,transcriber ,note ,text emphasis denoted as ,italics4 ,,the ,,bee ,,keeper',s ,,guide ,,containing ,,concise ,,practical ,,directions ,,for ,,the ,,management ,,of ,,bees1 ,,upon ,,the ,,depriving ,,system4 ,,by ,j4 ,h4 ,,payne1 ,author of ,the ,cottager's ,guide4 ,,third ,,edition4 ,,london3 ,t4 ,c4 ,,newby1 #gb1 ,,mortimer ,st41 ,,cavendish ,sq4 #ahdf4 ,,preface ,,to ,,the ,,first ,,edition4 -----o----- ,having written the ,cottager's ,guide for the ,management of his ,bees1 upon the ,depriving ,system1 which has been printed for gratuitous distribution among the ,cottagers1 ,i am induced1 at the particular request of several ,apiarian friends1 to enlarge the above little work1 and to give in addition a description of ,nutt's newly invented ,hive1 and other practical remarks in ,bee-knowledge1 resulting from nearly forty years' close observation4 ,should this little work be the means of inducing any person to promote the culture of ,bees amongst the ,cottagers in his immediate neighbourhood1 upon the ,depriving ,system1 ,i shall be amply repaid for the trouble it may have occasioned me2 and the hope that such will be the result1 must be my apology for adding to the number of books 7perhaps already too numerous7 upon this subject4 ,reaumur1 in a letter to ,m4 de la ,bourdonaye1 in #ageg1 says1 ,the preservation and also the increase of ,bees is an object of such interest to ,britanny1 that the peasantry cannot be too much encouraged to turn their attention to it4 ,surely this is equally applicable to our own country at the present time1 when the condition of the labouring poor calls so loudly for relief4 ,i have little hesitation in saying1 that ,cottagers who are able to keep from four to six ,hives of ,bees1 may make from four to eight pounds1 yearly profit1 after paying all expenses upon them4 ,i paid last year to one ,cottager seven pounds1 fifteen shillings1 and to another five pound and one shilling for ,bees and ,honey4 ,the following anecdote has so much the appearance of truth in it1 and is so well suited to my present purpose1 that ,i cannot refrain from giving it4 ,a good old ,french ,bishop in paying his annual visit to his ,clergy1 was very much afflicted by the representations they made of their extreme poverty1 which1 indeed1 the appearance of their houses and families corroborated4 ,whilst he was deploring the state of things which had reduced them to this sad condition1 he arrived at the house of a ,curate1 who1 living amongst a poorer set of parishioners than any he had yet visited1 would1 he feared1 be in still more woful plight than the others2 contrary1 however1 to his expectations1 he found appearances very much improved1 everything about the house wore the aspect of comfort and plenty4 ,the good ,bishop was amazed4 ,how is this1 my friend8 said he1 you are the first man that ,i have met with a cheerful face and a plentiful board4 ,have you any income independent of your ,cure8 ,yes1 ,sir1 said the ,clergyman1 ,i have2 my family would starve on the pittance ,i receive from the poor people that ,i instruct1 come with me into the garden and ,i will show you the ,stock that yields me an excellent interest4 ,on going to the garden he showed the ,bishop a large range of ,bee-hives4 ,there is the ,bank1 he continued1 from which ,i draw my annual dividend4--,it never stops payment4 ,ever after that memorable visit1 when any of his ,clergy complained to the ,bishop of poverty1 he would say to them1 ,keep ,bees6 ,keep ,bees6 ,in the words of an ,apiarian friend1 ,i solicit information from every one who may have it in his power to transmit it to me1 and on the other hand1 ,i profess my perfect readiness to impart whatever knowledge ,i may possess in the management of an ,apiary1 to any person who will favour me with the application2 my aim is general utility1 and the establishment of a national advantage4 ,,preface ,,to ,,the ,,second ,,edition4 -----o----- ,since the first appearance of this little ,treatise ,i am most happy in being able to state that ,apiarian ,science has in this neighbourhood and in the adjoining ,counties1 made very considerable advances1 that the ridiculous notions1 and foolish prejudices entertained respecting ,bees1 are fast wearing away--that the ,cottagers are generally managing them upon the depriving system1 making them a real source of profit and of comfort1 and that a number of influential persons are making themselves acquainted with the practical management of ,bees1 upon the simplest and most profitable methods1 for the sole purpose of setting an example1 and for qualifying themselves to give instructions in the management of them to their poor neighbours4 ,nor is this spirit of well-directed benevolence confined to these ,counties only1 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 information on the subject1 and the loan of hives1 not the gift1 their cost to be repaid from the produce1 and also to promote a more extensive and scientific knowledge concerning the ,natural ,history and cultivation of ,bees among the higher classes4 ,the ,society1 ,i find1 is flourishing1 a piece of ground has been taken and laid out as an experimental ,bee-garden2 there is already a very considerable number of stocks of ,bees placed in it in common straw and experimental hives4 ,subscribers pay half-a-guinea a year1 and non-,subscribers a shilling each visit4 ,this is an example worthy of imitation4 ,i am just favoured with a letter from a ,gentleman who has recently visited the above establishment1 giving me a certain and simple method of ,autumnal union of weak stocks which he there witnessed1 but it comes too late to be embodied in this treatise1 the whole of that part being already in the press2 still as ,i consider the union of weak stocks important1 and ,gelieu's method which ,i have given too troublesome for most persons1 ,i will venture to give it in this place4 ,the process1 he says1 is merely fumigating the ,bees1 for which they have invented a tube1 much more simple than ,nutt's which they insert into the mouth of the hive2 under the hive is previously pushed either an empty one reversed1 or a shallow' box with a wide rim1 this receives the stupified ,bees2 cut out the combs and remove all the remaining ,bees from them that none be lost4 ,now take a little sugared ale and sprinkle it over them just as they are recovering1 place upon them the hive to which they are to be united2 this hive requires no sprinkling nor any fumigation3 the ,bees in the latter are soon attracted by the ale1 and go down into the hollow containing the fumigated ones licking them over2 the whole are mixed and go up without the least disturbance4 ,it is unnecessary to take any trouble about the ,queen1 he adds1 ,i was assured that not a ,bee would be lost2 and he further says1 upon my return home ,i tested it with entire success on some of my neighbour's ,bees3 it was the work of but a few minutes1 and not the smallest danger4 ,i left the hive placed upon the other all night1 and the next morning every ,bee had left the bottom one2 more perfect quiet ,i never saw4 ,i think there were nearly two quarts of ,bees fumigated4 ,puff-ball is generally recommended being the safest2 mild tobacco answers very well1 great caution1 however1 is required in its use1 or the ,bees may be killed4 ,common fumigating bellows1 or even a tobacco-pipe1 may be used for this operation4 ,after this discovery it will be absurd not to unite weak stocks1 or to destroy a single ,bee on taking up an old hive4 ,i have always considered the keeping of ,bees and the advantages arising from them to be the undoubted privilege of the ,cottagers and theirs alone1 other persons may keep a few for amusement1 or to endeavour to learn something of their natural history1 but all should in my opinion be made subservient to the ,cottagers' benefit4 ,the present season has been a most unpropitious one1 especially in this neighbourhood1 perhaps the most so that ,i remember1 but ,i am disposed to think that this is not a favourable district for the collection of honey4 ,i have frequently compared the produce of my own apiary with that of others at a distance1 and this year especially1 with that of a friend upon the ,essex bank of the ,stour1 which ,i assisted in forming and have frequently visited1 the quantity of honey obtained from this is small1 but it is five times as much as that of any one in this neighbourhood consisting of the same number of stocks4 ,i cannot close this preface without acknowledging the very flattering manner in which my little treatise has been mentioned in various publications1 and my thanks to the many correspondents it has obtained for me4 ,the addition which ,i have been enabled to make to it1 will ,i trust be acceptable and useful4 ,i still solicit information from any one who will give it me1 and am ready to impart it to all those who will ask it4 ,bury ,saint ,edmund's1 ,oct4 #aath1 #ahch4 ,,preface ,,to ,,the ,,third ,,edition4 -----o----- ,in again revising this little work for the press1 ,i am not at all disposed to increase its size2 for were ,i to do so1 ,i should very much take from it as a purely simple and practical treatise4 ,matter might easily be added2 but were it not of a useful nature1 the work would be rendered thereby less valuable1 and the attempted improvement would turn out a positive injury4 ,the time which has elapsed since the publication of the last edition has1 year by year1 convinced me more fully of the advantages of this system1 and of its adaptation especially to the ,cottagers1 and indeed to all those who wish to obtain a large supply of the finest honey at the least possible expense and trouble1 giving at the same time1 both to the amateur and to the naturalist1 every facility in watching the economy of our little favourites4 ,although1 as ,i have already said1 ,i am not disposed to increase the size of this little work1 still1 however1 an ,index1 and a few practical hints1 which have suggested themselves in the course of the last two or three years1 will be found added to it4 ,the system1 ,i am happy to say1 is spreading far and wide amongst the ,cottagers1 not only in this but in many other counties1 and the profits arising from their ,bees are becoming a permanent source of comfort to many of them1 as the quantity of fine honeycomb1 which they exhibit at the various horticultural shows throughout the kingdom1 fully proves4 ,the following ,report which ,i have this day 7,june the #bdth7 received from a friend1 living at ,newmarket1 shows what quantity of honey may be obtained from a hive in a good season1 on the ,depriving ,system1 when both room and ventilation are properly supplied4 ,and perhaps it may also prove an inducement to some persons to keep bees who hitherto have not1 as well as a motive to perseverance on the part of those who already possess them4 ,this gentleman had but two hives4 ,no4 #a was allowed to swarm1 ,no4 #b4 was not2 ,no4 #a4 swarmed on the #bith of ,may1 and has since very nearly filled two small hives4 ,the swarm has also filled two small hives1 and is now filling a third2 a box has within a few days1 been placed between the large hive and the small one1 which in all probability1 will be filled1 should the weather continue dry and warm for another week2 ,no4 #b4 which has not swarmed1 has given already one small hive containing sixteen pounds1 and another fourteen pounds of fine honeycomb1 as is now filling three other small hives as fast as possible4 ,since receiving the above communication1 ,i have witnessed the progress made by a single stock purchased last year by a beginner4 ,his ,apiary is at the extreme west point of this town1 within a few paces of the place where the celebrated ,apiarian1 ,mr4 ,geo4 ,hubbard kept his bees1 and who1 in #agia1 received from the ,society of ,arts their gold medal1 for his skilful management of them2 this gentleman has now three excellent stocks1 and has already taken a box of fine honeycomb of ten pounds1 a small hive of fifteen pounds and two others are filling2 and all the produce of an outlay of ten or twelve shillings less than a year ago1 making1 since that time a profit of very nearly seven hundred per cent4 ,i must not again take leave of my friends and the public1 without expressing myself gratified by the very flattering and kind manner in which this little treatise has been noticed1 both by the public journals as well as by private friends4 ,bury ,st4 ,edmund's1 ,july #bnd1 #ahdf4 ,,contents4 ,chapter ,i4 ,,page ,situation of an ,apiary and directions for placing the ,hives #a ,chapter ,,ii4 ,directions for ,purchasing ,bees #aj ,chapter ,,iii4 ,materials of which ,hives should be made1 and the ,improved ,cottage ,hive described #ae ,chapter ,,iv4 ,method of placing the ,small ,hive1 ,box1 or ,glass1 upon the ,improved ,cottage ,hive1 by which means fine ,honey may be obtained without destroying the ,bees #ba ,chapter ,v4 ,proper time for taking away the ,box1 and how to expel the ,bees from it #cj ,chapter ,,vi4 ,method to be pursued in case a ,swarm should