K. II. Collins. OF THE U N IVLRS ITY Of ILLINOIS G88 P20b \&3G •trout Jus • - ‘*11 The person charging this material is re- sponsible for its return to the library from which it was withdrawn on or before the Latest Date stamped below. Theft, mutilation, and underlining of books are reasons for disciplinary action and may result in dismissal from the University. To renew call Telephone Center, 333-8400 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS LIBRARY AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN TTCT 2“j® 0 L161— 0-1096 x CONTAINING CONCISE PRACTICAL DIRECTIONS THE MANAGEMENT OF BEES, UPON THE DEPRIVING SYSTEM. BY J. H. PAYNE, Author of " The Cottager’s Guide.” THIRD EDITION. i LONDON : T. C. NEWBY, 72, MORTIMER St., CAVENDISH Sq. 1846. Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2017 with funding from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Alternates https://archive.org/details/beekeepersguidecOOpayn PREFACE 638 ■ PZ3b 1846 TO THE FIRST EDITION. ► o Having written the “ Cottager’s Guide for the Management of his Bees, upon the Depriving System,” which has been printed for gratuitous distribution among the Cottagers, I am induced, at the particular request of several Apiarian friends, to enlarge the above little work, and to give in addition a description of Nutt’s newly invented Hive, and other practical remarks in Bee-know- ledge, resulting from nearly forty years’ close observation. Should this little work be the means of inducing any person to promote the culture of Bees amongst the Cottagers in his immediate neighbourhood, upon the Depriving System, I shall be amply re- v paid for the trouble it may have occasioned me ; and the hope that such will be the result, must be my apology for adding to the num- ber of books (perhaps already too numerous) upon this subject. Reamur, in a letter to M. de la Bourdonaye, in 1757, says, “The preservation and also the increase of Bees is an object of such in- terest to Britanny, that the peasantry cannot be too much encourag- ed to turn their attention to it.” Surely this is equally applicable to our own country at the present time, when the condition of . the labouring poor calls so loudly for relief. I have little hesitation in saying, that Cottagers who are able to ^ l keep from four to six Hives of Bees, may make from four to eight pounds, yearly profit, after paying all expences upon them. I paid last year to one Cottager seven pounds, fifteen shillings, and to another five pound and one shilling for Bees and Honey. The following anecdote has so much the appearance of truth in it , and is so well suited to my present purpose, that I cannot refrain from giving it. I 124135 IV PREFACE. A good old French Bishop in paying his annual visit to his Clergy, was very much afflicted by the representations they made of their extreme poverty, which, indeed, the appearance of their houses and families corroborated. Whilst he was deploring the state of things which had reduced them to this sad condition, he arrived at the house of a Curate, who, living amongst a poorer set of parish- ioners than any he had yet visited, would, he feared, be in still more woful plight than the others ; contrary, however, to his ex- pectations, he found appearances very much improved, everything about the house wore the aspect of comfort and plenty. The good Bishop was amazed. “ How is this, my friend ?” said he, " you are the first man that I have met with a cheerful face and a plentiful board. Have you any income independent of your Cure ?'* “ Yes, Sir,” said the Clergyman, “ I have ; my family would starve on the pittance I receive from the poor people that I instruct, come with me into the garden and I will show you the Stock that yields me an excellent interest.” On going to the garden he showed the Bishop a large range of Bee-hives. “ There is the Bank,” he continued, “from which I draw my annual dividend. — It never stops payment.” Ever after that memorable visit, when any of his Clergy com- plained to the Bishop of poverty, he would say to them, “ Keep Bees ! Keep Bees !” In the words of an Apiarian friend, I solicit information from every one who may have it in his power to transmit it to me, and on the other hand, I profess my perfect readiness to impart what- ever knowledge 1 may possess in the management of an Apiary, to. any person who will favour me with the application ; my aim is general utility, and the establishment of a national advantage. PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION. o — - — Since the first appearance of this little Treatise I am most happy in being able to state that Apiarian Science has in this neighbour- hood and in the adjoining Counties, made very considerable advances, that the ridiculous notions, and foolish prejudices enter- tained respecting Bees, are fast wearing away — that the Cottagers are generally managing them upon the depriving system, making them a real source of profit and of comfort, and that a number of influential persons are making themselves acquainted with the prac - tical management of Bees, upon the simplest and most profitable methods, for the sole purpose of setting an example, and for quali- fying themselves to give instructions in the management of them to their poor neighbours. Nor is this spirit of well-directed bene- volence confined to these Counties only, for at Oxford a Society is just formed to promote an improved and more extensive system of Bee management among the Cottagers by the diffusion of informa- tion on the subject, and the loan of hives, not the gift , their cost to be repaid from the produce, and also to promote a more extensive and scientific knowledge concerning the Natural History and cul- tivation of Bees among the higher classes. The Society, I find, is flourishing, a piece of ground has been taken and laid out as an experimental Bee-garden ; there is already a very considerable number of stocks of Bees placed in it in common straw and ex- perimental hives. Subscribers pay half-a-guinea a year, and nop- Subscribers a shilling each visit. This is an example worthy of imitation. VI PREFACE I am just favoured with a letter from a Gentleman who has. recently visited the above establishment, giving me a certain and simple method of Autumnal union of weak stocks which he there witnessed, but it comes too late to be embodied in this treatise, the whole of that part being already in the press ; still as I consider the union of weak stocks important, and Gelieu’s method which I have given too troublesome for most persons, I will venture to give it in this place. “ The process, he says, “ is merely fumigating the Bees , for which they have invented a tube, much more simple than Nutt’s which they insert into the mouth of the hive ; under the hive is previously pushed either an empty one reversed, or a shallow' box with a wide rim, this receives the stupified Bees ; cut out the combs and remove all the remaining Bees from them that none be lost. Now take a little sugared ale and sprinkle it over them just as they are recovering, place upon them the hive to which they are to be united ; this hive requires