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 A 
 
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 JovisKpa) 
 
 OF 
 
 MANAGING BEES, 
 
 IN THE MOST 
 
 PROFITABLE MANNER TO THEIR OWNER, 
 
 WITH 
 
 INFALLIBLE ilULES TO PREVENT THEIR 
 DESTRUCTION BY THE MOTH. 
 
 BY JOHN M. WEEKS) 
 
 Of Salisbury, Vermont. 
 
 Fourth Edition. 
 
 BRANDON: 
 
 VERMONT TELEGRAPH OFFICE. 
 
 1839. 
 
J1 SfAKn&fcHa* 
 
 OR AN 
 
 EASY METHOD 
 
 OF 
 
 MANAGING BEES. 
 
 RULE I. 
 
 OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF A BEE-HIVE. 
 
 A Bee-Hive should be made of sound 
 boards, free bom shakes and cracks : it should 
 also be planed smooth, inside and out, made 
 in a workmanlike manner, and painted white 
 on its outside. . 
 
 REMARKS. 
 
 That a. Bee-Hive should be made perfect, 
 so as to exclude light and air, is obvious from 
 the fact, that the bees will finish what the 
 workman has neglected, by plastering up all 
 such cracks and crevices, or bad joints, as are 
 left open by the joiner. The substance they 
 use for this purpose is neither honey nor wax, 
 but a kind of glue, or cement of their own 
 manufacturing, and is used by the bees, to fill 
 
6 
 
 AN EASY METHOD OF 
 
 up all imperfect joints, and exclude all light, 
 and air. This cement, or glue, is very con- 
 genial to the growth of the Moth, in the fust 
 stages of its existence. 
 
 The moth-miller, enters the hive, generally, 
 in the night — makes an incision into the glue, 
 or cement, with her sting, and leaves her eggs 
 deposited in the glue, where it remains secure 
 from the bees ; it being guarded by the tim- 
 ber on its sides. Thus, while'll maggot, (lar- 
 va,) the moth uses the cement for food until it 
 arrives so far towards a state of maturity as 
 to be able to spin a web, which is more fully 
 explained in remarks on Rule 10. 
 
 The size of a hive should be in accordance 
 with the strictest rules of economy, and adapt- 
 ed to the peculiar nature and economy of the 
 honey-bee, in order to make them profitable 
 to their owner. 
 
 The lower apartment of the hive, where 
 they store their food, raise their young bees, 
 and perform their ordinary labors, should 
 hold as much as a box of thirteen inches and 
 one half or fourteen inches square, or ono 
 bushel. 
 
MANAGING EEES. 
 
 7 
 
 Nature has fixed certain principles in the 
 peculiar instinct of the honey-bee, which are 
 unalterable by human wisdom. — (See Gener- 
 al Observations.) 
 
 If the hive is much larger than the one al- 
 ready described, the bees cannot work to ad- 
 vantage, and will not be likely to fill the draw- 
 ers in several years if they swarm, and their 
 prosperity depends principally on swarming, 
 for it is their nature to do so, and any manage- 
 *ss»nt which counteracts their natural habits, 
 impedes them in their labors, and renders 
 them of little profit to their owner ; and they 
 finally run out, or come to an end in a few 
 years. 
 
 Bees in large hives never swarm ; and those 
 in hives much less than the one already de- 
 scribed, do but little else than raise young 
 bees, and lay up a sufficient quantity of food 
 to supply them through the coming winter, 
 and are more liable to be robbed. 
 
 All hives of bees that swarm, are liable to 
 swarm too much, and reduce their colonies 
 so low in numbers as to materially injure 
 them, and is frequently the cause of their de- 
 
8 
 
 AN EASY METHOD OF 
 
 struction by the moth, which is more partic- 
 ularly explained in remarks on Rules 2 and 
 
 10 . 
 
 The chamber of the liive* should hold a- 
 bout two-thirds as much as the lower apart- 
 ment, and be made perfectly tight, so as to 
 exclude all light from the windows of the 
 drawer, and also to protect them from the 
 chilly night-air otherwise, the cold air of 
 night so alters the condition of the animal 
 heat in the drawer, that the bees arc compel- 
 led to lie in idleness until an equilibrium can 
 be formgd in the box the following day. Bees 
 make comb in the night, and fill up the cells 
 with honey in the day-time. Comb is made 
 of honey, ruminated in the stomachs of the 
 work: ng bees : it exudes from the interior of 
 its abdomen, and forms in little flakes betwixt 
 its folds, and is taken by the bees in their 
 mouth from thence, and welded on to enlarge 
 the cells and fill up their tenement with comb. 
 Now, as it requires an exact uniformity of heat 
 in all cases to make comb and enlarge the 
 cells oi a colony, we are able to account for 
 the tact that bees will store much more honey 
 
MANAGING BEES. 
 
 9 
 
 in drawers than caps, which are more expos- 
 ed to the cold and damp air ol night. 
 
 Drawers should he small, like No. 2, 4, and 
 S, for all purposes except such as are used for 
 multiplying colonies and transferring swarms, 
 which should always he large, like No. 1. 
 
 Hives should have cleats on their sides, so 
 as to suspend them in the air, some distance 
 from the floor of the apiary, the better to se- 
 cure the bees from destruction by mice, rep- 
 tiles, and other vermin. 
 
 The back side, or rear of the lower apart- 
 ment of the hive, should slant forward so as 
 to render the same smallest at the bottom, the 
 better to secure the combs from falling when 
 cracked by frost, or nearly melted in hot 
 weather. 
 
 No timbers or boards should be placed 
 very near the lower edge of the hive, because 
 it facilitates the entrance of depredators. That 
 the back side should slant forward, is obvi- 
 ous fiorn the fact, that bees generally rest one 
 edge of their combs on that side, and build 
 towards the front in such a manner as to en- 
 ter upon the same sheet where they intend to 
 
10 
 
 AN EASY METHOD OP 
 
 <4 
 
 deposit their stores, when they first enter the 
 hive, without being compelled to take any un- 
 necessary steps. 
 
 The bottom of the hive should slant down- 
 ward from rear to front, so as to afford the 
 greatest facility to the bees to clear their ten- 
 ement of all offensive substances, and let the 
 water, which is occasioned by the breath and 
 vapor of the bees, run off in cold weather. — 
 It also aids the bees very much in preventing 
 the entrance of robbers. 
 
 The bottom board should be suspended by 
 staples and hooks near each corner of the 
 hive, in such a manner as to afford a free en- 
 trance and egress to the bees on all its sides, 
 which will better enable them to keep their 
 tenement clear of the moths. 
 
 There should be a button attached to the 
 lower edge of the rear of the hive, so as to 
 enable the apiarian to govern the bottom board 
 in such a manner as to give all the air they 
 need, or close the hive at pleasure. 
 
 The hive should have two sticks placed at 
 equal distances, extending from front to rear, 
 resting on the rear, with a screw driven thro’ 
 
MANAGING BEES. 11 
 
 the front into the end of the sticlc, which holds 
 it fast in its place, and a ventilator near the 
 top of the lower apartment of the hive, to let 
 off the vapor which frequently causes the 
 death of the bees in tin? winter by freezing. 
 
 The door to the chamber should be made to 
 fit in the rabitings of the same against the 
 jams, in such a manner as to exclude .the light 
 from the windows of the drawers, and also to 
 prevent the entrance of the little ants. It 
 should also be hung by butts, 'or fastened by 
 a bar, running vertically across the centre of 
 the door, and confined by staples at each end. 
 The under side of the chamber floor should bo 
 planed smooth, then scratched with a sharp 
 scratch, so as to raise little ridges, to enable 
 the bees to hold fast, otherwise they may fall 
 suddenly upon the bottom board, which may 
 induce them to leave the hive and flee to the 
 woods. That the inside of the hive should be 
 made smooth is evident, from the fact that 
 comb adheres much more firmly to a smooth 
 board than it does to the small fibres, or splin- 
 ters which are left by the saw, and the comb is 
 less likely to drop. 
 
22 
 
 
 AN EASY METHOD OF 
 
 Some good managers of bees, have recom- 
 mended rubbing the inside of the sides of the 
 hive with bees-wax, to enable the bees to 
 hold fast until they had secured the comb at 
 the top of the hive, where they always com- 
 mence their labors. The old custom of wash- 
 ing the hives with salt and water, sweet herbs, 
 and other substances, to give them a pleasant 
 effluvia, should be speedily abolished. 
 
 When bees die, the hive should be cleared 
 of its contents, and scraped out, and the 
 chamber rubbed with a cloth wet in clear wa- 
 ter, then set in its place in the apiary, and 
 there let it stand until wanted for use. An old 
 hive thus prepared, is better than a new one 
 for the reception of a swarm of bees. The 
 task, which is arduous and difficult in attach- 
 ing the comb to the new wood, in this case, has 
 been accomplished by the previous swarm. 
 
 Note — It is found by experiment that the 
 combs in all hives, under two years old, that 
 are robbed, die of starvation, or otherwise, 
 may be preserved for a new swarm, which 
 forwards the labors ot a new colony, nearly 
 half, if the combs remain in a good state of 
 
MANAGING BEES. 
 
 13 
 
 preservation. The apiarian should examine 
 before using, to see that the hive is clear from 
 spiders and cobwebs. 
 
 There should be three sheet-iron slides, 
 which answers for a whole establishment. — 
 One of which should be nearly as wide as the 
 chamber, and one or two inches longer than 
 the length of the chamber. The other two 
 should be the same length of the first, and half 
 its width only. 
 
 All hives, and all their appendages, should 
 be made exactly of a size, and shape, in the 
 same apiary. The trouble of equalizing col- 
 onies is far less than it is to accommodate 
 hives to swarms. Much perplexity, and some- 
 times serious difficulties occur, where the ap- 
 iarian uses different sized hives, and drawers. 
 33ut this part of the subject will be more fully 
 discussed under its proper rule. 
 
 A perfect snow-white is the best color for a 
 bee-hive. All shades of colors arc conductors 
 of heat and cold, in proportion to their prox- 
 imity towards a perfect black. It is better to 
 let the hive remain the color of the wood than 
 paint any shade of color, which may be the 
 
14 
 
 AN EASY METHOD OF 
 
 cause of melting the combs in summer, or 
 freezing the bees in winter. To preserve the 
 greatest uniformity of temperature in the 
 hive, both summer and winter, the apiarian 
 will find it for his interest to make all his hives 
 of plank at least one and a half inch thick, or 
 boards three-fourths of an inch thick, doubled 
 in such a manner as to exclude insects from 
 the joints. 
 
 RULE II. 
 
 ON SWARMING AND HIVING. * 
 
 The apiarian, or bee-owner, should have 
 his hives in readiness, and in their places in 
 the apiary, with the drawers in their cham- 
 bers, bottom up, so as to prevent entrance. 
 
 When a swarm comes forth, and has alight- 
 ed, cut oft’ the limb, if convenient, (unless the 
 hiver is used) — shake it gently, so as to disen- 
 gage the bees, and let them fall gently on to 
 the table, board or ground, (as the case may 
 be,) — place the hive over them before many 
 rise into the air, taking care at the same time 
 to lay one or more sticks in such a manner as 
 to raise the hive so as to give the bees rapid 
 ingress and egress. If the bees act reluctant- 
 
MANAGING BEES. 
 
 15 
 
 ly in taking possession of their new habitation, 
 disturb them by brushing them with a goose- 
 quill or some other instrument not harsh, and 
 they will soon enter. In case it is found ne- 
 cessary to invert the hive to receive the bees, 
 (which is frequent from their manner of alight- 
 ing,) then first secure the drawers down to the 
 floor, by inserting a handkerchief or something 
 above them : now invert the hive and shako 
 or brush the bees into it : now turn it gently 
 right end up on the table, or other place, ob- 
 serving the rule aforesaid. 
 
 REMARKS. 
 
 Bees swarm from 9 o’clock in the morning 
 to 3 o’clock in the afternoon on a fair day, dit- 
 ing in the season according to the climate. In 
 Vermont, they generally swarm from the mid- 
 dle of May to the 15th of July : in late seasons 
 some later. I have known them to swarm as 
 early as 7 in the morning, and as late as 4 in 
 the afternoon. I have also known them to come 
 forth when it rained so hard as nearly to defeat 
 them by b da ting down many to the ground 
 which were probably lost from their colony ; 
 and I once had a swarm come forth on the lGth 
 day of August. 
 
