,transcriber ,note ,text emphasis denoted as ,bold and ,italics4 ,,bee-,,keeping ,,for ,,profit ,e4 ,h4 ,,taylor1 ,,welwyn1 ,,herts4 ,illustration ,the ,smallholder's ,no4 #ab ,dovetail ,hive at #h_/i4 ,the ,strongest ,hive best value ever offered4 ---- ,a ,big ,stock of ,bee ,goods always on hand for immediate despatch #b orders carriage paid as conditions in ,catalogue4 ,,large ,,catalogue ,,free4 ---------------------------------------- ------------ ,,cassell',s ,,volumes ,practical ,rabbit ,keeping ,by ,george ,a4 ,townsend4 ,with #bj full-page ,illustrations4 ,cloth gilt4 #cs4 #f;d4 net4 ,poultry ,profit ,by ,william ,w4 ,broomhead4 ,cloth4 #as4 net4 ,dogs ,all ,about ,them ,by ,robert ,leighton4 with ,frontispiece in ,colour and #af ,plates in ,black-and-,white4 ,cloth4 #bs4 #f;d4 net4 ,poultry ,foods ,feeding ,by ,d4 ,f4 ,laurie4 ,cloth4 #bs4 #f;d4 net4 ,,cassell ,,company1 ,,limited1 ,,la ,,belle ,,sauvage1 ,,london1 ,e4,c4 ---------------------------------------- ------------ ,illustration3 ,how to ,handle a ,frame ,,bee-,,keeping ,,for ,,profit ,,by ,w4 ,s4 ,,morley ,,with ,,eight ,,plates ,,cassell ,,and ,,company1 ,,ltd ,london1 ,new ,york1 ,toronto and ,melbourne #aiad ,,contents ,,chapter ,,page ,,introduction #a #a4 ,,general ,,information ,,and ,,hints #c #b4 ,,hives #ba #c4 ,,bee-,,keepers' ,,requisites #ce #d4 ,,bees3 ,,their ,,habits ,,and ,,products #dd #e4 ,,flowers ,,and ,,bees #ec #f4 ,,hints ,,on ,,working ,,the ,,bees #eh #g4 ,,hints ,,on ,,working ,,the ,,bees 7continued7 #fh #h4 ,,feeding #hb #i4 ,,how ,,to ,,secure ,,the ,,harvest ,,of ,,the ,,hive #ib #aj4 ,,how ,,to ,,secure ,,the ,,harvest ,,of ,,the ,,hive 7continued7 #ih #aa4 ,,diseases ,,of ,,bees #ajf #ab4 ,,enemies ,,of ,,the ,,bee ,,and ,,bee-,,keeper #aab ,,index #abj ,,list ,,of ,,plates ,,how ,,to ,,handle ,a ,,frame ,frontispiece ,,facing ,,page ,,queen1 ,,worker ,,and ,,drone ,,bees #ab ,a ,,standard ,,frame ,,with ,,drawn-,,out ,,comb3 ,,an ,,efficient ,,queen ,,excluder3 ,a ,,frame ,,hive ,,with ,,the ,,top ,,removed #cf ,,queen ,,on ,a ,,patch ,,of ,,sealed ,,honey #dh ,,examining ,,frames #fd ,,skepping ,a ,,swarm #fh ,,shaking ,a ,,swarm #gh ,,section ,,fitted ,,with ,,comb ,,foundation3 ,,bees ,,at ,,work ,,on ,a ,,section #id ,,introduction ,,it is only in comparatively recent years that attention has been given to bee-keeping on a scientific basis4 ,aforetime there were certain traditional methods to be followed to secure the honey harvest1 but those who practised them knew neither the why nor wherefore4 ,to-day1 however1 thanks to the observations of our great scientists on the life and habits of the bee1 to their patience and diligence in noting the insect's manner of working1 we are in possession of knowledge which has enabled the practical bee-keeper to reduce the old haphazard ways to method1 orderliness1 and definite purpose4 ,the budding bee-keeper1 as he reads one or other of these great works on the bee and its ways1 may begin to wonder if it is not all too wonderful for him to deal with1 and if he may ever hope to become proficient in the art and practice of bee-keeping4 ,let me say1 here and now1 that1 given patience1 perseverance1 and diligence1 a measure of success is open to anyone who brings intelligence into his work4 ,although the doubts and difficulties that assail the tyro1 and the questions arising therefrom1 might raise a smile from the expert--if only as a reminder of his own early aspirations and efforts--yet there is no reason for despair2 though disappointments are certain to arise1 they should be accepted merely as spurs to further effort1 as steps towards the ultimate goal of success4 ,some may think--rashly--that there is nothing new to be said or learned about the bee1 but the fact is that even scientists are still ignorant as to the definite uses of certain of the insect's organs1 and of the origin and remedies of some of the diseases from which it suffers4 ,putting aside1 therefore1 the merely commercial aspect of bee-keeping1 there is still a wide field of interest and research open for exploration by the intelligent bee-keeper4 ,,bee-,,keeping ,,for ,,profit ,,chapter ,i ,general ,information and ,hints ,the question of profit depends almost entirely upon the knowledge1 energy1 and perseverance of the bee-keeper1 for1 given suitable hive-accommodation and proper attention1 the bees can generally be depended upon to do their share of the work4 ,regularity and ,foresight4--,all who are engaged in productive work in conjunction with ,nature know that there is a time for everything1 in connection with that work1 and every advantage must be taken of that particular tide if full benefits are to be secured at the harvest season4 ,work must be done in regular rotation4 ,a farmer must plough his land before he can sow his seed2 the seed must be sown at a certain time--sown in hope many months before the harvest can be expected4 ,the same regularity and hopeful anticipation are necessary in bee-keeping if full advantage is to be secured of the honey-harvest4 ,in the same manner1 just as farmers must make use of modern methods and appliances to obtain the best return for the outlay of capital and labour1 so the bee-keeper must bring into his work the practice of up-to-date principles and labour-saving appliances connected with bee-keeping4 ,the old skep1 and the happy-go-lucky methods connected with it have given place to the frame hive with well-defined principles to govern and stimulate the production of its community of workers4 ,to work a bar-framed hive for profit it is first necessary that the bee-keeper should exercise forethought and be prepared for any emergency that may arise4 ,he should always have by him plenty of spare frames1 foundations1 supers1 and other necessities1 for nothing is more annoying than a shortage of such during an unexpected honey-flow4 ,it is always at such times that his orders take longest in fulfilment1 for it is then the appliance-maker is overwhelmed with commissions from unprepared clients1 and the delay in the delivery of the goods means a corresponding reduction of the bee-keeper's profits4 ,watchfulness and ,intelligence4--,these two qualities are essential assets to any would-be successful bee-keeper4 ,there is no golden rule1 for his guidance through the year1 nothing that must be done invariably at stated times and seasons4 ,it is here that the novice is puzzled and perplexed1 for apparently what is right at one time becomes wrong at another1 but it is only by experience that the guiding knowledge is acquired4 ,for instance1 it is useless to feed a hive with the view to increase the brood1 if the hive be queenless1 or possesses a drone-breeding queen1 or a fertile worker4 ,and again1 it is useless to put a super on a queenless stock or a weak hive1 for instead of helping to conserve the heat of the hive one but adds to the area for the bees to heat with their own little bodies1 with the additional risk of chilling the brood and starving the bees4 ,for it should be remembered that the colder the hive1 the greater the consumption of food by the bees4 ,it is well to bear in mind that the best of all heat-producers in a hive are the bees themselves1 but to enable them satisfactorily to become so suitable accommodation and food are absolutely necessary4 ,the ,queen4--,one of the greatest mysteries connected with the hive is the life history of the queen bee1 and her position in the bee community4 ,each hive is1 as it were1 a republic of female workers1 who serve with slavish devotion one of their number set apart from birth for the position of supreme head of the community4 ,like their sex generally throughout ,nature1 they give of their best where it is most needed4 ,they know by their instinct that if the queen is fed with rich food her egg-laying capacity is stimulated1 and1 on the contrary1 when the honey-flow is finished1 that the supply of such food must be checked1 with a consequent reduction in the number of eggs laid4 ,they know that the greater the population of the hive the greater the drain on their honey store4 ,generally speaking the life of a queen bee extends from two to five years1 at which age she is generally exhausted1 or is deposed by the community in favour of a younger queen4 ,the egg from which a queen bee develops is at the first precisely similar to that which produces a worker1 and both are fertile4 ,it all depends upon the kind of cell in which the egg is deposited by the queen whether a mere worker or a royal offspring ensues4 ,the queen cells are acorn shaped1 and larger in size than the others and are generally placed on the edge of the comb4 ,it is when the eggs are hatched--three days after they have been placed in the cells--that the special treatment of the queen grub commences4 ,it is taken charge of by the nurses and fed with the rich food--known as chyle food 7see page #ej71 and it is this food alone that produces the difference between a queen and a worker bee4 ,when the young queen is about a week old she will leave the hive to find a mate4 ,as mating can only take place when the queen and drone are on the wing1 she soars into the air followed by the rival and eager drones4 ,when the mating is accomplished the queen returns to the hive and is then capable of laying eggs1 both fertile and unfertile1 at will4 ,the drone also returns home1 but only to die3 he has laid down his life for the perpetuation of his race4 ,a queen that has been recently mated can be identified by a white speck on the back near the end of the abdomen--the organ torn away from the drone4 ,should a queen fail to be mated within six weeks of her leaving the cell she is only capable of laying unfertile eggs4 ,the egg-laying capacity of the queen1 under the chyle-food treatment is enormous1 ranging up to #c1jjj eggs per day4 ,when a ruling queen realises that a queen grub is being reared in the hive1 the sex-hatred of a possible rival soon manifests itself1 and were it not for the watchful care of the workers the young queen's career would soon be ended4 ,but the old queen is put virtually under arrest1 and not allowed to venture near the queen cells4 ,her agitation increases until she summons together all who are willing to follow her and leaves the hive4 ,this exodus of a queen and her adherents is known as a swarm4 7,see page #dd47 ,the queen bee can always be distinguished by her greater size1 while the increased length of her legs makes her still more prominent among the workers4 ,if it is wished to prevent the rearing of queens in the hive1 all that is necessary is for the bee-keeper to cut out the queen cells from the combs1 and give the bees additional room to store the food they gather4 ,the ,worker ,bee4--,the normal worker bee is an undeveloped female and a true amazon4 ,she is utterly indifferent to the drone1 and is1 of course1 unable to propagate her species4 ,in some cases1 however1 the ovaries of a worker are so far developed that she is able to produce eggs which are necessarily unfertile4 ,such a worker is a nuisance in a modern hive worked for profit4 ,as we have already seen1 the egg from which the worker develops is precisely similar to that from which a queen springs2 the rle of worker or queen is determined by the cell in which the egg is deposited4 ,a grub in a worker cell gets but little chyle food--it is stopped altogether on the third day--and a mixed diet of honey and pollen4 ,the drone is brought up entirely on the latter food4 ,as soon as a worker grub leaves the cell it enters upon its life of labour4 ,it is immature at this point1 and as the air-organs1 or trache1 are not fully developed1 it cannot fly4 ,its first work1 therefore1 is that of nurse to the grubs still in the cells1 and to supply the queen with chyle food4 ,about a fortnight after leaving the cell1 the young bee1 if the weather be fine and warm1 will venture out of the hive to try its wings1 and on early spring days such numbers of them may be seen sporting near the entrance of the hive as to lead a novice to suppose that swarming was about to take place4 ,the bee-keeper of experience1 however1 while rejoicing at the sight1 will know that the exodus is partly due to the fact that some natural or artificial food has entered the hive and that more must be supplied for the needs of the inmates4 ,after the worker's trial flight1 she proceeds upon her duties as a food supplier to the community4 ,she has had some experience as a nurse in handling pollen1 so that at first it seems but natural she should give most attention to that food1 and1 in cleaning her body from its clinging particles1 she finds out the uses of her several organs4 ,in the beginning her loads of pollen are often small1 but with experience her carrying capacity soon finds its limit4 ,in time she discovers nectar in the flowers1 and as she becomes less able to gather pollen she increases her honey-collecting power4 ,when nectar is abundant bees will often commence their work at sunrise and continue throughout the day until sunset4 ,in such a honey-flow the average life of the worker from the time she leaves the cell is seldom more than six or eight weeks1 every minute of which is given up to the communal labour4 ,the whole of the work inside the hive depends upon the worker--she is architect1 builder1 caretaker1 nurse1 sanitary officer and the rest2 there is method in everything she does1 so it is inadvisable to interfere unnecessarily with any part of it4 ,she objects strongly to undue interference1 to mere curiosity of inquisitive humans4 ,the worker bees are1 indeed1 wondrous creatures3 they are known to have their feelings of friendship and dislike almost human in their intensity2 their expressions of sorrow on the loss of their queen or when their stores are failing are as unmistakable as their hum of contentment when the hive is thriving1 or the buzz of anger when rudely-disturbed4 ,the ,drone4--,the drone is the male bee4 ,he is the progeny of an unfertilised egg laid by the queen1 or by a fertile worker4 ,his life is usually a short and merry one4 ,he lives entirely on the labour of others1 and1 unless there is something radically wrong with the hive1 he is seen only during the spring and summer months1 when his services are in requisition4 ,when on the wing the drone is by far the noisiest of bees1 although the sound he makes is somewhat similar to that made by the worker when on the warpath1 the note of warning to the disturbing human1 and the trumpet call to her fellow-workers4 ,owing to the peculiar structure of the drone1 mating can only take place in the air1 and when it has been accomplished the drone returns to the hive but to die4 ,when the honey-flow fails the death warrant of the drones still in the hive is issued4 ,they are seized by the workers and killed or ejected from the hive4 ,to the onlooker there is a certain amount of amusement to watch this slaughter of the non-producers of the community3 to see a couple of workers wrestling with the unwieldy drone1 perhaps biting off one of his wings in the effort to disable him1 before the finishing stroke is given4 ,when1 however1 a bee-keeper sees the array of dead drones he will probably think it would have been better for him had they been workers--producers rather than consumers of honey4 ,it is1 of course1 greatly to the advantage of a bee-keeper that the number of the drones should be kept down as low as possible4 ,this can be done by giving the bees full sheets of bees-wax impressed completely with the basal forms of the natural worker cells1 thus inducing them to confine their building to those cells only4 ,we have already referred to the fact that a worker bee and a virgin queen are capable of producing eggs4 ,the progeny of these eggs1 however1 although they may be produced in worker cells1 are drones1 fully developed1 though smaller than those hatched in drone-cells4 ,when this state of affairs is discovered in the hive the bee-keeper must ascertain by observation whether it is the queen's doings1 and1 if so1 depose her and1 if that of a fertile worker1 destroy her4 ,as a rule a fertile worker deposits her eggs in a scattered sort of way1 but as the cells containing them are always capped as drone-cells--that is the cappings are raised in a dome-like way--they are easily distinguishable to the experienced eye4 ,illustration3 ,worker ,bee ,illustration3 ,queen ,bee ,illustration3 ,drone ,bee 7,magnified two diameters4 ,photographs by ,john ,j4 ,ward1 ,f4,e4,s4 7 ,metamorphosis4--,the metamorphosis1 or change of form1 which occurs in the early life history of the bee is among the most interesting in the insect world4 ,when the egg is deposited by the queen1 it rests on end on the bottom of the cell and almost parallel with the sides4 ,at the close of the first day it inclines to an angle of about #de1 and after two days it falls to the floor of the cell4 ,as a rule1 the period of incubation is three days1 and the grub is immediately taken charge of by the nurse bees1 and fed according to the kind of cell in which it has been placed4 ,at the end of five or six days the grub is sealed up in its cell to undergo the next1 or pupa1 stage of its existence4 ,generally speaking1 the queen is ready to leave her cell on the fifteenth day1 the worker on the twenty-first1 and the drone on the twenty-fourth day from the time the egg is laid4 ,if the weather is cold these periods may be extended3 it is a curious fact that the egg of an insect can often bear a greater intensity of cold without injury than can the developed insect4 ,anatomy of the ,bee4--,it