r 
 
THE 
 
 i 
 
 BEE-KEEPEKS GUIDE 
 
 TO MANAGE BEES 
 
 IN THE 
 
 VERMONT BEE-HIVE. 
 
 BT JOHN M. WEEKS. 
 We«l Farms, Salisbury Vt. 
 
 MIDDLEBURY Vl. 
 AKOU9 orricfi. 
 
 1840. 
 
 vJ 
 
FB 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 The proprietor of tho Vermont Bee Ili vo lias fonnti 
 it necessary 1o publish a concise guide for lliose wild 
 Use this In vo, by which they may culhvalo their bees 
 without being cornpclhd tu read so extensive a work 
 as the author’s Manual on bees. Yet, every A plan, 
 an, who lias a taste for the natural history of these 
 little industrious insects, should own somo trcaliso 
 on tho subject of bees, which will dm cl his alien* • 
 
 tion to the pe culiar instincts ol their nature, und hub. 
 its, which might olhciwiso remain unlhought of. 
 
 Ton thousand of tho author’s Manuals on bees have ■> 
 gone before the public in several successive editions, v 
 
 since Ifc'36, and another edition revised and enlarged 
 is called lor. 
 
 The triuls already made in tho use of tho Vermont | 
 Bee llivo in various sections of the United States, has 
 abundantly proved its superior advantages : and it is 
 believed that no bco manager will ever regret that ho 
 has made a faithful trial t.f this hive, ii ho strictly 
 adopts tho principlo of managing his bees in accor* 
 danco with my Mtnual. 
 
 .THE AUTHOR. 
 
 Entered according to act of Congress in tho year 
 1840— Ry John M. Weeks, West Farms, Salisbury, 
 Vt. in tho clerk’s office of the District Court of Vor- 
 laont. 
 
 > 
 
 i 
 
 i 
 
Chapter 1. „ 
 
 On the construction of a bee iutb. 
 
 A Bee Hivo should bo mado ofsound boards well 
 seasoned, at loast ono inch thick, with tho chamber 
 floor let into the sides and front boards by a groovo, 
 and tho hivo well and thoroughly nailed together bo 
 as to prevont the boards from warping, particularly 
 tho upper sitio of tho chamber floor whero tho draw* 
 ers arc placed, to prevont any vacant placo betwixt 
 the bottom of tho drawer and floor under it for worms 
 or moths to sccrcto themselves from tho nolico 
 of the bees. As tho vapor of tho bees, in cold weath- 
 er swells tho limber in tho inside, nioro than tho out- 
 side, the bco manager will readily account for tho 
 cracks which appear in hives that have been used for 
 boes ono or moro years. All cracks and open jointf 
 should bo filled with a composition mado of BeuS- 
 wax and Wheat flour simmered together which re- 
 sists all insects. 
 
 Tho lower apartment of a beo hivo should hold on® 
 bushel, and tho chamber about ono third as much. 
 This size car not bo deviated from to any considera- 
 ble extent with safety. Nature has its fixed prin- 
 ciples which aro unalterable by human wisdom. Not- 
 withstanding my letters patont gives tho purchaser 
 tho privilevo of altering tho hivo in shapo or size to 
 suit himself (retailing tho principle of tho patsnt,) 
 
4 
 
 yet it is found by various and repeated trials, that this 
 size is the most profitable. The drawers are number- 
 ed corresponding with the quantity it lakes to fill the 
 chamber, to wit, No 1 is 12 nnd 1-2 inches wide, 14 
 inches long, and 6 inches high when finished, and 
 fills tho chamber very looso so as to render its remo- 
 val easy when necessary. This drawer should never 
 be used oxcept for transferring bees, and dividing 
 them inasmuch as its size will enable the swarm to • 
 
 locate in it, raiso young bees, deposit bread, and thus 
 defeat the whole design of the chamber which is to ? 
 procure puro honey unadulterated by any organized * 
 
 operation of tho bees. 
 
