1893 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



215 



RECOLLECTIONS AND EXPERIENCES. 



BY AN OLD BEE-.TOURNAI. EDITOR. 



It is seldom possible for a beginner to decide 

 upon his future course of action with regard to 

 a pursuit. With us it was different; for, having 

 followed bee-keeping for sixteen years, we had 

 learned many things. First, we were satisfied 

 that .50 to 75 colonies will stock up our locality, 

 and probably many others, and that .50 colonies 

 in one place, well attended, will produce more 

 profit than three times that number in the same 

 yard. Secondly, we had no desire to engage 

 extensively in the business, therefore we did 

 not have to plan our hives with reference to 

 ease in moving upon wagons nor to curtail their 

 size. Third, we realized that the great evil to 

 contend with is loss in winter; and, from exten- 

 sive observation, that none were more success- 

 ful in winter than box hives. Fourth, we real- 

 ized that the keystone to success is strong 

 colonies, and that, if possible, a hive should be 

 adapted to either cellar or outdoor wintering. 

 Fifth, we remembered a lesson in natural phi- 

 losophy, taught in our schooldays; to wit, that, 

 while a long pendulum travels through the 

 most space, the short one makes the greatest 

 number of vibrations; hence in a bee-hive, to 

 secure few pieces and short motions is desira- 

 ble. In the hive, we assert that rapid manipu- 

 lation depends upon lateral motion of the 

 frames, and little occasion to lift them. Sixth, 

 no care nor expense should be spared to se- 

 cure good lumber and the most accurate work- 

 manship that care and good machinery can 

 produce. The various parts must be exactly of 

 a size, and fit in any hive. Such hives should 

 be well and fr^-quently painted, to prevent 

 warping and decay. For some time we have 

 soaked the bottom-board, also chicken-coop 

 material, in crude petroleum, and we are in- 

 clined to believe it the best as well as thecheap- 

 e.st wood -preserver that can be found. A few 

 of our last hives are soaked in this material, 

 and we shall observe their condition with inter- 

 est. 



A cube is the nearest practical approach to a 

 sphere, in a bee-hive; and long ago Mr. Quinby 

 gave, as the result of his observation, that a 

 cube of 1728 inches meets all requirements, ex- 

 cept that, in backward springs, the supply of 

 honey is liable to exhaust. Of course, with 

 frame hives this evil is not operative. 



In line with this reasoning we adopted the 

 new American size of frame, which is 13 x 13 

 inches inside, eight of them giving the desired 

 size and shape to the brood -nest. Of course, 

 we make them Hoffman style. 



To meet our needs, the case to hold the frames 

 is 24% inches long, LS^^ inches wide, and 13 

 inches deep, inside measurement. The rabbets 

 are cut deep enough to allow the tops of the 

 frames to sink A inch below the top edge of the 

 hive. Hand-holes are cut in all four sides, and 

 the corners art; gained together and cross-nail- 

 ed to give strength. The center of the front is 

 found, and 4'o inches to each side a l}<^-inch 

 hole is bored I4 inch fi'om the bottom edge. 

 Thus the holes are 9 inches apari from center to 

 center. Facing the hive, in the right-hand end, 

 near the upper rear corner, we also bore a hole. 

 The three holes are provided with buttons like 

 those used by Mr. Hoft'man. 



We never admired a fast bottom-board. We 

 make ours of l^o inch strips, to which half-inch 

 ceiling, cut in pieces 15 inches long, is nailed. 

 This bottom is fastened to the hive with Van 

 Deusen hive-clamps. The board side turned 

 up leaves a space of j'^ inch under the brood- 

 frames. When turned the other side up. the 

 space is Ug inches. As first placed, the follow- 

 ers at both sides of the frames close all aper- 



tures; when reversed, the bees pass out freely 

 through the l,W-inch spaces, so that, when bees 

 are moved upon wagons, if the wire-cloth ends 

 of the buttons cover the holes in the sides they 

 occupy the entire case, and are not apt to get 

 overheated nor to smother. 



A division-board and two following boards 

 are required with each hive, and fit loosely, yet 

 sufficiently close to prevent any bees from get- 

 ting past them. These are made of several 

 narrow boards fastened together by strips nail- 

 ed to their ends with a strip at the top that rests 

 upon the rabbets, to prevent dropping down. 

 By making them of several pieces, the size and 

 shape are more uniform. 



We trust your readers will note carefully the 

 above description of case and bottom-board, for 

 we have many points still to unfold. This hive 

 holds from one to seventeen frames, according 

 to the needs of the colony. 



There are hundreds of large bee-keepers to 

 whom our hive and management may not be 

 well adapted; but there are also thousands 

 who keep bees as a side issue, who at present 

 secure only a tithe of the honey they should 

 produce, and to whom we hope to impart some 

 useful hints. 



Soon after we began bee-keeping the second 

 time, we found a good market for all the ex- 

 tracted honey we could produce; and although 

 we prepared a box-honey arrangement for our 

 hive, we have not harvested a pound of box 

 honey. 



For nine years, except this present season, 

 from 19 to 25 colonies, spring count, we have se- 

 cured a yearly average of five barrels, or 3500 

 pounds, of extracted honey. We are satisfied 

 that the honey season has changed, and that 

 not as much nectar is secreted now as 25 years 

 ago; yet, with present average, we know of no 

 branch on the farm that pays as large a profit 

 for time and money invested as our bees. 



Beginning with spring time, we will try 

 briefly to outline our methods: 



During winter we have from seven to nine 

 frames in each brood-nest. When a day arrives 

 warm enough for bees to fly well, they are over- 

 hauled. If many have died, and the cluster is 

 small, combs are removed and the nest is con- 

 tracted. Plenty of stores are assured to all; 

 the bottom -boards are loosened and cleared, 

 and several thicknesses of bran -sacks, old 

 quilts, or carpets, are tucked over, and to the 

 sides of th(> weakest. One entrance-button is 

 closed, the other contracted to a single bee. 

 The weather permitting, about once in ten days 

 we examine all. At the approach of warm 

 weather and fruit-blossoms, we often scrape 

 and break the covers from capped honey, to 

 induce brood -rearing. 



About this time, or a little earlier, and often 

 later, a tablespoonful of honey or syrup fed 

 daily is the best investment that we ever made. 

 This is quite a task, however, when the covers 

 have to be removed, and daily allows the 

 warmth of the cluster to be lowered. We shall 

 try hard, and ask assistance from your readers, 

 to contrive a feeder arranged with a lube and 

 cork, so that feeding can be done from the out- 

 side, directly into the cluster. Duties perform- 

 ed easily are done cheerfully; otherwises they 

 are often neglected. 



When settled weather is assured, and the col- 

 onies get strong enough to make sure that no 

 brood will be chilled and die, we begin our 

 annual spreading. The entire top of the frames 

 is exposed, to show clearly the size and strength 

 of the colony. If six or more combs contain 

 brood, we open the cluster and insert from one 

 to three worker combs. This operation is per- 

 formed occasionally at first, and more frequent- 

 ly as the season advances. 