 Two reasons, and two only can be assign- 
 
1G 
 
 AST EASY METHOD OP 
 
 ed for the swarming of bees. The first is went 
 of room, and the second, to avoid the conflict 
 of the Queens. It may be possible that a 
 swarm may come forth before the hive is full 
 of comb, but from more than forty years ob- 
 servation, I have never seen an instance of it, 
 when the hive was not full of bees at the first 
 swarming. This is always the cause of their 
 first swarming, unless the stock had lost their 
 Queen previous to swarming, in which case, 
 the colony assume the condition of a hive that 
 has once swarmed, and may come out before 
 the hive is full of comb or bees. 
 
 The old Queen goes out with the new colo- 
 ny, and leaves the remaining stock without a 
 head, (or female.) But nature has supplied 
 them with the instinct, and they commonly 
 have the means of repairing the loss, which a 
 new colony, unaccompanied by a Queen, could 
 not obtain. They have the larva or grub of 
 the common worker, and the pow^r to convert 
 it to a Queen. They soon discover their loss, 
 and immediately set themselves to work to fill 
 the vacancy, in constructing several royal cells 
 into which they remove the young grubs which 
 
MANAGING BEES. 
 
 17 
 
 would have become workers, and by feeding 
 them on royal jelly, in a few days they have 
 a Queen. The eggs are commonly laid in lit- 
 ters, about three times a week, during the 
 breeding-season; and the bees, to be more 
 suie of succeeding in their experiments, divide 
 themselves into squadrons, and undertake to 
 make more than one, by taking them from dif- 
 ferent litters, and also avoid the confusion of 
 having a number of Queens hatch at die same 
 time. This fact accounts for hearing more 
 dian one Queen at the same time. Two 
 Queens cannot exist together long in the same 
 hive. Nature lias implanted an implacable 
 hatred betwixt them, and as soon as the notes 
 ol the first-hatched Queen are heard, they are 
 answered by tones of defiance by the nymph 
 Queen younger, which is yet in her cell, and 
 has not seen the light. ; and if not prevented 
 by die workers, her cider sister tears her from 
 her cell, and immolates her to her love of un- 
 disputed sway. But if the bees should be suf- 
 ficiently numerous to protect their Queen of 
 their own making, for whom, as the work of 
 their own hands, they seem to have a blind 
 2 
 
18 
 
 AN EASY METHOD OF 
 
 attachment, the elder Queen collects her fol- 
 lowers, sallies forth, and seeks a new habita- 
 tion. This is the cause of second and third 
 swarmings which take place, and which fre- 
 quently so weaken the hive as to cause many 
 of the evils to which bees axe subjected, for 
 which I think I have discovered the remedy.. 
 See remarks on Rule 10. 
 
 If the second swarm does not come out be- 
 fore the 17th day, there is reason to believe that 
 the Queen has disposed of all her competitors, 
 and there will be no further swarming that 
 season. The first Queen is usually heard the 
 8th day after the first swarming. 
 
 I know of no rule by which the exact day 
 of their first swarming can be known with cer- 
 tainty. The apiarian will estimate near the 
 time by the number of bees in and about the 
 hive, as it will become very much crowded. 
 
 The day of second swarming, and all after 
 that during the same season, may be most cer- 
 tainly predicted, as follows : Listen near the 
 entrance of the hive in the evening. If a swarm 
 is coming forth the next day , or in a short time, 
 the Queen will be heard giving an alarm at 
 
MANAGING EEES. ' 
 
 19 
 
 short intervals. The same alarm may be 
 heard until swarming takes place, or one 
 Queen is destroyed by the other. The ob- 
 server will generally hear two Queens at a 
 time in the same hive — the one much louder 
 than the other. The one making the least 
 noise, is yet in her cell, and in her minority. — 
 The sound emitted by the Queens is peculiar, 
 differing materially from that of any other bee. 
 It consists of a number of monotonous notes 
 in rapid succession, similar to those emitted 
 by the mud-wasp when working her mortar, 
 and joining it to her cells, to raise miss-wasps. 
 
 If, after all, the weather is unfavorable to their 
 swarming several days while in this peculiar 
 stage, they will not be likely to swarm again 
 the same season. 
 
 Bees are very tenacious to preserve the lives 
 of their sovereigns, particularly those of their 
 own raising ; and when they find they have 
 more than one in the hive, they will guard 
 each so strong as to prevent, if possible, their 
 coming within reach of each other. They be- 
 ing thus strongly guarded to prevent the fight, 
 is unquestionably the cause of their giving the 
 
20 
 
 AN EASY METHOD OF 
 
 alarm, as described in the foregoing article. — 
 The knowledge of the existence of another 
 Queen in the same hive, inspires them with 
 the greatest uneasiness and rage ; and when 
 the oldest one finds herself defeated in gain- 
 ing access to her competitor, she sallies forth 
 with as many as see fit to follow her, and seeks 
 a new habitation. 
 
 Before the bees sally forth, they fill their 
 sacks with honey, and some of them carry 
 bread on their legs, which supplies their 
 wants, till they have found a new residence, 
 and laid the foundation of their cells. In a 
 very crowded state of the hive, many bees are 
 sometimes compelled to lie out before the 
 Queen leaves, and in the confusion of swarm- 
 ing, not being apprised of her intention to de- 
 part, leave without filling their sacks, and this 
 is one cause of the irritability they manifest. 
 This difficulty is obviated in the Vermont 
 Hive. The drawers furnish them room for 
 their labors till the Queen and all her follow- 
 ers have finished their arrangements, and are 
 not compelled to leave empty-handed. 
 
 Another reason why bees are sometimes ir- 
 
MANAGING BEES. 
 
 21 
 
 r it able, and are disposed to sting when they 
 swarm, is, the air is forbidding to them, by 
 being cold, windy, damp, extremely hot, or 
 otherwise, so as to impede them in their de- 
 termined emigration. In all such cases, the 
 apiarian should be furnished with a veil, made 
 of millinet, or some light covering which may 
 be thrown over his hat, and let down so low 
 as to cover his face and bosom, and fixed in 
 such a manner as to prevent their stinging. — 
 He should also put on a pair of thick woolen 
 gloves or stockings over his hands, thus man- 
 aging them without the least danger. 
 
 Experience and observation have taught 
 that the Queen leaves the old stock first, anti 
 her colony rapidly follow. They fly about a 
 few minutes, apparently in the greatest confu- 
 sion, until the swarm is principally out of the 
 hive. They then alight, generally on the limb 
 of some tree, shrub or bush, or some other 
 place convenient for them to cluster in abunch 
 not far from the old stock, and make- their ar- 
 rangements for a journey to a new habitation. 
 Perhaps not one swarm in a thousand know 
 where they are going, until after they have 
 
22 
 
 AN EASY METHOD OF 
 
 left the old stock, alighted, and formed into a 
 compact body, or cluster ; and not then, until 
 they have sent off an embassy to search out a 
 place for their future residence. Now, if the 
 bees are hived immediately after they have 
 alighted, before they send off their embassy 
 to seek a new tenement, they will never Hy 
 away, admitting they have sufficient room, 
 (for it is want of room that makes them swarm 
 in the first place,) and their hive is clear of 
 every thing that is offensive to them. 
 
 It is proper then that bees should be hived 
 immediately after they have clustered in a 
 body. If this is not done before they have had 
 time to send off an embassy to select a proper 
 habitation, they should be immediately moved 
 to the apiary, or to some place several rods 
 from the spot where they alighted, in order 
 that they may not be found by their #nessen- 
 gers at their return. That bees do send forth 
 messengers to seek out a new residence after 
 they have swarmed, and clustered in a body, 
 is evident from the fact that many swarms 
 have been known to enter and take up their 
 abode where a few bees were seen a short 
 
MANAGING BEES. 
 
 23 
 
 time previous. They likewise have been 
 known in frequent instances to remain over 
 night, and even several days and nights, be- 
 fore they left for the woods ; and furthermore, 
 when the bees go direct from the old stock, 
 the bee-hunter takes their course, by setting 
 his compass, and fixing the old stock as his 
 starting-point; for bees always take a direct 
 and straight course towards their new resi- 
 dence, when they first start. Now if the 
 hunter takes the old stock as his starting-point, 
 in connexion with the place where the bees 
 clustered in a body, he will run as far lrom 
 his bees as east is from any other point of the 
 compass. 
 
 Although bees have several thousand eyes, 
 yet, they are fixed in their places in their head, 
 like so many suns, and as they do not turn in 
 their sockets, like the eyes of men and quad 
 rupeds, they arc unable to traverse a crooked 
 path without extreme difficulty : and when 
 their sight is entirely obstructed for any length 
 of time, they are compelled to alight. 
 
 When bees leave for a new residence that is 
 unknown to their owner, several miles distant, 
 
24 
 
 AN EASY METHOD OP 
 
 (and it is believed that bees even see the tree 
 they have selected for their residence, among 
 many others, )and if the wind blows so strong as 
 to vary them from their course, if their observa- 
 tion is not impeded, they will go direct to it : but 
 if a hill intervenes so as to entirely obstruct their 
 sight, they may be usually found clustered in 
 a body not far from the direct line, before they 
 descend the hill on its opposite side. It is be- 
 lieved that the wind, in such cases, usually 
 sags them out of their course ; and although 
 it may be but a few steps, yet the bees get so 
 conf used that they are compelled to re-organ- 
 ize before they can proceed on their journey. 
 
 Experience has taught it is best to remove 
 the new swarm to the place where it is intend- 
 ed to. stand during the season, immediately 
 after hiving. They are creatures of habit, and 
 very soon become associated with the objects 
 and places about them ; and if their hive and 
 companions are not found in the us'ual place, 
 they have no means of findip ' hem. More or 
 less bees are lost by every ren val ; and the 
 longer they remain in the place where they 
 are hived, the more will be lost when removed. 
 
MANAGING BEES. 
 
 23 
 
 No confusion or noise which is uncommon to 
 the bees should ever be made during their 
 swarming or hiving. The only effect of noise, 
 ringing of bells, &e., that I could ever discov- 
 er, was, to render them the more hostile and 
 unmanageable. 
 
 A clean hiveis all that is needed for aswarm 
 of bees, with careful and humane treatment. 
 
 A cluster of bees should never be shook, or 
 jarred any more than merely to disengage 
 them from the limb or place where they are 
 collected, nor should they fall any great dis- 
 tance, because their sacks are lull when they 
 swarm, which render them both clumsy and 
 harmless, and harsh treatment makes them 
 irritable and unmanageable. 
 
 When bees go from the old stock direct to 
 the woods, without alighting, it is when they 
 lie out of the hive before swarming. It is be- 
 lieved that they, being clustered in a body on 
 the outside of the hive, assume the organiza- 
 tion of a regular rm, and their embassy is 
 sent forth to sear i out a new residence belore 
 the swarm leaves the old stock. This diffi- 
 culty is obviated in the Vermont Hive. In 
 
2G 
 
 AN EASY METHOD OF 
 
 stead of lying out before swarming in idleness 
 as in the old box, they go up into the drawers, 
 and are constantly employed in depositing the 
 fruits of their labors, and are less liable to or- 
 ganize in a body before swarming. It is in- 
 deed true that bees have been known to leave 
 and go directly to the woods when they did 
 not lie out before swarming. But, in all such 
 cases with which I am conversant, an attempt 
 to swarming had been made previous, and 
 the bees had returned to the old stock. 
 
 Bees become associated with the human 
 family, and will not often lice to the woods, 
 unless they are neglected by their owner, or 
 driven away by bad management. One of the 
 principal causes of fugitive swarms is, want 
 of vital air in the hive. The heat of the sun 
 exhausts the air in the hive of its vitality in a 
 few minutes, in a very hot day, and the bees 
 are compelled to leave it. In 1838, many 
 swarms were known to leave green trees 
 where they were not well shaded by their 
 own branches, and that of other trees. Spe- 
 cial care should be exercised by the apiarian 
 that the rays of the sun are cxeluded from the 
 
MANAGING BEES. 
 
