THE FARMER'S MONTHLV VISITOR. 



91 



swarms consume less honey in proportion to the 

 number of bees, than the smaller ones. Mark the 

 weight upon each tier before they are put to use ; 

 then by weiohuig them after they are filled, the 

 quantity of honey can be ascertained, and if it is 

 found to be insufficient for wintering bees, a box con- 

 tnininiT in comb and honey can be added at the top; 

 or comb may be suspended by cross sticks in a box, 

 and the same placed upoa the top of the hive. 

 This must be done before cold weather commen- 

 ces ; otherwise the bees must be carried into a dry 

 cellar, or some place secure fro n frost; for they 

 cannot be induced to go far for food during the cold 

 season, and will die rather than leave their accus- 

 tomed place of residence. 



If the two lower tiers are sufficiently large (6 or 

 7 inches deep each) to contain honey enough for 

 the winter's consumption, all above nuiy be taken 

 away in the fall. Indeed, this is the best method, 

 since bees will winter better on a sufficient quanti- 

 ty, than upon an excess of comb and honey above 

 tiiem, in wliieh vapor wdl collect and condense. 

 This saves all the honey not necessary for tlie sup- 

 port of tlie bees, and keeps the bees industrious ; 

 for bees will become indolent when there is not 

 room for increasing their comb and young brood. 

 But t!io most important saving is t!ie preservation 

 of the bees themselves. The practice of destroy- 

 ing the bees to obtain the honey, is barbarous, as 

 well as a sacrifice of property ; and is as much op- 

 posed to true econoijiy as it would be for a man to 

 cut down thrifty and vigorous fruit trees to obtain 

 the fruit. If you have a very feeble swarm in au- 

 tumn, it will prove advantageous to put them un- 

 der a more powerful one. The next spring all the 

 bees will be in the upper hive; but all the labor 

 done in the lower one, will go to forward a young 

 swarm. A week or two before it is warm enough 

 for the bees to go abroad in the spring, set the hive 

 upon a board ; cleanse the feeding machine, and 

 whitewash it. When dry set it in iis place, and 

 place the liive upon the same. Change all the 

 false bottoms up to the bees, to save them the labor 

 of carrying out f jreign matter. 



Su'arming Bees. 

 Just before sv/arming time, a number of ever- 

 greens, from five to ei.-jht feet liigh, should be set in 

 the ground within thirty feet of tlie bee-house, in 

 such a manner that they may be easily removed. 

 Stakes of the same height will form a very good 

 substitute for evergreens, by having a board 2 feet 

 long and 1 wide nailed upon the side at the upper 

 end, v/ith anotlier of the same bigness nailed to the 

 upper edge of this. When the bees light on the 

 buslies or boards, they must be carried to the hive, 

 wiiich stand upon a lioard having a false bottom be- 

 tween the Ijoard and the hive. Elevate one edge 

 of the hive about zn inch. Shoke them from the 

 bushes, and tliey will soon begin to entei the hive ; 

 then spread a wet sheet over them. After all have 

 entered, let down the hive, slide the dividers under 

 tlie false bottom, and remove the hive to its destined 

 place in the bee-house, and witbdrav.' the dividers. 

 Siinnld the swarm be very large, or should two 

 BV.-aniis light togetlier, as is sometimes tlie case, 

 put them in a large tier, and place them upon the 

 top of two tier.s, as directed in multiplying artifi- 

 cial swarms. 



When they light upon a tree, or any immorable 

 object, the hive, with the board and false bottom, 

 must be carried to them ; and the bees gently re- 

 moved to the beard. All operations with bees 

 should be done with great care and moderation. 



If a feeble swann comes out, hive them in a 

 small tier, and place them over another one ; or 

 tTike a top tier from one large enough to spare it, 

 find set it upon the top of the feeble swarm ; intro- 

 duce a lilieet of perforated tin between the tiers ; 

 and the bees \>'il! become sufiiciently acquainted 

 during the following night to form one family. The 

 holes m tlie tin must not be lar.ge onougli to admit 

 the bees to pats through them. The tin may be re- 

 moved in the morning. 



If bees prove hostile while hiving them, let the 

 smoke of burning leather rise among them, and 

 they will immediately beoine peaceaiilc. 



Tier? may be united with small pieces of sheet 

 iron fastened over the joints by screws upon three 

 sicies, omiiting the one next to the wall. 



The liole in the top of the hives must be cover- 

 ed by a bGa.rd screwed on, wlien the hive is to re- 

 ceive a new swarm. 



Wlien the bees have swarmed once, it is in most 

 cases best to put u'Uier a new tier.- This will be 

 likely to prevent additional swarms. One bwano 

 in a season is better than more. Put under nev/ 

 tiers whenever the bees lack room. 

 .'irtijicial Sicarms. 