is advisable that all bee-keepers should know something of the structure of the bee1 of its principal organs and their functions4 ,the subject is too technical to be dealt with at length in a volume such as this1 but the following notes may be of sufficient service to rouse interest to further inquiry4 ,trache4--,bees have no lungs1 but in place of them have air-sacs1 connected up by air-tubes or trache which run throughout the body1 varying in size much as do the veins of a leaf1 until they are minute enough to serve the extremities of the insect1 the antennae and sting4 ,this arrangement of the air-supplying organs1 general throughout the insect world1 may have something to do with the hibernation1 to which most are subject in a greater or less degree1 in cold weather4 ,the worker-bee is extremely sensitive to cold1 but the queen seems far less susceptible1 and often causes perceptible anxiety in a hive by wandering out of the cluster in cold weather4 ,i know of one instance which came under my notice where the queen was very much alive in a hive in which all the workers were dead1 or dying from starvation in cold weather1 and although it is a recognised fact that queens which have been injured by frost become drone-breeders it was not so in this case4 ,the ,antenn4--,the antennae of the bee must be accounted among the most marvellous of its organs4 ,they are made up of a number of joints and chambers1 and1 though they are conjectured to be the organs of the senses of hearing1 feeling1 and smelling they are not definitely so known to be4 ,as in the case of many other insects the antenn of the male bee are much longer than those of the female4 ,the ,tongue4--,from the bee-keeper's point of view the tongue of the bee is one of its most important organs1 for by means of it the bee secures the nectar from the flowers4 ,when the nectar is in abundance the tongue serves as a trunk or proboscis through which it can be drawn1 and when the supply is scanty the spoon-like end of the proboscis serves to lap it up4 ,from the tongue the nectar passes into the honey stomach from which it is regurgitated and stored in the hive4 ,the ,legs4--,the six legs of the bee serve for manifold purposes other than walking1 and are so wonderfully adapted to them as to be worthy of close study4 ,they serve as hands1 as combs and brushes for cleansing purposes1 they are provided with claws which are available for climbing rough surfaces1 or for clinging in the swarm3 between the claws is a pad which secretes a substance which enables the bee to walk comfortably on smooth surfaces whether upside down or normally4 ,on the thighs of the hind legs are the pollen baskets in which are carried the burden of pollen gathered from the flowers and taken to the hive for storage4 ,the ,eyes4--,three eyes1 one simple and two compound1 form the complement for each bee4 ,the single eye1 the smallest1 is placed in the centre of the crown of the head1 and the two compound on either side of the head4 ,each compound eye consists of hundreds of facets each of which has a perfect vision4 ,much argument has been made as to the reason for all this sight-power1 but without arriving at any satisfactory conclusion4 ,it is certain1 however1 that although the bee can move about freely and work in the darkness of the hive1 yet it cannot see in the dark1 for who among those who have worked bees has not heard the plaintive wail of a bee that has been overtaken by the night before gaining its hive--and this with the hives within easy range8 ,the ,jaws4--,the jaws are used in much of the work of the hive--kneading wax1 cutting and reducing the combs1 capping the cells1 for clearing away refuse1 and particularly for carrying dead bees from the hive4 ,they serve as weapons1 too1 for fighting1 and in ejecting the useless drones when their season is ended4 ,then the jaws are used as nippers to cut the wings of the bulky drone and so render him helpless4 ,the ,wings4--,each wing consists of two parts1 an arrangement which allows the bee to close1 or fold them up when she alights4 ,on the adjoining edge of each part is a row of minute hooks1 and when the wings are expanded these hooks become attached and thus provide a strong and reliable flying surface4 ,in addition to providing the means of flight1 the wings of the bee serve as fans for the ventilation of the hive1 a certain number of the community1 who also act as sentries1 often being engaged in such duty4 ,should a bee-keeper see any of the fanners at work on the alighting board at the entrance of the hive he may know at once that the hive is too warm1 and if he be wise will open the entrance a little wider4 ,should the bees continue their ventilating work after that1 then he may surely know that something is wrong and open the hive to investigate4 ,the bees do not so work without urgent need4 ,it may be that the stores of food are fermenting1 or that wet has penetrated to the combs3 mice may have entered the hive1 or1 worst of all1 foul brood may be rampant4 ,all these would cause bad odours1 and the bees should be helped as speedily as possible to remove the evil4 ,the ,sting4--,this weapon of offence and defence is usually the last in the equipment of the bee to be used1 for its discharge generally means loss of life to its owner4 ,to the enemy against whom it is launched1 it becomes a source of irritation and annoyance and sometimes of danger4 ,the sting is a fine lance1 with incisions down one side which act as barbs when the flesh is pierced by it1 sinking the lance deeper at each convulsion of the stinger or the stung4 ,so soon as a barb is fixed it is impossible for the bee to withdraw the sting1 and in its struggle to be free the whole of the stinging organs--including the poison sac--are dragged from it1 and the poison enters the wound4 ,for this reason it is necessary that the sting should be extracted as soon as possible1 for the longer it remains in the flesh the greater will be the irritation4 ,should the sting be inflicted near a hive it will be wise to remove oneself from the neighbourhood without loss of time1 for it is a well-known fact that the scent of the sting attracts other bees and arouses their anger against the presumed enemy of their kind4 ,the best remedy for a sting from a bee is methylated spirit1 applied immediately the sting has been extracted--though it is well to remember that bees have an abhorrence of spirit1 so that all trace of it should be removed before venturing near a hive1 or further stings may be induced4 ,there are many popular remedies for stings1 such as the application of ammonia1 washing soda1 the blue bag1 an onion--all of which have the same object--to nullify the effects of the irritant poison1 of which formic acid is one of the principal constituents4 ,occasionally bees will attack fowls1 although it is more than likely in most such cases that the fowls are the aggressors and mistake the bees for flies1 of which they are very fond4 ,stingless ,bees4--,there has been much talk of breeding stingless bees1 but personally ,i do not think such bees are ever likely to oust our native breeds1 for what chance could they have in fights with the armed variety8 ,,chapter ,,ii ,hives ,the question of the hive is1 of course1 the all-important one to the bee-keeper2 upon it depends in very large measure the success or non-success of his enterprise4 ,to the beginner1 especially1 it is a matter for serious consideration1 one not to be dealt with in any haphazard fashion4 ,there are so many forms and varieties of hive on the market to-day that the novice1 who perhaps started out with the idea that a hive was merely a hive--any one would do--and the bees would accomplish the rest1 is puzzled as to how to make a selection4 ,as a general recommendation in this direction ,i would say1 select the one that is least complicated and easiest to clean4 ,simplicity in working1 combined with efficiency in its purpose1 is a sure and safe standard to apply when selecting a hive4 ,it is as well for the beginner to try one or two varieties1 so that he may find out by experience which is better suited to his particular district1 and the most convenient to manipulate4 ,that settled1 he can then adopt for general use the one best suited to his purpose4 ,the ,skep ,hive4--,the skep hive1 made of straw1 is the survival of those pre-scientific days when bee-keeping was conducted without method1 other than providing a house for the bees4 ,except that it is still used by some who will not take the trouble to adapt themselves to the modern methods1 the skep hive would find no mention in a book on bee-keeping for profit4 ,primarily the skep was made by our forefathers merely as a means of securing the bees for the honey season1 by providing them with a ready-made home