,a ,,manual ,,or ,,an ,,easy ,,method   
,,of  ,,managing ,,bees1  ,,in ,,the    
,,most ,,profitable ,,manner ,,to       
,,their ,,owner1 ,,with ,,infallible    
,,rules ,,to ,,prevent ,,their          
,,destruction ,,by ,,the ,,moth4  ,,by  
,,john ,m4 ,,weeks1 ,of ,salisbury1 ,vt4
  ,,second ,,edition4  ,,middlebury3    
,,elam ,r4 ,,jewett1 ,,printer4  #ahcg4 
,entered according to act of ,congress1 
in the year #ahcf4 ,by ,john ,m4 ,weeks1
 in the ,clerk's ,office of the         
,district ,court of ,vermont4           
,,preface4  ,it appears to the writer of
 the following pages1 that a work of    
this description is much needed in our  
country4  ,the cultivation of the bee   
7,apis ,mellifica7 has been too long    
neglected in most parts of the ,united  
,states4  ,this general neglect has     
unquestionably originated from the fact1
 that the ,european enemy to the bees1  
called the moth1 has found its way into 
this country1 and has located and       
naturalized itself here2 and has made so

 much havoc among the bees1 that many   
districts have entirely abandoned their 
cultivation4 ,many ,apiarians1 and men  
of the highest literary attainments1 as 
well as experience1 have nearly         
exhausted their patience1 in examining  
the peculiar nature and habits of this  
insect2 and have tried various          
experiments to devise some means of     
preventing its depredations4 ,but1 after
 all that has been done1 the spoiler    
moves onward with little molestation1   
and very few of our citizens are willing
 to engage in the enterprize of         
cultivating this most useful and        
profitable of all insects1 the          
honey-bee4  ,the following work is      
comprised in a set of plain1 concise    
rules1 by which1 if strictly adhered to 
and practised1 any person1 properly     
situated1 may cultivate bees1 and avail 
himself of all the benefits of their    
labors4  ,if the ,apiarian manages      
strictly in accordance with the         
following rules1 the author feels       

confident that no colony will ever      
materially suffer by the moth1 or will  
ever be destroyed by them4  ,the author 
is aware of the numerous treatises      
published on this subject2 but they     
appear to him1 for the most part1 to be 
the result not so much of experience as 
of vague and conjectural speculation1   
and not sufficiently embodying what is  
practical and useful4  ,this work is    
intended as an accompaniment to the     
,vermont hive1 and will be found to be  
the result of observation and           
experience1 and it is thought comprises 
all that is necessary to make a skilful 
,apiarian4                              
,,the ,,author4  ,,index     ,,chapter  
,rule ,i4  ,on the construction of the  
hive1                     #e    ,rule   
,,ii4  ,on swarming and hiving1         
#aa   ,rule ,,iii4  ,on ventilating1    
#bc    ,rule ,,iv4  ,on preventing      
robberies1                              
#bd     ,rule ,v4  ,on equalizing       
colonies1 by doubling1 trebling1 c1  #bf

    ,rule ,,vi4  ,on removing honey1    
#cj   ,rule ,,vii4  ,the method of      
compelling swarms to make extra         
,queens1 and keep them for the use of   
their owner1   #cc  ,rule ,,viii4  ,on  
supplying swarms with ,queens1 when     
necessary1    #ch    ,rule ,,ix4  ,on   
multiplying colonies to any desirable   
extent1             without swarming1   
#db     ,rule ,x4  ,on preventing the   
depredations of the moth1         #dc   
,rule ,,xi4  ,on feeding1               
#ef   ,rule ,,xii4  ,on wintering1      
#fj  ,rule ,,xiii4  ,on transferring    
bees from one hive to another1      #fj 
,,xiv4  ,general ,observations1         
#fe     ,,manual1 c4     ,,rule ,i4     
,,on ,,the ,,construction ,,of ,a       
,,bee-,,hive4   ,a bee-hive should be   
made of sound boards1 free from shakes  
and cracks2 it should also be planed    
smooth1 inside and out1 made in a       
workmanlike manner1 and painted on its  
outside4  ,,remarks4  ,that a bee-hive  
should be made perfect1 so as to exclude

 light and air1 is obvious from the     
fact1 that the bees will finish what the
 workman has neglected1 by plastering up
 all such cracks and crevices1 or bad   
joints1 as are left open by the joiner4 
,the substance they use for this purpose
 is neither honey nor wax1 but a kind of
 glue or cement of their own            
manufacturing1 and is used by the bees  
to fill up all imperfect joints and     
exclude all light and air4 ,this cement 
or glue is very congenial to the growth 
of the moth in the first stages of its  
existence4  ,the moth miller enters the 
hive1 generally1 in the night--makes an 
incision into the glue or cement with   
her sting1 and leaves her eggs deposited
 in the glue1 where it remains secure   
from the bees2 it being guarded by the  
timber on its sides4 ,thus1 while a     
maggot1 7larva7 the moth uses the cement
 for food until it arrives so far       
towards a state of maturity as to be    
able to spin a web1 which is more fully 
explained in remarks on ,rule #aj4  ,the

 size of a hive should be in accordance 
with the strictest rules of economy1 and
 adapted to the peculiar nature and     
economy of the honey-bee1 in order to   
make them profitable to their owner4    
,the lower apartment of the hive1 where 
they store their food1 raise their young
 bees1 and perform their ordinary       
labors1 should hold as much as a box    
thirteen inches and one half or fourteen
 inches square in the clear4  ,if the   
hive is much larger than the one        
described above1 with the chamber in    
proportion1 which should hold about     
two-thirds as much as the lower         
apartment1 the bees will not be likely  
to swarm during the season4  ,bees in   
large hives never swarm2 and those in   
hives much less than the one already    
described1 do but little else than raise
 young bees and lay up a sufficient     
quantity of food to supply them through 
the coming winter1 and are more liable  
to be robbed4  ,all hives of bees that  
swarm are liable to swarm too much1 and 

reduce their colonies so low in numbers 
as to materially injure them1 and is    
frequently the cause of their           
destruction by the moth1 which is more  
particularly explained in remarks on    
,rule #b4  ,the changer of the hive     
should be made perfectly tight1 so as to
 exclude all light from the drawers4    
,drawers should be small like ,no4 #b1  
for all purposes except such as are used
 for multiplying colonies and           
transferring1 which should always be    
large like ,no4 #a4  ,hives should have 
elects on their sides1 so as to suspend 
them in the air some distance from the  
floor of the apiary1 the better to      
secure the bees from destruction by     
mice1 reptiles1 and other vermin4  ,the 
back side or rear of the lower apartment
 of the hive should slant forward1 so as
 to render the same smallest at the     
bottom1 the better to secure the combs  
from falling when cracked by frost or   
nearly melted in hot weather4  ,no      
timbers or boards should be placed very 

near the lower edge of the hive1 because
 it facilitates the entrance of         
depredators4 ,that the back side should 
slant forward1 is obvious from the fact1
 that bees generally rest one edge of   
their combs on that side1 and build     
towards the front in such a manner as to
 enter upon the same sheet where they   
intend to deposit their stores1 when    
they first enter the hive1 without being
 compelled to take any unnecessary      
steps4  ,the bottom of the hive should  
slant downward from rear to front1 so as
 to afford the greatest facility to the 
bees to clear their tenement of all     
offensive substances1 and let the water1
 which is occasioned by the breath and  
vapor of the bees1 run off in cold      
water4 ,it also aids the bees very much 
in preventing the entrance of robbers4  
,the bottom board should be suspended by
 staples and hooks near each corner of  
the hive1 in such a manner as to afford 
a free entrance and egress to the bees  
on all its sides1 which will better     

enable them to keep their tenement clear
 of the moths4  ,there should be a      
button attached to the lower edge of the
 rear of the hive1 so as to enable the  
apiarian to govern the bottom board in  
such a manner as to give all the air    
they need1 or close the hive at         
pleasure4  ,the hive should have two    
sticks placed at equal distances1       
extending from front to rear1 resting on
 the rear1 with a screw driven through  
the front into the end of the stick1    
which holds it fast in its place1 and a 
ventilator hear the top of the lower    
apartment of the hive1 to let off the   
vapor which frequently causes the death 
of the bees in the winter by freezing4  
,the door to the chamber should be made 
to fit in the rabitings of the same     
against the jambs1 in such a manner as  
to exclude the light from the windows of
 the drawers1 and also to prevent the   
entrance of the little ants4 ,it should 
also be hung by butts1 or fastened by a 
bar1 running vertically across the      

centre of the door1 and confined by     
staples at each end4 ,there should be   
three sheet-iron slides1 one of which   
should be nearly as wide as the chamber1
 and one or two inches longer than the  
length of the chamber4 ,the other two   
should be the same length of the first1 
and half its width only4  ,all hives and
 all their appendages should be made    
exactly of a size and shape in the same 
apiary4 ,the trouble of equalizing      
colonies is far less than it is to      
accommodate hives to swarms4 ,much      
perplexity and sometimes serious        
difficulties occur1 where the apiarian  
uses different sized hives and drawers4 
,but this part of the subject will be   
more fully discussed under its proper   
rule4     ,,rule ,,ii4  ,,on ,,swarming 
,,and ,,hiving4   ,the apiarian1 or     
bee-owner1 should have his hives in     
readiness1 and in their places in the   
apiary1 with the drawers in their       
chambers bottom up1 so as to prevent    
entrance4  ,when a swarm comes forth and

 has alighted1 cut off the limb if      
convenient--shake it gently1 so as to   
disengage the bees1 and let them fall   
gently on to the table1 board1 or       
ground1 7as the case may be17 place the 
hive over them before many rise into the
 air1 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 egress4 ,if the  
bees act reluctantly in taking          
possession of their new habitation1     
disturb them by brushing them with a    
goose-quill or some other instrument1   
not harsh1 and they will soon enter4 ,in
 case it is found necessary to invert   
the hive to receive the bees1 7which is 
frequent1 from the manner of their      
alighting17 then1 first secure the      
drawers down to the floor by inserting a
 handkerchief or something above them2  
now invert the hive and shake or brush  
the bees into it2 now turn it gently    
right end up on the table1 or other     
place1 observing the rule aforesaid4    