 27 
 
 hive. Animal heat in the hive is absolutely 
 necessary to enable the bees to make comb ; 
 but -pent heat is fatal, both to the lives of the 
 bees, and their work. An umbrella should be 
 held over the hive during hiving the bees in a 
 hot day, unless it can be otherwise shaded. 
 
 No inconvenience will result from letting 
 the bees into the drawers, in first hiving them, 
 if the colony is so large that a majority of them 
 cannot occupy one of them. 
 
 Bees commence making their comb where 
 the largest proportion of the colony have suffi- 
 cient room to work. Now, if a majority of the 
 bees can get into one of the drawers, they will 
 begin to make comb there, (for they always 
 commence at the top and work down,) of 
 course they will raise young bees and deposit 
 bread in the drawer. If the swarm is so large 
 as to be unable to work in the drawer, there is 
 no danger of letting them in ; and yet, if the 
 swarm is very large, there may be danger, if 
 the bees are prevented from entering the draw- 
 er, because they sometimes go off for want of 
 room in the lower apartment. I therefore re- 
 commend letting the bees into the drawers at 
 
28 
 
 AN EASY METHOD OF 
 
 the time of hiving them, in all cases, except 
 when the swarms are small — then, the rale 
 should be strict^ adhered to : notwithstand- 
 ing I have hived hundreds of swarms for sev- 
 enteen years last past, and have not lost a 
 single swarm by flight to the woods, yet I 
 hear of some losses of this kind, which ren- 
 der these remarks necessary. My practice 
 in hiving is, to get the bees into the shade, 
 hive them as soon as possible, hang on the 
 bottom board, fasten the same forward by 
 means of the button so as to prevent the es- 
 cape of any of the bees except through the 
 mouth of the hive, place die same immedi- 
 ately where I intend it to stand through the 
 season. Let the bottom board down three 
 eighths ot an inch on the third day after swarm- 
 ing, and turn the drawers four days after hiv- 
 ing, (unless they were turned at hiving.) 
 
 Occurrences have been heard ot where 
 there would seem to have been variations from 
 the foregoing rules concerning swarming, to 
 wit : Bees have been known to swarm before 
 the hive is full of bees or comb, and then, 
 swarm again two or three days after. Now, 
 
MANAGING BEES. 
 
 2& 
 
 there is reason to believe that the old stock 
 lost their Queen before swarming, and the 
 bees assumed the condition of a hive that had 
 once swarmed, and sent forth another to avoid 
 the conflict of the Queens. Very large colo- 
 nies have been known to swarm out several 
 bushels of bees under such circumstances. — 
 Variations from the common rules of making 
 Queens, more frequently occur as follows, to 
 wit : When the old Queen goes out with a 
 swarm, she leaves without providing more 
 than one class of grubs, (larva,) which are ca- 
 pable of being converted to Queens ; and as 
 the bees always make a plurality of them, 
 they will all be of an age ; and in the confu- 
 sion of swarming, all that are hatched will sal- 
 ly out, and the hive left destitute of the means 
 of repairing their loss. This accounts for see- 
 ing more than one Queen in some small 
 swarms, or there may be more than one class 
 of grubs in the hive after first swarming, and 
 the bees make some Queens from each class. 
 Then more than one Queen may be seen with 
 a swarm ; for all the Queens leave, that are 
 hatched. The swarming season usually clos- 
 
so 
 
 an easy method op 
 
 ■es in about seventeen days after its com- 
 mencement, and the bees seem to possess a 
 peculiar instinct in their nature, which teach- 
 es them that the season is too far advanced 
 at this time for them to form new colonics with 
 safety ; and they will not permit any of their 
 Queens to depart. I have observed, in repeat- 
 ed instances, very compact bunches of bees 
 on the bottom board, some larger than a hen’s 
 egg, about the hour of swarming. On exam- 
 ining them, by separating off the bees in my 
 hand, I always found the Queen in the cen- 
 ter, unhurt, yet nearly smothered. The bees 
 will commit no violence upon her person, oth- 
 er than pile on, and cluster around her in such 
 a manner as to exclude from her all the vital 
 air, and she dies of suffocation. 
 
 RULE III. 
 
 ON VENTILATING TIIE HIVE. 
 
 Graduate tire bottom board and ventilator at 
 pleasure by means of the button or otherwise, 
 so as to give them more or less air, as circum- 
 stances may require. 
 
MANAGING BEES. 
 
 31 
 
 REMARKS. 
 
 Bees require more air in order to enable 
 them to endure the heat of summer and the 
 severity of winter, than at any other time. If 
 they are kept out in the cold, they need as 
 much air in the winter, as in the heat of sum- 
 mer. It is in a mild temperature only, that it 
 is safe to keep them from the pure air. If 
 placed below frost in a dry sand-bank, they 
 seem to need scarcely more than is contained 
 in their hive at the time they are buried, dur- 
 ing the whole winter. If kept in a clean, dry 
 cellar, the mouth so constructed as to keep out 
 mice, gives them enough. But if they are kept 
 in the apiary, there should be a slow, imper- 
 ceptible current of air constantly passing in at 
 the bottom and off at the top through the ven- 
 tilator, to let the excess of animal heat escape 
 in summer, and also to throw oS’ the vapor 
 caused by the breath and other exhalations of 
 the bees, which causes frost and ice in the 
 hive in winter, and which is frequently the 
 cause of the death of the bees. 
 
32 
 
 AN EASY METHOD OF 
 
 RULE IV. 
 
 ON PREVENTING ROBBERIES. 
 
 At the moment it is observed that robbers 
 are within, or about the hive, raise the bottom 
 board so near the edge of the hive as to pre- 
 vent the ingress or egress of the bees, and stop 
 the mouth or common entrance and ventilator. 
 At the same time, take care that a small 
 space on all sides of the hive be left open, so 
 as to afford them all the air they need. Open 
 the mouth only at evening to let out the rob- 
 bers, and close early in the morning, before 
 they renew their attack. 
 
 REMARKS. 
 
 Bees have a peculiar propensity to rob each 
 other, and every precaution neccssaiy to pre- 
 vent it should be exercised by the cultivator. 
 Families in the same apiary are more likely 
 to engage in this unlawful enterprize than any 
 others, probably because they are located so 
 near each other, and are more likely to learn 
 their comparative strength. I never could 
 discover any intimacy between colonics of the 
 same apiary, except when they stood on the 
 same bench; and then, all the social inter- 
 course seems to subsist between the nearest 
 neighbors only. 
 
MANAGING BEES. 
 
 S3 
 
 Bees are not likely to engage in warfare 
 and rob each other, except in the spring and 
 fall, and at other times in the season when food 
 is not easily obtained from blossoms. 
 
 Bees do not often engage in robbery in the 
 spring, unless it is in such hives as have had 
 their combs broken by frost or otherwise, so 
 as to cause the honey to drip down upon the 
 bottom board. Much care should be exer- 
 cised by the apiarian to see that all such hives 
 arc properly ventilated, and at the same time 
 closed in such a manner as to prevent the 
 entrance of robbers in the day time, until they 
 have mended the breach, so as to stop ths 
 honey from running. 
 
 Clear water should be given them every 
 day, so long as they are kept in confinement. 
 
 I have known many good stocks to be lost 
 in the spring by being robbed; and all for 
 want of care. Bees rob each other when 
 they can find but little else to do; they will 
 rob at any time when frost has destroyed the 
 flowers, or the weather is so cold as to prevent 
 their collecting honey from them. Cold, chilly 
 
 3 
 
34 
 
 AN EASY METHOD OF 
 
 weather prevents flowers from yielding honey 
 without frost. 
 
 Bees need but little air at any time when 
 they rob; and yet moye is necessary for them 
 when confined by compulsory means, than 
 otherwise. When deprived of their liberty , 
 they soon become restless, and use their best 
 efforts to make their way out of the hive ; — 
 hence the importance of leaving a small space 
 all around the bottom, to admit air and to 
 prevent their melting down, or use a screen 
 bottom board, which is better. 
 
 RULE V. 
 
 ON EQUALIZING COLONIES. 
 
 Hive one swarm in the lower apartment of 
 the hive ; collect another swarm in a drawer, 
 and insert the same in the chamber of the 
 hive containing the fiist. Then if the swarms 
 are small, collect another small swarm in 
 another drawer, and insert the same in the 
 chamber of the hive containing the first, by 
 the side of the second. In case all the bees 
 from either of the drawers, mingle and go 
 
, MANAGING BEES. ' g5 
 
 bejow with the first swarm and leave the 
 drawer empty, then it may be removed, and 
 another small swarm added in the same man- 
 ner. 
 
 REMARKS. 
 
 It is of prime importance to every bee cul- 
 tivator, that all his colonies be made as nearly 
 
 equal in numbers and strength, as possible. - 
 
 Every experienced bee-master must be aware 
 that small swarms are of but little profit to 
 their owner. Generally, in a few days after 
 they are hived, they are gone; — no one can 
 trace their steps; some suppose they have 
 fled to the woods—others, that they were 
 robbed: but after all, no one is able to give 
 any satisfactory account of them. Some 
 pieces of comb only are left, and perhaps 
 myriads of worms and millers finish off the 
 whole. Then the moth is supposed to be 
 their destroyer, but the true history of the 
 case is generally this:— The bees become 
 discouraged, or disheartened, for want of' 
 numbers to constitute their colony, abandon 
 their tenement, and join with their nearest 
 neighbors, leaving their combs to the merci- 
 less depredations of the moth. They are 
 
AN EAST METHOD OF 
 
 SO 
 
 sometimes robbed by the adjoining hives, and 
 then the moths finish or destroy what is left. 
 
 When bees are collected in drawers for the 
 purpose of equalizing colonies, by doubling, 
 &c., they should be permitted to stand until 
 evening before they are united, it being a more 
 favorable time for them to become acquainted 
 with each other by degrees ; and the scent of 
 the bees in the lower apartment will enter 
 through the apertures during the night so much 
 that there is a greater degree of sameness in 
 tire peculiar smell of die two colonies, which 
 takes off their animosity, if they chance to 
 have any. 
 
 Second swarms are generally about half as 
 large as the first, and third swarms half as 
 large as second ones. 
 
 Now if second swarms are doubled, so as to 
 make them equal in number with the first, the 
 owner avails himself of the advantage of a 
 strong colony, which will not be likely to be- 
 come disheartened for want of numbers, nor- 
 overcome by robbers from stronger colonies. 
 
 It is far less trouble, and less expense, for 
 the bee-owner to equalize his colonies, than tp 
 
MANAGING BEES. 37. 
 
 prepare hives and drawers of different sizes 
 to fit colonies. 
 
 When colonies and hives are made as near 
 alike as possible, many evils are avoided, and 
 many advantages realized : every hive will fit 
 a place in the apiary — every drawer a hive, 
 and every bottom board and slide may in any 
 case be used without mistakes. 
 
 Swarms may be doubled at any time before 
 they become so located as to resume their 
 former hostility, which will not be discovered 
 before they form a rational character and ac- 
 quire rights of property. Bees are provided*- 
 with a reservoir, or sack, to carry their pro- 
 vision in; and when they swarm, they go 
 loaded with provision suited to their emer- 
 gency, which takes off all their hostility 
 towards each other; and until these sacks 
 are emptied, they are not easily vexed, and 
 as they are compelled to build combs before 
 they can empty them, their contents are re- 
 tained several days. I have doubled, at a 
 fortnight’s interval in swarming, with entire 
 success. The operation should be perform- 
 ed within two or three days — at the fiirtbesl 
 
AN EASY METHOD OP 
 
 3S 
 
 four days. The sooner it is done, the less 
 hazardous is the experiment. 
 
 As a general rule, second swarms only 
 should be doubled. Third and fourth swarms 
 should always have their Queens taken from 
 them, and the bees returned to the parent 
 stock, according to Rule 10. 
 
 RULE VI. 
 
 ON REMOVING IIONEY. 
 
