being -candied in the other parts of it. More candied honey will generally be -found on one side than the other. This may be prevented by narrowing -the entrance, and closing up every crevice by which the external air -can penetrate. Our industrious and provident little labourers set -the example. Their instinct leads them, during the summer, carefully -to close up every crack or joining of their habitation, with a sort -of gummy matter called _propolis_, which cannot be penetrated either -by the mice, the moths, or the ants. I have seen an excellent swarm -perish, in consequence of a slight bend in the board, which left an -interstice on each side, through which a cold north wind sifted, and -froze more than three-fourths of the bees; and no after care was able -to save those that were left. - -Two years after, another hive, belonging to the same person, carefully -plastered round, but being made of too slight material, too thin, and -having no covering, lost at least two-thirds of its population from -cold. It was saved, however, by great care, and in time recovered. It -is to avoid similar disasters that hives are commonly taken into the -house; but this exposes them to the evil arising from infection. - -A thick strong-made hive is a more certain protection from the cold -than one that is thin and light. It keeps in the warmth, like suitable -winter clothing; while the other resembles an unseasonable summer -garment: and, for this reason, I have recommended, in Chapter VI. -not to spare the _material_. Notwithstanding the excessive cold of -Lithuania, and the north of Russia, the swarms succeed in finding for -themselves a comfortable abode in the hollows of the thick oak-trees, -through which the cold does not penetrate. But, in addition to -the warmth arising from the thickness of the hive, I always cover -mine, during severe weather, with a piece of old blanket, or some -such thing, to check the first impression of the cold; and as few -country people have a thermometer, by which to estimate the degree of -temperature, they should hasten to thatch, or cover them, in some way, -whenever they perceive the hoar frost on the glass of their windows, -which will be the case when the common thermometer of Fahrenheit -descends three or four degrees below the freezing point. - - - - - CHAPTER XXIX. - - MANNER OF PRESERVING HIVES BY - TAKING THEM INTO THE HOUSE IN WINTER. - - -It is generally supposed that, in the high valleys, and in the -mountains, bees can only be preserved by taking the hives into -the house in winter, where they must remain, until the snow has -disappeared, before they can be set at liberty. I had this fatal -prejudice for many years; but it was dispelled by the success attending -the union of the five swarms of which I have given a detailed account -in Chapter XVIII., at which time a ray of light broke in upon me that -has since continued to guide me. - -The following winter I left out the one-half of my hives, and moved -the other half into a cold room, according to my usual custom, where -all the pains I bestowed upon them did not altogether keep them alive, -nor preserve them from damp and infection. In vain I swept and cleaned -the boards, or placed them on dry hay to absorb the moisture; in -vain I gave them capes or joinings. With all my care, there was not -one of them free of diseases and infection. The winter was long and -severe; and they could not be returned to the air before the last week -in March, by which time they were feeble and languid, and far less -prosperous than those that had passed the winter out of doors. From -that time, I have never taken one into the house. But, as hives that -have been weakened by giving out too many swarms, especially swarms -of the same year, that have not nearly filled the interior of their -habitation with combs, are less subject to become overheated, and to -mould, than those that are quite filled, and of which the population -is very strong, the inhabitants of the mountains might have the latter -in the open air all winter, and only move the others into the house. -They will find, as I have done, that strong well filled hives are far -best out of doors, provided they take the necessary precautions to -prevent them from freezing. - -I have somewhere or other read an account of a very ingenious method -of preserving hives in winter, but have not made trial of it, in -consequence of not having a place fitting for it. According to this -plan, one must have an empty room, very cold and dry, in which, from -end to end, two long poles are suspended parallel to each other, and -a foot of distance between them. As soon as the severe cold begins, -and the thermometer is at the freezing point, the hives are all moved -into this room, and set up upon the poles, without any board beneath -them, and separate about half a foot from each other. Each hive must be -numbered, and the numbers noted