1881. 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



195 



silent and 'grim, agin teamin' with 

 the bizzy hum ov industry, i saw the 

 price of wood-chucks advancin' and 

 wood-chuck tannin' on a grand skale 

 waz fully developed, and the winterin' 

 ov i ices" waz no more a question than 

 the winterin' of a mule. I wanto gow 

 onto the record az the furst man 2 ute- 

 lize this quadruped ov the klover Held. 

 I have nun 2 sel ami the plan wont be 

 pattented. Deerreder, mi report iz be- 

 foar you and i hope you air satislide. 



Read before the S. W. Wiaronsln Convention. 



Bee-Keeping-Will it Pay? 



NEWELL FRANCE. 



The idea many people have, that bees 

 will take care of themselves, and bring 

 the apiarist large returns for little or no 

 labor, is incorrect and a drawback to 

 bee-keeping, as well as inducing many 

 to engage in the work who are not 

 adapted to it, either in natural taste or 

 love for it, capital to work with, or a 

 sufficient knowledge to insure success. 

 Ignorance of bee-culture is one, if 

 not the greatest cause of failures. Thor- 

 ough knowledge of the business is nec- 

 essary, as well as practical application 

 and hard work. 



Much information can be obtained by 

 reading bee- papers and books, but act- 

 ual practice in Uie apiary is just as nec- 

 essary: in fact the successful bee-keeper 

 must nave both. He must always be 

 willuig and anxious lo learn something 

 for improvement, and if be is so, be 

 will find plenty in advance for him. 



In successful bee-keeping more de- 

 pends upon the bee-keeper than on the 

 kind of hive, bees, or even location, al- 

 though these are important He must 

 have enough interest to know every 

 month the exact condition of each col- 

 ony, their wants, and how to supply 

 them at the proper time. I know not 

 of any other out-door work that de- 

 pends so much on the right thing being 

 done and at the right time. This is es- 

 pecially noticeable in the spring or har- 

 vest season, which, in this latitude, is so 

 short, that a mistake then made may 

 cause great failure. 



He must be observing at all times ; 

 for instance, in the spring or fall, when 

 there is nothing for the bees to gather, 

 he hears a bee tly by with that peculiar 

 hum of robbing — he must immediately 

 find the cause, for if left a day or two 

 he may find some colonies robbed of 

 their stores, and perhaps those bees 

 have become discouraged and left. 



I have found, by experience, that ac- 

 tivity is very important. The apiarist 

 must move around quick, always being 

 careful. Some people can move quick 

 enough, but in so doing are careless, 

 hitting things near by them, etc. This 

 will not do, for often a jar or careless 

 motion causes serious work. 



In obtaining hired help 1 have found 

 that boys 15 to 18 years old will be as 

 careful and very much quicker than 

 grown persons, besides, they do not de- 

 mand as high wages. Some may not 

 see the use of being so careful. 1 will 

 illustrate : I have a frame with a new- 

 comb in it, full of honey, to extract; 1 

 am a little careless and jar the comb in 

 taking it out of the hive, or in sweep- 

 ing bees off, or I may bold the comb a 

 little sideways — the result is the comb 

 is broken and of no more use, and per- 

 haps the honey lost also. Examples of 

 this kind very easily occur at all sea- 

 sons. At some of our conventions we 

 have been asked if we thought such 

 and such a person would succeed in bee- 

 culture. That, of course, neither we 

 nor anyone else knows until they have 

 tried ; but if they have poor eyesight, 

 or are much of a cripple, 1 would not 

 advise them to attempt it. It takes a 

 keen and quick eye as well as good use 

 of hands and feet. I am not of the 

 opinion (which I have seen advanced) 

 that a person of too poor health to do 

 other kinds of labor can retire to the 

 so-called easy work — bee-keeping — and 

 ! make it a success. True, bees are in- 

 teresting to study, and the Italians 



beautiful in color, and will give pleas- 

 ure, even to an invalid, but t much 

 question the prospect of success for 

 such to make it a specialty. With such 

 a winter as we have just had, many bee- 

 keepers of little or much experience are 

 disappointed, and some are discouraged, 

 determined to hereafter buy what honey 

 they want, as it it is cheaper for them 

 than to bother with bees all summer, 

 and when winter comes have such 

 losses. I admit it does look discourag- 

 ing, but he that succeeds must not get 

 discouraged if he does have some 

 losses. See the farmer — does he quit 

 farming because some year his crops 

 fail, or his stock becomes diseased ? ^No. 