leave the ,hive1 after having commenced working in the ,box #cg ,chapter ,,vii4 ,method of uniting ,second and ,third ,swarms #da ,chapter ,,viii4 ,manner of uniting ,swarms and ,old ,stocks in ,autumn 7and page #e of preface7 #df ,chapter ,,ix4 ,manner of ,feeding weak ,stocks1 and the time most appropriate for this operation #ed ,chapter ,x4 ,food proper for weak ,hives #eh ,chapter ,,xi4 ,enemies of ,bees1 and means of overcoming them #fa ,chapter ,,xii4 ,directions for ,hiving ,swarms3 and the proper time for placing glasses upon them #fh ,chapter ,,xiii4 ,description of the ,knife for cutting out the ,combs #gf ,chapter ,,xiv4 ,remedies1 proposed as ,cures1 for the ,stings of ,bees #gh ,chapter ,,xv4 ,means of preventing the ,bees from being ,stolen especially in the ,country #hb ,chapter ,,xvi4 ,method of dislodging ,bees from ,trees or ,buildings1 and put them into ,hives #he ,chapter ,,xvii4 ,description of ,nutt's ,newly ,invented ,hive for obtaining the ,honey without destroying the ,bees #hi ,chapter ,,xviii4 ,the ,apiarian's ,monthly ,manual1 or ,hints for the ,management of ,bees for every month in the year upon the ,depriving ,system #if ,,the ,,bee ,,keeper',s ,,guide4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,situation of an ,apiary1 and directions for placing the ,hives4 ,i have no hesitation in saying1 that a ,south aspect is decidedly preferable to any other situation for an ,apiary4 ,i have tried various aspects1 but the ,bees in the ,south ,i have always found to be the healthiest1 and to collect the largest quantity of honey4 ,it is very important that the hives be sheltered from the wind by trees or houses1 and that they are not placed in the vicinity of ponds or large rivers1 for high winds will dash them into the water1 where numbers will perish4 ,it was the opinion of the ancients1 that ,bees1 in windy weather1 carried weights to prevent them from being driven about by it4 ,virgil says1 ,that with light pebbles1 like a balanced boat1 ,poised through the air on even pinions float4 ,sotherby's ,georgics4 ,this is now ascertained to be erroneous1 and is ascribed1 by ,swammerdam and ,reaumur to preceding observers having mistaken the ,mason ,bee1 for a ,hive ,bee2 the former builds its nest against a wall1 with a composition of gravel and its own saliva1 and when freighted with the former article1 may easily have led a careless observer into the erroneous opinion alluded to4 ,the ,abbe della ,rocca appears to have fallen into1 and perpetuated1 the same error4 ,though large ponds are very injurious1 a small stream is beneficial to them1 which if they are not supplied with1 water must be given them1 for it is absolutely necessary1 and enters1 as much as honey and farina1 into the composition with which they nourish the brood4 ,the plan that ,i have for many years adopted1 is to fill an unglazed earthen pan1 eighteen inches by eight1 four inches deep1 and square at the sides1 with water1 upon the surface of which floats a very thin deal board perforated with holes1 a quarter of an inch in diameter and about an inch distant from each other2 in ,spring and ,summer1 the ,bees may be seen coming in great numbers to drink1 or rather to carry water into their hives1 to mix with the farina they collect so abundantly at this season of the year for food for their young4 ,in my opinion1 ,dr4 ,bevan says very justly1 that the ,apiary should be near the residence of the proprietor1 as well for the purpose of rendering the ,bees tractable1 and well acquainted with the family1 as for affording a good view of their general proceedings4 ,i am a decided enemy to ,bee houses of all kinds1 for they are the means of causing the ruin of a great number of hives1 by affording a home to their worst enemies1 viz43 mice1 moths1 spiders1 earwigs1 and various other insects1 thousands die from imprisonment1 and many hives are destroyed by humidity4 ,the method of placing several hives upon the same bench is also very injurious1 it very much facilitates pilfering1 and renders it impossible to operate upon one hive1 without disturbing the others4 ,the hives should be placed upon separate boards1 supported by single pedestals four or five inches in diameter1 firmly placed in the ground1 and standing about fifteen inches from the surface1 7see fig4 #a4 plate #a27 upon the top of this post should be nailed firmly a board nine inches square1 upon which should be placed the board the hive stands upon1 but not nailed1 the double boards will be found very convenient for weighing or removing the hives1 without disturbing the ,bees4 ,on no account use clay or mortar as is usually done to secure the hive to the board1 the ,bees of themselves will do it more effectually2#a clay or mortar tends very much to decay the hives1 and to harbour moths and other insects2 each hive should be covered with a large milk-pan1 and be well painted every year1 for hives managed upon the ,depriving ,system1 are expected to stand from fifteen to twenty years4 ,footnote #a3 ,this fact1 though it has been denied by those who profess to have had much experience in the management of ,bees1 is known to every novice in ,apiarian science1 for he does not suffer much time to pass1 after having purchased a swarm of ,bees1 without endeavouring to ascertain how much honey they have collected1 and finds the difficulty of separating the hive from the board upon which it was placed4 ,the hives should be placed about three feet apart from each other1 and in a right line2 but should the number be too great to allow of this arrangement1 and render two rows necessary1 they must not be less than fifteen feet asunder1 and those in the front row intersecting the line formed by the hinder one4 ,the boards on which the hives are placed1 should be cleaned about four times in the year--,january1 ,march1 ,april and ,november1 much time and trouble will be saved the ,bees thereby4 ,plants which rise in height equal to or exceeding the entrance of the hives1 should not be suffered to grow in their immediate vicinity1 and every facility should be removed by which the enemies of the ,bees can ascend into the hives4 ,still1 however1 a few shrubs or standard roses of four or five feet may with advantage be placed eight or ten paces in front of the hives1 for the ,bees to alight upon in their return home1 when heavily laden with honey and pollen--it saves their falling to the ground from the weight of their load1 which they frequently do1 and in unfavourable weather to rise no more4 ,it was seeing them rest in this manner that gave rise to the following lines3-- ,rest on that ,rose's leaf awhile1 thou little ,busy ,bee1 ,thou hast winged thy way with thousands1 the wand'ring1 the free4 ,unwearied with thy ceaseless toil in search for future store1 ,thou'rt come back to unlade thy sweets1 then sally forth for more4 ,thou'st been among the flow'rs of gold1 their kiss is on thee yet1 ,and o'er thy richly powdered wings how many hues are met4 ,that tell of revelling at the founts of nectar's luscious tide1 ,of honey-dews that rest upon each petal's glossy side4 ,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 stay8 ,hast thou no voice to tell us of the far-off verdant scenes1 ,of the rich limes thou lovs't so well1 and of the fresh'ning streams4 ,away6 away6 once more thou'rt up and e'er the leaf be still'd4 ,to its soft rest from the trembling that thy light form has thrill'd1 ,thoul't be again among thy loves1 the fragrant1 the bright1 ,all jealous of their hidden sweets1 in murmuring delight4 ,i have always found the advantage of planting1 in the vicinity of my hives1 a large quantity of the common kinds of crocus1 single blue hipatica1 heleborus niger1 and tussilago petasites1 all of which flower very early and are rich in honey and farina3 salvia nemorosa1 7of ,dr4 ,smith7 which flowers very early in ,june and lasts all the summer1 is in an extraordinary manner sought after by the ,bees1 and when room is not an object1 twenty or thirty square yards of it may be grown with advantage2 origanum humile1 origanum rubescens1 7of ,haworth7 and mignonette may also be grown2 cultivation beyond this1 exclusively for ,bees1 ,i believe answers very little purpose4 ,cscuta sinensis is a great favorite with them2 and the pretty little plant anacampseros populifolium1 when in flower1 is literally covered by them--honey itself appears not to possess more attractions for them than this plant4 ,doctor ,bevan says3 ,to those who1 residing in towns1 may consider it indispensable to the success of an ,apiary1 that it should be in the immediate vicinity of good pasturage1 and be thereby deterred from benefiting and amusing themselves by keeping ,bees2 it may be satisfactory to learn that the ,apiary of the celebrated ,bonner was situated in a garret1 in the centre of ,glasgow1 where it flourished for several years1 and furnished him with the means of making many interesting and valuable observations which he gave to the world about thirty years ago4 ,my own experience also proves the truth of the above statement1 residing myself for four years in the centre of a large town1 in a house without a garden1 ,i kept two stocks of ,bees in my study1 in glass1 and four or five others in the improved cottage hive upon the roof of my house1 and ,i am not aware that they have ever done better1 or afforded me a larger quantity of honey1 in any other situation4 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,directions for purchasing ,bees4 ,the best time to establish an ,apiary is from the middle of ,february to the middle of ,march1 the stocks will have passed in safety through the winter1 the combs are then empty of brood1 light of honey1 and the removal safe and easy4 ,stocks should be selected by a competent judge1 as the weight alone cannot be relied on1 a swarm of the preceding year should be selected1 and one that contains not less than twelve pounds of honey2 there are few commodities in which a person can be so easily deceived as in a hive of ,bees4 ,i would therefore recommend the young ,apiarian to take the opinion of some experienced person before he makes his purchase1 a hive of the preceding year can only be known by a close inspection of the combs1 which but few persons have courage enough to engage in2 if the hive is not of the preceding year its weight is no criterion of its value1 for an old hive always contains a large quantity of the pollen or dust of flowers which the ,bees carry home on their legs1 especially in the ,spring and ,autumn1 it is an essential ingredient in the food with which they nourish their young1 but good for nothing else1 indeed the ,bees will die of hunger upon the combs that are filled with it2--,yet1 says ,gelieu1 they lay up useless hoards of it1 which they go on augmenting every year1 and this is the only point on which they can be accused of a want of that prudence and foresight so admirable in every other respect4 ,the ,bees appear to be aware of the perishable nature of this substance1 for they never fill a cell entirely with it1 but leave room for a small quantity of honey in each cell containing pollen1 before it is sealed up1 by this means the air is most effectually excluded1 and the pollen preserved for a considerable time2 should1 however1 the ,bees be compelled to consume the honey1 from those cells containing pollen1 before they can make use of it for their young1 it moulds and become of no value1 and causes them great labour to remove it4 ,for1 when in this state1 they have no means of displacing it but by eating away the cells in which it is contained1 and conveying it out of their hives in small pieces1 about the size of peas1 hard and mouldy4 ,i have seen the entrance of old hives in the month of ,april almost filled up with these pellets of mouldy farina4 ,the process is tedious1 takes up much time1 and the ravages made by it upon the combs appear irreparable2 still in a short space of time1 if the weather is favourable1 the combs are repaired1 as if no injury had befallen them1 and filled with honey or brood4 ,it is a very heavy substance1 so that if weight be the only criterion1 farina will be purchased instead of honey1 therefore in the purchase of old stocks it will be necessary they should weigh eight pounds more than swarms of the preceding year2 in the purchase of swarms less experience is necessary1 and by attending to the following rules1 the young ,apiarian will not be imposed upon3-- #ast4 ,that the swarm be purchased before the #adth of ,june1 the longer before that time the better4 #bndly4 ,that it does not weigh less than three pound and a half4 ,i have known some swarms to weigh six pounds1 but this is of rare occurrence4 ,it is very important to observe1 that when a swarm of ,bees is purchased it must be removed to the place in which it is to remain1 upon the evening of the day it swarmed1 for should the removal be delayed even till the next day1 the combs will in all probability be broken and the stock destroyed4 ,i should recommend the purchaser to send his own hive to the