FIRST LESSONS 
 IN BEEKEEPING 
 
 C. p. DADANT 
 
ALBERT R. MANN 
 LIBRARY 
 
 New York State Colleges 
 
 OF 
 
 Agriculture and Home Economics 
 
 AT 
 
 Cornell University 
 
 EVERETT FRANKLIN PHILLIPS 
 BEEKEEPING LIBRARY 
 
Cornell University 
 Library 
 
 The original of tiiis book is in 
 tine Cornell University Library. 
 
 There are no known copyright restrictions in 
 the United States on the use of the text. 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924003445354 
 
FIRST LESSONS 
 IN BEEKEEPING 
 
 By C. P. Dadant 
 
 Editor of the American Bee Journal 
 
 Published by 
 
 American Bee Journal 
 
 Hamilton, Illinois 
 
 1918 
 
COPYMGHT 1917 
 BY 
 
 C. P. Dadant 
 
Introduction 
 
 BY DR. C. C. MILLER. 
 
 Among those who were instrumental in introducing advanced 
 methods in bee-culture among the beekeepers of Europe in the last 
 century, especially in overcoming opposition to the movable-frame 
 hive, Charles Dadant stands forth conspicuous. In France, "Dadant" 
 and "Dadant hive" are household words among beekeepers. His 
 great influence was used by means of his facile pen, for most of his 
 life was spent in this country, where he was less known because not 
 so familiar with the English language as with his native tongue, the 
 French. 
 
 Yet his greatest legacy was not to Prance but to America. That 
 legacy was his only son, Camille P. Dadant. Intimately associated 
 with his father from his birth until the close of the long life of the 
 father, the younger Dadant had a schooling as a 'beekeeper that can 
 fall to the lot of few. 
 
 Mr. Dadant collaborated with his ' father In revising the great 
 work of Langstroth. He has written much and well not only for the 
 bee journals of this country, but of Prance as well. His very practi- 
 cal writings as editor of The American Bee Journal are well known. 
 
 All this, together with his long and successful career as a bee- 
 keeper gives warrant that the present work shall be a safe and sane 
 guide to those entering upon the fascinating pursuit of beekeeping. 
 Marengo, Illinois, March 3, 1916. C. C. MILLER. 
 
Preface. 
 
 This short treatise for beginners is an entirely rewritten edition 
 of the now exhausted hoohi published in 1911 by George W. York and 
 Co. 
 
 Less extensive than our revision of the "Hive and Honey Bee," it 
 yet contains the most practical of modern methods available in our 
 day. But as simplicity is important we have kept it in mind and dif- 
 ficult methods will not be found here. However a still more elemen- 
 tary work is given in our "Bee Primer," which, at the low price of 
 fifteen cents, has found a great welcome among prospective bee- 
 keepers. 
 
 This book is especially intended for colleges and schools giving 
 short courses in bee culture. A few years ago such courses were not 
 thought of. But they are annually becoming more numerous. Blind 
 beekeeping is still less profitable than blind farming. The hive has 
 long been a sealed book. It should be opened to the prospective 
 apiarist before he attempts to keep bees. The bee owner who de- 
 pends upon luck is an obstruction to the success of others, for disease 
 and degenerescence of his bees are sure to folloTV from his lack of 
 knowledge and method. 
 
 The different subjects treated in this work are marked, for re- 
 ference, at the head of the paragraphs, with serial numbers. AVhen 
 reference is made to another part of the book, the serial number is 
 inserted in parenthesis, so that the student will easily find all re- 
 ferences to the subject which he studies. Likewise, the index refers 
 to the paragraphs and not to the pages of the book. 
 
 The different species of living animals number over a quarter of 
 a million. Among this vast concourse of life, for Instructive lessons 
 ncne can rival the marvelous transformations that insect life under- 
 goes in its development! The repulsive maggot of today may tomor- 
 row be the active little fly, visiting leaf and flower. The repugnant 
 caterpillar may to-morrow be decked with green and gold, through 
 its speedy transformation to the butterfly, of brilliant tints and 
 gorgeous beauty. 
 
 This is not more wonderful than are the transformations from 
 the egg to the tiny larva, from the larva to the pupa, and from the 
 pupa to the fully developed honeybee, with its wondrous instincts and 
 marvelous habits. There is a fascination about the apiary that Is in- 
 describable. Every scientific beekeeper is an enthusiast. The econ- 
 omy of the beehive presents to the thougthful student both admiration 
 and delight. 
 
 A single bee, with all its energy, collects but a tiny drop of honey 
 at each trip to the field, in the best season, yet the colony to which it 
 
belongs may harvest hundreds of pounds of surplus for its owner, in 
 a single year. 
 
 In fructifying the flowers, too, bees present us with a field of 
 study. Many plants absolutely require the visits of bees or other in- 
 sects to disturb their pollen, and thus fertilize them. Hence, Darwin 
 wisely remarks, when speaking* of clover and heartsease: "No bees, no 
 seed, no increase of the flower; the more visits from the bees, the 
 more seeds from the flower; the more seeds from the flowers, the 
 more flowers from the seeds." Darwin mentions the following ex- 
 periment: "Twenty heads of white clover, visited by bees, produced 
 an average of twenty-seven seeds per head; while twenty heads, so 
 protected that bees could not visit them, produced not one seed." 
 
 Since the Darwin experiment, hundreds of scientists have made 
 tests of this same subject. Bulletin No. 289 of the United States De- 
 partment of Agriculture, published September 21, 1915, details at 
 length the experiments made at the Indiana Experiment Station by 
 Messrs Wiancko and Robbins and at the Iowa Experiment Station of 
 Ames, by Messrs Hughes, Pammel and Martin. They confirm Dar- 
 win's' statements and show that clover can produce only "an occasion- 
 al seed from self pollination, that the pollen must come from a separ- 
 ate plant in order to effect fertilization". They also show that the 
 honeybee is as efficient a pollinator of red clover as the bumblebee, 
 whenever it is able, by the shortness of the corolla, to work upon it. 
 
 Ancient sages, among whom were Homer, Herodotus, Cato, Aris- 
 totle, Varro, Virgil, Pliny and Columella, composed poems extolling 
 the activity, skill and economy of bees, and in modern times among 
 such authors have been Swammerdam, a Dutch naturalist; Marald'. 
 an Italian mathematician and astronomer; Schirach, a Saxon agricul- 
 turist; Reaumur, inventor of a thermometer; Butler, who first assert- 
 ed the existence of a queenbee; Wildman; Delia Rocca; Duchet; Bon- 
 net, a Swiss entomologist; Dr. John Hunter; and Francis Huber, who. 
 though totally blind, was noted for his many minute observations, by 
 aid of his assistant, Burnens, which caused quite a revolution in 
 ancient theories concerning honeybees. Nearer to our day, we may 
 mention as the leaders of modern practical apiculture: Dzierzon, Von 
 Slebold, John Lubbock, L. L. Langstroth, Samuel Wagner, M. Quinby, 
 Adam Grimm, J. S. Harbison, Capt. J. E. Hetherington, Prof. A. J. 
 Cook, G. M. Doolittle, Dr. C. C. Miller, A. I. Root and his sons, Chas. 
 Dadant, E. W. Alexander.Thos. Wm. Cowan, Frank R. Cheshire, Ed- 
 ward Bertrand, and a host of others. 
 
 It is out of the question to make mention of the students and 
 teachers of 20th Century beekeeping. They are so numerous that a 
 complete list would be irksome. 
 
 Hamilton, Illinois, January 15, 1917. C. P. DADANT. 
 
Contents 
 
 The numbers refer to the paragraphs and not to the pages. 
 
 NATURAL HISTORY 
 
 1. Races of bees. 
 
 2. A colony of bees. 
 -3. The queen. 
 
 4. She leaves the hive to mate. 
 
 5. Egg-laying. 
 
 6. Rearing queencells. 
 7 .Royal jelly. 
 
 8. Ovaries of the queen. 
 
 9. Parthenogenesis. 
 
 10. Breeding season. 
 
 11. Drones. 
 
 12. Their appearance and numbers. 
 
 13. Loses his life in mating. 
 
 14. When destroyed. 
 
 15. Eyes of the drone. 
 
 16. Do drones serve another purpose? 
 
 17. The workers. 
 
 18. The head and eyes. 
 
 19. Mandibles. 
 
 20. Tongue. 
 
 21. Salivary glands. 
 
 22. Antennte. 
 
 23. Honey-sac. 
 
 24. Wings. 
 
 25. Legs and Claws.- 
 
 26. Anterior legs. 
 
 27. Pollen baskets. 
 
 28. Worker ovaries. 
 
 29. The sting. 
 
 30. Length of life. 
 
 31. Brood. 
 
 32. The egg. 
 
 33. Food of larvse. 
 
 34'. Appearance of brood. 
 
 35. Time required. 
 
 36. First flight of workers. 
 
 37. Duration of development. 
 
 38. Wax and comb. 
 
 39. Production of wax. 
 
 40. Speed of production. 
 
41. Shape and dimensions of cells. 
 
 42. Location of queencells. 
 
 43. Of same color as the comb. 
 
 44. Thickness of comht 
 
 45. Cells not horizontal. 
 
 46. Cost of comb. 
 
 47. Color of combs. 
 
 48. Propolis. 
 
 49. Honey. 
 
 50. Contains water. 
 
 51. Its quantity, quality and color. 
 
 52. Honeydew. 
 
 53. Honey evaporation. 
 
 54. Capping. 
 
 55. Pollen. 
 
 56. Substitutes. 
 
 57. Stored in brood combs. 
 
 58. Bees help fertilization of fruit. 
 59> Water. 
 
 ESTABLISHING AN APIARY. 
 
 60. Wonderful habits of bees. 
 
 61. Who should keep bees. 
 
 62. Suitable location. 
 
 63. Shelter the apiary. 
 
 64. Plant fruit trees in apiary. 
 
 65. Keep weeds down. 
 
 66. Pacing south. 
 
 67. How many to begin with. 
 
 68. Moving bees. 
 
 69. Moving short distances. 
 
 70. What kind of bees to get. 
 
 71. Examining box-hives. 
 
 72. Buying swarms. 
 
 73. Shade for hives. 
 
 74. Handling bees. 
 
 75. Smoke and smokers. 
 
 76. Veils and gloves. 
 
 77. When stung. 
 
 78. Remedies for beestings. 
 
 79. Bee poison for rheumatism. 
 
 80. How to be safe. 
 
 81. Hive tool. 
 
 K2. Removing propolis from the hands. 
 
 83. Removing bees from the combs. 
 
 84. Robber bees. 
 
85. Remedies for robbing. 
 
 86. Avoiding robbing. 
 
 87. Indications of robbing. 
 HIVES 
 
 88. "What hive to use. 
 
 89. The Langstroth hive. 
 
 90. Hive details. 
 
 91. Different styles. 
 
 92. Frames. 
 
 93. Capacity of hives. Use but one size. 
 
 94. Transferring bees. 
 
 95. Short method. 
 
 SWARMING AND QTJBEN-REARING 
 
 96. Natural swarming. 
 
 97. Preventing aftersvi^arms. 
 
 98. The queen's actions. 
 
 99. How to hive a swarm. 
 
 100. Afterswarms. 
 
 101. Prevention of natural swarming. 
 
 102. Queen-traps and excluders. 
 
 103. Prevention by manipulations. 
 
 104. Artificial increase. 
 
 105. Queen-rearing. 
 
 106. Breed from best queens. 
 
 107. Nuclei. 
 
 108. Inserting queencells. 
 
 109. How to prevent bees from leavin:;. 
 
 110. When queen is fertile. 
 
 111. Dividing the colonies. 
 
 112. Enlarging nuclei. 
 
 113. Exchanging with populous colony. 
 
 114. Ordinary dividing. 
 
 115. Precautions in mixing bees. 
 
 116. Watching queenless colonies. 
 
 117. Keeping a record. 
 
 118. Loss of the queen. 
 
 119. Bees discover it quickly. 
 
 120. Care of queenless colony. 
 
 121. Drone-laying worker. 
 IMPROVEMENT IN HONEYBEES 
 
 122. Length of tongue 
 
 123. The Italian Bee* 
 
 124. Italianizing an apiary 
 
 125. Introducing a queen, 
 
 126. Queen-cages 
 
127. The Miller Cage 
 
 128. Smoke versus cage methods 
 
 129. Safest method 
 
 130. Clipping queen's wings. 
 
 131. Tested and untested queens. 
 COMB FOUNDATION AND ITS USES 
 
 132. Wonderful economy of honeycomb, 
 
 133. Cost of comb to the bees 
 
 134. Invention of foundation. 
 
 135. How made. 
 
 136. Weight of foundation. 
 
 137. Thin sheets for sections. 
 
 138. Brood foundation. 
 
 139. Advantages of use of foundation, 
 
 140. Must be of pure beeswax. 
 
 141. Fastening comb foundation. 
 
 142. Preserve the wa.^. 
 
 143. Rendering beeswax. 
 
 144. Solar wax-extractor. 
 PRODUCTION OF CHOICE HONEV 
 
 145. Honey of North America unexcelled. 
 149. Honey in the comb. 
 
 147. Bulk comb-honey. 
 
 148. One-pound section. 
 
 149. Plain sections and separators. 
 
 150. Supers for sections. 
 
 151. Sections supplied with foundation. 
 
 152. The honey harvest. 
 
 153. Supers on a colony which swarmed. 
 
 154. Queen-excluders. 
 
 155. Adding more supers. 
 
 156. Get all sections sealed. 
 
 157. Keep different crops separate. 
 
 158. Removing honey from the hive. 
 
 159. The bee-escape. 
 
 160. Invention of the extractor. 
 
 161. How used. 
 
 162. Extracting-supers. 
 lo3. Great surplus space. 
 
 164. Removing with bee-escape. 
 
 165. When to extract. 
 
 166. Do not extract from brood-chamber. 
 
 167. Reversible exUactoi-s. 
 
 168. Uncapping-knife. 
 
 169. Steam-heated knife. 
 
170. Power extractor and honey pump. 
 
 171. How to extract. 
 
 172. The cappings. 
 WINTERING AND FEEDING BEES 
 
 173. Wintering indoors and oudoors. 
 
 174. Cellar-wintering. 
 
 175. Placing hives in cellar. 
 
 176. Keep them quiet at right degree. 
 
 177. Darkness not indispensable. 
 
 178. Good ventilation. 
 
 179. When to take them in and out. 
 
 180. Wintering in clamps. 
 
 181. Special cellars. 
 
 182. Outdoor wintering. 
 
 183. Pack them properly. 
 
 184. Passageway over frames. 
 
 185. Ample stores needed. 
 
 186. Feeding. Honeydew and fruit juice unhealthy 
 
 187. Spring feeding. 
 
 188. Feed honey or best sugar syrup. 
 
 189. Foreign honey dangerous. 
 
 190. Good honey best. 
 
 191. Feeders. 
 
 192. Syrup for winter food. 
 
 193. Syrup for spring use. 
 
 194. Sugar-candy. 
 
 195. Help weak colonies. 
 
 196. Uniting worthless colonies. 
 BEE PASTURAGE. 
 
 197. Bee pasturage. 
 
 198. The linden or basswood. 
 
 199. The tulip tree. 
 
 200. The willow. 
 
 201. Black Locust. 
 
 202. Fruit trees. 
 
 203. Plants for field. 
 
 204. Roads and waste land. 
 
 205. White clover. 
 
 206. Sweet clover. 
 
 207. Alsike clover. 
 
 208. Alfalfa. 
 
 209. Mustard. 
 
 210. Buckwheat. 
 
 211. Weeds. 
 OBSERVATION HIVES. 
 
212. Observation hives. 
 ENEMIES OP BEES. 
 
 213. Enemies of bees. 
 
 214. The beemoth. 
 
 215. Kemedy and prevention. 
 DISEASES OF BEES 
 
 216. Foulbrood. 
 
 217. American foulbrood symptoms. 
 
 218. McEvoy treatment. 
 
 219. European foulbrood. 
 
 220. Symptoms. 
 
 221. Treatment. 
 
 222. Pickled-brood. 
 
 223. May disease. 
 
 224. Diarrhea. 
 MARKETING HONEY. 
 
 225. Marketing honey. 
 
 226. Assort and grade the honey. 
 
 227. Management of comb honey. 
 
 228. Cases for comb-honey. 
 
 229. Shipping comb-honey. 
 
 230. Management of extracted honey. 
 
 231. Melting granulated honey. 
 
 232. "Where to keep honey. 
 
 233. Ripening honey. 
 
 234. Tanks for honey. 
 
 235. Tin pailsi 
 
 236. Glass jars and tumblers. 
 
 237. Square cans for shipping. 
 
 238. HONEY AS A POOD. 
 
 239. Honey to sweeten drinks. 
 
 240. Is honey a luxury? 
 
 241. Honey vinegar. 
 
Natural History of the Honey-Bee 
 
 The Races of Bees 
 
 § 1. Of the different races of the honeybee, the common or black 
 bee is the most numerous, though it is less desirable than the Italian, 
 which was known to the ancients several hundred years before the 
 Christian Era, and is mentioned by Aristotle and Virgil. The Egypt - 
 ian, Carniolan, Cyprian, Caucasian, and others, have also been tried 
 But the Italian (123) is the favorite in the United States, because of 
 its activity, docility, prolificness and beauty. 
 
 A Colony of Bees 
 
 § 2. In its usual working condition, a colony of bees contains a 
 fertile <j,ueen, many thousands of workers (more or less numerous 
 according to the season of the year), and in the busy season from 
 several hundred to a few thousand drones. 
 
 The Queen 
 
 § 3. The mother-bee, as she is often called, is the only perfect fe- 
 male in the colony and is the true mother of it. Her only duty is to 
 lay the eggs for the propogation of the species. She is a little larger 
 than the worker but not so large as the drone. Her body is longer 
 than that of the worker, but her wings are proportionately shorter. 
 Her abdomen tapers to a point. She has a 
 sting, but it is curved, and she uses it only 
 upon royalty; that is to say, to fight or de- 
 stroy other queens — her rivals. 
 
 § 4. The queen usually leaves the hive 
 only when accompanying a swarm. How- 
 ever, she takes a flight when about five or 
 six days old, to mate with a drone, outside, 
 upon the wing. Once fertilized, she is so for 
 life, though- she often lives three or four Pig. 1 — The Queenbee 
 years (30). On her return to the hive, after 
 
 mating, if she has been fecundated, the male organs may be seen at- 
 tached to her abdomen. 
 
THE QUEEN 
 
 § 5. If for some reason the queen is unable to mate within the 
 first three weeks of her life, she loses the desire to mate, but is 
 
 nevertheless able to lay eggs 
 that will hatch, as will be 
 shown further (9). These pro- 
 duce only drones. In about two 
 days after mating, she com- 
 mences to lay, and she is cap- 
 able, if prolific, of laying three 
 thousand or more eggs per day. 
 These are regularly deposited 
 by her in the cells, within the 
 breeding apartment or body of 
 Fig. 2 — Head of Queen (magnified.) the hive. When a queen lays 
 
 eggs in the super or honey re- 
 ceptacle, which is usually provided over the hive-body, it is a sign 
 that the hive is full. Small hives are objectionable because their 
 
 Fig. 3 — Queen Laying; Surrounded by Workerbees. 
 
OVARIES 
 
 limited space often causes the queen to desert the breeding apart- 
 ment and induce swarming. 
 
 § 6. Instinct teaches the workers the necessity of having a queen 
 that is prolific, and should she become barren from any cause, or be 
 lost or even decrease in her fer- 
 tility (101-5) during the breed- 
 ing season, or die (118) from old 
 age or from accident, they im- 
 mediately prepare to rear an- 
 other to take her place. This 
 they do by 'building queencells 
 (Pig. 5.) (34) which they supply 
 with eggs from worker-cells. 
 
 The bees also rear queens 
 when preparing to swarm (96); 
 the first queen hatched de- 
 stroys the others and the bees 
 usually help her to do it unless 
 they wish to swarm (98) again. 
 
 § 7. By feeding the embryo 
 queen with royal jelly, the egg 
 that would have produced a 
 worker had it remained in a 
 worker-cell, becomes a queen. 
 
 The name "royal jelly" (33) 
 is probably a misnomer, though used by most authors. It seems evi- 
 dent that the royal jelly is the same food which is given to the larva 
 of the worker-bee during the first three days of its existence, but at 
 the end of that time it is changed, for the worker, to a coarser food or 
 pap, while the same jelly in plentiful supply is given to the queec- 
 larva during the entire time of its growth. 
 
 § 8. The ovaries of the queen, occupying a large portion of the 
 abdomen, are two pear-shaped bodies, composed of 160 to 180 minute 
 tubes, the tubes being bound together by enveloping air-vessels. A 
 highly magnified view is here given (Fig. 4.) The germs of the eggs 
 originate in the upper ends of the tubes which compose the ovary, and 
 the eggs develop in their onward passage, so that at the time of the 
 busy laying season each one of the tubes will contain, at its lower end, 
 one or more mature eggs, with several others in a less developed state 
 following them. These tubes terminate on each side in the oviduct, 
 through which the egg passes into the vagina; in the cut, an egg will 
 be seen in the oviduct on the right. 
 
 Pig. 4 — Ovaries of Queen 
 (magnified.) 
 
EGG LAYING 
 
 A globular sac will be noted, attached to the main oviduct by a 
 short, tubular stem. A French naturalist, M. Audouin, first discovered 
 the true character of this sac as the spermatheca, which contains the 
 male semen; and Prof. Leuckart computes its size as sufficient to con- 
 tain, probably, twenty-five millions of seminal filaments. It seems 
 hardly possible that so large a number 
 should ever be found in the spermatheca, 
 as it would require nearly twenty years 
 to exhaust the supply, if the queen 
 should lay daily 2000 eggs, 365 days in 
 the year, and each egg be impregnated. 
 Kach egg which receives one or more of 
 of the seminal filaments in passing pro- 
 duces a worker or queen, while an un- 
 impregnated egg produces only a drone. 
 The spermatheca of an unfecun- 
 dated queen contains only a transparent 
 liquid with no seminal filaments, and 
 the eggs of such a queen produce only 
 drones, whether they are laid in large 
 or small cells. The size of the cell has 
 therefore no influence on the sex. 
 
 § 9. This ability of a queen to Fig. 5. Queencells. 
 
 lay eggs which hatch into drones, 
 
 without fertilization, belong only to a few female Insects and is called 
 "parthenogenesis." This was discovered in queenbees by Dzierzon. 
 Whether the queen has been for some cause unable to meet a drone or 
 to fly in search of one, or whether the drone's organs were sterile, or 
 their supply exhausted, or whether yet she has been rendered infertile 
 by refrigeration, in any of these cases a queen may lay eggs which 
 hatch only as drones. Such a queen is, of course, worthless, and should 
 be superseded by the apiarist. 
 
 § 10. The queen usually lays from February to October, but very 
 early in the spring she lays sparingly. When fruit and flowers bloom, 
 and the bees are getting honey and pollen, she lays most rapidly. 
 
 The Drones 
 
 § 11. These are non-producers, aiul )i\e on the toil and industry of 
 others. They are the males, and have no sting — neither have they any 
 means of gathering honey or secreting wax, or doing any work that is 
 even necessary to their own support, or the common good of the colony. 
 
DRONES 
 
 § 12. The drones are shorter, thicker and more bulky than the 
 queen, and their wings reach the entire length of their body. They are 
 much larger and clumsier than the workers, and like the queen and 
 workers are covered with short but fine hair. Their buzzing when 
 on the wing is much louder and differs from that of the others. Their 
 only use Is to serve the queen when on her 
 "bridal trip." 
 
 Not more than one in a thousand is ever 
 privileged to perform that duty, but as the 
 queen's life is very valuable, and the dangers 
 surrounding her flight are numerous, it is 
 necessary to have a sufficient number of 
 them, in order that her absence from the 
 hive may not be protracted. 
 
 That is why hundreds and often thou- 
 sands of drones are reared in each colony during the breeding and 
 swarming season. In domestication, when dozens and sometimes 
 hundreds of colonies are kept in an apiary, the choice colonies alone 
 should be permitted to rear drones in large numbers for reproduc- 
 tion. 
 
 § 13. It is said that some queens need to mate twice before ferti- 
 lization is fully accomplished. But the average queen mates but 
 once and the drone, in the act of copulation, l"=es his life, dying 
 instantly. 
 
 Fig. 6. The Drone. 
 
 Pig. 7. Sexual Organs of the Drone. 
 
 a a, testicles; b, b, mucous glands; c, seminal duct; d, formation of 
 
 spermataphore; f, spermatozoa. 
 
DRONES 
 
 § 14. After the swarming season is over, or should the honey 
 season prove unfavorable and the crop short, they are mercilessly 
 destroyed by the workers. 
 
 Should a colony lose its queen, the drones will be retained later; 
 instinct teaching them that, without the drone, the young queen 
 would remain unfertile, and the colony soon become extinct. 
 
 § 15. When comparing the head of the drone (Fig. 8), with those 
 of the queen and the worker (Pigs. 2 and 10), one readily notices the 
 compound eyes, those crescent-shaped projections on each side of the 
 head. They are much larger in the drone than in either of the others, 
 
 and this is ascribed by scient- 
 ists to the necessity of finding 
 the queen in the air, on the 
 wing. The facets composing 
 these eyes number some 25,- 
 000 in the head of the drone, so 
 that they can see in all direc- 
 tions. The three small points 
 In a triangle at the top of the 
 head are small eyes or ocelli, 
 which are probably used to see 
 In the dark, within the hive, 
 and at short range. 
 
 § j-6. It has been common 
 among beekeepers to believe 
 that the drones serve another purpose in the hive, aside from their 
 use as males. It is said that they keep the brood warm. As a mat- 
 ter of course, they keep themselves upon the brood combs, when per- 
 mitted, as much to enjoy the natural warmth of the living grubs as 
 to keep them warm. But the fallacy of the belief in their being re- 
 quired to keep up the warmth is clearly seen when the toees drive 
 them out and destroy them at the least reverse in the temperature. 
 The greatest number of drones are reared in the warmest part of the 
 season and their uselessness for other purposes than the fertilization 
 of the queens is very positively proven. 
 
 Fig. 8 — Head of Drone (magnified.) 
 
 The Workers 
 
 § 17. These are undeveloped females, and they do all the work 
 that is done in the hive. They secrete the wax, build the comb, 
 ventilate the hive, gather the pollen for the young, and honey for all, 
 feed and rear the brood, and fight all the battles necessary to defend 
 the colony. 
 
 Of the three kinds of bees these are the smallest, but constitute 
 
HEAD OF WORKER 
 
 We 
 
 Fig. 9. 
 The Worker. 
 
 the great mass of the population. They possess the whole ruling 
 power of the colony and regulate its economy. 
 
 § 18. The details of the lu-ad of a bee are very interesting, 
 have already mentioned, when speaking of the drone, 
 the compound eyes, which are larger and contain a 
 greater number of facets in the male than in either 
 the queen or the worker. 
 
 § 19. The bees have short, thick, smooth 
 maiidiWes, working sidewise instead of up and 
 down as in higher animals. These mandibles have 
 no teeth like those of wasps and hornets, and yet en- 
 able them to tear the soft corolla of flowers and to 
 build their combs out of wax. They are therefore in- 
 capable of cutting the smooth skin of sound fruits of any kind. 
 
 § 20. The tongue of the honeybee Is made of several parts, ligula, 
 palpi and maxillae (fig. 12). The central part or ligula is grooved 
 
 like a trough. When at rest It 
 is folded "below the mentura or 
 chin. 
 
 § 21. In the head and thor- 
 ax are three pairs of salivary 
 glands, two of which at least are 
 evidently used to produce the 
 saliva which changes the chem- 
 ical condition of the nectar of 
 blossoms into that of honey. 
 The largest pair of glands is 
 supposed to be used in the pro- 
 duction of the pap for the larvae, 
 as will be seen further (33). 
 
 § 22. The antennse or feel- 
 ers are the two long horns 
 which protrude from the head of 
 the bee. These exist in all insects. The popular name of "feelers" 
 is very proper, for it is with these antennae that the bee examines 
 every body or thing with which is comes in contact. They appear to 
 serve the purpose of smell, touch and hearing. It is however claim- 
 ed by a modern scientist, Mr. Mclndoo, of the Bureau of Entomology 
 at Washington, that the bees do not smell through the antennae and 
 that there are organs of smell, located in other parts of the body, at 
 the joints of wings, legs, etc. It is true also that the organs of 
 breathing are not in the head, but in the abdomen, between the rings 
 
 Pig. 10 — Head of Worker, 
 (magnified) 
 
8 
 
 HONEY-SAC 
 
 or segments of the third section of the body. However, until further 
 proof is adduced, we must continue, with all entomological students, 
 to ascribe the detection of the most minute odors to the antennae, 
 since it is with these organs that they examine the blossoms, the 
 combs, their friends and their enemies. As 
 there are usually tens of thousands of bees in 
 a colony and they very readily recognize their 
 own members, it must be with the antennae 
 that this recognition is achieved. 
 
 § 23. The honey-sac (Fig. 13), or first 
 stomach, is located in the abdomen or third 
 segment of the body of the bee. Prom this 
 stomach, the bee may at will digest a part of 
 the honey, by forcing it to the second stomach 
 for the nourishment of its body, or it may be 
 Fig. 11— The Worker discharged back through the mouth into 
 (magnified). the cells for future use (49). Another use 
 
 of the honey Is to make comb, as will be ex- 
 plained further (38). 
 
