THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



203 



Fur the American Bee JoumaL 



Those Big Bee Stories. 



M. >I. BALDUIDGE. 



During 1882 the " boys," in various 

 parts of the country, had "lots" of 

 "fun" telling "yarns" about big 

 crops of honey and immense profits 

 by "fooling with bees." Those 

 " boys " in Texas rather got the start 

 of the rest of us and carried off the 

 belt. It is rather early to begin those 

 " yarns " for 1883, but I don't propose 

 to let the Texas " boys " get the start 

 this year, so I will head the list with 

 what one of our " boys " did, as long 

 ago as I860, to wit: 



A True Bee Story.— On the 1st 

 of February, 1860, the Rev. Hiram 

 Hamilton had 35 colonies of bees near 

 Stockton, California. Twenty-five 

 were in small Langstroth hives, con- 

 taining about 1,400 cubic inches, and 

 the balance were in larger hives con- 

 taining about 2.000 cubic inches. At 

 the above date all the bees were 

 moved from Stockton to Santa Clara, 

 California, and they remained there 

 till July 1, just fivemonths— at which 

 date they had increased to 270 colo- 

 nies. I'he honey season having 

 closed at Santa Clara, the bees were 

 moved back to the vicinity of Stock- 

 ton, whence they started, and by Oct. 

 1,1860, there were .500 colonies ! The 

 10 colonies in large hives increased to 7.5 

 and gave 4,.500 lbs. comb honey. The 

 25 in small hives increased to 425 colo- 

 nies and gave 16,275 lbs. comb honey! 

 From the 35 original colonies there 

 were at the close of the honey season in 

 1860, 20,775 lbs. of comb honey, and an 

 increase of 465 swarms, and all of this 

 was secured without purchasing any 

 bees or any feed ! They were simply 

 managed skillfully and intelligently, 

 by following the teacliings laid down 

 in Mr. Langstroth's excellent book, 

 aided by a magnificent harvest in 

 two very fine locations for honey. 



As honey was worth, in California, 

 about $1.00 per pound in 1860, and as 

 colonies of bees were then in good de- 

 mand, at about §100 each, let us see 

 how this figures : 



465 swarms, at |KiO each 



20,775 lbs. ol comb honey at $1.00 per lb. 



Total 167,275 



This, divided by 35, gives a profit (V) 

 of SI ,922 per colony! Now divide 

 20,775 lbs. of honey by 35 and we have 

 an average of 594 lbs. of comb honey 

 per colony ! It will be seen that the 

 10 colonies in large hives gave an 

 average of 6>^ swarms and 4.50 lbs. of 

 comb lioney per colony ; also, that the 

 25 colonies in small hives gave an 

 average, per colony, of 16 swarms and 

 651 lbs. of comb honey ! 



The above discloses the important 

 fact that the small hives were the 

 most profitable for both swarms and 

 honey, which accords with the ex- 

 perience of the best bee-keepers of to- 

 day. The fact is also disclosed that 

 it does pay sometimes to move bees 

 from one honey range to another. 



Inasmuch as I have headed the 

 foregoing as " A True Bee Story." it 

 may now be well, lest some of the 

 " boys" may have s(ime doubts about 



. $46,SWl 

 . 20,775 



it, to cite my authority : Many of the 

 facts enumerated will be found re- 

 corded on page 126, first volume of 

 this Bee .Journal. 



Now " boys " don't let this " yarn " 

 discourage you "one bit," but press 

 on and let us see who will be the first 

 to equal or even surpass, in honey and 

 swarms, the extraordinary success of 

 Mr. Hamilton— for I have my doubts 

 of its having vet been done. 



St. Charles, 111. 



For tbe American B*;e JournaL 



How to Transfer Bees. 



A. RICE. 



one side of the hive. I can ordinarily 

 transfer a colony while others are 

 drumming the bees. 



From taking the hive from the 

 stand and replacing it, as little time 

 as possible should be lost. It is, 

 therefore, very necessary that every- 

 thing be in readiness, and all done as 

 quickly as possible. It will be ob- 

 served, that by keeping a box or re- 

 ceptacle on top of the hive, during the 

 transferring, it is nearly or quite im- 

 possible to lose the queen, which is of 

 first importance. 



Davis Junction, 111. 