person of whom he intends to buy a swarm1 and to desire him not to put any sticks across the interior of the hive1 as is the usual custom1 for they cause much trouble to the ,bees in forming their combs1 and render their extraction almost impossible4 ,the prosperity of the hive will much 7perhaps entirely7 depend upon its being finally placed upon the evening of the day it swarmed4 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,materials of which ,hives should be made1 and the ,improved ,cottage ,hive described4 ,much has been said with respect to the materials of which ,hives should be made1 and experience has long determined1 that straw and wood are the best4 ,mr4 ,huish1 to whom ,i am indebted for some useful information in ,apiarian science1 says1 ,of all the materials which have been selected for the formation of a ,hive1 ,i conceive no one to be more eligible than straw4 ,gelieu1 to whose experience as an ,apiarian ,i am disposed to pay the greatest respect1 and whose work containing ,practical ,directions for the ,management and ,preservation of ,hives1#b ,i would recommend to every keeper of ,bees1 says1 7when speaking of wood and straw as materials proper for ,hives7 experience has shown me1 that it is a matter of indifference which are employed2 except as to price1 according as either material may be more or less abundant in different parts of the country4 ,i have for seventeen years possessed a ,nutt's hive1 which is made of wood1 7and which ,i shall have occasion hereafter to mention17 without being able to discover any difference in the health and activity of the ,bees2 but the facility and economy in the construction of straw hives1 must always be a recommendation1 as it is in every article connected with rural economy4 ,footnote #b3 ,the ',bee ,preserver1' by ,jonas ,de ,gelieu1 recently translated from the ,french4 ,it has been always my practice to paint my ,hives1 both wood and straw1 at least once in the year1 and ,i would strongly recommend all persons to do the same4 ,april ,i think is the best time1 and if done after six o'clock in the evening1 not the least inconvenience will arise either to the painter or to the ,bees4 ,having decided upon the materials of which ,hives should be made1 their form is next to be considered2 for a straw hive1 ,i would recommend the following size1 nine inches deep and twelve in diameter1 straight at the sides and flat at the top1#c in shape like a half bushel measure1 a hole should be made in the top of four inches1 and a piece of straw large enough to cover it must be fastened on with skewers1 7see fig4 #c1 plate #a17 not to fit in but to cover over1 the diameter of the piece of straw being at least two inches more than that of the opening at the top of the hive1 it will be much easier taken off1 and the combs of swarms of a few weeks standing will not be injured by its removal1 which in favourable seasons should always have a glass1 or small hive put upon them1 the early ones especially2 an entrance of two inches by one1 must be cut in the bottom of the hive1 to which ,i affix a piece of copper of about six inches by three1 having a grove1 to admit two sliding copper plates1 one perforated1 and the other having a hole large enough to allow but one ,bee to come out at a time1 7see fig4 #aj1 plate #b47d ,i have found great advantage arising from this little apparatus4 ,illustration ,footnote #c3 ,the ,quarterly ,review1 of ,december1 #ahdb1 page #be1 when speaking of my hive1 says1 the only fault1 seems to be its flat top4 ,now the advantages of a flat top are in my opinion very great2 first1 the ease with which the ,bees attach their combs to it1 when compared to a dome top2 secondly1 the facility given to1 cutting out the combs1 whenever that operation becomes necessary1 and1 thirdly1 the convenience which it offers for placing glasses or boxes upon it4 ,and ,i am not aware of but one inconvenience1 which can possibly arise from it1 which is the sinking of the top1 from the heavy weight of the glasses1 or boxes of honey1 which year by year it affords1 but this1 however1 is entirely obviated by the use of the adapter1 7fig4 #g47 as recommended1 chap4 iv41 page #ba4 ,footnote #d3 ,instead of two sliding plates1 ,i would recommend one only as given by ,mr4 ,taylor1 in his ,bee-,keeper's ,manual1 lately published1 for as they cannot both be used at the same time1 the one out of use is frequently misplaced4 ,zinc answers the purpose equally with copper1 and is but half its price4 ,the finely perforated slider is used to confine the ,bees to their hive when snow lies upon the ground1 the reflection of which1 when the sun shines upon it1 never fails to induce them to leave their hives1 and falling upon it they perish1 for a ,bee becomes torpid at a temperature of #cb4 ,the slider with one hole only1 is useful both in ,spring and ,autumn1 preventing either robbers or wasps from entering the hives1 for three or four ,bees will1 with the help of this slider1 guard the entrance more effectually than ten times the number without it4 ,although ,i have recommended ,bees to be confined in their hives so long as snow remains upon the ground1 it would1 however1 be very prejudicial to them if carried on beyond that time1 for ,i never saw ,bees healthy and strong after being shut up through the winter4 ,gelieu1 says1 ,bees have no real disease1 dysentery1 about which so much noise has been made1 and for which so many remedies have been prescribed1 never attacks the ,bees of a well-stocked hive1 that is left open at all seasons1 but those only that are too long and too closely confined4 ,they are always in good health as long as they are at liberty1 when they are warm enough and have plenty of food4 ,all their pretended diseases are the result of cold1 hunger1 or the infection produced by a too close and long confinement during winter4 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,method of placing the small ,hive1#e ,box1 or ,glass1 upon the ,improved ,cottage ,hive1 by which means fine ,honey may be obtained1 without destroying the ,bees4 ,footnote #e3 ,to avoid repetition1 we shall in future use the term1 ,box1 to express any receptacle employed to obtain ,honey on the ,improved ,system1 whether it be in wood1 glass1 straw1 or any other material4 ,at the end of ,april1 or very early in the month of ,may1 take the moveable piece of straw1 from the top of the ,improved ,cottage ,hive1 7fig4 #c17 and place upon it the adapter1 7fig4 #e17 then put the ,box or small ,hive 7fig4 #g1 and #d17 upon this adapter1 and cover the whole with a milk-pan1 to defend them from wet4 ,a glass may be used instead of the small ,hive or ,box1 with equal success1 providing it be covered with something that will effectually exclude light2 a cover of straw1 is perhaps preferable to any other4 ,the boxes which ,i use1 and that ,i would recommend1 are made of inch deal3 nine inches square1 and eight inches deep1 inside measure3 with a piece of glass six inches by seven and a half1 let in on one side and covered by a shutter to exclude the light4 ,the small hives are in diameter eight inches1 and seven inches deep1 with a bit of glass on one side1 some are made with a hole in the top1 that they may1 when required be placed between a glass partially filled1 and the stock hive4 ,when the ,bees are beginning to work in a glass1 a cold night generally obliges them to forsake their newly made combs1 sends them down into the hive1 and compels them to discontinue their labours which are seldom resumed till the middle of the next day2 to prevent this delay1 ,i would recommend the space between the glass and its cover to be filled with fine tow or wool1 the temperature of the glass being thereby kept up1 and the ,bees enabled to carry on their labours without interruption4 ,the latter is to be preferred1 it being not so good a conductor of heat as the former4 ,experience has proved that the milk-pan is the best of all protections for a hive1 provided it be six inches in diameter larger than the hive itself4 ,when the ,box is filled with honey1 and the combs partially sealed1 or when the ,bees are seen to cluster at the mouth of the ,hive1 at nine or ten o'clock in the morning1 let no time be lost in lifting up the ,box1 and placing between it and the ,stock-hive1 another ,box with a hole in the top2 the adapter 7fig4 #e47 will be found very useful in this operation4 ,it is necessary to use this precaution at all times1 but more especially in a rainy season1 as a greater disposition amongst the ,bees to swarm then prevails4 ,dry weather makes plenty of honey1 and moist1 of swarms4#f ,however incorrect this position may at first sight appear1 the attentive observer will quickly become convinced of its truth4 ,footnote #f3 ,purchas1 on ,swarms4 ,since the publication of the ,first ,edition of this little ,treatise1 many persons have said to me1 their ,bees would swarm1 although the small hive had been placed on as directed above1 and sometimes after they had commenced working in it1 the reason for which1 in my opinion is1 that the second small hive was not supplied soon enough1 for the like has never in a single instance occurred with my own ,bees4 ,i have not had a swarm these twenty years1 from any of the hives worked upon the ,depriving ,system1 occasionally ,i have compelled a hive to swarm1 to fill up a vacancy in my number1 where the ,queen has died1 or some other accident destroyed the stock4 ,the population of a hive increases rapidly in ,april and ,may1 and consequently the internal temperature rises in proportion1 a very high temperature causes swarming1 7,mr4 ,nutt says #acj7 although the ,bees may have abundance of room--,i have frequently seen a glass lamp that has no opening at the top1 placed upon a hive1 and the result has been that the ,bees swarmed before they had filled it4 ,if both room and ventilation are carefully attended to1 swarming may be prevented altogether1 and that the one may be as completely under the control of the proprietor as the other1 ,i would recommend ,mr4 ,taylor's ,ventilator1 which ,i believe to be a perfect one1 for when properly arranged1 it will reduce the temperature of a hive at the swarming season1 from ten to twenty degrees in a few minutes--,i would recommend its insertion in the top of the small hive1 box1 or glass1 before it is placed upon the larger one4 ,the ,ventilator ,i use1 says ,mr4 ,taylor1 7and ,i have made them of various forms7 consists of double tubes1 both resting on a flauch in the holes prepared for them1 the outer tube is of one inch diameter and six inches long1 with six half-inch holes dispersed over it4 ,illustration ,it is soon fixed down in its place by the ,bees1 and so must remain1 the inner tube is of perforated zinc1 with a#g tin projecting top as a handle1 and a cap to put on or off this as required4 ,the ,bees will stop up the inner tube where they can get at it1 when it may be turned round a little to present a new surface4 ,when wholly stopped1 it may be withdrawn from its place1 and a clean tube substituted4 ,this may be done without the least danger to the operator1 but it should be inserted carefully1 to avoid crushing any ,bees that may have crept within the outer tube1 an exit to these is afforded by the hole at the bottom4 ,the substance with which ,bees glue up all crevices and attach their combs is called ,propolis--a resinous exudation from certain trees1 of a fragrant smell1 and removable by the aid of hot water4 ,footnote #g3 ,in adopting ,mr4 ,taylor's ,ventilator to the small hive1 the inner tube must be made without the projecting top as a handle1 and the cap made even with the flauch4 ,in order occasionally to know the temperature of any of the boxes1 a thermometer made to fit the ventilator may be inserted in it4 ,this is chiefly useful as a matter of precaution towards the swarming season4 ,some have thought it necessary to cut holes in the floor-board1 or have placed drawers underneath1 to aid the ventilation1 but ,i have always found the mouth of the hive sufficient for all purposes4 ,all operations except joining swarms or stocks1 should be performed on a fine day1 about noon1 they may then be done with much less annoyance to the ,bees1 as well as with less chance of danger to the operator4 ,i have for some years past performed almost all the operations required in this system without the defence1 even of gloves1 but ,i would not recommend any person to attempt it1 until he has had several years' experience in the management of ,bees4 ,the being perfectly defended in every part against their stings1 gives that coolness and confidence to the operator1 upon which the happy accomplishment of his intentions so much depends4 ,i cannot too strongly urge1 that coolness and confidence on the part of the operator are essential qualification1 for any thing approaching to hurry irritates them beyond measure2 indeed whilst engaged with them the hand ought never to be hastily removed from one position to another4 ,dr4 ,bevan says1 quietness is the surest protection against