 Fig. 12 — Tongue and 
 Appendages. 
 
 Fig. 13— The Digestive 
 Apparatus. 
 
 Fig. 12— (a) tongue, (b) labial palpi, (c) maxilla 
 Fig. 13— (a) tongue, (b) esophagus, (c) honey sack, (d) digesting 
 stomach, (e) malpighian tubes, (f) small intestine, (g) large intestine 
 
LEGS 
 
 9 
 
 § 24. The honeybee has four wings and six legs, all fastened to 
 the corslet or second segment of the body. The wings, in pairs, fold 
 upon each other to enable them to enter within the cells where the 
 brood Is reared and where the honey is stored. In flight the two 
 sections of these wings are braced together by the use of very fine 
 hooks, which enable them to present a greater surface in contact 
 with the air. 
 
 § 25. We will not go into the details of the different segments of 
 the legs of the honey bee. But it is well to say that each leg is 
 
 supplied at its extremity with claws 
 which permit the bees to hang to each 
 other in clusters. They also have near 
 the claw a small "rubber-like pocket" 
 which secretes a sticky substance. This 
 enables the bee, like the fly and many 
 other insects, to fasten itself and walk 
 with ease upon any smooth surface, such 
 
 as a pane of glass or a ceiling. 
 
 § 26. The anterior legs (Fig. 14.) are provided with a notch and 
 
 Pig. 14 — Anterior Leg of 
 Worker (magnified.) 
 
 a thumb-like spine or "velum' 
 cleanse the antenna. The mo- 
 tion made for this purpose is 
 often noticed in house flies as 
 well as in bees. 
 
 § 27 The third pair of legs 
 of the workerbee have a hol- 
 low cavity (Fig. 15 A A), 
 called the pollen basket, which 
 enables it to carry home the 
 pollen of flowers, which some 
 people, when they see them so 
 loaded, imagine to be wax, but 
 which is used to make the pap 
 or jelly for the young. This 
 pollen (55) is popularly called 
 hee-bread and is the fertiliz- 
 ing dust of flowers. 
 
 It is peculiar and wonder- 
 ful that neither the queen nor 
 the drones are supplied with 
 these pollen baskets (Fig. 16). 
 They would have no use for 
 them since they never work in 
 the field. 
 
 A, B. C. which is used by the insect to 
 
 Fig. 15 — Posterior Legs of Worker 
 (magnified.) A A Pollen-Baskets. 
 
10 
 
 STING 
 
 § 28. The ovaries, or egg pouches, which are very large in the 
 queen, are almost absent in the workers, who are therefore incom- 
 plete females (121) and unfit for mating, although they may occa- 
 sionally be able to lay a few eggs which hatch as drones. 
 A -^ C 'B 
 
 Fig. 16 — Posterior Legs. 
 
 (a) of aueen, (b) under side of worker, (c) upperside of same, 
 (d) of drone. 
 
 On the other hand, the sting, which is curved in the queen and 
 used only to fight other queens, is straight in the worker and accom- 
 panied by a much 'better developed poison sac, which deposits venom 
 in the wound made. 
 
 § 29. The sting', which is barbed, is used for self defense and for 
 the protection of their home. It Is composed of three distinct parts, 
 of which the sheath or awl forms one. These three parts join near the 
 edges, and form a tube, which viewed sectionally, ABB, has the shape 
 of a triangle, the angles being rounded off (Fig. 17, 18). 
 
 The other two parts or lancets BB constitute the sting proper and 
 in the sectional view are semi-circular, the upper edges being thicker 
 than the lower ones, and squared to each other, one of the edges hav- 
 ing a projection extending along the under or inner portion of it, 
 thereby forming a rabbet along which the opposite part freely moves. 
 The under or inner portion of these parts tapers down to extreme 
 thinness, while near the termination of the edge there runs a minute 
 groove which corresponds with a ridge T T in the sheath of aw! H. 
 and along which the parts move freely. Each of these parts properly 
 tapers down to a fine point. In the cut, the right hand lancet is re- 
 moved from the other parts to show its adjustment B, in sectional 
 view. 
 
 Near the point 'begin the barbs, which in some stings may number 
 as many as ten, (Fig. 17,), extending along the sting nearly one half 
 of its length and are well-defined. Each of the lancets, when the 
 sting is in action, has an Independent motion, so they are thrust out 
 alternately and when working their way into a wound, the valves H 
 B by their action force out poison which Is received from the poison 
 
STING 
 
 11 
 
 sack C through the reservoir S. When the bee stings, it may happen 
 that one or both of the chief parts of the sting are left In the wound 
 when the sheath is withdrawn, but are rarely perceived on account of 
 
 their minuteness, the person 
 stung at the same time con- 
 gratulating himself that the 
 sting has been extracted. 
 
 § 30. The worker may live 
 as long as six months or more 
 in the winter, when she is not 
 flying about, but in summer 
 her life Is very short, averag- 
 ing less than forty days. She 
 literally wears herself out. 
 For that reason, a queenless 
 colony, in which the number 
 of bees is no longer replen- 
 ished by daily hatchings soon 
 dies. A colony which has 
 failed to raise a queen after 
 swarming or whose queen has 
 been lost in her wedding flight 
 will be entirely depopulated by 
 fall. A workerbee never lives 
 to see her anniversary. Those 
 reared in the fall, having little 
 out-door work to perform, will 
 Fig. 17 — Sectional View of Sting live till spring. None of them 
 (C) poison sack, (B B) lancets of die of old age but the majority 
 sting, (A) awl or sheath, (U) work themselves to death and 
 barbs, (H) hollow In awl, (I) hoi- many die from accident, 
 low in lancets, (S) reservoir con- 
 necting with poison sacks, (T) 
 ridges in awl. 
 
 Brood 
 
 § 31. There are. three stages to the development of the insect, 
 whether queen, drone, or worker, before it becomes a perfect insect. 
 These stages are; egg, larva or grub, pupa or chrysalis. 
 
 § 32. The egg is laid by the queen in the bottom of the cell; in 
 three days it hatches into a small, white worm, called "larva," which, 
 being fed by the bees, increases rapidly In size; when this larva nearly 
 fills the cell, it is closed up by the bees. 
 
12 
 
 BROOD 
 
 § 33. The royal jelly (7), or white pap, which is fed to the queen 
 larva during the entire time of its existence, and to the worker and 
 drone larvae during the first three or four days, is a whitish semi- 
 transparent fluid, said by Cheshire to toe produced by the large sali- 
 
 Fig, 
 
 ■Magnified Sting. 
 
 vary glands (21) of the worker bees. On the other hand. Cowan and 
 others claim that it is a chyle product of the stomach of the worker, 
 regurgitated by them at will. 
 
BROOD 
 
 13 
 
 During the latter part of their life as larvse, both the workers and 
 the drones are fed with a coarser food, which appears to be a mixture 
 of pollen (55) and honey (49). 
 
 § 34. The student will readily learn to recognize the three dlf- 
 
 Fig. 19.— Eggs in the Cells (greatly magnified.) 
 
 ferent kinds of brood. The queencell (42) hangs from the edges of 
 the comb, looking, when empty, like an acorn cup, and when sealed 
 like a peanut. The worker-brood when sealed differs from sealed 
 
14 
 
 BROOD 
 
 honey in its uniformity and in the leathery appearance of its capping. 
 The drone-brood differs from it in the more rounded shape of its cap- 
 pings, which (to quote one of our contemporaries, Mr. Pellett) look 
 like bullets (Queencells, Fig. 5 and 65). 
 
 Fig. 20 — Larvae in the Cells (greatly magnified.) 
 
 § 35. The worker develops from the egg in 21 days. The drone 
 hatches in twenty- four days, and if the weather is propitious he will 
 "fly" in a few days after. The queen matures in fifteen days. 
 
BROOD 
 
 15 
 
 § 36. In ordinary circumstances the workerbee does not leave the 
 hive until about eight days after hatching. During that time she is 
 not idle. She serves as a nurse to the other young bees. At about 
 the eighth day, she takes her first flight, and a number of them usual- 
 ly take flight together, in the warmth of the afternoon. They fly 
 about the entrance, in happy and humming crowds, making peaceable 
 circles to learn the location and appearance of their home so as to 
 return to it without error (69). 
 
 Brood in all Stages. 
 (a, b) magnified larva, (c) natural size, (d, e) magnified nymph, 
 (f) natural size, (g) eggs, (h) same magnified, (i, j) micropyle or 
 opening through which egg is fertilized. 
 
 It is of some importance for the beginner to learn to recognize 
 the first flight of young bees, as the bustle of their pleasant sally 
 somewhat resembles the actions of rob- 
 ber-bees, with which it must not be 
 confounded. We will speak of this 
 later (84) at the chapter upon "rab- 
 bing"- 
 
 § 37. Duration of development of the 
 brood, from the egg to the perfect 
 
 insect: Pis- 22. — The Larva in 
 
 the Cell (magnified.) 
 
16 
 
 THE COMBS. 
 
 In the egg Days 
 
 Growth of larva Days 
 
 Spinning of cocoon Days 
 
 Period of rest Days 
 
 Change In chrysalis or pupa Days 
 Change to winged insect . Days 
 
 Queen. 
 
 3 
 5 
 1 
 2 
 1 
 3 
 
 Worker. 
 3 
 6 
 
 o 
 
 2 
 1 
 
 7 
 
 Drone. 
 3 
 
 3 
 1 
 
 9 
 
 Average duration of changes.. 15 21 24 
 
 The above figures represent the time required In summer weather. 
 In cool or cold temperatures the time is somewhat lengthened. 
 
 Wax and Comb 
 
 § 38. The combs, hanging downwards perpendicularly from the 
 celling or upper part of the hive, are built by the workers, of bees- 
 wax, produced by eating honey, much as animals produce fat, and are 
 thus quite expensive, both in labor and material. Before the time of 
 
 « 
 
 • *, 
 
 « 
 
 '. . 1 
 
 • V . 
 
 « 
 
 
 * '^ 
 
 h" . * 
 
 » » 
 
 
 • v'l 
 
 
 G 
 
 
 
 
 
 • « 
 
 4 
 
 • 
 
 
 •♦ 
 
 4 
 
 
 e 
 
 
 
 • * 6 
 
 a "> 
 
 e » 
 
 T\ 
 
 « • *«»- 
 
 m 
 
 '^^1 . 
 
 
 Fig. 23 — A Comb of Worker-brood. 
 
 Huber it was generally supposed that wax was made from pollen; but 
 Huber fully demonstrated that bees could construct comb from honey, 
 or sugar syrup without the aid of pollen. However, a tew years pre- 
 viously, Duchet, a French writer, had already suggested that beeswax 
 was produced from honey. 
 
PRODUCTION OP WAX 
 
 17 
 
 § 39. The production of wax, from which the comb is made is 
 one of the most remarkable phenomena of the organization of the 
 honeybee. The segments or 'rings of the abdomen of the bee overlap 
 each other, six in number. At the underside of four of these rings 
 are pairs of five-sided, clear, transparent surfaces (Pig. 24), on which 
 the plates or small scales of wax are formed, by a peculiar process 
 of digestion. Each worker-bee is therefore able to produce eight (Pig. 
 25) small scales of wax. The queens and drones are not supplied with 
 these organs. When a swarm of bees is about to leave its old home 
 
 Fig. 24 — Wax Producing Organ. 
 
 and seek another, each bee fills itself with honey. After entering 
 their new home, the gorged bees suspend themselves in festoons, hang- 
 ing from the top of the hive. They hang motionless for about 24 
 hours. During this time the honey has been digested and converted 
 into a peculiar animal fatty product, which collects itself in scales or 
 laminae beneath the abdominal rings (Pig. 25). This is the wax. 
 
 Langstroth remarks as fol- 
 lows on this subject: 
 
 "It is an interesting fact, 
 which seems hitherto to have 
 escaped notice, that honey- 
 gathering and comb-building 
 go simultaneously; so that 
 when one stops, the other 
 ceases also. As soon as the 
 honey-harvest begins to fail, 
 so that consumption is in ad- 
 vance of production, the bees 
 cease to build new comb, even 
 
 although large portions of Pig. 25— Under Surface of Worker, 
 their hives are unfilled. Showing Wax in Segments 
 
 Wheii honey no longer abounds (magnified.) 
 
18 THE CELLS 
 
 in the fields, it is wisely ordered tliat they should not consume, in 
 comb-building, the treasures which may be needed for winter use. 
 What safer rule could have been given them?" 
 
 The explanation of this fact by natural causes is very easy, and 
 demonstrates the fitness of Nature to all cases. The production of 
 wax is involuntary in the bee, whenever it is compelled to remain a 
 long time with a stomach full of honey. Its production, which is im- 
 perceptibly small in ordinary circumstances, increases rapidly as soon 
 as conditions demand it. As long as there are plenty of empty cells 
 in the hive to receive the crop, the bees are not compelled to retain 
 honey constantly in their stomachs, and there is only enough wax 
 produced to repair or elongate the cells and seal them. But as soon 
 as the want of room compels many of the bees to remain filled with 
 honey for twenty-four hours or more, a sufficient amount of scales of 
 wax is produced to build combs to store the surplus honey. 
 
 § 40. As colonies usually swarm only during a good honey flow, 
 many of the bees composing the swarm often have scales of wax al- 
 ready produced under the abdominal rings. This explains the great 
 speed and apparent cheapness of production of comb in such circum- 
 stances. The honey required for this production was supplied pre- 
 viously. 
 
 § 41. The cells, hexagonal in shape, are built on both sides of a 
 midrib or base, and their adjustment, made in the most economical 
 way that Nature could devise, is such that the base of each cell com- 
 posed of three lozenges, makes the one-third of the base lof three op- 
 posite cells (Fig. 84). The greatest economy of space and labor, com- 
 bined with the greatest possible strength of construction, is evidenced 
 in this work. The cells in which the worker-bees are reared measure 
 about five to the inch, or a trifle over twenty-seven to the square 
 inch. The cells in which drones are reared, and of which about ten 
 per cent are built in the brood apartment, measure four to the inch, 
 or about eighteen to the square inch. The total for both sides of the 
 comb is, of course, double that number. 
 
 The above figures are not of regular exactness. There are slight 
 differences in the sizes of cells. European experimenters have vari- 
 ously reported tlie worker-cells as numbering from 736 to 854 to the 
 square decimeter. The former number was held preferable in supply- 
 ing artificial foundation, as larger bees could be secured, in larger 
 cells. But the difficulty arose of an occasional production of drones 
 in these larger worker-cells. The experiments of Mr. Langstroth, re- 
 duced to the metric system, showed 838 worker-cells to the square 
 decimeter as the standard number. 
 
 A number of cells are built, which are called intermediate cells, 
 when changing from worker to drone-comb (Fig. 28). These inter- 
 
QUEBNCELLS 
 
 19 
 
 mediate cells, or cells of accommodation, are of irregular shape, and 
 of sizes varying between the other two, according to requirements. 
 § 42. Besides the cells already enumerated large cells, hanging 
 downward and shaped like an acorn or a peanut, are found here and 
 there, especially at the edges of the combs (Pig. 5). These are queen- 
 cells (34). In them the queens are reared for swarming or to replace 
 
 Fig. 26 — A Comb Covered With Bees. 
 
 the old queen when she becomes unfertile. The worker and drone 
 cells are used not only for brood-rearing, but also for storing honey. 
 Pollen is almost invariably stored in worker-cells. 
 
 § 43. Queencells seem to be always built from particles of the 
 comb on which they hang (probably because they are built after- 
 wards), and are of the same color, even if newly built on old combs. 
 
 § 44. The thickness of worker combs is about an inch, with a 
 space for the passage of the bees of about seven-sixteenths of an inch, 
 down to five-sixteenths. As these distances may be slightly increased 
 without troubling the bees, we usually place the combs in our hives 
 one and a half inches apart from center to center. It increases the 
 ease of manipulation (92), 
 
20 
 
 COST OF COMB 
 
 § 45. The cells are not placed horizontally, but Incline slightly 
 downwards from front to rear. 
 
 § 46. It is estimated that from seven to fifteen pounds of honey 
 are required to be consumed by the bees to produce a pound of comb. 
 The quantity undoubtedly varies greatly according to the conditions 
 in which the bees find themselves when the comb is built. The great- 
 est amount is secured during a strong honey-flow. In a summer tem- 
 perature. Excessive heat is objectionable only, in this connection, 
 when sufficient to render the wax too soft and cause a break-down. 
 "Blood heat" is undoubtedly the most satisfactory. 
 
 Fig. 27 — Drone and Worker-brood Sealed. 
 
 The great cost of wax to the bees has caused apiarists to devise 
 methods whereby the beeswax produced from combs that have been 
 melted may be returned to the bees in the shape of comb foundation, 
 forming the base of the comb, which will be mentioned in a separate 
 chapter (132). 
 
 § 47. At first when the combs are built, they are generally trans- 
 parently white, but with age and use for brood-rearing they become 
 dark and opaque. The thin cocoons lining the cells help to make 
 them so; such are, however, just as valuable for breeding purposes 
 
PROPOLIS 
 
 21 
 
 for a long time, or until the size is materially diminished. They are 
 also valuable for storing honey, where the extractor is used. During 
 a harvest of honey and pollen of deep yellow or amber shade, the 
 comb promptly assumes that color, though white when first secreted. 
 
 Pig. 28 — A New Comb, Worker and Drone-cells. 
 
 Propolis 
 
 § 48. Propolis is a resinous substance gathered by the bees from 
 the buds or limbs of some trees. It is brittle in cold weather, but 
 so sticky in the summer that the bees apply it immediately to the 
 purposes for which they procure it. It is used to stop the cracks in 
 the wood of their home, sometimes to reduce too large an entrance 
 and often to strengthen the combs at their junction with the walls. 
 They also use it to cover up obstacles which they are unable to re- 
 
22 
 
 PROPOLIS 
 
 move, such as partly rotten wood in the hollow trees which they in- 
 habit, or to cover up and in some manner embalm the bodies of large 
 insects or the bones of mice which have found their way into the 
 hive and have been stung to death by them. 
 
 Pig. 29 — A Brood-Comb with Honey at the Top, Sealed and Unsealed 
 
 Worker-brood Below and Queencells Along the Edges— the 
 
 usual Appearance in the Breeding Season. 
 
 It is conveyed to the hive, in the pollen baskets, (27, Pig 15, 16) in 
 the same manner as pollen, already mentioned. Such is the intelli- 
 gent wisdom of those little insects that they rarely gather propolis 
 when honey may be had. They evidently know that the honey will 
 waste in the flowers if not removed without delay or is it mainly 
 gormandize? During dull, dry summers, large quantities of propolis 
 are sometimes gathered and the entire inner walls of the hive thickly 
 coated with it (82). 
 
 Food of Bees 
 
 § 49. HONEY is a vegetable sweet, produced mainly in the nect- 
 ariferous tissues of a large number of blossoms. It is not made by 
 by the bees, but only Ratherod, although during the transfer from 
 the blossoms to the hive, in the stomach of the bee, it undergoes a 
 slight change, by the action of the bee's saliva upon it. So it is 
 customary to call it "nectar" before it is gathered, and "honey" when 
 it has been placed in the cells. 
 
 Its color, taste, and smell differ according to the blossoms from 
 
HONEY 23 
 
 which it is harvested. The color ranges from water-white to very 
 dark brown. The taste and smell almost invariably indicate the blos- 
 soms from which it has been gathered. 
 
 § 50. It contains more or less water, (163) according to the sea- 
 son in which it is produced, the atmospheric conditions, the amount 
 of moisture in the soil and the kind of plants from which it is harvest- 
 ed. It is said that the fuschia produces exceedingly thick honey. 
 Also, the nectar gathered from the heather, in dry, sandy plains, is 
 often so thick that it is extracted from the comb with difficulty. On 
 the other hand, white clover honey is often so watery, when first 
 gathered, that It drops from the combs, like water, when they are 
 handled by the apiarist. It sometimes contains from 75 to 90 per 
 cent of water. But the bees soon ripen it by the warmth of their 
 hive and the ventilation which they give it by the fanning of their 
 wings. During a heavy harvest, rows of bees may often be seen, 
 facing the hive and extending from the edge of the alighting board 
 into the hive and all through its combs, their wings moving with such 
 rapidity that they are invisible. This serves not only to evaporate the 
 honey but to give pure air to the Inside and keep down the tempera- 
 ture of their busy home. 
 
 §. 51. The quantity of nectar produced by the blossoms differs as 
 well as the quality. Its flavor also differs as does its color. The 
 whitest honey is gathered from white clover, alfalfa, basswood blos- 
 soms, etc., the darkest from late flowers such as the Spanish needles 
 or bidens, goldenrod, buckwheat, boneset, etc. 
 
 § 52. In addition to the nectar of the blossoms, the bees also 
 sometimes gather and bring to their hives a sweet substance, called 
 honeydew, which is mainly produced by aphides or plant lice, al- 
 though in some instances it is an exudation from the leaves of some 
 trees or plants. 
 
 Much speculation was indulged in, some years ago, concerning 
 the manner in which the honeydew could be dropped upon the leaves 
 of trees even in the uppermost branches. It was ascertained that not 
 only do the wingless lice produce a sweet substance which often at- 
 tracts ants, but the winged lice also produce and eject this sweet sub- 
 stance, while on the wing, so that honeydew is often found on the up- 
 per surface of leaves which have no visible trace of lice above them. 
 This sweet is of very low quality and not properly acceptable as 
 honey. But since the beekeeper cannot avoid the gathering of it by 
 his bees, during some seasons, the sale of it must be tolerated, for 
 manufacturing purposes. 
 
 § 53. The quantity of honey harvested by a colony of bees, in a 
 single day, may vary from a few ounces to twenty pounds or more. 
 But a large portion of this gain is promptly evaporated, as the honey 
 
24 
 
 POLLEN 
 
 thickens. Twenty-five per cent of tlie weight of fresh nectar usually 
 disappears during the first twenty-four hours. 
 
 § 54. When the lioney is sufficiently ripened, the bees seal or cap 
 .their cells with a thin covering made principally of wax. 
 
 § 55. POLLEN is the fertilizing dust of flowers. We have said, 
 in the Preface, that the visits of insects are needed for the fertiliza- 
 tion of the flowers. On the other hand, the pollen which the bee 
 gathers and helps to spread upon the pistil, to fructify the seed, is 
 needed in the economy of the hive. It serves to make the coarse pap 
 or food given to the worker and drone larvae (33) in the latter part 
 of their existence in that stage of insect life. It Is also consumed by 
 the bees, during their active life. Cowan and Cheshire, following the 
 German scientists, have interestingly described the "stomach-mouth" 
 which appears to sort out or sift the pollen grains contained in the 
 honey brought to the hive in 
 the honey sack (23); for much 
 of the honey harvested by them 
 contains small pellets of pol- 
 len floating in it. 
 
 During the winter, how- 
 ever, when the bees are inac- 
 tive, the need of pollen is not 
 felt. At that time honey only 
 is suitable and such as con- 
 tains the least quantity of pol- 
 len is the healthiest, for it 
 leaves very little residue in 
 their intestines during the long 
 confinement. Honeydew, fruit 
 juices and dark honey loaded 
 with pollen grains, are bad 
 winter food (186). 
 
 § 56. In early spring, as 
 pollen is required for larval 
 food, if there is a scarcity of 
 it it may be replaced by flour 
 or meal, supplied to the bees, 
 in open boxes in well-sheltered 
 places (Fig. 30), on warm days. 
 
 The flour must be packed down with the hands into a lump, so the 
 bees will not smother in it. A shallow box or a dish are equally good. 
 To attract the bees to the spot a little old comb may be used. Early 
 supplies of pollen, however, are sure to be had wherever the soft 
 maple, hazel, willow, etc., are found. 
 
 Pig. 30 — Flour in Lieu of Pollen. 
 
iWATER 
 
 25 
 
 § 57. Pollen is stored in the worker-cells of the brood combs, 
 closely surrounding the brood. It Is rarely found in the supers (90) 
 or storing apartment. Its presence there lessens the value of comb 
 honey for table use. 
 
 § 58. Let it be remembered by the horticulturist that the bees 
 are needed in the fertilization of most of his fruits. Not only do 
 they cause the pollen to be spread upon the blossom which they visit, 
 but in their flights they carry it from one blossom to another and 
 thus bring about cross fertilization and greater fructification. 
 
 / 
 
 Water 
 
 § 59. The use of water in preparing the food given to the larvae 
 is necessary at all breeding seasons when fresh watery nectar is not 
 
 Fig. 31.— Water With Cork Chips. 
 
 at hand. In early spring, bees are often noticed around well pumps 
 apd watering troughs, unless some stream close at hand gives them 
 a constant supply. But for the use of the adult insect, water is not 
 needed. It is well however to see that it may be had within a short 
 distance of the apiary during cool spring days when the life of the 
 workers may be endangered by too long trips. A bucket or pail (Pig. 
 31) with floating cork chips is the handiest watering trough, as the 
 bees are in no danger of drowning. 
 
26 
 
 Establishing an Apiary 
 
 § 60. The intelligent lovers of nature admire the habits of the 
 bees, their skill in extracting the nectar of the flowers, their prefer- 
 ence for the best honey, for they never seek for cheap sweets, sugars 
 or syrups, if nectar is to be had; their eager ejection from their home 
 of dead bodies of their own race or of other insects, which if they can- 
 not drag away, they will carefully cover up and entomb in propolis; 
 
 Fig. 32— Bees on a City Lot. 
 
 their love of cleanliness and quiet; their singularly clean manage- 
 ment and handling of so adhesive a liquid as honey, from which they 
 issue forth as if they had had nothing to do with it; the careful mak- 
 ing of their combs, remodeling to suit themselves even the pretty 
 comb foundation furnished to them; their orderly policy, their love of 
 home; their apparent indifference to anything regarding themselves 
 
BEEKEEPING A SCIENCE 2't 
 
 which is not for the common good, throwing themselves into danger 
 and fighting for their hive at the loss even of life. 
 
 Beekeeping as a Science 
 
 To succeed in any calling, we must first gain a reasonable amount 
 of knowledge of the science upon which are founded the rules of that 
 
 Fig. 33 — Miss Emma M. Wilson, a Noted Illinois Apiarist and 
 Writer on Bees. 
 
 art. Beekeeping is a science, having for its obiect the attainment of 
 a correct knowledge of all that pertains to the habits and instincts of 
 these wonderful insects. Therefore, to make the pursuit both pleasant 
 and profitable we must possess the requisite knowledge of the laws 
 that govern these industrious creatures. The lacking of these things 
 will account for the many failures of those whose enthusiasm is not 
 supported by experimental knowledge! 
 
28 
 
 13 
 
 
29 
 
 Who Should Keep Bees? 
 
 § 61. The care of an apiary is well adapted to furnish recreation to 
 men of sedentary professions, lawyers, ministers, doctors, and teachers 
 especially, who are often at leisure during the summer months when 
 the bees require the greatest amount of attention, and who may thus 
 add quite a little to their income. Ladies may keep bees, and often 
 succeed better than men, because they pay more attention to details. 
 "The bee-business is a business of details." It has been stated that 
 the handling of heavy hives or supers full of honey is too hard for 
 women, but it is easy to secure occasional help to do the heavy lifting 
 required only when the honey crop is good. 
 
 Patience, persistence before discouragements, neatness and fore- 
 sight are the requirements of an apiarist. You must also learn to 
 handle bees without fear, if you expect to enjoy the work. This is 
 not difficult, and directions will be found in another chapter (74). 
 Very little capital is required, for the business must be learned on a 
 small scale. 
 
 Suitable Location 
 
 § 62. Unless you expect to keep bees on a large scale, almost any 
 location is suitable for an apiary. 
 
 Fij; 35 — Bees on the Roof of the Coal Shed. 
 
30 
 
 APIARIES IN CITIES 
 
 Mr. Newman's apiary was located in Chicago, close to one of the 
 main thoroughfares and street-car lines, and the result in both in- 
 crease of colonies and honey was exceedingly satisfactory. Mr. Muth 
 and Mr. Weber, of Cincinnati, had their apiaries on the roof of their 
 store — and were successful with them. 
 
 Other apiarists without number have succeeded with bees, when 
 owning only a very limited area of land in the suburbs of large cities. 
 House-apiaries are resorted to in congested locations. In Europe and 
 especially in Switzerland the house-apiary (Fig. 34) is often con- 
 sidered indispensable. Though it is less convenient for handling the 
 hives, making artificial increase and for many other operations, it has 
 the advantage of better protecting the hives, preventing robbing and 
 requiring less space. 
 
 It is a fact that even around large cities, many good honey-pro- 
 ducing plants are found, in vacant lots or about deserted streets. 
 Sweet clover abounds around many a large city, and two-thirds of the 
 honey harvested about Chicago is of this source. 
 
 A noted beekeeper of Missouri for years kept an apiary of from 
 60 to 100 colonies within the suburbs of the city of St. Louis. His 
 
 Fig. 36— Sheltered on the North. 
 
COUNTRY LOCATIONS 
 
 31 
 
 bees often flew over the city and across the Mississippi river, about 
 two miles, to work upon the bloom across this stream and harvested 
 large crops. 
 
 If, however, you wish to make bee-culture a specialty it !S best 
 to make choice of a location where fruit and flowers abound, where 
 white clover is found in the pastures, and fall blossoms in the fields. 
 
 Don't go where there are already many other bee-keepers, for 
 several reasons: 
 
 1st. If you should have Italians, you don't want to have your 
 queens fertilized by impure drones. 
 