 He goes right down to the scientific 

 analysis of ihe cause; finds it, and how 

 to hereafter prevent the same failure, 

 and, in the long run, is benefitted by 

 having had the failure. 



So it is with the successful bee- 

 keeper. If a trying winter comes, he 

 will, if he succeeds, do all in his power 

 to prevent any cause of failure before 

 experienced. He must not be easily- 

 discouraged ; ever determined, success 

 shall be his portion. Generally, one ex- 

 treme follows another. We have had 

 a few years of easy work to succeed, 

 but this last year has brought us the 

 other extreme ; why not look for its re- 

 action in the year approaching ? All 

 bee-keepers, however, do not keep 

 bees to obtain their profit from the 

 honey produced. Many keep bees to 

 rear queens and colonies to sell. This 

 part of bee-keeping is getting to be 

 quite extensive, and. I think many real- 

 ize a far greater profit this way than 

 they would by producing honey. Thus 

 our papers have many articles on Ital- 

 ians, claiming their superiority without 

 practically testing, when, 1 think, the 

 writer's object is to advertise himself as 

 an Italian breeder. 



The Italian bee was first imported 

 into America in September, 1859, and 

 ever since importation and home-breed- 

 ing of queens has beeu constantly 

 gaining, until at present the supply 

 rather exceeds the demand, and im- 

 porters are opening a new field by in- 

 troducing other races of bees. Bees 

 can, and have been greatly improved, 

 but I think much is said when the ob- 

 ject is to help to sell queens. My only 

 objection is, it induces the beginner to 

 place too much confidence on tfie supply 

 dealer's advice. 



Both the honey producer and supply 

 dealer are needed, and call make it a 

 success, if prepared and determined so 

 to do. How many kinds of occupation 

 are there that people engage in and are 

 successful, without first having served 

 some time with some one of practice ? 

 The blacksmith, wagon-maker, miller, 

 carpenter, editor, etc., had to serve con- 

 siderable time in practice or prepara- 

 ration before he was considered capa- 

 ble of doing business for himself. 

 Why, I ask you, is the bee business an 

 exception ? Should not the keeper of 

 bees be schooled and given practice, 

 just as much as the learner of any other 

 trade V Too many are trying to do too 

 many kinds of business at once, to ever 

 make it pay. If he is to be an apiarist, 

 he must not let other business interfere 

 when the bees demand attention. 



Again, if you keep bees can you af- 

 ford to take a paper or not V Yes; most 

 certainly, if you have bees enough to 

 have honey to sell. The best bee-pa- 

 pers are, the Bee Journal, Oleaninys, 

 the Exchange, etc. The best books are, 

 the '-ABC of Bee-Culture," for begin- 

 ners, and Cook's " Manual," for the 

 more advanced and scientific. 



t ions of temperature, the better will 



they pass the winter, the less stores will 



they consume, and the more vigorous 



ami numerous will they be in the spring. 

 The pit may he made I Eeet wide, 1 



feet deep, and the length to depend on 

 the number of colonies to lie put in ; 

 the sides and top should he hoarded, to 

 prevent the loose dirt from falling in. 

 and about inches of straw or hay 

 should he spread on the top to absorb 

 the moisture (before banking lock the 

 dirt), and 2 pipes on each end. 4x6, in- 

 side measure, to give them ventilation. 



If either bees or stores are lacking 

 they should be supplied during warm 

 weather, so that all may be quiet and 

 ready for the winter long enough be- 

 fore it becomes steadily cold. 