 The chamber of the hive is 13 inches wide, 14 in* 
 
 •hes deep and 6 and 1-4 inches high in the clear. 
 
 No. 2 drawers are 6 and 1-4 inches wide, 14 in- 
 ches long and 6 inches high on the outside when fin- 
 ished, two of which fills tho chamber, and are the 
 most profitable wood boxes for ordinary uses, inas- 
 much as bees will make more honey in these sized 
 drawers than any other. 
 
 No. 4 drawers are the same size of No. 2, seven in- 
 ches long only. No. 8 drawers are the same size as 
 No* 4. half the width only. No. 16 are half the size 
 of No. 8, half their height only, with an aperture 
 through the top as well as the bottom of tho lower 
 box, as one is placed directly over the other when in J 1 
 
 the hive. All drawers of a smaller size than No. 9, 
 
5 
 
 should be made with glass sides and' ends and no 
 drawers or boxes of less size than No 4 should bo used 
 for any pn r |iosc except for curiosity. The bee mnnager 
 will not often obtain any honey in tho top box No. 16 
 unless he attaches comb to the under side of the cover 
 of the same, which is easily done by filtering on a lit* 
 tie melted bees wax, then carefully stick on tho bit of 
 empty comb. — It is found by doing this that tho la- 
 bors of the bees arc greatly facilitated in any drawe r * 
 When bits of comb arc thus attached to the top board 
 the bees will make more honoy in a season on account 
 of the extreme difficulty of making the wax adhere to 
 the new wood at their commencement inasmuch as 
 this difficulty is partially removed by this process ; 
 besides, the Apiarian can give his bees a direction in 
 building their combs by the pieces he attaches to the 
 box. A hivo should be planed smooth inside and ou; 
 and painted, or whitewashed with liino on its outside. 
 The inside should bo rubbed with cold bees wax and 
 the under side of the chamber floor should be scratched 
 with a sharp scratch so as to raise little ridges to en- 
 able the bees to hold on without falling suddenly up*, 
 on the bottom board. As one of the most important 
 uses of slicks in a bee hive is to sustain the woight of 
 the bees while they are building down theii combs, it 
 is believed that boards 3 inches wide in the centre ta- 
 pering nearly to a point at each ond, is not too wide 
 and should be placed in the best possible manner to 
 
 / 
 
8 
 
 sustain the weight of the bees as also that of tho new 
 combs which aro alivoys exceeding tender as well os 
 softened by their animal heat almost to melting, to en- 
 able tho bees to build on, and cnlargo the samo at 
 pleasure. 
 
 That tho bottom board should bo suspended and 
 brought under tho control of tho button will bo rcad t 
 jly seen when treated of in its proper chapter. 
 
 CHAPTER *2. 
 
 ON SVVAUMING AND HIVING. 
 
 t i 
 
 There aro so greut a variety of methods adopted by 
 Iheo managers to catch swarms when they sally forth 
 1 shall mention but two or three which will bo found 
 in tho appendix on tho last pages of this work. 
 
 Every apiarian should have his hives in rcudiness, 
 olean, dry, and cool, with their appendages in their 
 
 places drawers bottom up, or slides under them, to 
 
 prevent entrance. When a swarm conies forth and 
 has alighted, tho hive should be set on a broad table, 
 or board with a billot of wood placed under tho back 
 side, so as to bring the hive nearly level. Now cut s 
 off the limb and shako the bees on tho tablo by tho 
 sido of tho liivo which may be set over them, or stand 
 as already placed ; for tho boos will certainly find tho 
 -hive, inasmuch os tho limb is taken from tho troo 
 
