194 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



June 22, 



For the American Bee Journal. 



Are Bees a Nuisance? 



J. H. MARTIN. 



Mr. Heddon wishes for information 

 about bees being a nuisance. There 

 has one case of the kind come to my 

 knowledge. An apiarist in Vermont 

 built up a very tine apiary of black 

 bees, and took pride in keeping it in or- 

 der, beautifying it with flowers and 

 rose plants. He secured great yields 

 from his 60 or 70 colonies, and was pros- 

 pering finely in the business. 



This apiary was located in a small 

 hamlet of half a dozen houses. The 

 nearest neighbor on the south was close 

 to the apiary ; the yard also faced the 

 public highway. Neighbors on the 

 south being so near the bees, members 

 of the family were frequently stung, 

 but our bee-keeper was indifferent to 

 pains and swellings, and rather enjoyed 

 the fun. There was so much complaint 

 from this neighbor that our bee-keeper 

 thought of the brilliant idea of running 

 a high board fence along the south side 

 of his apiary, and within a foot of his 

 neighbor's house The idea was put 

 into execution soon after being born, 

 and 2 windows that were a pleasure to 

 the family, were rendered useless and 

 darkened by the high board fence. 



The ire of the neighbor was aroused. 

 He knew that besides members of his 

 family, members of other families on 

 the north and horses on the highway 

 had been stung. An organized effort 

 was then made against the man with 

 bees, and they were complained of as a 

 nuisance. 



The selectmen of the town were 

 called upon to investigate the matter. 

 They came and hitched their horses 

 upon the highway— one of the horses 

 was stung, and the apiary was soon de- 

 cided to be a nuisance, and the bee- 

 keeper was compeiled to remove it to 

 an orchard several rods from the high- 

 way. The board fence, however, still 

 stands. 



Now, we claim that if our bee-keeper 

 had been upon friendly terms with his 

 neighbors, and given them a pound of 

 honey now and then to alleviate the 

 pain, and had shown any sympathy 

 whatever for their sufferings, his tine 

 apiary would never have been removed; 

 charity and kindliness would have 

 made them friends and defenders, in- 

 stead of enemies. 



This is the only case of bees being 

 considered a nuisance that has come 

 under my notice, and the bee-keeper 

 himself is clearly to blame. 



Hartford, N. Y., June 11, 1881. 



For the American Bee Journal. 



Upward Ventilation. 



F. H. MINER. 



In a review of my former article on 

 the above subject, Mr. Doolittle on page 

 65 of the Bee Journal for March, says 

 bees in a tree cut out the part softened 

 by decay above and around them, and 

 glaze to get a good condensing surface 

 to prevent absorption, which would de- 

 prive them of water, hasten decay, and 

 ruin their work. He says " they go in 

 at the top ;" if so, they must be in a bad 

 fix. All upward-ventilationists agree 

 they must have tight tops to maintain a 

 breeding temperature in spring, but 

 can breed very well in winter witli a big 

 hole above them, and the thermometer 

 30° below zero. He further says my 

 predictions of "great losses are all 

 groundless ;" I wish it was so. True, 

 they did not smother — witli open tops, 

 nobody said they would— but wore out 

 creating heat. He calls my attention 

 to the hollow tree. There is where I 

 studied my lessons, and was under the 

 impression he laid tl.e losses to the old 

 basswood-gum men. I have examined 

 a great many trees, and inquired of bee- 

 hunters, and with very few exceptions 

 bees go in at the bottom or side ; the 

 decayed wood, kept dry by glazing, is a 

 good non-conductor. He further says, 

 with upward ventilation the bees make 

 the circulation. Just so ; where there 

 is life there is heat ; hot air is light, and 

 rising, escapes where there is a big hole 

 in the top, while the cold outside air is 

 heavier, and (lows in to supply the 



vacuum ; the more heat they generate 

 the faster it escapes, the movement be- 

 ing determined by the difference be- 

 tween outside and inside temperature. 

 It- is impossible to be comfortable in 

 such a place; contraction is the resource, 

 the increased consumption of honey and 

 air. the sources of water, make too 

 much, and it condenses and congeals too 

 near the bees, because our hivesarecold, 

 ill-shaped, too much radiating surface, 

 and too thin. They perish in the cold 

 season ; cold and wet does it. Mr. 