in which they could prepare their combs and store their honey4 ,originally it was a rough structure of straw1 bound together probably with bramble-runners1 peeled and split1 and it has developed into the form in which we know it to-day4 ,its picturesqueness in the cottage flower garden cannot be denied1 neither can its utility up to a certain point1 and that point was when the time of the ingathering of the honey harvest arrived1 for to secure the honey the bees were destroyed4 ,as a rule1 it is the hive that contains the best queen which has the most honey1 and as the skep that was heaviest was always selected for clearing1 it necessarily followed that in destroying the bees the best queens were sacrificed4 ,the usual plan of taking a skep hive was to dig a hole about a foot deep1 not quite large enough to hold the skep4 ,a few red hot cinders were placed on the bottom and on these was scattered brimstone4 ,then the skep was placed over the hole and the bees smothered by the sulphur fumes4 ,it was a cruel and wasteful practice and it is strange that it should survive in these days when the knowledge of better and more economical methods is within reach of all4 ,unless1 however1 disease is rampant in the district the skepist is oftentimes a benefactor to a neighbouring up-to-date apiarist by supplying him with swarms1 or driven bees4 ,the capacity of a skep is sometimes increased by means of an imp made of straw of the same circumference as the base of the skep on which the hive is placed4 ,another method is to use bell glasses and sections as a super placed over the feed-hole of the hive4 ,although it can find no place in profitable bee-keeping--unless it be for temporarily hiving a swarm--the skep nevertheless possesses some advantages over the wooden hive4 ,it is not liable to the attacks of fungus1 or rot2 it is also warmer for the bees in winter if properly covered in severe weather1 for as the combs are fastened to the sides of the hive they serve the purpose of a cavity wall or dead space4 ,wooden ,hives4--,the wooden hive now reigns supreme in all well-regulated apiaries1 and the mechanical methods of working wood1 with their accuracy of joining1 c41 from a constructional point of view have brought them practically to perfection4 ,it must be confessed1 however1 that wood is not the ideal material for hive making4 ,as we have already suggested1 it is subject to deterioration from fungus and rot1 and1 even when well-seasoned1 contains a certain amount of moisture which renders it readily liable to these evils4 ,the interior of a hive1 too1 becomes moist from condensation1 which again helps to promote decay1 a decay which in turn is favourable to the development of disease among the bees4 ,as a check to the ill-effects of this moisture some bee-keepers make a practice1 when cleaning their hives1 of thoroughly scorching the interior walls with a blow lamp4 ,so-called rot preventers are not to be recommended for use inside the hives1 for many of them are highly injurious to the bees4 ,in purchasing hives it should be seen that they are in no wise cracked or warped1 that no large knots are contained in the wood1 and that the workmanship of the joints is in every way perfect4 ,the roof needs to be completely rain-proof and the eaves should hang well over the sides so as to ensure the rain-water being carried away from the walls of the hive4 ,size of ,hive4--,in the selection of a hive the size must depend upon the bee-keeper's own convenience1 so that it is useless to lay down any hard-and-fast rule4 ,many apiarists have a regular system of moving their hives from district to district to meet the varying crops and honey sources1 and it naturally follows that the less cumbersome the hive in their case the better4 ,personally ,i prefer a hive of about eighteen inches square1 outside measurement4 ,this may be accounted rather large for winter requirements1 but it is always a simple matter to reduce the interior space with a dummy4 ,one or two odd sized hives are convenient to possess2 they are useful in emergencies1 and the smaller sizes especially come in handy for queen rearing purposes1 or when strengthening nucleus4 ,the ,floorboard4--,the hive bottom1 or floorboard1 which includes the sloping platform outside the hive1 on which the bees alight1 should be removable for the purposes of cleaning--which must be done thoroughly at least twice a year4 ,this alighting board should provide for an entrance of an inch below the level of the sides and back of the hive and should slope upwards to the floorboard about #d or #e inches inside the hive4 ,when hives are moved frequently from one district to another it is advisable to have a short alighting board1 as less space is thereby taken up in the removal conveyance4 ,it is an easy matter to lengthen the board when the hive is in position if it is found necessary4 ,a roofing slate makes a very good addition to a short alighting board4 ,the ,brood ,chamber4--,the brood chamber rests on the floorboard3 it is usually made with a porched entrance from the alighting board1 but1 although a porch is useful if the hive is in an exposed situation1 the bees1 as a rule1 will do equally well without it4 ,the porch1 indeed1 often proves a source of trouble to young bees1 who fail to find the entrance and rush frantically along the top of the porch in their efforts to do so4 ,the brood chamber usually has two single and two double walls3 on the inner1 which are lower than the outer1 rest the ends of the bar frames that contain the combs or brood foundation4 ,it is here that the brood is reared and the natural life and work1 of the hive proceeds4 ,illustration3 ,,side ,,view ,,and ,,sectional ,,side ,,view ,,of ,a ,,modern ,,bar-,,frame ,,hive4 7,this ,hive has a double set of ,standard ,frames7 ,bar ,frames4--,the bar frame is used as a case or support to hold the honeycombs4 ,without them it would be impossible to lift the combs from the hive and replace them in their proper position4 ,it is these frames that enable the modern bee-keeper to do so much more than was possible with the old skep1 and it has been by their aid that so much has been learned of the home-life of the bee4 ,standard ,frames4--,frames vary in size in different countries1 but the standard frame now in general use in ,great ,britain is #h inches high1 #ad inches wide1 with a top bar #ag inches in length4 ,the #a inches at each end rest on the top of the inner walls of the hive4 ,the frames are spaced the proper distance apart by metal ends of uniform size4 ,there are many varieties of these self-spacers1 but those most generally in use in ,england were the invention of a past-master in apiary1 the late ,mr4 ,w4 ,b4 ,carr4 ,these ends slip on the terminals of the top bar4 ,when handling the frames1 care should be taken not to hold them by the metal ends1 as they are apt to slip off and cause disaster4 ,another matter that needs attention in connection with them is their liability to rust1 and when working for honey production the bee-keeper should be scrupulously careful to see that only good clean metal ends are used on the frames4 ,to ,hang ,standard ,bar ,frames4--,the sides of the frame should hang at least #c_/af of an inch and at the most of an inch clear of the walls of the hive4 ,if the space be less than #c_/af the bees will fasten the combs to the sides of the hive1 and if it be over of an inch they will build combs between the frame and the hive4 ,the narrower space is sufficient to allow the bees a free passage round the frames4 ,some frames on the market are a little wider than the ordinary standard4 ,known as wide-shouldered frames1 no spacers are necessary to keep them the proper distance apart4 ,standard frames1 however1 can be used successfully either in the ordinary hive1 the queen-rearing hive1 or as a super 7see page #ca7 if it is worked in accordance with the instructions given on page #gc1 for as they are exactly the same in measurement they can be interchanged with any hive4 ,it is advisable to pin or nail together any loose parts of frames when making them up1 for by so doing regrettable accidents may often be avoided4 ,shallow ,frames4--,the shallow frame is only #e inches high1 with other dimensions similar to the standard4 ,they are used by most bee-keepers in this country who work for surplus honey4 ,they are of a convenient size for gathering and storing separately the various crops of honey4 ,this1 of course1 is a great advantage1 for it enables the bee-keeper to select the choicest honey for exhibition1 or for sale at increased price4 ,they are especially useful in this direction when heather honey is the objective1 both as a body box and as a super4 ,as a super1 indeed1 they are generally recommended to the novice in bee-keeping1 as1 owing