no sprinkling nor any fumigation : the Bees in the latter are soon attracted by the ale, and go down into the hollow containing the fumigated ones licking them over ; the whole are mixed and go up without the least disturbance. It is unnecessary to take any trouble about the Queen,’* he adds, “ I was assured that not a Bee would be lost and he further says, “ upon my return home I tested it with entire success on some of my neighbour’s Bees : it was the work of but a few minutes, and not the smallest danger. I left the hive placed upon the other all night, and the next morning every Bee had left the bottom one ; more perfect quiet I never saw. I think there w r ere nearly tw r o quarts of Bees fumigated.” Puff-ball is generally recommended being the safest ; mild to- bacco answers very well, great caution, however, is required in its use, or the Bees may be killed. Common fumigating bellows, or even a tobacco-pipe* may be used for this operation. After this discovery it will be absurd not to unite weak stocks, or to destroy a single Bee on taking up an old hive. 1 have always considered the keeping of Bees and the advanta- ges arising from them to be the undoubted privilege of the Cotta- gers and theirs alone, other persons may keep a few for amuse- ment, or to endeavour to learn something of their natural history, PREFACE Vll but all should in my opinion be made subservient to the Cottagers’ benefit. The present season has been a most unpropitious one, especially in this neighbourhood, perhaps the most so that I remember, but I am disposed to think that this is not a favourable district for the collection of honey. I have frequently compared the produce of my own apiary with that of others at a distance, and this year especially, with that of a friend upon the Essex bank of the Stour, which I assisted in forming and have frequently visited, the quan- tity of honey obtained from this is small, but it is five times as much as that of any one in this neighbourhood consisting of the same number of stocks. I cannot close this preface without acknowledging the very flatter- ing manner in which my little treatise has been mentioned in various publications, and my thanks to the many correspondents it has obtained for me. The addition which I have been enabled to make to it, will I trust be acceptable and useful. I still solicit information from any one who will give it me, and am ready to impart it to all those who will ask it. Bury Saint Edmund's, Oct. 1 1 th, 1838. PREFACE TO THE THIRD EDITION, o In again revising this little work for the press, I am not at all disposed to increase its size ; for were I to do so, I should very much take from it as a purely simple and practical treatise. Mat- ter might easily be added ; but were it not of a useful nature, the work would be rendered thereby less valuable, and the attempted improvement would turn out a positive injury. The time which has elapsed since the publication of the last edition has, year by year, convinced me more fully of the advan- tages of this system, and of its adaptation especially to the Cotta- gers, and indeed to all those who wish to obtain a large supply of the finest honey at the least possible expence and trouble, giving at the same time, both to the amateur and to the naturalist, every facility in watching the economy of our little favourites Although, as I have already said, I am not disposed to increase the size of this little work, still, however, an Index, and a few practical hints, which have suggested themselves in the course of the last two or three years, will be found added to it. The system, I am happy to say, is spreading far and wide a- mongst the Cottagers, not only in this but in many other counties, and the profits arising from their Bees are becoming a permanent source of comfort to many of them, as the quantity of fine honey- X PREFACE comb, which they exhibit at the various horticultural shows throughout the kingdom, fully proves. The following Report which I have this day (June the 24th) received from a friend, living at Newmarket, shows what quantity of honey may be obtained from a hive in a good season, on the Depriving System, when both room and ventilation are properly supplied. And perhaps it may also prove an inducement to some persons to “ keep bees” who hitherto have not, as well as a motive to perseverance on the part of those who already possess them. This gentleman had but two hives. No. 1 was allowed to swarm, No. 2. was not; No. 1. swarmed on the 29th of May, and has since very nearly filled two small hives. The swarm has also filled two small hives, and is now filling a third ; a box has within a few days, been placed between the large hive and the small one, which in all probability, will be filled, should the weather continue dry and warm for another week ; No. 2. which has not swarmed, has given already one small hive containing sixteen pounds, and ano- ther fourteen pounds of fine honeycomb, as is now filling three other small hives as fast as possible. Since receiving the above communication, I have witnessed the progress made by a single stock purchased last year by a beginner. His Apiary is at the extreme west point of this town, within a few paces of the place where the celebrated Apiarian, Mr. Geo. Hub- bard kept his bees, and who, in 1791, received from the Society of Arts their gold medal, for his skilful management of them ; this gentleman has now three excellent stocks, and has already taken a box of fine honeycomb of ten pounds, a small hive of fifteen pounds and two others are filling ; and all the produce of an out- lay of ten or twelve shillings less than a year ago, making, since that time a profit of very nearly seven hundred per cent. I must not again take leave of my friends and the public, with- out expressing myself gratified by the very flattering and kind manner in which this little treatise has been noticed, both by the public journals as well as by private friends. Bury St. Edmund's , July 2nd, 1846. CONTENTS, CHAPTER I. PAGE Situation of an Apiary and directions for placing the Hives ... 1 CHAPTER II. Directions for Purchasing Bees 10 CHAPTER III. Materials of which Hives should be made, and the Improved Cottage Hive described 15 CHAPTER IV. Method of placing the Small Hive, Box, or Glass, upon the Improved Cottage Hive, by which means fine Honey may be obtained without destroying the Bees 21 CHAPTER V. Proper time for taking away the Box, and how to expel the Bees from it^ 30 CHAPTER VI. Method to be pursued in case a Swarm should leave the Hive, after having commenced working in the Box 37 CHAPTER VII. Method of uniting Second and Third Swarms 41 CHAPTER VIII. Manner of uniting Swarms and Old Stocks in Autumn 46 (and page 5 of preface) Xll CONTENTS. CHAPTER IX. PAGE Manner of Feeding weak Stocks, and the time most appropriate for this operation 54 CHAPTER X. Food proper for weak Hives 58 CHAPTER XI. Enemies of Bees, and means of overcoming them 61 CHAPTER XII. Directions for Hiving Swarms : and the proper time for placing glasses upon them 68 CHAPTER XIII. Description of the Knife for cutting out the Combs 76 CHAPTER XIV. Remedies, proposed as Cures, for the Stings of Bees 78 CHAPTER XV. Means of preventing the Bees from being Stolen especially in the Country 82 CHAPTER XVI. Method of dislodging Bees from Trees or Buildings, and put- them into Hives 85 CHAPTER XVII. Description of Nutt’s Newly Invented Hive for obtaining the Honey without destroying the Bees ... 