 2nd. The pasturage may not be sufficient to support more bees. 
 
 3d. Older beekeepers may think you are "treading on their toes." 
 and it may lead to unpleasant feelings, and a disastrous competition. 
 A territory of three or four miles all alone is quite a luxury, if you 
 intend keeping bees for profit. 
 
 A timber range is desirable, for a large portion of their honey 
 and pollen they may gather from timber and shrubs. Many good lo- 
 calities are found near rivers or streamlets, where abound linden, 
 sumac, maple, willow, cottonwood, and other trees, shrubs and vines 
 that yield honey and pollen. 
 
 Fig. 37 — Apiary Well Sheltered from Winter's Wind. 
 
 § 63. The bees should be near the house, or where they can be 
 heard when they swarm. They should be so located that the north 
 winds would not strike them, where they can have a warm, calm place 
 to alight. 
 
 A hedge, high board-fence (Pig. 36) or. building on the north and 
 
32 
 
 HIVE PROTECTION 
 
 west are ii, protection against the strong winds which destroy very 
 many laboring bees in the spring (183), when one bee is worth as 
 much as a dozen in the latter part of summer, as they are then much 
 needed to care for the brood and keep it warm. 
 
 If, in April, the day has been rather warm and the evening cool 
 and windy, hundreds of bees may be found on the ground in front of 
 the hive, perhaps loaded with pollen, but exhausted from the flight 
 and chilled with cold. As they approach the hive they relax their 
 exertions, and a light whiff of wind dashes them to the ground, from 
 which they are perhaps unable to arise, and before the sun could 
 warm them up, the next morning, they will be dead. 
 
 § 64. If you have no shade for your hives, it would be best to 
 plant fruit-trees among them. These not only supply pollen and 
 honey in blooming time, but acceptable shade in hot summer days 
 (86). 
 
 § 65. Use sand, gravel or cinders under and around the hives, to 
 prevent the springing up of grass to the annoyance of the bees. Saw- 
 dust is also used but is dangerous as it may get afire from the bee 
 smoker. 
 
 [Which. Way Should Hives Face? 
 
 § ,66. There seems to be no facing superior to the one that al- 
 
 Pig. 38 — Hive Shaded with Roof — Good for Sun or Rain. 
 
MOVING BEES 
 
 33 
 
 lows the sun's rays to shine directly into the entrance of a hive dur- 
 ing the winter. There is not a difference of any consequence be- 
 tween a south, southeast or southwest aspect, and selection may he 
 made to suit the apiarist's notion. Next to this, we should say, face 
 to the east; if this is impossible, the west — and when no other avail- 
 able, submit to a north frontage. 
 
 Early in the spring is the best time to begin. 
 
 How Many Hives to Begin With? 
 
 § 67. Purchase strong colonies of bees from some reliable breeder 
 or dealer, and in order to get experience, increase from two or three 
 colonies — not more. 
 
 Moving Bees 
 
 § 68. Spring is the best time to transport your bees or move them 
 from one locality to another. Select a cool day in March or April. 
 They may be moved at any time, even in hot weather, but the danger 
 of smothering the bees or having the combs break down is much 
 greater. In April, when the combs contain the least amount of honey, 
 and before the hives have become populous, bees may be moved by 
 
 Fig. 39 — Shade with Roofs and Orchard Trees. 
 
34 
 
 MOVING COLONIES IN SUMMER. 
 
 simply nailing the cap or cover and bottom-board to the main body, 
 and closing up the entrance with a slat also nailed fast. Sufficient 
 ail will be supplied through the cracks of the entrance to keep them 
 from smothering for several hours, and perhaps several days if they 
 are shaded from the sun's rays. In hot weather it is necessary to re- 
 move the bottom-board and re.place it with a frame fitted with wire- 
 cloth protected with slats so as not to be in danger of having a hole 
 punched in it in handling. 
 
 In very hot summer days, or In southern latitudes very strong 
 colonics aiust be made still safer in transportation by using the wire- 
 cloth at both bottom and top, so the bees may have a current of air. 
 
 Fig. 40 — Respiratory Organs of the Honeybee, 
 g, legs; f, air-trachea. 
 
 d, antennae; e, eyes; 
 
 They should be kept carefully out of the sun while being transported. 
 § 69. When bees are transported a very short distance, less than 
 two miles, there is a possibility of the old bees returning to their old 
 location. To avoid this, drum them and frighten them well before 
 releasing them, and place a shade-board or some sort of obstruction in 
 
BEES MARK THEIR LOCATION 
 
 35 
 
 front of the entrance, so they may be compelled to notice the cliange 
 of location at the first issue from home. In this way there will be 
 but little loss. The manner in which bees mark their location is as 
 follows: 
 
 They do not leave the hive in a straight line, but go only a few 
 inches, then turn their heads towards the hive and oscillate back and 
 forth in front of it; then moving further back, still hovering in front 
 
 of the hive, with their heads towards the entrance, ocasionally ad- 
 vancing towards it, as if to note more particularly the place of en- 
 trance and its immediate surroundings, they then increase the dis- 
 
 Fig. 41 — Box-hive Apiary. 
 
 tance, taking a survey of buildings, trees, fences, or other noticeable 
 objects near by, after which they return to the hive, and start in a 
 direct line from it. On returning, they come directly to the hive and 
 enter; the surrounding objects and the color of the hive are all noted 
 by them (36). 
 
 So carefully is the location of their entrance learned by them 
 that if the hive is moved but a foot, they will be likely to miss their 
 landing at the first trip. 
 
 What Kind of Bees to Get 
 
 § 70. Some prefer to purchase black bees in box-hives, and then 
 
36 
 
 transfer them to movable-frame hives In order to get experience. In 
 that case, they should be populous colonies with the comb yellow or 
 brown, not too dark, and as straight as possible, for greater ease in 
 transferring. But the best satisfaction for a beginner may be ob- 
 tained by purchasing strong Italian colonies with movable frames 
 (90), in the spring. The combs must be hanging straight in the 
 frames, or the work of transferring them would be greater than from 
 a box-hive. Such colonies will often pay for themselves, if well 
 cared for, in a couple seasons, thus proving cheapest in the end. 
 One Such colony Is usually worth two of the former. 
 
 Pig. 42 — Concrete Stands. 
 
 § 71. To examine a box-hive, incline it to one side, or turn the 
 bottom up, looking between the combs. By using a smoker, the bees 
 may be driven back, and one may discover if it has capped brood, 
 larvae and plenty of bees. It should have such, to be considered in 
 good condition. 
 
 Colonies which have numerous bees flying in and out in a warm 
 day of spring, and where many bees are seen returning with pollen 
 on their legs, may be safely considered good. 
 
 Buying ''Swarms of Bees" 
 
 § 72. A first swarm is always to be preferred, and If possible 
 
37 
 
 from a colony which gave a swarm the previous year, for then the 
 queen will be in her second year — vigorous and at her best. A small, 
 second swarm should be passed by, in purchasing. The old queen 
 always accompanies the first swarm. 
 
 Shade for Hives. 
 
 § 73. Whether natural shade is lacking or not, It is well to have 
 the hives protected from the rays of the sun with a movable roof 
 (Pig. 39, 44.). In honey-producing apiaries, where appearances are 
 not indispensable, good roofs are made from dry-goods boxes. They 
 are quite sufficient to protect the hives from the rays of the sun and 
 also efficiently shelter the bees from rain. When elegant appearance 
 Is desired, roofs with two slopes, cottage-fashion, are made. 
 
 
 
 F 
 
 ^ 1. ^^JhIb 
 
 ^^^H^uk '^''.. 
 
 1 
 
 I^^^BjI^Ki^^ / 
 
 '' >i 
 
 -A 
 
 ^^ 
 
 mm 
 
 ] 
 
 ^^K^^W^ 
 
 
 
 
 Wf^^^^m^^ 
 
 ■ 
 
 IP/ 
 
 A^ 
 
 
 yr 
 
 
 1 
 
 ^mik£}im/^-'.v_ 
 
 .1 
 
 J 
 
 1^^ 
 
 r Lm^ 
 
 J! 
 
 Pig. 43 — Bees Pilled With Honey Are Not Inclined to Sting. 
 
 Handling Bees 
 
 § li. The safe handling of bees is not so difficult a performance 
 many uninitiated imagine. 
 To begin with, it is important to know what are the requirements 
 
38 
 
 HANDLING. 
 
 to render bees tractable. Bees that are filled with honey are never 
 Inclined to sting (Fig. 43). So the harvest worker returning loaded 
 from, the field is harmless, unless actually hurt and you may catch 
 such a bee on the wing as you might do with a fly and emprison it 
 in your hand without danger, provided you do not press it in your 
 fingers. 
 
 • Fig. 44 — Handling Bees. 
 
 In order to render the bees of a colony tractable it is only reces- 
 sary to frighten them so as to compel them to fill themselves with 
 honey. The bees that are most to be feared are the guards which 
 usually station themselves at the entrance to protect the hive against 
 intrusion. When these are alarmed and compelled to retire within 
 the hive, it is easy to .overcome the possible anger of a colony. 
 
 The Bee Smoker. 
 
 § 75. Smoke is harmless and is the best thing to alarm and quiet 
 bees. With a good smoker (Fig. 46), blow a little smoke in af the 
 entrance before opening the hive. Give them a little more as you un 
 cover the frames; if very cross repeat the dose, until they yield obed- 
 ience; then they may be handled with safety. Handle them gently and 
 without fear, avoiding all quick motions; such usually Incite them to 
 anger. When honey is being stored rapidly, Italians may be handled 
 without smoke; when there is a scarcity it is not safe to do so. 
 
HANDLING. 
 
 39 
 
 Very cross colonies of black or hybrid bees may be most com- 
 pletely tamed by blowing smoke in at the entrance, then closing it 
 for a few minutes, tapping the hive meanwhile to alarm them. Swarms 
 that have left the hive to seek another abode are rarely cross because 
 all or nearly all the bees composing them are well supplied with 
 honey. 
 
 Veil and Gloves. 
 
 § 76. To those who are commencing, and until familiarity causes 
 the loss of fear, a pair of gauntlet gloves and a veil are necessary 
 but after fear has been overcome, a good veil will be sufficient. Such 
 may be placed over a hat, the bottom of 
 it coming down under the coat or vest, 
 and when thus adjusted it Is a complete 
 protection for the neck and face (Pig. 
 45). 
 
 A pair of gauntlet rubber gloves is 
 test for those who need such protection, 
 while unaccustomed to manipulating 
 bees, but they are cumbersome at best 
 The advanced apiarist prefers to have 
 the free use of *his hands at air times. 
 Bees when often handled become ac- 
 customed to the practice, and when this 
 is gently done, they will scarcely notice 
 the disturbance. , 
 
 § 77. On being stung, brush the bee 
 and the sting away as promptly as pos- 
 sible, because by so doing you may pre- 
 vent most of the poison from emptying itself into the wound. The 
 muscles which surround the sting have a spasmodic action, v.hich 
 causes pressure of the poison-sack and a deeper driving of the sting 
 into the flesh. It is therefore a great mistake to hesitate in promptly 
 brushing off the bee and sting with a s-veopins mrtion which forces 
 the sting and poison-sack away from the spot. 
 
 Pig. 45. — Bee-Veil. 
 
 Remedies for Beestings. 
 
 § 78. Dozens of different ingredients have been recommended as 
 a cure for beestings. Most of them are useless. The poison of the 
 bee is extremely volatile and diffuses itself in the blood promptly. 
 Usually the practicing apiarist becomes inoculated by the poison and 
 in a few days suffers but little from its effects. But some persons are 
 very sensitive and suffer greatly. There may be fever and increase 
 
40 
 
 REMEDIES FOR STINGS 
 
 of temperature, in which case cold water applied to the swollen parts 
 will prove beneficial. On the other hand there may be faintness and 
 depression, when the administering of a small amount of stimulant 
 will be necessary. Very nervous and excitable persons may be bene- 
 fitted by taking a dose of bromide of potassium. The action in each 
 case will be upon the nervous system, which must be either strength- 
 ened or quieted. Nature is thus helped to work the poison off, which, 
 is, after all, very infinitesimal in quantity. 
 
 § 79. The poison of the bee has 'been used satisfactorily as a 
 remedy for rheumatism, in constantly increasing doses, beginning at 
 first with a single sting, doubling the number every other day. So 
 the novice will understand that the bee poison rarely proves danger- 
 ous. 
 
 How to be Safe 
 
 § 80. While going about the apiary, do not stand in front of the 
 hives when unnecessary, as you interfere with their flight; do not 
 make any quick motions. If a bee threatens you by flying about your 
 
 head in quick and threaten- 
 ing circles, stoop down quiet- 
 ly and walk slowly out of the 
 way. Never jar a hive until 
 you have given it a few puffs 
 of smoke at the entrance. A 
 great deal of the annoyance 
 which 'beginners experience 
 in managing their bees comes 
 from their carelessly jarring 
 neighboring hives while 
 handling others. That is 
 why the placing of several 
 colonies upon the same stand 
 is unadvisable. The least 
 jar caused by the oi)ening of 
 one colony arouses the 
 neighbors. 
 
 Do not wear black or 
 woolen clothes about the 
 apiary. Wool is a fuzzy texture of animal origin, while cotton is a 
 vegetable product resembling the stems of plants among which the 
 bees seek their sustenance. A man is safer from stings dressed in a 
 light-colored thin cotton or linen shirt, even with his sleeves rolled 
 up to the elbow, than in the thickest of woolen garments. 
 
 Pig. 46 — Bee-Smoker. 
 
41 
 
 A Hive Tool. 
 
 § 81. Among the few inexpensive implements necessary in ttio 
 management of the apiary is a "hive tool" of some sort. This imple- 
 ment (Pig. 47) is needed to pry the frames apart, or the different 
 storiesof the hives when opening 
 them, since they are always more 
 or less glued together by propolis 
 (48). It is also handy to scrape- 
 away bur-combs that are often 
 built by the 'bees, when the hive 
 Is crowded, between the combs or 
 between the different stories. 
 These bur-combs, when re- 
 moved, should be rolled into 
 a ball and kept until the time 
 comes for rendering beeswax. 
 
 Fig. 47— Ideal Hive-Tools. 
 
 Removing Propolis from the Hands 
 
 § 82. During warm weather the propolis (48) or bee-glue is soft 
 and when handling frames of hives which have contained bees for 
 a season or more, much of it will stick to the fingers, and it is rather 
 difficult to remove. 
 
 Wood alcohol or turpentine will remove it readily, as also will 
 slack lime kept in a small quantity in the bee house. If turpentine 
 is used, rub the hands lightly with it until the glue is dissolved, 
 then wipe the hands with a dry rag or paper before washing them in 
 suds. Alcohol has the advantage of leaving no unpleasant smell 
 behind. 
 
 Removing Bees from the Combs or Frames 
 
 § 83. In the manipulation it is often necessary to remove the bees 
 from the combs. The following is the "shaking off process" as prac- 
 ticed and recommended by Mr. G. M. Doolittle: 
 
 "Place the ends of the frame on the ends of the two middle 
 fingers of each hand, and then, with a quick upward stroke, throw the 
 ends of the frame against the ball, or thick part of the hand, at the 
 base of the thumb. As the frame strikes the hand, let the hands give 
 g. sudden downward motion, which makes the shock still greater. As 
 the frame strikes the fingers again, it is thrown back against the 
 hand, and so on till all, or nearly all, of the bees are off. The principle 
 is that the bee is on her guard all the while to keep from falling off, 
 
42 
 
 SHAKING BEES OPP 
 
 thus holding in tenaciously so as not to be easily shaken off. By the 
 sudden stopping of the upward, and a quick downward motion, the 
 bees are thrown off their guard and dislodged from the comb. I do 
 not remember ever having a broken comb by shaking it, as here de- 
 scribed. If we disturb the Italians, causing them to fill themselves 
 with honey, they can then be shaken from the combs about as easily 
 
 Pig. 48 — Whisk-Broom for Brushing the Bees off the Combs. 
 
 as black bees. But even if we cannot afford time to wait till they 
 are filled with honey, four-fifths of them can be shaken off." 
 
 The remainder may be brushed off without trouble by using a 
 whisk-broom (Pig. 48). Vegetable fibre irritates bees less than 
 animal matter. Therefore a fibre broom is preferable to a quill or a 
 goose-wing. 
 
 Robber Bees 
 
 § 84. In the chapter upon "brood" (36) we have spoken of the 
 flight of the young bees, as somewhat resembling the actions of rob- 
 ber bees. It is now time to mention this danger. 
 * During times of scarcity, if you see bees flying about the corners 
 of the hives or around the entrances with a quick, hurried motion, 
 acting as if always afraid of being pounced upon by others, you may 
 toe certain that they are robber bees. These are not a special kind of 
 bees, for in times of scarcity all bees may become robbers if any in- 
 ducement is given to this trait of their nature which prompts them to 
 hunt for food wherever it may be had and to take it away from 
 weaker bees or colonies wherever they find them. The sneaking 
 guilty manners of the robber always point It out. However, should 
 one colony succeed in overpowering another, they soon consider the 
 prize their own and lose the guilty look, but their hurried actions and 
 sleek, shiny appearance always cause them to be easily detected. 
 
43 
 
 Remedy for Robbing 
 
 § 85. If all the colonies are kept strong there is no danger of rob- 
 bing. It is only the weak ones that are robbed. Working with bees 
 at unseasonable times, leaving honey exposed In the apiary, etc., in- 
 duces robbing. Colonies of black bees and queenless hives or nuclei 
 (107) are usually the sufferers. Contracting the entrance, so that 
 but a single bee can pass, is usually a cure for robbing. In times of 
 scarcity of honey, the apiarist should be careful not to keep a hive 
 open long, or robbing may 'he the result. All strong colonies maintain 
 sentinels at the entrance In times of scarcity. Those of that colony 
 
 Fig. 49 — Natural Swarming — Cutting Down the Swarm. 
 
 are allowed to pass, but strangers are "arrested on the spot." If a 
 colony is unable to defend itself, close up the entrance and remove it 
 to the cellar, or some other convenient place, for a few days, and 
 when It is returned to the old stand, contract the entrance to allow 
 only one bee to pass at a time, 
 
44 ROBBING 
 
 Another very good method, when robbing has just begun, is to 
 throw a bunch of loose grass over the entrance. The hive-guards 
 station themselves In that grass and arrest the robbers that are bold 
 enough to try to enter. But this method is unavailable after the bees 
 have once given up to robbers. In that case, if the colony is worth 
 saving, the only salvation is to find the robbing colony by sprinkling a 
 few of the robbers with flour and exchanging one hive for the other 
 placing the robbed colony on the stand of the robber, and vice-versa. 
 The behavior of the bees in such case is quite ludicrous, as they find 
 themselves fooled by the exchange. Such means should be resorted tc 
 only in extreme cases. 
 
 § 86. The best way to avoid robbing is to leave no honey exposed 
 in unprotected places. 
 
 AVe have said that it is only the weak colonies that are robbed 
 There are exceptions, however, and in accidental instances we have 
 seen very populous, colonies overpowered. The breaking down of 
 combs of honey from excessive heat (64) or the injudicious exposing of 
 their stores by the apiarist in times of scarcity may induce this. 
 
 § 87. The sudden robbing of a colony through accident is often 
 indicated to the experienced apiarist without even having to go to the 
 apiary, as the bees become so excited by the mutual information 
 which seems to spread like wild fire, that some plunder is to be had, 
 that they fly about the apiary and about the house yard with great 
 diligence and this flight does not at r.ll resemble the quiet hum o! 
 field workers going back and forth to the honey harvest. 
 
45 
 
 H 
 
 ives 
 
 What Hive to Use 
 
 § 88. A good hive gives the apiarist complete control of the combs. 
 It must give sufficient room for the breeding apartment as well as for 
 surplus honey, and must admit of close scrutiny and easy manipula- 
 tion. 
 
 The Langstroth Hive 
 
 § 89. Though movable-frame hives were in use in Europe, in rude 
 form, as early as 1795, they were not at all practical until our own 
 distinguished and honored Langstroth, in 1852, presented the world 
 with one that has, with his system of 
 management, completely revolution- 
 ized beekeeping everywhere, making 
 it a practical science. 
 
 With the movable-frame hive, all 
 the ccmbs can be taken out and re- 
 placed, or exchanged with other hives 
 at will, without the least detriment 
 to the bees. The combs having a sur- 
 plus of honey can be emptied with the 
 extractor (161), without injury, and 
 returned to the hive to be refilled — 
 thus saving labor for the bees in 
 making new combs, and honey for their 
 keeper. 
 
 The queen can be found, examined, and, when necessary, can be 
 replaced "by one more prolific, or one in some other way more de- 
 sirable; and artificial colonies can be made by dividing at will, as 
 we shall see hereafter (111). If a colony be weak, it can be 
 strengthened by giving it a frame or two of brood from some other 
 hive or it may be fed by supplying it with combs of honey from 
 wealthy colonies. In fact the movable frame enables the beekeeper 
 to perform any operation he may see fit to do and control the condi- 
 tion of his bees and their increase. 
 
 Fig. 50 — Original 
 Langstroth Hive 
 
46 
 
 HIVES 
 
 Since the invention of the movable-frame hive, many hives of 
 diffei-ent styles have been devised, but the principal feature of this 
 hive has been retained in nearly every instance, to wit: a hive con- 
 taining frames which are spaced from the body of the hive, about % 
 of an inch, on ends, bottom and top. This space prevents the bees 
 from gluing the frames to the body of the hive with propolis (48), 
 and makes them removable at all times, provided the comb has been 
 
 L. L. LANGSTROTH 
 Fig. 51— "Father of American Apiculture"— (1810-1895.) 
 
 built straight in them. This straight building of comb was formerly 
 secured by a triagular edge on the under side of the frame top-bar, 
 from which the bees hang their combs. It Is now almost invariably 
 secured by the aid of strips or full sheets of comb foundation (135), 
 
47 
 
 Hive Details 
 
 § 90. The modern movable-frame hive is composed of the following 
 parts; bottom-board or floor; brood cliainber or body, containing a 
 certain number of frames; suiiers or storage room, in which either 
 frames or honey sections are used; cover or roof. 
 
 Fig. 52 — "Dovetailed" or Lock-Cornered Hivi 
 
 Pig. 53 — Halved Corner Tri-State 
 Hive. 
 
 § 91. Hives are made dove- 
 tailed or lock-cornered as in 
 Figs. 52 and 54, or halved as 
 in Fig. 53. 
 
 The lock-corner hive, 
 though more tightly fitting 
 when first built, will last less 
 time than the other, owing to 
 its many joints exposed to the 
 weather. Both hives are nailed 
 from both sides, and unlikely 
 to warp if well painted. 
 
 § 92. The plain hanging 
 frame is used mostly, and is 
 the easiest handled in the 
 brood-chamber (Fig. 55). But 
 some people use the Hoffman 
 self-spacing frame (Fig. 56), 
 which is a little better liked 
 
48 
 
 FRAMES 
 
 ■fay beginners because they -cannot make the mistake of putting too 
 many or too few frames in each hive. The combs at the bees are 
 spaced from 1% to IV2 inches from center to center (44) within the 
 .brood-chamber (Fig. 53.), and closer or 
 farther spacing will result either in too 
 narrow and imperfect combs, or in two 
 combs being built on the same support, 
 making undesirable irregularities (Fig. 57). 
 Many frames are now made with two 
 grooves on the unde.-side of the top-bar, 
 one of which is for receiving the comb 
 foundation (141), the other a wedge to 
 fasten it (Fig. 58). 
 
 The all-important requirement in the 
 use of movable-frame hives is to have the 
 combs built straight in them, and this is 
 secured by that device. 
 
 brood-frames of 
 
 Fig. 54 — Hive-Body 
 With Plain Hanging 
 Frames. 
 § 93. Most apiarists use hives containing ten 
 
 Langstroth size, or measuring 9% inches x 17% outside. Some 
 apiarists, however, use smaller hives containing only eight frames. 
 
 Fig. 55. — Plain Hanging Langstroth Frame. 
 
 The writer is much in favor of the large hives (Fig. 116), and uses a 
 still deeper frame — UYnxlSYo inches — as success cannot be expected 
 permanently unless the hives are sufficiently spacious to accommodate 
 the most nrolitic queens at the time of the breeding, previous to the 
 honey crop. Not only must the hive brood-chamber contain cells 
 enough for all the eggs that the queen may be able to lay in 21 days 
 (which is the period required for the worker-bees to hatch), but it 
 must also have space enough to hold, in addition, enough honey (49) 
 and pollen (55) for their needs. 
 
HIVE TO BE USED 
 
 49 
 
 A very important recommendation must be made here. Whatever 
 hive you decide to use, have but one size, one style, not only in num- 
 ber of frames but in all parts where Interchange may become neces- 
 sary. You must be able to excljange, not only frames of combs con- 
 taining brood or honey, from one hive to another, but supers (Fig. 53) 
 or upper stories, sections (148), bottom boards or covers (Fig 53). 
 
 Fig. 56 — Hoffman Frames. 
 
 Most of the success of an apiarist is due to his being able to exchange 
 one part of a hive for the same part of another hive, without hesi- 
 tancy and without delS,y. So, get well informed as to the style of 
 hive and fixtures best suited to your location and use no other, until 
 you see fit to change your entire system. The writer has paid dearly 
 for the experience which prompts this advice. 
 
 Transferring Bees 
 
 § 94. Transferring bees from box-hives is not so common as it 
 was fifty years ago, for very few bees are now hived in boxes or 
 "gums." The best time for this is during fruit-bloom, when the 
 hives are not overrunning with bees, and are light in honey. A good 
 day should 'be selected when the bees are at work on the bloom, as 
 there is consequently no robbing (87). 
 
 After smoking the bees at the entrance of a box-hive, remove it 
 some distance from the old stand, leaving an empty decoy hive or 
 
50 
 
 TRANSFERRING BEES 
 
 Fig. 57— Queencells Built for Swarming on a Comb that was 
 Spaced too Far from its Neighbor. 
 
 box in its place, to receive the bees that return from the fields; In- 
 vert the hive, place an empty box or hive over it, of the same size 
 and shape, wrapping a sheet or cloth around where they come to- 
 gether, leaving no cracks large enough for a bee to escape. By 
 smartly tapping or drumming the hive for some time, most of the 
 bees, with the queen, will enter the upper box. When they have 
 nearly all left the hive, place the upper box with the bees on the old 
 stand removing the decoy. Being alarmed and filled with honey, 
 they may be handled without fear. 
 
 The old hive may now be removed to a convenient room or 
 building, and taken to pieces, by cutting off the nails with a cold- 
 chisel and prying off the ends, cutting the combs when taken out as 
 near as possible to the size of the frames to be used. 
 
 It is well to lay a frame over the combs spread upon a large 
 board, so as to cut them to fit exactly (Fig. 59). 
 
 Previous to this work, the apiarist should have prepared a num- 
 
TRANSFERRING BEES 
 
 51 
 
 Fig. 58 — Insertion of Foundation in Frame. 
 
 ber of wires of proper length to be fastened by a bent end into the 
 ■top and- bottom- bars of the frames. A number of these wires (Pig. 
 60), are driven on one side of a number of frames, and the frames, 
 one at a time, laid wire 
 side down on the board. Then 
 the comb is fitted in and 
 other wires nailed on top. 
 The frame with the brood 
 has then the appearance of 
 the one in Pig. 61. Twine may 
 be used, but it stretches, and 
 does not hold the comb as 
 stiff as wire. A previous 
 edition of this book advised 
 the use of sticks fastened 
 with wire. The method we 
 give here is much the best. 
 No drone-comb or drone- 
 brood should be transferred. 
 The bees will always have 
 too much. Chickens will 
 eat the drone-brood if it is 
 given them. The worker- 
 brood, of course, should be 
 transferred so as to occupy 
 
 Fig. 59- 
 
 -Cutting Combs To Fit 
 Frames, 
 
52 
 
 SHORT METHOD 
 
 a central position in the frames as is natural in the hive. The honey 
 is placed in the rear of the combs. 
 
 Carry the new hive to the old stand, and empty the bees out of 
 
 Fig. 60 — Bent Wire to Fasten Comb in Transferring. The ends are 
 
 driven in the upper and lower edge of the Frame, 
 the box on a sheet, in front of the hive. See that the queen, as well 
 as all the bees enter it. To prevent robbing the entrance should be 
 contracted; and in a week, when the bees have fastened the combs, 
 the transferring wires should be removed. Always work slowly with 
 the bees, and avoid jarring. 
 
 Short Method of Transferring. 
 
 § 95. For the benefit of the apiarist who does not wish to do as 
 difficult a job as the one just described, we will give an easier method, 
 though less economical, of transferring the bees from box hives, or 
 from movable frame hives in which the combs have been built crooked 
 and are therefore immovable. 
 
 Instead of performing the operation at the blooming of fruit trees, 
 
 it is delayed till early 
 swarming time. A new 
 hive with frames full of 
 foundation or of comb al- 
 ready built is placed on the 
 stand of the colony to be 
 transferred. The bees are 
 then driven as above di- 
 rected and shaken in front 
 of this new hive, taking 
 good care that the queen is 
 among them. This virtually 
 makes an artificial swarm. 
 Enough bees are returned 
 to the old hive to enable 
 them to take care of the 
 brood and it is placed in 
 close proximity of the new 
 hive usually a little be- 
 hind it. At the end of ten 
 days destroy the queen- 
 cells (6). After twenty-one 
 days, the brood being hatched out of the combs (37), the bees are 
 shaken in front of the new hive and the old hive and its combs en- 
 
 Fig. 61 — Appearance of the Transferred 
 Comb. 
 