to there being less space for the bees to heat1 they are warmer than the standard frames for this purpose4 ,there is no question that a warm super induces the bees to explore it1 and if food is plentiful to use it as a store or warehouse1 while1 on the contrary1 should the heat of the super be lowered by a change in the outside temperature after the bees have commenced to store therein1 they will often remove the honey thence to the brood-chamber4 ,shallow frames are also used by some bee-keepers when working for sections in strong hives immediately over the brood-chamber1 as this procedure usually prevents the lower case of sections from becoming discoloured by the heat from the brood4 ,sections4--,sections are small wooden frames1 which in ,england are generally about #d inches square1 in which honey may be stored by the bees ready for sale purposes4 ,they are made from the wood of the ,american lime tree--commonly known as basswood--which is beautifully white and easy to work4 ,the sections are made all in one piece1 which is cut into shape by machinery4 ,the sections are placed in a rack or crate which usually hold twenty-one in seven rows of three1 with a divider of tin or wood between each row1 and a bee space under each section4 ,the method of working with sections is explained on page #id4 ,the ,super4--,the super1 or lift1 is the bee-keeper's addition to the hive1 in which he induces the bees to store honey for him4 ,it is placed above the brood nest and supplied with frames or sections in which the bees may work apart from the brood4 ,to secure that1 of course1 is the duty of the bee-keeper1 and in the chapter following1 the method will be dealt with4 ,bee ,escapes4--,the escape is to provide the bees with an additional exit from the hive or super4 ,it is fixed in a hole bored through each end or side of the top portion of the hive1 two or three inches below the centre of the roof4 ,the old-fashioned cone-shaped variety is now usually worked double1 one being fixed inside the hive and one on the outside1 but they are not altogether satisfactory1 as the bees will sometimes find their way back through them to the super4 ,it will also often be found when clearing supers by this means that the bees are very slow in escaping4 ,a new escape1 called ,the ,porter ,escape1 with a spring has been recently invented which allows the bees to return from the super direct into the hive4 ,it is fixed on a board which is placed under the super4 ,the ,dummy4--,the dummy is a piece of board with lugs or ends which project from the sides1 and rest on the inner walls of the hive4 ,it is1 in fact1 a movable wall which is used to reduce the capacity of a hive4 ,the requisite number of frames are removed and the dummy placed in position to cover the exposed side4 ,the ,quilt4--,over all1 is placed the quilt which retains the heat in the hive4 ,most bee-keepers have their own opinion as to the best material to use for this purpose4 ,american cloth1 glass1 wood1 carpet1 horse-hair1 matting1 felt1 sacking1 cotton1 and paper all find their advocates1 and probably experience has proved them all4 ,it is useless1 then1 to be dogmatic in favour of any4 ,i would suggest1 however1 that one of the cheapest forms of quilt is one made of unbleached calico1 for this is about the only material that the bees do not try to sample1 or fasten to the frames4 ,generally speaking it is advisable that a hole should be made in the quilt for feeding purposes4 ,for this it is not necessary to cut a piece quite out but merely to make an incision along three sides of a square1 thus forming a flap that can be folded back when feeding is necessary4 ,this quilt should1 of course1 be supplemented with others to secure thorough retention of heat in the hive4 ,all old quilts that have any propolis 7see page #ea7 on them should be saved to pack round crates of sections1 or the propolis may be cut off and used as a decoy in spring amongst artificial pollen4 ,queen-,rearing ,hives4--,there are many varieties of nucleus or queen-rearing hives1 but the one ,i have found to give most satisfaction holds from three to five standard frames4 ,these are used solely for the purpose of rearing young queens to take the place of those worn out by hard work or old age4 ,the method to be followed in this direction is given on page #ge4 ,observation ,hive4--,this consists of a glass case made to hold one standard frame1 a shallow frame1 and a row of sections4 ,the bees can thus be seen at work on the combs4 ,it is mounted on a pivot1 through which the bees must pass to the entrance4 ,of course1 the observation hive is not intended to keep bees in for more than a few days at a time1 and when it is in use care should be taken not to expose the combs or the bees to the heat of the sun4 ,,chapter ,,iii ,bee-keepers' ,requisites ,comb ,foundation4--,it is this wonderful invention that with the bar-frame has made bee-keeping a practical factor2 without it1 indeed1 the bar-frame hive would be useless from a commercial point of view4 ,the comb-foundation is a thin sheet of bees-wax1 impressed by machinery1 on both sides1 with true hexagonal1 or six-sided1 bases of cells1 a slight foundation for the walls being also impressed4 ,thus the bees are given a start1 as it were1 in their work4 ,this foundation is made either with worker or drone cells and the bees will follow unfailingly the lead thus given them in their building4 ,it is made in three degrees of thickness--thin1 medium1 and thick2 the first for use in sections1 and the others in the brood chamber4 ,as a rule bee-keepers in ,england buy only the worker-brood foundation1 for should drones be required they can be secured by merely cutting away the lower part of a honey-comb1 or supplying only half a sheet of foundation in the frames1 for the bees will almost without fail build drone cells on these4 ,foundation is catalogued by all makers of bee-keeping appliances1 but it should be obtained only from reliable sources1 for one of its essentials is that it should be made from pure bees-wax thoroughly cleansed and sterilized4 ,otherwise it may contain germs of brood disease4 ,old ,foundation4--,if a stock of foundation should at any time be left in hand it is advisable that it should be slightly warmed before it is given for the use of the bees1 for unless it is quite pliable the bees will reject it4 ,excluder ,zinc4--,it is impossible to work the bar-frame hive for profit without the aid of excluder zinc1 for it is this useful appliance which prevents the queen from entering the supers and spoiling the surplus honey by laying her eggs in the comb4 ,for the novice must learn at once that no honey should be extracted from combs which contain brood4 ,the queen excluder should completely cover the open space above the brood nest before the super is placed over it4 ,a new queen excluder is now on the market1 made of hard wires strapped together1 and the patentee claims that more workers can pass through it than is possible with the old type4 ,illustration3 ,a ,standard ,frame with ,drawn-out ,comb ,illustration3 ,an ,efficient ,queen ,excluder ,illustration3 ,a ,frame ,hive with the top removed ,feeders4--,there are many varieties of feeders in use among bee-keepers1 and to attempt to give a description of them all would occupy far too much space4 ,it would1 moreover1 be unnecessary1 for1 after all1 the method of feeding is one to be decided by the bee-keeper's own convenience and resources4 ,several feeders are on the market to meet the requirements of quick feeding2 these are made either of tin or wood and include the float feeders and the ,canadian pattern1 both of which find considerable favour4 ,another type covers the so-called slow feeders1 in which the supply can be regulated by turning the food vessel round to allow a larger or smaller quantity of food to escape at the option of the bee-keeper4 ,a cheap and serviceable feeder may be made by filling a glass jam jar or pickle bottle with syrup and stretching a piece of bleached calico over the top and tying it securely round the neck4 ,the jar is then placed in an inverted position over the feed-hole of the hive4 ,should the syrup escape too quickly another thickness of calico can be added4 ,glass jars should always be used as inverted feeders as the quantity and condition of the remaining food can be seen at a glance4 ,scrupulous cleanliness is necessary with all feeders1 or the food is liable to turn sour or ferment4 ,uncapping ,knives4--,used for the purpose of removing the cap of wax from the cells when extracting the honey from the combs1 these knives should be made of good material and be kept perfectly clean and bright4 ,blades which discolour quickly should not be used1 and where large quantities of honey are extracted at a time it