89 CHAPTER XVIII. The Apiarian’s Monthly Manual, or Hints for the Management ' of Bees for every month in the year upon the Depriving System 96 THE BEE KEEPER’S GUIDE. CHAPTER I. Situation of an Apiary , and directions for placing the Hives. I have no hesitation in saying, that a South aspect is decidedly preferable to any other situa- tion for an Apiary. I have tried various aspects, but the Bees in the South I have always found to be the healthiest, and to collect the largest quantity of honey. It is very important that the hives be sheltered from the wind by trees or houses, and B 2 THE BEE KEEPER^ GUIDE* that they are not placed in the vicinity of ponds or large rivers, for high winds will dash them into the water, where numbers will perish. It was the opinion of the ancients, that Bees, in windy w eather, carried weights to prevent them from being driven about by it. Virgil says, “ That with light pebbles, like a balanced boat, Poised through the air on even pinions float.” SoTIIERBY’S GEORGICS. This is now’ ascertained to be erroneous, and is ascribed, by Swammerdam and Reaumur to preceding observers having mistaken the Mason Bee, for a Hive Bee; the former builds its nest against a wall, with a composition of gravel and its own saliva, and w 7 hen freighted with the former article, may easily have led a careless observer into the erroneous opinion alluded to. The Abbe della Rocca appears to have fallen into, and perpet- uated, the same error. Though large ponds are very injurious, a small THE BEE KEEPER^ GUIDE, 3 stream is beneficial to them, which if they are not supplied with, water must be given them, for it is absolutely necessary, and enters, as much as honey and farina, into the composition with which they nourish the brood. The plan that 1 have for many years adopted, is to fill an unglazed earthen pan, * eighteen inches by eight, four inches deep, and square at the sides, with water, upon the surface of which floats a very thin deal board perforated with holes, a quarter of an inch in diameter and about an inch distant from each other ; in Spring and Summer, the Bees may be seen coming in great numbers to drink, or rather to carry water into their hives, to mix with the farina they col- lect so abundantly at this season of the year for food for their young. In my opinion, Dr. Bevan says very justly, that u the Apiary should be near the residence of the proprietor, as well for the purpose of rendering the Bees tractable, and well acquainted with the family, as for affording a good view of their general proceedings,” 1 am a decided enemy to Bee houses of all kinds, b 3 4 THE BEE KEEPER’S GUIDE. for they are the means of causing the ruin of & great number of hives* by affording a home to their worst enemies, viz. : mice, moths, spiders, earwigs, and various other insects, thousands die from imprisonment, and many hives are destroyed by humidity. The method of placing several hives upon the same bench is also very injurious, it very much facilitates pilfering, and renders it impossible to operate upon one hive, without disturbing the others. The hives should be placed upon separate boards, supported by single pedestals four or five inches in diameter, firmly placed in the ground, and standing about fifteen inches from the sur- face, (see fig. 1. plate 1 ; ) upon the top of this post should be nailed firmly a board nine inches square, upon which should be placed the board the hive stands upon, but not nailed, the double boards will be found very convenient for weighing or removing the hives, without disturbing the Bees. On no account use clay or mortar as is usually done to secure the hive to the board, the Bees of THE BEE KEEPER’S GUIDE. 5 themselves will do it more effectually ;* clay or mortar tends very much to decay the hives, and to harbour moths and other insects ; each hive should be covered with a large milk-pan, and be well painted every year, for hives managed upon the Depriving System, are expected to stand from fifteen to twenty years. The hives should be placed about three feet apart from each other, and in a right line ; but should the number be too great to allow of this arrangement, and render two rows necessary, they must not be less than fifteen feet asunder, and those in the front row intersecting the line formed by the hinder one. The boards on which the hives are placed. * This fact, though it has been denied by those who profess to have had much experience in the management of Bees, is known to every novice in Apiarian science, for he does not suffer much time to pass, after having purchased a swarm of Bees, without en- deavouring to ascertain how much honey they have collected, and finds the difficulty of separating the hive from the board upon which it was placed. 6 THE BEE KEEPER^ GUIDE. should be cleaned about four times in the year — January, March, April and November, much time and trouble will be saved the Bees thereby. Plants which rise in height equal to or exceed- ing the entrance of the hives, should not be suffered to grow in their immediate vicinity, and every facility should be removed by which the enemies of the Bees can ascend into the hives. Still, however, a few shrubs or standard roses of four or five feet may with advantage be placed eight or ten paces in front of the hives, for the Bees to alight upon in their return home, when heavily laden with honey and pollen — it saves their falling to the ground from the weight of their load, which they frequently do, and in unfavour- able weather to rise no more. It was seeing them rest in this manner that gave rise to the follow’- ing lines Rest on that Rose’s leaf awhile, thou little Busy Bee, Thou hast winged thy way with thousands, the wand’ring, the free. Unwearied with thy ceaseless toil in search for future store, Thou'rt come back to unlade thy sweets, then sally forth for more. THE BEE KEEPER^ GUIDE. 