SHORT METHOD 
 
 53 
 
 tirely taken away to be handled at leisure. These combs contain 
 only honey, which may be extracted (161), as the apiarist may see 
 fit. If advisable, the bees of this old colony may be used to 
 strengthen any small colony in the "apiary. Being mainly young 
 bees thex will remain where given (36). 
 
 A Very Large Swarm. 
 
54 
 
 Swarming and Queen-Rearing. 
 
 Natural Swarms. 
 
 § 96. Swarming is the natural way of increase for bees. It 
 
 usually takes place in May or June, In the North. 
 
 For some days before swarms Issue the bees may be seen 
 
 clustering at the entrance of 
 
 their hive, though some come 
 
 out where there are little or 
 
 no indications of a swarm. 
 
 When honey is abundant, and 
 
 bees plenty, look for them to 
 
 come forth at almost any time, 
 
 from the hours of 10 in the 
 
 morning to 3 in the afternoon, 
 
 for first swarms; for second 
 
 and third swarms, from 7 in 
 
 the morning until 4 in the 
 
 afternoon. 
 
 By examining the colony 
 
 it can be ascertained whether 
 
 they are about to swarm. If 
 queencells (6) are seen with 
 eggs or larvae nearly ready to 
 be sealed over, a swarm may 
 be expected within one or two 
 days after the first cell is 
 sealed over, or as soon after as 
 the weather will permit. 
 
 After whirling a few 
 minutes in the air, the mass of 
 the bees will cluster on the 
 branch of some convenient 
 tree or busli — generally one 
 that is shaded from the sun's rays. 
 
 They should be hived as soon as the cluster is formed, else they 
 
 Fig. 63 — A May Swarm 
 
HIVING BEES 
 
 55 
 
 may leave for the woods; or, if another colony should cast a swarm 
 while the first are clustered, they would probably unite. 
 
 Should the qyeen fail to join the bees, by reason of having one 
 of her wings clipped, or for any other cause, the swarm will return 
 to the hive as soon as they make that discovery. As- the bees are 
 gorged with honey, they may be handled without fear of 
 stings (Fig. 64). 
 
 § 97. "Afterswarms" be- 
 ing unprofitable, all but one 
 of the queen-cells should be 
 destroyed, or cut out — this 
 will usually prevent any 
 more swarms issuing. "With- 
 in eight days, the first queen 
 will hatch and will talie pos- 
 session of the hive. 
 
 § 98. The queen has very 
 little to say as to swarming 
 preparations. If a second 
 swarm is desired by the 
 workers they will prevent 
 the first qiieen (6) from de- 
 stroying the other queen- 
 cells, which are sometimes 
 very numerous, even on 
 small pieces of comb (Fig. 
 65). She would be sure to do 
 this if not hindered in her 
 desires. If thus restrained, 
 she will show her irritation 
 by "piping," and this piping 
 is answered by the other 
 queens which, are kept pri- 
 soners in their cells. The 
 second swarm then issues within two or three days. 
 
 After the departure of this swarm, and the emerging of the 
 second queen, if her "piping" is also answered by a third queen, a 
 third swarm may also issue. 
 
 If the desire to swarm is satisfied after the departure of the 
 first swarm, all the queencells will be destroyed by the first young 
 queen that emerges. The worker-bees often help her in this task, 
 which she performs with great alacrity and energy. 
 
 Fig. 64 — Bees Peaceable When 
 Swarming. 
 
56 
 
 HIVING BEES 
 
 How to Hive a Swarm. 
 
 § 99. If the cluster be low it is easily perfornjed. Have a hive 
 in readiness, slightly raised from its bottom-board in front. A sheet 
 is spread in front of it. The limb on which the swarm is hanging may 
 be cut off and the swarm carried to the hive and shaken down on the 
 sheet. By watching for the queen she will be readily noticed and 
 directed towards the hive. She will enter it eagerly for she loves 
 darkness. The bees will crawl into the hive, and finding the queen, 
 be satisfied to remain. When the bees are in, place the hive v,-here 
 it is to remain; a shaded position is the best. If comb foundation 
 (Fig. 85), be placed in the frames, it will be of very great advantage 
 in comb-building. 
 
 Fig. 65 — Dr. Miller's Method of Producing Queencells. 
 
 If the bees have clustered on a branch or twig, which is too 
 valuable to be cut down, a basket, box or swarm sack (Fig. 68), will 
 be quite essential, into which to shake or brush the bees. If on a 
 wall or fence or on the trunk of a tree, brush them into the basket 
 and proceed to hi\ e as before described. 
 
 Sometimes the swarm is placed where it is even impossible to 
 brush the bees into a box, or perhaps the number which may be 
 gathered together at one time is so insignificant that they take wing 
 
PREVENTION OP SWARMING 
 
 57 
 
 at once to return to the cluster. Then, it a comb o£ brood may be 
 had from another hive, or even if a frame full of dry comb can be 
 used, 'by placing it over the swarm, the bees will soon recognize it as 
 of possible use to them and will readily cluster upon it, or they may 
 be gently smoked so as to direct them towards it. But care must be 
 talien to not frighten them away. 
 
 Fig. 66 — Catching the Queen as She Issues from the Mother Colony. 
 
 If the colony is noticed in the act of swarming, the queen may be 
 caught as she emerges from the hive and put into a cage (126, Fig. 66, 
 also 131) and allowed to run in with the swarm, (Pig. 67). 
 
 If two swarms have taken wing at the same time, and cluster to- 
 gether, they may be evenly divided by placing two hives on the ground 
 and directing the bees equally to both, especially if the queens are 
 found and caged and placed at the entrance of the hives. Bees may be 
 scooped or shaken without much trouble when the swarm is gathered 
 and they are easily directed to one hive or another if properly 
 handled. 
 
 A frame of brood placed in the new hive vs'ill be of much ad- 
 
58 
 
 AFTERSWARMS 
 
 vantage to the bees. It will prevent the swarm from leaving the 
 hive, and should the queen be lost it will give them means of rearing 
 another. By filling the other frames with comb foundation (135), 
 they will soon be in good condition and perfectly at home in their 
 new quarters. 
 
 Fig. 67 — Letting the Queen Run in the New Hive. 
 
 Sometimes a swarm will go to the woods without clustering — but 
 this is rarely the case. 
 
 The beating of tin pans is, of course, of no avail; throwing a 
 stream of water from a fountain pump is often done to bring down 
 an absconding swarm, and cause them to alight and cluster. 
 
 Afterswarms. 
 
 § 100. Secondary or afterswarms are usually not desirable. If 
 they issue, they should be gathered in the usual way. At the end of 
 24 to 48 hours they may be returned to the parent colony by shaking 
 
PREVENTION OF SWARMING 
 
 59 
 
 Pig. 68— 
 Swarm-Sack. 
 
 them in front of the entrance. It usually 
 does away with any further swarming for 
 that season. The primary swarm might be 
 returned in the same way, if no increase is 
 desired, but its remaining in the hive is far 
 from being a certainty, as the hive is still 
 too populous for comfort. 
 
 Prevention of Natural Swarming. 
 
 § 101. As many beekeepers do not wish to indefinitely increase 
 the numbers of their colonies and as, on the other hand, some bee- 
 keepers have other occupations which prevent them from watching 
 
 Fig. 69 — Combs Built in Open Air. 
 
 the apiary to gather the swarms, it is often desirable to prevent the 
 issue of swarms, as much as practicable. 
 
 Entire prevention of natural swarming is a goal which cannot 
 
60 
 
 PREVENTION OF SWARMING 
 
 be reached. But in numerous instances It may be greatly reduced. 
 The following requirements are to be fulfilled. 
 
 1. The colony must be placed In a spot where the bees will 
 suffer as little as possible from the heat. Hives exposed to the di- 
 rect rays of a hot June sun are uncomfortable. The bees often will 
 be seen clustering on the outside, unable to remain within, even with 
 the help of numerous fanning workers who may be seen busy cling- 
 
 
 
 ^ i'feiL' 
 
 Pig. 70 — Suffering from the Heat. 
 
 Ing to the front board and vibrating their wings to force a current 
 of air through the crowded hive.. The roofs mentioned at the 
 chapter on "Shade for Hives" (73) are very useful in this connection. 
 
 2. There must 'be ample room for ventilation. If the ordinary 
 entrance is not sufficient, tlie hive should be lifted from its bottom- 
 board, and bliicliod up an inch or two, especially in front. 
 
 3. There must l)o room for the depositing of the crop. 
 
 "We have shown at the chapter on honey that as much as 20 
 pounds of honey may be harvested by a colony in a single day. If 
 
REQUIREMENTS 
 
 61 
 
 our bees are crowded for room, they will at once make preparations 
 for swarming. 
 
 4. A very limited number of drones should be permitted to be 
 reared. Drones are cumbersome and noisy and they are in the way 
 of the workers (12). If we destroy the drone-comb, leaving but a 
 very small amount and replace it «ltli worker-comb (139), we will 
 have more workers, less drones and less Incentive for swarming. 
 
 5. The queen must be young and provided with ample space to 
 lay. An old queen is often the cause of swarming because the bees, 
 noticing her decrease of fertility, make preparations to replace her 
 by rearing queencells (6). If the season is favorable, she will leave 
 with a swarm as soon as the queencells are sufficiently advanced. 
 
 6. The spacing of the frames 1^2 inches from center to center is 
 more favorable to swarm prevention than the 1% inch spacing (92), 
 because the bees have more room to cluster and better ventilation be- 
 tween their combs when the wider spacing is used. Most of the 
 modern hives made have the narrower spacing. 
 
 Queen-Traps. 
 
 § 102. Although the fulfilling of all the above-named conditions 
 will not entirely prevent swarming, it will have a great tendency to 
 decrease it. Other means may be taken, such as destroying the 
 queencells by making regular weekly 
 visits of the combs, or using a queen-trap 
 So that the queen cannot leave the hive 
 (Fig 71). A queen-excluder or bee en- 
 trance guard (Fig. 72) may be used which 
 will entirely prevent her egress from the 
 hive. But these contrivances are in the 
 way of the bees. However enticing the 
 use of them may look to the inexperienced 
 they are usually discarded by practical 
 apiarists. 
 § 103. Some experienced apiarists claim success in the preven- 
 tion of swarming by lifting all or 
 most of the brood into an upper story 
 divided from the lower story by an ex- 
 cluder, giving the queen empty combs 
 or comb foundation in the lower story 
 and removing this upper story later. 
 Some place this story of brood on top of 
 
 the supers. Those methods are efficient Pig. 72— Bee Entrance Guard, 
 only in-as-much as they give the queen 
 extra room for laying eggs in the lower story and supply the bees with 
 
 Fig. 71 — Drone-and- 
 Queentrap. 
 
62 
 
 ARTIFICIAL INCREASE 
 
 more space for honey. They are practical especially with small 
 hives. But the placing of brood combs over a super filled with honey 
 sections will result in more or less darkened cappings in the sec- 
 tions, probably because the bees carry bits of combs from the upper 
 brood chamber down to the super, which very rarely happens when 
 the brood is below. 
 
 Artificial Increase. 
 
 § 104. As the apiarist does not always wish to wait upon the 
 pleasure or whim of the bees to increase his apiary, methods have 
 been devised for artificial increase, or by dividing colonies of bees. 
 
 Queen-Rearing. 
 
 § 105. We have explained on another page (6) that when the 
 colony becomes queenless from any cause the workers at once pro- 
 ceed to rear another queen, provided they have eggs or 'arvte less 
 than three days old. In order to make artificial Increase it is first 
 necessary to build queencells, if none of our colonies are preparing 
 to swarm. It is only sufficient to .remove the queen of a colony in 
 order to compel them to build queencells and as shown in Fig. 65, 
 they often build a large number. At the end of nine days, we are 
 ready to use these cells. 
 
 Fig. 73 — Plain Division-Board or Dummy. 
 
 § 106. It is necessary to say here that if we wish to secure the 
 best results from our bees, we should breed our queens from the 
 colonies that are the best producers. As a rule they are selected 
 by their results in the previous season. A pure race is best, as 
 it is more likely to keep true to its traits than hybrids. This sub- 
 ject will be considered fui'ther in the chapter on Improvement in 
 Honey Bees (122). 
 
NUCLEI 
 
 Nuclei. 
 
 63 
 
 § 107. The next thing is to make nuclei. These are made by 
 taking two or more frames, as may toe desired (at least one of which 
 should contain brood), with adhering bees, and shaking into the 
 hive the bees from one or more additional frames, so that there may 
 be enough young bees to remain after the old bees have returned to 
 their former hives, to keep the temperature sufficiently high to 
 hatch out the brood, as well as to care for the emerging queen. In 
 making up nuclei be sure not to take away the queen with any of 
 the frames. 
 
 Q. M. DOOLITTLE 
 
 Fig. 74 — Author of "Scientific Queen-Rearing," a Well-Known 
 
 Beekeeper and Writer. 
 
 It is better to use the regular frames for nucleus hives, and 
 either use the ordinary hives with a division-board or dummy (Fig. 
 73)^ to contract the brood-chamber, and economize the heat, or make 
 small hives just to suit the number of frames used. 
 
64 DIVIDING 
 
 These nuclei having been made on the ninth day after the start- 
 ing of queen-cells, and in such number that there may be one queen- 
 cell for each and one for the mother colony, we cut out these queen- 
 cells on the tenth day, and insert one in each nucleus. The queens 
 will hatch shortly aifter this, and we have saved the bees some labor 
 and time. 
 
 § 108. To cut a queencell out, commence on each side of the 
 base of the cell, not nearer than half an inch, and cut upwards a 
 wedge-shaped piece, the cell in center,, being careful not to squeeze or 
 even handle the base of the cell. A similar wedge-shaped piece must lie 
 cut out of the frame of comb that it is desired to put the cell into. 
 Then carefully place the cell into the hole thus made, fitting it 
 securely in position; place the frame in the hive and close it up. 
 
 § 109. As the virgin queen emerges from the nucleus to meet a 
 drone, sometimes the bees will accompany her if they have no un- 
 sealed brood. To prevent this, two or three days after the queens are 
 hatched, insert a frame containing eggs and young larvae in each 
 nucleus. If the (j'ueen should be lost on her bridal tour, the materials 
 will be on hand for the bees to rear another, it it is unnoticed by 
 the apiarist. 
 
 § 110. In two or three days the queen will be hatched, and .i week 
 or ten days later will become fertilize'd, and be laying; this may be 
 readily discovered upon examination. Now the apiarist is ready for 
 the formation of new colonies, without the inconvenience of natural 
 swarming, b^ 
 
 Dividing the Colonies. 
 
 § 111. Bees swarm because it is their natural manner of increase. 
 By dividing theni we secure the increase without swarming, and save 
 time in watching 'and hiving natural swarms. This, however, must 
 not be overdone. The 'beginner sometimes imagines that by dividing 
 he can make almost any number of colonies from each one, forget- 
 ting that strong- colonies are the only ones that accomplish anything. 
 Dividing should never be done unless the colony be very populous, 
 and can well spare the bees and combs. To double the number of 
 colonies each season is not good, unless increase is desired at the 
 expense of honey. 
 
 Some divide their strong colonies equally, or nearly so, carefully 
 looking for the queen, putting her into the new hive, placing bees and 
 brood in the center, filling up with frames containing comb founda- 
 tion (135), removing the hive with the queen to a new location; then 
 giving the queenless colony one of the young queens reared in a 
 
DIVIDING g5 
 
 nucleus as above described or a young queen purchased from some 
 reliable queen breeder. 
 
 § 112. Ordinarily we prefer to make the increase by enlarging 
 our nuclei. Take one of the nucleus hives before described (which 
 should be of the same pattern and size as those to be divided), and re- 
 move the division-board. Then take a frame containing brood and 
 adhering bees from each colony, placing them in the nucleus hive un- 
 til it is full. Be sure not to take the queen away from any colony. 
 The bees that will hatch out in a few days will- make that nucleus a 
 populous colony. Put a frame filled with comb foundation (135), into 
 each hive from which the frame of brood was taken, and in a few 
 days they will have this all worked out into beautiful comb; and, in 
 all probability filled with eggs. 
 
 The new colony having a young and fertile queen, and plenty of bees, 
 will soon rival the old one in the vigor of its work. Increase being 
 secured in this way, none of the colonies are disturbed, and the bees 
 everywhere "pursue the even tenor of their way." All being kept 
 strong in numbers they are ready for the honey harvest, and will soon 
 work in the section-boxes. 
 
 Dividing should be done in the middle of the day, when the bees 
 are busy in the fields and the yield of honey is abundant. 
 
 § 113. Another plan, practiced with success, is to take away the 
 division-board in the nucleus hive, fill the frames with comb founda- 
 tion, and exchange places with a populous colony, caging the queen 
 of the nucleus for about 36 hours, or until her acquaintance has been 
 made by the strange bees that come pouring into it from the fields — 
 for bees will always return to the exact spot occupied by their home 
 (69). 
 
 There are other and more elaborate methods of rearing queens 
 and making artificial increase. Queen-rearing has 'become a special- 
 ty, and the apiarist who wishes to go into this business should read 
 the special works on queen-rearing, especially Doolittle's "Scientific 
 Queen-Rearing." 
 
 § 114. The apiarist who has but a few colonies and does not wish 
 to go to the trouble of rearing queens, may divide his strong colonies 
 by shaking part of the bees and the queen into a new hive supplied 
 with comb foundation, and placing this on the old stand, removing the 
 old colony to a new place. This must not be done unless there are 
 thousands of young bees hatching daily, for the old hive thus loses 
 all its working force. A 'better plan yet is to make the increase of 
 one colony out of two others by placing the queenless hive on the stand 
 of a third colony, and putting this in. a new spot. By this method 
 you take the working bees from one colony and the brood of another to 
 make one division. The greatest objection to allowing a colony to rear 
 
QQ REGISTERING 
 
 queens, which has been deprived of its working force, is that it may 
 suffer from cool nights, and good queens can only be reared in strong 
 colonies, at least up to the time of hatching. 
 
 Bees Recognizing One Another 
 
 § 115. The apiarist should hear in mind that, although bees readi- 
 ly recognize their own colony members, most probably by the sense 
 of smell, the bees of different hives may be mixed without any danger 
 of fighting during a'good honey crop. Bees like human beings, are 
 evidently peaceably disposed towards those who come to them with 
 gifts. Such manipulations as here advised would not be practicable 
 without great precautions in times of scarcity. 
 
 § 116. A colony which has been made queenless should always 
 be watched from the 20th to the 25th day, as its queen should begin 
 to lay about that time. It is a good plan to give such a colony a 
 comb containing eggs and larvae, about the fifteenth day. In case the 
 queen should get lost, otherwise the bees would have no means of 
 rearing another, and the colony might perish. Likewise a colony 
 which has sent forth one or more swarms, should be examined later to 
 make sure that the young queen has not been lost on hei wedding 
 flight. Many a loss of colonies which has been ascribed to the moths 
 (214), was caused by queenlessness. The colony, having no longer 
 any hatching bees, slowly becomes reduced in strength until the 
 moths invade it and easily overpower it. 
 
 OK 
 
 <>/C '^//■^ 
 
 Fig. 75 — Queen-Register. 
 
 § 117. To remember dates everyone has not the faculty and yet 
 all the operations of queen-rearing require that It should be done. 
 For Instance, the time when a choice colony was made queenless, to 
 have queencells started — the time these cells are given to the nuclei — 
 
LOSS OP QUEEN (37 
 
 the time of hatching — when the queens commence .o lay, etc. To 
 save time and trouble in remembering these and other dates, a small 
 slate (Fig. 75), 3x4 inches, with a hole in the center of the top, should 
 be hung on the hive by a small nail with all these dates written there- 
 on. A printed card tacked on the inside or outside of the hive-cover 
 is used by some to advantage, in keeping track of such dates. Most 
 beekeepers have some method of keeping memoranda. 
 
 The Loss of the Queen. 
 
 § 118. When the bees manifest a restless and uneasy disposition 
 by running about the front of the hive and signaling each other, it is 
 a sign that they have lost their queen, and they should be examined 
 at once. 
 
 Should a colony become queenless from any cause, three weeks 
 may be gained by having an extra queen to give it at once. Upon 
 examination, if no brood is found where the bees are clustering, the 
 colony is queenless. At any time during the season, from March to 
 October this is a sure sign. Colonies that lose their queens during 
 the winter have a forlorn appearance. The bees walk around the 
 entrance listlessly and without eagerness; but few of them go in 
 search of either honey or pollen. 
 
 § 119. It is astonishing how quickly the bees discover the loss 
 of their queen after she has been removed, even though there may 
 be tens of thousands of workers in the hive. We believe that the 
 odor of the queen pervades the hive in normal conditions and that, 
 as soon as this odor is absent, the loss is noticed and communicated 
 from one bee to another, for they evidently have most wonderful 
 ways of communicating valuable information to each other though 
 their vocabulary Is necessarily limited. 
 
 § 120. No time should be lost in giving a queenless colony a 
 comb of eggs or young larvae.or both, from which to rear a queen. 
 Sometimes such a colony will refuse to build queencells: it may be 
 too weak,, its queen may be too old to lay, or they may have laying- 
 workers. If it be too weak, it should be united with another colony. 
 If its queen be old, she should be removed and the bees given a frame 
 of 'brood from a prosperous colony. If it has laying-workers the 
 most effective way to get rid of them is to break up the colony, 
 dividing it among strong colonies having fertile queens. 
 
 Drone-Laying Workers 
 
 § 121. W'orker-bees being undeveloped females, it Is not strange 
 
68 
 
 DRONE-LAYERS 
 
 that now and then one may be sufficiently developed to lay eggs. 
 
 Prof. Leuckart remarks that "it results entirely from the devel- 
 opment of egg-germs and eggs In the individual ovarian tubes — 
 which proceeds precisely in the manner described in the case of the 
 queen." As they are incapable of meeting the drones and becoming 
 fully fertilized, their eggs will produce only drones. 
 
 Fig. 76 presents a view of the genitals of such a "bee, compared 
 with the ovaries of the queen and those of the sterile worker. 
 
 The drone-laying worker deposits eggs in very irregular manner, 
 sometimes two or more in a cell. 
 
 ^--^ 
 
 FiH. 76 — Comparative Size of Ovaries. 
 
 (A.) Ovaries of Queen. (B.) Ovaries of Drone-laying Worker, 
 
 (C.) Ovaries of Worker. 
 
 If the eggs laid by drone-laying workers or unimpregnated queens 
 are laid in worker-cells, the drones hatching from these will be 
 diminutive in size. But they appear to be as perfect males, except 
 in size, as the fuU-slzed drones. 
 
69 
 
 Improvement In Honeybees 
 
 Selection 
 
 § 122. To (ybtain the best results we must possess the highest 
 grade of bees that it is possible to obtain. Our object being to elevate 
 the race, the most thorough treatment must be employed. 
 
 The queen must be prolific to be able to keep the hive full of 
 bees, to gather the honey harvest when it comes; the bees must be 
 industrious; they must be docile to allow the apiarist to manipulate 
 them with ease and pleasure and they must be strong and hardy, to 
 withstand the rapid changes in climate. 
 
 In developing the highest strain of horses, not all their offspring 
 are equal to the best; careful selection of those coming the nearest 
 to the ideal animal must always be made, and the closest scrutiny 
 is necessary while making that selection. The same is true of cat- 
 tle, sheep, hogs, poultry and bees. "Sports" and "variations" occur, 
 producing inferior progeny; but all careful breeders who have an 
 eye to the improvement of the race reject those that do not come up 
 to the "standard of excellence," sending such animals and poultry 
 to the shambles — so let us carefully select the best queens and drones 
 to "breed from. 
 
 Length of Tongues 
 
 The length of the tongue (Pig. 13) of the honey-bee is an im- 
 portant matter In her make-up, as there are some blossoms, such as 
 red clover, which have so long a corolla that the average bee can- 
 not reach their nectar. The Cyprian bee is said to have a longer 
 tongue than other races, but its cross disposition renders it unfit for 
 general domestication. The Italians have often furnished strains 
 that harvested nectar from red clover during the second crop of that 
 plant, and in very dry seasons, from the first crop. For that reason, 
 we strongly recommend the Italians over any other race. 
 
 The Italian Bees 
 
 § 123. Briefly stated, their superiority is thus demonstrated: 
 
70 ITALIAN BEES 
 
 1. They have longer tongues and gather honey from flowers 
 where black bees cannot. 
 
 2. They are more industrious and persevering, and with the 
 same opportunity gather much more than black bees. 
 
 3. They work earlier and later in the day as well as in the season, 
 often gathering stores when the blacks are idle. 
 
 4. They are better to guard their hives against robbers (84), and 
 against the ravages of the bee-moth's larvae (214). 
 
 5. They are more prolific in the spring. 
 
 6. Their bees and queen adhere more tenaciously to the comb. 
 
 7. They are amiable, and it is easy to manipulate them. 
 There are other races of bees which are desirable, and among 
 
 them we will mention the Caucasian and the Carniolan, but as both 
 of these races are of nearly the same color as the 
 common bee, it is almost impossible to ascertain 
 whether we have them in their purity. 
 
 S. Owing to some of the above tendencies they 
 are more prone to overcome the dreaded disease 
 European foulbrood (219), than the common black 
 bee. This quality is claimed also for the two races 
 of Carniolan and Caucasian bees, but is well proven 
 in the Italians. 
 
 Pure Italian bees are recognized by the three 
 yellow rings on the first three segments of the Tig. 77 — 
 
 abdomen of the worker, next to the thorax or Italian Queen 
 middle portion of the body. They are also singular- 
 ized by their quiet behavior on the combs when the hive Is opened. 
 If the bees are properly handled none of the Italians will rush about 
 the combs or fall off while in the hands of the apiarist. 
 
 Their queens and drones are more irregular in color than the 
 workers. 
 
 Italianizing an Apiary 
 
 § 124. To do this, a tested Italian queen (Fig. 77), should be ob- 
 tained from some reliable dealer or breeder, and introduced into one 
 of the colonies of the apiary. For, as the queen is the mother of 
 the colony, to change queens is to change the whole character of the 
 colony in a short space of time (30). 
 
 To Introduce a Queen 
 
 § 125. To introduce a queen successfully it will be necessary to 
 find the queen to 'be superseded, and take her away. A black queen, 
 
INTRODUCING QUEENS 
 
 71 
 
 being easily frightened, will hide or run away to some corner, there- 
 fore It Is best to proceed cautiously and without jarring. 
 
 In the middle of the day, when the old bees are at work, open 
 the hive, taking out the center frame, examine both sides, and If the 
 queen is not seen, proceed with the adjacent frames till she is found. 
 If not successful the first time close the hive an hour or two, till the 
 bees become quiet, and then repeat the operation. An Italian queen 
 is easily found, but the blacks are more troublesome. When found, 
 either destroy her or make such other disposition of her as may be 
 desired; cage the Italian queen and insert her in the center of the 
 brood-chamber between two combs containing honey, which the 
 queen may be able to reach at pleasure. This, however, is not in- 
 dispensable, as the bees will usually feed her. 
 
 Fig. 78 — Gentle Italians. 
 
 § 126. The cages in which queens are mailed by queen-breeders 
 all over the country, and especially in the South, are quite convenient 
 to Introduce queens. Those cages (Fig. 79), contain candy, and the 
 queen is usually released by removing the stopper which gives the 
 bees access to her. by eating through the candy within the course of 
 a day or two. 
 
 § 127. It is well, when introducing a queen which has been re- 
 ceived from a breeder, to allow the worker bees which accompany her 
 to escape before placing the cage in the hive. The reason of this is 
 
72 
 
 INTRODUCING QUEENS 
 
 that the new comers are rarely accepted by the bees of the colony, 
 even after a day or two of confinement, except in the height of the 
 honey harvest, while the queen is generally welcome after they have 
 
 Fig. 79 — Cage for Mailing Queenbees. 
 
 become acquainted with her. The Miller introducing-cage, (Kg 80) is 
 convenient because its flat shape permits the hanging of it between 
 two combs, in the center of the brood. A small wire is used for this 
 purpose. When using this cage, at the end of about 48 hours, the 
 Iqueen is released by removing the stopper and putting in its place 
 a little piece of comb honey or cappings. 
 
 § 128. During the height of the honey season, more expeditious 
 methods may be used to introduce a queen, such as smoking the 
 colony thoroughly after the removal of the old qUeen, closing it a 
 few minutes and allowing the new queen to run in at the entrance. 
 Queens are most easily introduced when they are freshly removed 
 from their hive and are in egg-laying condition. So the transfer 
 
 from one colony to another of a 
 queen is attended with much 
 less danger for her than her 
 introduction when she has been 
 traveling. 
 
 In any case, valuable queens 
 should be introduced by the 
 cage method. After releasing a queen, it is well to immediately close 
 the hive and not reopen it for a day or two, for the greatest danger 
 to a queen comes from her being suspected when robbers (84) are 
 flying a'bout. 
 
 Fig. 
 
 -Miller Introducing Cage 
 
CLIPPING THE WING 
 
 Safest Method of Introduction 
 
 73 
 
 § 129. An absolutely safe method of introduction of a valuable 
 queen consists in filling a hive or nucleus (107) with combs of 
 hatching bees and releasing the queen from the cage upon those combs. 
 As there are no bees except such as are in the process of immediately 
 hatching, there is no danger whatever for the queen. 
 