 Insert a slide under the drawer, so far as 
 to cut off all communication between the 
 lower apartment and the drawer. Insert an- 
 other slide between the first slide and the 
 drawer. Now draw out the box containing 
 the honey, with the slide that is next to it. — 
 Set the drawer on its window end, a little 
 distance from the apiary, and remove the 
 slide. Now supply the place of the drawer, 
 thus removed, with an empty one, and draw 
 the first inserted slide. 
 
 REM A RKS. 
 
 Care must be exercised in performing this 
 operation. The apertures through the floor 
 in the chamber must be kept closed by the 
 
MANAGING BEES. 
 
 39 
 
 slides during tlie process, so as to keep the 
 bees from rushing up into the chamber when, 
 the box is drawn out. The operator must 
 likewise see that the entrances into the draw- 
 er are kept covered with the slide, in such a 
 manner as to prevent the escape of any of the 
 bees, unless he is willing to be stung by them. 
 If the bees are permitted to enter the chamber 
 in very warm weather, they will be likely to 
 hold the occupancy of it, and build comb there, 
 which will change the hive into one no better 
 than an old fashioned box. 
 
 I have succeeded best in expelling the 
 bees from the drawer, by the fol- 
 lowing method, to wit : — Shut the window- 
 blinds so as to darken one of the rooms in 
 the dwelling-house — raise up one casement 
 of a window — then carry the drawer and 
 place the same on a table, or stand, by the 
 window, on its light, or glass end, with the 
 apertures towards the light. Now remove 
 the slide, and step immediately back into the 
 dark part of the room. The bees will soon 
 learn their true condition, and will gradually 
 leave the drawer, and return home to the 
 
40 
 
 AN EASY METHOD OF 
 
 parent stock; thus leaving the drawer and 
 its contents for their owner; not however 
 until they have sucked every drop of running 
 phoney, if there should chance to be any, which 
 ’'isoften the case, if their work is finished. 
 
 There are two cases in which the bees 
 manifest some reluctance in leaving the draw- 
 er. The first is, when the combs are in an 
 unfinished state — some of the cells not sealed 
 over. The bees manifest a great desire to 
 remain there, probably to make their stores 
 more secure from robbers, by affixing caps 
 to the uncovered cells, to prevent the effluvia 
 of running honey, which is always the greasi- 
 est temptation to robbers. 
 
 Bees manifest the greatest reluctance in 
 leaving the drawer, when young broods are 
 removed in it, which does not often occur, 
 except in sucli drawers as have been used 
 for feeding in the winter or early in the spring. 
 When the Queen has deposited eggs in all 
 the empty cells below, she sometimes enters 
 the drawers ; and if empty cells are found, 
 she deposits eggs there also. In either case, 
 it is better to return the drawer, which, will 
 
MANAGING BEES. 
 
 41 
 
 be made perfect by them in a, few days. 
 
 Bees never make honey, but extract it from 
 such flowers and other substances as yield 
 it without producing any change from its 
 original state. Good honey is taken princi- 
 pally from white clover, orchards, sugar- 
 maple, bass, and other forest trees, while in 
 blossom. Poor honey is extracted from buck- 
 wheat, and low land flowers, hence, those 
 who would save their good honey unadulter- 
 ated by that which is poor, will remove it 
 before the latter can be extracted. 
 
 Special care is necessary in storing draw- 
 ers ol honey, when removed from the care 
 and protection of the bees, in order to pre- 
 serve the honey from insects, which arc great 
 lovers of it, particularly the ant. A chest, 
 made perfectly tight, is a good store-house. 
 
 If the honey in the drawers is to be pre- 
 served for winter use, it should be kept in a 
 room so warm as not to freeze. Frost cracks 
 the combs, and the 'honey will drip as soon 
 as warm weather commences. Drawers 
 should be packed with their apertures up, for 
 keeping or carrying to market. All apiarians 
 
42 
 
 AN EASY METHOD OF 
 
 who would make the most profit from their 
 bees, should remove the honey as soon as the 
 drawers are filled, and supply their places 
 with empty ones. The bees will commence 
 their labors in an empty box that has been 
 filled, sooner than any others. Drawers in 
 old stocks, should be turned so as to let the 
 bees into them as early in the spring as blos- 
 soms are seen. 
 
 RULE VII. 
 
 THE METHOD OF COMPEI.UNCi SWARMS TO MAKE 
 AND KEEP EXTRA QUEENS FOR THEIR 
 APIARIAN, OR OWNER. 
 
 Take a drawer containing bees and brood 
 comb, and place the same in the chamber oi 
 an empty hive, .take care to stop the entrance 
 of the hive, and give them clean water, daily, 
 three or four days. Then unstop the mouth ot 
 the hive and give them liberty. The operator 
 must observe Rule G in using the slides, in 
 removing the box from the original hive. 
 
 REMARKS. 
 
 The prosperity of every colony depends 
 entirely on the condition of the Queen, when 
 the season is favorable to them. 
 
MANAGING BEES. 
 
 43 
 
 Every bee-master should understand then- 
 nature in this respect, so as to enable him to 
 be in readiness to supply them with another 
 Queen when they chance to become destitute. 
 
 The discovery of the fact, that bees have 
 power to change the nature of the grub (lar- 
 va) of a worker to that of a Queen, is attrib- 
 uted to Bonner. But neither Bonner nor the 
 indefatigable Huber, nor any other writer, to 
 my knowledge, hals gone so far in the illustra- 
 tion of this discovery as to render it practica- 
 ble and easy for common people to avail 
 themselves of its benefits. 
 
 The Vermont hive is the only one, to my 
 knowledge, in which bees can be compelled 
 to make and keep extra Queens for the use of 
 their owner, without extreme difficulty, as 
 well as danger, by stings, in attempting the 
 experiment. 
 
 The idea of raising her royal highness, and 
 elevating and establishing her upon the throne 
 of a colony, may, by some, be deemed alto- 
 gether visionary and # futile ; but I will assure 
 the reader, that it is easier done than can be 
 described. I have both raised them, and 
 
44 
 
 AN EAST METHOD OF 
 
 supplied destitute swarms repeatedly. — 
 
 When the drawer containing bees and brood 
 comb is removed, the bees soon find them- 
 selves destitute of a female, and immediately 
 set themselves to work in constructing one or 
 more royal cells. When completed, which 
 is commonly within forty-eight hours, they 
 remove a grub (larva) from the worker’s cell, 
 place the same in the new-made Queen’s cell, 
 feed it on that kind of food which is designed 
 only for Queens, and in from eight to sixteen 
 days they have a perfect Queen. 
 
 As soon as the bees have safely deposited 
 the grub in the new-made royal cell, the bees 
 may have their liberty. Their attachment to 
 their young brood, and their fidelity to their 
 Queen, in any stage of its minority, is such, 
 that they will never leave nor forsake them, 
 and will continue all their ordinary labors, 
 with as much regularity as if they had a 
 perfect Queen. 
 
 In making Queens in small boxes or draw- 
 ers, the owner will not be troubled by their 
 swarming the same season they are made. — 
 There are so few bees in the drawer, they are 
 
MANAGING BETiS. 
 
 45 
 
 unable to guard the nymph Queens, if there 
 are any, from being destroyed by the oldest, 
 or the one which escapes from her cell first. 
 
 In examining the drawer, in which I raised 
 an extra Queen, I found not only the Queen, 
 but two royal cells, one of which was in per- 
 fect shape ; the other was mutilated, probably 
 b,y the queen which came out first. Now 
 when there are few bees to guard the nymphs, 
 it would not be very difficult for the oldest 
 Queen to gain access to the cells, and destroy 
 all the minor queens in the drawer. 
 
 When a drawer is removed to an empty 
 hive, for the purpose of obtaining an extra 
 Queen, it should be placed some distance 
 from the apiary, the better to prevent its be- 
 ing robbed by other swarms. When it is some * 
 distance from other colonies, they are not so 
 likely to learn its comparative strength. — 
 There is but little danger however, of its being 
 robbed, until after the bees are out of dancer 
 of losing their Queen, which generally occurs 
 in the swarming season. 
 
 The Queen is sometimes lost, when she 
 goes forth with a swarm, in consequence of 
 
46 
 
 AN 1ASY METHOD OF 
 
 being heavily laden with eggs, and too feeble 
 to fly with her young colony; in which case 
 the bees return to their parent stock in a few 
 minutes. In fact all occurrences of this kind 
 originate in the inability of the Queen. If 
 she returns to the old stock, the swarm usu- 
 ally comes out again the next day, if the 
 weather is favorable. If the Queen is too 
 feeble to return, and the apiarian neglects to 
 look her up, and restore her to her colony 
 again, (which he ought to do,) the bees will 
 not swarm again until they have made an- 
 other, or are supplied, whi'ch may be done 
 immediately by giving them any spare Queen. 
 
 The Queen is sometimes lost, in conse- 
 quence of the young brood being too far ad- 
 vanced at the time of the departure of the 
 old Queen with her swarm. She may be- 
 come barren or diseased, and die of old age, 
 and all the grubs (larva) may have advanced 
 so far towards the perfect fly at the time of 
 her death, that their nature could not be 
 changed to a Queen before the bees had be- 
 come apprised of her true condition, or she 
 may be lost at second swarming, as explained 
 
MANAGING BEES. 
 
 47 
 
 in remarks on Rule 2d, or she may be lost 
 by accident when she goes out of the hive 
 into the air for exercise, or for the purpose of 
 forming the sexual union with the drone; 
 because, on returning to the hive, she has 
 been known to enter her neighbor’s hive by 
 mistake, and lose her life before she could 
 make her escape. 
 
 Note. — I think all close observers of bees 
 will accord with this doctrine, when they 
 reflect upon the fact that the Queen frequently 
 sallies forth for exercise or for other pur- 
 poses, of which we see repeated indications 
 during the breeding season, to wit : the bees 
 assume the appearance of the commence- 
 ment of swarming : they fly very thick before 
 the hive, and run in every direction on its 
 outside. In short, it would seem that hostil- 
 ities had commenced in great earnest betwixt 
 that and some unknown hive, or that they 
 were in a real sport. Now the bees miss 
 their sovereign when these peculiar feats arc 
 seen, and on her return, all is quiet. 
 
AN EASY METHOD OF 
 
 RULE VIII. 
 
 ON SUPPLYING SWARMS DESTITUTE OF A 
 QUEEN, WITH ANOTHER. 
 
 Take the drawer from the hive, which wa3 
 
 S laced there according to Rule 7, and insert 
 le same into the chamber of the hive to be 
 supplied ; observing Rule 6 in the use of tho 
 slides; — or remove a box containing blood 
 comb as above described, and the bees will 
 make one for themselves ; — or take a Queen 
 from any small swarm, and introduce her a* 
 the mouth of the hive. 
 
 REMARKS. 
 
 Colonies destitute of a Queen may be sup- 
 plied with another the moment it is found 
 they have none; which is known only by 
 their actions. 
 
 Bees, when deprived of their female sove- 
 reign, cease their labors ; no polen or bee- 
 bread is seen on their legs ; no ambition seems 
 to actuate their movements; no dead bees 
 arc drawn out; no deformed bees, in the 
 various stagesof their minority, arc extracted, 
 and dragged out of their cells, and dropped 
 down about the hive, as is usual among all 
 healthy and prosperous colonies. 
 
managing bees. 
 
 49 
 
 Colonies that have lost their Queen, when 
 standing on the bench by the side of other 
 swarms, will run or fly into the adjoining hive 
 without the least resistance. They will com-\ 
 mence their emigration by running in confused 
 platoons of hundreds, from their habitation to 
 the next adjoining hive. They immediately 
 wheel about and run home again, and thus 
 continue, sometimes for several days, in the 
 greatest confusion, constantly replenishing 
 their neighbor’s hive, by enlarging their colony, 
 and at the same time reducing their own, until 
 there is not a single occupant left; and re- 
 markable uS'it is, they leave every particle of 
 their stores for their owner or the depreda- 
 tions of the moth. 
 
 Colonies lose their Queens more frequently 
 during the swarming season than any other. 
 
 In the summer of 1830, I lost three good 
 stocks of bees in consequence of their losing 
 their Queens, one of which was lost soon 
 after the first swarming — the two others not 
 many days alter the second swarming — all of 
 which manifested similar actions, and ended 
 in the same results, which are more particu- 
 
50 AN EASY METHOD OF 
 
 larly explained in remarks on Rules 2 and 7. 
 