7 Thou’st been among the flow’rs of gold, their kiss is on thee yet, And o’er thy richly powdered wings how many hues are met. That tell of revelling at the founts of nectar’s luscious tide, Of honey-dews that rest upon each petal’s glossy side. Where hast thou been since the bright morn first saw thee on thy way 'Mong scented brier and glittering heath that woo’d thy lingering stay? Hast thou no voice to tell us of the far-off verdant scenes, Of the rich limes thou lovs’t so well, and of the fresh ’ning streams. Away ! away ! once more thou’rt up and e’er the leaf be still’d. To its soft rest from the trembling that thy light form has thrill’d, Thoul't be again among thy loves, the fragrant, the bright, All jealous of their hidden sweets, in murmuring delight. I have always found the advantage of planting, in the vicinity of my hives, a large quantity of the common kinds of crocus, single blue hipatica, heleborus niger, and tussilago petasites, all of which flower very early and are rich in honey and farina: salvia nemorosa, (of Dr.Smith) which flowers very early in June and lasts all the summer, is in an extraordinary manner sought after by the Bees, and when room is not an object, twenty or thirty square yards of it may be grown with ad- 8 TI1E BEE KEEPER^ GUIDE. vantage ; origanum humile, origanum rubescens, (of Haworth) and mignonette may also be grown ; cultivation beyond this, exclusively for Bees, I believe answers very little purpose. Cuscuta si- nensis is a great favorite with them ; and the pretty little plant anacampseros populifolium, when in flower, is literally covered by them — honey itself appears not to possess more attrac- tions for them than this plant. Doctor Sevan says : “ To those who, residing in towns, may consider it indispensable to the success of an Apiary, that it should be in the immediate vicinity of good pasturage, and be thereby deterred from benefiting and amusing themselves by keeping Bees; it may be satis- factory to learn that the Apiary of the celebrated Bonner was situated in a garret, in the centre of Glasgow, where it flourished for several years, and furnished him with the means of making many interesting and valuable observations which he gave to the world about thirty years ago.” My own experience also proves the truth of the THE BEE KEEPER'S GUIDE. 9 above statement, residing myself for four years in the centre of a large town, in a house without a garden, I kept two stocks of Bees in my study, in glass, and four or five others in the improved cottage hive upon the roof of my house, and I am not aware that they have ever done better, or afforded me a larger quantity of honey, in any other situation. 10 THE BEE KEEPER* S GUIDE. CHAPTER II. Directions for purchasing Bees. The best time to establish an Apiary is from the middle of February to the middle of March, the stocks will have passed in safety through the winter, the combs are then empty of brood, light of honey, and the removal safe and easy. Stocks > should be selected by a competent judge, as the weight alone cannot be relied on, a swarm of the preceding year should be selected, and one that contains not less than twelve pounds of honey ; there are few commodities in which a person can THE BEE KEEPER^ GUIDE. 11 be so easily deceived as in a hive of Bees. I would therefore recommend the young Apiarian to take the opinion of some experienced person before he makes his purchase, a hive of the pre- ceding year can only be known by a close inspec- tion of the combs, which but few persons have courage enough to engage in ; if the hive is not of the preceding year its weight is no criterion of its value, for an old hive always contains a large quantity of the pollen or dust of flowers which the Bees carry home on their legs, especially in the Spring and Autumn, it is an essential ingre- dient in the food with which they nourish their young, but good for nothing else, indeed the Bees will die of hunger upon the combs that are filled with it ; — “ Yet,” says Gelieu, a they lay up useless hoards of it, which they go on aug- menting every year, and this is the only point on which they can be accused of a want of that pru- dence and foresight so admirable in every other respect.” The Bees appear to be aware of the perishable 12 THE BEE KEEPER’S GUrDE. nature of this substance, for they never fill a cell entirely with it, but leave room for a small quan- tity of honey in each cell containing pollen, before it is sealed up, by this means the air is most effectually excluded, and the pollen pre- served for a considerable time ; should, however, the Bees be compelled to consume the honey, from those cells containing pollen, before they can make use of it for their young, it moulds and become of no value, and causes them great labour to remove it. For, when in this state, they have no means of displacing it but by eating away the cells in which it is contained, and conveying it out of their hives in small pieces, about the size of peas, hard and mouldy. I have seen the en- trance of old hives in the month of April almost filled up with these pellets of mouldy farina. The process is tedious, takes up much time, and the ravages made by it upon the combs appear irre- parable ; still in a short space of time, if the ^weather is favourable, the combs are repaired, as if no injury had befallen them, and filled with THE BEE KEEPER’S GUIDE. 13 honey or brood. It is a very heavy substance* so that if weight be the only criterion* farina will e be purchased instead of honey* therefore in the purchase of old stocks it will be necessary they should weigh eight pounds more than swarms of the preceding year; in the purchase of swarms less experience is necessary, and by attending to the following rules* the young Apiarian will not be imposed upon : — 1st. That the swarm be purchased before the 14th of June, the longer before that time the better. 2ndly. That it does not weigh less than three pound and a half. I have known some swarms to weigh six pounds, but this is of rare occur- rence. It is very important to observe* that when a swarm of Bees is purchased it must be removed to the place in which it is to remain, upon the evening of the day it swarmed, for should the removal be delayed even till the next day, the 14 THE BEE KEEPER’S GUIDE. combs will in all probability be broken and the stock destroyed. I should recommend the purchaser to send his own hive to the person of whom he intends to buy a swarm* and to desire him not to put any sticks across the interior of the hive, as is the usual custom, for they cause much trouble to the Bees in forming their combs, and render their extraction almost impossible. The prosperity of the hive will much (perhaps entirely) depend upon its being finally placed upon the evening of the day it swarmed. THE BEE KEEPERS GUIDE* 15 CHAPTER III. Materials of which Hives should he made , and the Improved Cottage Hive described . Much has been said with respect to the mate- rials of which Hives should be made, and experi- ence has long determined, that straw and wood are the best. Mr. Huish, to whom I am indebted for some useful information in Apiarian science, says, “ Of all the materials which have been se- lected for the formation of a Hive, I conceive no one to be more eligible than straw ” Gelieu, to whose experience as an Apiarian I am disposed to pay the greatest respect, and whose work con- taining Practical Directions for the Management 16 THE BEE KEEPERS GUIDF. and Preservation of Hives,* I would recommend to every keeper of Bees, says, (when speaking of wood and straw as materials proper for Hives) “ experience has shown me, that it is a matter of indifference which are employed ; except as to price, according as either material may be more or less abundant in different parts of the coun- try I have for seventeen years possessed a Nutt’s hive, which is made of wood, (and which I shall have occasion hereafter to mention,) without be- ing able to discover any difference in the health and activity of the Bees ; but the facility and economy in the construction of straw hives, must always be a recommendation, as it is in every article connected with rural economy. It has been always my practice to paint my Hives, both wood and straw, at least once in the year, and I would strongly recommend all persons to do the same. April I think is the best time. * The ‘ Bee Preserver,* by Jonas De Gelieu, recently translated from the French. THE BEE KEEPER S GUIDE. 