 Clipping the Queen's Wing 
 
 § 130. This is done to prevent her from leaving with a swarm. 
 In attempting to fly she will fall to the ground in front of the hive, 
 and the bees, missing her, will return to the hive. This must not be 
 done until after the queen has met the drone, or she will remain un- 
 
 Fig. 81 — Clipping the Queen's Wings. 
 
74 
 
 CLIPPING THE WING 
 
 fertile. To perform the operation, open tlie hive, lift the frames 
 carefully, and avoid jars; when the queen is seen — with a pair of 
 sharp-pointed scissors, lift one of the front wings and cut off about 
 one-half of it. To pick her up, be sure not to take her by the ab- 
 domen. She may be held by the wings or the thorax without danger. 
 
 82 — Putting Queen in Cage. 
 
 Some very practical beekeepers, like Dr. C. C. Miller, the 
 author of "Fifty Years Among the Bees", always clip the wings of 
 their queens. It identifies them and prevents their escape with the 
 swarm. This effectually prevents the swarm from absconding at 
 least until a young queen is reared. But the apiary must be watched. 
 Otherwise, the clipped queen would get lost, for she would neverthe- 
 less attempt to fly, and would be unable to return. She may usually 
 be found, accompanied by a small cluster of bees. In the grass in 
 front of the hive. 
 
 Dr. Miller advises, when clipping a queen, to remove both of the 
 wings on one side of the body. This makes the queen more efficient- 
 ly visible among her 'bees when looking for her, on account of her 
 lopsided appearance. 
 
75 
 
 Purchasing Queens 
 
 § 131. Queens supplied by queen breeders are always expected 
 be fecundated and laying. Untested queens are such as have 
 
 )ven healthy layers. Tested queens are those whose progeny has 
 
 en examined and found of pure breed. 
 When handling and caging a queen, you should let her run up 
 
 the cage, as bees or queen always travel upwards when trying to 
 
 ;ape. 
 
 Looking for the Queen. 
 
76 
 
 Comb Foundation and Its Use 
 
 § 132. The beehive is an emblem of industry, and the perfection 
 of its government is truly marvelous! When we view the beautiful 
 comb so wonderfully systematic in construction, and all completed by 
 a crowd of bees in a dark hive, we are amazed at the skill of thes'e 
 wonderful little architects! Think of their cells of wax, only 180th 
 part of an inch in thickness, one ounce of which delicate work will 
 contain a pound of honey, of sufficient strength to be transported 
 thousands of miles without injury, with but ordinary care. 
 
 CHAS. DADANT, 
 
 Reviser of "Langstroth on the Honeybee," and an authority in both 
 
 Europe and America. — (1817-1902) 
 
 The cells of the bees are found to fulfill the conditions of an in- 
 tricate mathematical problem. Let it 'be required to find what shape 
 a given quantity of matter must take in order to have the greatest 
 
COST OP COMB 77 
 
 apacity and strength, occupying at the same time the least space, 
 nd consuming the least labor in its construction. When this pro- 
 lem is solved the answer is the hexagonal or six-sided cell ol the 
 oneybee, with its three four-sided figures at the base." 
 
 As the bases exactly fit into one another from opposite sides, 
 nd the insects work on both sides at the same time, in what language 
 id they communicate the proportions to be observed, while making 
 tiese bases, common to the cells on opposite sides? (Pig 84). 
 
 Cost of Comb 
 
 § 133. We have explained that the bees consume from seven to 
 ifteen pounds of honey to build one pound of comb (46), according to 
 tie season, the warmth of the hive, and the strength of the colony. 
 
 It is very evident that the amount 
 varies much, and the comparison 
 
 / \ \ / \ \ / may be made of this wax produc- 
 
 \ /' /\ \ / "/\ \ tlon with the production of fat in 
 
 X \ ) — -^ ( ';- \ animals. Although wax is a fatty 
 
 / \ \.' / \ \ / / substance, it cannot, however, be 
 
 V / /\ x. / "a N, called "the fat" of the honeybee, 
 
 y / \ y / V \ but being produced at the expense 
 
 / \/ / \ / / of their nutrition, it is secreted in 
 
 greater or less quantity, ac- 
 cording to the more or less favor- 
 Pig. 84 — Bases and Cross- able circumstances in which the 
 Sections of Cells. bees find themselves. It is there- 
 fore probable that a rule cannot 
 e established as to the cost of wax any more than can be given 
 s to the cost of producing fat in cattle. But starting from the 
 mounts given above, we can safely assert that combs cost the bees, 
 n an average, not less than ten pounds of honey for each pound of 
 omb produced, including the time lost in elaborating it. If honey 
 3 worth fifteen cents per pound, comb therefore costs the bees the 
 quivalent of one dollar and a half per pound. Prom this we may 
 now the value of comb foundation, made from pure beeswax and 
 eturned to the bees. 
 
 Manufacture 
 
 § 134. This comb-foundation was first invented in Germany and 
 aade from plates, by Mehring; and Mr. W. M. Hoge, in 1874, assisted 
 tr. Prederick Weiss, an aged German, then living in New York, to 
 ntroduce it to American "beekeepers. Later it was improved upon 
 ly A. I. Root, J. Vandervort and E. B. Weed. 
 
78 
 
 COMB-POUNDATION 
 
 § 135. Comb-foundation (Pig 85) consists of sheets of beeswax, 
 formed by dipping wooden plates into melted wax, or by other pro- 
 cesses too complicated to be explained here, some of which consist in 
 making endless sheets of the material which are rolled up in a man- 
 ner similar to the rolling of paper for printing on cylinder presses. 
 The sheets of beeswax are afterwards printed with the rudiments of 
 the cells, by running them through cylinders or mills indented with 
 the exact shape of worker-cells, and afterwards cut the proper size 
 for frames or sections. 
 
 It would be tedious to review all the various styles of foundation 
 presented to beekeepers since it was first introduced in America. We 
 have had foundation with triangular-shaped cells, with flat bottomed 
 cells, with high side walls, and with no walls at all; with linen, cot- 
 ton, wood, paper, tin-foil and woven-wire for a base; we have had 
 
 Fig. 85 — Comb-Foundation. 
 
 foundation with fine wire im'bedded therein, and frames of foundation 
 with wire pressed therein. 
 
 Different Grades 
 
 § 136. Experience has shown that the foundation which has the 
 thinnest base is the best. The bees thin it out still more, and shape 
 it to suit themselves. For brood-combs, sheets measuring about six 
 square feet to the pound prove best, as the bees find in them almost 
 
 Pig. 
 
 -Comb Foundation Mill. 
 
HOW BEES DRAW IT 
 
 79 
 
 enough wax to build the entire comb, especially If it is given them a 
 little ahead of need, at a time when they have leisure to manipulate 
 it and draw it out. The experiments of Poloppe Freres, of Cham- 
 posoult, France, have proven that in drawing out the foundation into 
 com'b the bees manipulate the wax in the same way that the potter 
 handles clay to make a vase, by "repoussage" which forces the wax 
 towards the outer edge of the cell in a circular way. This is another 
 
 Pig. 87 — Cross-Section of a sheet of Foundation — Natural size. 
 Fig. 88 — Cross-section of a sheet of foundation in process of Con- 
 struction by the bees — natural size. 
 (By Poloppe Freres; taken from "L'Apiculteur," of Paris.) 
 
 evidence of the bees' intplligence, • for the cells are thereby made 
 much stronger than if the drawing of the wax had 'been made to- 
 wards the outer edge without any circular manipulation. In the 
 same manner, if the potter had made his vase by pushing the clay out 
 
80 ADVANTAGES 
 
 ward without the circular rotation, the vase would break much more 
 readily. 
 
 Figs. 87 and 88 show the section of a sheet of medium comb- 
 foundation as given to the bees and as worked by them out of the 
 wax it contains, a, b, and d, show the manner in which the work 
 is begun, continuing and forcing out the wax towards the edge 
 through the different shapes assumed consecutively at c, e, f, g and h. 
 
 § 137. For surplus honey (146) in the sections, very thin sheets 
 of comb-foundation are supplied to the bees, and of the very best 
 grade of light-colored beeswax, for it is important that the combs 
 should be thin and avoid the the "fish-bone" toughness of a heavy 
 artificial midrib. As light sheets as 13 and 14 square feet to the 
 pound are now used in sections. 
 
 § 138. As we have already stated, the foundation measuring 
 about six square feet to the pound, is best for brood-combs. Experi- 
 ments have proven that between five and a quarter and six feet to 
 the pound is sufficient to supply the bees with all the material need- 
 ed to build the entire comb, the cells afterwards sealed, when need- 
 ed, with naturally produced wax. (Fig 89). 
 
 § 139. The advantages derived from the use of comb-foundation 
 are three-fold. In the first place, as we have said before, beeswax 
 costs the bees a, probable average of ten pounds of honey per pound 
 of comb. Beeswax when rendered has an approximate value of from 
 twenty-five to thirty-five cents per pound. The same article made 
 into comb-foundation costs at retail from fifty to seventy-five cents 
 per pound. Counting our honey at only twelve cents, there is almost 
 a doubling of the Investment 'by buying comb-foundation and saving 
 the bees all this labor. 
 
 Fig. 89 — One side of sheet of Foundation drawn into Comb. The Cells 
 were made entirely from the Foundation supplied. The cap- 
 pings alone have been made of natural wax supplied by 
 the workers, as shown by the lighter lines. — (By 
 Foloppe Freres, from "L'Apiculteur," 
 of Paris — magnified.) 
 
OF COMB FOUNDATION 
 
 81 
 
 The second advantage, which is equally important, resides in 
 giving the bees guides from which to work. Before the advent of 
 comb-foundation, guides of different kinds were devised to compel the 
 bees to build straight in the center of the frames or sections. But in 
 spite of all efforts, the com'bs were often crooked or wavy, and ir- 
 regular. With the use of comb foundation we secure combs "as 
 straight as a board" in every frame and every section. This alone 
 would suffice to make comb-foundation a blessing to the apiarist. No 
 more crooked combs, no more leaking honey in handling, hence very 
 much reduced danger of robbing. 
 
 The third advantage is almost as great as the other two. In 
 natural conditions the bees build about ten per cent of drone-comb 
 (Pig. 90). This is necessary in a state of nature, when colonies are 
 far apart and the queens in their wedding flight (4) need to meet 
 drones readily. But as only one drone is actually a'ble to do service 
 
 Fig. 90 — Honey-Comb. 
 Drone-comb, Intermediate Cells, Worker-comb, Queen-cell. 
 
 for one colony, the numerous drones of one first-class colony are quite 
 sufficient for fifty or more colonies in one apiary. Hence it is advisable 
 to do away with the drone-comb (16, 101) as much as possible. By the 
 use of comb foundation, made with worker-cell bases, we secure this 
 result. Large sheets of drone-comb are dispensed with and replaced 
 by worker-comb. We must not depend upon the bees to do this, but 
 when we remove drone-comb we must use foundation in its place. 
 There will always be plenty of drones reared in corners where the wax 
 was short, or in cells that become enlarged by accident. One or two 
 
82 
 
 MANUFACTURE 
 
 colonies with plenty of drones will be all we need, and we may select 
 them to suit ourselves, and give them the drone-comb right in the 
 center if we choose. 
 
 The annual saving by the prevention of rearing a horde of use- 
 less consumers through the use of worker-comb foundation is, in our 
 opinion, sufficient to pay for the initial cost of this foundation. 
 
 The reader will readily comprehend by the above explanation 
 why the business of comb-foundation manufacture has gained in im- 
 portance. It is a product that every beekeeper needs, and he quickly 
 realizes this. 
 
 Must Be of Pure Beeswax 
 
 § 140. ComlD-foundation must be made of absolutely pure bees- 
 wax. Its tenacity at certain temperatures; its malleability at blood 
 
 Fig. 91. — Wire Imbedder. 
 
 heat, which is the heat of the hive, make its adulteration by any 
 other compound absolutely undesirable. The bees themselves know 
 their product from all other compounds, and adulterations of founda- 
 tion with similar products in mineral or vegetable waxes have always 
 proven an entire failure. 
 
 Fastening Comb Foundation 
 
 § 141. In Fig. 58. has been given the method of fastening comb 
 
INSERTING FOUNDATION 
 
 83 
 
 foundation to the frames. For hiving swarms, full sheets are also 
 sometimes fastened additionally with wires, and we here exhibit the 
 method (Pig. 91). The little instrument used is called a "wire im- 
 bedder." The wire is first placed in the frames, then the founda- 
 tion is inserted as in Fig. 
 58, and at last the imbedder 
 forces the wire Into the 
 wax. For section-boxes 
 (151) the Parker fastener 
 is used, which presses the 
 wax on the underside of 
 the top-bar (Fig 92). 
 
 More elaborate ma- 
 chines are made which both 
 fold the section and place 
 the foundation strip in it at 
 one operation. For the 
 practical apiarist such con- 
 trivances are very useful. 
 
 We show two of the most practical (Pigs. 93 and 94). Many bce- 
 iteepers have contrivances of their own both for folding sections and 
 inserting the foundation. Full sheets are usually inserted. But this 
 will be treated more fully at the chapter on comb-honey production 
 (148). 
 
 Fig. 92 — The Parker Foundation 
 Fastener. 
 
 Preserve the Wax 
 
 § 142. The use of comb-foundation requires all the available 
 beeswax in the country; every bit of wax and old combs should there- 
 fore be preserved. A wax-extractor (Figs. 95 and 96 will soon pay 
 for Itself. By its use all the old comb and the cappings may be 
 saved, utilized and restored to the bees in comb-foundation to bo 
 worked out into comb, forming either the cradle of bees or the re- 
 ceptacle of honey. 
 
 Fig. 96 represents the best wax-extractor yet produced. It is 
 the Hershiser wax-press. Layers of burlap in which the combs are 
 placed with division racks between them are subjected to pressure 
 as the wax melts in boiling water. 
 
 Rendering Combs into Beeswax 
 
 I 143. Sort water should be used in melting wax. Iron utensils 
 
84 
 
 RENDERING WAX 
 
 are objectionable. The iron rust colors the wax, and spoils the 
 
 appearance of it in a permanent 
 way. Tin or tinned receptacles 
 are indispensable. But it is 
 not absolutely necessary to 
 have a wax-press or wax-kettle, 
 for any ordinary wash-boiler 
 may be used, though with more 
 waste. Break up the combs. 
 Soak them well in water, then 
 heat to the boiling point, taking 
 care not to overboil the wax, 
 as it would both spoil it and 
 cause some danger of its run- 
 ning over. Make a sort of 
 basket or pouch out of wire 
 cloth, and sink it into the sur- 
 face of the boiling mixture. 
 From this you may dip the wax 
 as it comes to the surface and 
 pour it into flaring vessels. 
 Fig. 93 — Woodman's Section F^xer. such as crocks or tin pans. The 
 
 few impurities that you may 
 thus dip up will settle to the bottom, and the wax may again be 
 melted to finish cleaning it. 
 
 Fig. 94 — The Rauchfuss Combined Section Press and Foundation 
 
 Fastener. 
 
WAX-EXTRACTORS 
 
 85 
 
 As many people do not like to trouble themselves with the render- 
 ing of old combs into wax, the foundation makers have taken it up 
 on a large scale, so that in many cases the apiarist can have his old 
 combs rendered and made into comb-foundation for less than he could 
 do it, especially as all possible w,aste is avoided. 
 
 Solar Wax-Extractor 
 
 § 144. The apiarist gathers from time to time during the season a 
 large amount of wax chips, from old broken combs or from scrapings 
 of hives, frames and sections. If rendering with boiler and press 
 is undesirable, he may yet provide himself with a solar wax-extract- 
 or, Fig. 97. This implement, which is insufficient and inadequate in 
 
 rendering up large lots or 
 very old combs, is quite 
 handy to dispose of small 
 parcels of wax. It is al- 
 ways at hand in the apiary. 
 Its cost is insignificant and 
 the broken combs thrown 
 into it are thereby protected 
 against the moth an.i may 
 be gathered in the shape of 
 cakes of wax at the end of 
 the season. • 
 
 Fig. 95 — Wax-Extractor. 
 
 li'ig. 96— Hershiser Wax-Press. Fig. 97— Rauchfuss Solar Wax- 
 Extractor. 
 
86 
 
 Production of Choice Honey 
 
 § 145. In no country on the face of the earth is honey produced 
 that can excel that of North America. Nature has supplied this 
 vast Continent with honey sources as varied as can be found any- 
 where in the world. And within the past few years, many improved 
 methods and appliances have been invented for the increased pro- 
 duction of honey. Simultaneously with these improvements, we 
 find the consequent increased consumption. 
 
 Honey in the Comb 
 
 § 146. Not only have we forsaken the log-guma and rude straw 
 and box hives of our fathers, and given these busy little workers 
 homes that are entirely under our control, but we have devised, for 
 surplus honey, small sectional frames, so that the sealed product 
 maybe easily taken i"rom the hives and marketed in convenient 
 shape, suited to the requirements of the retail purchaser. 
 
 Pig. 98 — Oblong and Square Sections Contrasted. 
 
 Honey is also produced in large frames, for extracting, but we 
 are first to describe the production for sale in the comb. 
 
 Bulk Comb Honey 
 
 § 147. For liome use and for siile in localities where small. sec- 
 tions are deemed too expensive, honey is produced in either halt- 
 
HONEY SECTIONS 
 
 87 
 
 story frames or full sized brood-frames with guides or sheets of a light 
 grade of foundation. It is a more economical way of producing 
 honey, hut not to he recommended, because of the difficulty of its 
 sale on the large markets. 
 
 One-Pound Sections 
 
 § 148. After numerous experiments, the so-called "one-pound 
 section" has been accepted as the standard. Its size Is 4% x 4% 
 inches, and its width usually 1% inches. The thickness of the sur- 
 plus combs may be greater than that of the brood-com'bs given on a 
 preceding page (92). The thickness of the brood-combs Is regulated 
 by the length of the body of the bee which is hatched in the cells, 
 while the surplus combs may "he built as thick as two or three inches 
 as storage combs. Other sizes than the regular pound sections are 
 used; however, uniformity is desirable rather than novelty. Three 
 different sizes of sections are shown in Fig 98. 
 
 Pig. 99 — One-Piece One Pound Honey-Sections. 
 
88 
 
 SEPARATORS 
 
 Instead of making the section boxes in four pieces, nailed or 
 matched together, they are made in one piece, as in Fig. 99. These 
 can 'be easily bent into the shape of a box, by hand, but that can of 
 course 'be done much faster by machinery, as shown at the cliaptfr on 
 "Comb Foundation," (Figs. 93-94). 
 
 Plain Section-Boxes and Cleated Separators 
 
 § 149. For years the section-box has been made with one or 
 more scallops on each edge, for the purpose of allowing the bees to 
 enter from below, and also to pass on up to another tier of sections 
 when supers are tiered up on the hives. But later there was intro- 
 duced what Is known as the "Plain" section, all the scallops being 
 omitted, and the sections being made lU inches in width (Fig. 102). 
 
 In order to allow the bees 
 to get into tho sections 
 and also pass on up to 
 those placed over the 
 first tier, the separators 
 used between the rows in 
 a super are cleatecl in 
 such a w-ay as to hold the 
 rows of sections apart. 
 Such separators have 
 been called "Fences," or 
 cleated-slat separators. 
 Figs. 100 and 101 give an 
 excellent idea of this 
 separator. 
 
 The advantage of all 
 these separators is to se- 
 cure combs which do not 
 project o r bulge i n to 
 Fig. 100 — Different styles of each other. This 
 
 Fences and Separators. allows the casing of sec- 
 
 tions from different hives within any box without danger of getting 
 them scratched, and causing the honey to leali. Separators are not 
 necessary when producing honey for private use only. 
 
 Supers for Holding Section-Boxes 
 
 § 150. There are various arrangements for holding the section- 
 boxes in which Is placed the surplus honey. Perhaps that most 
 
SECTION-HOLDERS 
 
 89 
 
 widely used is the section iiolder (Pig 105). A super used on an 8- 
 
 frame liive liolds six of these section-holders, and for a 10-frame hive 
 
 seven of them. Each section-holder _ 
 
 takes four sections i\i x 414 inches 
 
 in size. A separator is then placed 
 
 between two section-holders (Fig. 
 
 104). 
 
 A section-holder might he called 
 a wide frame without a top piece, 
 simply two end-blocks nailed on 
 a bottom slat. The section-holders 
 are supported in the super by two strips of tin nailed crosswise under 
 
 Pig. 101 — Pence or Cleated 
 Separator. 
 
 'SES? 
 
 LAy* s , :- 
 
 ^^PtllAIN^ 
 
 1l 
 
 
 4X5^4l^^ 
 
 'pl:a|in- 
 
 gl 
 
 KG-^ill=- 
 
 _jk^5:y^\M 
 
 ^P||tA!N- 
 
 ^ 
 
 Pig. 102 — Sections of Different Widths and Openings. 
 
 each end. The section-holders, with the sections and separators, are 
 then wedged up from one side by the use of a follower-board and a 
 wedge, thus making all snug and tight. 
 
 Miller T Super 
 
 Another very good super is that devised by Dr. C. O. Miller, one 
 
90 
 
 T SUPER 
 
 of the most successful comb-honey producers. It is called the T 
 super because the supports of the sectious are made iu the shape of 
 an inverted T, (Fig. 106). 
 
 § 151. Before placing them in the hive, the sections are provided 
 with strips or lull sheets of foundation of the lightest grade. 
 
 Fig. 103 — Super with plain Sections, Fences and Section-Holders. 
 
 The Honey Harvest 
 
 § 1.52. The time for putting the supers on the hive is when the 
 
 Fig. 104— Super of Section-Holders Filled with Section-Boxes. 
 Explanations— D, Solid wood separator; A, dovetailed super; E, section 
 boxes; F. follower-board; G. wedge for between follower- 
 board and super side, to make all solid. 
 
PUTTING ON SUPERS 
 
 91 
 
 Fig. 105— Section-Holder 
 
 crop 'begins. This may be readily recognized 'by the whitening of the 
 top of the combs in the brood chamber, by the bees. In localities 
 where the crop flow is sudden and large, it may not be advisable to 
 wait till the combs are being whitened, for this is an evidence that 
 the bees already gather enough honey to produce wax. Each apiarist 
 
 must become acq.uainted with the 
 honey resources of his region and 
 act accordingly. Suffice it to say 
 that every populous colony should 
 be provided with one or more 
 supers at the opening of the harv- 
 est. If we have any partly filled 
 or partly built sections of the pre- 
 vious year, it Is well to use them 
 as bait In the center of the super, 
 as the bees more readily ascend into it. But such sections, if they 
 contain any honey at all, must have honey of the same quality as 
 that which Is expected to be gathered. It is usually best to extract 
 such honey In the fall (165). 
 
 When Bees Swarm 
 
 § 153. If a colony swarms, on which is a super partly filled with 
 honey, the bees will abandon this work, owing to the depleted condi- 
 tion of the hive. Some 
 apiarists have adopted the 
 plan of removing the old 
 colony and putting the 
 swarm on its stand, giving it 
 the super from the old hive 
 at the end of two or three 
 aays. The old colony is 
 either put upon a new spot, 
 or exchanged with a mid- 
 dling strong colony which is 
 not powerful enough to 
 swarm, this colony being it- 
 self put in a new spot. 
 
 We have already explained in the chapter on artificial swarming that 
 during a honey crop bees from different hives may be mixed without 
 danger of fighting. 
 
 Queen Excluders 
 
 § 154. In order to prevent the queen from going into the supers 
 
 Fig. 106 — T Super. 
 
92 
 
 QUEEN EXCLUDERS. 
 
 and laying eggs there, which would soil the com'bs, giving them a 
 dark color, beekeepers have devised queen-excluders, made of zinc 
 with perforations^ or of wood and wire tliat enable only the worker- 
 bees to go up into the supers (Fig. 109). 
 
 Fig. 107 — From Comb-foundation to Scaled Honey, by G. C. Greiner. 
 
 The perforated zlilc (Figi. 110) is also used for queen and drone 
 traps (102), to prevent the queen from going out with a swarm or in 
 
COMB-HONEY 
 
 93 
 
 ■bee-entrance guards for the same purpose. But all these contrivances 
 are more or less In the way of the bees, and prevent easy ventilation 
 in hot weather, and they should be avoided as much as possible. 
 
 Fig. 108 — "Fancy" Comb Honey. 
 
 Large Honey Crops 
 
 § 155. In very good honey-producing seasons and favorable loca- 
 tions, a colony may fill several supers (FigV 111), sometimes as many 
 as tour or five. But it is well for the novice not to be too sanguine. 
 As the super is filled, more may be added, either by raising the super 
 already partly filled and adding another between it and the body of 
 the hive, or by adding the new super on top of the other. When the 
 new super is put on top of the other, there is less danger of the bees 
 leaving a part of the sections unfilled or unsealed. On the other hand, 
 the addition of a new super under the first is a great incentive to 
 active work, and helps prevent the desire to swarm. 
 
94 
 
 SECTIONS "WELL SEALED 
 
 Have the Sections Well Sealed 
 
 § 156. By all means care should be taken not to furnish enough 
 room to scatter the honey In a large space, and not get the sections 
 sealed. When producing com'b- honey it is very important to get all 
 
 Fig. 109 — Queen-Excluders to Place Between the Brood-Apartment 
 
 and the Supers. 
 
 the sections fully sealed (Pig. 108). But sealed sections 
 
 ought to be removed promptly (227), in order that they may not be 
 soiled by the bees traveling over them, which discolors them and 
 gives them a more or less stale appearance. 
 
 A few unsealed cells in a section of honey spoil its appearance 
 and lower its grade. Extra-fancy section honey Is thoroughly sealed. 
 
 Fig. 110 — Shows the Exact Size of Zinc Perforations. 
 
 § 157. The crop of white honey should not be mixed with that 
 of dark honey. That is another reason why it is 'best to have the 
 bees till the sections and seal them as they go. The flora of the lo- 
 cality must be learnt and the apiary managed a'''cordlngly. 
 
REMOVING SUPERS 95 
 
 Removing Honey from the Hive 
 
 § 15S. Before taking honey from the supers, it is necessary first 
 to get tlie bees out of them. Dr. C. C. Miller does this, if the crop 
 is still on and the bees do not rob (87), by simply raising the super 
 
 Fig. Ill — Dr. Miller's Biggest Crop — 4 to 7 Supers per Colony 
 
 off the hive and leaning it against the hive. The bees which are 
 thus uncovered and exposed soon make a marching file towards the 
 entrance. But one must watch them, as they may soon come back and 
 begin carrying away the honey. Another method followed by him is 
 to pile the supers taken off, covering them with a cloth in the center 
 of which has been sewed a wire-cloth in the shape of a cone with a 
 small hole at the top. The bees escape under this cloth to the cone 
 and out, but are unable to find their way "back. It is best not to put 
 the piles of supers too far from the hives from which they are taken, 
 as some of the young bees might be unable to find their way back 
 home. However, the flight of the old bees usually indicates to them 
 the route, and a young bee, full of honey, is welcome in any hive she 
 may adopt, unless there is much robbing and fighting. 
 
 Piles of supers containing 'bees, without queens, are usually 
 deserted by the bees shortly after they are removed if only covered 
 with a cloth or a light sheet. The bees crawl out and away from 
 under the sheet, but care must be taken that robber-bees do not 
 find their way in, as they would soon carry away the honey. These 
 operations should be performed in the shade, but during the warm 
 
96 
 
 BEE-ESCAPE 
 
 part of the day, while the field-bees are at work. There is then less 
 danger of being stung, and a less number of bees In the super. Night 
 operations should be avoided. 
 
 The Bee-Escape 
 
 § 159. Although some of our leading beekeepers do not use this 
 implement, it is nevertheless one of the most practical, even though 
 it does Its work slowly (Pig. 112). This is Inserted in a honey-board 
 
 Pig. 112 — Bee Escape-Board. 
 
 Porter Bee-Escape. 
 
 between the body and the supers, and the bees which go down through 
 it are not able to return. By lifting the supers, in the evening, a'ld 
 placing the escape-board" under them, we are sure of finding the 
 supers empty of bees when morning comes, with the exception of 
 a dozen bees or so. This method is still better than the one men- 
 tioned above, but it requires two operations instead of one. 
 
 Extracted Honey 
 
 § 160. Following closely after the increased knowledge concern- 
 ing the natural history of the honeybee came improvements in bee- 
 hives and modern appliances tor obtaining an increased production of 
 honey. Major Von Hruschka, a retired Austrian officer, who was 
 then keeping bees In Italy, invented the honey-extractor and its 
 great value is everywhere admitted by all progressive beekeepers. 
 
THE EXTRACTOR 97 
 
 The Invention of the Extractor 
 
 The following is a brief history of the discovery: One clay when 
 the Major, who was a most observing and critical beekeeper, was in 
 his apiary, his little 'boy came to him. The boy had a small tin pail 
 tied to a string, which he was swingingboy-like, around and around 
 In a circle, holding the end of the string in his hand. The father 
 gave the youth a piece of comb filled with honey, putting it into 
 the pail. The boy, after a while, began to swing the pail again as 
 before, with the honey in it. A few moments after, he became tired 
 of that amusement, and put the pail down to talk to his father, who 
 took it up, and, by chance, noticed that the honey had left the comb 
 and settled down into the pail leaving the comb perfectly clean 
 
 Fig. 113 — Two-Story Hive for Producing Extracted Honey. 
 
 that had been on the outside of the circle when the boy was swinging 
 it around. The major wondered at the circumstance and commenced 
 a series of experiments which resulted in his giving to the world the 
 first honey-extractor, which by whirling, something like his son 
 whirled that little tin pail, gave him the pure liquid honey, extracted 
 by centrifugal force, leaving the honey-comb entirely free from the 
 liquid sweet, which he gave again to the bees to fill; instead of 
 the primitive method in use up to that time, of mashing up the 
 combs containing the honey, pollen, and sometimes brood, to let the 
 honey drain through the cloth in which it was placed — giving what 
 was formerly known as "strained honey." 
 