whero they alighted : as soon as half of Iho bees ors 
 in the hive, set it in a light portable frame madu for 
 that purpose, and hitch on the bottom board ; now set 
 the frame and hive on the table, taking euro to brush 
 tho remaining bees that arc yet left on the lablo into 
 tiio air. In this way tho bees will bo principally in 
 tho hivo in from six to ten minutes. It should bn re- 
 niarked however that if the Queen is seen tho should 
 be taken carefully in the hand and placed on tho hot 
 tom board, for she is usually heavily laden with eggs if 
 it is a first swarm from a hivo in the season, and 
 should bo handled very tenderly. Now bring tho hot. 
 tom board under the control of tho button, and close 
 tho hive except tho common entrance, and place it 
 whero it is intended to stand through the season. In 
 case many swarms are expected in a day as from largo 
 establishments, several low tablet arc necessary which 
 should be covered with a sheet which may bo folded 
 over tho hivo by drawing up the corners, then tho 
 hivo of bees may be carried away some distance while 
 another swarm are collecting in a body, and thus, 
 doubling prevented, for as soon as another swarm hat 
 alighted, they may be shaken off, tho hive set over 
 thorn and tho bees confined by tho sheet and carried a 
 few rods in another direction. In case it becomes 
 necessary to invert tho hivo to tako tho bees from tho 
 body of a treo, or from any other cause, tho drawers 
 should bo confined iu their placet to prevent the boos 
 
8 
 
 from falling 'through the apertures into tho chamber, 
 as they will be caught betwixt the boxes and chamber 
 floor. In all such cases 1 prefer a light square basket 
 (not too (loop) without handles, into wine . Hie bees 
 may be shook, or brushed as the case may require, 
 when a cloth may be thrown over the wliul and car. 
 ried any desirable distance toi the hive. 
 
 All swarms of bees weighing over seven pounds 
 should have access to the drawers at the Urn of hiv- 
 ing ; smaller ones should have entrance n von or > 
 
 eight days after hiving. The sun should nuv i shine 
 on a bee hive inasmuch as tho air in the !„v is ex- > f 
 hausted of a great portion of Us vitality in ui w min- 
 utes in a hot day, and tho bees are prevent, u from 
 thoir regular work, and is frequently the e-uso of 
 young swanns leaving the hive for tho woods -nonce 
 a swarm of boos should be placed in the up.a.y the 
 moment they can bo hived, and the bottom board lot 
 down 3-8 of an inch outlie 3d or lourtn d.,y if the 
 weather is hot. As it has been my invariable pracs 
 tice to sccuro my hives from the rays ol tho sun, 
 while hiving the bees from tune out of mind, and .ave 
 never made any noises uncommon to them when 
 swarming, nor perfumed my hives with any thing exs , 
 cept rubbing the inside of new hives with cold booa- 
 wax so that the bees could slick and not fall suddenly 
 upon tho bottom board, and have never lost a single 
 swarm by flight to tho woods whon I was present at J 
 
 t 
 
9 
 
 living. It is true indeed that swarms havo been known 
 to leave the old stock and go direct to the woods with- 
 out alighting ; but one man alone is able to stop them 
 in case they cross a ploughed field or in any place 
 whero dirt is easily obtained; by throwing a few 
 handfuls of dirt angling among the leaders (which 
 arc ill way 8 forward at such times) they arc soon sway- 
 ed out of their true line, and as they havo no rolling 
 eye like man, and quadrupeds, they aro confused at 
 once, and aro compelled to alight, and reorganize be- 
 fore they can proceed on their journey. — It is of no 
 use to throw dirt into the main body of the swarm, for, 
 before bees leavo for the woods they scnd<out an eiris 
 bassy to seek out a residence, and these messongers 
 on their return, become leaders and fly forward; all 
 the rest follow. 
 
 Bees frequently swarm out, and return back to the 
 old stock in a few minutes— their return is caused by 
 the inability of the Queen, as in such cases she is 
 usually so heavy laden with eggs that she is unable 
 to fly, or soon tiros out.— I havo often found her on 
 the outside of the hive, or within a few feet of it, sho 
 should always bo looked for, and found if possiblo, for, 
 unless she is able to return to the hive again, the beos 
 will not swarm until another is hatched, which is not 
 often sooner than 8 days after first swarming. Now 
 as the swarming season is tho best part of the year 
 for bees to collect honey, the reador will seo that no 
 (time should bo lost in swarming, inasmuch as ovary 
 
10 
 
 day throws them into poorer ami less abundant feed. 
 
