No. 11. 



Poetry — Female Influence, ^'C. 



349 



near the top, the other ahont tlie centre of the 

 cap, in wliich tlie smoke of a burning rag id 



blown to drive the bees from the cap into the 

 long box, which can be known by striking the 

 caps. When they arc all in the long box, 

 a knife or wire should be drawn under the 

 bottom of the cap to separate tiie comb from 

 tlie box, when the cap of honey may be re- 

 moved, and an empty one put in its place. — 

 No. 4 and 5 are tubes three inches scjuare, to 

 convey the bees from one box to another, that 

 one swarm of bees may do the whole, or if 

 one or more swarms be put in each box, that 

 they may become as one, as they will not per- 

 mit more than one king when put together, 

 by which they are prevented from destroying 

 themselves by fighting. A house of this de- 

 scription, when the long boxes are filled, will 

 afford, at a moderate calculation, ninety-six 

 gallons of honey in the comb annually. 



MORE ABOUT BEKS. 



The Genessee Farmer of April 27 contains 

 a very interesting communication on the sub- 

 ject of bees, from Windsor, Ohio. It is as 

 follows : 



In the year 1836, I erected a building for 

 the joint purpose of a piggery, steaming, or 

 boiling apparatus, farmer's shop, &c. "^he 

 upper story is used for a corn house, except 

 at the east end, which is occupied by an in- 

 dustrious colony of bees. They work in a 

 box three feet wide, three feet deep, fourteen 

 feet long; divided into three apartments ; those 

 apartments are furnished wit!) a number of' 

 horizontal shelves and a door ateacii end, that 

 I can open at leisure, and have a fair view of 

 the workmen, and when so disposed take a' 

 share of the sweets of tlicir labor. The way 

 in which the bees are removed from the old 

 stock, is after the following manner: I con- 

 structed three boxes (not so large as the com- 

 mon bee-hive) in which I put the three first 

 swarms that come out, and set one on each of ; 

 the above apartments, which has in each three 

 one inch auger holes, so that the bees can p iss 

 through into the large box. They soon filled 

 tlie small boxes and then went to work below ; 

 and, sir, if I am a judge of industry, I should 

 6ay that " they and work never had any falling 

 out." The centre swarm appeared to rather ' 



ontdo their neighbors; they increased rapidly 

 and filled up their apartment beyond my ex- 

 pectation. But, Mr. Editor, a singular cir- 

 cumstance has occurred with my bees, which 

 I do not fiilly understand. IJas tiie bee any 

 knowledge of grandeur, or docs he prefer a 

 lioiise that is done off in gorxl style and well 

 painted, to one that is not so finished ! 



I will state the circumstance. As my bee3 

 have been a source of profit to me fiira num- 

 ber of years, I tliought I could aftiird to build 

 them a suitable dwelling. Accordingly in the 

 spring of 1837, I erected a hovel four feet 

 square, posts six feet high, enclosed on one side 

 by a door, divided into six rooms, with drawers 

 to fit exactly each room, &c. The first swarm 

 that came out had the occupancy of said house, 

 and they appeared to be very well suited with 

 their new habitation. Now for my mystery. 

 Sometime in October last, I went up into tl^e 

 chamber to see how the bees maiiaafe affairs, 

 and on opening the door of the centre apart- 

 ment, there was scarcely a bee to be found ; 

 they had left their well stored habitation for 

 some cause unknown to me. In my daily in- 

 spection I never had noticed any civil or hos- 

 tile war declared against them. All appeared 

 to be on friendly terms wjth " neigliboring or 

 foreign nations." I observed however that the 

 bees in the iiext building had to all appear- 

 ance greatly increased. 1 watched their move- 

 ments, and found that they were busily em- 

 ployed in " removing their deposites" from the 

 old vaults to the new. Thinks 1 to myself, 

 my hearties, if this is your plan — if the new 

 house suits your fancy better than the one you 

 left — if you can agree to work and live to- 

 gether on friendly terms — why, I have no ob- 

 jections. Well, sir, they appear to be doing 

 a good business. 



After the bees had finished removing their 

 "deposites," and were satisfied that they had an 

 ample supply for the winter, I examined their 

 store-house, to see if they had been liberal 

 enough to leave any for me, and I found they 

 had left nearly one hundred weight of the 

 finest honey I ever saw. I think that my bees 

 do much better to give them a good house, 

 and a plenty of room, than they did in the 

 common bee-hive. It is certainly less trou- 

 ble to take care of them. I salt them occa- 

 sionally, as I do my cattle or sheep. As to the 

 bee-moth, they have never troubled my bees. 



Poetry— Female Influence^ &c. 



To the Editor of the Farmers' Cabinet. 



Sir, — On returning from my daily task, 

 that of turning an acre of land with one of 

 " Prouty's Long-sods," I found my wife and 

 daughters busily engaged witii the May num- 

 ber o*' the Cabinet, m the hope of finding 

 more poetry like that most exquisite "Hymn 