 Major Von Hruschka's original honey extractor has been greatly 
 improved. Now we have neat machines which do their work well 
 and rapidly, but honey consumers generally have no idea how it Is 
 accomplished. 
 
98 
 
 EXTRACTED HONEY 
 
 § 161. Extracted honey is obtained by tlie combs being uncapped, 
 placed in the basket or frame-holder of a honey-extractor (Pig. 114), 
 and revolved; the centrifugal force throws out the pure honey from 
 the combs, which runs down the sides of the can and is drawn off. 
 Extracted honey is the pure liquid — minus the comb. 
 
 Supers for Extracted Honey. 
 
 § 162. The devices employed in the production of comb-honey, 
 sections, section-holders, separators, etc., are not suitable when we 
 desire to produce honey to be taken out of the combs with the 
 extractor. 
 
 For this purpose, hives are supplied 
 with either a doubly story as in Pig. 113, or 
 with half-story supers containing frames 
 of shallow depth, as in Fig. 115. 
 
 Many people prefer the full-story su- 
 pers, because they are interchangeable 
 with the brood chamber, both in hives and 
 frames. So the great majority of persons 
 using the eight or ten-frame Langstroth 
 hive keep but one size of frame. But with 
 the large hive used by the author of this 
 book, shallow supers, with a 6-inch side 
 bar, have been found preferable. They are 
 also 'better liked by ladies who keep bees 
 on account of the ease of manipulation. 
 Fig. 114 — lA Modern But it cannot be denied that a single size 
 Honey-Extractor Show- of frame is of value in an apiary, since 
 ing Inside Basket. combs of honey from the upper story may 
 be given below, when the bees need feed. 
 The shallow supers have the advantage 
 of being occupied more readily by the 
 bees. Nothing however needs prevent 
 rn apiarist from using both kinds. 
 
 Extracting-supers, after the first 
 season, will be filled with comb, since 
 the honey is removed without damaging 
 the comb. For that reason the bees 
 ascend in these supers much more 
 readily, and produce a great deal more 
 honey than they do in sections which 
 
 are new, since the filled ones have been Pig. 115. — Shallow Super 
 removed entirely after each crop. With Frames Instead of 
 
 Sections. 
 
RIPE HONEY 99 
 
 The Honey Must Be Ripe 
 
 § 163. In the production of extracted honey, the entire sealing 
 of the combs is of less importance than in the production of comb- 
 honey. The important requirement is that the honey be thoroughly 
 ripened (233) before it is removed from the hive. Fresh honey 
 usually runs like water (50), often containing as much as 75 per- 
 cent of water. It takes a week or more to ripen it. This is done by 
 the bees sending a strong draft or ventilation through the hive, night 
 and day, during the crop, by the fanning of their wings. The novice 
 
 Major Von Hrusclika, Inventor of the Honey-Extractcr. 
 
 will readily see this by taking notice of the bees at the entrance on 
 a warm evening. The file of bees which are occupied in fanning the 
 hive runs all through their home. In this way they not only evapor- 
 ate the surplus water out of the nectar, but they also keep the tem- 
 perature down within reasonable limits. We have already men- 
 tioned this in the chapter on "Food of Bees" (50-53). 
 
 For the reason above mentioned we can give a colony of bees a 
 greater amount of surplus space, when running the apiary for ex- 
 tracted honey than when producing comb-honey. So a less number 
 of swarms (101) is the result. We should add also that, since the 
 bees are supplied with the combs already built in the supers, colonies 
 may gather a crop of surplus that could not have been expected to 
 even begin in the sections, had they been compelled to build all their 
 combs. , 
 
100 
 
 EXTRACTING HONEY 
 
 § 164. To remove the extracting supers, the bee-escape (Fig. 112) 
 may be used, in the same manner as with comb-honey production. 
 
 When To Use the Honey -Extractor 
 
 § 165. If the apiarist is running his bees for comb-honey, the 
 only use of the honey-extractor i ; to remove the honey from the 
 
 Fig. 116 — The Dadant Hive. Best for exti-actcd-honey production. 
 brood-coml)s if the l)i'('i'ding apartment Ixxonies so full of honey that 
 the queen has no more room to lay. It is also used at the end of the 
 crop to icniDVC the honey from partly filled sections -whicli ;ire un- 
 salable. A holder for small sections is made (Fig. 118), which enables 
 the operator to extract the honey without letting the sections down 
 
EXTRACTING HONEY JQl 
 
 to the bottom of the wire cage of the machine. 
 
 When we are running an apiary for extracted honey, it is best 
 to keep a sufficient supply of supers to store one entire crop. As soon as 
 the first crop is over, or when it begins to decrease, if the honey is 
 sufficiently ripe it should all be removed. But in some extraordinary 
 seasons we have seen so large an amount of honey that it was out 
 of the question to wait till the end of the crop. If the combs are 
 
 Fig. 117— Well-Sealed Honey, 
 sealed and the honey very thick it may be extracted at any time. 
 
 § 166. By all means the honey from the first crop should be ex- 
 tracted, whether much or little, before the beginning of the fall crop, 
 as the honey of these two crops differs much in color as well as taste, 
 as we have said before (157). 
 
 Inexperienced beekeepers are sometimes tempted to extract too 
 closely, and thus ruin the colony. The extractor should not be used 
 to remove honey from the brood-chamber unless there is no room for 
 the queen to lay, and this only during the breeding season. In the 
 fall it is best to leave the hive-body as full as possible. The use of 
 the extractor should then be confined to the upper story or supers. 
 
 § 167. Since the combs must be turned over after extracting the 
 honey on one side, in order to get it from both sides, extractors have 
 been invented which reverse their baskets automatically while in 
 motion. 
 
 Such an extractor is shown in Pig. 120. As the speed is arrested 
 after extracting one side of the combs, the baskets swing over to ths 
 
102 
 
 HONBY-KNIFB 
 
 right or left, according to tlie direction given, and tlie opposite sido 
 of tlie combs is extracted without lifting them out. 
 
 Uncapping Knife 
 
 § 168. The combs must be uncapped before extracting. For this 
 purpose the Bingham uncapping knife is generally used. (Fig 121). 
 
 Fig. 118— Holder for Extract- Fig. 119— A "Baby" Extractor 
 
 ing Sections of Honey. for Extracting Sections of 
 
 Honey. 
 It Is made of the best steel, strong at the bend near the handle. 
 Both edges are sharp and are beveled on the side that comes in con- 
 tact with the combs. This prevents the knife from adhering to the 
 combs and tearing them, while shaving off the cappings. As both 
 edges are alike it admits of being used for right or left hand work; 
 the sharp point also allows it to be used in corners or uneven places. 
 Its bevel prevents the cappings from sticking back to the comb, 
 and causes them to drop in the uncapping can or other receiving 
 strainer. 
 
 § 169. A steam-heated knife has been devised (Fig. 122) which Is 
 very serviceable in cool weather, as the thickened honey is liable to 
 stick to the blade of a cold knife. 
 
 § 170. In very large apiaries the honey-extractor is run by the 
 
EXTRACTING 
 
 103 
 
 use of a gasoline engine or an electric motor. But most apiarists 
 employ a helper who runs the machine and takes care of the honey. 
 Where a motor is used, a honey pump is also needed. 
 
 How To Extract 
 
 § 171. After removing the super containing the honey from the 
 hive, carry it into the extracting-room. The honey-extractor should 
 
 be carefully fastened down on 
 some sort of platform high 
 enough to place a bucket or 
 other receptacle under the 
 faucet. Uncap the combs on 
 both sides and place them in 
 the basket, putting combs of 
 about equal weight opposite 
 each other to prevent a sway- 
 ing motion. A few turns of the 
 crank will throw the honey out. 
 Reverse the frames and extract 
 the other side. If the weather 
 is suitable for honey and the 
 crop still continuing you may 
 at once replace the combs in 
 the hive from which they were 
 taken, or better still, take them 
 to the next hive to be extract- 
 ed; perform the same operation 
 using the frames just "ex- 
 tracted" from, to fill the places 
 of those taken fro^ V«ie hive, and repeat the operation till all the 
 
 Fig. 120 — Cowan Rapid Reversible 
 Honey-Extractor , 
 
 
 Fig. 121 — Bingham Uncapping-Knlfe. 
 Fig. 122 — Steam-heated Uncapping Knife. 
 
104 
 
 EXTRACTING 
 
 hives are treated In the same manner that have a surplus of honey. 
 By this plan, much work is saved, each colony is handled hut 
 once, the hees are less disturbed and will resume work much sooner. 
 The frames from the last hive may be given to the first, after being 
 emptied of the honey, instead of empty frames — if -no extra combs 
 are at hand for that purpose. This is an additional reason why only 
 one style of hive should be used in an apiary — so that the frames 
 may all be Interchangeable. In "dividing/' too, this is very essential. 
 
 Fig. 123— Original Dadant Capping Can After 37 Years Use. 
 
 However, should the season be unfavorable and the crop at end, 
 the combs should not be returned to the hives until evening, as the 
 honey with which they are more or less smeared by the extracting 
 will cause excitement and attract "robber-bees (84)." 
 
 The Honey Cappings. 
 
 § 172. The cappings which have been cut off or shaved from 
 the combs are gathered in a large strainer, called an "uncapping 
 can" Fig. 124). After draining the honey out of them, they may be 
 
TANKS FOR HONEY 
 
 105 
 
 washed and melted. The washings are usually sweet enough to make 
 honey-vinegar (241); the wax should be rendered (143) and makes 
 a superior article. 
 
 Tanks for Honey 
 
 In very large apiaries, where there Is a possibility of unripe 
 honey being extracted, large tanks are provided to ripen it, by ex- 
 
 Fig. 124 — Dadant Uncapping Can. 
 
 posing it to heat. In California, where it never rains in summer, 
 such tanks are kept out of doors till the honey is sufficiently evaporat- 
 ed (Pig. 125). In the central States a honey tank is best kept in the 
 honey house (233), never in a basement or cellar. 
 
106 
 
 TANKS FOR HONEY 
 
 Fig. 125 — Mendleson's Honey Tanks in Cali'ornia. 
 
 Fig. 126 — One of Mendleson's Apiaries. 
 
107 
 
 Wintering and Feeding Bees 
 
 § 173. In Northern countries bees are wintered outdoors, and 
 also in cellars or underground repositories. In localities soutft of 
 the 40th degree, it is best to winter them entirely outdoors, because 
 the proportion of warm days is great enough to allow them to take 
 flight from time to time, and cellars, as a rule, are too warm on 
 continued warm days. But in locations situated about the 42d de- 
 gree, or north of this, it is best to put the bees away in good cellars. 
 Between these two latitudes,, the beekeeper must take his choice of 
 Indoor or outdoor wintering, according to the facilities that he has 
 at his command. 
 
 This advice is given as applying to the eastern portion of the 
 United States, the Mississippi Valley in particular. On the Pacific 
 coast, or in Europe, the climate conditions differ so much that it is 
 impossible for us to establish a rule based upon the latitude. As a 
 rule, the beekeeper will not err if he tries outdoor wintering;, 
 wherever the bees can have a flight once a month during the v/inter, 
 even though very cold days in succession may intervene. But in 
 countries where the ground is covered with constant snows for 2 
 to 4 months and where the outside temperature rarely rises to the 
 thawing point, in the shade, during the winter, cellar-wintering is 
 best. 
 
 Cellar Wintering 
 
 § 174. All the best authorities of the present day give the fol- 
 lowing as requisites for safe wintering: 
 
 1. An even temperature ranging from 40° to 45°. 
 
 2. Complete expulsion or absorption of moisture from the hive. 
 
 3. Perfect freedom from outward disturbances. 
 
 4. Protracted isolation from atmospheric changes in spring. 
 
 5. Exclusion of light. 
 
 e. Sufficient healthy (186) stores for winter consumption. 
 
 It is generally admitted that with these six contingencies pro- 
 vided for, there will be no hazard in wintering. 
 
 Make certain, before winter has come, that the colonies are all 
 provided with at least 25 to 30 pounds of good stores, for this es- 
 sential, which we have placed as sixth, should really be considered 
 
108 
 
 BEE CELLAR 
 
 first. It is a sine qua iioii condition of life for your bees. Should 
 they be short, they must be fed, before the advent of cold weather. 
 See the chapter on feeding which follows (186). Very weak or worth- 
 less colonies should be united together or to stronger ones (196, 115). 
 We must next be assured that the cellar is provided with suf- 
 ficient ventilation to allow the elscape from it of noxious ga.<^es and 
 heat generated by the bees. It is wisdom to provide a means of 
 letting in cold air from the outside. Although when unoccupied the 
 
 Pl^n 
 
 □□□□□□□□ 
 
 DDDnn i 
 
 
 
 
 14-' 
 
 
 
 
 i— 
 
 — 
 
 = 
 
 — ■ 
 
 — 
 
 :x: 
 
 ^-^ 
 
 H 
 
 '~"- --~ - r--v -^ ^~'l~ ~^-^ - ^-- ^^:-^~:j| 
 
 
 
 
 $idt 
 
 ■Vie 
 
 u/ 
 
 
 
 Fig. 127 — Plan of Bee Cellar. 100 hives in a space 12 x 14. 
 
 cellar may be at a mean temperature of 40- F., if 100 colonies be 
 placed in it they soon generate sufficient animal heat to run the 
 mercury up to 50°, or even more. The bee apartment should be 
 
BKE CELLAR 
 
 109 
 
 separate, if possible, and not so situated as to be subject to con- 
 stant invasion by individuals or vermin. 
 
 § 175. The covers should be removed from the hives, if possible, 
 one or two thicknesses of woolen or cotton cloth— or old carpets- 
 spread over the frames, two inch-square sticks laid crosswise of the 
 hive, and the next one set on top and treated the same way, proceed- 
 ing thus till all are neatly and carefully piled up. This work should 
 not be done till fall is so far advanced that the bees will exhibit but 
 little activity, when slightly disturbed. Of course, too much care 
 cannot be exercised to do all your work gently, and if you can do so 
 without the bees knowing they are being moved, it will be much 
 better. 
 
 The hives may be piled up in the cellar without giving them 
 any upper ventilation. Many persons take them in with the cover, 
 or with a honey-board on top of the frames. In that case a large 
 amount of ventilation is needed at the bottom of each hive. Doctor 
 Miller, in his "Fifty Years Among the Bees" describes the botton.- 
 board that he uses which allows a 2-inch space under the frames in 
 the cellar. During the summer this is filled with a wooden rack 
 
 Pig. 128 — ^A Special Bee Cellar. 
 
 which prevents the bees from building com'bs in this empty space. 
 § 176. When all are nicely piled away, darken every nook and 
 crack, so that should the bees venture to the entrance of the hives, 
 they might think it a perpetual night. At least every fortnight enter 
 your bee apartment with a dark lantern, and satisfy yourself that 
 all progresses favorably. If the thermometer indicates above 45° F\. 
 admit cold air at night; if below 40° P., partly close the escape, to 
 bring the mercury up to the desired temperature. 
 
110 
 
 CELLAR WINTERING 
 
 § 177. Experienced apiarists, like Dr. C. C. Miller, assert that 
 darkness is not indispensable. It is not, provided the proper tem- 
 perature be maintained. But there are very few cellars where the 
 variations will not make the bees restless at times, and more bees 
 will be lost if they have light. 
 
 § 178. Good ventilation is necessary. With pure air the bees 
 will be much quieter than without it. Large apiaries, of say, 300 
 to 500 colonies may be safely wintered in a single cellar provided 
 the ventilation be ample and in such cases it requires a large 
 amount. But a few colonies may be easily wintered in some corner 
 of a fruit or vegetable cellar, if only the cellar may be kept quiet and 
 cool. Mice are very objectionable as they disturb the bees. But we 
 have -seen a dozen colonies very safely wintered on shelves above a 
 bin of vegetables, with a tarpaulin or an old carpet as the only 
 screen between them and the possible disturbances caused by the 
 daily visits of the housekeeper in quest of supplies. 
 
 Fig. 129 — Hives Under the Snow. 
 
 § 179. The stowing away of the bees should be done at the 
 first cold spell of winter,, following a warm day. 
 
 To remove them, in spring, from the cellar, select a warm day 
 in March, when the first soft maple trees open their blossoms. Take 
 
CELLAR WINTERING 
 
 111 
 
 them out of the cellar early in the day. If you have left the cover 
 of each hive on the summer staiid, and you have your hives num- 
 bered, it will not be difficult to replace them in the exact position 
 they occupied before vsrinter. Some say that it does not make any 
 difference, but the writer knows positively of two instances when 
 some of the bees remembered their location of the previous fall, 
 and went back to it. However, if you wish to put your hives In a 
 new location, this is really the best time to do it, especially if you 
 wish to move them only a few feet away from where they stood 
 previously (69), as most of them will h3,ve forgotten the old loca- 
 tion. 
 
 Fig. 130 — Hives Completely Covered with Snow. 
 
 Wintering bees in houses is not safe unless the wall of the house 
 is made so thick as to be proof against the changes of temperature. 
 In a room where the thermometer often rises to 60 or 70 degrees the 
 bees will become restless even if kept in the dark, and many of 
 them will perish. But if they have an opening for flight on warm 
 days, so that they may return to the hive, a bee-house is an ideal 
 location. 
 
112 
 
 Wintering Bees in Clamps 
 
 § 180. Mil. M. Quinby favored wintering bees by burying, which 
 is practiced by some at the present day. The mode is to dig a trench 
 in a hillside or ground with sufficient slope to insure drainage. This 
 is partly filled with straw, on which the hives are placed; 'boards 
 are slanted up in front; wooden tubes placed in position to ventilate 
 the pit; straw thrown on the hives, over which boards are laid length- 
 wise; and dirt piled over all to turn off the water. 
 
 Special Cellars 
 
 § 181. In northern countries, where the cold days last from the 
 beginning of November until May, cellar wintering is Indispensable. 
 Large honey producers have special bee cellars (Pig. 128) or caves. 
 
 Pig. 131— The Dadant Straw Mat. 
 
 well-drained and well ventilated, with a vestibule at the outer door. 
 That colonies may be kept in the cellar safely during a very 
 long winter has been demonstrated in the Province of Quebec. Mr. 
 Verret of Charlesbourg who winters a large apiary regularly in his 
 house cellar has kept his bees as long as 186 days, or from November 
 1st to May 5th, in perfect condition. 
 
113 
 
 Outdoor Wintering 
 
 § 182. For outdoor wintering as much lioney is needed (174) as 
 for Indoor, or perhaps a little more. The hees will consume more 
 honey to keep warm, and will breed earlier than if kept in the cel- 
 lar, but they will also be strong earlier in the season, if there has 
 been no loss. 
 
 § 183. Shelter your hives well from the wind on the north (63) 
 and west sides. Place over the brood-combs an empty super which 
 you will fill with a sack full of leayes or chaff. We use a straw mat 
 over the frames, and over this place forest leaves. If you have but a 
 few hives, and have old woolen carpets, cut these of- proper size to 
 
 Figl 132 — G. C. Greiner's Dou'ble-Walled Hives Made of Dry- 
 Goods Boxes. 
 
 cover the frames in several thicknesses, and put them under the 
 cover. There must be a sufficient ventilation from below, and 
 moisture absorbents above, without loss of heat. Sheds and house- 
 apiaries, which most good beekeepers dislike in summer on account 
 of the discomfort of working within, are a benefit in winter. If 
 the bees can be placed in a shed which is kept entirely open in 
 front during the summer, and closed in winter, except on warm days, 
 they have an ideal place to winter bees, especially if it faces south. 
 Some hives are made with double walls and chaff packing between 
 
114 
 
 WINTER CASES. 
 
 the two (Pig 132). These are e.xpensive, but give good satisfac- 
 
 tion. 
 
 "Winter cases, which telescope over the hives, are also very 
 serviceable. The advantage of these is that they may be removed 
 when spring comes so as to let the rays of the sun shine directly up- 
 on the hive-body. 
 
 Pig. 133- 
 
 -Apiary Packed by the padant Method. 
 
 An excellent method of wintering in winter-cases has received 
 a new impetus because of being recommended by E. P. Phillips, 
 apiarist in charge at the Department of Agriculture at Washing- 
 ton. This expert, with the help of Mr. Geo. S. Demuth, has made a large 
 number of experiments in wintering and on the temperature of the 
 cluster. A detail of these is beyond the limits of this work. But 
 the wintering of bees in chaff hives or large winter cases has prov- 
 en highly advisable. (Pig. 132, 134, 135.) 
 
 Our own method, which is less expensive and less cumbersome 
 and has given us good results, though perhaps a less positive success, 
 consists in wrapping the hives with dry forest leaves, after having 
 
OUTDOOR WINTERING 
 
 115 
 
 filled the caps or covers with leaves alsol The wrapping used to hold 
 the leaves against the hives is wire-netting. The front of the hive 
 is left open (Pigs. 133, 136). 
 
 § 184. In all cases of packing on the summer stand, a passage- 
 way should 'be made by laying half-inch slats over the tops of the 
 frames, to afford the bees a passage from comb to comb, to reach 
 their stores without going to the extreme ends of the frames to pass 
 around. 
 
 § 185. For wintering on summer stands, all preparations should 
 be made early enough in the fall to admit of ample feeding In case 
 of a scarcity of stores, as they cannot often be fed afterward without 
 great disturbance (174). 
 
 Fig. 134 — Greiner's Winter Case for Bees. 
 
 Feeding Bees 
 
 § 186. Feeding bees in the fall Is necessary, not only when they 
 are short of stores, but also when the stores which they have are of 
 an unhealthy nature (55>. Honeydew, already mentioned by us in the 
 chapter on "Food of Bees (52)" is a most unhealthy food (224) for 
 winter. So are fruit juices, sometimes gathered by the bees in the 
 fall when there is a shortage in the honey crop. 
 
 In localities where the bees are likely to be confined to the hive 
 for many successive weeks, whether in the cellar or on the summer 
 stand, all unhealthy food should be extracted and a sufficient amount 
 of good honey or sugar syrup supplied in Its place. 
 
116 
 
 SPRING FEEDING 
 
 § 187. Spring feeding is advisable to stimulate breeding, for we 
 must remember that the colonies spend a great deal of honey to 
 rear brood in preparation for the harvest. If the colony be well 
 supplied at the end of winter, the queen will fill the cells with eggs. 
 But often after fruit bloom, especially if the spring is backward and 
 the weather rainy, the colonies may need additional food and a 
 little urging to reach the honey crop without decreasing the rearing 
 
 
 Fig. 135 — The Same Ready to Receive the Bees. 
 
 of young bees. We must bear in mind that it takes 21 days to hatch 
 the perfect worker (37) from the day the egg is laid and that about 
 15 days more will elapse before the young worker becomes a field 
 bee (36). So there must be a large amount of breeding done before 
 the 36 days preceding the honey crop. Otherwise, should the crop 
 be short many of the hatched bees might find themselves consumers 
 instead of producers. 
 
 What to Feed 
 
 § 189, Extracted honey of your own crop, or granulated sugar 
 reduced to the consistency of honey, is best for feeding, in the 
 absence of good sealed honey. The poor grades of sugar and glucose 
 are totally unfit for feeding bees. To stimulate in the spring, one- 
 half of a pound per day is sufficient for a colony. 
 
 §189. Foreign or unknown honey should never be fed to bees, 
 
FEEDING 
 
 117 
 
 as it may contain the germs of foulbrood (216, 222), while apparently 
 nice and sound. 
 
 § 190. Good honey is considered as much more suitable food for 
 bees, for the rearing of brood, in the spring, than the very best of 
 sugar syrup. Being their natural food, it very probably contains the 
 necessary elements for the development of the growing Insect, dur- 
 ing its metamorphosis, for honey has been shown to contain besides 
 
 
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 '-•^^SS^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 " '^■JUI 
 
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 ^^^Mm^T^^^.. 
 
 «f^ ^ ' "jl^^^ 
 
 ^^,„f 
 
 ^^^B^^lHi^fellH&a^ 
 
 ^■■p^ ' 
 
 €^ 
 
 Bbml^^^^^^^HF^ 
 
 
 
 
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 'g'v ■f^?'^ 
 
 ^H^^^j^^gl^^^g^^^^^flfl^^^l 
 
 
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 F^Si 
 
 ■"■ ■ '■'"■ '"''''■ ^ — •:. •">.. ^:r>«^:?:.:»- '_^ 
 
 Pig. 136 — The Dadant Method of Wintering. 
 
 the saccharine matter, more or less pollen, essential oils, tannin, 
 different salts and phosphates, manganese, sulphur, iron, etc. These 
 substances, which might be injurious if in too great proportion in 
 the winter food, are most likely beneficial in the rearing of brood. 
 
118 
 
 Feeders 
 
 § 191. All sorts of feeders are manufar;vuje<3. Ihe division- 
 board feeder (Fig. 137) which Is hung in the nive in place of one 
 of the frames is very practical, the only danger being of bees drown- 
 ing in it in their eagerness to reach the food. To prevent this, a 
 light strip is allowed to float over the liquid. It is also well to have 
 a bunch of grass or hay so placed in it that the bees may crawl up 
 on it. If easy means of access are given they will clean up all the 
 feed readily. 
 
 Pig. 137 — Division-Board Bee-Feeder. 
 
 The Miller feeder (Pig. 138) Is used in the super. Other feeders 
 are placed in the bottom-board. 
 
 We deprecate the use of entrance feeders, ;,s the robbers are 
 often attracted by them and weak col- 
 onies that are fed are sometimes over- 
 powered. We also object to outdoor 
 feeding, for we not only may feed strong 
 colonies which are already wealthy in 
 stores and which take the lion's share 
 but we may also feed strange bees. 
 Charity begins at home. Outdoor feed- 
 ing also excites the bees and causes 
 robbing (86). 
 
 A very good and inexpensive feeder 
 is made by using an ordinary fruit 
 tin-can. The top is entirely re- 
 moved, the can is filled with syrup and a piece of muslin is tied over 
 the top. The can is temporarily inverted on a dish across two cleats. 
 At first the syrup runs freely, but the atmospheric pressure prevents 
 its continual leaking and if it is given to the bees over the 
 brood-combs near the center of the brood-nest, it is in the easiest 
 place of access for them. A honey-board may be used with an open- 
 ing in which the can will fit exactly, so as not to allow of any loss 
 
 Pig. 138 — Miller Feeder. 
 
BEE FEED WQ 
 
 of heat. "We have used as many as five of these feeders at one time, 
 on a populous colony In seasons of great scarcity, for winter supply. 
 After a few days the cans are removed, and It will be found that 
 the bees- have even gnawed holes in the muslin and cleaned the cans 
 entirely. 
 
 § 192. To make syrup for winter feed use twenty pounds of 
 sugar for each gallon of water. Mix the sugar with the water at 
 the boiling point. Add a little honey (four or five pounds) if you 
 have any which you know to be healthy. 
 
 § 193. For spring feeding, as the bees need watery food for 
 "breeding, you may make the syrup thinner. Serve It warm, especial- 
 ly in spring. 
 
 § 194. Home-made sugar-candy, commonly known as "fudge," is 
 very good, to sustain colonies which have been neglected, to be 
 given them at a time when the weather is too cold for them to store 
 syrup. This "fudge" is made by heating about four parts of sugar 
 with one part of water until it becomes thick enough. Stir it to 
 prevent burning. When thick enough pour it on sheets of light paper. 
 Give it to the 'bees over the brood-combs. It may be fed even to 
 cellar-wintered bees, and they cluster on it as they would on combs 
 of honey. 
 
 Helping Weak Colonies 
 
 § 195. When in early spring you find colonies that are weak in 
 numbers, from winter losses, they may readily be helped (if not 
 worthless and if they have a good queen) by giving them a comb of 
 brood from a stronger colony, after all danger of the brood being 
 chilled has passed. On the other hand, strong colonies may be em- 
 ployed to cleanse out the combs containing dried-up bees that have 
 died during the winter on mouldy combs. If your strong colonies 
 have their hives already filled with frames of brood, then exchange 
 combs to accomplish the purpose, but where a colony is feeble, and it is 
 desired to build up rapidly, no disagreeable work should be imposed 
 upon the bees to perform, for it will tax their energies sufficiently 
 to provide pollen, water, and do the feeding and nursing necessary 
 for successful brood-rearing. A strong colony will accomplish in a 
 few hours that which would embarrass a weak colony for nearly 
 a whole season. 
 
 Uniting Worthless Colonies 
 
 § 196. Colonies that are worthless, from queenlessness or from 
 
120 UNITING BEES 
 
 having a poor queen, should he united, especially in the fall, when we 
 are preparing the bees for winter. As a rule a colony which does 
 not contain at least two quarts of bees, is unfit for wintering. How- 
 - ever, in cellar wintering, a small colony may be more safely brought 
 through than in outdoor wintering. Weak colonies may be united 
 after smoking them well, by removing the combs with adhering bees 
 and placing them together in one hive, spraying them with pepper- 
 mint water by an atomizer to give them all the same scent. Give 
 them ventilation and reduce the entrance till sunset, placing them 
 where the stronger of the two colonies stood. The poorer one of the 
 queens should be removed. 
 