 To produce new swarms, t ike two false bottoins, 

 with a hole in the corner of each, similar to that 



in the spout, the edges of which, where tlie false 

 bottoms come together, must rest upon the partition 

 in the centre of the apout ; that when the dividers 

 are introduced under the false bottom, it will close 

 the avenue, and thus prevent the escape of the 

 bees. Place a tier on each of the false bottoms, of 

 equal height (about one foot;) upon the top of each 

 tier i>lace a false cover ; after which prepare a 

 board )il inches long, and l(i wide, groove the 

 board one inch from the end, half an inch deep, in- 

 sert a ledge which v.'ill rise h.alf .TU inch above the 

 surface of the board ; raise a ledge of the same 

 height upon each edge. Place the board thus fit- 

 ted upon the centres of the two covers, with the 

 ledges ddwmvard, to leave a space of half an inch 

 between the board and the upper covers. The re- 

 maining part of the tiers must be covered with a 

 suitable board fastened with screws. The centre 

 board must have holes to correspond with the holes 

 in the false bottom, which is to be placed upon it. 

 Upon the top ofthis false boltotn set the hive contain- 

 ing the bees ; and they will voluntaril}' descend and 

 commence operations in the lower tiers. When 

 filled vv-ilh comb and a young brood, they may be 

 separated, and each will become an indepeii lent 

 colony. If the proprietor choose to save the hon- 

 ey in the old hive, he can take it away and let tjie 

 bees return before separating the young ones. The 

 lower tiei should have a glass in one side that tiieir 

 progress may be observed. This glass must be 

 covered with a slide, to exclude the light, as bees 

 will not carry on their work :n the light. Anoth- 

 er mode of producing artificial swarms, is to take a 

 hive of four tiers, put the upper and lower tiers 

 together, and they will form one swa m ; the re- 

 maining two will make another. This sliould be 

 done in that season of the ye.ar when the hives are 

 filled with young brood, and in the evening of a 

 rainy d*',y. The hive which is removed should be 

 located as far as possible from the stand it occupi- 

 ed before. 



The Feeder. 

 Tile feeder should remain under the hive in the 

 spring until all the foreign matter is removed from 

 the hive; then the hive with the false bottom may 

 be set upon the cement floor. If the feeder is kept 

 under the hive throusrh the season, the large slide 

 in it must be kept closed to prevent the bees from 

 building in the t»:eder. The holes in the cover of 

 tlie feeder may be made to correspond with the 

 holes in the filse bottom, if the feeder is to re- 

 main. 



Feeding Bees. 

 Bees should be fed from the time they first come 

 out in the spring until blossoms are suinciently 

 plenty. They may be fed with sugar from a mo- 

 lasses hogshead, mixed with water, in the propor- 

 tion of tv,"o parts of water to one of sugar; or with 

 foreign hone)-, mixed with an equal quantity of wa- 

 ter. I'V'oding bees in this manner affords a double 

 profit; for they will raise their young in spring up- 

 on it, and carry in a suilictent quantity for the win- 

 ter's use after the llowers have disappeared. If 

 not fed during these periods, they must consume a 

 portion of tile stock already on iiand ; so that the 

 quantity is increased both positively and negative- 

 ly ; that is, ti portion of the former stock is saved 

 as well as mere added. They refuse this kind of 

 food when fiowcrs arc plenty. Molasses should 

 never be given them, for it oi'ten proves fatal, es- 

 pecially in the fall ; tlie alcohol contained in the 

 molasses proving as injurious to them as to iiirai- 

 kiiid. The most convenient vessels for feeding 

 bees, are pans. Let the prepar.at'iOU for fei ding 

 them be turned into the pans, and upon the surface 

 scatter cut straw to prevent them from falling into 

 the svrup. Place the pans out doer.s. 



If neighboring bees are numerous, they may be 

 fed in tlie balcony, which may pr.jject as far as the 

 board that shelters them, with a suitable number cf 

 holes in the lov/er shutters, larje enough to admit 

 but one bee at a time. This will prevent others 

 from intruding. 



They can be fed from a dish raised to thob.jttoni 

 of the covers of the feeder. When it becomes ne- 

 cessary to feed them in the house, the shutters of 

 Lhe balcony shjuld be throvvu open at night to ad- 

 n;it t're.sii air, unless the number cf the b(_es is re- 

 duced. 



.A feeder to exclude intruders maybe construct- 

 ed With five sides, the open side fitte;! to the side 

 of the apiary, and fastened by has;;s to the walls of 

 the house ; and large enough to fill below tlic light- 

 ing stool, witii a .screen in front to udmrt air and 

 Siii:!!! holes if neai'ssary, for the passage of tiie bees. 

 The top may S'-'rve as a lid. 



Bees, v.'lien fed in a confined situation, mu>:t be 

 supplied with a cup of fresh v.'atcr every driy, set :n 

 the feeder, with a perforated piece of v,0"d to pre- 

 vent the bees from being drowned. 