,,remarks4  ,bees swarm from nine       
o'clock in the morning to three o'clock 
in the afternoon on a fair day1         
differing in the season according to the
 climate4 ,in ,vermont they generally   
swarm from the middle of ,may to the    
fifteenth of ,july2 in late seasons some
 later4 ,i have known them to swarm as  
early as seven in the morning and as    
late as four in the afternoon4 ,i have  
also known them to come forth when it   
rained so hard as nearly to defeat them 
by beating down many to the ground which
 were probably lost from their colony2  
and ,i once had a swarm come forth on   
the sixteenth day of ,august4           
,experience and observation have taught 
that the ,queen leaves the old stock    
first1 and her colony rapidly follow4   
,they fly about a few minutes1          
apparently in the greatest confusion1   
until the swarm is principally out of   
the hive4 ,they then alight1 generally  
on the limb of some tree1 shrub1 or     
bush1 or some other place convenient for

 them to cluster in a bunch not far from
 the old stock1 and make their          
arrangements for a journey to a new     
habitation4 ,perhaps not one swarm in a 
thousand knows where they are going     
until after they have left the old      
stock1 alighted1 and formed into a      
compact body or cluster2 and not then   
until they have sent off an embassy to  
search out a place for their future     
residence4 ,now if the bees are hived   
immediately after they have alighted1   
before they send off their embassy to   
seek a new tenement1 they will never fly
 away1 admitting they have sufficient   
room1 7for it is want of room that makes
 them swarm in the first place17 and    
their hive is clear of every thing that 
is offensive to them4  ,the old custom  
of washing hives with salt and water and
 other substances1 to give them a       
pleasant effluvia1 should be speedily   
abolished4 ,nothing but bees should ever
 be put into a hive4  ,when bees die1   
the hive should be cleared of its       

contents1 and scraped out clean1 and the
 chamber rubbed with cloth wet in clean 
water2 then set it in its place in the  
apiary1 and there let it stand until    
wanted for use4 ,an old hive1 thus      
prepared1 is as good as a new one for   
the reception of a swarm4 ,the apiarian 
should examine before using to see that 
the hive is free from spiders and       
cobwebs4  ,when bees are not hived      
immediately after they have clustered in
 a body1 they should be removed to the  
apiary1 or several rods from the place  
where they alighted1 as soon as they can
 be hived1 to prevent their being found 
on the return of the embassy4 ,since ,i 
have thus practised1 ,i have never lost 
a swarm by flight4  ,experience has     
taught that it is best to remove the new
 swarm to the place where it is intended
 to stand during the season1 immediately
 after hiving4 ,fewer bees are lost by a
 speedy removal1 than when permitted to 
stand until evening1 because they are   
creatures of habit1 and are every moment

 establishing themselves in their       
location4 ,it also prevents their being 
found by the embassy when they return4  
,the longer bees stand in the place     
where they are hived1 the greater will  
be the number lost when removed4 ,but   
more of this hereafter4  ,when bees are 
collected in drawers for the purpose of 
equalizing colonies1 by doubling1 c41   
they should be permitted to stand until 
evening before they are united1 it being
 a more favorable time for them to      
become acquainted with each other by    
degrees2 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 the peculiar smell of the   
two colonies1 which takes off their     
animosity1 if they chance to have any4  
,no confusion or noise which is uncommon
 to the bees should ever be made during 
their swarming or hiving4 ,the only     
effect of noise1 ringing of bells1 tc41 
that ,i could ever discover1 was1 to    

render them more hostile and            
unmanageable4  ,when bees are treated in
 accordance with their true nature1 they
 are sometimes hostile1 which originates
 from two causes3 ,first1 some of them  
lie out of the hive before swarming and 
some of them1 in consequence of their   
confusion in swarming1 are not apprised 
of the intention of the ,queen to leave 
the old stock and seek a new habitations
 and they sally forth with the swarm    
without filling their sacks with stores1
 which always makes them more irritable 
than when their stomachs are rilled with
 food4  ,the ,vermont hive possesses    
advantages in this respect1 as well as  
others1 far superior to the old box4    
,instead of lying out before swarming1  
as in the old box1 they go up into the  
drawers1 and are constantly employed in 
depositing the delicious fruits of their
 labors2 and being in the hive1 where   
they can hear and observe all the       
movements of the ,queen1 they go forth  
well stored with provisions suited to   

the peculiar exigency of the case2 which
 ordinarily prevents all feelings of    
hostility4  ,the second reason why bees 
are sometimes irritable1 and are        
disposed to sting when they swarm1 is1  
the air is forbidding to them1 by being 
cold or otherwise1 so as to impede them 
in their determined emigration4 ,in all 
such cases1 the apiarian should be      
furnished with a veil1 made of millinet1
 or some light covering which may be    
worn over his hat1 and let down so low  
as to cover his face and bosom1 and     
fixed in such a manner as to prevent    
their stinging4 ,he should also put on a
 pair of thick woolen gloves or         
stockings over his hands1 thus managing 
them without the least danger4  ,a clean
 hive is all that is needed for a swarm 
of bees1 with careful and humane        
treatment4  ,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 collected1 nor  
should they fall any great distance1    

because their sacks are full when they  
swarm1 which renders them both clumsy   
and harmless1 and harsh treatment makes 
them irritable and unmanageable4  ,i    
know of no rule by which the exact day  
of their first swarming can be known    
with certainty4 ,the apiarian will      
estimate near the time by the number of 
bees in and about the hive1 as it will  
become very much crowded4  ,the day of  
second swarming1 and all after that     
during the same season1 may be most     
certainly predicted as follows3 ,listen 
near the entrance of the hive in the    
evening4 ,if a swarm is coming forth the
 next day1 the ,queen will be heard     
giving an alarm at short intervals4 ,the
 same alarm may be heard the next       
morning4 ,the observer will generally   
hear two ,queens at a time in the same  
hive1 the one much louder than the      
other4 ,the one making the least noise  
is yet in her cell1 and in her minority4
 ,the sound emitted by the ,queens is   
peculiar1 differing materially from that

 of any other bee4 ,it consists of a    
number of monotonous notes in rapid     
succession1 similar to those emitted by 
the mud-wasp when working her mortar and
 joining it to her cells1 to raise      
miss-wasps4 ,if1 after all1 the weather 
is unfavorable to their swarming two or 
three days while in this peculiar stage1
 they will not be likely to swarm again 
the same season4  ,two reasons1 and two 
only1 can be assigned why bees ever     
swarm4 ,the first is1 want of room1 and 
the second1 to avoid the battle of the  
,queens4 ,it is indeed true that there  
are exceptions4 ,perhaps one in a       
hundred swarms may come forth before    
their hive is filled with comb2 but from
 nearly forty years experience in their 
cultivation1 ,i never saw an instance of
 it1 where the hive was not full of bees
 at their first swarming4 ,when bees go 
from the old stock to the tree without  
alighting1 it is when they lie out of   
the hive before swarming1 and the       
embassy are sent forth before the swarm 

leaves the old stock4 ,when the first   
swarm comes forth1 eggs1 young brood1 or
 both1 are left in the combs1 but no    
,queen2 for the old ,queen always goes  
forth with the swarm1 and leaves the old
 stock entirely destitute4 ,not a single
 ,queen1 in any stage of minority1 is   
left in the hive4 ,the bees very soon   
find themselves destitute of the means  
of propagating their species1 7for the  
,queen is the only female in the hive17 
and immediately set themselves to work  
in constructing several royal cells1    
7probably to be more sure of success17  
take a grub 7larva7 from the cell of a  
common worker1 place it in the new-made 
royal cell1 feed it on royal jelly1 and 
in a few days they a ,queen4 ,now as the
 eggs are laid in about three litters   
per week1 the bees1 to be still more    
sure of succeeding in their enterprize1 
take maggots1 differing in age1 so that 
if more than one ,queen is hatched1 one 
will be older than the others4 ,this    
fact accounts for hearing more than one 