 Doolittle does not believe in giving 

 water — all right; nature does that if 

 we do away with absorbents. He says 

 they should not breed early, but nature 

 takes no counsel of us ; she lias given 

 instinctive foreknowledge we cannot 

 safely interfere with. I find it difficult 

 to confine them until pollen is plenty ; 

 they seem to know when the outside air 

 is wanm. and get uneasy. 



Mr. Doolittle says the majority of 

 apiarists believe in upward ventilation : 

 that is encouraging. I remember when 

 they were all that way, and I was a her- 

 etic. The writers, the masses, never 

 adopted an error so contrary to nature, 

 and unknowingly took Francis Huber's 

 advice to study nature. Burket says 

 he has a colony which has been in a gum 

 for 20 years, and with other old bee- 

 keepers says they are best to winter in ; 

 as they are spherical, narrow and easily 

 warmed ; the Deity sends them there 

 for a home, and he knows almost as 

 much as we do. though we do not think 

 so or we would not sneer at the old log 

 gum Mr. D. speaks of a large hole 

 near the top for the bees to go in and 

 out, which prevented losses. Forty-one 

 years ago I was green enough totry a 

 fly-hole just under the cover. The bees 

 made a stopper of their bodies to retain 

 the heat for comb-building and breed 

 ing purposes, contracted the hole with 

 propolis, allowed no ingress or egress, 

 and used a fly-hole lower down. 



The upward ventilation theory re- 

 quires changes and attention which 

 could not be given in a state of nature 

 — a little water on a sponge, closing the 

 top in the spring, etc. Thus, condition 

 must do for all seasons, and if ever 

 practical, it is only in artificial circum- 

 stances, while lower ventilation is adap- 

 ted to all times and situations. The 

 bees come out and go back, thus con- 

 trolling the temperature at all times. 

 Our frequent and severe losses, and the 

 great difference in essentials between 

 practical men. proves we have not much 

 wisdom. I want no absorbents about 

 my bees to hold moisture, because it 

 will freeze and remain to keep them 

 wet. I have tried many kinds of hives, 

 and think the surplus water should go 

 out below, as in a state of nature. Un- 

 less our teachers can tell me something 

 better. I may go back to that old con- 

 temptible log gum. I know they will 

 winter there. 



Crescent City, 111. 



For the American Bee Journal. 



Keeping Bees on Stilts. 



vv. G. P. 



Mr. Hopeful concluded he would 

 keep bees. He was fully persuaded 

 in his own mind that it wits the most 

 fascinating and profitable avocation on 

 the face of the earth. Had he not 

 looked through the "A B C of Bee-Cul- 

 ture." and digested several whole chap- 

 ters of Cook's "Manual of Bee- Keep- 

 ing," and fairly got the "Blessed Bees'' 

 by heart ? Could he not expatiate upon 

 the wonderful accomplishments of the 

 winged insect — the busy bee— and even 

 soar up into the sublime heights of po- 

 etic thought as he dwelt upon their 

 manifest agency in the affairs of na- 

 ture ? Surely 100 colonies would just 

 "set him up," because, according to 

 John Allen, they ought to yield at least 

 500 lbs. per colony ; and certainly after 

 friend Hasty got his improved clover 

 into operation, one could double that 

 yield. Good Mrs. Hopeful mildly sug- 

 gested that, though it certainly looked 

 promising, she once knew a man who 

 only got }i of that amount from 2 colo- 

 nies, and thought he did pretty well. 

 Mr. Hopeful rather impatiently said 

 something that sounded like Jack— ,and 

 then proceeded to enlighten the sadly 



informed Mrs. H. upon the subject of 

 bee-culture. 



As in deep fervency of spirit he pro- 

 ceeded to enlarge upon the mysteries of 

 scientific apiculture, dear little Mrs. 

 Hopeful's heart also began to expand 

 towards him, and she was heard to ex- 

 claim in an undertone, " ha me, how 

 much he does know." Yes. bee-keep- 

 ing, he reasoned, was certainly his 

 special province, for who ever heard of 

 an individual that could " talk bees," 

 that wasn't bound to succeed with 

 them 'i True, says he, Doolittle and 

 others have uttered cautions and ad- 

 vised beginners to "make haste slowly," 

 but of course they are only croaking. 