being stung4 ,the best defence is a mask of wire1 very similar to1 but much finer than a fencing mask1 with a rim of tin made to fit the head1 to which a silk handkerchief is attached1 a pair of thick worsted gloves1 and stockings or gaiters of the same material2 stout leather gloves are as good protection as those of worsted1 but leather1 from the closeness of its texture1 will not allow the ,bees to withdraw their stings from it and the consequence is1 that many perish4 ,it is recommended to persons during their operations on ,bees1 to carefully avoid breathing upon them1 as nothing is more offensive1 or more irritating to them than the human breath2 this however1 is partially obviated by closing the mouth1 and suffering the breath to pass gently through the noise1 by which a full current is not allowed to fall upon them4 ,,chapter ,v4 ,proper time for taking away the ,box and how to expel the ,bees from it4 ,when the ,box is filled with honey and the combs all sealed up1 7which will generally be done about the middle of ,june7 it may be taken off1 or it may remain till the one placed beneath it is also sealed up1 which in all probability will be completed by the first week in ,august4 ,upon the very strong and populous hives1 it is necessary in some seasons to place even a third1 which must be removed with great caution1 for at this time of the year every stock should contain at least twenty pounds of honey2 should1 however1 the stock have that quantity1 it may be safely removed and placed upon a weaker one1 for the combs not being all sealed1 the honey therefore is not saleable4 ,the ,box taken off1 must be lifted very gently at noon1 upon a fine day1 and carried forty or fifty yards from the hive2 place it upon a board or table1 raising it a little that room may be given to the ,bees to make their escape1 which they will do in a very short time4 ,much difficulty appears to have arisen with some persons in getting the ,bees to leave the ,box when taken off1 but in this as in all other operations with ,bees1 gentleness is very important1 indeed it is the only means of accomplishing the end desired1 and as ,i have before said1 the ,box must be lifted very gently1 and placed about six inches from the ground1 or table1 upon bricks1 flower pots1 or something of the kind4 ,shaking1 beating1 or burning paper under it1 as is sometimes done1 have all a contrary effect upon the ,bees1 they are alarmed by it1 and will not leave the box perhaps for days1 when these means have been resorted to4 ,the box being thus placed1 a loud humming noise is first heard1 and the ,bees are then seen to leave it within five or six minutes1 7all except a few stragglers7 but should the ,queen be in the ,box1 7which very rarely happens7 quite a different appearance presents itself1 no noise will be heard1 or a ,bee scarcely seen to leave it1 but the hive from which it has been taken will in a very short time appear in great confusion4 ,whenever this occurs1 the ,box must be returned immediately1 and taken off again the next day4 ,when a hive or glass of honey is taken1 it ought not to be left till the ,bees are all out of it1 for it is very likely to be attacked by robbers1 thus a great part of it will be carried away in a short time1 and what is left rendered unfit for sale1 on account of the cells being opened1 from which the honey will drain out1 upon the position of the hive being changed4 ,robbers may be known by their desire to enter the hive or glass1 the ,bees belonging to it1 being separated from their ,queen1 fly home immediately upon leaving it4 ,in taking off a box of honey it will be found convenient to pass a very thin knife1 or fine wire between the hives or boxes intended to be separated2 if that precaution be not taken1 a piece of comb frequently projects from the top of the one left1 or the bottom of that taken1 which causes much trouble to the operator3 two adapters 7fig4 #e47 placed between the boxes will be found very convenient1 for the knife or wire will only have to be passed between them1 and the danger of breaking the combs will be obviated--they should be made of mahogany1 for it will allow of being worked very thin1 without the risk of warping2 they are three eights of an inch thick1 twelve inches square1 with a circular hole in the middle four inches in diameter4 ,to expel the bees from the box or hive when taken off1 ,gelieu says1 ,take a hive or box of the same size1 place it over the full one that is turned upside down1 bind them round with a napkin1 to intercept all passage to the bees1 and force them to ascend into the empty box1 by tapping gently on the full one4 ,they soon go up into the empty box1 and when they are all housed1 replace them on the parent hive1 whence they were withdrawn2 and if the season is favourable and the honey abundant1 they soon set to work again4 ,honey taken by this method is acknowledged to be very superior in quality to that obtained by the usual barbarous and unprofitable manner of burning the ,bees1 which arises from the combs in which it is deposited being new and perfectly white1 the early period at which it is collected1 and from its being unmixed with honey gathered later in the season as well as from the ,queen very rarely ascending through the opening at the top of the improved cottage hive1 that neither brood nor farina are found amongst it4 ,this honey sells readily at two shillings a pound1 whilst that obtained by burning the ,bees1 is scarcely saleable at eightpence4 ,it is usual to obtain from every good stock twenty or perhaps thirty pounds of honey annually4 ,i once obtained forty-five pounds1 leaving the stock rich in honey4 ,it is frequently asked what becomes of the ,bees managed on this system1 if they are never suffered to swarm nor are destroyed2--the hives will never contain them8 ,to which ,i would reply1 that it is well known to those who are conversant in the care of ,bees1 that their numbers decrease greatly in ,autumn1 not only by the destruction of the drones1 but also by the unavoidable deaths of many of the working ,bees1 owing to the thousand accidents they meet with in the fields1 and to age2#h a much less space therefore is wanted for them in the winter than was necessary in the summer4 ,footnote #h3 ,mr4 ,purchas1 in his ,theatre of ,political ,flying ,insects1 published in #afeg--says1 it is manifest that the ,honey ,bees are but yearly creatures1 and when giving the sentiments of ,aristotle1 ,pliny1 ,columella1 ,cardanus1 and others1 he says1 the truth is1 notwithstanding these men's opinion1 that ,bees live but a year and a quarter at most1 for those ,bees that are seen in ,may1 lusty1 full1 brown1 smooth1 well winged1 will1 by the end of ,july following1 begin to wither1 become lesse1 look gray1 and have their wings tottered1 and tom1 and bee all dead before the end of ,august4 ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,method to be pursued in case a ,swarm should leave the ,hive1 after having commenced working in the ,box4 ,this is a circumstance of very rare occurrence1 and more especially when the directions given in the former chapter are strictly complied with2 however1 should it happen1 let the swarm be hived in the usual manner into the improved ,cottage ,hive1 7see fig4 #c47 as directed in ,chapter ,,xii1 when the ,bees are settled1 take off the moveable piece of straw from the top of the hive1 and place upon it the box partially filled with honey and ,bees2 cover the old hive with the piece of straw belonging to it1 and the milk-pan1 as no further profit 7except the cast or second swarm7 will be obtained till the next season2 should the proprietor be unwilling to increase his number of stocks1 the swarm may be returned immediately to its parent hive2 the process is very simple1 and ,i have always found it succeed--as soon as the swarm is settled1 turn the hive bottom upwards1 and if the ,queen ,bee does not make her appearance in a few seconds1 dash the ,bees out upon a cloth1 or upon a gravel walk1#i and with a wine glass she may be easily captured1 upon this being accomplished1 the ,bees will immediately return to their parent hive1 and resume their labours2 she may also very easily be taking during the departure of a swarm1 for she appears to leave the hive reluctantly and may be seen running backwards and forwards upon the alighting-board before she takes wing4 ,footnote #i3 ,the method of performing this operation1 consists in lifting the hive gently about a foot1 and with a smart and sudden jar returning it to the ground1 so that the ,bees be completely dislodged from the hive1 and left upon the cloth1 the hive may now be removed to a short distance1 and as the ,bees are attempting to return to their former habitation1 the ,queen may be easily captured4 ,a second swarm generally leaves the hive about nine days after the first1 but the time may be exactly ascertained by standing quietly beside the hive after sunset1 when the ,queen may be distinctly heard to tun' in hir treble voic'1#aj which is a certain indication that a second swarm will leave the hive4 ,should two or three ,queens be heard one after the other1 it will be on the following day1 if the weather be not very unfavourable1 7for the second and third swarms appear to have less regard as to the weather than the first47 ,should the ,queens continue to pipe after the departure of the second swarm1 a third will certainly follow in a few days1 but if one or two ,queens be found dead beneath the hive on the next morning1 no more swarms can be expected4 ,footnote #aj3 ,butler's ,feminin ,monarchi1 ,edit4 #afcd4 ,that the old ,queen accompanies the first swarm is established beyond a doubt2 that many ,queens are bred in a hive1 a number sometimes exceeding thirty in one year1 is also ascertained2 and that the ,bees have the power of producing a ,queen from an egg deposited in the combs of the working ,bees1 by treating it in a different manner to those that are to become workers1 has also been satisfactorily proved1 all that has been said beyond this1 regarding their natural history1 must1 ,i believe be considered principally conjecture4 ,it is1 however1 says a modern ,author1 not the least interesting part of the study of the ,bee1 that this apparently insignificant insect1 has hitherto baffled all the research and ingenuity of man1 to discover the manner of its propagation2 analogy presents no guide to the solution of this secret1 and the result of every anatomical experiment has tended rather to mystify the subject1 than to conduct us to the road to truth1 and ,purchas1 who ,i have before quoted1 says1 ,god humbles us with ignorance in many things1 not only divine but natural1 and in common use1 in the nature of ,bees how blind are we1 notwithstanding all our observations and labour1 in the production and continuance of the ,queen ,bee1 in the generation of other ,bees1 and generally in the forms of all things4 ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,method of uniting second and third ,swarms4 ,second and third ,swarms1 or ,casts and ,colts1 are seldom or ever able to collect a sufficient quantity of honey1 to support themselves through the winter1 and can only be preserved by much care and expense1 and most of them die after all without bringing any profit4 ,it is much better therefore to unite them in the following manner3--when two ,casts or ,colts come off upon the same day1 hive them separately1 and leave them till an hour and half after sunset1 then spread a cloth upon the ground1 upon which by a smart and sudden movement1 shake all the ,bees out of one of the hives1 and immediately take the other and place it gently over the ,bees that are heaped together upon the cloth1 and they will instantly ascend into it1 and join those1 which not having been disturbed1 are quiet in their new abode2 next morning before sunrise1 remove this newly united hive to the place in which it is to remain2 this doubled population will work with double success1 and in the most perfect harmony1 and generally become a strong stock1 from which much profit may be derived4 ,two ,casts or weak ,swarms may be joined in the same manner1 although one of them may have swarmed some days or even weeks later than the other1 taking care however1 not to make the first one enter the second1 but the second the first1 a third1 and a fourth parcel of ,bees may be joined to them at different times1 till the stock becomes strong4 ,it is almost impossible sufficiently to impress upon the mind of every person who keeps ,bees1 the necessity of having his stocks all strong1 for weak stocks are very troublesome1 very expensive1 and seldom1 if ever1 afford any profit4 ,mr4 ,taylor say1 the stronger the colony at the outset the better the ,bees will work1 and the more prosperous it will become4 ,i never knew a weak one do well long1 and a little extra expense1 and trouble at first1 are amply rewarded by succeeding years of prosperity and ultimate profit2 and again1 thus strength in one year begets it in succeeding ones1 