,queen at the same time1 because one    
comes out a perfect fly1 while the other
 is a nymph1 or little younger1 and has 
not yet made her escape from the cell   
where she was raised2 and yet both      
answer the alarm of the other1 the      
youngest more feebly than the elder4    
,bees will never swarm but once the same
 season unless they make more than one  
,queen1 immediately after the departure 
of the first swarm2 and not then1 if the
 bees permit the oldest ,queen to come  
in contact with the cell where the young
 ones are growing4 ,queens entertain the
 most deadly animosity towards each     
other1 and will commence an attack upon 
each other the first moment opportunity 
offers4 ,the old ,queen will even tear  
all the cradles or cells to pieces where
 young ones are growing1 and destroy all
 the chrysalis ,queens in the hive4  ,if
 the weather becomes unfavorable to     
swarming1 the next day after the alarm  
of the ,queen is heard1 and continues so
 for several days1 the oldest ,queen may

 come in contact with the others1 or    
gain access to their cells2 in either   
case the life of one of them is         
destroyed by the other1 and the colony  
will not be likely to send forth another
 swarm the same season4 ,if the old     
,queen succeeds in taking the life of   
the younger1 or vice versa1 the         
remaining nymphs will be likely to share
 the same fate of their martyred        
sisters1 by the hand of the reigning    
,queen1 who considers all others in the 
same hive as her competitors4  ,second  
swarms would be as large and numerous as
 any others1 if it was not the fact that
 they come forth to avoid the battle of 
the ,queens4 ,bees are very tenacious to
 preserve the lives of their sovereigns1
 particularly those of their own        
raising2 and when they find they have   
more than one in the hive1 they will    
guard each so strong as to prevent1 if  
possible1 their coming within reach of  
each other4 ,they being thus strongly   
guarded to prevent the fight1 is        

unquestionably the cause of their giving
 the alarm1 as described in the         
foregoing article4 ,the knowledge of the
 existence of another ,queen in the same
 hive inspires them with the greatest   
uneasiness and rage2 and when the oldest
 one finds herself defeated in gaining  
access to her competitor1 she sallies   
forth with as many as see fit to follow 
her1 and seeks a new habitation4  ,bees 
will not swarm but once in a season1 if 
the second one does not come forth      
within seventeen days from the departure
 of the first1 unless they swarm for    
want of room1 in which case no ,queen   
will be heard before swarming4  ,the    
drawers should be turned over1 so as to 
let the bees into them as soon as they  
have built their combs nearly to the    
bottom of the hive4 ,if the swarm is so 
large that the lower apartment will not 
hold all of them1 they should be let    
into one or both of the drawers1 at the 
time of hiving2 otherwise they may go   
off for want of room4 ,bees should be   

let into the drawers in the spring as   
soon as blossoms are seen4     ,,rule   
,,iii4  ,,on ,,ventilating ,,the ,,hive4
   ,graduate the bottom board and       
ventilator at pleasure1 by means of the 
button or otherwise1 so as to give them 
more or less air1 as the circumstances  
may require4  ,,remarks4  ,bees require 
more air in order to enable them to     
endure the heat of summer and the       
severity of winter1 than at any other   
time4 ,if they are kept out in the cold1
 they need as much air in the winter as 
in the heat of summer4 ,it is in a mild 
temperature only1 that it is safe to    
keep them from the pure air4 ,if placed 
below frost in a dry sand-bank1 they    
seem to need scarcely more than is      
contained in their hive at the time they
 are buried1 during the whole winter4   
,if kept in a clean1 dry cellar1 the    
mouth so contracted as to keep out mice1
 gives them enough4 ,but if they are    
kept in the apiary1 there should be a   
slow current of air constantly pressing 

in at the bottom and off at the top     
thro' the ventilator4     ,,rule ,,iv4  
,,on ,,preventing ,,robberies4   ,at the
 moment it is observed1 that robbers are
 within1 or about the hive1 raise the   
bottom board so near the edge of the    
hive as to prevent the ingress or egress
 of the bees1 and stop the mouth or     
common entrance and ventilator4 ,at the 
same time take care that a small space  
on all sides of the hive be left open1  
so as to afford them all the air they   
need4 ,open the mouth only at evening1  
and close early in the morning1 before  
the robbers renew their attack4         
,,remarks4  ,bees have a peculiar       
propensity to rob each other1 and every 
precaution necessary to prevent it1     
should be exercised by the cultivator4  
,families in the same apiary are more   
likely to engage in this unlawful       
enterprize than any others1 probably    
because they are located so near each   
other1 and are more likely to learn     
their comparative strength4 ,i never    

could discover any intimacy between     
colonies of the same apiary1 except when
 they stood on the same bench2 and then1
 all the social intercourse seems to    
subsist between the nearest neighbors   
only4  ,bees are not likely to engage in
 warfare and rob each other1 except in  
the spring and fall1 and at other times 
in the season1 when food is not easily  
obtained from blossoms4  ,bees do not   
often engage in robbery in the spring1  
unless it is in such hives as have had  
their combs broken by frost or          
otherwise1 so as to cause the honey to  
drip down upon the bottom board4 ,much  
care should be exercised by the apiarian
 to see that all such hives are properly
 ventilated1 and at the same time closed
 in such a manner as to prevent the     
entrance of robbers in the day-time1    
until they have mended the breach1 so as
 to stop the honey from running4  ,clear
 water should be given them every day1  
so long as they are kept in confinement4
  ,i have known many good stocks to be  

lost in the spring1 by being robbed2 and
 all for want of care4 ,bees rob each   
other when they can find but little else
 to do2 they will rob at any time when  
frost has destroyed the flowers1 or the 
weather is so cold as to prevent their  
collecting honey from them4 ,cold1      
chilly weather prevents the flowers from
 yielding honey without frost1 as was   
the case in the summer of #ahce1 in many
 places4  ,bees need but little air at  
any time when they rob1 and yet more is 
necessary for them when confined by     
compulsory means1 than otherwise4 ,when 
deprived of their liberty1 they soon    
become restless1 and use their best     
efforts to make their way out of the    
hive--hence the importance of leaving a 
small space all around the bottom1 to   
admit air and to prevent their melting  
down4     ,,rule ,v4  ,,on ,,equalizing 
,,colonies4   ,hive one swarm in the    
lower apartment of the hive2 collect    
another swarm in a drawer1 and insert   
the same in the chamber of the hive     

containing the first4 ,then1 if the     
swarms are small1 collect another small 
swarm in another drawer1 and insert the 
same in the chamber of the hive         
containing the first1 by the side of the
 second4 ,in case all the bees from     
either of the drawers1 amalgamate and go
 below with the first swarm1 and leave  
the drawer empty1 then it may be        
removed1 and another small swarm added  
in the same manner4  ,,remarks4  ,it is 
of prime importance to every bee        
cultivator1 that all his colonies be    
made as nearly equal in numbers and     
strength1 as possible4 ,every           
experienced bee-master must be aware    
that small swarms are of but little     
profit to their owner4 ,generally1 in a 
few days after they are hived1 they are 
gone2--no one can trace their steps3    
some suppose they have fled to the      
woods--others1 that they were robbed3   
but after all1 no one is able to give   
any satisfactory account of them4 ,some 
pieces of comb only are left1 and       

perhaps myriads of worms and millers    
finish off the whole4 ,then the moth is 
supposed to be their destroyer1 but the 
true history of the case is generally   
this3 ,the bees become discouraged1 or  
disheartened1 for want of numbers to    
constitute their colony1 abandon their  
tenement1 and join with their nearest   
neighbors1 leaving their combs to the   
merciless depredations of the moth4     
,they are sometimes robbed by their     
adjoining hives1 and then the moths     
finish or destroy what is left4  ,second
 swarms are generally about half as     
large as the first1 and third swarms    
half as large as second ones4  ,now if  
second swarms are doubled1 so as to make
 them equal in number with the first1   
the owner avails himself of the         
advantage of a strong colony1 which will
 not be likely to become disheartened   
for want of numbers1 nor overcome by    
robbers from stronger colonies4  ,it is 
far less trouble1 and less expense1 for 
the bee-owner lo equalize his colonies1 

than to prepare hives and drawers of    
different sizes to fit colonies4  ,when 
colonies and hives are made as near     
alike as possible1 many evils are       
avoided1 and many advantages realized3  
every hive will fit a place in the      
apiary--every drawer a hive1 and every  
bottom board and slide may in any case  
be used without mistakes4  ,swarms may  
be doubled at any time before they      
become so located as to resume their    
former hostility1 which will not be     
discovered in less than three or four   
days4 ,bees are provided with a         
reservoir1 or sack1 to carry their      
provision in2 and when they swarm1 they 
go loaded with provision suited to their
 emergency1 which takes off all their   
hostility towards each other2 and until 
these sacks are emptied1 they are not   
easily vexed1 and as they are compelled 
to build combs before they can empty    
them1 their contents are retained       
several days4 ,i have doubled1 at a     
fortnight's interval in swarming1 with  