17 and if done after six o’clock in the evening, not the least inconvenience will arise either to the painter or to the Bees. Having decided upon the materials of which Hives should be made, their form is next to be considered ; for a straw hive, I would recommend the following size, nine inches deep and twelve in diameter, straight at the sides and flat at the top,*' in shape like a half bushel measure, a hole should be made in the top of four inches, and a piece of straw large enough to cover it must be fastened on with skewers, (see fig. 3, plate 1,) not * The Quarterly Review, of December, 1842, page 25, when speaking of my hive, says, “ the only fault, seems to be its flat top. 5 * Now the advantages of a flat top. are in my opinion very great ; first, the ease with which the Bees attach their combs to it, when compared to a dome top ; secondly, the facility given to, cutting out the combs, whenever that operation becomes necessary, and, thirdly, the convenience which it offers for placing glasses or boxes upon it. And I am not aware of but one inconvenience, which can possibly arise from it, which is the sinking of the top, from the heavy weight of the glasses, or boxes of honey, which year by year it affords, but this, however, is entirely obviated by the use of the.adapter, (fig. 7.) as recommended, chap.iv., page 2 1. 18 THE BEE KEEPER^ GUIDE. to fit in but to cover over , the diameter of the piece of straw being at least two inches more than that of the opening at the top of the hive, it will be much easier taken off, and the combs of swarms of a few weeks standing will not be in- jured by its removal, which in favourable seasons should always have a glass, or small hive put upon them, the early ones especially ; an entrance of two inches by one, must be cut in the bottom of the hive, to which I affix a piece of copper of D D I O C about six inches by three, having a grove, to admit two sliding copper plates, one perforated, THE BEE KEEPERS GUIDE. 19 and the other having a hole large enough to allow but one Bee to come out at a time, (see fig. 10, plate 2.)* I have found great advantage arising from this little apparatus. The finely per- forated slider is used to confine the Bees to their hive when snow lies upon the ground, the reflec- tion of which, when the sun shines upon it, never fails to induce them to leave their hives, and falling upon it they perish, for a Bee becomes torpid at a temperature of 32°- The slider with one hole only, is useful both in Spring and Autumn, preventing either robbers or wasps from entering the hives, for three or four Bees will, with the help of this slider, guard the en- trance more effectually than ten times the number without it. Although I have recommended Bees to be con- * Instead of two sliding plates, I would recommend one only as given by Mr. Taylor, in his “ Bee-Keeper's Manual,” lately published, for as they cannot both be used at the same time, the one out of use is frequently misplaced. Zinc answers the purpose equally with copper, and is but half its price. 20 THE BEE KEEPER^ GUIDE. fined in their hives so long as snow remains upon the ground, it would, however, be very prejudi- cial to them if carried on beyond that time, for I never saw Bees healthy and strong after being shut up through the winter. Gelieu, says, “ Bees have no real disease, dysentery, about which so much noise has been made, and for which so many remedies have been prescribed, never attacks the Bees of a well- stocked hive, that is left open at all seasons, but those only that are too long and too closely con- fined. They are alwaya in good health as long as they are at liberty, when they are warm enough and have plenty of food. All their pretended diseases are the result of cold, hunger, or the in- fection produced by a too close and long confine- ment during winter/’ THE BEE KEEPERS GUIDE. 21 CHAPTER IV. Method of placing the small Hive,* Box , or Glass , upon the Improved Cottage Hive , by which means fine Honey may be obtained , without destroying the Bees . At the end of April, or very early in the month of May, take the moveable piece of straw, from the top of the Improved Cottage Hive, (fig. 3, and place upon it the adapter, (fig. 5,) then put the Box or small Hive (fig. 7, and 4,) upon this * To avoid repetition, we shall in future use the term, “ Box,” to express any receptacle employed to obtain Honey on the Improved System, whether it be in wood, glass, straw, or any other material. 22 THE BEE KEEPER’S GUIDE. adapter, and cover the whole with a milk-pan, to defend them from wet. A glass may be used in- stead of the small Hive or Box, with equal suc- cess, providing it be covered with something that will effectually exclude light ; a cover of straw, is perhaps preferable to any other. The boxes which I use, and that I would re- commend, are made of inch deal : nine inches square, and eight inches deep, inside measure : with a piece of glass six inches by seven and a half, let in on one side and covered by a shutter to exclude the light. The small hives are in dia- meter eight inches, and seven inches deep, with a bit of glass on one side, some are made with a hole in the top, that they may, when required be placed between a glass partially filled, and the stock hive. When the Bees are beginning to work in a glass, a cold night generally obliges them to for- sake their newly made combs, sends them down into the hive, and compels them to discontinue their labours which are seldom resumed till the THE BEE KEEPER’S GUIDE. 23 middle of the next day ; to prevent this delay, I would recommend the space between the glass and its cover to be filled with fine tow or wool, the temperature of the glass being thereby kept up, and the Bees enabled to carry on their la- bours without interruption. The latter is to be preferred, it being not so good a conductor of heat as the former. Experience has proved that the milk-pan is the best of all protections for a hive, provided it be six inches in diameter larger than the hive itself. When the Box is filled with honey, and the combs partially sealed, or when the Bees are seen to cluster at the mouth of the Hive, at nine or ten o’clock in the morning, let no time be lost in lifting up the Box, and placing between it and the Stock-hive, another Box with a hole in the top ; the adapter (fig. 5.)wdll be found very use- ful in this operation. It is necessary to use this precaution at all times, but more especially in a rainy season, as a greater disposition amongst the 24 THE BEE KEEPER’S GUIDE. Bees to swarm then prevails. “ Dry weather makes plenty of honey, and moist, of swarms.”