 Put a slanting hoard in front of the hive, which will cause the 
 bees to mark their home anew (69). On the third day remove the 
 board from the front. No hive should occupy the old stand, from 
 which the queen and bees were removed, for several days. 
 
 Another very practical method, recommended by Dr. Miller, is 
 to put the weaker of the two hives to be united over the stronger 
 one, with a sheet of paper between the two hives. The bees will 
 gnaw the paper and will slowly become acquainted, so their re- 
 union will take place usually without fighting'. If the weaker colony 
 occupies only two combs, these may be lifted out bodily with the bees 
 and inserted in a space already prepared in the other hive, with the 
 same use of a sheet of paper between. 
 
121 
 
 Bee Pasturage 
 
 § 197. As civilization clears away the forests and upturns the 
 prairie sods, it may increase or decrease the possibilities of the 
 honey crop. When we remove the honey locusts and the basswood 
 trees in clearing our forests, when we plow up the lowlands of the 
 fertile valleys and destroy myriads of summer blossoms to replace 
 them with fields of corn or small grain, we decrease the prospects 
 of honey yield. But when our modern pastures become filled with 
 white clover which has followed in the wake of civilization, when 
 
 Fig. 139 — Cherry Blossoms. 
 
 we plant alsike clover, alfalfa, sweet clover or melilot, fruit trees of 
 different sorts, black locust (robinia), etc., we establish a new flora 
 for honey production. 
 
 It is well for the beekeeper to become acquainted with the 
 principal honey plants of the region in which he lives and to increase 
 the honey flora in all practical ways. 
 
 Trees For Shade and Honey 
 
 § 198. Elvery home can be beautified by a judicious selection of 
 
122 
 
 PASTURAGE 
 
 ornamental shade-trees, and where the roads, streets and lanes are 
 nicely bordered with them, the market value of the property will be 
 increased greatly. For this i^iirposc the basswood or linden (Tilia 
 
 Pis. HO — Basswood or Linden Leaf and Blossoms. 
 
 Americana) is one of the most desirable. Its rank, thrlTty growth, 
 large, glossy-green leaves, perfumed flowers, adaptability to almost 
 lany soil and climate, make it OLe of the most desirable fnr lawn or 
 lane. It can be transplanted with certainty. It blooms in early 
 July, and yields a white, aromatic honey, of good quality. 
 
BLACK LOCUST 123 
 
 § 199. The tulip tree (Liriodendron tuliplfera), often called pop- 
 lar, is also of rapid growth, hardy., and easily cultivated. 
 
 § 200. There are two or three varieties of willows, all good honey- 
 producers, which are adapted to all sections of our country. The 
 
 Fig. 141 — A row of Basswood or Linden Trcpp in McHenry Co,. 111. 
 
 little care required to propagate them is a recommendation in their 
 favor, especially in moist soils. 
 
 § 201. The black locust or Robinia (pseudo acacia) are almost 
 certain honey-producers. Although the duration of bloom is but 
 limited, they yield a supply of rich nectar, and bees will literally 
 swarm among the highly-perfumed blossoms. G. W, Demaree. of 
 Kentucky, wrote as follows regarding the locust: 
 
 "The time of year in which it blooms nearly filling the Interval 
 between the late fruit-bloom and the white clover, makes it an ex- 
 ceedingly valuable auxiliary to the honey harvest in the Middle 
 States, if not elsewhere. It is a most profuse honey-bearer, rivaline 
 the famous linden in quality, and only inferior to the product of the 
 latter in color. Locust honey cannot be said to be dark in color. It 
 is of rich pale-red color, when liquid; but when in the shane of comb- 
 honey, its appearance, if removed from the hive when first finished, 
 is but little inferior to that of superior clover honey. It becomes ex- 
 ceedingly thick, if left with the bees till the cells are thorouvhlj. 
 
124 
 
 PASTURAGE 
 
 sealed, and its keeping qualities are therefore most excellent. The 
 trees are planted by the side of fences, in waste places, and on poor, 
 worn out lands. They may be propagated from the seeds, or by trans- 
 planting the young trees from one to three years old. If the ground 
 is plowed in the spring, and the locust seeds planted on the hills with 
 corn, or with other hill-crops, and cultivated the first year, the 
 young trees will grow with great rapidity, even on very poor lands." 
 
 Fig. 142 — Tulip or Poplar Leaf and Blossom. 
 
 § 202. Fruit-trees of all kinds are eagerly visited by the bees, 
 and yield pollen as well as honey. 
 
 Plants for Field and Roadside 
 
 § 203. When the apiarist is so situated that a few acres of land 
 can be devoted to bee-pasture, we would advise that such selections 
 
PUANTS FOR HONEY 
 
 125 
 
 be made with a view to answering the double purpose of producing 
 honey, and grain or winter forage for stock. Although convinced that 
 a profit may be realized from land devoted to honey-producing alone, 
 if a remunerative profit can be obtained from its cultivation for 
 honey, and other returns be derived from the crop, it is an additional 
 net profit, less the cost of harvesting and marketing. 
 
 § 204. There are, however, many bee-keepers whose grounds are 
 very limited, but in whose immediate vicinity are lanes and alleys 
 but little used, or waste commons and worn-out fields, which, with 
 
 Fig. 143 — Black Locust or Robiuia. 
 
 little labor and less expense, could be made profitable to an apiary 
 thus becoming spots of beauty and sources of revenue, instead of re- 
 maining evidences of sloth and a public reproach. 
 
 § 205. White clover (Trifolium repens) is too well known to re- 
 quire particular description, and is associated with too many pleasant 
 recollections to call for commendation. The lawn would indeed, seem 
 incomplete, without the clover carpet with its velvet surface of ming- 
 ling white and green, giving out its ambrosial perfume while the 
 
126 
 
 CLOVER 
 
 bees in myriads sing from flower to flower. White clover will always 
 be a welcome tenant of waste corners, nooks, and roadsides, and no 
 farmer need be told of its value for pasturage. Its honey is not ex- 
 celled by any other. 
 
 It is the main honey plant of the east and middle west in the 
 United States and millions of pounds of its white honey are sold. 
 
 As its growth is volunteer, 
 it does not need further re- 
 commendation. 
 
 § 206. For field or com- 
 mons our next preference is 
 decidedly given to sweet 
 clover or melilot (Melilctus 
 alba). Being one of the 
 hardiest plants we have it 
 ^Yill withstand any decree of 
 winter's cold or summer's 
 heat, and its deep-penetrat- 
 ing and wide-spreading roots, 
 admirably adr.pt it to any 
 variety of soil, whether wet 
 or dry, sand or clay, loam 
 or gravel. Being remarkably 
 thrifty in growth. It is su- 
 perior to red clover for soil- 
 ing, and can be successfully 
 grown in locations where the 
 latter will prove a failure. 
 greatest recommendation for the general bee-keeper is 
 
 Fig. 144 — White Clover in Bloom. 
 
 But its 
 
 
 9HK 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 Fig. 145 — White Clover After Bloom. 
 
 the fact that it requiies no especial cultivation, tlius making it 
 l.articularly desirable for roadsides and commons. 
 
SWEET CLOVER 
 
 127 
 
 When sown for forage, it is planted in the fall with winter wheat, 
 or in early spring it can be sown with wheat, oats, or rye, without 
 detriment to the grain. 
 
 As the sweet clover seed has a very hard coat, it will sometimes 
 delay in Its germination until another season, if the seed is quite dry 
 when sown. The modern way is to scarify the seed after hulling it, 
 by passing It through a machine which scratches its coat and renders 
 it more permeable to moisture. Seed thus treated produced 95 per 
 cent growth in three or four days. 
 
 Sweet clover blooms and yields nectar continuously in its second 
 year, from June till frost. It is a biennial and dies at the end of 
 the second season. To secure good hay from it, it should be cut 
 
 
 Fig. 146 — Part of a 22-Acre Field of White Clover in Iowa. 
 
 when the stems are about two feet in height, about two Inches above 
 ground, as it will not grow again if cut too close to the ground. Three 
 crops of this hay may be harvested in the same season. The cutting 
 of it "before bloom retards its honey production,, but this is only de- 
 layed beyond the blooming time of white clover, which is the main 
 honey plant of the Mississippi valley. Horses and cattle which are 
 unacquainted with the taste of sweet clover often hesitate to eat it. 
 But when once they learn to eat it they prefer it to other hay. 
 
 Many people used to consider sweet clover as a noxious weed; 
 the prejudice against it has been overcome when it was ascertained 
 that it does not spread to cultivated fields and is easily controlled. 
 
128 
 
 SWEET CLOVER 
 
 It smothers and readly destroys very noxious weeds, such as the 
 ragweed. 
 
 A noted apiarist wrote of it: "I suppose I owe my wonderful 
 summer success largely to the sweet clover. We had the hottest 
 and driest season we ever had — no rain from June 15th until Septem- 
 
 Fig. 147 — Sweet Clover Just Before Bloom. 
 
 ber 15th. The hotter and drier the more honey, seemingly. Sweet 
 ■clover, as a weed! Although it has been growing in our roads, on waste 
 land, along railroads, and on our hillsides for twenty-five years, it 
 does not seem to get into the fields, except where water has carried 
 the seeds into low places." 
 
 AV*. T. Stewart, of Kentucky, says: "Melilot is best sown in the 
 fall, but will grow any time or anywhere, except on a flat rock." 
 
 To sum up, it is worth more to the farmer for soiling than red 
 clover, because of its thrifty growth; it is a more reliable pasture for 
 cattle, sheep, etc., than red clover, because it will thrive on soils 
 where red clover sickens; it will yield much more fodder than red 
 clover, because it will stand two or three cuttings; and it lacks but 
 seven per cent of possessing the nutritious properties of red clover. 
 We can add, we believe it is worth the cost of cultivation to the hee- 
 keerer, for honey alone, even though he is not the possessor of a 
 four-footed animal. 
 
ALSIKE 129 
 
 § 207. Alsike or Swedish clover (Trifolium hybridum) is also a 
 d grazing and honey plant, and sown in connection with dairying 
 
 Fig. 148 — White Sweet Clover (Melilotus alba) in Bloom. 
 
 irsuits of stock-raising, will prove doubly valuable. Mr. M. M. 
 ildridge, of Illinois, who has devoted much careful study to this 
 over, says: 
 
130 
 
 ALSIKE 
 
 Fig. 149 — Sweet Clover In South Dakota. 
 
 Fig. 150— Alsilie Clover. 
 
 "Tlie stem and branches are finer 
 and less woody than the common red, 
 and when cut and cured for hay, it 
 is perfectly free from fuzz and dust. 
 It does not turn black, but remains the 
 color of well-cured timothy . The bees 
 have no trouble in finding the. honey, as 
 the blossoms are short, and the heads 
 no larger than those of white clover. 
 The blossoms at first are white, but 
 soon change to a beautiful pink, and 
 emit considerable fragrance. It is not 
 advisable to cut this clover more than 
 once each season, but it may be pastured 
 moderately during the fall. When 
 sowed by itself, four pounds of seed is 
 sufficient for an acre; but this is not 
 the best plan to pursue, especially on 
 dry western prairie land. It is much 
 the best to mix it with timothy or com- 
 mon red clover, or both. When thus 
 
ALFALFA 
 
 131 
 
 mixed they are a help to each other, and two pounds of alslke seed 
 to the acre are sufficient. Alsike clover as a fertilizer must be as 
 good a plant as red clover, as the roots penetrate much deeper and 
 are more numerous (Fig. 151). It is a clover vsfhich every farmer 
 can and should cultivate, whether he keeps bees or not, as it is 
 superior to the common red for hay or pasture for all kinds of stock." 
 § 208. One of the best honey-plants that the modern methods 
 have brought to the front in the United States In the past thirty 
 years is alfalfa or lucerne. This plant, which has been grown in 
 
 Fig. 151 — Alsike Clover Root and Crown 
 average size, one year old. 
 
 Red Clover Root and 
 Crown, one year old. 
 
 Europe for centuries as forage for horses or cattle, is one of the 
 best honey-producers in all the irrigated valleys of the arid or semi- 
 arid States. The honey of Colorado, gathered from this plant alone, 
 is shipped in dozens of carloads. Three crops or more are harvested. 
 
 In some localities it does not yield honey. Such is the case in 
 some sections of Illinois. 
 
 § 209. There are several varieties of the mustard (Sinapis) 
 
132 
 
 BUCKWHEAT 
 
 which furnish honey. These have been extensively cultivated for 
 the seeds alone, and always have a commercial value. The length 
 of season for bloom is quite extended, and where a dearth of honey- 
 pasturage prevails, bees work on them vigorously. They bloom dur- 
 ing July and August. 
 
 Pig. 152 — Milkweed — a Honey-Plant Whose Pollen Sticks to the 
 Feet of Bees. 
 
 § 210. Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) is familiar to every 
 Northern beekeeper. Its grain always commands ready sale in 
 market, and the honey, though dark and strong is prized tor manu- 
 facturing purposes. It furnishes an excellent winter food for the 
 bees, and when well-ripened will enable the producer to avail himself 
 of all the white grades of honey stored earlier in the season. In 
 
WEEDS FOR HONEY 
 
 133 
 
 early morning the bees work on the buckwheat with great en- 
 thusiasm, and gather honey from it rapidly; but during the middle 
 and latter part of the day they entirely neglect It, unless the weather 
 be quite cloudy and humid. In the Southern states, we have been 
 told, buckwheat is worthless as a honey-producer, and, in fact, the 
 same is true of many localities In the Middle and Northern States; 
 but where it does produce honey abundantly, it is well worth cul- 
 tivation. 
 
 Weeds as Honey Producers 
 
 § 211. In addition to the plants above-named which are useful 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 J 
 
 i 
 
 
 ! 
 
 1 
 
 
 y 
 
 * 
 
 ^; ■ 
 
 
 im. ■ 
 
 . ?■' 
 
 Fig. 153 — Alfalfa or Lucerne. 
 
 Fig. 154 — Buckwheat in Bloom. 
 
 as crops as well as for honey, there are excellent honey-producing 
 plants which have been classed as noxious weeds because they grow 
 voluntarily in cultivated fields or stubble. Among them are a 
 number of persicarias, of the polygonum family, commonly called 
 by the names of knotweed, heartsease, smartweed, etc. Most of these 
 are good honey producers, blooming from the end of July until frost. 
 A large-flowered bidens (bur marigold, beggar-ticks, Spanish 
 needles) producing yellow blossoms, in lowlands, around marshes, 
 a few days before frost, produces very fine golden-yellow honey of 
 
134 
 
 WEEDS FOR HONEY 
 
 good quality. Both these and the knotweeds are annual. 
 
 Among the perennial weeds which produce much honey are to 
 be ranked the asters, blooming also in autumn, and of which there 
 are many different kinds with blossoms white, purple, and blue. 
 They are called by some "wire weeds" on account of the toughness 
 of their stem. In the East, the golden-rod, in the West the sage, are 
 excellent honey producers. 
 
 
 v-^,-. .?i^^° 
 
 Fig. 155 — Buckwheat Field. 
 
 There are hundreds of other plants which yield both honey and 
 pollen, but they are unimportant and description of them is out 
 of the limits of this work. They will be found mentioned in the 
 Langstroth-Dadant book "The Hive and Honey Bee." 
 
135 
 
 Fig. 156 — Heartsease or Persicaria. 
 
136 
 
 Observation Hives 
 
 § 212. No man can keep bees successfully unless he becomes well 
 acquainted with the habits of bees. This he may acquire to a 
 certain extent by reading. But there is nothing like practice to 
 to learn a thing well. Therefore, we should try to study the habits 
 of the bees from the bees themselves. For this an observation hive 
 is needed. 
 
 Fig. 157. — Observation Hive inside of Sitting-Room Window. 
 
 A good observation hive (Fig. 157), is composed of only one 
 comb in a frame with glass on both sides. This is supplied with 
 either doors or a black cloth cover. The doors are better excluders 
 of light, but the opening and closing of them often jars the bees 
 slightly and disturbs them. 
 
 The hive may be placed in a window with an entrance at the 
 front so the bees may go to the fields and supply their needs. We 
 usually stock up an observation hive in the spring by taking a good 
 comb of brood from one of our best colonies with plenty of bees to 
 keep the brood warm. The first thing they do is to rear a queen. 
 We thus witness the different changes through which the brood passes, 
 the hatching of the queen, the bringing in of pollen, honey, etc. It 
 Is an endless source of amusement and instruction. At the end of the 
 season, as it is difficult to winter bees in so small a hive, it is advis- 
 
OBSERVATION HIVES 
 
 137 
 
 able to unite it witli some populous colony and re-stock it in spring, 
 with bees and brood. 
 
 Fig. 158 — F. C. Pellett, Iowa Naturalist, at his Observation Hive. 
 
138 
 
 Enemies of Bees 
 
 § 213. The enemies ot taees are not numerous. A few birds, 
 among which we shall name the king-bird, eat bees. But their 
 
 Fig. 159 — The European Death's-Head Moth Natural Size. 
 
 Fig. 150 — Brood-Comb Destroyed by Moths. 
 
ENEMIES 239 
 
 damages are so insignificant that they are hardly worthy of mention. 
 Ants sometimes make their nest over the bee-hive, to take ad- 
 vantage of the vrarmth of the bees. They may be readily driven 
 
 ^^. 
 
 , «•' 
 
 W "*" ""^^ 
 
 
 •sSi 
 
 
 Pig. 161 — The Web of the Moth-Larva. 
 
 away by placing salt or powdered sulphur where they congregate. 
 The bee-louse or "braula-coeca," and the death's-head moth which 
 enters the hive to feed on the honey, exist in Europe but are unknown 
 here. 
 
 The Beemoth 
 
 § 214. The most active enemy of bees is the beemoth, which lays 
 
140 
 
 MOTHS 
 
 its eggs in neglected combs, especially in old combs. The larvse hatch 
 and devour everything in their reach, making webs or galleries (Fig. 
 161)., through the combs. Colonies that have more combs than they 
 can cover, or queenless colonies, especially in the fall, at a time when 
 the moths have already reared two broods and are therefore numer- 
 ous, are often rendered worthless by the ravages of the larvse of the 
 beemoth. Two diiferent kinds of moths are known, but the larger or 
 "tinea melonella" is the principal depredator. Luckily they cannot 
 
 j'ig. 162 — ^Lincoln Monument at Springfield, 111., Reproduced in 
 ' Beeswax. 
 
 stand the winter in cold rooms where the temperature goes below 
 zero. It is only when accidentally sustained in some corner of a 
 populous colony or in combs in a warm room that the moths can 
 reproduce from one year to another. 
 
 § 215. For a remedy there is but one rule — keep your colonies 
 strong, and they will destroy the moth. Do not keep any combs in 
 exposed places. "When moths are discovered in combs they may be 
 
MOTHS 141 
 
 readily destroyed by the use of brimstone or bi-sulpliide of carbon. 
 The latter ingredient should be used with care, as it is inflammable. 
 Spread a little on a rag and place it over the combs, shutting down 
 the box in which they are contained. 
 
 Burning brimstone in a beehouse will destroy the moths if it 
 kills the flies (227). 
 
142 
 
 Diseases of Bees and Treatment 
 
 § 216. Of all the diseases of bees the most dreaded is foulbrood. 
 Poulbrood attacks the larva, which dies In the cells. It is Infectious 
 and must be treated with promptness and care. There are two dif- 
 ferent varieties of this disease, American and European foulbrood. 
 The names do not indicate that either kind originated in the coun- 
 tries named but only that the descriptions of each have originally 
 been given in those countries. They are due to bacteria in the form 
 of a bacillus which in the case of American foulbrood is carried in 
 the honey (189) mainly, while in the other disease, it seems to be 
 transmitted otherwise and perhaps at times through the queen, 
 though the exact mode of infection is only conjectured. For their 
 detection and cure, we cannot do better than quote the State In- 
 Gpector of Wisconsin, Mr. N. E.. France, who has probably had more 
 experience with these diseases than any other man in the United 
 States: 
 
 American Foulbrood 
 
 Sj'inptoiMs 
 
 § 217. "(1.) Brood in combs badly scattered, many empty cells, 
 cappings dark and sunken,, some with holes in cappings, part of the 
 brood hatching while others are dead. The dead larvae of a dark 
 brown color, or blackish according to age. The lightest colored will 
 upon inserting a tooth-pick draw out much like stale glue when 
 warm. 
 
 "(2.) Dried Scales. If the disease has reached advanced stages, 
 all of the above conditions will be easily seen. According to its 
 age or development there will be either the shapeless mass of dark 
 brown matter on the lower side-wall of the cell, or the dried scale. 
 This scale is nearly black and dried hard to lower side-wall of 
 comb, and as thin as side-wall of the cell." 
 
 McEvoy or Starvation Treatment 
 
 § 218. "In the honey season,, when the bees are gathering honey 
 freely, remove the combs in the evening and shake the bees into 
 
TREATMENT OF FOULBnOOD 
 
 143 
 
 their own hives; give them frames with comb foundation starters 
 and let them build comb for four days. The bees will make the 
 starters into comb during the four days and store the diseased 
 honey in them, which they took with them from the old comb. Then 
 In the evening of the fourth day take out the new combs and give 
 them comb foundation (full sheets) to work out, and the cure will 
 be complete. By this method of treatment all the diseased honey is 
 removed from the bees before the full sheets of foundation are 
 worked out. All the foulbrood combs must be burned or carefully 
 
 Fig. 163 — American Foulbrood — Part of a Brood-Comb. 
 
 made into wax after they are removed from the hives, all the new 
 combs made out of the starters during the four days must be made 
 into beeswax, on account of the diseased honey that would be stored 
 in them. The curing or treating of diseased colonies should be done 
 in the evening, so as not to have any robbing done, or cause any of 
 the bees from diseased colonies to mix and go with the bees of 
 healthy colonies. By doing all the work in the evening it gives the 
 bees a chance to settle down nicely before morning, and there is no 
 confusion or trouble. 
 
 "Sometimes the bees, deprived of all their combs and brood, 
 will on the following day leave their hives, and may enter several 
 others., and may carry the disease with them. To avoid this, it is 
 
144 
 
 TREATMENT OF FOULBROOD 
 
 well to give the bees some feed, either honey from perfectly healthy 
 colonies, or, if any doubt, then feed syrup of equal parts white 
 sugar and water, giving the feed In the upper hive above the bees,, 
 so as to prevent robbing. 
 
 "Honey from infected hives should never be given to bees, un- 
 less it is boiled for fifteen minutes. Then it may be used safely. 
 Such boiled honey will be very dark colored, an(f bees do not like it. 
 
 "Never let bees get to infected honey; better bury it deep in 
 the earth. 
 
 "This treatment is most reliable, and has been tested for many 
 years in all climates. I find the greatest number of failures v/here 
 the operator is not careful in treating. Ever remember that a 
 
 Fig. 164- 
 
 N. E. FRANCE 
 -Best Authority on Bee-Diseases in the United States. 
 
 single drop of infected honey, or piece of infected honey, or piece of 
 infected comb, carelessly left exposed, will be enough to give the 
 disease to as many colonies as come in contact with it. I am unable 
 to find proof that such honey is injurious to persons eating it, but 
 find plenty of evidence that it will kill larvae or young honey-bees. 
 
 "Hives well scraped, are safe to use again, and if the frames are 
 boiled under boiling water for some time, they are also safe to use 
 again. Comb foundation from infected wax will be safe to use, as 
 
TREATMENT OF POULBROOD 
 
 145 
 
 I have proven in 60 cases in Wisconsin. Queen-cages may contain 
 disease,, so, to be safe, I remove the queen Into a new cage before 
 introducing, and place old cage and attendants in the fire. If queens 
 are from known healthy colonies, they can be introduced in the 
 shipping cage in which they arrive. 
 
 Fig. 165 — Mr. Prance Holding a Comb of Poulbrood to Show the Pro- 
 per Angle to Detect the Scales on the Lower Side of the Cells. 
 
 Avoid all bees robbing infected or just treated hives." 
 
 Instead of boiling, which is a slow process, the hives and fixtures 
 
 may be singed by the flame of a tinner's blow-torch, or by smearing 
 
 with coal-oil and applying a match, extinguishing the flames after a 
 
 few seconds. 
 
 The odor of American foulbrood is similar to that of a carpenter's 
 
 glue-pot. 
 
 European Foulbrood or Black-brood 
 
 § 219. In 1898 to 1900 this fatal disease destroyed many pro- 
 fitable apiaries in New York State, until State bee-inspectors were 
 appointed with instructions to do all possible to abate the disease. 
 After many experiments they have succeeded in curing it almost 
 everytime. 
 
]^46 EUROPEAN FOULBROCD 
 
 Symptoms 
 
 § 220. "No ropy or stringy dead brood; no marked foul odor; 
 not attached to the comb. 
 
 "The young brood soon after hatching from the egg into the 
 larval stage turns yellowish in color, sometimes quite darlj along the 
 back line. The head end of larva becomes pointed, standing out 
 from walls of the cell. The body continues to dry, the skin toughens, 
 aHd remains in the cell loose, never adhering to the walls of the 
 comb as does American foulbrood. There is a sour odor sometimes, 
 in the early stages., much like sour apple pomace. The colony soon 
 weakens, giving robber bees and the waxmoths access to the remains. 
 The moths eat wax only, not the infected bees in the cell." 
 
 Treatment 
 
 §221. Make the hive queenless, by killing or removing the queen. 
 Allow all the brood to hatch, which will usually take place in about 
 21 days. Then give the bees a new queen reared in a healthy colony. 
 Sometimes caging the queen for 10 to 21 days is sufficient. The bees 
 cleanse the cells of diseased brood and the colony may overcome the 
 disease. But it is best to change the queen, as such queens given 
 to healthy colonies have been known to carry the disease with them. 
 Italian bees overcome the disease much better than the common bee. 
 It is said that Carniolan and Caucasian bees are also superior to the 
 common bees in this respect. However each of those races has been 
 known to be affected, so that they are not entirely immune. Much 
 is to be learnt yet concerning foulbrood diseases. 
 
 If you are afraid to treat the bees without help, secure the ad- 
 dress of your State Inspector of Apiaries, and write him. Most of 
 the States are now prepared to help fight the disease by official 
 means. It is an offense punishable by fine to allow foulbrood to ex- 
 ist without treating it. There is no doubt that it can be destroyed 
 by the above-mentioned methods. 
 
 Pickled Brood or Sacbrood (White) 
 
 § 222. Pickled-brood is a similar disease to the one above men- 
 tioned (European foulbrood), but it is of a mild nature. 
 
 In all the above-named diseases nothing needs be destroyed ex 
 cept the combs containing the dead American foulbrood, which is so 
 ropy and sticky that it can never be cleaned out by the bees. But 
 the honey is unsafe for the bees to use , and should not be returned 
 to them. It is for that reason that honey which you do not know 
 should never be fed to bees (189). 
 
 Combs of diseased colonies containing no dead brood may be 
 
OTHER DISEASES 147 
 
 rendered (143) into beeswax. The boiling destroys the germs of 
 the disease. 
 
 May Disease 
 
 § 223. There is a disease of the adult bees, which is variously 
 called May disease, paralysis, constipation, etc., and often ceases 
 after a few days. But occasionally colonies that are affected lose 
 so many bees that they become worthless. Infrequently, the queen 
 herself may contract the disease and die. The bee's abdomen becomes 
 distended, the insect is apparently in great misery, and crawls 
 about as if partly paralyzed. Italian beekeepers, who have had con- 
 siderable experience with it, have recommended feeding the colony 
 with honey or syrup strongly saturated with tonics, such as essence 
 of rosemary, lavender, ginger, etc. Powdered sulphur blown over 
 the bees and at the entrance is said to stop the infection. But 
 powdered sulphur kills the brood and must be used with caution. 
 Some apiarists hold that the disease is caused by excessive dampness 
 and that it may be stopped by shaking the colony on dry combs. 
 
 A very similar disease, which has caused great havoc in the 
 British Isles, is known as IsleOf-Wlght disease. In the United 
 States it has done but littlo damage. 
 
 Diarrhea 
 
 § 224. Bee diarrhea in the latter part of winter and early spring 
 Is a malady that affects some apiaries. The bees discharge watery 
 excrements over the hives and combs, producing a dark appearance 
 and offensive odor. The cause is either fermented honey, improper 
 food, long confinement, or too warm and poorly- ventilated quarters. 
 
 Fruit-juices, harvested during a dearth of honey, are the most 
 frequent causes of diarrhea. These juices, insufficiently sweet to 
 keep from fermenting (186), are stored in the combs like honey. 
 They should be extracted and replaced with good honey or syrup. 
 Honeydew from plant-lice is also a cause of diarrhea when cold 
 weather confines the bees to the hive a long time. 
 
 Usually, diarrhea disappears with the first flights of the bees. 
 But in a protracted winter it is difficult to cure. It is much more 
 easily avoided by pure food, given at the opening of winter, than 
 stopped after it has once begun. When syrup is fed, none but the 
 best granulated sugar should be used. Commercial glucose is death 
 to the bees, and in most cases they refuse to accept it. 
 