entire success4 ,the operation should be
 performed within two or three days--at 
the farthest four days4 ,the sooner it  
is done1 the less hazardous is the      
experiment4  ,as a general rule1 second 
swarms only should be doubled4 ,third   
and fourth swarms should always have    
their ,queen taken from them1 and the   
bees returned to the parent stock1      
according to ,rule #aj4     ,,rule ,,vi4
  ,,on ,,removing ,,honey4   ,insert a  
slide under the drawer1 so far as to cut
 off all communication between the lower
 apartment and the drawer4 ,insert      
another slide between the first slide   
and the drawer4 ,now draw out the box   
containing the honey1 with the slide    
that is next to it4 ,set the drawer on  
its window end1 a little distance from  
the apiary1 and remove the slide4 ,now  
supply the place of the drawer1 thus    
removed1 with an empty one1 and draw the
 first inserted slide4  ,,remarks4      
,care must be exercised in performing   
this operation4 ,the apertures through  

the floor into the chamber must be kept 
closed by the slides during the process1
 so as to keep the bees from rushing up 
into the chamber when the box is drawn  
out4 ,the operator must likewise see    
that the entrances into the drawer are  
kept covered with the slide1 in such a  
manner as to prevent the escape of any  
of the bees1 unless he is willing to be 
stung by them4  ,if the bees are        
permitted to enter the chamber in very  
warm weather1 they will be likely to    
hold the occupancy of it1 and build comb
 there1 which will change the hive into 
one no better than an old-fashioned box4
  ,i have succeeded best in removing    
honey by the following method1 to       
wit3--,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 table1 or stand1 by 
the window1 on its light or glass end1  
with the apertures towards the light4   
,now remove the slide1 and step         

immediately back into the dark part of  
the room4 ,the bees will soon learn     
their true condition1 and will gradually
 leave the drawer1 and return home to   
the parent stock2 thus leaving the      
drawer and its contents for their owner2
 not however until they have sucked     
every drop of running honey1 if there   
should chance to be any1 which is not   
often the case1 if their work is        
finished4  ,there are two cases in which
 the bees manifest some reluctance in   
leaving the drawer4 ,the first is1 when 
the combs are in an unfinished          
state--some of the cells not sealed     
over4 ,the bees manifest a great desire 
to remain there1 probably to make their 
stores more secure from robbers1 by     
affixing caps to the uncovered cells1 to
 prevent the effluvia of running honey1 
which is always the greatest temptation 
to robbers4  ,bees manifest the greatest
 reluctance in leaving the drawer1 when 
young brood are removed in it1 which    
never occurs1 except in such drawers as 

have been used for feeding in the winter
 or early in the spring4 ,when the      
,queen has deposited eggs in all the    
empty cells below1 she sometimes enters 
the drawers2 and if empty cells are     
found1 she deposits eggs there also4 ,in
 either case1 it is better to return the
 drawer1 which will be made perfect by  
them in a few days4  ,special care is   
necessary in storing drawers of honey1  
when removed from the care and          
protection of the bees1 in order to     
preserve the honey from insects1 which  
are great lovers of it1 particularly the
 ant4 ,a chest1 made perfectly tight1 is
 a good store-house4  ,if the honey in  
the drawers is to be preserved for      
winter use1 it should be kept in a room 
so warm as not to freeze4 ,frost cracks 
the combs1 and the honey will drip as   
soon as warm weather commences4 ,drawers
 should be packed with their apertures  
up1 for keeping or carrying to market4  
,all apiarians who would make the most  
profit from their bees1 should remove   

the honey as soon as the drawers are    
rilled1 and supply their places with    
empty ones4 ,the bees will commence     
their labors in an empty box that has   
been filled1 sooner than any others4    
,,rule ,,vii4  ,,the ,,method ,,of      
,,compelling ,,swarms ,,to ,,make ,,and 
,,keep ,,extra ,,queens1 ,,for ,,their  
,,apiarian1 ,,or ,,owner4   ,take a     
drawer containing bees and brood comb1  
and place the same in the chamber of an 
empty hive2 taking care to stop the     
entrance of the hive1 and give them     
clean water1 daily1 three or four days4 
,then unstop the mouth of the hive1 and 
give them liberty4 ,the operator must   
observe ,rule #f in using the slides4   
,,remarks4  ,the prosperity of every    
colony depends entirely on the condition
 of the ,queen1 when the season is      
favorable to them4  ,every bee-master   
should understand their nature in this  
respect1 so as to enable him to be in   
readiness to supply them with another   
,queen when they chance to become       

destitute4  ,the discovery of the fact1 
that bees have power to change the      
nature of the grub 7larva7 of a worker  
to that of a ,queen1 is attributed to   
,bonner4 ,but neither ,bonner nor the   
indefatigable ,huber1 nor any other     
writer1 to my knowledge1 has gone so far
 in the illustration of this discovery  
as to render it practicable and easy for
 common people to avail themselves of   
its benefits4  ,the ,vermont hive is the
 only one1 to my knowledge1 in which    
bees can be compelled to make and keep  
extra ,queens for the use of their      
owner1 without extreme difficulty1 as   
well as danger1 by stings1 in attempting
 the experiment4  ,the idea of raising  
her royal highness1 and elevating and   
establishing her upon the throne of a   
colony1 may1 by some1 be deemed         
altogether visionary and futile2 but ,i 
will assure the reader1 that it is      
easier done than can be described4 ,i   
have both raised them1 and supplied     
destitute swarms repeatedly4  ,when the 

drawer containing bees and brood comb is
 removed1 the bees soon find themselves 
destitute of a female1 and immediately  
set themselves to work in constructing  
one or more royal cells4 ,when          
completed1 which is commonly within     
forty-eight hours1 they remove a grub   
7larva7 from the worker's cell1 place   
the same in the new-made ,queen's cell1 
feed it on that kind of food which is   
designed only for ,queens1 and in from  
eight to sixteen days they have a       
perfect ,queen4  ,as soon as the bees   
have safely deposited the grub in the   
new-made royal cell1 the bees may have  
their liberty4 ,their attachment to     
their young brood1 and their fidelity to
 their ,queen1 in any stage of its      
minority1 is such1 that they will never 
leave nor forsake them1 and will        
continue all their ordinary labors1 with
 as much regularity as if they had a    
perfect ,queen4  ,in making ,queens in  
small boxes or drawers1 the owner will  
not be troubled by their swarming the   

same season they are made4 ,there are so
 few bees in the drawer1 they are unable
 to guard the nymph ,queens1 if there   
are any1 from being destroyed by the    
oldest1 or the one which escapes from   
her cell first4  ,in examining the      
drawer1 in which ,i raised an extra     
,queen1 ,i found not only the ,queen1   
but two royal cells1 one of which was in
 perfect shape2 the other was mutilated1
 probably by the ,queen which came out  
first4 ,now when there are so few bees  
to guard the nymphs1 it would not be    
very difficult for the oldest ,queen to 
gain access to the cells1 and destroy   
all the minor ,queens in the drawer4    
,when a drawer is removed to an empty   
hive1 for the purpose of obtaining an   
extra ,queen1 it should be placed some  
distance from the apiary1 the better to 
prevent its being robbed by other       
swarms4 ,when it is some distance from  
other colonies1 they are not so likely  
to learn its comparative strength4      
,there is but little danger however1 of 

its being robbed1 until after the bees  
are out of danger of losing their       
,queen1 which generally occurs in the   
swarming season4  ,the ,queen is        
sometimes lost1 in consequence of the   
young brood being too far advanced at   
the time of the departure of the old    
,queen with her swarm4 ,if the grubs had
 advanced very near the dormant or      
chrysalis state1 before the bees learnt 
their necessity for a ,queen1 and the   
old ,queen neglected to leave eggs1     
which is sometimes the case1 then it    
would be impossible for the bees to     
change their nature1 and the colony     
would be lost1 unless supplied with     
another4     ,,rule ,,viii4  ,,on       
,,supplying ,,swarms1 ,,destitute ,,of  
,a ,,queen1 ,,with ,,another4   ,take   
the drawer from the hive1 which was     
placed there according to ,rule #g1 and 
insert the same into the chamber of the 
hive to be supplied2 observing ,rule #f 
in the use of the slides4  ,,remarks4   
,colonies destitute of a ,queen may be  

supplied with another the moment it is  
found they have none2 which is known    
only by their actions4  ,bees1 when     
deprived of their female sovereign1     
cease their labors2 no pollen or        
beebread is seen on their legs2 no      
ambition seems to actuate their         
movements2 no dead bees are drawn out2  
no deformed bees1 in the various stages 
of their minority1 are extracted1 and   
dragged out of their cells1 and dropped 
down about the hive1 as is usual among  
all healthy and prosperous colonies4    
,colonies that have lost their ,queen1  
when standing on the bench by the side  
of other swarms1 will run into the      
adjoining hive without the least        
resistance4 ,they will commence their   
emigration by running in confused       
platoons of hundreds1 from their        
habitation to the next adjoining hive4  
,they immediately wheel about and run   
home again1 and thus continue1 sometimes
 for several days1 in the greatest      
confusion1 constantly replenishing their