 - The Queen, when lost in swarming, is 
 easily found, unless the wind is so strong as 
 to have blown her a considerable distance. 
 
 A few bees arc always found with her, which 
 probably serve as her aids, and greatly assist 
 the apiarian in spying her out. She is fre- 
 quently found near the ground, on a spire of 
 grass, the fence, or any place most convenient 
 lor her to alight, when her strength foils her. 
 
 1 once had quite a search for her majesty, 
 without much apparent t success. At the 
 same time there were flying about me a dozen 
 or more common workers. At last her royal 
 highness was discovered, concealed from my 
 observation in a fold of my shirt-sleeve. I 
 then returned her to her colony, whicli had 
 already found their way home to their parent 
 stock. 
 
 The Queen may be taken in the hand with- 
 out danger, for she never stings by design; 
 her timidity disarms her of every species 
 of hostility ; she may be drawn in quarters, 
 and she will not sting. In trying many exper- 
 iments 1 never could discover in her, the least 
 
MANAGING BEES. 
 
 61 
 
 hostile feeling, except when conflicting with 
 one ol her own species: her only exertion 
 seems to be, to make her escape; and vet 
 she has a sting much longer than a worker. 
 
 The Queen is known by her peculiar shape, 
 size, and movements. She differs but little 
 in color from a worker, and has the same 
 number of legs and wings. She is much 
 larger and longer than any of the bees. Her 
 abdomen is very large and perfectly round, 
 and is shaped more like the sugar-loaf, which 
 makfes her known to the observer the moment 
 she is seen. Her wings and proboscis are 
 short. Her movements are stately and ma- 
 jestic ; at the same time shy, and rather in- 
 clined to conceal herself from human observ- 
 ation; with seeming jealousy of being caught. 
 
 1 have known her to remain in the air on the 
 wing several minutes after her whole colony 
 were alighted when 1 stood near the swarm. 
 She is much less in size after the season for 
 breeding is over. She is easily selected from 
 among a swarm, at any season of the year, 
 by any one who has often seen her. Cut off 
 the limb and shake the bees on a table to 
 find the Queen. 4 * * 
 
52 
 
 AN EASY METHOD OF 
 
 RULE IX. 
 
 DN Min TIPLYING COLONIES TQ ANY DESIRABLE 
 : EXTENT, WITHOUT THEIR SWARMING. 
 
 The large drawer, No. 1, should always 
 he used tor this purpose. Insert slides, as in 
 Rule 6, and remove the drawer containing 
 bees and brood-comb, place the same in the 
 chamber of an empty hive, stop the entranc- 
 es of both the new and old hives, taking care 
 to give them air, as in Rule 4. Live clean 
 water daily, three or four days. Now let the 
 bees, in both hives, have their liberty. 
 
 REMARKS. 
 
 This operation is both practicable and easy, 
 and is of prime importance to all cultivators, 
 who wish to avoid the necessity ol hiving 
 them when they swarm ; and yet it will not 
 prevent swarming,. except in that part ol the 
 divided colony which contains the Queen at 
 the time of their separation. The other part 
 being compelled to make another Queen, (and 
 they generally make twooi more) may swarm 
 to avoid their conflict, as explained in remarks 
 on Rule 2. The hive containing the old 
 Queen may swarm for want ol room ; but, at 
 any rate, in performing the operation, it has 
 
MANAGING BEES. 
 
 53 
 
 saved the trouble of hiving one swarm, and 
 prevented all danger of their flight to the 
 woods. 
 
 Multiplying colonies by this rule is a per- 
 fectly safe method of managing bees. 
 
 RULE X. 
 
 ON PREVENTING THE DEPREDATIONS OF 
 THE MOTH. 
 
 All such stocks as are infested with the 
 moth, will manifest it as soon as warm 
 weather commences in the spring, by drop- 
 ping some, of the worms upon the bottom 
 board. Let the apiarian clean off the bot- 
 tom board every other morning; at the same 
 time strew on a spoon full or two of fresh, 
 pulverized salt. 
 
 Immediately after a second swarm has 
 come forth from a hive, the same season, the 
 old stock should be examined ; and if swarm- 
 ing has reduced their numbers so low as to 
 leave unoccupied combs, the apiarian should 
 take the QuccnS from the swarm, and let them 
 return to the old stock. 
 
 Third and fourth swarms should always 
 have their Queens taken from them and the 
 bees returned to the parent stock. 
 
54 
 
 AN EASY METHOD OF 
 
 REMARKS. 
 
 “This insect (the moth) is a native of Eu- 
 rope; but has found its way into this country, 
 and naturalized itself here.” — Thatcher. 
 
 This unwelcome visitor lias interested the 
 attention and called forth all the energies of 
 the most experienced apiarians of our coun- 
 try, and of many of the greatest naturalists 
 in the world. Their movements have been 
 observed and scrutinized by the most learned 
 — their nature has been studied; various ex- 
 periments have been tried to prevent their 
 depredations ; but after all, the monster in 
 gaudy hue marches onward, committing the 
 greatest havoc and devastation, with but little 
 molestation. 1 have lost my whole stock at 
 least four times since 1808, as I supposed by 
 the moth. I tried all the experiments recom- 
 mended in this and other countries, that carne 
 to my knowledge; but after all, I could not 
 prevent their ravages. 
 
 In 1S30, I constructed a hive (which was 
 patented in 1836) which I supposed would 
 afford all the facilities for managing bees in 
 every manner that their nature would admit 
 
MANAGING BEES. 
 
 55 
 
 of, and at the same time render their cultiva- 
 tion most profitable to their owner. By con- 
 structing windows of glass, on every side of 
 the hive, nearly the size of its sides, and 
 darkening them by closing doors on the out- 
 side of the windows, which may be opened 
 at pleasure, I have been able to discover 
 many important facts, both in relation to the 
 nature and economy of the bee, and its ene- 
 my the moth ; but, probably, much yet re- 
 mains to be learned concerning both. 
 
 The moth, when first discovered by the 
 common observer, is a white worm or maggot, 
 with a redish crusted head, and varies in size 
 according to its living. Those which have 
 full and unmolested access to the contents of 
 a hive, will frequently grow as large as a 
 tuikey-quill, and an inch and a half in length. 
 Others are scarcely an inch in length when 
 full grown. ' They have sixteen short legs, 
 and taper each way from the centre of their 
 bodies. 
 
 The worms, like the silk-worm, wind them- 
 selves into a cocoon, and pass the dormant 
 (chrysalis) state of their existence, and in a 
 
6G 
 
 AN EASY METHOD OF 
 
 few days come out of tlieir silken cases per- 
 fect winged insects or millers, and arc soon 
 ready to deposit tlieir eggs, from which an- 
 other crop will be raised. 
 
 The miller, or perfect moth, is of a gray- 
 ish color, from three-fourths of an inch to an 
 inch in length. They usually lie perfectly 
 still in the day time, with their head down- 
 wards, lurking in and about the apiary. They 
 enter the hive in the night, and deposit their 
 eggs in such places as arc uncovered — of 
 course unguarded by the bees. These eggs 
 hatch in a short time, varying according to 
 circumstances, probably fiom two or three 
 days to four or live months. At an early 
 stage of their existence, while yet a small 
 worm, they spin a web, and construct a silk- 
 en shroud, or fortress, in which they envelope 
 themselves, and form a sort of path, or gal- 
 lery, as they pass onward in their march; at 
 thej same time being perfectly secure from the 
 bees, in their silken case j which they widen | 
 as they grow larger, with an opening in their 
 front only, near their head, they commit the 
 greatest havoc and devastation on the eggs, 
 
MANAGING BEES. 
 
 57 
 
 voung bees, and all that come in their way 
 as they pass. 
 
 When the moth has arrived to his full state 
 of maturity, he makes preparation to change 
 to a miller, by winding into a cocoon, as has 
 been already explained. The miller is sur- 
 prisingly quick in all its movements, exceed- 
 ing by far the agility of the quickest bee, 
 either in flight or on its legs. Hence the 
 enemy becomes so formidable that the bees 1 
 are easily overcome, and soon fall a sure 
 prey to him. 
 
 Now, in order to remedy the evils of the 
 moths, and prevent their ravages, and at the 
 same, time aid the bees in their prospeiity, 
 and make them profitable to their owner, I 
 found it necessary to use a hive differing ma- 
 terially from the old box, and commenced 
 operations in the one already referred to, 
 (called the Vermont Hive,) in a course of 
 experiments which have produced results 
 perfectly satisfactory. From 9 seasons ex- 
 perience in its use, I have-not the least doubt 
 that bees may be managed to the best advan- 
 tage, and without ever being materially in- 
 jured by the moths. 
 
58 AN EASY METHOD OF 
 
 A bee-hive should be made in a perfectly 
 workmanlike manner, so as to have no open 
 joints ; the boards should be free from shakes 
 and cracks, because the bees will make their 
 tenement perfectly tight, so as to exclude 
 light and air, by plastering up all such places 
 as are left open by the workman, with a kind 
 of mortar, or glue, of their own make, which 
 is neither liouey nor wax, but is very congen- 
 ial to the growth of worms in the' first stages 
 of their larva state, and being, secured from 
 the bees by the timber, in a short time they 
 are able to defend themselves by a silken 
 shroud. 
 
 Now the miller enters the hive and makes 
 an incision into the bee-glue, or cement, with 
 her sting, and leaves her eggs. These eggs 
 hatch there, and the brood subsist on the 
 glue until they have anived so far towards 
 maturity as to enable them to encase them- 
 selves in a silken shroud; and then they 
 move onward. 
 
 Now, unless the bees chance to catch him 
 by the collar, or nape of his neck, while feed- 
 ing, and drag him out of his place of conceal- 
 
MANAGING BEES. 
 
 69 
 
 ment, they will be compelled to cut away the 
 combs all around his silken path, or gallery 
 and drag out the worm and his fortress all 
 together. At the same time, the bees are 
 compelled to cut away the combs so far as to 
 destroy many of their young broods in making 
 room to remove the annoyance. I have 
 known them to cut away their combs from 
 four to eight or ten inches to remove this 
 silken shroud, and have known them to cut 
 and drag out their only remaining Queen 
 before she was transformed to the perfect lly, 
 which occasioned the entire loss of the whole 
 colony. 
 
 , Repeated experiments have demonstrated 
 the fact, that placing bees on the ground, or 
 high in the air, is no security against the 
 moths. I have lost some of my best stocks 
 by placing them on the ground, when those 
 on the bench were not injured by them. I 
 have made a groove in the bottom board, 
 much wider than the thickness of the boards 
 to the hive, and filled the same with loam. I 
 then placed the hive on the same, in such a 
 manner as to prevent any crack or vacancy 
 
GO 
 
 AN EASY METHOD OF 
 
 for the worms; and yet in raising the hive 
 four weeks afterwards, I found them appa- 
 rently full grown all around the hive in the 
 dirt. I have found them very plentiful in a 
 tree ninety feet from the ground. 
 
 The best method, in common practice, to 
 prevent the depredations of the moth, is, to 
 suspend the bottom bogrd so far below the 
 lower edge of the hive as to give the bees 
 free entrance and egress all around the same 
 during the moth season, or to raise the com- 
 mon hive, by placing under it little blocks at 
 each corner, w.hieh produces good effect. But 
 I know of but one rule, which is an infallible 
 one, to prevent their depredations, and that 
 is this: keep the combs well guarded by bees. 
 See Rule 10, and remarks on 12. 
 
 Large hives that never swarm, are never 
 destroyed by the moth, unless they lose their 
 Queen, melt down, or meet with some cas- 
 ualty, out of the ordinary course of managing 
 them. They are not often in the least annoy- 
 ed by them, unless there are bad joints, cracks, 
 or shakes, so as to afford some lurking places 
 for the worms. The reason for their prosper- 
 
MANAGING BEES. 
 
 61 
 
 ous condition is obvious. The stock of bees 
 arc so numerous that their combs arc all kept 
 well guarded during the moth season, so that 
 no miller can enter and deposit her eggs. 
 