is advisable that two knives should be available4 ,this enables the process to be continuous1 as one knife can be heated--in hot water--while the other is in use4 ,in using the knife it is better to give it a sawing motion when uncapping1 for by so doing the chances of injuring the cells are considerably lessened4 ,it should be so arranged that the cappings fall1 as they are removed1 into a tray or dish4 ,the ,extractor4--,this is a machine which should be included in the outfit of every bee-keeper who is working with a view to profit4 ,the initial outlay may seem large1 but by its quickness and efficiency a good machine soon pays for itself and contributes to the credit side of the account4 ,the extractor is usually cylindrical in shape and contains two cages1 each sufficiently large to hold one standard frame of comb4 ,these cages are attached to a spindle which runs through the centre of the machine1 and is worked either direct by a handle or by a simple chain or cog gear at the top4 ,a lid and a honey tap complete the outfit4 ,the advantages of the extractor are many1 but the chief one is that the honey can be separated from the combs without breaking the latter4 ,hints for working the extractor are given on page #ih4 ,the ,honey ,press4--,this is used to squeeze thick or dense honey from the combs4 ,there are many varieties and makes on the market1 ranging in size down to that of the ordinary potato squeezer4 ,those used by the larger honey farmers work with screw pressure4 ,the combs are placed in a wrapping of cheese-cloth1 laid between pieces of ,american wire which rest on fluted or ribbed boards1 and the pressure applied4 ,the honey escapes by means of the fluted guides and the wax remains as a solid cake4 ,the ,smoker4--,this is an indispensable article in the equipment of the bee-keeper4 ,it is not intended for the purpose of stifling the bees1 but on the contrary to make them good-humoured1 and1 although it does not always have the desired effect1 most bee-keepers have often proved the smoker a good friend4 ,the effect of the smoker when properly applied is to cause the bees to gorge themselves with honey1 for bees1 like most human beings1 are good-tempered after a hearty meal4 ,after the smoker has once been lighted it should be placed on end1 for should it be laid flat the fuel will probably be extinguished4 ,it is always advisable when working the smoker to have a spare cartridge handy so as to replace the one immediately it is consumed4 ,fuel for the smoker can be made from thin corrugated strawboard1 brown paper1 calico1 cotton wool1 or anything indeed that will smoulder rather than burn with a flare4 ,it is a good plan to roll together some fast and slow burning materials1 thereby ensuring a steady smother while it lasts4 ,a supply of cartridges of this kind should be cut and tied into lengths ready for use when required4 ,carbolic ,cloths4--,these are useful for driving the bees down from the frames into the hive1 when the frames need manipulating4 ,the cloths are usually about #ah inches square1 made of calico1 and sprinkled with one part of carbolic acid to two parts of water4 ,they are laid over the tops of the frame1 but care has to be taken that the carbolic solution is not too strong1 or the bees will be driven from the hive4 ,when not in use1 the cloths should be kept rolled up in a tin to ensure their cleanliness and to retain their strength4 ,brushes4--,bees are very particular concerning the kind of brushes used by the bee-keeper to brush them from the combs1 or to gather a swarm together when it is scattered under a bush or in a position where it is not possible to shake them into a hive4 ,they have a firm objection to anything of a hairy nature1 and the very best method to rouse them to wrath is to use a housemaid's broom under the circumstances mentioned4 ,it is a certain incitement to trouble4 ,most brushes sold by appliance makers are of fibre1 but one of the very best forms can be made from montbretia leaves4 ,the leaves1 or blades1 should be cut from the plant near the ground and the tops doubled over and tied near the end of the stalk4 ,the stalk end is used as a handle1 the brush consisting of the intervening part4 ,montbretia is a very adaptable plant and will thrive almost anywhere with a little care4 ,disinfectants4--,disinfectants play a large part in the work of the bee-keeper1 to secure the cleanliness which is such an essential factor to success1 for the prevention of disease1 and the confounding of the many enemies of the bees4 ,carbolic ,acid is the disinfectant most generally used1 probably because it is available for other purposes4 ,it should not be used1 however1 when supers are being removed or on any combs containing honey that is to be taken for use4 ,when cleaning the inside of a hive only one part of carbolic acid should be used to ten or even twenty parts of hot water1 and care must be taken that the hive is thoroughly dry before combs are placed in it1 or the bees admitted4 ,naphthalene and ,camphor are each used for disinfecting purposes1 but more especially as antidotes against the wax-moth and other insects that play havoc in the hive4 ,two fairly large pieces can be placed in one hive1 either in the cavities at the ends of the frames or over the quilt4 ,veils4--,some bee-keepers scoff at the necessity for a veil for protection when handling the bees1 but there is no question that in spite of the grotesque appearance it imparts the veil is a very present help in trouble to the average bee-keeper4 ,some people are fortunate enough to be sting-proof and such can afford to smile at those who seek1 protection from a veil1 but to those who are not immune from the consequences of the angry attentions of the bee the veil is indispensable4 ,serviceable veils can be made of ,brussels or silk net1 mosquito netting1 or fine wire4 ,they can be procured in any colour1 though black is most generally adopted1 that having been found the least objectionable to the bees1 who entertain violent prejudices on the subject of colour4 ,personally1 ,i believe that it is the human breath to which the bees particularly object1 and ,i have found that if a little honey be eaten before one opens a hive the enmity of the bees will be neutralised to a very great extent4 ,a pair of gloves1 with gauntlets1 are absolutely necessary to the bee-keeper's equipment1 though an admirable makeshift for the latter can be adapted from old stocking legs4 ,these pulled over the sleeves of the coat1 after the gloves have been buttoned1 form an efficient guard against an exploring bee4 ,,chapter ,,iv ,bees3 ,their ,habits and ,products ,swarming4--,as already explained 7pp4 #g1 #h7 a hive will swarm when an old queen finds that other queens are being nurtured in the hive4 ,in such a case she calls forth as many of her adherents as will follow her and goes out to found a new community4 ,oftentimes the site of the new home is definitely settled beforehand in some unoccupied hive1 and in such cases scout workers will have prepared and cleansed the hive some days in advance4 ,the passing to and fro of these pioneers will sometimes give the owner of the empty hive the idea that he has bees working there4 ,generally1 however1 the swarm issues from the hive without any definite objective and flies on until the queen settles1 when her retinue of workers form a cluster around her4 ,as a rule it is an easy matter to tell when the bees are swarming1 for they rush pell-mell in a tumultuous stream from the hive1 and fly round and round1 and in and out1 hundreds being on the wing together1 taking the appearance of a living cloud4 ,they are perfectly docile and will allow the spectator to stand among them provided they are not provoked4 ,of course this is easily done3 the mere getting entangled in the hair of the onlooker is sufficient to rouse their anger4 ,any symptoms of nervousness1 too1 seem to become apparent at once to the bees1 and perspiration1 again1 is objectionable to them4 ,but an expert bee-handler may lift a swarm with his hands and suffer no ill1 for so long as they are not crushed the bees will not resent the handling4 ,it is seldom that a first swarm issues from the hive other than when the weather is warm and the sun shining4 ,generally it is between #i a4m4 and #d p4m4 that swarming takes place4 ,first swarms are usually the largest1 for when the joyful hum of the rising swarm sounds forth many of the bees from adjoining hives will be drawn to join the swarm and are received in a friendly manner4 ,virgin ,swarms4--,the bees of a swarm will often follow a virgin queen when she goes out to seek a mate1 the bees apparently thinking that if she is lost they will die4 ,it is therefore advisable that a hive which is known to contain a virgin swarm should