 neighbor's hive1 by enlarging her      
colony1 and1 at the same time1 reducing 
their own1 until there is not a single  
occupant left2 and remarkable as it is1 
they leave every particle of their      
stores for their owner or the           
depredations of the moth4  ,colonies    
lose their ,queens more frequently      
during the swarming season than any     
other4  ,in the summer of #ahcj1 ,i lost
 three good stocks of bees in           
consequence of their losing their       
,queens1 one of which was lost soon     
after the first swarming--the two others
 not many days after the second         
swarming--all of which manifested       
similar actions1 and ended in the same  
results1 which will be more particularly
 explained in remarks on ,rule #aj4     
,the ,queen is sometimes lost1 when she 
goes forth with a swarm1 in consequence 
of being too feeble to fly with her     
young colony2 in which case the bees    
return to their parent stock in a few   
minutes4 ,in fact all occurrences of    

this kind originate in the inability of 
the ,queen4 ,if she returns to the old  
stock1 the swarm will come out again the
 next day1 if the weather is favorable4 
,if the ,queen is too feeble to return1 
and the apiarian neglects to look her   
up1 and restore her to her colony again1
 7which he ought to do17 the bees will  
not swarm again until they have made    
another1 or are supplied1 which may be  
done immediately by giving them any     
spare ,queen1 ,i have done it with      
entire success1 and never failed in the 
experiment4  ,the ,queen1 when lost in  
swarming1 is easily found1 unless the   
wind is so strong as to have blown her a
 considerable distance4 ,a few bees are 
always found with her1 which probably   
serve as her aids1 and greatly assist   
the apiarian in spying her out4 ,she is 
frequently found near the ground1 on a  
spire of grass1 the fence1 or any place 
most convenient for her to alight1 when 
her strength fails her4 ,i once had     
quite a search for her majesty1 without 

much apparent success4 ,at the same time
 there were flying about me a dozen or  
more common workers4 ,at last her royal 
highness was discovered1 concealed from 
my observation in a fold of my shirt    
sleeve4 ,i then returned her to her     
colony1 which had already found their   
way home to the parent stock4  ,the     
,queen may be taken in the hand without 
danger1 for she never stings by design1 
except when conflicting with another    
,queen2 and yet she has a stinger at    
least one third longer1 but more feeble 
than a worker4  ,the ,queen is known by 
her peculiar shape1 size1 and movements4
 ,she differs but little in color from a
 worker1 and has the same number of legs
 and wings4 ,she is much larger than any
 of the bees4 ,her abdomen is very large
 and perfectly round1 and is shaped more
 like the sugar-loaf1 which makes her   
known to the observer the moment she is 
seen4 ,her wings and proboscis are      
short4 ,her movements are stately and   
majestic4 ,she is much less in size     

after the season for breeding is over4  
,she is easily selected from among a    
swarm1 at any season of the year1 by any
 one who has often seen her4     ,,rule 
,,ix4  ,,on ,,multiplying ,,colonies    
,,to ,,any ,,desirable ,,extent1        
,,without ,,their ,,swarming4   ,this   
large drawer1 ,no4 #a1 should always be 
used for this purpose4 ,insert slides1  
as in ,rule #f1 and remove the drawer   
containing bees and brood-comb2 place   
the same in the chamber of an empty     
hive2 stop the entrances of both the new
 and old hives1 taking care to give them
 air1 as in ,rule #d4 ,give clean water 
daily1 three or four days4 ,now let the 
bees1 in both hives1 have their liberty4
  ,,remarks4  ,this operation is both   
practicable and easy1 and is of prime   
importance to all cultivators1 who wish 
to avoid the necessity of hiving them   
when they swarm2 and yet it will not    
prevent swarming1 except in that part of
 the divided colony which contains the  
,queen at the time of their separation4 

,the other part being compelled to make 
another ,queen1 7and they generally make
 two or more7 will be likely to swarm to
 avoid their battle1 as explained in    
remarks on ,rule #b4 ,the hive          
containing the old ,queen may swarm for 
want of room2 but1 at any rate1 in      
performing the operation1 it has saved  
the trouble of hiving one swarm1 and    
prevented all danger of their flight to 
the woods4  ,multiplying colonies by    
this rule is a perfectly safe method of 
managing them1 admitting they are not   
allowed to swarm themselves so low as to
 leave unoccupied combs1 which will be  
explained in remarks on ,rule #aj4      
,,rule ,x4  ,,on ,,preventing ,,the     
,,depredations ,,of ,,the ,,moth4   ,all
 such stocks as are infested with the   
moth1 will manifest it as soon as warm  
weather commences in the spring1 by     
dropping some of the worms upon the     
bottom board4 ,let the apiarian clean   
off the bottom board every other        
morning2 at the same time strew on a    

spoonful or two of fresh1 pulverized    
salt4  ,immediately after a second swarm
 has come forth from a hive1 the same   
season1 the old stock should be         
examined2 and if swarming has reduced   
their numbers so low as to leave        
unoccupied combs1 the apiarian should   
take the ,queen from the swarm1 and let 
them return to the old stock4 ,in case  
they remain in a cluster1 hive them in a
 drawer1 and return them immediately4   
,third and fourth swarms should always  
have their ,queens taken from them and  
the bees returned to the parent stock4  
,,remarks4  ,this insect 7the moth7 is a
 native of ,europe2 but has found its   
way into this country1 and naturalized  
itself here4--,,thatcher4  ,this        
unwelcome visitor has interested the    
attention and called forth all the      
energies of the most experienced        
apiarians of our country1 and of many of
 the greatest naturalists in the world4 
,their movements have been observed and 
scrutinized by the most learned--their  

nature has been studied2 various        
experiments have been tried to prevent  
their depredations2 but after all1 the  
monster in gaudy hue marches onward1    
committing the greatest havoc and       
devastation1 with but little            
molestation4 ,i have lost my whole stock
 at least four times since #ahjh1 as ,i 
supposed by the moth4 ,i tried all the  
experiments recommended in this and     
other countries1 that came to my        
knowledge2 but after all1 ,i could not  
prevent their ravages4  ,in #ahcj1 ,i   
constructed a hive 7which has since been
 patented7 which ,i supposed would      
afford all the facilities for managing  
bees in every manner that their nature  
would admit of1 and at the same time    
render their cultivation most profitable
 to their owner4 ,by constructing       
windows of glass1 on every side of the  
hive1 nearly the size of its sides1 and 
darkening them by closing doors on the  
outside of the windows1 which may be    
opened at pleasure1 ,i have been able to

 discover many important facts1 both in 
relation to the nature and economy of   
the bee1 and its enemy the moth2 but1   
probably1 much yet remains to be learned
 concerning both4  ,the moth1 when first
 discovered by the common observer1 is a
 white worm or maggot1 with a reddish   
crusted head1 and varies in size        
according to its living4 ,those which   
have full and unmolested access to the  
contents of a hive1 will frequently grow
 as large as a turkey-quill1 and an inch
 and a half in length4 ,others are      
scarcely an inch in length when full    
grown4 ,they have sixteen short legs1   
and taper each way from the centre of   
their bodies to their head and exterior 
or abdomen4  ,the worms1 like the       
silk-worm1 wind themselves into a       
cocoon1 and pass the dormant 7chrysalis7
 state of their existence1 and in a few 
days come out of their silken cases     
perfect winged insects or millers1 and  
are soon ready to deposit their eggs1   
from which another crop will be raised4 

,the miller1 or perfect moth1 is of a   
grayish color1 from three-fourths of an 
inch to an inch in length4 ,they usually
 lie perfectly still in the day time1   
with their head downwards1 lurking in   
and about the apiary4 ,they enter the   
hive in the night1 and deposit their    
eggs in such places as are uncovered1 of
 course unguarded by the bees4 ,these   
eggs hatch in a short time1 varying     
according to circumstances1 probably    
from two or three days to four or five  
months4 ,at an early stage of their     
existence1 while yet a small worm1 they 
spin a web1 and construct a silken      
shroud1 or fortress1 in which they      
envelope themselves1 and form a sort of 
path1 or gallery1 as they pass onward in
 their march2 at the same time being    
perfectly secure from the bees1 in their
 silken case1 which they widen as they  
grow larger1 with an opening in their   
front only1 near their head1 they commit
 the greatest havoc and devastation on  
the eggs1 young bees and all1 that come 

in their way as they pass4  ,when the   
moth has arrived to his full state of   
maturity1 he makes preparation to change
 to a miller1 by winding into a cocoon1 
as has been already explained4 ,the     
miller is surprisingly quick in all its 
movements1 exceeding by far the agility 
of the quickest bee1 either in flight or
 on its legs4 ,hence the enemy becomes  
so formidable that the bees are easily  
overcome and soon fall a sure prey to   
him4  ,now1 in order to remedy the evils
 of the moths1 and prevent their        
ravages1 and at the same time aid the   
bees in their prosperity1 and make them 
profitable to their owner1 ,i found it  
necessary to use a hive differing       
materially from the old box1 and        
commenced operations in the one already 
referred to1 7called the ,vermont hive17
 in a course of experiments which have  
produced results perfectly satisfactory4
 ,from six years experience in its use1 
,i have not the least doubt that bees   
may be managed to the best advantage1   