All the hives should be examined 

 about Sep. 1, and if they have not 

 enough bees, double them ; extract all 

 the unsealed honey, leaving about 25 

 lbs. of sealed honey for winter, and if 

 most of this is gathered in June, so 

 much the better. Last year I took 4 

 combs of basswood honey, containing 

 25 lbs. in all, and gave it back for them 

 lo winter on, and took away all the late 

 fall honey, and they wintered splen- 

 didly, and are now the best colonies I 

 have ; they seem to be as strong now as 

 in the fall. 



Read before the N. E. Convention. 



Requisites for Wintering Bees. 



Read before the S. W. Wisconsin Convention. 



Wintering Bees in a Pit. 



REESE POWELL. 



A dry pit is very well adapted for 

 wintering bees, even though it be not 

 wholly secure from frost; the tempera- 

 ture will be much milder and more uni- 

 form than in the open air or cellar; the 

 bees will be more secure from disturb- 

 ance and will be. protected from the 

 piercing cold winds, which cause more 

 injury than the greatest degree of cold, 

 where the air is calm. 



Universal experience teaches us that 

 the more effectual bees are protected 

 from disturbance and from the varia- 



H. H. FLICK. 



To a reader of our bee publications it 

 is plain that there are many bee-keepers 

 or persons who keep bees in summer 

 but not in winter; many others have 

 doubtful or ill success in wintering. 



I made my system of winter manage- 

 ment public in Ibis, through the Busy 

 Bee, and have since written various es 

 says for our conventions, upon the 

 same subject: but in bee-culture, as in 

 everything else, we need '* precept upon 

 precept," hence my excuse for again 

 writing upon this threadbare subject. 



A theory is known to be correct, 

 uhen, being put in practice, it proves 

 true. My system is based upon com- 

 mon seuse and well known facts ; is ex- 

 ceedingly simple and easily understood. 

 It was proven successful for 7 succes 

 sive winters, not having lost a single 

 colony by this management, while colo- 

 nies in the same apiary, and others in 

 this vicinity, not cared for as described 

 hereafter, have perished. 



Preparations for successful wintering 

 must commence in spring, as soon as 

 the honey season opens. All colonies 

 must be kept strong. A good bee- 

 keeper will not permit his bees to be re- 

 duced in numbers, either by natural or 

 artificial swarming ; neither will he ex- 

 tract honey from the brood apartment. 

 This is a vital point. Early honey 

 stored by the bees in the brood cham- 

 ber is always good, and if the bees are 

 properly managed, enough good honey 

 will be placed in the brood frames for 

 the bees to subsist on during the sever- 

 est weather. Many bee-keepers make 

 a mistake right here, by extracting all 

 the good honey, and expect the bees to 

 live on fall-gathered sweets. I never 

 extract from the brood chamber, but 

 keep good vigorous queens, and abun- 

 dant surplus room, and I never find 

 the queen crowded with honey, neither 

 have 1 a complaint about late breeding. 

 Frost usually kills all honey-producing 

 flora during the latter part of Septem- 

 ber, and our bees never breed in Octo- 

 ber, yet they always winter and spring 

 safely. 



We are situated in 40° north latitude; 

 elevation above the tide water, 2,200 

 feet. We are located in the valley be- 

 tween the Allegheny and Laurel Ridge 

 mountains, and our winters and springs 

 are pretty long and severe, on account 

 of our high latitude. 



If there are any weak colonies in the 

 fall, they must be united, and if any 

 are short of stores, they must be pro- 

 vided for by giving combs from those 

 colonies that have too much. No col- 

 ony should go into winter quarters with 

 less than 30 pounds of good honey ; 

 more will do no harm, and it must be 

 in as compact a form as possible. To 

 have the stores for winter spread over 

 8 or 10 combs will never do, as the clus- 

 ter of bees cannot change combs in 

 cold weather. 