 In case the Queen i6 not found and does not return, 
 in large establishments the evil is easily remedied by 
 catching a queen from any small swarm and introdu- 
 cing her at the mouth of the hive. A stock of bees 
 will receive any queon that is offered them when they 
 are destitute, and in this case as well as all others 
 the old queen leaves the hive with the swarm and the 
 hive is left destitute until another can bo hatched. I 
 have often supplied hives under such circumstances » 
 
 with a queen which has usually brought out the 
 swarm in the course of a day or two. 
 
 CHAPTER 3 . 
 
 ON VENTILATING THE HIVE. 
 
 A judicious ventilation of the hive is one of the 
 most intricate and difficult duties of the apiarian : 
 Inasmuch as bees need more air in very hot and ill 
 very cold weather than at any other tiino : to facili. 
 tale this part of boo management, the bottom board 
 is suspended and brought under the control of the 
 button. It is found by experience that in warm 
 weather, when honey is collected in the greatest a. 
 bundanco there is an insufficiency of air pressing 
 through the apertures into the drawers to facilitate 
 the labors of the bees in the boxos unless the bottom 
 boajd is let down a little to receivo the air from bo. 
 
 
Ipw, and yet, tn chilly weather unless the bottom hoard 
 is closed up, there is danger of destroying the chry- 
 salis by a chill ; hence the beo manager will see the 
 propriety of closing up the bottom board at every cold 
 turn of weather during the brooding season, which, 
 in Vermont usually lasts from April to late in Sep- 
 tember. 
 
 C H APT E It 4. 
 
 ON PREVENTING ROBBERIES. 
 
 Bees rob each other when but little or no honey 
 can be obtamed and at no other time : to prevent this, 
 the bottom board should bo brought under the con. 
 trol of the button and the hive kept closed until honey 
 is easily obtained from blossoms, leaving the month of 
 the hive open only. As the entrance ot the hive is 
 made by bonng 7 holes with a centre bit 3-8 of an 
 inch in diameter, not larger, 2 or 3 inches from its 
 bottom, the reader will see at once that these holes 
 are easily guarded by the bees as the ventilator is to 
 bo closed except in very hot, and in cold weather, 
 1 he bottom board should be let down once or twice a 
 week and eloured to keep any webs from forming be- 
 twixt that and the edges of tho hive. The bottom 
 board should bo white washed with lime every spring 
 
 as the boos are very fond of it and is very conducive 
 lo their health. 
 
12 
 
 When it is found that robbing is commenced and' 
 continued with groat earnestness their manager should 
 sprinkle tho robbers at they come with cold water, 
 the colder the water is. the better, as it will 600n 
 frighten them into peace. Many bees may fall and 
 seem to be drowned, but they will resuscitate and re- 
 turn homo without any plunder. 
 
 It is proper here to remark that the apiarian may 
 niako a mistake and sprinklo his bees when the queen t 
 
 is taking her excursions in tho air which always pro- 
 duces great tumult und confusion about the hive as 
 well as when engaged with hostile foes. As a sure 
 indication of robbery the observer will see little bits 
 of comb which are the capings of cells on the bottom 
 board that are lorn off by the robbers to get tho honey. 
 
 CHAPTER 5 . 
 
 ON EQUALIZING COLONIES. 
 