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 next1 and that the loss of ,bees in the winter is of secondary consequence1 forgetting how influential is their warmth to the earlier and increased productive powers of the ,queen1 and how important it is in the opening spring to be able to spare from the home duties of the hive a number of collectors1 to add to the stores1 which would otherwise not keep pace with the cravings of the rising generation4 ,it is a remarkable fact1 that two weak stocks joined1 will collect double the quantity of honey1 and consume much less than two of the same age and strength1 kept separately4 ,stocks must be joined after sunset1 upon the day that one of them has swarmed1 or before sunrise the next morning1 and the doubled stock must be placed upon the stand it previously occupied4 ,great care must be taken not to shake the hive1 nor must it be turned up1 the combs being new1 and tender1 will easily break1 and the stock by that means be destroyed4 ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,manner of uniting ,swarms and old stocks in ,autumn4 ,for this very useful information1 ,i am indebted to that excellent ,apiarian1 ,gelieu2 ,i have tried it upon some of my own stocks1 as well as upon those of my friends1 and have found it in every instance fully to answer my expectations4 ,persons possessing these instructions should not allow a weak stock to remain through the winter4 ,the operation is performed very easily and without danger3 ,i have frequently accomplished it without any protection whatever1 and ,i will give the method in the words of ,gelieu--,when the swarms have not been able to lay up a sufficient provision during the fine weather1 ,i weigh them at the end of the season1 and knowing the weight of each empty hive1 ,i can tell exactly the quantity of honey they have in store4 ,if they are three1 four1 five or six pounds too light1 ,i preserve them and feed them in the manner ,i am about to detail4 ,when the swarms have only about one-third or one half of the quantity of honey which would suffice to feed them1 ,i might keep them alive by giving them as much more as they require4 ,i have frequently done so1 but ,i have already remarked that this plan costs too much honey1 and gives too much trouble3 and1 therefore1 ,i generally join them into one4 ,for this purpose1 ,i leave the heaviest swarm untouched1 and1 in the morning of a fine day in ,september1 or the beginning of ,october1 ,i commence by blowing a few whiffs of tobacco-smoke with my pipe in at the door of the hive of the lightest swarm1 to disperse the sentinels2 then turning up the hive1 and placing it on its top on the ground1 ,i give it a little more smoke1 to prevent the ,bees from becoming irritated1 and to force them to retire within the combs--,i proceed to cut out all the combs in succession1 beginning with the smallest1 sweeping the ,bees with a feather off each piece back into the hive2 and then ,i place the combs1 one after another1 into a large dish beside me1 keeping it1 at the same time1 carefully covered over with a napkin1 or small table cloth1 to prevent the ,bees returning to their combs1 or the smell of the honey attracting others that may be flying about4 ,the last comb is the most difficult to come at1 being completely covered over with ,bees4 ,i detach it1 however1 in the same way as the others1 but with greater precaution1 sweeping the ,bees off very gently with the feather1 until there is not one left on it4 ,this operation1 ,i perform without gloves1 or any other protection1 armed only with my pipe2 and for ten times that ,i treat them after this fashion1 ,i seldom receive one sting1 even when ,i act unassisted4 ,the combs being all removed1 the swarm remains as completely destitute of food as it was on the day of its emigration1 and ,i replace it on its board in the same spot it occupied when full1 and leave it till the evening1 by which time the ,bees will be clustered together like a new swarm4 ,during the whole of the day1 which ,i shall suppose to be fine1 they occupy themselves with great earnestness cleansing their house1 and making such a noise in removing the little fragments of wax that have fallen on the board1 that any one who did not know it had been emptied1 would take it for the best and strongest of the hives4 ,before night1 when they are all quiet1 ,i throw a few whiffs of smoke in at the door of the hive which ,i mean my deprived swarm to enter1 and which should be its next neighbour on the right hand or the left2 then1 turning it up1 and resting it on the ground1 ,i sprinkle it all over with honey1 especially between the combs where ,i perceive the greatest number of ,bees3 five or six table spoonfuls generally suffice2 at other times three or four times as many are required4 ,if too little were given1 the new comers might not be well received2 there might be some fighting2 and by giving too much1 we run the risk of drowning them4--,one should cease the sprinkling when the ,bees begin to climb up above the combs1 and shelter themselves on the sides of the hive1 this done1 ,i replace the hive on its board1 which should jut out about seven or eight inches1 raising the hive up in the front with two little bits of stick1 so as to leave a division of an inch between it and the board1 to give free access to the ,bees4 ,i also spread a table cloth upon the ground before it1 raising and fixing one end of it on the board1 by means of two bits of stick1 that are placed as a temporary support to the hive4 ,i then take the hive that was deprived of its combs in the morning1 and with one shake1 throw the ,bees out of it upon the table-cloth1 which they instantly begin to ascend2 while1 by the help of a long wooden spoon1 ,i guide them to the door of the one that is placed for their reception4 ,a few spoonfuls of the ,bees raised and laid down at the door of the hive will set the example1 they enter at once1 and the others follow quickly1 flapping their wings1 and sipping with delight the drops of honey that come in their way1 or officiously licking and cleaning those first inhabitants that have received the sprinkling1 and with whom they mingle and live henceforth on good terms2 one division of the new comers always cluster on the front of the hive1 which they enter during the night without disturbance1 much pleased to join their companions4 ,next morning1 early1 it is necessary to take away the table-cloth1 and the bits of stick1 that were placed to raise up the hive1 and facilitate the entrance of the ,bees1 and for some days the door should be left open as wide as possible4 ,the hive should also be moved a little to the right or left1 that it may stand precisely in the centre of the place they both occupied before the union4 ,i have frequently united three swarms in the same manner1 and with the same success1 taking care only to empty in the morning those on each side1 and to make the ,bees enter the middle one in the evening1 after it has been sprinkled with honey4 ,in this case ,i do not remove the one that unites the three swarms4 ,i have adhered strictly to these directions except in raising and fixing the table-cloth to the board1--making the ,bees ascend1 ,i have always found to be a slow process1 but placing the hive they are to join over them when heaped upon the cloth1 is much quicker and equally successful4 ,old stocks that are rendered weak by swarming1 or by having too much honey taken from them1 may be united in the same manner1 with this difference only1 that double the quantity of honey should be used in sprinkling4 ,if a stock of ,bees1 containing fifteen or twenty pounds of honey in ,september1 be carefully managed during the winter1 which consists in narrowing the entrance to exclude robbers1 carefully covering the hive with a milk-pan1 and raising it from the board every month or six weeks to clean it1 no doubt can be entertained to its affording a good box of honey4 ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,manner of feeding weak ,stocks1 and the time most appropriate for this operation4 ,autumn and ,spring are the most proper seasons for supplying weak stocks with food4 ,bees ought never to be fed during the winter1 as food given at that time1 not only causes disease1 but induces them to go out of their hives1 when many of them perish from cold4 ,food should be administered only at night1 and the sooner after sunset the better2 the vessel in which it is given ought to be carefully removed by sunrise the next morning1 or robbers will be attracted to the hive by the smell of the honey and far more injury be sustained from them1 than the benefit arising to the ,bees1 from the food given4 ,in feeding1 therefore1 it will be necessary to observe the greatest neatness4 ,in ,autumn1 ,bees should be fed copiously1 those hives containing less than fifteen pounds of honey must be made up to that weight by feeding2 the most effectual method ,i have been able to devise is to excavate a board of four or five inches in thickness1 so as to allow a soup plate1 or pewter dish to fit into it without rising above its level2 this dish may be filled with honey1 and covered with pieces of paper to prevent the ,bees from being drowned1 it may then be placed under the hive at sunset1 and a napkin tied round the bottom of it1 to prevent any of the ,bees from making their escape2 in this manner three or four pounds of honey may be given at one time1 so that twice feeding1 it is supposed will be sufficient for any hive1 for if more than this quantity is wanted1 the stock must be joined to another as directed in ,chapter ,,viii4 ,should the honey be very thick1 a small quantity of warm water may be added to it1 in the proportion of half a pint to three pounds of honey1 observing to mix them well together4 ,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 straw1 or a wooden hoop1 the exact size of the hive1 and four inches deep1 within which place the dish of honey1 and put the hive over it1 making the union secure with a napkin4 ,in the ,spring1 ,bees should be fed sparingly1 three or four ounces of honey twice in the week1 will be found amply sufficient2 the easiest method of giving these small quantities is by a vessel of tin1 upon the same principle as a bird's fountain1 holding about a pound or a pound and half2 7see fig4 #i47 the projecting trough or mouth1 must be put in at the entrance of the hive1 it is one inch and three quarters wide1 and three inches and a half long1 covered with a perforated tin3 this vessel being filled with honey1 has only to be placed in the hive at night1 and removed in the morning1 the feeder itself effectually stopping up the entrance of the hive4 ,some persons feed their ,bees at the top of the hive1 but it is much too tedious and sparing a way1 in my opinion for ,autumn feeding1 in the ,spring it does very well4 ,this feeder is of wood with a cover of glass1 it has a hole through its centre1 corresponding with one at the top of the hive1 which enables the ,bees to pass into it1 and take the honey--,i believe it was invented by ,wildman4 ,,chapter ,x4 ,food proper for weak ,hives4 ,i am decidedly of opinion that ,bees fed in the ,autumn should have honey1 in preference to any other kind of food4 ,mr4 ,huish recommends eight pounds of honey1 six pounds of water1 a bottle of white wine1 and a pound of sugar1 boiled and skimmed1 to be bottled for use1 he adds1 the most advisable method is not to make more than is immediately wanted1 because there is some danger of its fermenting4 ,now if the ,bees are allowed to store a quantity of this1 or any other similar kind of food in their hives1 will it not in all probability ferment there also8 this is my reason for recommending honey only--indeed ,i have never seen ,bees so healthy as those fed on the simple mixture of honey and water4 ,in ,spring1 other kinds of food may answer very well1 as a small portion only is given at a time1 and very little of it deposited in the combs4 ,a very good ,spring food may be made with honey and sweet wort1 or with raw sugar and sweet wort1 boiled and skimmed4 ,the proportions would be1 one pound of sugar1 or half a pound of honey1 to two pints of strong wort4 ,for feeding weak stocks many things have been prescribed1 but nothing is so proper and natural as honey1 ,i dislike feeding altogether1 except a little in the beginning of the year1 through the lateness of the ,spring some hives 7otherwise sufficiently supplied7 may require it4 ,early swarms may also require a little honey when the weather proves unfavourable for their collecting it the four or five first days succeeding their being hived1 but in both these cases a very small quantity will be found sufficient4 ,autumn feeding very rarely answers the purpose of the proprietor4 ,uniting the weak stocks at that season1 as directed in ,chapter ,,viii4 will be found much more advantageous4 ,,chapter ,,xi4 ,enemies of ,bees1 and means of overcoming them4 ,gelieu says--that nothing is more prejudicial to ,bees than ignorant attention2 their most formidable enemies are1 perhaps1 their