and without ever being materially       
injured by the moths4  ,a bee-hive      
should be made in a perfect workmanlike 
manner1 so as to have no open joints2   
the boards should be free from shakes   
and cracks1 because the bees will make  
their tenement perfectly tight1 so as to
 exclude light and air1 by plastering up
 all such places as are left open by the
 workman1 with a kind of mortar1 or     
glue1 of their own make1 which is       
neither honey nor wax1 but is very      
congenial to the growth of worms in the 
first stages of their larva state1 and  
being secured from the bees by the      
timber1 in a short time they are able to
 defend themselves by a silken shroud4  
,now the miller enters the hive and     
makes an incision into the bee-glue1 or 
cement1 with her sting1 and leaves her  
eggs4 ,these eggs hatch there1 and the  
brood subsist on the glue until they    
have arrived so far toward maturity as  
to enable them to encase themselves in a
 silken shroud2 and then they move      

onward4  ,now unless the bees chance to 
catch him by the collar1 or nape of his 
neck1 while feeding1 and drag him out of
 his place of concealment1 they will be 
compelled to cut away the combs all     
around his silken path1 or gallery1 and 
drag out the worm and his fortress all  
together4 ,at the same time1 the bees   
are compelled to cut away the combs so  
far as to destroy many of their young   
brood in making room to remove the      
annoyance4 ,i have known them to cut    
away their combs from four to eight or  
ten inches to re move this silken       
shroud1 and have known them to cut and  
drag out their only remaining ,queen    
before she was transformed to the       
perfect fly1 which occasioned the entire
 loss of the whole colony4  ,repeated   
experiments have demonstrated the fact1 
that placing bees on the ground1 or high
 in the air1 is no security against the 
moths4 ,i have lost some of my best     
stocks by placing them on the ground1   
when those on the bench were not injured

 by them4 ,i have made a groove in the  
bottom board1 much wider than the       
thickness of the boards to the hive1 and
 filled the same with loam3 ,i then     
placed the hive on the same1 in such a  
manner as to prevent any crack or       
vacancy for the worms2 and yet in       
raising the hive four weeks afterwards1 
,i found them apparently full grown all 
around the hive in the dirt4 ,i have    
found them very plenty in a tree ninety 
feet from the ground4  ,the best method1
 in common practice1 to prevent the     
depredations of the moth1 is1 to suspend
 the bottom board 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 season1 or to raise
 the common hive1 by placing under it   
little blocks at each corner1 which     
produces nearly the same effect4 ,but ,i
 know of but one rule1 which is an      
infallible one1 to prevent their        
depredations1 and that is this3 keep the
 combs well guarded by bees4 ,see ,rule 

#aj4  ,large hives1 that never swarm1   
are never destroyed by the moth1 unless 
they lose their ,queen1 melt down1 or   
meet with some casualty1 out of the     
ordinary course of managing them4 ,they 
are not often in the least annoyed by   
them1 unless there are bad joints1      
cracks1 or shakes1 so as to afford some 
lurking places for the worms4 ,the      
reason for their prosperous condition is
 obvious4 ,the stock of bees are so     
numerous that their combs are all kept  
well guarded during the moth season1 so 
that no miller can enter and deposit her
 eggs4  ,hives made so small as to      
swarm1 are liable to reduce their       
colonies so small as to leave combs     
unguarded1 especially when they swarm   
three or four times the same season4    
,all swarms1 after the first1 sally     
forth to avoid the battle of the        
,queens2 constantly making a greater    
draft1 in proportion to the number left1
 until the combs are partly exposed1    
which gives the miller free access to   

their edges4--,the seeds of rapine and  
plunder are thus quickly sown1 and soon 
vegetate1 and fortify themselves by     
their silken fortress1 before the bees  
are aware that their frontiers are      
invaded4 ,while the moths are thus      
engaged in establishing their posts on  
the frontiers of the bees1 the latter   
are constantly and indefatigably engaged
 in providing themselves with another   
,queen1 to supply the place of the old  
one1 which has departed with a swarm1   
and raising young bees to replenish     
their reduced colony4 ,now as the moths 
have got possession of the ground on    
their frontiers1 it requires a          
tremendous effort on the part of the    
bees to save their little colony from a 
complete overthrow4  ,if late1 or second
 and third swarms are always returned   
immediately1 according to the rule1 the 
combs are kept so guarded that the moths
 are compelled to keep their distance1  
or be stung to death before they can    
accomplish their purposes4  ,hives made 

so large as not to swarm may lose their 
,queen1 and then they will abandon their
 habitation and emigrate into the       
adjoining hive1 leaving all their stores
 to their owner1 which1 unless          
immediately taken care of1 the moths    
will not fail to destroy4  ,the moths   
are often complained of when they are   
not guilty4 ,hives are frequently       
abandoned by their occupants1 in        
consequence of the loss of their ,queen1
 unnoticed by any observer1 and before  
any thing is known of their fate1 the   
hive is destitute of bees1 and filled   
with moths4  ,in the summer of #ahcd1   
one of my neighbors had a very large    
hive that never swarmed1 which lost     
their ,queen2 and in the course of a few
 days the bees entirely vacated their   
tenement1 and emigrated into an         
adjoining hive1 leaving the whole of    
their stores1 which amounted to #bae    
lbs4 of honey in the comb4  ,no young   
bees or moths were discovered in the    
hive4 ,instances of this kind frequently

 occur1 and the true cause is unknown1  
from inattention4  ,the ,queen may be   
superannuated1 or may become diseased in
 the breeding season1 so as to render   
her unfruitful2 or she may die of old   
age4 ,in either case1 the colony will be
 lost1 unless supplied with another     
,queen1 as explained in remarks on ,rule
 #h2 for when the ,queen becomes        
unfruitful by either of the foregoing   
causes1 the bees are not apprized of the
 loss which will in future be sustained 
by them1 until after the means of       
repairing the same are gone beyond their
 reach4 ,all the grubs may have passed  
the various stages of their             
transformation1 or at least advanced so 
far towards the perfect insect1 that    
their nature cannot be changed to a     
,queen4  ,the ,queen is much more       
tenacious of life than any other bee1   
and may live to a great age4 ,but one   
,queen exists in the same hive any great
 length of time4 ,when there are more   
than one1 the peculiar sound of each1 as

 explained in remarks on ,rule #b1 is   
heard by the other1 which always results
 in a battle between them1 or the issue 
of a swarm in the course of a day or    
two4  ,bees1 when placed in a dark room 
in the upper part of the house1 or some 
out-house1 are easily cultivated a short
 time with little trouble1 and are      
sometimes made profitable to their      
owner2 but as they are liable to some of
 the same casualties as those kept in   
swarming hives1 they cannot be as       
profitable4  ,large colonies never      
increase their stock in proportion to   
the swarming colonies4 ,there is but one
 female in a large colony1 and they can 
do but little more in raising young bees
 than to keep their stock good by       
replenishing them as fast as they die   
off or are destroyed by the birds1      
reptiles and insects1 which are great   
admirers of them1 and sometimes swallow 
them by dozens4 ,now if it requires five
 swarming colonies to be equal in number
 to the one first described1 it is not  

difficult to imagine that five times as 
many bees may be raised by the swarming 
colonies3 for one ,queen will probably  
lay as many eggs as another4  ,the      
swarming hives are no more liable to be 
destroyed by the moth during the        
swarming season1 than others1 if the    
hives are kept well replenished with    
bees according to ,rule #aj4     ,,rule 
,,xi4  ,,on ,,feeding ,,bees4   ,if it  
is found that a swarm need feeding1     
hitch on the feeder1 well stored with   
good honey1 while the weather is warm in
 ,october4  ,the apiarian should use the
 same precaution in feeding1 as directed
 in ,rule #d1 to prevent robberies4     
,,remarks4  ,the best time to feed is in
 the fall1 before cold weather          
commences4 ,all hives should be weighed1
 and the weight marked on the hive      
before bees are hived in them4 ,then1 by
 weighing a stock as soon as frost has  
killed the blossoms in the fall1 the    
apiarian will be able to form a just    
estimate of their necessities4  ,when   

bees are fed in the fall1 they will     
carry up and deposit their food in such 
a manner as will be convenient for them 
in the winter4 ,if feeding is neglected 
until cold weather the bees must be     
removed to a warm room1 or dry cellar1  
and then they will carry up their food1 
generally1 no faster than they consume  
it4  ,a feeder should be made like a box
 with five sides closed1 leaving a part 
of the sixth side open1 to admit the    
bees from their common entrance with its
 floor level1 when hitched on the front 
of the hive4 ,it should be of sufficient
 depth to lay in broad comb1 filled with
 honey4 ,if strained honey without combs
 is used for feeding1 a float1          
perforated with many holes1 should be   
laid over the whole of the honey in the 
box1 or feeder1 so as to prevent any of 
the bees from drowning2 and at the same 
time1 this float should be so thin as to
 enable them to reach the honey4 ,it    
should be made so small that it will    
settle down as fast as the honey is     

