AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



339 



first time I attempted changing a colony 

 to another hive. 



But the greatest excitement was yet 

 to come. I had never seen a swarm 

 issue, and I was very much afraid that 

 I would not know when they were 

 swarming, for several times 1 had been 

 mistaken, thinking that the young bees 

 at play were swarms starting out ; so I 

 watched and waited until Monday, June 

 30, between 9 and 10 o'clock, when the 

 washing was ready to be put out, I then 

 looked to see if they were quiet ; they 

 were anything but quiet ; two swarms 

 were out, and I could not tell which 

 colonies they came from. 



I presume you can imagine my feelings 

 when I called: "The bees are swarm- 

 ing," and ran to put my armor on. 

 Father was more brave ; he went after 

 them, and was stung several times, but 

 thought it was not much after he got 

 used to it. 



One swarm returned to the hive it 

 came from. I found the other queen, 

 caged her, and put her at the entrance 

 to a new hive. Soon the bees began to 

 come back, and the dread and excite- 

 ment of swarming that colony was over. 

 I then had rest — if any person can rest 

 when they are expecting a swarm to 

 issue at any moment — until July 3, 

 when 5 swarms came out within about 

 10 minutes, and two of them united. 

 Separate they would not. I had not 

 anticipated any such number issuing at 

 once, and had only two hives with foun- 

 dation in, and I thought of our friend, 

 Mr. Taylor, when his 12 colonies 

 swarmed and alighted in one tree. O, 

 my sympathy was very great for him just 

 then. Why do bees swarm on washing 

 day, or some other time when it is almost 

 impossible to attend to them ? And why 

 does more than one swarm issue at a 

 time ? 



Everything about bees looks very 

 shady if bee-supplies are not bought, 

 and everything made ready for the 

 needed time. When I commenced I had 

 no supplies on hand, and it made it very 

 hard to keep supers filled, hives ready, 

 etc., especially as I had never done any- 

 thing of the kind before. 



In order to gain surplus honey in the 

 sections, I took out one or two brood- 

 frames, and I presume experienced bee- 

 keepers can tell the result. When I 

 looked at them the next time they had 

 put in a frame of their own make where- 

 ever I had taken one out. At this time 

 the shadow that hung over my apiary 

 seemed very dark, especially as the 

 drouth was coming on, and I did not 

 dare to remove these combs, for I feared 



they would lack supplies, but I have 

 learned from experience that this was 

 not a wise plan. 



A shadow that has darkened nearly 

 every apiary, and, as I have been told, 

 made this year more discouraging for 

 bee-keepers than has been known for 

 several years, is the short honey-flow 

 which we had, making the average in 

 this part of the State, I believe, 7 

 pounds, where there were 80 pounds 

 last year. 



December 7, the weather being quite 

 cold, the bees were put into Winter 

 quarters in the cellar, with traps Set for 

 the mice, if there should be any (a 

 shadow which awaits them). There 

 were many misgivings from " That 

 Husband of Mine," when he concluded 

 it was best to take the bees in ; but his 

 courage did not fail, so procuring a 

 partner in distress, who is more afraid 

 than he (though never stung by them, 

 but afraid he will be), they proceeded to 

 take the bees in, and to their great sur- 

 prise neither was stung, and I think I 

 can depend on one of them, at least, to 

 move the bees in the Spring. 



There are 4 or 5 colonies which are 

 short of supplies. As I have several 

 unfinished sections, would it be advisable 

 to feed them back to the bees. 



I do not feel discouraged, for with the 

 shadows there have been many lights to 

 help through the dark places ; among 

 them are " Langstroth on the Honey- 

 Bee, revised by Dadant," " A Year 

 Among the Bees," by Dr. Miller, and the 

 American Bee Journal, and the latter, 

 coming every week, makes a silver lining 

 to many of the clouds in apiculture. The 

 best of all the shadows in bee-keeping is 

 shade in the apiary. 



A very bright light which has light- 

 ened my labors, and also the expense, is 

 having a husband who is interested in 

 the work, and who makes the hives, 

 supers, and numerous articles needed in 

 the business, which, if bought or hired 

 made, would deduct quite a sum from 

 the profits. I pay him by letting him 

 have all the honey he needs to eat, and 

 think I have made a good bargain. 



It is very pleasant to watch the bees 

 bringing in their loads ; it is something 

 I never tire of, and as I watch them it 

 teaches me the wonderful love of Him 

 who has created all things. 



One light to me, and as pleasant a 

 duty as I have had in caring for the 

 bees, is looking for the queen. I have 

 had people look in amazement when I 

 spoke of it, and said they hardly dare go 

 outside of the door after taking off 

 honey, and would never run the chances 