 As overy hive and all their appendages should be 
 made exactly alike so as to prevent mistakes and dif- 
 ficulties in managing the bees it is proper that colo-. 
 nies should be equalized, which is done with perfect ' 
 ease in the following manner, viz : 
 
 Hive one swarm in the lower apartment of the 
 hive ; collect another swarm in a drawer, and in- 
 sert the same in the chamber of the hive contain- i 
 ing the first. Then if the swarms are small, col- 
 
13 
 
 lectnnother snii*ll swarm in another drawer. mid' 
 insert the same in the i-hiunhcr of the hive con- 
 taining the first, hy the side of the second. In 
 onse till the bees from either of the drawers, min- 
 gle and go below with the first swarm and leave 
 the drawer empty, then it may be removed, and, 
 another small swarm added in the same manner. 
 
 As separate swarins or bees became hostile towards 
 each other as soon as they h ive emptied their sacks 
 and formed a national character hy acquiring rights 
 of property, it may become necessary to fumigate 
 each swarm with a liltlo tobacco smoke in order to 
 render a sameness in their scent which prevents 
 them from distinguishing each other from their own 
 companions : In this way old swarms may bo united 
 at any proper season ol the year — young swarms uiay 
 be united at any timo within 4 d«ys after swarming 
 without smoke. Second swarms only, should be 
 doubled, 3d and 4llt swarms should always have their 
 queens lakon from them and the bees will return to 
 the parent stock, as will bo treated of in its proper 
 chapter. 
 
 CHAPTER 6'. 
 
 ON REMOVING HONEV.. 
 
 Insert a slide under the drawer, so far as to cut. 
 off all communication between the lower apart- 
 ment and the drawer Insert another slide between' 
 
 4 
 
14 
 
 tlie first slide and i lie drawer. Now draw out the 
 hox containing the honey, with the slide that is 
 »-xt toil. — Set the diawer on its window end, a 
 litth? distaitoe from t lie apiary, and remove the 
 slide. Now supply the p'aee of the drawer, thus 
 removed, with an empty one, ami draw the first 
 inserted slide. 
 
 If there is danger of tho bees carrying back the 
 honey, or of the box being robbed by other hoes ; 
 
 “taka an empty barrel with one head out, and a * 
 
 bung hole through the other bead ; now set the bar. 
 rcl over the drawer which so darkens the interior of 
 the barrel where the box of honey remains that the 
 bees arc unable to return after they have escaped 
 through the hung hole. In this way the lice manu> 
 ger can pursue his common business without being in 
 danger of losing his honey.” 
 
 CHAPTER 7 . 
 
 ON TRANSFERRING BEES. 
 
 I his operation should never bo performed so long 
 as the bees are doing middling well. Tho best meth- 
 od of transferring from tho old fashioned hives is as 
 follows. Immediately : forthwith, after hiving a 
 swarm from the old stock to he transferred, set tho 
 new hive containing the swarm as near as possible 
 where the old one stood, having removed that a few 1 
 
 yards in front. Now take all the comb, honey, and 
 
 t 
 
15 
 
 bees oul oftlir old hive. The bees will ;sll return and 
 enter the new hive. Put on a veil and a pair ol wooi 
 len gloves to prevent stings: their hostility will soon 
 cease, for they will yield to their master's wishes in 2 
 01 3 minutes after he commences taking away their 
 comb and the veil and mittens may bo dispensed w lb. 
 Hut there is another method which I very much like 
 in transferring bees from one Vermont hivo to another 
 of the same kind. — it is this : 
 
 This operation should never be effected by compul- 
 sion. 
 
 First Method. — Insert drawer No. 1 into t lie 
 Chamber of the hive to be transferred, as early as the 
 first of May. If the beos fill the d rawer, they will 
 recede from the lower apartment and winter in the 
 drawer. As early in the spring ns the bees carrv in 
 bread plentifully on t hoi r logs, remove the drawer, 
 which will contain the principal part of the bees, to 
 un empty hive. Now remove the old hive a few feet 
 in front, and place the new ono containing the drasv- 
 cr where the old one stood. Now turn the old hivo 
 bottom up. If there are any bees left in the old hive, 
 j they will soon return and take possession of their 
 new habitation. 
 