removed by the bees4 ,as soon as warm   
weather commences in the spring1 the    
feeder may be used4 ,small drawers      
cannot be depended on as feeders1 except
 in the spring and summer1 unless they  
are kept so warm that the vapor of the  
bees will not freeze in them4 ,it would 
be extremely hazardous for the bees to  
enter a frosty drawer4 ,they will sooner
 starve than attempt the experiment4    
,drawers may be used without danger from
 robbers1 but when the feeder is used1  
robbers must be guarded against as      
directed in ,rule #d4  ,care should be  
exercised1 in fall-feeding1 to supply   
them with good honey1 otherwise the     
colony may be lost before spring by     
disease4 ,poor honey may be given them  
in the spring1 at the time when they can
 obtain and provide themselves with     
medicine1 which they only best          
understand4  ,sugar dissolved1 or       
molasses1 may be used in the spring to  
some advantage1 but ought not to be     
substituted for honey1 when it can be   

obtained4  ,bees sometimes die of       
starvation1 with plenty of honey in the 
hive at the same time4 ,in cold weather 
they crowd together in a small compass  
in order to keep warm2 and then their   
breath and vapor collect in frost1 in   
all parts of the hive1 except in the    
region they occupy4 ,now1 unless the    
weather moderates1 so as to thaw the    
ice1 the bees will be compelled to      
remain where they are located until     
their stores are all consumed that are  
within their reach4 ,one winter we had  
cold weather ninety-four days in        
succession1 during which time the bees  
could not move from one part of the hive
 to another4 ,i examined all my hives on
 the eighty-third day1 and on the       
ninetieth day ,i found four swarms dead4
 ,i immediately examined for the cause1 
which was as already stated4 ,i then    
carried all my hives into a warm room   
and thawed them1 so that the bees could 
move4 ,some hives that ,i supposed were 
dead1 revived2 some few swarms ,i found 

nearly destitute of stores1 which ,i    
carried into the cellar1 turned them    
bottom up1 cut out a few of the combs1  
so as to make room to lay in combs      
filled with honey1 which served as good 
feeders4     ,,rule ,,xii4  ,,on        
,,wintering ,,bees4   ,on the near      
approach of winter1 as soon as the bees 
have receded from the drawers and gone  
below1 insert a slide1 take out the     
drawers1 and supply their places with   
empty ones1 bottom up4 ,suspend the     
bottom board at least one eighth of an  
inch below the lower edge of the hive1  
and open the ventilator4--,clean off the
 bottom board as often as the weather   
changes from cold to warm4 ,close no    
doors upon them1 unless they are kept in
 a spacious room1 and in such a place   
that the breath and steam of the bees   
will not freeze4  ,,remarks4  ,various  
methods have been practised by different
 individuals4 ,some have buried them in 
the ground1 others kept them in the     
cellar1 chamber1 c4 ,one course only    

will be observed in this place4         
,,rule ,,xiii4  ,,on ,,transferring     
,,swarms4   ,this operation should never
 be effected by compulsion4  ,,first    
,,method4 ,insert drawer ,no4 #a into   
the chamber of the hive1 to be          
transferred as early as the first of    
,may4 ,if the bees fill the drawer1 they
 will recede from the lower apartment   
and winter in the drawer4 ,as early in  
the spring as the bees carry in bread   
plentifully on their legs1 remove the   
drawer1 which will contain the principal
 part of the bees1 to an empty hive4    
,now remove the old hive a few feet in  
front1 and place the new one containing 
the drawer where the old one stood4 ,now
 turn the old hive bottom up4 ,if there 
are any bees left in the old hive1 they 
will soon return and take possession of 
their new habitation4  ,,second         
,,method4 ,take drawer ,no4 #a1 well    
filled by any hive the same season1     
insert the same into the chamber of the 
hive1 to be transferred in ,september1  

7,august would be better47 ,if the bees 
need transferring1 they will repair to  
the drawer and make the same their      
winter quarters4 ,then proceed in the   
spring as directed in the first method4 
,,remarks4  ,this management should     
excite a deep interest in every         
cultivator1 both in a temporal and moral
 point of view4 ,temporal1 because the  
lives of all the bees are preserved2    
moral1 because we are accountable to    
,god for all our acts4 ,we are not to be
 justified in taking the lives of       
animals or insects1 which are but lent  
blessings1 unless some benefit to the   
owner can be derived from their death1  
which will outweigh the evils resulting 
from such a sacrifice4 ,duty compels me 
to protest in the strongest terms and   
feelings1 against the inhuman practice  
of taking the lives of the most         
industrious and comforting insects to   
the wants of the human family by fire   
and brimstone4  ,when bees have occupied
 one tenement for several years1 the    

combs become thick and filthy1 by being 
filled up with old bread and cocoons1   
made by the young bees when transformed 
from a larva to the perfect fly4  ,bees 
always wind themselves in their cells1  
in a silken cocoon1 or shroud1 to pass  
their torpid and defenceless 7chrysalis7
 state4--,these cocoons are very thin1  
and are never removed by the bees4 ,they
 are always cleaned immediately after   
the escape of the young bees1 and others
 are raised in the same cells4 ,thus a  
number of bees are raised1 which leaves 
an additional cocoon as often as the    
transformation of one succeeds that of  
another1 which often occurs in the      
course of the season4 ,now in the course
 of a few years the cells become so     
contracted1 in consequence of being thus
 filled up1 that the bees come forth but
 mere dwarfs and sometimes cease to     
swarm4 ,combs are rendered useless by   
being filled up with old bread1 which is
 never used except for feeding young    
bees4 ,a greater quantity of this bread 

is stored up yearly than is used by     
them1 and in a few years they have but  
little room to perform their ordinary   
labors4--,hence the necessity of        
transferring them1 or the inhuman       
sentence of death must be passed upon   
them1 not by being hung by the neck     
until they are dead1 but by being       
tortured to death by fire and brimstone4
  ,it is obvious to every cultivator    
that old stocks should be transferred4  
,i have repeatedly transferred them in  
the most approved manner1 by means of an
 apparatus constructed for that purpose2
 but the operation always resulted in   
the loss of the colony afterwards1 or a 
swarm which would have come from them4  
,when it is necessary to transfer a     
swarm1 insert drawer ,no4 #a into their 
chamber in the spring1 say the first of 
,may4 ,if they till the drawer1 let it  
remain there2 if they need to be changed
 to a new hive1 they will recede from   
the lower apartment and make the drawer 
their winter quarters1 which should     

remain until warm weather has so far    
advanced as to afford them bread4 ,then 
they may be removed to an empty hive1 as
 directed in the ,rule4 ,now the drawer 
contains no bread1 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
 with2 for bread is not collected early 
enough and in sufficient quantities to  
feed their young as much as nature      
requires4 ,if the bees fail in filling  
the drawer1 one should be used that is  
filled by another swarm4     ,,general  
,,observations4   ,the reader might have
 expected many things demonstrated in   
this work1 which are omitted by design4 
,the structure of the worker is too well
 understood by every owner of bees to   
need a particular description4 ,so also 
of the drone2 and the ,queen has already
 been sufficiently described to enable  
any one to select her out from among her
 subjects4 ,if any further description  
is desired1 the observer can easily     

satisfy himself by the use of a         
microscope4--,every swarm of bees is    
composed of three classes or sorts1 to  
wit3 one ,queen or female1 drones or    
males1 and neuters or workers4 ,the     
,queen is the only female in the hive1  
and lays all the eggs from which all the
 young bees are raised to replenish     
their colony4 ,she possesses no         
authority over them1 other than that of 
influence1 which is derived from the    
fact that she is the mother of all the  
bees2 and they1 being endowed with      
knowledge of the fact that they are     
wholly dependent on her to propagate    
their species1 treat her with the       
greatest kindness1 tenderness and       
reverence1 and manifest at all times the
 most sincere attachment to her by      
feeding and guarding her from all       
danger4  ,the government of a hive is   
nearer republican than any other1       
because it is administered in exact     
accordance with their nature4 ,it is    
their peculiar natural instinct1 which  

prompts them in all their actions4 ,the 
,queen has no more to do with the       
government of the hive than the other   
bees1 unless influence may be called    
government4 ,if she finds empty cells in
 the hive1 during the breeding season1  
she will deposit eggs there1 because it 
is her nature to do so2 and the nature  
of the workers prompts them so take care
 and nurse all the young larvae1 labor  
and collect food for their sustenance1  
guard and protect their habitations1 and
 do and perform all things1 in due      
obedience1 not to the commands of the   
,queen1 but to their own peculiar       
instinct4  ,the drone is probably the   
male bee1 notwithstanding the sexual    
union has never been witnessed by any   
man2 yet so many experiments have been  
tried1 and observations made1 that but  
little doubt can be entertained of its  
truth4 ,that the sexual intercourse     
takes place high in the air1 is highly  
probable from the fact1 that other      
insects of the fly tribe do copulate in 

the air1 when on the wing1 as ,i have   
repeatedly seen4 ,that the drone is the 
male bee1 is probable from the fact that
 the drones are not all killed at once2 
but at least one in each hive is        
permitted to live several months after  
the general massacre4  ,i examined four 
swarms1 whose colonies were strong and  
numerous1 three months after the general
 massacre of the drones1 and in three   
hives ,i found one drone each2 the other
 was probably overlooked1 as the bees   
were thrown into the fire as fast as    
they were examined4 ,but there are many 
mysterious things concerning them1 and  
much might be written to little purpose2
 and as it is designed to go no further 
in illustrations than is necessary to   
aid the apiarian in good management1    
many little speculations have been      
entirely omitted in the work1 and the   
reader is referred to the writings of   
,thatcher1 ,bonner1 and ,huber1 who are 
the most voluminous and extensive       
writers on bees within my knowledge4    