possessors1 who busy themselves to torment them1 and weaken and kill them by too much care4 ,in ,winter1 they hurt them by shutting them up1 and in ,spring1 the giving them a little honey is not always attended to1 neither is the guarding them from moths1 which1 at that time1 make the greatest havoc1 nor is the narrowing of the entrances to prevent them being robbed4 ,some people suffocate them in ,autumn1 that they may possess themselves of their provisions2 and others take out the best of the honey1 and often too much of it1 and so expose them to die of hunger4 ,i therefore place1 in the foremost rank of their enemies1 those of their possessors1 who1 by their own ignorance and inexperience1 hinder them from prospering and multiplying4 ,to all this ,i am sorry to say that ,i can bear testimony4 ,amongst the enemies of ,bees are enumerated1 ants1 moths1 birds1 poultry1 mice1 wasps1 and spiders4 ,ants1 perhaps1 are their least dangerous enemies1 for though they cannot sting them1 they carry them to a distance4 ,ants may be destroyed by pouring boiling water into their nests1 and the operation will be greatly assisted by making holes into them with a sharp stick1 so as to allow the water to flow readily to the bottom of them4 ,mr4 ,huish says1 to preserve my ,bees from these vermin1 ,i always fasten a piece of sheep's skin1 with its wool on round the bottom of the pedestal2 it has been said1 that these insects dislike both garlick and shalots1 and they will not harbour in the ground in which these vegetables are grown4 ,moths#aa are by far their most formidable and dangerous enemies1 great numbers of hives are destroyed by them every year1 it therefore requires the utmost vigilance on the part of the ,bee-keeper to defend his favourites from these most powerful assailants4 ,it is in the caterpillar state that they commit their ravages1 and it is truly astonishing to observe the rapidity with which they destroy a hive1 when they get established in it4 ,it must be observed that hives managed upon the ,depriving ,system1 that are expected to stand for ten1 fifteen or even twenty years are much more subject to the incursions of moths1 than those which are destroyed every year4 ,footnote #aa3 ,entomology designates two species of wax moths3 the greater is the most common gallerea cerreana1 and the smaller gallerea alvearia4 ,the best method of preventing their increase is the frequent cleansing of the hive floors1 for the female generally deposits her eggs between the hive and the board on which it stands1 or in the dust that accumulates at the bottom4 ,upon removing the hive the moths may be seen in the larva state upon the floor1 and are easily destroyed4 ,moths and spiders1 says ,dr4 ,bevan1 should be watched and destroyed1 in an evening1 as at that time the former are hovering about1 and the latter laying their snares4 ,he also recommends a frequent cleaning of the hive floors4--,huish says1 the butterfly of the moth that redoubtable enemy of the ,bee1 appears in ,april1 and continues until ,october4 ,destroy them as much as possible2 frighten not away the bats which fly about the hives1 as they devour a great number of them4 ,he says also1 ,i would alway advise an ,apiarian to fix his attention particularly on a hive1 the ,bees of which appear to be in inaction1 whilst the ,bees of other hives are in activity4 ,if this inaction continue for ten days1 or a fortnight1 not a moment then should be lost in examining the hive1 and the ravages of the moth will soon present themselves4 ,amongst birds1 that little marauder the blue titmouse 7parus major of ,linneus7 stands the foremost as their enemy1 for1 says ,purchas1 she will eat ten or twelve ,bees at a time1 and by and by be ready for more2 she feeds her young ones also with them4 ,she eats not the whole ,bee1 but divides it in the middle1 pulls out the bagge of honey1 litting drop the skinny outside2 in the spring she watches for them in the willow and sallow trees1 and takes them when they are at their work4 ,destroy their nests in breeding time1 and shoot them in winter4 ,lapoutre1 a ,french ,naturalist1 assures us1 that he saw under a tree in which there was a tom-tit's nest1 a surprising quantity of the scaly parts of ,bees1 which this bird had dropped from its nest4 ,sparrows and swallows have both an ill name1 but ,i could never observe any great hurt done by either of them4 ,poultry will occasionally destroy ,bees1 for ,i once recollect seeing a hen and her brood pay dearly for their freedom with a hive1 the chickens were all stung to death1 and the hen escaped only with her life4 ,from mice1 the surest safeguard is the single pedestal 7see fig4 #a1 #b and #c474 ,the destruction of ,queen ,wasps in the ,spring1 and wasps nests in the ,summer1 will prove the best security against these formidable enemies3 ,queen ,wasps are seen in ,april and ,may1 and are very easily captured1 every one which is then destroyed1 would probably have been the founder of a nest1 which may be computed at #cj1jjj1 at least4 ,in ,autumn1 it is very common for ,bees to rob and plunder each other's hives2 the best remedy for this evil1 as well as to guard against wasps1 is to contract the entrances2 to effect this object1 ,i would recommend a copper guard to be attached to each hive2 7see fig4 #aj1 and page #ah17 the wooden one of ,espenasse1 as well as ,huish's tin guard1 ,i have found very inconvenient1 which induced me to construct the one referred to4 ,it is made of thin copper1 and stitched to the hive with copper wire1 it has two sliders1 one pierced with a number of small holes1 and the other having one only1 but large enough to allow the passage of one ,bee through it4 ,the advantages of this1 above all other guards1 arises from its not projecting beyond the hive1 the alighting board not being encumbered by it1 and the angles formed by ,huish's with the hive1 so annoying to the ,bees1 being avoided4 ,in a word1 says ,purchas1 if you desire to have your ,bees thrive1 and prosper1 keep them well from winds and wet1 heat and cold1 destroy their enemies1 and let them enjoy a sufficiency of food gotten by their own industry2 and if there be a want in some1 timely supply them1 and doubt not1 if by ,god's blessing on your endeavours1 the increase and prosperity of your ,bees4 ,,chapter ,,xii4 ,directions for ,hiving ,swarms4 ,bees managed upon the ,depriving ,system1 rarely swarm1 and are seldom found clustering at the mouth of the hive1 for every bright hour during the honey season they seem to turn to profit1 when1 however1 ,clustering or ,swarming takes place1 it generally arises from the ,box not having been put on sufficiently early in the season1 or for the want of a second ,box2 if a swarm should from these causes be compelled to leave the hive1 let it be put into a new improved ,cottage ,hive1 7see fig4 #c47 in the usual manner4 ,i have always adopted the plan of placing my swarms where they are to remain1 within ten or fifteen minutes after the time of their being hived1 and in this practice ,gelieu agrees with me1 for he says1 most people who have ,bees allow their ,swarms to remain till the evening in the place where they have alighted1 and do not move them to the ,apiary till after sunset1 this method has many inconveniences4 ,as soon as a swarm has congregated in the new hive1 and seems to be at ease in it1 the most industrious amongst the ,bees fly off to the fields1 but with a great many precautions4 ,they descend the front of the hive1 and turn to every side to examine it thoroughly1 then take flight1 and make some circles in the air in order to reconnoitre their new abode1 they do the same in returning4 ,if the ,swarm has taken flight in the morning1 the same ,bees make several excursions during the day1 and each time with less precaution1 as becoming familiarized with their dwelling1 they are less afraid of mistaking it1 and thus1 next morning1 supposing themselves in the same place1 they take wing without having observed where they have spent the night1 and surprised at their return not to find the hive in the same place1 they fly about all day in search of it1 until they perish with fatigue and despair4 ,thus many hundreds of the most industrious labourers are lost1 and this may be entirely avoided1 if the ,swarms be removed as soon as the ,bees are perceived coming out--this sign alone is sufficient4 ,sometimes ,i do not even wait till all the ,bees clustered in front or on the sides of the ,hive1 are reunited to their companions in the interior1 as they are never long in being so2 and this plan has always fully succeeded with me4 ,experience has long since proved1 that the custom of beating warming-pans and the like1 at the time a swarm leaves the hive is perfectly useless1 as well as the ridiculous practice of dressing the ,hive1 as it is called1 by drenching it with beer1 honey1 fennel1 c42 the former is considered by persons of observation1 actually to prevent the ,bees from alighting so soon as they would otherwise do2 and the latter frequently to compel them to leave the hive4 ,the best method is to watch the ,swarm in silence1 and after it has once collected1 to lose no time in hiving it into a new1 clean1 and dry ,hive4 ,much time and trouble may be spared the ,bees1 if the loose straw be removed from the interior of the hive1 the best method of effecting which1 is to singe them with a wax taper1 and afterwards to remove them with a hard brush4 ,i have for many years past discontinued the use of sticks across the interior of my hives1 for they cause much unnecessary trouble to the ,bees in the construction of their combs2 every facility should be given to a fresh swarm in their labors1 for they have much to do1 as ,dr4 ,aikin has very beautifully said for them in the ,,song ,,of ,,the ,,bees4 ,we watch for the light of the morn to break1 ,and colour the grey eastern sky ,with its blended hues of saffron and lake1 ,then we say to each other1 ,awake1 ,awake6 ,for our winter's honey is all to make1 ,and our bread for a long supply4 ,then off we hie to the hill and the dell1 ,to the field1 the wild wood and bower2 ,in the columbine's horn we love to dwell1 ,to dip in the lily with snow-white bell4 ,to search the balm in its odorous cell1 ,the thyme and the rosemary flower4 ,we seek for the bloom of the eglantine1 ,the lime1 painted thistle1 and brier4 ,and follow the course of the wandering vine1 ,whether it trail on the earth supine1 ,or round the aspiring tree-top twine1 ,and reach for a stage still higher4 ,as each for the good of the whole is bent1 ,and stores up its treasures for all1 ,we hope for an evening with heart's content4 ,for the winter of life without lament ,that summer is gone1 with its hours mis-spent1 ,and the harvest is past recall4 ,and not only do sticks across the hive cause much unnecessary trouble to the ,bees in the construction of their combs1 but render their extraction almost impossible2 for in this ,system it becomes necessary1 after a ,hive has stood seven or eight years1 to cut out part of its combs1 which by that time will have become very black1 very thick1 and the cells1 from the number of ,bees hatched in them1 7every one leaving a deposit7 much contracted4 ,the times best suited for this operation will be ,march and ,september2 if performed in ,march1 two leaves of comb may be taken1 if in ,september1 one only2 it is a very simple process1 and easily accomplished with the aid of a little tobacco smoke1 and a knife 7fig4 #f47 which ,i will hereafter describe4 ,gelieu says1 in #ahad1 ,i have several ,stocks from twelve to twenty years old that are as prosperous as the young ones1 and one stock twenty-five years old4 ,i cannot say so much as this1 but ,i do not in the least doubt the truth of it2 fifteen years is the longest time that ,i have kept a stock1 and the reason of my losing it at the expiration of that period was from the decay of the ,hive1 it being badly made and not painted2 its annual profit was never less than forty1 and some years1 fifty shillings4 ,i would recommend every person who keeps ,bees1 to have a few well-painted new hives always by him1 that each hive be weighed1 and its weight upon a ticket of lead fastened to it1 the board also upon which the hive stands should be weighed4 ,every swarm that is hived in ,may1 or before the middle of ,june1 in a moderate season will afford a glass of honey1 of from six to twelve pounds1 besides their winter's store2 and in very good seasons1 ,i have frequently taken twenty-five and sometimes thirty pounds1 leaving the hive very rich4 ,the most proper time for putting the glass or box upon the swarm will be from the eighteenth to the twenty-first day after their being hived1 and should it be quickly filled and more room required1 lift up the glass as directed at page #bc4 ,,chapter ,,xiii4 ,description of a knife for cutting out the combs4 7fig1 #f17 ,this knife1 which is so simple in its construction1 and so easily used1 deserves to be made generally known4 ,gelieu1 to whom ,apiarians are much indebted1 tells us1 that in ,switzerland