* However incorrect this position may at first sight appear, the attentive observer will quickly be- come convinced of its truth. Since the publication of the First Edition of this little Treatise, many persons have said to me, “ their Bees would swarm, although the small hive had been placed on as directed above, and sometimes after they had commenced working in it,” the reason for which, in my opinion is, that the second small hive was not supplied soon enough, for the like has never in a single instance occured with my own Bees. I have not had a swarm these twenty years, from any of the hives worked upon the Depriving System, occasionally I have compelled a hive to swarm, to fill up a vacancy in my number, where the Queen has • Purchas, on Swarms. THE BEE KEEPER’S GUIDE. 25 died, or some other accident destroyed the stock. The population of a hive increases rapidly in April and May, and consequently the internal temperature rises in proportion, a very high tem- perature causes swarming, (Mr. Nutt says 130°) although the Bees may have abundance of room— I have frequently seen a glass lamp that has no opening at the top, placed upon a hive, and the result has been that the Bees swarmed before they had filled it. If both room and ventilation are carefully attended t o, swarming may be 'prevented altogether , and that the one may be as completely under the control of the proprietor as the other, I would recommend Mr. Taylor’s Ventilator, which I believe to be a perfect one, for when properly arranged, it will reduce the temperature of a hive at the swarming season, from ten to twenty de- grees in a few minutes — I would recommend its insertion in the top of the small hive, box, or glass, before it is placed upon the larger one. “The Ventilator I use,” says Mr. Taylor, ( E. 37 CHAPTER VL Method to he pursued in case a Swarm should leave the Hive , after having commenced working in the Box . This is a circumstance of very rare occurrence, and more especially when the directions given in the former chapter are strictly complied with ; however, should it happen, let the swarm be hived in the usual manner into the improved Cot- tage Hive, (see fig. 3.) as directed in Chapter XII, when the Bees are settled, take off the moveable piece of straw from the top of the hive, and place upon it the box partially filled with honey and Bees ; cover the old hive with the piece of straw 38 THE BEE KEEPER^ GUIDE. belonging to it, and the milk-pan, as no further profit (except the cast or second swarm) will be obtained till the next season ; should the proprie- tor be unwilling to increase his number of stocks, the swarm may be returned immediately to its parent hive; the process is very simple, and I have always found it succeed — as soon as the swarm is settled, turn the hive bottom upwards, and if the Queen Bee does not make her appear- ance in a few seconds, dash the Bees out upon a cloth, or upon a gravel walk,* and with a wine glass she may be easily captured, upon this being accomplished, the Bees will immediately return to their parent hive, and resume their labours ; she may also very easily be taking during the de- parture of a swarm, for she appears to leave the * The method of performing this operation, consists in lifting the hive gently about a foot, and with a smart and sudden jar returning it to the ground, so that the Bees be completely dislodged from the hive, and left upon the cloth, the hive may now be removed to a short distance, and as the Bees are attempting to return to their former habitation, the Queen may be easily captured. THE BEE KEEPER S GUIDE, 39 hive reluctantly and may be seen running back- wards and forwards upon the alighting-board be- fore she takes wing. A second swarm generally leaves the hive about nine days after the first, but the time may be exactly ascertained by standing quietly beside the hive after sunset, when the Queen may be dis- tinctly heard “ to tun 5 in hir treble voic 5 ,”* which is a certain indication that a second swarm will leave the hive. Should two or three Queens be heard one after the other, it will be on the follow- ing day, if the weather be not very unfavourable, (for the second and third swarms appear to have less regard as to the weather than the first.) Should the Queens continue to pipe after the departure of the second swarm, a third will cer- tainly follow in a few days, but if one or two Queens be found dead beneath the hive on the next morning, no more swarms can be expect- ed. * Butler’s Feminin Monarch!, Edit. 1634. 40 THE BEE KEEPER’S GUIDE, That the old Queen accompanies the first swarm is established beyond a doubt ; that many Queens are bred in a hive, a number sometimes exceeding thirty in one year, is also ascertained ; and that the Bees have the power of producing a Queen from an egg deposited in the combs of the work- ing Bees, by treating it in a different manner to those that are to become workers, has also been satisfactorily proved, all that has been said beyond this, regarding their natural history, must, I be- lieve be considered principally conjecture. “ It is, however,” says a modern Author, c( not the least interesting part of the study of the Bee, that this apparently insignificant insect, has hitherto baffled all the research and inge- nuity of man, to discover the manner of its propagation ; analogy presents no guide to the solution of this secret, and the result of every anatomical experiment has tended rather to mys^ tify the subject, than to conduct us to the road to truth,” and Purchas, who I have before quoted, says, “ God humbles us with ignorance in many THE BEE KEEPER* S GUIDE. 4L things, not only divine but natural, and in common use, in the nature of Bees how blind are we, not- withstanding all our observations and labour, in the production and continuance of the Queen Bee, in the generation of other Bees, and gene-^ rally in the forms of all things.” 42 THE BEE KEEPER’S GUIDE* CHAPTER VII. Method of uniting second and third Swarms . Second and third Swarms, or Casts and Colts, are seldom or ever able to collect a sufficient quan- tity of honey, to support themselves through the winter, and can only be preserved by much care and expense, and most of them die after all with- out bringing any profit. It is much better there- fore to unite them in the following manner : — when two Casts or Colts come off upon the same day, hive them separately, and leave them till an hour and half after sunset, then spread a cloth THE BEE KEEPER’S GUIDE. 