,bees are creatures of habit1 and the   
exercise of caution in managing them is 
required4 ,a stock of bees should be    
placed where they are to stand through  
the season before they form habits of   
location1 which will take place soon    
after they commence their labors in the 
spring4 ,they learn their home by the   
objects surrounding them in the         
immediate vicinity of the hive4 ,moving 
them1 7unless they are carried beyond   
their knowledge17 is often fatal to     
them4 ,the old bees forget their new    
location1 and on their return1 when     
collecting stores1 they haze about where
 they formerly stood1 sad perish4 ,i    
have known some fine stocks ruined by   
moving them six feet and from that to a 
mile and a half4 ,it is better to move  
them before swarming than afterwards4   
,the old bees only will be lost4 ,as the
 young ones are constantly hatching1    
their habits will be formed at the new  
stand1 and the combs will not be as     
likely to become vacated1 so as to      

afford opportunity to the moths to      
occupy any part of their ground4        
,swarms1 when first hived1 may be moved 
at pleasure without loss of bees1       
admitting they are all in the hive2     
their habits will be formed in exact    
proportion to their labors4--,the first 
bee that empties his sack and goes forth
 in search of food1 is the one whose    
habits are first established4 ,i have   
observed many bees to cluster near the  
place where the hive stood1 but a few   
hours after hiving1 and perish4 ,now if 
the swarm had been placed in the apiary1
 immediately after they were hived1 the 
number of bees found there would have   
been less4  ,bees may be moved at       
pleasure at any season of the year1 if  
they are carried several miles1 so as to
 be beyond their knowledge of country4  
,they may be carried long journeys by   
travelling nights only1 and affording   
them opportunity to labor and collect   
food in the day time4  ,the importance  
of this part of bee-management is the   

only apology ,i can make for dwelling so
 long on this point4 ,i have known many 
to suffer serious losses in consequence 
of moving their bees after they were    
well settled in their labors4  ,bees    
should never be irritated1 under any    
pretence whatever4 ,they should be      
treated with attention and kindness4    
,they should be kept undisturbed by     
cattle and all other annoyances1 so that
 they may be approached at any time with
 safety4  ,an apiary should be so       
situated1 that swarming may be observed1
 and at the same time where the bees can
 obtain food easily1 and in the greatest
 abundance4  ,it has been a general     
practice to front bee-houses either to  
the east or south4 ,this doctrine should
 be exploded with all other whims4      
,apiaries should be so situated as to be
 convenient to their owner1 as much as  
any other buildings4  ,i have them front
 towards all the cardinal points1 but   
can distinguish no difference in their  
prosperity4  ,young swarms should be    

scattered as much as convenient during  
the summer season1 at least eight feet  
apart4 ,they should be set in a frame   
and so covered as to exclude the sun and
 weather from the hive4  ,it is not     
surprising that this branch of rural    
economy1 in consequence of the          
depredations of the moth1 is so much    
neglected4--,notwithstanding1 in some   
parts of our country1 the business of   
managing bees has been entirely         
abandoned for years1 ,i am confident    
they may be cultivated in such a manner 
as to render them more profitable to    
their owners1 than any branch of        
agriculture1 in proportion to the       
capital necessary to be invested in     
their stock4 ,they are not taxable      
property1 neither does it require a     
large land investment1 nor fences2      
neither does it require the owner to    
labor through the summer to support them
 through the winter4--,care is1 indeed1 
necessary1 but a child1 or a            
superannuated person can perform most of

 the duties of an apiarian4 ,the cobwebs
 must be kept away from the immediate   
vicinity of the hive1 and all other     
annoyances removed4  ,the management of 
bees is a delightful employment1 and may
 be pursued with the best success in    
cities and villages1 as well as towns   
and country4 ,it is a source of great   
amusement1 as well as comfort and       
profit4 ,they collect honey and bread   
from most kinds of forest trees1 as well
 as garden flowers1 orchards1 forests1  
and fields2 all contribute to their     
wants1 and their owner is gratified with
 a taste of the whole4 ,sweet mignonette
 cannot be too highly                   
recommended4--,this plant is easily     
cultivated by drills in the garden1 and 
is one of the finest and richest flowers
 in the world from which the honey-bee  
can extract its food4  ,the ,vermont    
hive is the only one ,i can use to much 
advantage or profit1 and yet there are  
some other improvements1 which are far  
superior to the old box4 ,in the summer 

of #ahcd1 ,i received in swarms and     
extra honey from my best stock1 thirty  
dollars2 and from my poorest1 fifteen   
dollars4 ,my early swarms afforded extra
 honey which was sold1 amounting to from
 five to ten dollars each hive2 and all 
ray late swarms which were doubled1     
stored a sufficient quantity of food to 
supply them through the following       
winter4  ,the rules in the foregoing    
work1 perhaps1 may be deemed1 in some   
instances1 too particular2 yet1 in all  
cases1 they will be found to be safe and
 unfailing in their application1 though 
liable to exceptions1 such as are       
incident to all specific rules4         
,,supplementary ,,remarks4  ,,on ,,rule 
,,first4--,the underside of the chamber 
floor should be planed smooth2 then     
scratched with a sharp scratch1 so as to
 enable the bees to hold fast2 otherwise
 they may fall suddenly upon the bottom 
board1 which may induce them to leave   
the hive and flee to the woods4 ,that   
the inside of the hive should be made   

smooth1 is evident from the fact1 that  
comb adheres much more firmly to a      
smooth board than it doss to the small  
fibres or splinters which are left by   
the saw1 and is less likely to drop4    
,these remarks were omitted in the work 
by mistake4  ,,rule ,,second--,,on      
,,swarming ,,and ,,hiving1--,the        
,drawers should be turned1 so as to let 
the bees into them at the time of       
hiving2 unless the swarm is so small    
that they can locate in a drawer4       
,,remarks4--,bees commence making comb1 
where the whole colony have room to     
work4 ,now if the bees can all get into 
the drawer1 they will begin there2 of   
course they will raise young bees and   
deposit bread in the drawer4 ,if the    
swarm is so large as to be unable to    
work in the drawer1 there is no danger  
of letting them in4 ,at the same time   
there may be danger if they are         
prevented from entering1 because they   
sometimes go off for want of room in the
 lower apartment4 ,i therefore1         

recommend letting the bees into the     
drawers at the time of hiving them1 in  
all cases1 except when the swarms are   
small1 then the rule should be strictly 
adhered to4 ,notwithstanding ,i have    
hived hundreds of swarms in eight years 
last past1 and have not lost a single   
swarm by flight to the woods1 yet ,i    
frequently hear of losses of this kind1 
which appears to render these remarks   
necessary4 ,my practice in hiving1 is to
 get the bees into the hive as quick as 
possible1 hang on the bottom board1     
fasten the same forward by means of the 
button so as to prevent the escape of   
any of the bees1 except through the     
mouth of the hive2 place the hive       
immediately where ,i intend it shall    
stand through the season4 ,let the      
bottom board down #c_/hths of an inch1  
on the third day after swarming4        
,,remarks ,,on ,,rule #aj4--,small      
swarms should have the ,queens taken    
from them and the bees returned to the  
parent stock1 so as to keep the old hive

 well replenished with bees during the  
moth season2 likewise to avoid the loss 
of the old stock by freezing in the     
winter4 ,too much swarming frequently   
occasions the loss of the old stock the 
winter following1 because their numbers 
are so reduced that the necessary animal
 heat cannot be kept up to prevent them 
from perishing by cold4 ,there may be   
more than one queen in all swarms after 
the first#a1 as in all cases when bees  
make one queen they make a plurality of 
them1 and if more than one is hatched at
 the time of swarming1 in the confusion 
which takes place in the hive1 during   
swarming1 all the queens which are      
hatched will sally forth with the swarm2
 hence1 in taking away queens1 the bee  
master should look for them until the   
bees begin to return to the parent      
stock4 ,cut off a limb and shake the    
bees on a table to find the queens4     
-----    #a ,large colonies sometimes   
loose their queen and have been         
known to make more1 in which case1 in   

order to avoid the       conflict of the
 queens1 they have been known to swarm  
out       several bushels of ,bees4