 Second Method* — Take drawer No. 1, well 
 filled by any hive the same season — insert the 
 same into the chamber of the hive to be transfer- 
 red, in September, (August would be better). If 
 
 x 
 
the Iicps need transferring, they will repair to ine 
 drawer ami make ilie same their winter quarters. 
 
 Then proceed in the spring as directed in the 
 •first method. 
 
 chapter 8. 
 
 OS JIUr.TlPt.TISO SWARMS BT DIVIDING THRU. 
 
 The In rpe drawer, No. J, should always be used 
 •for this purpose. Insert slides, ns in Chap. 6, and 
 remove the drawer containing lives and brood- 
 comb, place the same in the chamber of an empty 
 hive, slop the entrances ol both' the new and old 
 hives, taking care to give them air, as in Chap. 4. 
 •Give clean water daily, three or four days. Now 
 let the bees, in both hives, have their liberty. 
 
 The only proper time to divide bees is just be- 
 fore first swarming. 
 
 chapter 9. 
 
 ON PREVENTING THE MOTHS. 
 
 Tito Bee House ami bottom board (if not hives) 
 should be well washed over inside and out every 
 spring with while wash made of lime which is a groat 
 preventive of the moths as well as spiders and oth- 
 •ci insects, at the same time it conduces very much to 
 the health and vigor of the bees. Let down the bot- 
 -tom board once or twico in each week andBce that no 
 
17 
 
 fillh nor web collects— strow on a littlo fino salt oc- 
 casionally, until tlio liivc get* well replenished will* 
 boeo. Tako the queen* from all tho little »worrn»and 
 lot (he hoe* return to fho parent stock to keep it well 
 guarded from miller, and robber, and also to keep „p 
 tho animal heat so nooessary to keep them from per. 
 tithing from cold in tho winter. It is not unusual for 
 these small swarms to sally out several tune, until all 
 their queens are hatched, and as this part of boo man- 
 agomont constitute* an important loaturo of my sys. 
 tom of management, it is hoped that every apiarian 
 will persevere in this particular until ho realizes it* 
 benefits. No swarm of bee. in a well constructed and 
 well made hive will ever materially suffer by the moths 
 so long as they aro well stockod with bees and they 
 havs a living and faithful queen. 
 
 CHAPTER 10. 
 
 ON FEEDING BEE& 
 
 Hives of bocs weighing less than 30 pounds In 
 } • dditionto the weight of the hive, should be fed inOo- 
 tober, as they will at that lime, wlion tho weather hi 
 warm, store away tho honey in such a manner as will 
 bo most convenient tor ll.o.ii in ||,o wintor. The fco- 
 / dc,a * described in my Manual may be used, or taka 
 •u inch board 10 inches wide and 14 inches long, hab- 
 I 3 
 
 A 
 
18 
 
 low out the upper side so as to cause the honey to' 
 sottle to its centre ; now lay on comb filled with hon- 
 ey filtered into the colls (West India honey is as good 
 as any) remove the drawers and place it in the cham- 
 ber of the hive: one piece of comb may bo laid over 
 another, thus filled, until the chamber is nearly full 
 _I have known a single swarm to store away 10 
 pounds in a day and night. The bottom board and 
 ventilator should bo closed at this lime, and if thorn 
 aro but few bees, one or two of the holes at the hive’s 
 mouth should be sloped so as to enable the bees to 
 guard their entrunce, and resist their enemies. 
 
 A hive of bees should weigh at least 25 pounds more 
 than the weight of tho liivo on the first ot December. 
 
 chapter 11- 
 
 ON WINTERING DEES. 
 