43 upon the ground, upon which by a smart and sudden movement, shake all the Bees oat of one of the hives, and immediately take the other and place it gently over the Bees that are heaped to- gether upon the cloth, and they will instantly ascend into it, and join those, which not having been disturbed, are quiet in their new abode £ next morning before sunrise, remove this newly united hive to the place in which it is to remain ; this doubled population will work with double success, and in the most perfect harmony, and generally become a strong stock, from which much profit may be derived. Two Casts or weak Swarms may be joined in the same manner, although one of them may have swarmed some days or even weeks later than the other, taking care however, not to make the first one enter the second, but the second the first, a third, and a fourth parcel of Bees may be joined to them at different times, till the stock becomes strong. It is almost impossible sufficiently to impress 44 THE BEE KEEPER^ GUIDE. upon the mind of every person who keeps Bees, the necessity of having his stocks all strong, for weak stocks are very troublesome, very expen- sive, and seldom, if ever, afford any profit. Mr. Taylor say, “ the stronger the colony at the outset the better the Bees will work, and the more prosperous it will become. I never knew a weak one do w^ell long, and a little extra expence, and trouble at first, are amply rewarded by suc- ceeding years of prosperity and ultimate profit and again, “ thus strength in one year begets it in succeeding ones, and this principle ought to be borne in mind by those who imagine that the deficient population of one season will be made up in the next, and that the loss of Bees in the winter is of secondary consequence, forgetting how influential is their warmth to the earlier and increased productive powers of the Queen, and how important it is in the opening spring to be able to spare from the home duties of the hive a number of collectors, to add to the stores, which w 7 ould otherwise not keep pace with the cravings of the rising generation.” THE BEE KEEPER^ GUIDE* 45 It is a remarkable fact, that two weak stocks joined, will collect double the quantity of honey, and consume much less than two of the same age and strength, kept separately. Stocks must be joined after sunset, upon the day that one of them has swarmed, or before sunrise the next morning, and the doubled stock must be placed upon the stand it previously occupied. Great care must be taken not to shake the hive, nor must it be turned up, the combs being new, and tender, will easily break, and the stock by that means be destroyed. 46 THE BEE KEEPER’S GUIDE* CHAPTER VIII. Manner of uniting Swarms and old stocks in Autumn . For this very useful information, I am indebted to that excellent Apiarian, Gelieu ; I have tried it upon some of my own stocks, as well as upon those of my friends, and have found it in every instance fully to answer my expectations. Persons possessing these instructions should not allow a weak stock to remain through the winter. The operation is performed very easily and without danger : I have frequently accomplished it without any protection whatever, and I will give THE BEE KEEPER’S GUIDE. 4? the method in the words of Gelieu — “ When the swarms have not been able to lay up a sufficient provision during the fine weather, I weigh them at the end of the season, and knowing the weight of each empty hive, 1 can tell exactly the quantity of honey they have in store. If they are three, four, five or six pounds too light, I preserve them and feed them in the manner I am about to detail. When the swarms have only about one-third or one half of the quantity of honey which would suffice to feed them, I might keep them alive by giving them as much more as they require. I have frequently done so, but I have already re- marked that this plan costs too much honey, and gives too much trouble: and, therefore, I generally join them into one. For this purpose, I leave the heaviest swarm untouched, and, in the morning of a fine day in September, or the beginning of October, I commence by blowing a few whiffs of tobacco-smoke with my pipe in at the door of the hive of the lightest swarm, to disperse the sentinels ; then turning up the hive. 48 THE BEE KEEPER’S GUIDE. and placing it on its top on the ground, I give it a little more smoke* to prevent the Bees from becoming irritated* and to force them to retire within the combs — I proceed to cut out all the combs in succession* beginning with the smallest, sweeping the Bees with a feather off each piece back into the hive ; and then I place the combs, one after another, into a large dish beside me, keeping it* at the same time, carefully covered over with a napkin, or small table cloth* to pre- vent the Bees returning to their combs* or the smell of the honey attracting others that may be flying about. The last comb is the most difficult to come at* being completely covered over with Bees. I detach it* however* in the same way as the others* but with greater precaution* sweeping the Bees off very gently with the feather* until there is not one left on it. This operation, I per- form without gloves* or any other protection* armed only with my pipe ; and for ten times that I treat them after this fashion, I seldom receive one sting* even when I act unassisted. THE BEE KEEPERS GUIDE, 49 The combs being all removed, the swarm re- mains as completely destitute of food as it was on the day of its emigration, and I replace it on its board in the same spot it occupied when full, and leave it till the evening, by which time the Bees will be clustered together like a new swarm. During the whole of the day, which I shall sup- pose to be fine, they occupy themselves with great earnestness cleansing their house, and mak- ing such a noise in removing the little fragments of wax that have fallen on the board, that any one who did not know it had been emptied, would take it for the best and strongest of the hives. Before night, when they are all quiet, I throw a few whiffs of smoke in at the door of the hive which I mean my deprived swarm to enter, and which should be its next neighbour on the right hand or the left ; then, turning it up, and resting it on the ground, I sprinkle it all over with honey, especially between the combs wffiere I per- ceive the greatest number of Bees : five or six table spoonfuls generally suffice; at other times D 50 THE BEE KEEPER’S GUIDE, three or four times as many are required. If too little were given, the new comers might not be well received ; there might be some fighting ; and by giving too much, we run the risk of drowning them. — One should cease the sprinkling when the Bees begin to climb up above the combs, and shelter themselves on the sides of the hive, this done, I replace the hive on its board, which should jut out about seven or eight inches, raising the hive up in the front with two little bits of stick, so as to leave a division of an inch between it and the board, to give free access to the Bees. I also spread a table cloth upon the ground be- fore it, raising and fixing one end of it on the board, by means of two bits of stick, that are placed as a temporary support to the hive. I then take the hive that was deprived of its combs in the morning, and with one shake, throw the Bees out of it upon the table-cloth, which they instant- ly begin to ascend ; while, by the help of a long wooden spoon, I guide them to the door of the one that is placed for their reception. A few THE BEE KEEPER’S GUIDE. 