When it is settled and warm 

 weather, and bees are working finely, 

 take the hive containing the bees to 

 be transferred, to some shady place, 

 or to a work-house away from its own 

 stand, as bees do very little fighting 

 away from home. Immediatley place 

 an empty hive or box in the place of 

 hive taken away, to receive the re- 

 turning bees, thereby keeping the 

 bees from going into a neighboring 

 hive, that might be standing near. 

 Turn the hives to be transferred, bot- 

 tom side up ; notice carefully the con- 

 dition of the comb, selecting the side 

 of the hive from which the comb can 

 be most readily removed, after which 

 place some box, nail keg, pail, or any- 

 thing that will partly or fully cover 

 the hive. With hammer and chisel 

 remove the side of the hive selected. 

 Having given the bees a little smoke, 

 a few moments before removal, after 

 removing the side of the hive, a little 

 more smoke may be given, to drive 

 the bees from the first comb, which 

 may then be removed to the frame ; 

 return to the hive and proceed as 

 before, until the last piece of comb is 

 taken from the hive, at which time 

 the bees will have transferred them- 

 selves to the box or hive at their 

 original home, or have passed up into 

 the box that you placed on the top of 

 the hive. After the best of the comb 

 (leaving most or all of drone comb 

 out) is transferred, take the hive to 

 its original stand, and shake the bees 

 from the box or boxes, on a sheet in 

 front of the hive, as in the swarming 

 season. Very thin splints, from pine 

 or cedar, such as will split finely, 

 should be in readiness, 30 to 40 to the 

 hive, securing two splints to 6 or 8 

 frames, with small tacks, that they 

 may be easily removed, and ready to 

 receive the comb. After placing the 

 comb,tack two splints on opposite sides 

 of the frame. 



From one to three weeks after the 

 bees have secured the comb to the 

 frames, the splints should be removed ; 

 after this work is finished, close the 

 hive, so that very few bees can go into 

 tlie hive at once, lest the bees may be 

 robbed. 



Where several colonies are to be 

 transferred, change the transferring 

 stand to a new place, after trans- 

 ferring each one, to keep away from 

 robber bees, which, at times, are very 

 troublesome. 



Do you ask when I did the drnni- 

 mingy I did all the drumming nec- 

 essary in cutting nails and removjng 



For the American Bee Journal. 



Selling Honey in My Home Market. 



W. C. NUTT. 



I have taken quite an interest in the 

 discussions in regard to the merits 

 of the different size of sections. I 

 think we, as producers, should be 

 very careful about changing to a 

 smaller sized section. I have had 

 some experience in furnishing grocery- 

 men with both comb and extracted 

 honey. I have not, as yet, used less 

 than the two-pound section. I was 

 thinking of trying some one-pound 

 boxes this season, but have about 

 concluded to continue with the two- 

 pound sections for the present. 



In conversation with a merchant, 

 last fall, I remarked that, perhaps, I 

 would furnish my honey in a little 

 nicer shape the coming year, as I 

 thought that I should use some one- 

 pound sections. He remarked that 

 two-pound boxes were small enough 

 for him to handle. I should expect to 

 sell in my market a two-pound, one- 

 pound, or half-pound section for about 

 the same price per pound. 



I use the one and two-pound glass 

 jars for extracted honey ; I sell at 15 

 cents per pound; charging 10 cents 

 extra for jars, and taking them back 

 at the same price. Grocerymen gen- 

 erally sell for me on 10 per cent, com- 

 mission where cash is paid me after 

 the honey is sold ; or even trade, if 

 paid in goods. My two-pound jars 

 seem to have the preference. I am 

 quite sure that the half-pound sec- 

 tions would not pay in my market, 

 and will never be called for unless put 

 on the market. 



I examined my bees yesterday ; all 

 answered to the roll call, and most of 

 them are apparently in good condi- 

 tion. Some four or five, out of the 6& 

 colonies, show signs of dysentery. I 

 have taken up a considerable number 

 of bees from the floor. I attribute so 

 great a number of dead bees on the 

 floor to the colonies being so strong 

 when put into winter quarters. The 

 cellar is very dry, and is kept dark. 

 For ventilation the outside door is 

 opened occasonally. The winter still 

 hangs on. 

 Otley, Iowa, March 31, 1883. 



1^ The spring meeting of the 

 Cortland Union Bee-Keepers' Asso- 

 ciation will be held in Cortland, N. Y., 

 on Tuesday, May 8, 1S83. 



M. C. Bean, Sec. 



