182 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL AND GAZETTE. 



swarming impulse, is undeniable; and where 

 swarms are desired, this fact should be turned 

 to account. But if bees are to gather honey 

 with energy and success on warm days, the 

 hives must be in a cool and shady location. 



A western exposure is generally to be avoided, 

 as our heavy, dashing gusts and rain storms 

 usually come from that quarter. From our own 

 experience, however, we do not regard it as so 

 injurious as commonly supposed. We should 

 not, of course, select it as a matter of choice, but 

 where circumstances left us no option, we would 

 unhesitatingly adopt it. 



For the Americau Bee Journal. 



The Experience of a Novice in Bee- 

 keeping. 



[continued from MAllCn NUM3ER.] 



I left otf in my last article as I sat watching, 

 just at daybreak, for the tirst bee to make his 

 ai)j)carance, Avhich it did as soon as it was light 

 enough. But from the disturbance of the night 

 belbi'e, or from the unusual surroundings, it 

 seemed to think proper to make a few tours of 

 inspection about its new abode before leaving 

 for the fields. 



It was soon followed by another, and then 

 two, three, half a dozen, until wc had quite a 

 scene of activity; all hovering about witli their 

 head turned toward the hive, to mark its loca- 

 tion. 



After having been called several times in vain 

 to breakfast, I finally concluded that they would 

 work just as Avell without being watched, which 

 is saying more than we could safch^ say of many 

 human beings. 



I had, before this, manufac1»ared aLangstroth 

 frame-hive, and taken great pride in having it 

 Avell made, just as he recommends in his book, 

 and began to feel very anxious to see how much 

 better they work in the improved hive than in 

 the one thej' then occupied. 



Mr. Langstroth's direction for transferring 

 were rather brief for a beginner, but I had un- 

 bounded confidence in my skill with bees, after 

 having read so much on the subject, and 

 intended to transfer them as soon as they liad 

 got a little used to their location. 



But in the afternoon they seemed so much at 

 home, that I concluded that the thing might be 

 managed aljnost without their knowing it. It 

 is true it was a hot day, and Mr. L. cautious us 

 about handling honey-combs in hot Aveather 

 particularly, and njy wife bid me remember my 

 prevailing fault of doing everything in a hurry 

 just when I happened to take a fancy for any 

 l)articular subject. But I could not bear to 

 tiiink of my bees being any longer Avithout the 

 •rrcat conveniences of movable frame-hives, so 

 ir.insfer was the order of the day, or rather P. 



:.i 



I had provided a bee-liat, (a clumsy wii"e- 

 cloth institution, before I had learned that a 

 piece of millinet drawn round a common hat 

 Avas much better,) gloves, &c. Commenced by 

 blowing in a little smoke, and turned the hive 

 boUom-up, removed the slidiuf/ bo to la-hoavd 

 placed on my enii)ty box dccovhive in jilacefo 



catch returning bees, and felt considerably ela- 

 ted at my success, as they seemed perfectly 

 tiiunderstruck, and of course perfectly docile. 

 For a decoy-hiA'e to catch returning bees I had 

 used my new hive, thus, as I thought then, kil- 

 ling two birds Avith one stone, as I supposed 

 they Avould go right in and at Avork. But it Avas 

 so unlike their former home that they only flcAV 

 around in dismay, and refused to even so much 

 as look inside. 



Well, Langstroth's Avork (that Avas prepared 

 near by Avith a heavy chisel across it to hold it 

 open) informed me that the next thing Avas to 

 drive them into the box, which I did systema- 

 tically, and removed the box and bees to a 

 smooth board, so that they might not fly away 

 as my first ones had done. I soon demonstra- 

 ted fully that bees must have ventilation not- 

 withstanding a correspondent (in your Febru- 

 ary number) theorizing to prove the contrarj^; 

 and Avho that has had much to doAvith bcesL:as 

 not seen them smother. 



NoAV, the next thing, according to the bonk, 

 AVas to pry ofl" one side of the hive with the stout 

 chisel aforesaid. All right; but the hive Avas 

 screAved together with A^ery heavy screws that 

 were so rusted in that the heaviest driver 

 Avould do nothing more than to spoil their 

 heads. 



As a last resort the combs must be taken out 

 at the bottom, and one side, Avhere there had 

 been a light of glass, which I removed; and 

 in consequence, (as the combs Avere pretty full, 

 it being August,) some of the combs did 'get a 

 leeiie bruised in removing, so much .so in fact, 

 that I called to my Avife for a large pan, and 

 poured the honey out of the hive Into it; bees 

 and ail, as some of them remained in the hive. 

 1 hese were strained out and carried back to 

 lick each ollitr off as the books said they Avould, 

 and I busied myself in tying combs — such as I 

 could — into the frames, thinking at the same 

 tijne that there seemed to be a grcdt many bees 

 about, but supposed it to be those that av ere out 

 foraging. 



I felt quite relieved after getting the last piece 

 into the frames, and put them safely in the liive, 

 where it had stood all the time. 



The next thing Avas to put the bees in. Ou 

 opening my box they looked about as bad as 

 those that had been strained out of the honey. 

 I put some in front, and they Avould not crawl 

 in, (fly they could not,) and finally put the 

 wiiole on top of the frames, and poked them 

 down through; but they only craAvled out again 

 down into the dirt, until the ground looketl as 

 if so many ants Avere craAvliug in every direc- 

 tion. A part of them that Avere better otf Avonld 

 persist in clusteiing up by the AviudoAV, on the 

 roof overhead; in short, anywliere except in 

 that Langstrolli hive. 



Finally, after much time and trouble by 

 night, I had some of them in the hive, the rob- 

 bers having licked them off, and also having 

 licked their hive out clean — that is, pretly 

 near. 



The robbers were on hand next morning 

 bright and early, but I closed the entrance 

 nearly, and as tiiere Avas not much in the liive, 

 T niHiinged Avith great care to keep them two or 