down, as well as the board and place -that each occupied in the apiary, in order that they may be replaced -in exactly the same situation on the return of spring. This done, the -room is darkened, as the smallest ray of light will induce the bees -to quit their hives; and, in this manner, they may be preserved in a -healthy state, and without diminution of their numbers, during the -winter; and, from being left entirely open below, any dead bees, or -bits of wax, fall on the floor, and they escape the danger of infection. - -On the return of the fine season, and early in the morning of a calm -day, the room is opened, and each hive returned to its own place on the -apiary. - -I have reason to think that hives, wintered in this way, will consume -a quarter, a third, or perhaps one-half less provision than others, -if left on the apiary, or shut up entirely from the air; but we must -attend less to the rigid economy of the honey, than to the preservation -of the valuable insects that collect it for us. - -I possess only the theory of a practice of which I should have gloried -in being the inventor, as it appears to me infallible, and advantageous -in all its relations, but more especially to the inhabitants of the -mountains. There two or three people might hire a room among them for -the purpose; and, should the air become impure from so many hives -being closed up together, it could be purified by opening the door -during the night, and closing it well up again in the morning. - - - - - CONCLUSION. - - -I have now given the result of sixty-four years experience. This little -memoir has extended beneath my pen far beyond my original intention; -but it was of consequence in describing the new methods I had adopted, -to give my reasons for every thing I recommended; and, for this -purpose, to enter very minutely into the details. I have not written -with elegance, but have expressed myself plainly; and, in giving -the account of my experiments, it seemed to me that, to be clearly -understood, I ought to relate naturally how I set about them, as the -different circumstances occurred, and that every reader could more -easily follow me, in seeing me _act_, as it were, than if I merely laid -down general rules. Those I have given, have the rare advantage of -being applicable to every kind of hive, of wood or straw, whether large -or small, and of whatever form or shape. I have not recommended any one -kind in particular, not even those that bear my name, as I consider -them all equally profitable when skilfully taken care of. Every one -may make use of such as he likes best, or such as he can most easily -procure. I wish not to lead the apiarian into any expence, but to point -out to him clearly those principles and rules that he should not lose -sight of, if he wishes to preserve his bees and to profit by them. - -If this little work is favourably received by the public, and if my -life is spared, I may be induced to give it a sequel, in which will -be found new ideas concerning the drones, and their destination, with -several experiments to discover if it is of any use to assist the bees -in killing them; calculations of the yearly and average profit of a -single hive, by which I would encourage the cultivators to work a rich -mine whence great profit maybe drawn; and also directions for purifying -the honey, as well as for melting the wax, none of which could have a -place in this little book, the sole object, as expressed in the title, -being the _preservation of the bees_. - -_Diminution of the Weight of my Hives during the Winter--from the 20th -September 1813 to the 31st March 1814._ - - STRAW. - -No. 1. diminished 10 pounds. - 2. 10½ - 3. 12½ - 4. 12 - 8. 11 - 10. 9 - 11. 8½ - 13. doubled in October, 11 - 15. 10½ - 16. doubled, 10½ - 17. doubled, 14 - 20. 10 - 21. 14 - 22. doubled, 8½ - 23. 10½ - 24. 9 - 25. 15 - 26. 12½ - 27. 10½ - 30. 13 - 32. 9½ - 38. 8 - A. 9½ - B. 10 - C. 12½ - D. 10½ - - WOOD. - -No. 1. diminished 11½ pounds. - 4. doubled, 9½ - 6. 11 - 7. 8½ - 8. 19 - 9. 10 - 11. 15½ - 13. 15 - 21. 10 - 23. doubled, 11½ - -To know exactly if the consumption of united hives was greater than -that of those hives whose population had not been augmented, I weighed -thirty-six hives on the 31st of March 1814, that had been previously -weighed on the 20th September 1813; but I omitted those from which -I had taken honey, as well as those I fed, as I did not weigh them. -It may be observed, by the foregoing table, that the most economical -expenditure amounts to eight pounds of honey, and that the greatest -consumption is nineteen. I can attribute this enormous difference to -nothing but pillage. It is very likely that the straw-hive, No. 38., -must have enriched itself with booty in October or in March, while the -wooden hive No. 8. had been plundered. Of these thirty-six hives, six -had been doubled in October, by the introduction of a strong swarm into -each of them, and we see that their expenditure has not been greater -than that of those colonies that were left single. In the course of -six months and eleven days, one diminished only eight pounds and a -half; one, nine and a half; one, ten and a half; one eleven; one, -eleven and a half; and the least economical, fourteen pounds. This -comparison demonstrates, that hives, doubled by the re-union of the -bees of another hive, consume no more in winter than less populous -hives, left in their natural state. The fact is clearly proved, though -I am ignorant of the cause. I ought to observe, that all these doubled -hives, with the exception of one old one, twenty-two years of age, -prospered perfectly the year following, and gave me more honey and more -swarms than all the others. - - - - - NOTE BY THE TRANSLATOR. - - -Some friends, for whom I entertain a very high respect, have remarked, -on reading the proof sheets of this translation, that Gelieu appears -to be very successful in preserving the bees, but that he does not -prove so clearly that any great increase of honey is thereby to be -obtained. To the practical apiarian this objection will never present -itself; but, for the satisfaction of those who are not acquainted -with bees, I regret not being in possession of Gelieu's calculation -of the average profits of single and doubled hives: and I regret more -especially, that, during the few years my attention has been directed -to the management of bees, I have been contented with remarking the -thriving condition of the apiary, without giving myself the trouble -to calculate the exact amount of its produce. Those, however, who are -accustomed to observe and to take care of bees, will know that the -whole value of the hives depends on the swarms being large and early, -and will therefore see at once the advantages to be gained by attending -to Gelieu's directions. The results of my own experience are, in other -respects, as follows. - -I have tried hives of various kinds: those of the common shape, made -of straw; the still prettier sort, made of sea-shore bent (_Arundo -arenaria_); the square-storied hive of wood; also the Huish hives; -and, consequently, have had an opportunity of assuring myself that the -success of the apiary depends neither on the form nor the material, but -entirely on the treatment the bees meet with, and that hives may be -made, with equal success, of whatever is most easily obtained in the -district they are to be used in, always provided they are kept clean -and are well managed. In some of the high valleys of the Alps, where -straw is not to be had, and where every blade of grass is carefully -economized for the use of the cattle, the hives are merely rough blocks -of timber, sawn across the stems of the pine tree, and rudely scooped -out to receive the swarms: these answer the purpose just as well as -other hives; and the only or the chief difference, is the greater or -less facilities which each affords for the extraction of the combs; an -operation of easy performance in the Huish hives, when its inventor's -directions are adhered to. But, in Switzerland, the same process is -accomplished without difficulty in hives of any shape or material, by -means of a knife, which is so simple in its construction, and so easily -used, that it deserves to be made generally known. I therefore subjoin -a figure, with a description and a note of the dimensions, from which -it may be made by any country black-smith. - -[Illustration] - -This figure represents the shape of the knife; it is formed merely of -a slip of iron, about two feet long by an eighth of an inch thick. The -two horizontal lines _a a_ shew the size and appearance of the handle, -which is twenty inches long by half an inch broad. The turned-down -blade (_b_), of two inches in length, is spear-pointed, sharp on the -edges, and bent perpendicularly from the handle. The other blade (_c_) -is two inches long by one and a half broad, and sharpened all round, as -marked by the double black line. - -The broad blade (_c_) cuts and separates the wax from the sides of the -hive, and the spear-point (_b_), 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; and, for the same -reason, it also answers the purpose of pruning the combs. - -The honey-comb which is thus extracted, or which is obtained from the -capes, is greatly superior to that which is suffered to remain in -the hives till the autumn. The wax is thin and transparent, and the -honey, being newly drawn from the nectaries, is particularly rich and -delicious, as it has not had time to lose the fragrant and delicate -flavour of the young flowers. - -Huish, it may be observed, gives very clear directions for extracting -the combs from the hives that bear his name; he also recommends the -uniting of swarms; but I could never obtain his instructions on this -latter point. Doubting nothing of its practicability, however, I