 " Give me the bees and I'll show 'em." 

 As good luck ( V) would have it, along 

 came Tom Clieat that evening, and 

 hearing that Mr. Hopeful had a violent 

 attack of the bee-fever, slipped in to 

 see him (you see friend Hopeful had 

 fairly made his neighbor's ears buzz by 

 his incessant talk about bees). Tom 

 had about 40 "gums" (how contempt- 

 uously Hopeful smiled in his sleeve on 

 hearing that last word) and would sell 

 them at the low price of S6.50 each, just 

 because he hadn't the time to spare to 

 "tenfi 'em." Furthermore, he heard 

 Bill Slambanger remark that his (Tom's) 

 bees were the " rale Itland bees." That 

 last remark was a clincher for Hopeful; 

 he closed the bargain on Tom's terms, 

 then and there. Surely being Italian 

 bees they were a bargain. What if it 

 did finally compel him to sell his best 

 cow to replace this outlay V Italian 

 bees wern't to be bought every day and 

 money wasn't an object in comparison. 

 Tom, being severely troubled with 

 corns, it would, he said, greatly oblige 

 him if neighbor Hopeful would come 

 himself and remove the bees. Hopeful 

 readily assenting. Tom smiled as hea- 

 then Chinese are supposed to, and jin- 

 gling his cash, was off. 



It was on a salubrious spring morn- 

 ing, not many hours after this, that our 

 esteemed friend went after his pur- 

 chase. He hitched up to the old spring- 

 less farm wagon, of course, as it would 

 hold the most. Son John accompanied 

 him ; he was anxious to get his " pets " 

 home before they "thawed out," for it 

 didn't require " book laming " to teach 

 him that bees "froze up" during the 

 cool months the same as bears, etc. Ar- 

 riving at Tom's he bethought himself 

 to look at the little beauties, and be as- 

 sured, to use his words, "that they were 

 still torpidized." Sure enough, as he 

 boldly peeped under several stands, 

 there they were, so quiet, and still, and 

 stiff. Why -he could (he declared to 

 John) put his hand right up beside 

 them and not so much as feel them stir, 

 unless it was to drop to the bottom- 

 board. He was delighted ; he looked 

 at still another. This was somewhat 

 heavier. He enjoyed to fondle these 

 "darlings," but so suddenly and very 

 energetically he withdrew his hand, 

 snapped his fingers, and John asserts 

 down to this day that he uttered an ex- 

 clamation that sounded very much 

 like "golly" — anyway, he quickly re- 

 marked that he gussed he wouldn't ex- 

 examine any more. Tom. suggested 

 putting an old bag over some of those 

 that he was afraid had been awakened 

 by wood chopping in the next yard. 

 This was very thoughtful of Tom. So 

 they loaded them up — the whole 40— 

 thanks to Tom's ingenuity, and drove 

 off. John was assigned the driver's 

 seat, while the proud father rode astride 

 the load to direct the movements of 

 the precious freight. All went smoothly 

 as need be for the first mile, though 

 John remarked that he thought the old 

 mill dam must have given way again 

 as he heard such a roaring near by. 

 They did not investigate, however, un- 

 til friend Hopeful ordered a halt, as he 

 said, "to pick out the slivers" from 

 his nether limbs. A search revealed 

 the fact that the so-called "gums" were 

 very rough on the exterior, and some of 

 Mr. Hopeful's bees seemed intent upon 

 examining said roughness, as they 

 rushed excitedly up and down the same. 

 But such trifles failed to disturb Mr. 

 H's equinamity. He chose a more fa- 

 vorable seat and the line of travel was 

 resumed. A turn in the road brought 

 them in sight of Mr. Hopeful's peace- 

 ful abode. Suddenly there were signs 

 of excitement exhibited on the part of 



the off horse, and a sudden muscular 

 raising of the hinder limb, which re- 

 sulted in the entire destruction of one 

 of the "gum heads" as the lively ani- 

 mal's hoof dashed into it. Both horses 

 now became remarkably animated. 