 Hives made so small as to swarm, are liablo 
 to reduce their colonies so small as to leave 
 combs unguarded, especially when they 
 swarm three or four times the same season. 
 All swarms, after the first, sally forth to avoid 
 the battle of the Queens; constantly making 
 a greater draft, in proportion to the number 
 left, until the combs arc partly exposed, which 
 gives the miller free access to their edges. 
 The seeds of rapine and plunder arc thus 
 quickly sown, and soon vegetate, and fortify 
 themselves by their silken fortress, before tne 
 bees are aware that their frontiers arc invaded. 
 While the moths are thus engaged in estab- 
 lishing their posts on the frontiers of the bees, 
 the latter are constantly and indefatigably 
 engaged in providing themselves with another 
 Queen, to supply the place of the old one, 
 which has departed with a swarm, and raising 
 young bees to replenish their reduced colony. 
 Now as the moths have got possession of the 
 
62 
 
 ATI EA3Y,METIi0D OF 
 
 ground on their frontiers, it requires a tre- 
 mendous effort on the part of the bees to save 
 their little colony from a complete overthrow. 
 
 If late, or second and th i i'd swarms are 
 always returned immediately, according to 
 the rule, the combs are kept so guarded that 
 the moths are compelled to keep their distance, 
 or be stung to death before they can accom- 
 plish their purposes. 
 
 Hives made so large as not to swarm may 
 lose their Queen, and then they will abandon 
 their habitation and emigrate into the adjoin- 
 ing hive, leaving all their stores to their owner, 
 which, unless immediately taken care of, the 
 moths will not fail to destroy. 
 
 The moths are often complained of when 
 they are not guilty. Hives are frequently 
 abandoned by their occupants, inconsequence 
 of the loss of their Queen, unnoticed by any 
 observer, and before anything is known of 
 their fate, the hive is destitute of bees, and 
 filled with moths. 
 
 In the summer of 1834, one of my neigh- 
 bors had a very large hive that never swarm- 
 ed, which lost their queen ; and in the course 
 
MANAGING BEES. 
 
 G3 
 
 of a few days the bees entirely vacated their 
 tenement, and emigrated into an adjoining 
 hive, leaving the whole of their stores, which 
 amounted to 215 lbs. of honey in the comb. 
 No young bees or moths were discovered in 
 the hive. Instances of this kind frequently 
 occur, and the true cause is unknown, from 
 inattention. 
 
 The Queen is much more tenacious of life 
 than any other bee, and may live much long- 
 er. It is believed that the common bees do 
 not often live to exceed 18 months. The 
 Queen is supposed to live several years. By 
 clipping one wing of a Queen accompanying 
 a second swarm, she has been known to come 
 out with the first swarms for several success- 
 ive years. But one Queen exists in the 
 same hive any great length of time. When 
 there are more than one, the peculiar sound 
 of each, as explained in remarks on Rule 2, 
 is heard by the other, which usually results 
 in a battle between them, or the issue of a 
 swarm in the course of a day or two, unless 
 the swarming season is nearly at a close, 
 then, the common bees sometimes smother 
 
64 
 
 AN EASY METHOD OF 
 
 them as explained in remarks on Ilule 2. 
 
 Bees, when placed in a dark room in the 
 upper part of the liousfe, or some out-house, 
 are easily kept (not cultivated) a while, and 
 may be of some benefit to their owner; but 
 as they are liable to most of the casualties 
 that swarming hives are, they cannot be as 
 profitable. It takes several years before 
 much comfort, other than the amusement of 
 seeing them work, can be realized ; besides, 
 if they chance to escape the moth, the combs 
 arc rendered exceeding dark colored and 
 filthy where the bees locate in the winter; 
 and a disagreeable smell, which is caused by 
 their winter breath and other exhaltations, is 
 the result. In a few years the bees acquire 
 habits of indolence, and as a natural conse- 
 quence, soon manifest it by their irritability, 
 unlike those colonies which are industrious 
 and in a healthy and prosperous condition. 
 
 Large colonics never increase their stock 
 in proportion to the swarming colonies. There 
 is but one femaliS in a large colony, and they 
 can do but little more in raising young bees 
 than to keep their stock good by replenishing 
 
MANAGING BEES. 
 
 65 
 
 them as fast as they die off or are destroyed 
 by the birds, repairs and insects, which are 
 great admirers of them, and sometimes swal- 
 low them by dozens. Now if it requires five 
 swarming colonies to be equal in number to 
 the one first described, it is not difficult to 
 imagine that five times as many bees may 
 be raised by the swarming colonies: lor one 
 Queen will probably lay as many eggs as 
 another. 
 
 The swarming hives are no more liable 
 to be destroyed by the moth, during the 
 swarming season, than others, if the hives 
 are kept) well replenished with bees accord- 
 ing to Rule 10. 
 
 RULE XI. 
 
 ON FEEDING BEES. 
 
 If it is found that a swarm need feeding, 
 hitch on the feeder, well stored with good 
 honey, while the weather is warm in October; 
 01 place comb filled with strained honey in 
 the chamber ot the hive, or on the bottom 
 board, or botli at the same time, without 
 5 
 
66 
 
 AN EASY METHOD OF 
 
 dripping, — and the bees will store the honey 
 in the lower apartment of the hive, if done 
 while the weather is warm. 
 
 The apiarian should use the same precau- 
 tion in feeding, as directed in Rule 4, to 
 prcv.ent robberies. 
 
 REMARKS. 
 
 The best time to feed is in the fall, before 
 cold weather commences. All hives should 
 be weighed, and the weight marked on the 
 hive before bees are hived in them. Then, 
 by weighing a stock as soon as frost has 
 killed the blossoms in the fall, the apiarian 
 will be able to form a just estimate of their 
 necessities. \Vhen bees are fed in the fall, 
 they will carry up and deposit their food in 
 such a manner as will be convenient for them 
 in the winter. 
 
 If feeding is neglected until cold weather, 
 the bees must be removed to a warm room, 
 or dry cellar, and then they will carry up their 
 food, generally, no faster than they consume it. 
 
 A feeder should be made like a box with 
 five sides closed, leaving a part of the sixth 
 side open, to admit the bees from their com- 
 mon entrance with its Iloor level, when hitch- 
 
MANAGING BEES. 
 
 67 
 
 ed on the front of the hive. It should be of 
 sufficient depth to lav in broad comb, filled 
 with honey. If strained honey without combs 
 is used for feeding, a float, perforated with 
 many holes, should be laid over the whole of 
 the honey in the box, or feeder, so as to pre- 
 vent any of the bees from drowning; and at 
 the same time, this float should be so thin as 
 to enable them to reach the honey. It should 
 be made so small that it will settle down as 
 fast as the honey is removed by the bees. — 
 There should be a tube inserted vertically 
 through the float and made fast to it, extend- 
 ing upward through the top of the box in 
 such a manner as to receive the honey from 
 a tunnel and convey the same tlircctly under 
 the float. A light of glass should be placed 
 in the back side, and a door to close and 
 darken it at pleasure. 
 
 Great profits may be made in large apiaries 
 by feeding cheap honey in the fall. The 
 bees, being compelled to carry up and de- 
 posit the cheap honey in the lower apartment 
 of the hive, (and they will live on that as 
 well as any other,) their owner can compel 
 
 5 * 
 
68 
 
 AN EASY METHOD OF 
 
 them to carry as much pure white clover 
 honey into the drawers the following season, 
 there being no room to store it below. — 
 Swarms will feed out and deposit ten pounds 
 of honey a day and night, each hive. Small 
 drawers cannot be depended on as feeders, 
 except in the spring and summer, unless they 
 are kept so warm that the vapor of the bees 
 will not freeze in them. It would be extreme- 
 ly hazardous for the bees to enter a frosty 
 drawer. They will sooner starve than at- 
 tempt the experiment. Drawers may be 
 used without danger from robbers, but when 
 the feeder is used, robbers must be guarded 
 against as directed in Rule 4. 
 
 Bees should not be fed in the spring unless 
 they arc nearly destitute of honey, because 
 they fill up the brood comb too much with 
 honey : when fully fed in the lull, the bees 
 store up the honey in such a manner as will 
 be convenient for them in the winter, and 
 notwithstanding the cells for raising young 
 bees arc filled up with honey at that time, 
 the bees consume the honey and empty the 
 breeding cells in the course of the winter, so 
 
MANAGING BEES. 
 
 69 
 
 that the Queen is not interrupted in deposit- 
 ing her eggs to raise young bees in the spring 
 following. 
 
 A good swarm of bees in the Vermont 
 Hive should weigh at least 25 pounds the 1st 
 of December, in addition to the weight of 
 the hive. • 
 
 Care should be exercised, in fall-feeding, 
 to supply them with good honey, otherwise 
 the colony may be lost before spring by dis- 
 ease. Poor honey may be given them in the 
 • spring, at the time when they can obtain and 
 provide themselves with medicine, which 
 they only best understand. 
 
 Sugar dissolved, or molasses, may be used 
 in the spring to some advantage; but ought 
 not to be substituted for honey, when it can 
 be obtained. 
 
 RULE XII. 
 
 ON WINTERING BEES. 
 
 Turn over the drawers so as to prevent the 
 entrance of the bees, or their breath, in Sep- 
 tember or fore part of October. When cold 
 
70 
 
 AN EASY METHOD OF 
 
 weather commences, suspend the bottom 
 board half an inch, and open the ventilator. 
 
 REMARKS. 
 
 The watery substance which is caused by 
 the breath and other exhalations of the bees, 
 and collects in the drawers in cold weather, 
 should be kept out of them ; because frost 
 forms in them, and runs down through the 
 apertures on to the bees as often as it melts, 
 and makes the bees damp and the combs 
 mould; besides, this vapor penetrates and 
 tills the timber (drawers and chamber) and 
 causes a disagreeable smell the following 
 season, and is the cause of introducing the 
 little ants into the chamber. 
 
 There arc three principal causes of death 
 among bees in the winter, to wit: want of 
 honey, (not bread, for they never eat it except 
 when in the larva state) want of air, and freez- 
 ing. 
 
 Bees sometimes die of starvation, with 
 plenty of honey in the hive at the same time. 
 In cold weather they crowd together in a 
 small compass in order to keep warm ; and 
 then, their breath, and vapor collect in frost 
 
MANAGING BEES. 
 
 71 
 
 in all parts of the hive, except in the region 
 they occupy. Now, unless the weather mod- 
 erates, so as to thaw the ice, the bees will be 
 compelled to remain where they are located 
 until their stores are all consumed that are 
 within their reach. One winter we had cold 
 weather ninety-four days in succession, dur- 
 ing which time the bees could not move from 
 one part of the hive to another. I examined 
 all my hives on the eighty-third day, and on 
 the ninetieth day I found four swarms dead. 
 I immediately examined for the cause, which 
 was as already stated. I then carried all rny 
 hives into a warm room and thawed them, so 
 that the bees could move. 
 
 Too much swarming frequently occasions 
 the loss of the old stock the winter following, 
 because their companions are so reduced in 
 numbers that the necessary animal heat can 
 not be kept up in the hive to prevent them 
 from perishing by cold. All such stocks 
 should be stored in a dry cellar or some warm 
 room, where they can be kept comfortable 
 during cold weather. It is believed that bees 
 may be kept through the winter without los- 
 
72 AN EASY METHOD OF 
 
 ing them, if the apiarian is attentive to their 
 wants. If destitute of honey, he will feed 
 them. — If suffering for want of air, (which 
 is the most frequent cause of death,) he will 
 ventilate^ them.— If freezing, he will thaw 
 them out. In short, if they are apparently 
 dead, he will resuscitate and bring them to 
 life and activity, which may be done in all 
 cases (except when smothered) if attended 
 to in season. In February 183S, I had a 
 swarm that were starved by design. I re- 
 suscitated them three times without feeding 
 in three successive days before life was ex- 
 tinct. The life of bees many times is in a 
 state of suspension considerable time before 
 their death, and may be resuscitated by hu- 
 man aid, when otherwise life would become 
 extinct. I have resuscitated them repeated- 
 ly under various circumstances for myself 
 and neighbors. Some of the best stocks I 
 now own were once apparently dead. A 
 screen bottom board should be used so as to 
 let up the warm air into the hive, and at the 
 same time enable the apiarian to control and, 
 keep the bees in the hive during the process - 
 
MANAGING BEES. 
 