it is commonly used1 and that the combs from hives of any shape or materials are extracted without any difficulty4 ,it is formed of a slip of steel 7see fig4 #f47 two feet long1 by an eighth of an inch thick1 the handle is twenty inches long1 by half an inch broad1 the turn-down blade of two inches in length1 is spear pointed1 sharp on the edges1 and bent so as to form an angle of #ij degrees with the handle2 the other blade is two inches long1 by one and half broad1 and sharpened all round2 the broad blade cuts and separates the combs from the sides of the hive1 and the spear point1 which is also sharp on each side1 admits1 from its direction and narrowness1 of being introduced between the combs to loosen them from the top of the hive4 ,,chapter ,,xiv4 ,remedies proposed1 as cures1 for the ,stings of ,bees4 ,the sooner the ,sting is extracted1 says ,dr4 ,bevan1 the less venom is ejected1 and consequently less inflammation induced4 ,to alleviate the irritation1 numberless remedies have been proposed1 of the most opposite kind and uncertain effect2 as oil1 vinegar1 bruised parsley1 burnet1 mallow1 or the leaves of any succulent vegetable1 7renewed as soon as warm1 and probably therefore1 operating by cold alone7 honey1 indigo dissolved in water1 c41 c41 the most effectual remedy appears to be ,aq4 ,ammon1 or ,spirits of ,hartshorn1 nor is this surprising1 when we consider that the venom of the ,bee is evidently ,acid4 ,i have known both the pain and inflammation greatly relieved by ,laudanum2 but for myself ,i could never experience the slightest relief from its application4 ,its effects are very different in different persons1 for1 whilst a single ,sting will sometimes produce alarming symptoms in one person1 another may receive many without being inconvenienced either by pain or swelling2 this ,i am sorry to observe is not my case1 for a single sting causes me the most acute pain1 accompanied by violent swelling and inflammation1 which lasts two or three days2 the above remedies have proved totally ineffectual in affording me the slightest relief1 but ,i consider myself very fortunate in having lately met with almost a perfect cure1 and it is as immediate as it is effectual2 ,i have much pleasure in communicating it1 for notwithstanding every precaution1 persons1 who are much amongst ,bees occasionally meet with a sting4 ,the method ,i have of late adopted1 by which the pain is instantly removed1 and both the swelling and inflammation prevented1 is to pull out the sting as soon as possible1 and take a piece of iron and heat it in the fire1 or for want of that1 take a live coal1 7if of wood the better1 because it lasts longer7 and hold it as near to the place as ,i can possibly endure it1 for five minutes2 if from this application a sensation of heat should be occasioned1 a little oil of ,turpentine or ,goulard ,cerate must be applied4 ,during the last three years ,i have used for myself and those about me1 who might chance to meet with a sting1 a still more effectual remedy than the above1 and as its application is more simple1 it is certainly to be preferred4 ,it consists in applying the least possible quantity of ,liquor potass1 immediately upon removing the sting1 either with a fine camels' hair pencil1 a sharp pen1 or even with the point of a needle4 ,the venom of the ,bee being an acid1 this very powerful alkali1 consequently neutralises it1 the pain is instantly removed1 and neither swelling nor inflammation follow4 ,should too large a quantity of this alkali be used1 7as from the hurry in which it is usually sought after frequently happens7 the part should be plunged into cold water1 or a scar will be the consequence1 which will last for some days4 ,i have found the quicker the application1 the more effectual the cure4 ,,chapter ,,xv4 ,means of preventing the ,bees from being stolen1 especially in the ,country4 ,i entirely disapprove of ,houses of every description for ,bees1 as a protection against weather1 because they tend in various ways most effectually to destroy the lives of those valuable insects1 for1 as before stated1 they form a shelter for1 and promote the increase of some of their most determined enemies2 but there are other things to provide against1 not only robbers of their own species1 but those who would carry away hives as well as honey1 and at the request of a friend1 who has twice been deprived of all his hives by this latter description of robbers--,i am induced to give what in my opinion is the best kind of house to answer this purpose1 and likely to be the least injurious to the ,bees4 ,it may be sufficiently wide to allow of six hives with a milk-pan upon each1 to be placed in a line1 which will occupy about eleven feet1 its depth may be about twenty-two inches1 the top and ends weather boarded1 the front and back composed of wood or iron bars1 placed so that a small hive or box will not pass between them1 the front ones may be fixed1 but those at the back must be made to remove1 and secured by a lock4 ,at fifteen inches from the ground must be placed two pieces of wood1 about four inches square1 well secured by cross pieces at the ends of the house1 and by an upright in the middle1 upon these pieces place the boards on which the hives stand1 sufficient height must be given to allow of two boxes to be placed upon a hive1 three feet at least should be allowed4 ,another method of security may be adopted which is equally effective1 and as the inconveniences of a ,house are avoided1 perhaps it is the most preferable4 ,it is to have a stout iron ring of four inches in diameter1 a little flattened at the sides so as to become oval1 worked in the back of the ,hive a little below its centre1 when the ,hives are placed in a line upon pedestals of equal height1 a chain may be passed through these rings1 and locked at each end4 ,,chapter ,,xvi4 ,method of ,dislodging ,bees from ,trees or ,buildings1 and putting them into ,hives4 ,it very rarely happens that ,bees in ,buildings or in ,trees survive the ,winter1 cold and humidity usually kill them1 but the comb and the little honey remaining in it induces others to visit their abode in the ,spring1 and which in all probability will be followed by a ,swarm from some neighbouring ,apiary in ,may or ,june1 and on this account ,bees are said always to be there1 a little observation will prove the incorrectness of this statement1 and ,i believe the only criterion by which it can be proved that ,bees have actually existed in such places through the ,winter1 is to see them carrying in pellets of farina upon their legs in ,march and the early part of ,april4 ,the most proper time for dislodging a ,stock1 which from having fixed upon some warm and dry abode1 has lived through the ,winter1 is towards the end of ,may1 or the beginning of ,june1 but a ,swarm ought to be removed upon the day of its arrival1 or as soon afterwards as possible4 ,the only method that ,i can recommend at all likely to succeed1 and which ,i have found to answer the purpose1 is to lay the combs quite bare1 and then to cut them out one by one1 sweeping the ,bees with a feather1 or the back of the knife1 from each piece of comb into an empty hive4 ,should the ,queen not be observed during this process1 it will be advisable to take a leaf of comb that is filled with eggs or brood1 and fasten it inside the hive intended for the ,bees1 that they may be enabled to make a new one1 should their original ,queen have been killed or lost during this operation2 for it is now proved beyond all doubt1 that they have the power of doing this1 provided they have either eggs or brood in their hive4 ,the use of a little tobacco smoke throughout this operation will be necessary1 a cigar in the mouth of each operator 7for there must be two persons1 if not more1 engaged in it7 will be found sufficient4 ,the ,queen ,bee may easily be distinguished by a common observer1 her wings are very short1 not extending beyond one half of her body1 which is much longer1 and more pointed than that of the working ,bees1 her legs are copper coloured1 and her body brown4 ,the combs being all removed and the ,bees swept off them into the hive1 it must now be put upon a board and placed exactly where the ,bees entered before they were disturbed1 and1 if possible1 it should remain in this situation till ,autumn1 but its remaining for a week or two is absolutely necessary2 should there be many combs filled with brood1 three or four of them may be placed in the hive1 by putting some wooden pegs at the top of it to keep them at proper distances1 and allowing them to rest upon the hive-board4 ,this1 however1 is a tedious operation and very seldom pays for the trouble it occasions2 for stocks thus obtained are generally weak and require feeding1 or to be united to others to keep them alive through the winter4 ,it is1 therefore1 more to the advantage of the proprietor1 to cause the combs in trees or building1 in which ,bees have died1 to be destroyed1 and the places effectually stopped up with clay or mortar4 ,,chapter ,,xvii4 ,description of ,nutt's newly invented ,hive1 for obtaining ,honey without destroying the ,bees4 ,this ,hive consists of three collateral ,boxes1 7see fig4 #h47 the centre one fourteen inches1 and the side ones ten and a half square inside measure1 depth eleven inches2 the middle box has a number of holes in the top three quarters of an inch in diameter1 bored in the circumference of a circle six inches in diameter1 with one in its centre1 over which a glass is placed4 ,the side boxes 7aa7 have each a hole of four inches square in the centre of the top1 into which is fitted a piece of tin pierced with small holes1 and in its centre a hole of an inch in diameter1 wherein is placed a tube of tin of the same size1 reaching nearly to the bottom of the ,box1 and supported by a shoulder resting upon the square tin1 which is also perforated4 ,this square tin and cylinder constitute the ventilator1 the opening in the ,boxes is covered by a piece of wood1 7bb7 the ,boxes have each a glazed window 7c74 ,the centre ,box communicates with the side ones by a grating cut in the wood and corresponding with each other1 this communication is cut off when necessary by sliding tins4 ,the method that ,i have adopted for protecting this ,hive from wet1 is to cover the glass with a common straw hive1 upon which a milk-pan is placed1 and each of the side boxes by two pieces of board eleven inches by fifteen1 put together so as to form an angle of ninety degrees1 resembling the roof of a cottage4 ,the whole should be made of inch deal and well painted1 the board upon which the three boxes stand must be of two-inch deal and of one piece1 except the alighting board which is nailed on2 three strong pieces of two inch deal will be necessary on the under side of the board as braces to prevent its warping4 ,in this ,i have differed a little from ,mr4 ,nutt1 because ,i think the solid board more substantial and less likely to harbour insects1 his being hollow to allow the bees to escape at the time of deprivation1 when the communication between the centre and the side boxes is cut off by means of the sliding tins1 for which ,i have made provision by having an entrance at the back of each of the side boxes1 to which is attached a copper slider1 7fig4 #aj47 but without the entrance for a single ,bee4 ,the middle ,box must be stocked in the usual way1 by hiving a swarm into it1 and if the swarm be not a large one1 it will be better to put two swarms into it as directed in ,chapter ,,viii4 ,it will be necessary to have both the top and side tins securely fastened to the centre box at the time of hiving1 and till after the union1 when they may be removed1 thereby giving the bees the full range of all the boxes as well as of the glass upon the centre one1 nothing further will be required till the next ,summer1 except carefully placing the roofs to defend the boxes from wet4 ,perhaps1 says ,mr4 ,taylor1 there is nothing more prejudicial to ,bees than the moisture they engender during the ,winter season1 particularly after frost1 and in certain states of the atmosphere4 ,it accumulates on the top and sides of the pavilion1 moulding and rendering offensive the combs1 and producing disease4 ,for this reason boxes with flat roofs have been objected to4 ,i have tried different experiments to obviate this serious evil1 and have found nothing better than the practice of condensing the vapour as much as possible and conveying it away4 ,this ,i have done for several years by means of the bell-glasses4 ,illustration ,at the beginning of ,winter ,i place over the holes on the top of the pavilion1 pieces of perforated zinc1 and on these ,i set the glasses1 each within a circular leaden or zinc trough1 open in the centre4 ,as the exhalation rises from the warmth below1 it is condensed on the glass1 and received1 often in considerable quantity1 in the troughs4 ,an imperceptible current of air is thus produced1 of great advantage to the inmates2 for ventilation is as much wanted in ,winter as in ,summer1 and