 When I have let my bees stand out, I have suc- 
 ceeded best in wintering them by Suspending the bots 
 tom board at least an inch from tho liivo and’ kept the 
 ventilator open, t have kept about sixty swarms in 
 a dry cellar made in the side of a hill several seasons 
 without loosing a single swarm and yet I have found 
 some mouldy combs in some few of the hives in the 
 spring which has induced me to construct an apiary 
 at considerable, expense which will answer for sum- , 
 mer and winter and save the trouble of much hard’ 
 
rlabor in moving my bees as also to prevent any mould 
 'from collecting on the combs. My apiary is con- 
 structed for 62 hives 18 feet square, 3 stories high, pr 
 rather 3 tiers high, 3 feet 2 inches betwixt joints, 
 with a projection two feet wide on tho outside to 
 keep the rays of tho sun from tho hives and also to 
 keep tho bees from mingling : shelves on tho inside 
 18 inches wide, on which, rests are erected to suspend 
 the hives : shutters or doors on tho outside, which 
 close in so as to render tho room perfee tly dark in the 
 winter and when open gives tho bees all the light in 
 summer : Doors on tho inside folding against tho 
 hives in the summer to prevent any rake of wind to 
 blow away tho bees to perish wlion they attempt to 
 alight, in chilly weather. A stove is planted in tho 
 winter which may be heated up us occasion may re* 
 quiro to thaw out tho frost in the hives, and enable 
 tho bees to move at loisure into any port of the hive; 
 tho mouth or entrances of the hive aro slopped ; ven- 
 tilator covered with a wire screen, and a box 4 or 5 
 inches deep made water tight and to fit the bottoms of 
 each hive, with a wire screen on the backside an inch 
 rr two wide to admit air, is slipped under, and confin* 
 cd in its place as tho bottom board is taken off, so 
 that no bee can escape tho hive until I am ready to 
 let them out in some warm turn of weather, when I 
 am sure that tho atmosphero will admit of their safo 
 r return. These boxes receive all the water caused by 
 
20 
 
 iho exhalations of the bees, together with other filth 
 which is easily removed in tho spring and the bottom 
 boords restored to tlieir places. 
 
 I am inclined to think that a beo bouso made for 
 two tiers of hiveB on two sides of tho hall any dcsira. 
 bio length on this plan, will be an improvement. 
 
 All leeblo swarms of bees, should be wintered in a 
 cellar, or in a tompernte place, inasmuch as the an- 
 imal hoat necessary to koep them from perishing by 
 cold depends on the number of their companions in 
 the hive. Some good bee managers recommend uni- 
 ting all tho feeble swarms with stronger ones in tho 1 
 fall as a matter of economy, qs it not only saves tho 
 lives of the bees, but saves also, considerable honey, 
 for it is a well authenticated fact, that in wintering 
 full colonies of bees, they consume much less honey 
 in proportion to their number than feeble ones, 
 flwarms of bees may b6 cosily united by fumigating 
 both hives with a littlo tobacco smoko which may ba 
 blowcd into the hives so ns to sicken them a little, at 
 the same time tho effect of tho smoke renders a same- 
 ness of smell betwixt tho two; so that the bees do 
 not seem to distinguish each other from thoir own 
 companions when tho hive to bo expelled is inverted, 
 and the one to rccoivc them is set over it : As soon 
 as tho two swarms have united in the upper hivo, tho 
 jower one may be taken away and tho comb preserve 
 ed in its perfect stato for a new swarm tho following 
 reason. 
 
 o 
 
OR AFTER 12. 
 
 OBSERVATIONS FOR SPRINU. 
 
 Bottom boards and ventilators should be kept closed 
 in the spring until tho weather comes off warm l# 
 facilitate raising young bees end preventing their ba» 
 ing robbed. If there . are but few baes in the hive, 
 some of tho holes at its entrance may be stopped to 
 •noble the bees to guard themselves from their en«*v 
 mies taking care at tho same time to clear the bottom 
 board onco or twice a week until the hive is well re. 
 plonished with bees. — Hoes should bo admitted Into 
 tho drawers as soon as fruit trees are in blossom. 
 