 John had no opportunity to investigate, 

 but he was morally certain that he was 

 sitting upon a very rough and much 

 splintered piece of bee-furniture, and 

 that it felt very hot to him. At this 

 juncture the neighbors all say our friend 

 Hopeful was frantically waving his 

 bandanna handkerchief around his 

 head. It was certain, as the horses 

 rusiied frantically into the yard, he was 

 ejaculating something like " not so 

 very torpordised, after all," " worse 

 than hybrids," " get the hartshorn," 

 and other like significant expressions. 

 A future number will perhaps portray 

 Mr. Hopeful's future progress in bee- 

 culture. 



For the American Bee Journal. 



Mi Lamentid Ded. 



It iz ezy tu report disastur, when it 

 don't kum klose to hum. i kan talk 

 purty freely abowt mi nabur's losses, 

 but when litenin striks me i aint quite 

 sow volubel. Mi bea report wood hev 

 bin spred befoar the reders ov the Jour- 

 nal long agow, Butt i wanted 2 git 

 over mi solemnity a little, and alsow 2 

 sea if mi losses went above a hundred 

 pur cent., whicth it haint, thanks 2 a 

 warm spel. The first weak in March 

 found me steppin' hi, and i wuz pre- 

 pairin' an artickle fur the press, on 

 " How 2 winter beas sucksesfully," 

 Butt there waz a hitch in the tune, and 

 it haz gone into the waist baskit or ob- 

 livion, along with mi aspirations and 

 mi prospective hunny krop. Marck 20, 

 1881, waz a sad da fur me. the wether 

 waz warm and old "sol" shone mock- 

 ingly down. A kold snap had inter- 

 veened and i wuz onezy, fur the beas 

 dident seam 2 take in the situation. 

 Now and then a Backteary laden bea 

 wood fly atlwart the yard with a dole- 

 ful dissentary hum that lingerd in mi 

 ears like a funerial nell. 



I notist a slight depreshion in mi feel- 

 ins az i approached and lifted the kuver 

 ov no. 1 — ded, chaff, cos, starvation. 

 No. 2, i lift the kuver tremusly, ded, 

 gone to the land ov shadders packed in 

 chaff. No. 3, ded, 2 much hunney jest 

 out of reach fur a kold snap, snaped 

 their thread of life. No. 4, hibrids, 

 chaff, kombs the most fowlest ever 

 seen, Butt not ded (ded enuff 2 da), i 

 fix em, and proseed 2 No. 5, pure ital- 

 lions and ded, the sweat starts. No. 6 

 to No. 42, awl ded butt won and that 

 purty week. I think of Mother Ship- 

 ton's prophesy relating to the end of 

 the world, and reflect that purhaps the 

 awful fiatt or annihilation hez com- 

 menced in earnest. "And the evenin' 

 and the mornin' waz the first da," 

 March 21. If i rember kerect, i dident 

 sleep a very good slumber the nite be- 

 foar. How kan i keep this thing from 

 mynaborsV shal i keep mum, or face 

 the music like a man 'i waz the thots 

 that drove mi sleep awa, 10 o'clock, a. 

 m. With sett teeth and the aggony ov 

 hopelessness pictered onto my face, i 

 lift the kover of No. 43, a large swellin' 

 under the quilt rivets my attention — it 

 sturs, and presently 5 deer mice, slick 

 and fatt, skampur awa; a hole atone 

 end reveals their base ov supplise. No 

 kloggin' in this hive, bottum-board 

 clean, beas in tine kondition, sum hun- 

 ney and a little brude. What a pity i 

 dident have mice enuff 2 gow round. 

 The mice served a dubble purpose ; 

 they kept the bees dry and free from 

 kloggin', also both beas and mice as- 

 sisted in keepin' up the temperature. 

 Az i sloly butt fully komprehendid the 

 astoundin' revalation that perhaps a 

 fatt wood-chuck in a torpid state, klose 

 to the brude-nest, seperated by a 

 skreen division-board, waz the kee tu 

 unlock the dark mistery ov winterin' 

 beas, I waz overkum with joy. Sixty 

 kolonis moar waz haistily examind and 

 s found alive. Butt the hang-dogg 

 mournfulness which caractized mi first 

 day's performance had given wa 2 an 

 abnormal kalm. That nite i slumberd; 

 in mi dreems I saw mi eiuty hives, now 