51 spoonfuls of the Bees raised and laid down at the door of the hive will set the example, they enter at once, and the others follow quickly, flapping their wings, and sipping with delight the drops of honey that come in their way, or officiously lick- ing and cleaning those first inhabitants that have received the sprinkling, and with whom they mingle and live henceforth on good terms ; one division of the new comers always cluster on the front of the hive, which they enter during the night without disturbance, much pleased to join their companions. Next morning, early, it is necessary to take away the table-cloth, and the bits of stick, that were placed to raise up the hive, and facilitate the entrance of the Bees, and for some days the door should be left open as wide as possible. The hive should also be moved a little to the right or left, that it may stand precisely in the centre of the place they both occupied before the union. I have frequently united three swarms in the d 3 52 THE BEE KEEPER^ GUIDE. same manner, and with the same success, taking care only to empty in the morning those on each side, and to make the Bees enter the middle one in the evening, after it has been sprinkled with honey. In this case I do not remove the one that unites the three swarms.” I have adhered strictly to these directions ex- cept in “ raising and fixing the table-cloth to the - board,” — making the Bees ascend, I have always found to be a slow process, but placing the hive they are to join over them when heaped upon the cloth, is much quicker and equally successful. Old stocks that are rendered weak by swarm- ing, or by having too much honey taken from them, may be united in the same manner, with this difference only, that double the quantity of honey should be used in sprinkling. If a stock of Bees, containing fifteen or twenty pounds of honey in September, be carefully managed during the winter, which consists in narrowing the entrance to exclude robbers, care- THE BEE KEEPER^ GUIDE, 53 fully covering the hive with a milk-pan, and raising it from the board every month or six weeks to clean it, no doubt can be entertained to its affording a good box of honey. 54 THE BEE KEEPER’S GUIDE* CHAPTER IX. Manner of feeding iveak Stocks, and the time most ap~ propriate for this operation . Autumn and Spring are the most proper sea- sons for supplying weak stocks with food. Bees ought never to be fed during the winter, as food given at that time, not only causes disease, but induces them to go out of their hives, when many of them perish from cold. Food should be administered only at night, and the sooner after sunset the better ; the vessel in w r hich it is given ought to be carefully removed by sunrise the next morning, or robbers will be THE BEE KEEPER’S GUIDE. 55 attracted to the hive by the smell of the honey and far more injury be sustained from them, than the benefit arising to the Bees, from the food given. In feeding, therefore, it will be necessary to observe the greatest neatness. In Autumn, Bees should be fed copiously, those hives con- taining less than fifteen pounds of honey must be made up to that weight by feeding ; the most effectual method I have been able to devise is to excavate a board of four or five inches in thick- ness, so as to allow a soup plate, or pewter dish to fit into it without rising above its level ; this dish may be filled with honey, and covered with pieces of paper to prevent the Bees from being drowned, it may then be placed under the hive at sunset, and a napkin tied round the bottom ot it, to prevent any of the Bees from making their escape ; in this manner three or four pounds of honey may be given at one time, so that twice feeding, it is supposed will be sufficient for any hive, for if more than this quantity is wanted, the stock must be joined to another as directed in 56 THE BEE KEEPERS GUIDF. Chapter VIII. Should the honey be very thick, a small quantity of warm water may be added to it, in the proportion of half a pint to three pounds of honey, observing to mix them w^ell together. If the honey be much candied it may be placed over a fire for a few minutes till it becomes liquid —another plan of feeding is to prepare a rim of straw, or a w ooden hoop, the exact size of the hive, and four inches deep, within which place the dish of honey, and put the hive over it, mak- ing the union secure with a napkin. In the Spring, Bees should be fed sparingly, three or four ounces of honey twice in the week, will be found amply sufficient ; the easiest me- thod of giving these small quantities is by a vessel of tin, upon the same principle as a bird’s foun- tain, holding about a pound or a pound and half ; (see fig. 9.) the projecting trough or mouth, must be put in at the entrance of the hive, it is one inch and three quarters wide, and three inches and a half long, covered with a perforated tin $ this vessel being filled with honey, has only to be THE BEE KEEPER’S GUIDE. 5? placed in the hive at night, and removed in the morning, the feeder itself effectually stopping up the entrance of the hive. Some persons feed their Bees at the top of the hive, but it is much too tedious and sparing a way, in my opinion for Autumn feeding, in the Spring it does very well. This feeder is of wood with a cover of glass, it has a hole through its centre, corresponding with one at the top of the hive, which enables the Bees to pass into it, and take the honey— I believe it was invented by Wildman. THE BEE KEEPERS GUIDE., 5 , 8 * CHAPTER X. Food proper for weak Hives . I am decidedly of opinion that Bees fed in the Autumn should have honey, in preference to any other kind of food. Mr. Huish recommends “ eight pounds of honey, six pounds of water, a bottle of white wine, and a pound of sugar, boiled and skimmed, to be bottled for use,” he adds, u the most advisable method is not to make more than is immediately wanted, because there is some danger of its fermenting.” Now if the Bees are allowed to store a quantity of this, or any other THE BEE KEEPER’S GUIDE. 59 similar kind of food in their hives, will it not in all probability ferment there also ? this is my rea„ son for recommending honey only — indeed I have never seen Bees so healthy as those fed on the simple mixture of honey and water. In Spring, other kinds of food may answer very well, as a small portion only is given at a time, and very little of it deposited in the combs. A very good Spring food may be made with honey and sweet wort, or with raw sugar and sweet wort, boiled and skimmed, The proportions would be, one pound of sugar, or half a pound of honey, to two pints of strong wort. For feeding weak stocks many things have been .prescribed, but nothing is so proper and natural as honey, I dislike feeding altogether, except a little in the beginning of the year, through the lateness of the Spring some hives (otherwise suf- ficiently supplied) may require it. Early swarms may also require a little honey when the weather proves unfavourable for their collecting it the four 60 THE BEE KEEPER S GUIDE, or five first days succeeding their being hived* but in both these cases a very small quantity will be found sufficient. Autumn feeding very rarely answers the purpose of the proprietor. Uniting the w r eak stocks at that season^ as directed in Chapter VIII. will be found much more advan- tageous. THE BEE KEEPER’S GUIDE. 61 CHAPTER XI. Enemies of Bees , and means of overcoming them . Gelieu says — c