made -the experiment, but having no guiding principle to direct me, it was -like going to sea without a compass; and, in consequence, my hopes were -soon wrecked, and I had the misery of seeing the whole of the swarm -that I had saved from suffocation, speedily put to death by the bees of -the hive that I had so rashly forced it to enter. The result, however, -was widely different when I made the trial again last autumn, guided by -the directions contained in this little volume, for I accomplished the -union of my swarms without difficulty--even without previously having -seen it done, and without having received a single sting; and I had -thus the pleasure of witnessing my hopes crowned with complete success. - -For this operation, it is not necessary either to have the courage of a -warrior, or the intelligence and coolness of a philosopher like M. de -Gelieu. An ordinary degree of judgment to understand his directions, -and confidence enough implicitly to follow them, will enable any one to -perform it, provided he sets about it cautiously, and takes care not -to hurt the bees, or to handle them roughly. - -I managed It, with the assistance of two persons, without gloves, -or any shield or shadow of defence, except a little tobacco-smoke, -involving us, as it were, within the influence of a charmed atmosphere, -that seemed to stupify the bees, and render their sting powerless, -while it inspired us with confidence to proceed. I recommend it being -done at first by three persons, one to manage the hive and extract -the combs, another to sweep the bees back gently with a feather or -goose-wing, and a third to manage the fumigating bellows; or, if the -fumigating-bellows are not at hand, to blow occasional whiffs of smoke -from a tobacco-pipe. - -When my first cluster of bees was shaken out of the pillaged hive -upon the table-cloth, I had the happiness of seeing them instantly -begin their ascent (not on the wing) but in a regular march. It was a -spectacle of intense interest. They entered the full hive as orderly -and as peaceably as any body of regular troops ever took possession of -a citadel; and next day the original possessors and the new settlers, -were seen, in perfect harmony, working together for the general good. - -But whether they thought proper to kill a queen for themselves or not, -was a fact that I had no means to ascertain. - -Thus encouraged by my first experiment, I proceeded to extend it. My -whole apiary consisted of eight Huish hives, isolated on single pillars -of wood, at the distance of three feet from each other. We emptied -three more of the hives, and joined a swarm to each of the remaining -three, making four doubled stock hives. The gardener who has the care -of them, had five hives of his own, three of which were deprived of -their honey in the same way, and the swarms joined to the remaining -two, which he had kept as stock hives; and I am now enabled to state -exactly the quantity of honey that each has consumed from September -1828, to the end of March 1829. - - No. 1. diminished 12 lb. - 2. " 9 - 3. " 12 - 4. " 11 - - _The Gardener's Hives._ - - No. 1. A large common hive 17 lb. - 2. A Huish hive 13 - -It ought, however, to be mentioned, that my four hives got a pound and -a half of honey among them, in February; but those belonging to the -gardener got no feeding. The entrances of all of them were left open -during the winter, and there were not altogether above two dozen dead -bees found on the boards, when they were lifted to be weighed. - -The gardener's hive. No. 2., received two swarms in addition to its -own; and this allied army took possession just as peaceably as the -others, and actually consumed less honey during the winter than No. 1., -which was only doubled. In effecting the union, the citizens had been -plentifully regaled with a sprinkling of liquid honey, previous to the -introduction of the strangers; and there were as many luscious drops of -the banquet left, as gave the new comers no disrelish to their quarters. - -For some years past, I have suffered no sticks to be put across the -inside of any of my hives, as they render the extraction of the combs -impracticable. - - * * * * * - -It may be right to add, in conclusion, that I have, in one or two -places, slightly altered the text where the meaning seemed obscure, -and where mistakes might otherwise have occurred. I ought, perhaps, to -have translated these passages quite literally, and to have corrected -them in separate notes; but ignorance of book-making must be my excuse. - - - FINIS. - - -P. NEILL, PRINTER. - - - * * * * * - - - -Transcriber Note - -Minor typos were corrected. - - - - - - -*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BEE PRESERVER; OR, -PRACTICAL DIRECTIONS FOR THE MANAGEMENT AND PRESERVATION OF HIVES *** - -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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