148 
 
 Marketing of Honey 
 
 § 225. The marketing of honey is a subject that interests every 
 apiarist. Today, comb-honey is the preference for table use, and if 
 we would cater to the public want, we must produce that article in 
 the most attractive shape. 
 
 Fig. 166 — A 3-ton Load of Honey. 
 
 Assort and Grade the Honey 
 
 § 226. All honey should be graded, and a scale of prices be 
 established. An apiarist, compelled by his needs, may sell honey at 
 the commencement of the season for any price offered, and thus un- 
 intentionally break down the market, by giving a start at too low a 
 rate. Systematic organization could and should help this state of 
 affairs. The Colorado Honey Producers' Association has taken the 
 lead In this matter and has organized a corporation which handles 
 
SHIX.ING HONEY 
 
 149 
 
 many carloads of honey each season, at remunerative prices. They 
 use a uniform double-tier shipping case containing 24 sections of 
 honey. 
 
 Grading rules have been adopted by the National Beekeepers' 
 Association at different times as also by the above-mentioned Colo- 
 
 Fig. 167 — ^A Honey Delivery Wagon for Retailing. 
 
 rado firm. In addition to this the National Government now requires 
 that each section of honey be marked as to its minimum weight. 
 This is to prevent deception. 
 
 Management of Comb-honey 
 
 § 227. Comb-honey should be taken from the hive as soon as it is 
 finished, or as soon thereafter as possible (156). Mr. G. M. Doolittle 
 wrote: 
 
 "No apiarist can expect to have his honey sell for the highest 
 market price, if he allows it to stay in the hives for weeks after it 
 has been sealed over,, allowing the bees to give the comb a dirty 
 yellow color, by constantly traveling over it. All comb-honey pro- 
 ducers know that there always will be cells next to the section that 
 are partly filled with honey but not sealed over,, and when taken 
 from the hive, if the section is turned over sidewise, the honey will 
 
150 
 
 CARE OF HONEY 
 
 run out, making sticky work. The remedy for this Is a small, warm 
 room. Bees evaporate their honey by heat, and therefore, if we ex- 
 pect to keep our honey in good condition for .market, we must keep it 
 as the bees do., in such a position that it will grow thicker, instead of 
 thinner all the while. Our honey-room is situated on the south side 
 of our shop, and is about 7 feet square, by 9 feet high. We have a 
 
 Fig. 168 — Getting a Crop of Comb-honey Ready for Market. 
 
 large window in it, and the whole south side is painted a dark color 
 to draw the heat. In it the mercury stands from 80° to 90°, while 
 our honey is in it; and when we case it for market,, we can tip our 
 sections as much as we please and no honey will drip, neither will 
 any of the combs have a watery appearance — all will be bright, dry 
 and clean. But if we keep honey thus warm, the moth (215) will 
 make its appearance, and make it unfit for market, by gnawing off 
 the sealing from the beautiful combs. 
 
 "We build a platform on either side of our honey-room., of 
 scantling, about 16 inches high, and on this we place the sections 
 so that the fumes from burning sulphur can enter each one; in about 
 two weeks we fumigate., by burning % of a pound of sulphur for 
 every 200 cubic feet in the room. We take coals from the stove and 
 
CARE OF HONEY 
 
 151 
 
 put them in an old kettle, so as not to get anything on fire; pour on 
 the sulphur and push it under the pile of honey., and shut up the 
 room. Watch through the window, and in 15 minutes after the last 
 fly or bee that chances to be in the room has died, open the door and 
 let out the smoke, for if it stands too long, the smoke may settle on 
 the combs and give them a greenish hue. As there may be a few 
 eggs that have not yet hatched, we fumigate again in about ten. days, 
 after which the honey will be free from moths, if you do not let mil- 
 lers into the room." 
 
 Honey in the comb is a 
 luxury — a fancy article — and our 
 first care should be to produce 
 it in such a manner as to com- 
 mand a fancy price. It must 
 captivate the • eye of the con- 
 sumer, and tempt him to pur- 
 chase Comb-honey should be 
 put up in uniform cases, and 
 not veneered, i. e., the combs 
 Inside should be just as good as 
 those in the exterior of the ^^^^_^^^^ 
 case. , Tier Case. 
 
 Shipping-cases for Honey 
 
 § 228. Cases in which to pack comb-honey for shipment Fig. 169- 
 170 are made in various sizes, holding from 12 sections to 28 in a 
 
 single tier. 
 
 ^^^^^ The most satisfactory 
 
 \ ' ^^^ shipping-case has inside a 
 
 \ - ^^°***"'='-~-^ folded paper pan at the bot- 
 
 V / y ^ '~---^ torn, upon which are tacked 
 
 small strips crosswise where- 
 on to set the sections. This 
 forms what is known as the 
 "no-drip" shipping-case (Fig. 
 170). Should there be any 
 dripping of the honey it is 
 caught in the paper pan, and 
 the cross strips hold up the 
 sections so that they do not 
 rest in the honey-drippings. 
 Of course only perfect sect- 
 tions of honey should be 
 packed for market, and not any that are at all in a leaky condition. 
 
 Fig. 170 — No-Drip Shipping-Case. 
 
152 
 
 Shipping Comb-honey to Market 
 
 § 229. A few directions on packing comb-honey for shipping by 
 railroad may be useful. It is best to have a large crate holding 
 perhaps 16 of the 12-section cases, or 8 of the 24-section cases. First 
 put about four inches of straw in the bottom of the large crate, then 
 place' in the cases of honey, Bot forgetting to put straw at the sides 
 and ends of the large crate, as it is filled with the cases of honey. 
 
 ■fi.' 
 mz-.- .-.r-!m,pr 
 
 
 .li.... - iiL..„. .life. ..,. ,.4K *. it . t^.. 
 
 Fig. 171 — Well-Sealed Honey in Sections. 
 
 The straw acts as a cushion. After nailing on the top pieces enclosing 
 the large crate, nail a three or four inch board on each side, about 
 a third or quarter of the way down from the top, to be used as 
 handles for carrying the whole crate of perhaps 200 pounds of honey. 
 Thus two men can carry it easily, and there is practically no danger 
 of breakage, if properly packed (Fig. 173). 
 
153 
 
 Management of Extracted Honey 
 
 § 230. The marketing of extracted honey is an Important matter, 
 for a good article, attractively put up, will always command the best 
 
 Fig. 172 — Shipping-Cases Filled with Comb Honey. 
 
 Fig. 173 — Crate for Shipping Cases of Comb-Honey. 
 
 price and it is therefore, of the utmost importance to producers to 
 have honey put up in the best shape. 
 
 Every beekeeper should fully supply his own locality, and he 
 
154 GRANULATED HONEY 
 
 should let it be distinctly understood that it is the pure honey taken 
 from the combs by centrifugal force — that nothing is added to it, 
 and nothing taken from it but the comb. 
 
 It should also be kept before consumers that granulated honey 
 can be reduced to its liquid state by placing the honey in a vessel 
 of warm water. When thus liquefied, it so remains for some time 
 before again granulating. 
 
 § 231. Consumers may be sure of a wholesome article by pur- 
 chasing granulated honey and reducing it. If heated above 160 de- 
 grees there is danger of spoiling the color and ruining the flavor. 
 Honey contains the most delicate of all flavors — that of the flowers 
 from which it is taken. A good way is to set the vessel containing 
 the honey inside another vessel containing hot water, not allowing 
 the bottom of the one to rest directly on the bottom of the other, but 
 putting a bit of wood or something of the kind between. Let it stand 
 on the stove, but do not let the water boil. It may take a day or 
 longer to melt the honey. If the honey is set directly on the reser- 
 voir of a cook-stove,or on a steam or hot-water radiator, it will be all 
 right in due time. 
 
 Honey which is heated darkens in color, unless kept at as low a 
 temperature as possible during the process and cooling it promptly 
 when once melted. 
 
 If the product is for a home market, the producer must study the 
 local preference regarding, the size and style of package, as well as 
 the grade of honey most easily disposed of. As far as practicable, 
 keep each grade of honey separate; it is a mistake to suppose a few 
 pounds of inferior or different shade honey will make no difference in 
 a large bulk of white clover honey, or that thereby a better rate will 
 be obtained for the second-grade article. Instead, the result will 
 most likely be to class it all as second-grade, and the price or all 
 will be depreciated. 
 
 Where to Keep Honey 
 
 § 232. As honey has strong deliquescent tendencies, or in other 
 words absorbs moisture readily, it is advisable to keep it in a warm, dry 
 place, whether it is comb or extracted honey. In such a place it will 
 gain in quality, while in a damp cellar or basement it will gather 
 moisture and readily sour. A well ventilated honey house (227), or 
 lacking this, an attic, or other dry spot, is suitable. 
 
 Ripening Honey 
 
 § 233. The nectar gathered from the flowers cannot be called 
 
HONEY CONTAINERS 
 
 155 
 
 honey until the evaporation or ripening process (50) has so far 
 gone on that the hees have commenced capping it over. If It be ex* 
 tracted (163) before it is capped by the bees, as some apiarists re* 
 commend, on account of the quantity being thereby greatly augmented, 
 then it should be ripened before it is placed in tiglit packages ot 
 shipped, or it is liable to ferment and sour. 
 
 § 234. Tanks for ripening extracted honey (172) are usually made 
 of galvanized Iron or tin and of different sizes. For a small apiarS 
 an extractor can (Pig. 123) is sometimes used. The honey is drawa 
 off into retailing vessels before it begins to granulate. 
 
 Tin Pails for Honey 
 
 § 235. For retail packages, tin pails (Fig. 174), with close-fitting, 
 covers, are the best. Purchase by the gross or in lots of 1,000 ot 
 more, the price is inconsiderable. 
 
 Pig. 174 — Straight Pails for Holding Honey. 
 
 A neatly printed label should be gummed or pasted on each pail, 
 stating the amount and kind of honey, name of apiarist who put it up, 
 and giving in a foot-note directions for liquefying the honey in case 
 It granulates. 
 
 Tapering pails are heavier and stronger than the straight pails; 
 the covers are deeper and the top-edge of the pail is doubled over. 
 A smaller size is also made to hold about one pound. 
 
 Glass Containers 
 
 § 236'. If smaller packages are wanted, then use glass jars, or 
 tumblers. Jars and tumblers, like the tin pails, should be tastefully 
 labeled. 
 
156 
 
 TIN CANS AND PAILS 
 
 Large Packages 
 
 § 237. The square tin cans (Fig 175), furnish excellent packages 
 for safely shipping extracted honey. Each can holds about 60 pounds. 
 
 fl !l f\i 
 
 ^gsSr- ''"• ' 
 
 Fig. 175 — Square Cans for Shipping Extracted Honey. 
 
 and two of them may he shipped together in one crate or box (Fig. 
 175). There is no leakage in transit, if even moderately well handled. 
 A slat one inch square should be placed over each can, before nail- 
 ing the cover dovpn, in order to protect the screw cap. 
 
HONEY AS POOD ]^57 
 
 Honey as a Food 
 
 §238. The use of honey Instead of sugar for almost every kind 
 of cooking, is as pleasant for the palate as it is healthy for the 
 stomach. In preparing blackberry, raspberry or strawberry short cake, 
 it Is infinitely superior. 
 
 Pure honey should always be freely used In every family — 
 Honey eaten upon wheat bread Is very beneficial to health. 
 
 Well ripened honey has the quality of preserving, for a long 
 time in a fresh state, anything that may be laid in it or mixed with 
 it, and to prevent its corrupting, in a far superior manner to sugar; 
 thus many species of fruit may be preserved by being laid in honey, 
 and by this means will retain a pleasant taste and give to the stomach 
 a healthy tone. 
 
 In fact, honey may replace sugar as an ingredient in the cook- 
 ing of almost any article of food — and at the same time greatly add 
 to its relish. 
 
 Mr. Alin Caillas, a French chemist and analyst of note and author 
 of a booklet entitled "The Treasures in a Drop of Honey," serving as 
 lieutenant in the French army at the front in 1915, reported to us 
 that a number of the soldiers in his company having become de- 
 bilitated by the constant use of dry canned foods and salt meat were 
 brought back to health and vigor in a very few days, by the dally 
 use ot a regular amount of honey which he had had the good luck to 
 purchase from an apiarist living at a short distance behind the battle 
 lines and the trenches. 
 
 Give Children Honey 
 
 Prof. Cook says: "We all know how children long for candy. This 
 longing voices a need, and is another evidence of the necessity of 
 of sugar in our diet. * * ■"•= Children should be given all the 
 honey at each meal-time that they will eat. It is safer, will largely 
 do away with the inordinate longing for candy and other sweets; and 
 In lessening the desire will doubtless diminish the amount of cane- 
 sugar eaten." 
 
 Ask the average child whether he will have honey alone on his 
 bread or butter alone, and almost invariably he will promptly an- 
 swer, "Honey." Yet seldom are the needs or. the tastes of the child 
 properly consulted. The old man craves fat meat. The child loathes 
 it. He wants sweet, not fat. He delights to eat honey; it is a whole- 
 some food for him, and is not expensive. Why should he not have it? 
 
158 TS HONEY A LUXURY? 
 
 Honey Best to Sweeten Hot Drinks 
 
 § 239. Sugar is much used in hot drinks, as in coffee and tea. 
 The substitution to a mild-flavored honey in such uses may he a 
 very profitable thing for the health. Indeed, it should be better for 
 the health if the only hot drink were what Is called in Germany 
 "honey-tea" — a cup of hot water with one or two tablespoonfuls of 
 extracted honey. The attainment of great age has in some cases 
 been attributed largely to the life-long use of honey-tea. 
 
 Is Honey a Luxury? 
 
 § 240. [While it may not be a necessity, no more it is a luxury 
 than is butter or beefsteak. Some writers have pointed out that he- 
 cause one could not live on honey alone, it was a luxury and should 
 be sold as such. One could as well live on honey alone as on butter 
 alone, yet no one regards butter as a luxury. 
 
 Fig. 176 — Four Articles of Equal Pood Value — 7 Ounces Honey, 
 Quart Milk, 15 Ounces Codfish and Ten Eggs 
 
 One 
 
 A fair basis of values of food products is the actual food units 
 which they contain. In order to secure reliable information as to 
 the food values of the products which we wish to compare with honey, 
 we have taken the table compiled by Hon. W. B. Barney, of the Iowa 
 
COMPARATIVE VALUE OF HONEY 
 
 159 
 
 food and dairy department. With tliis table at liand we went to a 
 retail store where the usual retail prices prevail, and purchased 
 different products of equal food value. 
 
 Fig. 176 shows 3 articles, with food value equal to 7 ounces of 
 honey. For the quart of milk we paid 10 cents, for the codfish 20 
 cents, and for the eggs 25 cents. Milk and eggs are generally re- 
 cognized as necessities, yet as far as food value is concerned the 
 eggs cost more than twice as much as the honey, and the milk is 
 slightly higher in price. 
 
 In Pig. 177 is shown a 12-ounce steak which costs at retail 15 
 cents, yet which, according to Mr. Barney's table, is only equal to 7 
 ounces of honey in food value.: tVihen beefsteak Is regarded as a 
 necessity even by those who are working for the lowest wages, why 
 should the impression grow that honey is a luxury at half the price? 
 Nine cents worth of cream cheese is equal to 7 ounces of honey, yet 
 even this costs more than the product of the hive. Thirteen cents 
 worth of walnuts are necessary to equal the small jar of honey. Since 
 extracted honey usually sells at less than 16 cents per pound at re- 
 tail, 7 cents will not be far from the cost. 
 
 Fig. 177 — Seven Ounces of Honey is Equal in Pood Value to 12 ^)unces 
 Round Beefsteak, 5.6 Ounces Cream Cheese or 
 8% Ounces Walnuts. 
 
 Pig. 182 shows that 8 oranges, which cost 20 cents, supply an 
 amount of food equal to 7 ounces of honey, and 5 bananas, at 25 cents 
 per dozen, cost 10 cents. 
 
 The following table shows the amount of the various items re- 
 quired to supply food value equal to 7 ounces of honey, according to 
 
160 
 
 COMPARATIVE VALUE OF HONEY 
 
 the above mentioned authority. The retail prices that prevail at 
 this time are also given: 
 
 Honey, 7 ounces 7c 
 
 Cream cheese, 5.6 ounces... 9c 
 
 Eggs, 10 25c 
 
 Round beefsteak, 12 ozs 15c 
 
 Boneless codfish, 15 ozs ....20c 
 
 Oranges, 8 20c 
 
 Bananas, 5 10c 
 
 Walnuts, 8% ounces 13c 
 
 The above items are in general use, and few if any of them are 
 regarded as luxuries. By reference to the above table it will be 
 seen that as far as actual value is concerned, honey is one of the 
 cheapest of the ready-prepared foods. Only such raw products as 
 potatoes, corn meal, beans, etc., which must be prepared for the 
 table after purchase, are cheaper in food value, at current prices, 
 than is honey. 
 
 Fig. 178 — 7 Ounces Honey, 5 Bananas and 8 Oranges — Honey is One of 
 the Cheapest Foods in the Market for Actual Nutritive Value. 
 
 Honey Vinegar 
 
 § 241. We have explained (172) that the capplngs of the honey 
 combs, after draining the honey from them, may be washed and the 
 sweetened water used to make vinegar. Honey vinegar is superior to 
 any other kind and may be almost colorless. The sweetened water 
 from washing the cappings should be tested if used for vinegar. 
 If no saccharometer is at hand, just put an egg into the liquid. If the 
 egg does not show at the surface, add more honey, mi.xing it well. 
 If it floats and shows more than a spot the size of a dime at the 
 surface, add more water. If you wish to njake honey vinegar and 
 
HONEY VINEGAR \Q\ 
 
 have no sweetened water, mix one and a half pounds of honey with 
 each gallon of hot water. When it is at a temperature of between 
 70° and 90° add some ferment, fruit juice, grapes preferred, or yeast, 
 to start the fermentation. If the liquid is kept in a barrel, do not 
 fill it over two-thirds, as air is needed. The vessel should not be 
 closed, but simply covered with a cloth or a very fine screen lo keep 
 out insects. The first fermentation will be alcoholic." But the air 
 will soon supply the germs of acetic fermentation if the temperature 
 Is kept above 70°. In a few weeks or a few months at most, you will 
 have excellent vinegar. Honey-dew or dark unsaleable honey may 
 be used for this purpose. 
 
 THE END. 
 
162 
 
 List of Illustrations 
 
 The numbers refer to the Figure numbers. 
 
 1. 
 
 The queen. 
 
 40. 
 
 Respiratory organs. 
 
 2. 
 
 Head of queen 
 
 41. 
 
 Box-hive apiary. 
 
 3. 
 
 Queen laying. 
 
 42. 
 
 Concrete stands. 
 
 4. 
 
 Ovaries of queen. 
 
 43. 
 
 Not inclined to sting. 
 
 5. 
 
 Queencells 
 
 44. 
 
 Handling bees. 
 
 e. 
 
 Drone. 
 
 45. 
 
 Bee-veil. 
 
 7. 
 
 Drone sexual organs. 
 
 46. 
 
 Bee-smoker. 
 
 8. 
 
 Head of drone. 
 
 47. 
 
 Hive tools. 
 
 9. 
 
 Worker. 
 
 48. 
 
 Whisk broom for brushing 
 
 10. 
 
 Head of worker. 
 
 
 bees. 
 
 11. 
 
 Worker magnified. 
 
 49. 
 
 Natual swarm. 
 
 12. 
 
 Tongue. 
 
 50. 
 
 Original D. hive. 
 
 13. 
 
 Digestive organs. 
 
 51. 
 
 L. L,. Langstroth. 
 
 14. 
 
 Anterior leg of worker. 
 
 52. 
 
 Dovetailed hive. 
 
 15. 
 
 Posterior legs of worker. 
 
 53. 
 
 Tri-state hive. 
 
 16. 
 
 Posterior legs of worker queen 
 
 54. 
 
 Body with plain frames. 
 
 
 and drone. 
 
 55. 
 
 Plain hanging frames. 
 
 17. 
 
 Sting. 
 
 56. 
 
 Hoffman frames. 
 
 18. 
 
 Sting details. 
 
 57. 
 
 Queencells. 
 
 19. 
 
 Eggs in cells. 
 
 58. 
 
 Insertion of foundation in 
 
 20. 
 
 Larvas in cells. 
 
 
 frame. 
 
 21. 
 
 Brood in all stages. 
 
 59. 
 
 Cutting combs to fit frame. 
 
 22. 
 
 Larva in cell. 
 
 60. 
 
 Bent wire for transferring. 
 
 23. 
 
 Comb of brood. 
 
 61. 
 
 Appearance of transferred 
 
 24. 
 
 Wax organs. 
 
 
 comb. 
 
 25. 
 
 Under surface of worker. 
 
 62. 
 
 A very large swarm. 
 
 26. 
 
 Comb covered with bees. 
 
 63. 
 
 A May swarm. 
 
 27. 
 
 Drone and worker brood. 
 
 64. 
 
 Bees peaceable when swarm- 
 
 28. 
 
 New comb, worker and drone. 
 
 
 ing. 
 
 29. 
 
 Brood-comb. 
 
 65. 
 
 Dr. Miller's method of produc- 
 
 30. 
 
 Flour for pollen. 
 
 
 ing queencells. 
 
 31. 
 
 Water with cork chips. 
 
 66. 
 
 Catching the queen as she 
 
 32. 
 
 Bees on a city lot. 
 
 
 issues. 
 
 33. 
 
 Miss Emma Wilson. 
 
 67. 
 
 Letting queen run in with 
 
 34. 
 
 Swiss house-apiary. 
 
 
 swarm. 
 
 35. 
 
 Bees on coal shed. 
 
 68. 
 
 Swarm-sack. 
 
 36. 
 
 Sheltered on north side. 
 
 69. 
 
 Combs built in open air. 
 
 37. 
 
 Sheltered from wind. 
 
 70. 
 
 Suffering from the heat. 
 
 38. 
 
 Hive shaded with roof. 
 
 71. 
 
 Drone-and-queen-trap. 
 
 39. 
 
 Shade with roofs and trees. 
 
 72. 
 
 Bee entrance guard. 
 
LIST OP ILLUSTRATIONS 
 
 163 
 
 73. Division board or dummy. 
 
 74. G. M. Doolittle. 
 
 75. Queen-registering slate. 
 
 76. Comparative size of ovaries 
 
 77. Italian queen. 
 
 78. Gentle Italians. 
 
 79. Mailing cage. 
 
 80. Miller introducing cage. 
 
 81. Clipping queen's wings. 
 
 82. Putting queen in cage. 
 
 83. Chas. Dadant. 
 
 84. Bases and cross sections of 
 cells. 
 
 85. Comb-foundation. 
 
 86. Comb-foundation mill. 
 
 87. 88. Cross section of founda- 
 tion. 
 
 89. One side of built comb. 
 
 90. Drone worker and queence.ls. 
 
 91. Wire imbedder. 
 
 92. Parker foundation fastener. 
 
 93. Woodman section fixer. 
 
 94. Rauchfuss fastener. 
 
 95. Wax extractor. 
 
 96. Hershiser Press. 
 
 97. Rauchfuss solar extractor. 
 
 98. Oblong and square sections. 
 
 99. One-piece sections. 
 
 100. Different styles of separators. 
 
 101. Fence or cleated separator. 
 
 102. Sections of different widths. 
 
 103. Super with plain sections. 
 
 104. Super with section holders. 
 
 105. Section holder. 
 
 106. T super. 
 
 107. From foundation to sealed 
 honey. 
 
 108. Fancy comb-honey. 
 
 109. Queen-excluders. 
 
 110. Perforated zinc. 
 
 111. 4 to 7 supers per colony. 
 
 112. Bee escape board. 
 Porter bee escape. 
 
 113. 2-Story hive for extracting, 
 
 114. A modern honey-extractor. 
 
 115. Shallow super for extracting. 
 Major Von Hruschka. 
 
 116. The Dadant hive. 
 
 117. Well sealed honey in frames 
 
 118. Holder for sections. 
 
 119. Baby extractor for sections. 
 
 120. Cowan reversible extractor. 
 
 121. Bingham knife. 
 
 122. Steam heated knife. 
 
 123. Original capping can. 
 
 124. Dadant uncapping can. 
 
 125. Mendleson's honey tanks. 
 
 126. One of Mendleson's apiaries. 
 
 127. Plan of bee cellar. 
 
 128. A special bee cellar. 
 
 129. Hives under the snow. 
 
 130. Completely covered with snow. 
 
 131. The Dadant straw-mat. 
 
 132. Greiner's double-wall hives. 
 
 133. Apiary packed by the Dadant 
 method. 
 
 134. Greiner's winter case. 
 
 135. Greiners case, open. 
 
 136. Dadant method of wintering. 
 
 137. Division board feeder. 
 
 138. Miller feeder. 
 
 139. Cherry blossoms. 
 
 140. Basswood leaf and blossoms. 
 
 141. Row of basswood trees. 
 
 142. Tulip blossom. 
 
 143. Black locust. 
 
 144. White Clover blossoms. 
 
 145. White clover after bloom. 
 
 146. Field of white clover. 
 
 147. Sweet clover just before 
 bloom. 
 
 148. Sweet clover stem. 
 
 149. Sweet clover in South Dakota. 
 
 150. Alsike clover. 
 
 151. Alsike clover root and red 
 clover root. 
 
 152. Milkweed. 
 
 153. Alfalfa. 
 
Missing Page 
 
Missing Page 
 
166 
 
 INDEX 
 
 Honey for feeding, 190 
 
 Fallen substitutes, 5o 
 
 Honeydew, 52 
 
 Propolis, 48 
 
 Honey extractor, 160,166 
 
 Propolis, removing from hands, 82 
 
 Honey grading, 226 
 
 Queen, 3 
 
 Honey harvest, 152 
 
 Queen cages, 126 
 
 Honey knife, 168 
 
 Queen cells, 6, 34, 42, 96, 108 
 
 Honey marketing, 225 
 
 Queen clipping, 130 
 
 Honey plants and trees, 197 
 
 Queen, drone-laying, 5 
 
 Honey production, 145 
 
 Queen excluder,* 102, 154 
 
 Honey quantity harvested, 53. 155 
 
 Queen fertility, 8 
 
 Honey removing, 158 
 
 Queen life duration, 4 
 
 Honey ripening, 163, 233 
 
 Queen, loss of ,6, 118 
 
 Honey-sack or stomach, 23 
 
 Queen mating 4, 109 
 
 Honey tanks, 172 
 
 Queen mating twice, 13 
 
 Honey vinegar, 241 
 
 Queen piping, 98 
 
 Improvements in bees, 106, 122 
 
 Queen rearing, 6, 105 
 
 Introducing queens, 125 
 
 Queen sting ,, 3 
 
 Italian bees, 1, 123 
 
 Queen trap, 102 
 
 Italianizing, 124 
 
 Queenless colonies, 116, 120 
 
 Isle-of-Wight disease, 223 
 
 Races, 1, 70, 75 
 
 Jars for honey, 236 
 
 Rheumatism cured, 79 
 
 Langstroth invention, 89 
 
 Robbing, 36, 84 
 
 Larvae, 32 
 
 Royal Jelly, 33 
 
 Legs of bees, 24 
 
 Sacbrood, 222 
 
 Location of apiary, 62, 66 
 
 Salivary glands, 21, 33 
 
 Locust or robinia, 201 
 
 Section-boxes, 148 
 
 Mandibles, 19 
 
 Section-holders, 150 
 
 Marketing honey, 225 
 
 Separators, 149 
 
 May disease, 223 
 
 Shade, 64, 73 
 
 Memoranda, 117 
 
 Smell organs, 22 
 
 Moving bees, 68 
 
 Smokers, 75 
 
 Nectar, evaporating ,50 
 
 Shipping bees, 68 
 
 Nucleus, 107, 112 
 
 Shipping-cases, 228 
 
 Observation hives, 212 
 
 Shipping honey, 229 
 
 Ovaries, 8, 28, 121 
 
 Sting, 3, 29, 77, 78 
 
 Palls for honey, 235 
 
 Supers, 150, 162 
 
 Paralysis, 223 
 
 Swarming, 96 
 
 Parthenogensis, 9 
 
 Swarming with supers filled, 153 
 
 Pasturage, 197 
 
 Swarm prevention, 101 
 
 Piping, 98 
 
 Swarms, buying, 72 
 
 Pollen, 55 
 
 Syrup for feed, 192 
 
 Pollen baskets, 27 
 
 Syrup for feed, 192 
 
 Pollen in worker cells, 42, 57 
 
 Tongue, 20, 122 
 
INDEX 
 
 167 
 
 Tulip tree, 199 
 
 Wings, 24 
 
 Transferring, 94 
 
 Winter cases, 183 
 
 Uncapping-can, 172 
 
 Wintering, 173 
 
 Uncapping-knlfe, 168 
 
 Wintering in cellars, 174, 181 
 
 Uniting bees, 196 
 
 Wintering in clamps, 180 
 
 Veils, 76 
 
 Wintering outdoors, 182 
 
 Ventilation, 68, 101, 178 
 
 Women beekeepers, 61 
 
 Vinegar, 241 
 
 Worker bees, drone-laying, 121 
 
 Water, 59 
 
 Worker-bees, first flight, 36 
 
 Wax (see beeswax) 
 
 Worker-bees life duration, 30 
 
 Weeds that produce honey, 211 
 
 Worker-bees ventilate hive, 17 
 
 Windbreaks, 63 
 
 
uorneii university Library 
 SF 523.D122f 
 
 First lessons in beekeeping, 
 
 3 1924 003 445 354