have the entrance blocked up so that only one or two bees can pass in or out at a time4 ,this may be widened after the queen has been mated4 ,the ,treatment of ,swarms will be found explained on page #fh4 ,the ,scent of the ,bee4--,every novice in bee-keeping should make a point of acquiring knowledge by practical experience on this wonderful point in connection with bees1 for it plays a most important part in the success of bee-keeping4 ,not only does each hive diffuse a different scent from that of its neighbour--even though the nectar may be gathered by the bees from the same source--but the scent of each hive may vary according to the work that is going on within it4 ,each individual bee1 too1 can diffuse a varying scent to suit its circumstances4 ,an expert bee-keeper can generally tell from the scent immediately he opens his hive what reception he is likely to meet with1 for even our native bees are seldom found to be docile in the midst or towards the end of a honey-flow4 ,when bees are swarming they emit quite a distinct scent1 which probably accounts for the friendly reception accorded at that time to bees from other hives4 ,when a stranger approaches a hive1 or if the bees are disturbed1 it will be noticed that those on the alighting board elevate their abdomens and fan vigorously with their wings--with the result that other members of the hive rush to the scene4 ,it is true that the sound of their wing movements is different from that caused by the ventilating fanning1 but there is no question that an alarm scent is emitted from the abdomen and diffused by the vigorous movement of the wings4 ,in the same manner the sting of the bee when discharged emits a peculiar scent which has the effect of rousing other bees to anger1 as though to avenge the death of their fellow-worker4 ,the expert bee-keeper well knows the scent of the sting even though he may be immune from its effect4 ,it is well to note1 by the way1 that cross-bred bees as a rule are very quarrelsome and extremely sensitive1 and are often dangerous on this account1 for they are very free with their sting4 ,it seems evident that when a bee is frightened she loses her distinctive scent1 for driven bees1 when they have nothing to fight for1 will unite peacefully4 ,and ,i have known bees of the same hive fight among themselves in a moment of panic1 thus affording evidence that the scent of the community has been destroyed for the time1 precluding the members of it from recognising their fellows under the stress of the fright4 ,the scent of the queen is different from that of the workers4 ,this can be noticed especially in the case of a swarm1 for workers will often be seen retrieving the place over which the queen has passed1 even though the trail may be broken3 should they fail to find her they will often cluster and die4 ,because of this it is never advisable to handle a queen1 for the bees will notice the change of scent caused thereby and often will kill a queen they do not own2 to stranger drones1 however1 they raise no objection during a honey-flow4 ,honey4--,it should be clearly understood that1 contrary to the assertion of the poet1 bees do not gather honey all the day1 from every opening flower4 ,honey is essentially a product of the bee from the nectar provided by the flowers as an inducement to the visitation of bees and other insects--not for the benefit of the bee but to serve the purposes of the flowers themselves of cross-fertilisation4 7,see ,chapter on ,flowers and ,bees1 page #ec47 ,the nectar is assimilated by the bee and regurgitated in the form of honey4 ,illustration3 ,queen on a patch of ,sealed ,honey 7,this is a diseased frame3 notice the irregularity7 ,honeycomb4--,the honeycomb is doubtless one of the greatest marvels of the bee community4 ,in its architecture and workmanship it forms1 indeed1 one of the greatest wonders in the whole realm of nature4 ,with its multitudinous hexagonal cells1 a honeycomb presents a continuous source of delight2 it is so constructed that not a single atom of space is wasted and so designed that the minimum of material is used4 ,let it be remembered that the honeycomb1 primarily1 is intended to serve as a nest for the offspring of the queen--each cell to be a separate cradle for the product of the egg placed therein4 ,as a rule1 as we have noted1 the cells are six-sided2 the exceptions are the queen cells--which are acorn-shaped--and the intermediate cells which form buffers as it were between the worker and drone cells4 ,the latter are always built on the outside edge of the combs4 ,the worker cells are the smallest1 and1 although the bees hatched from new combs are usually larger than those from old ones1 the difference is but slight4 ,the reason for this is that as each bee is hatched it leaves behind in the cell the cocoon in which its metamorphosis was accomplished1 and thus diminishes to that extent the size of the cell4 ,bees-wax4--,the wax of which the cells are composed is produced from the body of the bee itself4 ,it forms in thin plates underneath the abdomen1 these plates being kneaded by the jaws into the required consistency and form4 ,when comb-making is in progress the bees cluster together in festoons1 very similar in appearance to a swarm4 ,it is1 of course1 an exceedingly slow process1 and the modern bee-keeper1 to expedite matters in this direction1 assists the bees by giving them ready-made foundation on which to build their cells4 ,fortunately the bees have proved amenable to this hustling process and are thus able to devote a larger part of their short life to the more remunerative work--from the bee-keeper's point of view--of honey-producing4 ,chyle ,food4--,as before stated1 this is the rich substance with which the queen is fed1 and the worker grub indulged in for a short period4 ,it is regurgitated from the chyle or second stomach of the young or nurse bees4 ,all authorities agree that the power to produce the food gradually diminishes after the insect is a fortnight old4 ,it follows1 then1 either that the young bees have the power to withhold the supply during a period of rest1 or the power to assimilate it is acquired by the older bees1 in proportion to their age and the ordinary food they consume1 during the period of compulsory-retirement in winter4 ,this semi-hibernation period varies in length in different parts of the country1 but in some cases it must last for at least three months1 between the date when the last eggs were laid and that when the queen resumes egg-laying again in earnest4 ,chyle food has a thick1 milky-white appearance1 an acid flavour1 and quickly congeals if exposed to the air4 ,probably on account of its being fed to the infant bees one of its popular names is pap and another bee's-milk4 ,propolis4--,this is a substance produced by the bees from the gum which exudes from buds and trees1 or the wax given off by some grasses4 ,propolis emits a wholesome smell and is usually bitter to the taste4 ,it is used by the bees to plug up any holes or cracks in the walls of the hive and to fasten the supers1 lifts1 frames1 and sections together1 and also forms their natural disinfectant4 ,although methylated spirit is violently disliked by bees1 yet some forms of spirit varnish are very attractive to them1 probably yielding something towards the production of propolis4 ,some bees produce propolis to excess and it then becomes a nuisance1 for hives in which such a condition exists are always more difficult to work4 ,the queens from these hives should never be used for rearing purposes4 ,it will be found that foreign bees as a rule produce more propolis than the native breeds4 ,propolis always serves to attract bees1 especially after it has been warmed before a fire for a few minutes2 it then becomes very sticky4 ,it is often used to entice bees to artificial food in early spring to stimulate brood-rearing before natural pollen becomes abundant4 ,this is done by scattering artificial pollen among shavings or chaff1 and generally serves its purpose4 ,old quilts plastered with propolis are used by unscrupulous bee-keepers to attract swarms from neighbouring hives4 ,,chapter ,v ,flowers and ,bees ,,in the economy of the world of flowers the bee plays an important part1 while in return the flowers provide the wherewithal of existence for the bee4 ,for the mere transference of pollen from one flower to another the plant offers the bee a supply of nectar and a percentage of the pollen which she is to carry for the plant's benefit4 ,it is the case that most plants depend upon cross-fertilization1 and while some rely upon the wind to carry the pollen1 others1 and by far the greater number1 depend upon bees and other insects to perform the work for them4 ,the methods adopted by flowers to secure the visitation of their