particularly when the population is numerous4 ,the holes at the top of the glasses may be left open to assist this1 for of two evils it is better to have too much than too little air4 ,nor1 with good protection from weather1 need the effects of cold be apprehended2 for the ,bees1 7if not weak in numbers7 will always of themselves generate sufficient warmth1 and a dry1 cold season is better withstood than a mild1 moist one1 particularly after a good honey year4 ,this leaden or zinc trough of ,mr4 ,taylor's exactly resembles in form the feeder mentioned in page #eg4 ,in the following ,summer1 when the ,bees are working in the side boxes and the glass1 the ventilation must be particularly attended to1 7for upon this alone depends the success of the hive17 and here ,i would especially recommend ,mr4 ,taylor's ventilator as given in page #bf2 a small thermometer should be kept in one of the ventilating tubes1 and when it is observed above ninety degrees of ,fahrenheit1 the covers 7bb7 must be taken off1 and should the temperature of the boxes be found at1 or above a hundred1 the perforated copper slides at the back of the side boxes must be used1 for if it reaches to a hundred-and thirty1 a ,swarm in all probability will leave the hive1 which next to starvation is most fatal to this mode of treatment4 ,when either of the side boxes or the glass upon the top of the centre one is filled with honey and sealed up1 introduce the dividing tin2 if the glass1 remove it immediately thirty or forty yards1 from the hive without changing its position1 leaving room at the bottom for the ,bees to escape1 which they will very soon do1 but if either of the side boxes are to be taken away1 open the copper slider at the back of the box1 and in less than an hour from the time of the dividing tin being introduced1 the bees will have made their escape and joined the centre box1 it may then be removed1 emptied and replaced1 or another may be substituted for it4 ,all operations must be performed upon a fine and bright day4 ,the entrance to the centre box should be opened to its fullest extent1 by removing both the sliders from the first of ,april till the first of ,september4 ,,chapter ,,xviii4 ,the ,apiarian s ,monthly ,manual1 or ,hints for the ,management of ,bees for every month in the year1 upon the ,depriving ,system4 ,,january4 ,should the cold be intense1 no operation whatever should be performed on the ,bees that requires the removal of the hives4 ,if snow be on the ground keep the perforated sliders 7page #ah47 closely down that air may be admitted1 but not a ,bee allowed to escape until it be thawed2 but immediately upon the disappearance of the snow remove the slider1 and give them full liberty4 ,i have known many stocks lost by not attending to this precaution1 and more especially after a long confinement1 do not suffer the snow to melt either upon the covers or hive-boards1 but brush it off every day as it falls4 ,attend regularly to the condenser 7page #ib7 which to boxes with flat roofs is a very necessary and useful appendage4 ,,february4 ,upon a mild day in this month let the floor board of each hive be cleaned1 and a little food administered1 should the stock of honey be very low4 ,see that the coverings be sound1 and that no moisture comes upon the top of the hives4 ,should it be found that any of the hives have perished1 which will sometimes occur1 and from causes which cannot be exactly ascertained1 let them be immediately removed1 and the honey which they contain taken out1 and reserved for feeding those that may require it4 ,,march4 ,clean the hive-boards again1 and should any of the stocks require feeding1 supply them1 attending strictly to the directions given in ,chap4 ,,ix4 ,towards the end of this month place a vessel1 containing water1 near the ,bees1 as directed in page #c4 ,this also will be found a good time to examine the pedestals upon which the hives stand1 for after remaining for some years in the ground they are subject to decay at a few inches below its surface1 especially if regard was not paid to the quality of the timber at the time of fixing them4 ,,april4 ,clean the hive-boards for the last time1 and supply food1 if required1 as before directed4 ,the ,wax-moth1 that redoubtable enemy to ,bees1 appears this month2 they may be seen frequently at twilight running upon the outside of the hives3 destroy them as much as possible1 and1 as ,huish says1 frighten not away the ,bats that fly about the hives1 for they destroy numbers of them4 ,a full supply of small hives1 boxes1 glasses1 and adapters should now be provided1 old ones cleaned1 or new ones purchased4 ,a few large hives also should be ready1 for if from inattention to giving room and ventilation1 a swarm should be compelled to leave their hive1 they will be wanted4 ,weak hives are now very subject to an attack from robbers1 the best protection that can be afforded them is the slider1 page #ah1 with the help of which three or four ,bees will guard the entrance more effectually than many times that number without it4 ,,may4 ,the time will now have arrived for supplying each stock with a small hive or other receptacle for honey1 as directed in ,chap4 ,,iv4 and should the season be a favourable one1 the supply even of a second may be found necessary before the end of the month4 ,continue to destroy ,queen wasps and hornets1 and to watch carefully for moths4 ,should the bees of any hive appear inactive at this time1 or should they not be seen to carry in pellets of farina whilst others are doing it1 and this inaction continue for eight or ten days1 lose no time in examining the hive1 and should the moths have begun their work of destruction1 which may be known by seeing the combs joined together by their silken webs1 cut away the combs affected with a sharp knife1 and the hive may1 perhaps1 be saved4 ,,june4 ,strict attention should now be paid to room and ventilation1 for1 as has been said in page #bd1 if both these be carefully observed1 swarming may be prevented altogether4 ,swarms may now be purchased as directed in ,chap4 ,,ii4 ,about the middle of the month1 in good seasons1 small hives and glasses may be taken off1 full directions for which may be found in ,chap4 ,v4 ,at the end of the month look for wasps' nests1 and destroy them2--a very easy and effectual method of doing it is to fill a common squib or serpent case with a mixture of sulphur and gun-powder1 in equal parts1 with a very small quantity of nitre all finely powdered and rammed very hard into the case1 set fire to it by means of touch-paper1 and when in a state of ignition1 stick it into the hole of the nest and place your foot upon it1 when it ceases to burn let a person with a spade turn out the nest2 in this manner a great number may be effectually destroyed in one night4 ,and a more simple method than this1 even1 has been recently discovered3 ,it is by putting turpentine in a bottle1 and inserting the neck of the bottle into the hole leading to the nest and surrounding it with earth2 very little turpentine is required1 merely as much as will wet the sides of the bottle2 if applied in the dusk of the evening every wasp will be dead by the following morning4 ,in no instance1--says a ,correspondent1 in the ,gardeners' ,chronicle1--have ,i known it to fail of the desired effect1 except in cases where the nest was deeper in the ground1 or at a greater distance from the mouth of the hole than ,i had anticipated2 a partial failure may sometimes occur where there happens to be two entrances to the nest1 instead of one1 but a second application the following evening is sure to prove effectual4 ,,july4 ,small hives and glasses must now be taken off as they are filled and sealed up1 7and stored in cool places1 observing to keep them in the same position as when standing upon the stocks17 and their places supplied by empty ones4 ,go on destroying wasps' nests4 ,,august4 ,continue to take off hives and glasses as they are filled1 but supply no fresh ones1 the honey season being now chiefly over4 ,,september4 ,small hives remaining upon the stocks that are only partially filled with honey may now be taken off1 providing the stock will not be too much impoverished thereby2 wherever the chance of this presents itself leave them on through the winter1 or until they are emptied by the bees2 those partially filled hives taken from rich stocks may be given to weak ones1 now1 or in the spring as required4 ,robbers will at this time be carrying on their depredations1 and should a serious attack be observed the sliders must be used as before directed4 ,,october4 ,examine the coverings to the hives that they be all sound1 and that no rain be admitted through them2 the entrances may now be narrowed2 if ,taylor's slider be used 7page #ah7 the side with three openings will be most proper for this season4 ,,november4 ,clean the floor-boards of the hives1 and see that they stand firmly on their pedestals1 contract the entrance so that only one bee can come out at a time1 for at this season mice are likely to lodge themselves in the hives4 ,,december4 ,the same attentions are necessary this month as in the two preceding1 but if the cold should be intense the hives must not be removed4 ,,finis4 ,,index4 ,page ,apiary1 situation of #a ,apiary1 to be near the residence of the proprietor #c ,adapter1 description of #cc ,aspect for an apiary #a ,bee-boxes1 size of #bb ,bee-glasses1 to place #ba ,bee-houses1 injurious #c ,bee-mask and gloves #bi ,bee-sting1 to cure #gh ,bees1 their disposition to swarm in a wet season #bd ,bees1 to expel from a glass or box #ca ,bees1 age of #ce ,bees1 to purchase #aj ,bees1 torpid at #cb of ,fahrenheit #ai ,bees1 swarm at #acj of ,fahrenheit #be ,bees1 enemies of #cf ,bees1 to dislodge from trees #he ,cleaning floor boards #e ,comb-knife1 description of #gf ,condenser1 ,taylor's #ib ,damp1 to guard against #ajb ,diseases1 in ,bees1 the cause of #bj ,duration of a hive #fc ,early flowers1 a list of #g ,elevation of a hive #d ,enemies of ,bees #fa ,entrances for hives #ah ,feeding1 method of #ed ,feeding1 proper time for #ed ,feeder1 fountain #ef ,feeder1 ,wildman's #eg ,floor-boards1 to clean #ajj ,food proper for ,bees #eh ,gelieu1 his ,work on ,bees recommended #ae ,glass of honey1 to take #cj ,glass of honey1 to expel ,bees from #ca ,gloves1 proper for defence against stings #bi ,honey quantity to take from a swarm #gd ,hive1 flat top1 advantages of #ag ,hive-guard1 described #ff ,hive-dressing1 remarks on #ga ,hive1 improved cottage #ag ,hive1 ,nutt's described #hg ,hive1 small 7or ,cape7 described #bb ,hives1 manner of placing #e ,hives1 materials for making #ae ,hives1 to paint recommended #af ,human breath offensive to ,bees #bi ,increase of ,bees #ce ,interior of a hive to be examined before purchased #aa ,instructions for depriving ,bees #cj ,knife for cutting out combs #gf ,man1 the principal enemy of ,bees #fj ,manual1 ,apiarian's ,monthly #if ,method of giving food to ,bees #ed ,method of uniting swarms and old stocks #df ,method of uniting second and third swarms #db ,method of uniting second and third swarms 7preface7 #e ,method of placing glasses upon the ,improved ,cottage ,hive #ba ,milk-pan1 good protection for hives #bb ,mortar or clay1 injurious to hives #d ,moths' wax1 described #fc ,operations1 noon the best time for #bh ,painting hives1 benefit of #af ,plants1 to cultivate #g ,pollen1 useless as food #aa ,purchas1 quotations from #cf1 #fg ,purchasers of hives1 caution to #aa ,queen1 ,bees power to produce a #dj ,queen-wasps1 to kill in spring #ff ,robber-bees1 to know #cc ,removing ,bees #aj ,slider1 ,taylor's described #ah ,snow1 a great cause of the destruction of ,bees #ai1 #if ,snow1 ,bees to be confined in their hives so long as it remains upon the ground #ai ,stealing of ,bees to prevent #hb ,sticks in a hive1 injury of #gb ,stocks1 method of joining #dd ,stocks and swarms to unite #df ,stocks1 ages of #gc ,tomtit1 an enemy to ,bees #fe ,temperature of hives #be ,thermometer useful in swarming time #bg ,ventilation and room prevents swarming #be ,ventilator1 ,taylor's recommended #bf ,wasps-nests1 easy way of destroying #aja ,water1 important in the breeding season #c ,water1 method of supplying it #c ,london3 ,newby1 ,mortimer ,street1 ,cavendish ,square4 ,illustration3 ,figures #a-g ,fig4 #a ,improved ,cottage ,hive #b ,improved ,cottage ,hive with small hive affixed #c ,hive showing the opening on top #d ,small ,hive with glass opening #e ,adapter for small ,hive or ,box #f ,knife for cutting out the comb #g ,box to be used instead of small ,hive ,illustration3 ,figures #h-aj 99 99 99 99 99 ,transcriber ,note ,the text constantly refers to illustration figures from ,the ,cottager's ,guide by the same author and are included in the ,fourth ,edition4 ,therefore1 a copy of the two ,illustrations which show ,figures #a-aj have been provided at the end of the volume4 ,to accomodate placement of the two footnotes and an associated illustration1 a split in the paragraph was made on page #ai after the word apparatus4