The size and shape of the frame, has 

 much to do with successful wintering; 

 the frame 1 use is 13x19 inches outside 

 dimensions. By using this sized frame 

 the bees have the sealed honey above, 

 and rearward of the cluster, the wann- 

 est part of the hive. As the honey in 

 the forepart of the combs is consumed, 

 the cluster gradually moves back. 



liming the breeding season we use 

 7 of these frames. In the fall we con- 

 i rait to 5 or 0. These are placed in the 

 centre of the stand ; across the top bars 

 I lay 3 or 4 sticks % in. square, and 

 cover with a good woolen quilt. These 

 sticks permit the bees to pass over the 

 top bars from one comb to another. I 

 also have passage holes 3 or 4 inches be- 

 low the top bars in the combs, thus 

 giving access to all parts of the hive. 



By placing the combs in the middle 

 of the outer case, or house, an empty 

 space is left on all sides between the 

 brood chamber and outer case. This is 

 tilled with chaff or finely cut straw. The 

 space above the quilt is also covered 

 with the same material, to a depth of 

 17 inches. This keeps the bees warm 

 by retaining the animal heat, guarding 

 against sudden changes of temperature, 

 tnd insensibly carrying off the vapor, 

 exhaled by the bees. Under the roof 

 at each end, 1 have ventilators to per- 

 mit free circulation of air above the 

 chaff to prevent moisture from collect- 

 ing in the packing. Bees packed in 

 this way need very little ventilation. 



In the winter of 1878-9, about %, of 

 our bee-houses were entirely covered 

 with snow for 2 or 3 weeks, the winter 

 being a severe one, but no ill effects 

 followed ; swarming commenced as 

 early as the 5lh of May. 



1 close the entrance to about % inch, 

 and the portico slides brought together 

 within about ^ inch — the entrances not 

 matching— one being set at the right 

 side of the portico, and the other at the 

 left, thus preventing cold draughts of 

 air or snow from entering direct. This 

 also makes it impossible for mice to 

 enter. Whatever hive may be used, 

 care must be exercised to exclude mice; 

 the entrance must be well guarded 

 against these depredators. 



Luring the winter, on mild days, 

 when bees tly, the entrance can be en- 

 larged, and the bees may be assisted in 

 removing dead bees and litter, when 

 long confined; this, however, is not 

 necessary, only a help. For this pur- 

 pose a long handled scraper, made from 

 heavy wire, should be used. The re- 

 fuse of the hive should be scraped into 

 a receptacle, and carried away from the 

 apiary. The manure heap is the best 

 place for such filth. At other times the 

 bees should not be disturbed, but let 

 severely alone. The packing may re- 

 main until warm weather, according to 

 locality, when it must be taken out 

 clean, the colony- inspected, and put in 

 shape for its summer labors. 



There are 7 fundamental principles : 

 1. We must have all colonies strong ; 2. 

 each must have a fertile queen ; 3. plen- 

 ty of good food easy of access ; 4. never 

 extract honey from brood frames ; 5. a 

 frame of the proper size and shape; 6. 

 passage way across and through combs; 

 7. ample protection against the sudden 

 changes of temperature, whilst properly 

 ventilated so as to insensibly carry off 

 the moisture exhaled by the bees. 

 The advantages of this system are : 



1. There is no trouble in carrying 

 heavy hives to and from the cellar. 



2. Bees can tly any time during the 

 winter when the' weather will permit. 



3. During cold weather in spring, 

 packed hives are warm, and bees breed 

 much more rapidly than in any other 

 way. 



4. The preparing and packing for 

 winter can be done during early fall at 

 leisure times, and when packed they 

 need no more attention till spring ex- 

 cept to enlarge the entrances once or 

 twice during mild weather. 



5. We find no moldy combs or dis- 

 eased bees. 



6. Bees wintered in this way in pure 

 air are strong and vigorous, breed up 

 early, and "spring dwindling" is un- 

 known. 



7. There is satisfaction in knowing 

 that your bees are comfortable, and by 

 safely wintering all your colonies you 

 find them strong when the honey sea- 

 son opens. 



Lavansville, Pa. 