 It is not unusual for some swarms of bees to ovaoa> 
 ate their hives in tho spring and join with others, 
 without being robbed ; the cause usually is waut of 
 honey. I have thought more bees are starved in 
 spring than in winter months. 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 The fliver is made of three rough boards, half inch 
 thick, seven inches wide, 24 inches long, nailed to* 
 -getber like a common trough, open at both ends— a 
 strap of iron riveted on its outside ; across the ceritru 
 of each board, with a shank or socket to insert a rod 
 to handle it with, so that when inverted by means of 
 the rod, end placed over tho bees when alighting* 
 forms a kind of half-hivo, which they readily cuter. 
 
Thrro should bo from a dozen to twenty half-inch 
 holes bored through thotop board, bo as to let the 
 alighting bees enter through tho holes. When a 
 small proportion of the bees aro found in tho hiver, it 
 may be moved a few feet from the limb, which may 
 bo shaken with another rod with a hook on its end, 
 which disengages tho bees, and in a few moments 
 the whole swarm will bo found in the hiver. By the 
 addition of ferules and joints, the hiver may be raisod 
 to any reasonable height. Thus the labor of climb - 
 ing, the usj of laddors, and cutting the limbs of pre- 
 cious fruit trees, is entirely dispensed with. It like- 
 wise enables tho apiarian in largo establishments tp 
 divide out and keep separata his swarms, which 
 might otherwise alight many in ono body. 
 
 Others practice as follows, to wit : Drive down twp 
 stakes 3 feet apart, 5 or 6 yards from tho boo house, 
 now confino a crossbar to each stake 2 or 3 feet from 
 the ground. A 12 foot board with one end resting 
 on this crossbar, and tho other on tho ground will 
 usually catch tho bees when they swarm on its under 
 side, if there is no fruit trees nor shrubbery at hand, 
 for tho bees to alight on ; any person will know how 
 to turn over the board and sit an empty hive over tho 
 As beoa manifest a strong desire to alight so 
 • far from the old stock as not to bo interrupted by their 
 lJu.in during their organization for a new home, caco 
 must bo exorcised not to place tho board' too near tho 
 old hive. 
 
23 
 
 O 
 
 Some good beo managers have recommended sot- 
 t'ing down bushes like bean poles with the foilago on 
 the top, around about the apiary, for bees to alight 
 on, which answers an excellent purpose where there 
 aro no trees at hand. But thcro is another method 
 which I havo known to succeed in catching swarms 
 even where fruit trees uro plenty in tho immediate 
 vicinity of the apiary, it is this : Tako a quantity of 
 dry rnullen heads, and confine both ends of them a- 
 round tho body, or limb of a bush in such a rnanno r 
 as to look liko a swarm of bees at a little distance ; 
 where several of these aro set down, scattered about 
 at shoit distances ftom the apiary, the bees will sottlo 
 on some ono of them that is most shaded.— It should 
 bo remembered in all cases not to let the sun shine on 
 a beo bivo so long as to heat the board. 
 
r 
 
 24 
 
 STATE Or VERMONT, ) I Samuel Swift, Clerk of 
 Ammo* Coojtv ss: f the Counly Court fur the said 
 
 Rouniy or Addison, do hereby certify that John M. Weeks of. 
 Salisbury in said Counly has deposited in mv office Ins ori- 
 |inal letters patent, under the seal of ihc United Slates, sign- 
 ed by Andrew Jackson, President of ihe United States, coun- 
 tersigned by John F orsylh, Secretary of State, and dated lha 
 JOlhday ofJuno. in the year JS36, granting lo Ihe said John 
 M. Weeks, his heirs Sic. the exclusive right of making, using 
 and vending to others to use n certain improvement in ihe 
 bee hive, for the term of fourteen years, from the said 30ih 
 day of June 1836; to which is annexed a schedule specifying 
 the soid improvement. 1 * 
 
 In testimony nhoreol I have hereunto set my 
 hand and affixed the seal of said Court, this *5ih 
 day of January in tho vear of our Lord, one- 
 thousand eight hundred and forty. 
 
 SAMUEL SWIFT, Clerk. 
 
ft 
 
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