Dicidees. 

 The best material for dividers is cast steel plates. 

 Sheet iron or copper will answer. 'I'lie ilivider 

 should be as wide as the hive, and a little longer, 

 one end being rolled up to prevent warping. 



When a hive is to be removed, two dividers must 

 be used; one to prevent the escape of bees from the 

 hive taken away, and the other secures those in the 

 one remaining. If the hive is to be divided in two 

 places, four will be required. 



Bees may be transported any distance in a sleigh 

 or spring carriage, with careful driving. Spring is 

 the best time. 



Iluto to 7iiahe Jiees labor. 

 If the bet i refuse to labor in the sprinor, or at a- 

 ny other time, it is an indication that the queen is 

 dead. When this occurs, take a tier from a swarm 

 which can spare it, when there is a young brood, 

 place it under, or U|ioii the top of the destitute hive. 

 If there are queen eggs deposited, as is almost uni- 

 versally the ease, the bees will soon elevate a sov 

 ereign to tlie throne, and then commence their an- 

 nual task. 



The erroneous idea entertained by some, that 

 workers can be metamorphosed into queens, is too 

 absurd to require a labored refutation. jVatural 

 laws in relation to bees are as fixed and immutable 

 as those which continue in being and prolong any 

 other species of animals. 



It is equally repugnant to the goodness of a be- 

 neficent Creator, who created bees with other ani- 

 mals and insects for the benefit of man, to suppo.fe 

 that he has so arranged tlic laws of nature that all 

 animals may be exchanged from one proprietor to 

 another for any kind of compensation except bees 

 This relic of superstition should be abolished. 



That people sometimes suffer loss in bees, is true, 

 but this may be attributed to a thousand different 

 causes — all depending on the existing circumstan- 

 ces. Doubtless one of the most frequent causes of 

 loss in this kind of property, is a want of knowl- 

 edge in the mana.tjenient and inattention. Manj' per- 

 sons suppose that all they have to do is to pur- 

 chase a swarm, set them upon a bench, and t'urnish 

 new hives for young swarms as they come along. 

 This a great mistake. Bees can be made as profit- 

 able as any other kind of stock, and often more so, 

 with as little risk. But to secure this result, a 

 practical knowledge of their management, and 

 proper attention, are absolutely requisite ; and this 

 knowledge is within the reach of every person, and 

 can be easily obtained. 



If the public v.-ould know more as to the com- 

 parative profits of my improved sj'stem for the cul- 

 tivation of the Cee, contrasted with the old system 

 of managing them, I can state, that for more than 

 thirty years previous to the three last years, while 

 living on 111}' farm, I owned every year from five to 

 thirty-si.x swarms of Bees. I kept them in com- 

 mon board hives, and took good care of them, plac- 

 ing them in an open shed. I lost in one year, from 

 the severity and variableness of the weatiier, 22 

 swarms. And in almost every year I lost more or 

 less from other causes. I derived but a trifling 

 profit from my bees during the whole time, and 

 when I received my profits I was put to the pain- 

 ful necessity of killing my benefactors and plun- 

 dering their sweet stores ; — a practice about as ne- 

 cessary and severe, as it is for the pirate to jilunder 

 the honest merchantman on the high seas. 



For the last three years, under the operation of 

 my improved system, I have kept from 15 to y.i> 

 swarms. From the experiments that 1 have made, 

 I think that lean safely state shat they will annu- 

 ally double their stock. They have been able to 

 spare from the upper tier of boxes, annually, from 

 '^.■> to 50 lbs. of Jjoney according to tlie strengih of 

 the swarms, still leaving food suflicient to sustain 

 the swarm well. The honey thus taken, is, there- 

 fore, in the most perfect state of any in the hive. 

 Good sv^'arms, in aildition to the ipiantit}' f'urnish- 

 ed in file upper bo.x tier, will likewise fill and spare 

 not less than nine glass jars, containing from two 

 to three pouuLis of the finej^t quality of iioney, or 

 an equal quantity in drav/crs or boxes, as the own- 

 er may prefer. I have in no instance bern under 

 the necessity of killing by fire or brimstone, or in 

 any other way, a s-ngle bee. Nor have I Inst any 

 thing, or been molested by the miller, or by the va- 

 riable temperature of the atmosphere, or by "robbery, 

 or any cf the causes that used to operate in depriv- 

 ing me of this; useful animal. 



"At the last show of the Merrimack County Ag- 

 ricultural S iciety, holden at H spkinton, in Octo- 

 lier, iH3:^, I exhibited a model of my Bee-House 

 and .nppendages. The committee on the best arti- 

 cles el' Special Impr'.-rement, consisting of Wm. 

 A. Kent, Isaac Udl, Joseph Low, Cyrus Barton, 

 John Eastman, Jr., James Eaton, all of Concord, 

 arid Matthew Harvey, Nathaniel Curtis and Hor- 



