140 



THE GENESEE FARMER. 



June Ja 



^^^^^^Jk^-1. ■'■iJBLTCK SI 



BEES AND BEE HOUSES. 



Eds. Genesee Farmer : — I have been a subscriber 

 to your paper for the past year, (and this day have 

 subscribed for the present year,) and am much pleased 

 with the perusal of the same ; but I am somewhat 

 disappointed that it does not speak more on the sub- 

 ject of Bees, and the best method of, raising and 

 treating them. As there are many within the bounds 

 of your wide circulation interested in this subject, 

 will you Ite so kind as to inform your subscribers in 

 regard to the best way of managing ; or, will some 

 of your correspondents give their views on the sub- 

 ject, and oblige one who has just begun to keep bees ? 

 Sarah S. Sargka>t. — Buffalo, Jlpr'd, 1850. 



We are gratified to be able to inform our corres- 

 pondent that T. B. Mixer, the autlior of the Ameri- 

 can Bec-Kceper's Manual, one of the best books yet 

 published, has promised us a series of articles on the 

 subject, and we think wo may say that Mr. M. is 

 one of the most intelligent bee-cultivators in the 

 world. In preference to giving any remarks of our 

 own, therefore, we await the receipt of these articles, 

 the first of which we shall undoubtedly be able to 

 give in the July number ; in the mean time, we give 

 an engraving of a bee house, and a description from 

 the Mamuil : 



"The above engraving represents an ornamental 

 bee house, from an original design, executed expressly 

 for this work. It is not intended for general use, 

 but as an ornament to lawns or flower gardens. This 

 is the first design of this nature that has been laid 

 before the public, to the best of my knowledge. In 

 all the various works on the honey-bee, published in 

 the old world, I find nothing but the ordinary bee 

 stands of ages past, or simple «heds of no more 

 beauty than a pig sty or a hen roost. That such a 

 structure would truly be an ornament to the flower 

 garden, every one will admit. Why, then, should 

 such bee-houses not be erected ? The cost will not 

 be much. Thirty dollars will sufSce to cover it. 



"It will be perceived that the accompany- 

 ing cut represents an octangular building ; 

 that is, one having eight angles or sides. 

 This affords accommodation for eight hives, 

 or one to each angle. The height should 

 be sufficient to allov/ a person to walk under 

 the lower extremety of the roof with facility, 

 and no higher ; consequently the posts should 

 be about seven feet long. The roof should 

 project over beyond the posts two feet, at 

 least, in order to shade the hives during the 

 heat of the day. The style of architecture 

 may vary according to the taste of the 

 owner ; yet the style of the foregoing cut is 

 not unbecoming, by any means. Instead of 

 having a floor, as is here represented, the 

 posts may be inserted in the ground about 

 two and a half feet, and the area within the 

 posts may be graveled, so as to have a neat 

 and tidy appearance. The portion of the 

 posts placed in the ground should be left 

 untouched, and as large as possible. These 

 posts may either be turned, as they appear 

 in the cut, or they may be boxed in, and 

 made with suitable mouldings to look very 

 well. If they be set into the ground, they 

 should be of some kind of durable wood, and 

 the ends to be put below the surface ought 

 to be charred with fire, to prevent decay. 

 "With box-columns or posts, the style of architec- 

 ture should be changed. A cornice should be run 

 around the structure ; a dental cornice, perhaps, 

 would look well. Every builder, however, will know 

 how to give the best effect to the general appearance 

 of the structure. If the posts be not inserted in the 

 ground, let the floor be laid, and ordinary joists 

 measuring three or four inches will do for the col- 

 umns, if boxed in. In this case it will, perhaps, 

 require some support to prevent the structure from 

 being blown over in a gale. Three or four posts 

 sunk into the grotmd even with the floor, and made 

 fast thereto, would be all that is necessary. 



" The two hives represented in the foregoing cut of 

 bee hsuse, are intended to represent my equilateral 

 hive, as shown in engraving. These hives have a 

 beautiful appearance, and if surmounted by a wooden 

 urn, handsomely turned, the decoration would be com- 

 plete. They rest on pins or legs, as before described, 

 during the spring and 

 summer, and in the 

 winter they are let 

 down, and the open- 

 ings in the front and 

 rear are used. The 

 general rules for the 

 management of bees 

 in other hives apply 

 to these with the same 

 force. One great ad- 

 vantage in an open 

 apiary of this nature :;;5ss*'- 

 is, that it aftbrds the 

 least possible facilities for insect breeding. Every 

 part is exposed, and the broom or the brush applied 

 once a week, thoroughly, will root out every vestige 

 of moths, spiders, wasps, 8ic." 



We have a number of the Bi-c-Kecpcr's Manual, 

 and can therefore furnish copies to those desirous of 

 obtaining the fullest information on the subject. We 

 will also give information in relation to the hives. 