 73 
 
 of resuscitation. The feeder should be used 
 in every case, to give the bees exercise, and 
 restore activity. 
 
 A cellar made in the side of a dry hill, so 
 covered as to keep out water, is a good stor- 
 age for wintering bees. There should be two 
 ventilators at the two most extreme parts of 
 the cellar — one near the bottom and on its 
 side, to admit pure air — the Giber through the 
 top or covering, to let the bad air escape. 
 
 RULE XIII. 
 
 ON TRANSFERRING SWARMS. 
 
 This operation should never be effected 
 by compulsion. 
 
 First Method. — Insert drawer Np. 1 into 
 the chamber of the hive to be transferred, as 
 early as the first of May. If the bees fill the 
 drawer, they will recede from the lower apart- 
 ment and winter in the 'drawer. As early in 
 the spring as the bees carry in bread plentiful- 
 ly on their legs, remove the drawer, which 
 will contain the 'principal part of the bees, to 
 an empty hive. Now remove the old hive a 
 few feet in front, and place the new one con- 
 
74 
 
 AN EASY METHOD OF 
 
 taining the drawer where the old one stood. 
 Now turn the old hive bottom up. If there 
 are any bees left in the old hive, they will 
 soon return and take possession of their new 
 habitation. 
 
 Second Method. — Take drawer No. 1, 
 well filled by any hive the same season — in- 
 sert the same into the chamber of the hive 
 to be transferred, in September, (August 
 would be better.) if the bees need transfer- 
 ring, they will repair to the drawer and make 
 the same their winter quarters. Then pro- 
 ceed in the spring as directed in the iirst 
 method. 
 
 REMARKS. 
 
 This management should excite a deep 
 interest in every cultivator, both in a temporal 
 and moral point of view. — Temporal, because 
 the lives of all the bees are preserved; — 
 moral, because we are accountable to God for 
 all our acts. We are not to be justified in 
 taking the lives of animals or insects, which 
 are but lent blessings, unless some benefit to 
 the owner can be derived from their death, 
 which will outweigh the evils resulting from 
 such a sacrifice. Duty compels me to pro- 
 test in the strongest terms and feelings against 
 
MANAGING BEES. 
 
 75 
 
 the inhuman practice of taking the lives of the 
 most industrious and comforting insects to the 
 wants of the human family by fire and brim- 
 stone. 
 
 When bees have occupied one tenement for 
 several years, the combs become thick and 
 filthy, by being filled up with old bread and 
 cocoons, made by young bees when trans- 
 formed from a larva to the perfect fly. 
 
 Bees always wind themselves in their cells, 
 in a silken cocoon, or shroud, to pass their tor- 
 pid and defenceless (shrysalis) state. These 
 cocoons are very thin, and are never removed 
 by the bees. They arc always cleaned im- 
 mediately after the escape of ihc young bees, 
 and others are raised in the same cells. Thus 
 a number of bees are raised, which leaves an 
 additional cocoon as often as the transforma- 
 tion of one succeeds that of another, which of- 
 ten occurs in the course of the season. Now 
 in the course of a few years the cells become 
 so contracted, in consequence of being thus 
 filled up, tluit the bees come forth but mcra 
 dwarfs, and cease to swarm. Combs arc ren- 
 dered useless by being filled up tvithold bread. 
 
76 
 
 AN EASY METHOD OF 
 
 which is never used except for feeding young 
 bees. A greater quantity of this bread is stor- 
 ed up yearly than is used by them, and in a 
 few years they have but little room to per- 
 form their ordinary labors. Hence the neces- 
 sity of transferring them, or the inhuman sen- 
 tence of death must be passed upon them, not 
 by being hung by the neck until they are 
 dead, but by being tortured to death by lire 
 and brimstone. 
 
 It is obvious to every cultivator that old 
 stocks should be transferred. I have repeat- 
 edly transferred them in the most approved 
 manner, by means of an apparatus constructed 
 for that purpose ; but the operation always 
 resulted in the loss of the colony afterwards, 
 or a swarm which would have come from 
 them. 
 
 When it is neccssaiy to transfer a swarm 
 from one Vermont Hive to another of the 
 same kind, insert drawer No. 1 into their 
 chamber in the spring, say the first of May. 
 If they fill the drawer, let it remain there; if 
 they need to be changed to a new hive, they 
 will recede from the lower apartment and 
 
 
MANAGING BEES. 
 
 77 
 
 make the drawer their winter quarters, which 
 should remain until warm weather has so far 
 advahced as to' afford them bread. Then 
 they may be removed to an empty hive, as 
 directed in the Rule. Now the drawer con- 
 tains no bread, and should remain in the old 
 stock until the bees can provide themselves 
 with a sufficient quantity of that article to 
 feed their young bees with ; foi bread is not 
 collected early enough and in sufficient quan- 
 tities to feed their young as much as nature 
 requires. If tire bees fail in filling the draw- 
 er, one should be used that is filled by anoth- 
 er swarm. Thus the aged and infirm stock 
 is changed -into the full vigor of youth by 
 their own free act, without any compulsion 
 of their owner. 
 
 If bees are transferred from the old box. 
 hive, or from any other to the Vermont Hive, 
 except as described in the foregoing remarks, 
 it should be done immediately before, or forth- 
 with after, the second swarm has left the hive. 
 Then, both old and young should be colonized 
 together. If the operation is performed before 
 first swarming, their owner will be sure to 
 
78 
 
 AN EASY METHOD OF 
 
 lose one swarm in the wanton destruction of 
 eggs, larva and chrysalises, and if it is done 
 after the first swarm leaves, before a Queen 
 is heard, he will get the bees without a Queen, 
 because the old Queen leaves the hive with 
 the first swarm, and another is not usually 
 batched sooner than seven, eight, or nine days 
 after first swarming: and if transferring is 
 delayed until the swarming season is through, 
 the bees will not make a sufficient quantity 
 of comb to cluster in ; nor honey enough to 
 sustain them through the following winter. 
 
 I would not be understood to approve of 
 transferring from the old box until t}ie combs 
 are so old as to produce dwarfs. 
 
MANAGING BEES. 
 
 7# 
 
 GENERAL OBSERVATIONS. 
 
 The reader might have expected many 
 things demonstrated in tills work, which aro 
 omitted by design. 
 
 The structure of the worker is too well 
 understood by every owner of bees to need a 
 particular description. So also of the drone ; 
 and the Queen has already been sufficiently 
 described to enable any one to select her out 
 from among her subjects. If any further 
 description is desired, the observer can easily 
 satisfy himself by the use of a microscope. 
 Every swarm of bees is composed of three 
 classes or sorts, to wit : one Queen or female, 
 drones or males, and neuters or workers. — 
 The Queen is the only female in the hive, 
 and lays all the eggs from which all the young 
 bees arc raised to replenish their colony. She 
 possesses no authority over them, other than 
 that of influence, which is derived from the 
 fact that she is the mother of all the bees, 
 and they, being endowed with instinctive 
 knowledge of the fact that they are wholly 
 
80 
 
 AN EASY METHOD OF 
 
 dependent on her to propagate their species, 
 treat her with the greatest kindness, tender- 
 ness and reverence, and manifest at all times 
 the most sincere attachment to her by feed- 
 ing and guarding her from all danger. 
 
 The government of a hive is nearer repub- 
 lican than any other, because it is adminis- 
 tered in exact accordance with their nature. 
 It is their peculiar natural instinct, which 
 prompts them in all their actions. The Queen 
 has no more to do with the government of 
 the hive than the other bees, unless influence 
 may be called government. It is found by 
 experiment that bees will go to work, and 
 continue their labors with perfect regularity, 
 witli a dead Queen, as long as she is confined 
 in the hive in such a manner that the bees 
 will keep her in motion; but as she is the 
 only female in the hive, no eggs will be laid, 
 no brood comb^ made, and no young bees 
 raised: notwithstanding there is a plenty of 
 drones, as there are no grubs (larva) in the 
 hive to consume the polen, the combs will 
 be unusually loaded with bread; and the 
 bees will finally perish by the depredations 
 
MANAGING BEES. 
 
 81 
 
 of the moths, or want of animal heat in the 
 winter, which is generated in the hive by a 
 populous community only. If any one is 
 disposed to doubt on this subject, let the ex- 
 periment be tried with ’skill, and I will be 
 answerable lor the result, to wit : Take the 
 Queen from a first swarm (second swarms 
 frequently have more than one Queen,) kill 
 her, and by means of a fine wire, or strong 
 string, suspend her in the hive; now let in 
 the swarm; confine the bees in the hive until 
 they have found their sovereign, and clustered 
 about her; then give the bees liberty to work. 
 If the experiment ends here, cn'tii^loss will 
 be the final result. Bees have so many ad 
 mirers, they will soon dwindle away in num- 
 bers, and perish in consequence of losing so 
 many of their companions, which arc caught 
 by the birds, and are lost by other casualties, 
 unless they have the means, of propagating 
 their species. But there is a remedy by 
 which the bees may be supplied with a 
 Queen, which is more simple, though more 
 difficult tham the ordinary method. Take 
 brood comb containing eggs and larva of 
 
82 
 
 AN EASY METHOD OF 
 
 workers only, from any hive that contains 
 them; place the same in a drawer in its 
 natural position; now insert the drawer into 
 the* chamber of the hive, so that the bees can 
 have access to them and they will have a 
 Queen in a few days. If she finds empty 
 cells in the hive, during the breeding season, 
 she will deposit eggs there, because it is her 
 nature to do so ; and the nature of the work- 
 ers prompts them to take care and nurse all 
 tire young larva, labor and collect food for 
 their sustenance, guard and protect their 
 habitations, and do and perform all things 
 in due obedience, not to the commands of the 
 Queen, but to their own peculiar instinct. 
 
 The drone is probably the male bee, not- 
 withstanding the sexual union has never been 
 witnessed by any man; yet so many experi- 
 ments have been tried, andobservations made, 
 that but little doubt can be entertained of it» 
 truthl That the sexual intercourse takes 
 place high in the air, is highly probable from 
 the fact that I have seen an attempt at copu- 
 lation by the drone with the Queen on their 
 return from an excursion in the air, before 
 
MANAGING BEES. 
 
 S3 
 
 she could enter the hive, and other insects of 
 the fly tribe do copulate in the air, when on 
 the wing, as I have lepeatedly seen. That 
 the drone is the male bee, is probable from 
 the fact that the drones are not all killed at 
 once 5 but at least one in each hive is per- 
 mitted to live several months after the gen- 
 eral massacre. . 
 
 I examined four swarms, whose colonies 
 were strong and numerous, three months after 
 the general massacre of the drones, and in 
 three hives I found one drone each ; the other 
 was probably overlooked, as the bees were 
 thrown into the, fire as fast as they were 
 examined. But there are many mysterious 
 things concerning them, and much might be 
 written, to little purpose; and as it is design- 
 ed to go no further in illustrations than is ne- 
 cessary to aid the apiarian in good manage- 
 ment, many little speculations have, been 
 entirely omitted in the work, and the reader 
 is referred to the writings of Thatcher, Bon- 
 ner, and Huber, who are the most volumin- 
 ous and extensive writers on bees within my 
 knowledge. 
 
 6 * 
 
84 
 
 AN EASY METHOD OF 
 
 The importance of taking the Queens from 
 all small, and late swarms, and returning them, 
 to the original stock, cannot be too much in- 
 sisted upon. It constitutes a very important 
 feature in my system of managing bees. Even 
 first swarms that are late, had better be com- 
 pelled to remain in the parent hive. The 
 prosperity of a hive of bees depends in a great 
 degree upon their number being kept full. — 
 They are. their own best , defenders. Their 
 number not only protects them from the dep- 
 redations of the moth and the robberies of oth- 
 er swarms stronger, but the animal heat which 
 is generated in the hive by a populous com- 
 munity protects the combs Horn molding, 
 and the bees from freezing in the coldest 
 weather. But the apiarian derives another 
 advantage by keeping his hives lull of bees ; 
 he secures a larger quantity of honey from a 
 full swarm, than from many smp.ll ones. The 
 time for making .much honey does not usually 
 last more than 20 or 30 days in Vermont, 
 and the greatest proportion of honey that is 
 deposited in the hive for winter use is col- 
 lected in fifteen or twenty days. This renders 
 
MANAGING EEES. 
 
