BEES. Ill 



ON THE 



MANAGEMENT OF BEES. 



My plan for the management of the honey bee is 

 as follows : In winter, the gums should stand in the 

 warmest place that can be found ; and in summer, the 

 coolest. The gums should be set about three feet 

 from the ground, and a sort of house or shed should 

 be erected over them ; so as to shade them from the 

 sun in summer, and shield them from the blasts of 

 winter. The gums should hold about a bushel, and 

 when it is necessary to take the honey from them, 

 they should be raised up and a cloth spread under 

 them. Then turn up the cloth, and tie a cord round 

 the gum to prevent the bees from coming out at the 

 bottom. The next step is to take off' the head of the 

 gum, and with a pipe of tobacco blow in the smoke 

 at the top, and the bees will settle to the bottom and 

 remain there, while you are blowing in the smoke. 

 So soon as you take what honey you think proper, 

 you should nail on the top again, and the next morn- 

 ing take off the cord and the cloth. The bees will 

 cheerfully resume their work again, and fill up the 

 hive. 



Two or three empty and unoccupied gums should 

 always be kept on hand ; and you should watch your 

 bees vigilantly, for you may generally tell when they 

 are about to swarm. When this takes place, you 