 85 
 
 it very important that the attention of the 
 old stock should not be called off from rath- 
 ering honey at this time, to guard their hive 
 from the attacks of moths to which it is left 
 exposed, by the desertion of that part of their 
 body which has accompanied the Queen to 
 constitute a new swarm. Hives that arc well 
 stocked with bees in the. spring, swarm much 
 earlier than feeble ones, and are able to use 
 the best of the season to great advantage. 
 
 In speaking of the advantages of a large 
 colony, I would not be understood to approve 
 of the plan of those persons who so far depart 
 from the economy of nature as to raise bees 
 in a chamber, or in any way where their col- 
 onies will much exceed fifteen or sixteen 
 quarts of bees. 
 
 Bees are creatures of habit, and the exer- 
 cise of caution in managing them is required. 
 A stock of bees should bo placed where they 
 arc to stand through the season before they 
 form habits of location, which will take place 
 soon after they commence their labors in the 
 spring. They learn their home by the objects 
 surrounding them in the immediate vicinity of 
 
86 
 
 AN EASY METHOD OF 
 
 the hive. Moving them, (unless they are car- 
 ried beyond their knowledge,) is often fatal to 
 them. The old bees forget their new location, 
 and on their return, when collecting stores, 
 they haze about where they formerly stood, 
 and perish. I have known some fine stocks 
 ruined by moving them six feet, and from that 
 to a mile ancl a half. It is better to move them 
 before swarming than afterwards. The old 
 bees only will be lost. As the young ones are 
 constantly hatching, their habits will be form- 
 ed at the new stand, and the combs will not 
 be as likely to become vacated, so as to afford 
 opportunity to the moths to occupy any part 
 of their ground. 
 
 Swarms, when first hived, may be moved 
 at pleasure without loss of bees, admitting 
 they are all in the hive; their habits will be 
 formed in exact proportion to their labors. — 
 The first bee that empties his sack and goes 
 forth in search of food, is the one whose hab- 
 its are first established. I have obseived 
 many bees to cluster near the place where 
 the hive stood, but a few hours after hiving, 
 and perish. Now if the swarm had been 
 
MANAGING BEES. 
 
 87 
 
 placed in the apiary, immediately after they 
 were hived, the number of bees found there 
 would have been less. 
 
 Bees may be moved at pleasure at any 
 season of the year, if they are carried several 
 miles, so as to be beyond their knowledge of 
 country. They may be carried long journeys 
 by travelling nights only, and affording them 
 opportunity to labor and collect food le 
 day time. 
 
 The importance of this part of bee-man- 
 agement is the only apology I can make for 
 dwelling So long on this point. I have known 
 many to suffer serious losses in consequence 
 of moving their bees after they were well 
 settled in their labors. 
 
 Bees should never be irritated, under any 
 pretence whatever. They should be treated 
 with attention and kindness. They should be 
 kept undisturbed by cattle and all other an- 
 noyances, so that they may be approached 
 at any time with safety. 
 
 An apiary should be so situated, that 
 swarming may be observed, and at the same 
 time where the bees can obtain food easily, 
 
S8 
 
 AN EASY METHOD OF 
 
 and in the greatest abundanc^. A bee-house 
 should be so constructed as to secure the 
 hives perfectly from the rays of the sun, and 
 weather. All the light the bees can have * 
 about the hive is necessaiy, to induce them 
 to swarm early in the season, and a plenty of 
 good air ( not air exhausted of its vitality,) is 
 absolutely necessary to promote their health, 
 
 S " nt them from acquiring habits of indo- 
 , and hostile feelings, at the same time, 
 a strong current of air, in the immediate 
 region of the hive, near the entrance, wheie 
 the bees alight, must be avoided : • otherwise, 
 when the bees slack up their speed, to alight, 
 the wind will blow them so far from the hive, 
 that many of them fall, and perish. 
 
 Much depends on the construction of the 
 house, as well as the hive. It has been a 
 general practice to front bee-house* either to 
 the east or south. This doctrine should be 
 exploded with all other whims. Apiaries 
 should be so situated as to be convenient to 
 their owner, as much as any other buildings. 
 
 I have them front towards all the cardinal 
 points, but can distinguish n<^ difference in 
 their prosperity. 
 
MANAGING BEES. 
 
 89 
 
 Young swarms should be scattered as much 
 as convenient during the summer season, at 
 least eight feet apart. If they are not housed, 
 they should be set in a frame, and so cov- 
 ered as to exclude the sun and weather from 
 the hive. As a general rule, bees flourish 
 better in vallies than on the high hills contig- 
 uous to them, on account q,f bearing their 
 burthens home with greater ease, descend- 
 ing, than ascending, with a heavy load. 
 
 It is not surprising that this branch of rural 
 economy, in consequence of the depredations 
 of the moth, is so much neglected. Notwith- 
 standing, in some parts of our country, the 
 business of managing bees has been entirely 
 abandoned for years, I am confident they may 
 be cultivated in such a manner as to render 
 them more profitable to their owners than any 
 branch of agriculture, in proportion to the 
 capital necessary to be invested in their stock. 
 They are not taxable property, neither does 
 it require a large land investment, nor fences: 
 neither does it require the owner to labor 
 through the summer to support them through 
 the winter. Care is, indeed, necessary ; but a 
 
90 
 
 AN EASY METHOD OE 
 
 child, or superannuated person can perform 
 most of the duties of an apiarian. The cob- 
 webs must be kept away from the immediate 
 vicinity of the hive, and all other annoyances 
 removed. 
 
 The management of bees is a delightful 
 employment, and may be pursued with the 
 best success in cities and villages, as well as 
 towns and country. It is a source.of great 
 amusement, as well as comfort and profit. — 
 They collect honey and bread from most 
 tjfe kinds of forest trees, as well as garden flow- 
 ers, orchards, forests, and fields; — all con- 
 tribute to their wants, and their owner is 
 gratified with a taste of die whole. Sweet 
 mignonette cannot be too highly recommended. 
 This plant is easily cultivated by drills in 
 the garden, and is one of the finest and rich- 
 est flowers in the world from which the 
 honey-bee can extract its food. 
 
 The Vermont Hive is the only one I can 
 use to much advantage or profit. In the sum- 
 mer of 1834, I received in swarms and extra 
 honey from my best stock, thirty dollars; and 
 from my poorest, fifteen dollars. My early 
 
MANAGING BEES. 
 
 9-1 
 
 swarms afforded extra honey which was sold, 
 amounting to from five to Jen dollars each 
 hive ; and all my late swarms which were 
 doubled, stored a sufficient quantity of food 
 to supply them through the following winter. 
 
 The rules in the foregoing work, perhaps, 
 maybe deemed, in some instances, too partic- 
 ular ; yet, in all cases, they will be found to 
 be safe, and unfailing in their application, 
 though liable to exceptions, such as ate inci- 
 dent to all specific rules. 
 
92 
 
 AN EAST METHOD OF 
 
 Every bee-owner should be able to answer the 
 following questions in the affirmative, if he 
 wishes to malce his bees profitable : 
 
 Have you weighed and marked the weight 
 on all your hives before using them? 
 
 page G6 
 
 Have you scratched the under side 
 
 of the chamber floor? 11-12 
 
 Did you secure the hive from the rays 
 of the sun at the time of hiving 
 the bees? fe 26 
 
 Did you let the bees into the drawers 
 at the time of hiving all vour large 
 swarms ? 27 
 
 Did you close the hive, and move it 
 
 as directed ? 28 
 
 Have you let down the bottom board, 
 
 and turned the drawers as directed ? 28 
 
 Have you removed your honey before 
 
 buckwheat is in blossom ? 41 
 
 Have you taken the Queens from all 
 
 your late swarms? 53-62-84-85 
 
MANAGING BEES. 
 
 93 
 
 Have you turned your drawers so as to 
 prevent the breath of |he bees from 
 
 ing them in September ? 
 
 Have you fed your destitute stocks in Oc- 
 
 66-G7-6S-69 
 
 tober ? 
 
 Have you weighed your stock hives, and is 
 there at least 25 lbs. in addition to the 
 weight of the hive on the first of Dec.? 69 
 Have you been particular to see that all 
 your hives are properly ventilated, and the 
 bees kept, lively during cold weather ? 71-72 
 Have you turned the drawers to all your 
 stock hives, so that the bees can enter them 
 as soon as blossoms are seen in the spring ? 42 
 Have you visited your bees, and examined 
 their true condition, two or three times in 
 each week, through the whole year ? 
 
94 
 
 AN EAST METHOD OF 
 
 % 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 The Hiver is made of three rough boards, 
 half inch thick, seven inches wide, eighteen 
 inches long, nailed together like a common 
 trough, open at both ends — a strap of iron 
 riveted on its outside; across the centre of 
 each board, with a shank or socket to insert 
 a rod to handle it with, so that when inverted 
 by means of the rod, and placed over the bees 
 when alighting, forms a kind of half-hive, 
 which they readily enter. There should be 
 from a dozen to twenty half-inch holes bored 
 through the top board, so as to let the alight- 
 ing bees enter through the holes. When a 
 small proportion of the bees arc found in the • 
 hiver, it may be moved a lew feet from the 
 limb, which may be shaken with another rod 
 with a hook on its end, which disengages the 
 bees, and in a few moments the whole swarm 
 will be found in the hiver. By the addition 
 of ferules and joints, the hiver may be raised 
 to any reasonable height. Thus the labor of 
 
MANAGING BEES. 
 
 95 
 
 climbing, the use of ladders, and cutting the 
 limbs of precious truil-tpees, is entirely dis-'"' 
 pensed with. It likewise enables the apiari- 
 an in large establishments to divide out and' 
 keep separate his swarms, which might oth- 
 erwise alight many in one body. 
 
 But another method of collecting and hiv- 
 ing swarms, is recommended by some good 
 bee-managers, which is of prime importance 
 when the experiment succeeds. It is this : — 
 Take any common rough board, fourteen 
 inches or more in width, twelve feet or more 
 in length, let one end of the board rest on the 
 hive that is to swarm — say half the distance 
 from the mouth or common entrance to the 
 top — the other end on the ground. When 
 swarming takes place, the bees will usually 
 be found clustered in a body on the underside 
 of the board, not far from the old stock. — 
 Any one will know how to turn the board 
 over, and place an empty hive over the bees. 
 Bees, when swarming in this way, will bo 
 less likely to be seen, and therefore may flee 
 to the woods unless assiduously watched. 
 The hive should likewise be secured from the / 
 rays of the sun. See page. 26 . • r- 
 
INDEX. 
 
 r ' 
 
 * -o- 
 
 Paee. 
 
 .Rule I. On tlie Construction of the Hive, 5 
 Rule II. Orv Swarming and Hiving, 14 
 Rule III. On Ventilating, . • HO 
 
 Rule IV. On Preventing Robberies, , . 32 
 
 Rulq V. On Equalizing Colonics, by 
 
 doubling, trebling, &c., . . 34 
 
 Rule VI. On Removing Honey,' • . 38 
 
 Rule VII. The method of compelling 
 Swarms, to make extra Queens, 
 and keep them for the use of 
 
 # their owner, ... 42 
 
 Rule ym. On supplying Swarms with 
 
 Queens, when necessary, . 48 
 
 Rule IX. On multiplying Colonies to 
 any desirable extent, without, 
 swarming, . 52 
 
 Rule X. On preventing the depreda- 
 tions of the Moth, , . 53 
 
 Rule XL On Feeding, . - <15 
 
 Rule XII. On Wintering, . . t>S 
 
 Rule XIII. On tranfen ing Rees from 
 
 onojliveto au-lbgr, . • 73 
 
 XIV. General Observations, • 72 
 
 XV. Questions to Bee-owners, . 
 
 XVI. Appendix, . ... 24 
 
 • V A