insect friends form a fascinating study which cannot be entered upon here1 ours only to consider the outcome1 so far as the bees are concerned1 of the transaction4 ,honey4--,for the production of honey there must be for the bees easily available access to nectar producing flowers1 and it might be noted that flowers always produce most nectar when growing under natural conditions4 ,it is a common error to suppose that all sweet-scented flowers are visited by bees2 for in the gardens1 roses and sweet peas are neglected by them1 and in the hedgerows the honeysuckle is passed by--it caters for moths only1 while1 on the other hand1 plants whose scent is entirely repugnant to the human sense of smell provide attractive and happy hunting grounds for the bee4 ,after the resting time of both flowers and bees through the dark days of winter there is a steady rotation of flowers through spring and summer1 which is brought to a close in the autumn by the flowering of the heather4 ,approximately the appearance of the flowers of plants and trees is in the following order3 snowdrops1 winter aconite1 early crocuses1 palm willow1 flowering currant1 arabis1 aubrietias1 ,norway maple1 elm1 plum1 cherry1 apple1 pear1 chestnut1 sycamore1 dandelion1 the berry trees1 whitethorn1 and lilac2 these mark the interval between winter and the full glory of summer's bloom4 ,the bees will begin their labours almost as soon as the flowers begin to show1 and all through the full spring and summer their work never ceases4 ,in ,august the heather gives them a busy time until the autumn brings the resting season round again4 ,generally speaking the source from which honey is gathered may be recognised by its colour and flavour4 ,many flowers1 indeed1 exude nectar of a similar colour to their own1 although it must be remembered that the honey always becomes lighter as it candies or granulates4 ,but1 approximately speaking1 it may be taken that white clover honey should be very light in colour2 sainfoin honey should be yellow1 lime a greenish yellow1 while heather honey will vary from orange to purplish red4 ,the flavour of honey varies in like manner1 though it is an undoubted fact that the weather at the time of its gathering and storing by the bees influences it greatly4 ,the warmer and sunnier the day the more pronounced the flavour of the honey4 ,white clover honey is esteemed the best for table and exhibition purposes1 for its purity of colour1 fineness of grain1 and mild flavour4 ,at the other extreme is heather honey--dark in colour1 strong in flavour1 and a texture so thick that it will not run2 so thick1 indeed1 that it is impossible to extract or strain it by the ordinary methods4 ,as a rule it is usually pressed from the combs4 ,pollen4--,the bee uses pollen for a variety of purposes--for feeding the pupae1 as food for the older bees when honey is scarce or the stores diminishing1 and for mixing with wax to seal the brood cells4 ,bee-bread is therefore a good name for it1 although primarily its purpose is not to serve the bees at all4 ,of an infinite variety of colour and flavour--each flower produces its own variety in both particulars--the pollen gathered by the bees is stored in the hive strictly with its own kind4 ,it has been found that a bee visiting1 say1 clover1 does not touch another kind of flower on that round1 and so on4 ,and each section of the workers store their particular pollen in particular cells4 ,the young worker bee is usually well covered with hairs which serve to gather up the pollen from the flowers visited4 ,leaving a flower powdered over with it she scrapes it from her body into the pollen baskets on the thighs of her hind pair of legs4 ,discharged at the hive1 the pollen is kneaded by the jaws and head and stored in the cells1 where it is covered with honey to preserve it4 ,as the bee gets older the body-hairs are gradually worn away so that as time passes the worker becomes a honey-gatherer almost entirely4 ,,chapter ,,vi ,hints on ,working the ,bees ,position of ,hives4--,all hives1 if possible1 should be arranged to face south1 for cold and draughts are among the deadliest foes of the bees4 ,cold showers of rain or sleet in the spring often work havoc among them so that it is well to minimise the danger as much as possible4 ,in this connection it is a common sight in early spring to see bees that have become chilled lying on the ground near the hives1 and novices may gain experience in handling bees by picking up these moribund specimens4 ,they should be lifted with one finger and thumb and dropped into a jar which should be covered at the top and placed before a fire4 ,when the bees have revived they may be liberated4 ,manipulating the ,bees4--,confidence is the most necessary quality to the bee-keeper and one1 of course1 that can only be acquired by experience4 ,one golden rule to be remembered by the beginner is that the hive should be approached always from the rear1 and another1 that everything should be done slowly and deliberately and never jerkily4 ,nothing irritates bees more than erratic or jerky movements on the part of those manipulating the hives4 ,until one has definitely proved immunity from the bee-sting it is necessary that all safe-guards should be adopted before any work is attempted on hives of which the bees are in possession4 ,the veil1 gloves1 and gauntlets should be donned and the trousers tied tightly round the ankles to prevent the incursion in that direction of any roving member of the hive4 ,for although bees are usually on good terms with their owner they are subject to varying moods1 and it is well to run no unnecessary risks4 ,the ,smoker4--,the smoker should always be ready to hand1 charged and lighted1 with matches immediately available in case the fuel does not burn properly4 ,as already explained1 the effect of the smoker is to cause the bees to gorge themselves with food and so become good-tempered4 ,having removed the roof of the hive1 one corner of the quilt is raised and a little smoke blown under it4 ,the operation should be repeated in two or three different places1 and then an interval of two or three minutes allowed to elapse in which the bees may fill themselves4 ,the quilt may then be carefully removed1 and if necessary more smoke may be blown over the frames1 but not downwards among the bees4 ,when handling the frames the nearest one at the side or back of the hive should be taken out first1 the bees that are on it shaken off1 and the frame placed safely on one side4 ,this allows ample space in the hive for moving the frames about for examination and other purposes without crushing the bees4 ,how to ,handle ,frames4--,frames should never be held by the metal ends1 for these are liable to slip off and cause disaster4 ,the frames should always be lifted and handled near the ends of the top bar4 ,a frame of comb should never be turned horizontally1 for in that position the comb is apt to break4 ,the proper way is to lower one end of the frame until it is in a perpendicular position1 then swing it round half a turn and lower the other end4 ,the comb will then be the wrong side up and the movement must be continued until the comb is again in its proper position4 ,examination or other work in connection with the hive should be completed as quickly as possible so that the combs may not be unduly exposed4 ,spring and ,autumn ,cleaning4--,in the springtime--generally speaking about the middle of ,april--it is necessary that the hive should be cleaned1 and1 to secure a thorough spring clean1 the bees should be transferred to another hive that has been already cleaned4 ,if this is not done1 the hive must be thoroughly overhauled1 and should any of the combs be found to be in a bad condition and without any bees on them they should be removed4 ,if the combs are full of brood and honey it is necessary to expand the brood chamber as described on page #fg4 ,in the autumn the hive must be examined and cleaned again4 ,all empty combs1 or those not used by the bees1 should be removed and the space thus rendered vacant closed by a dummy4 ,should the hive contain only a small quantity of food the bees will have to be fed artificially4 7,see page #hb47 ,weak ,hives4--,it is at the spring and autumn examinations that the real state of the hive community is discovered1 and in the former the weak4 hive is a common occurrence4 ,it is then that much depends upon the bee-keeper whether his work is to be successful or not4 ,it is then that weak stocks must be brought up and strengthened either by doubling or uniting the stocks1 or by feeding4 ,the bees from strong hives soon find out those that are weak1 and apparently act on the principle that to him that hath shall be given1 for they proceed to help themselves to the depleted stores of the weak hive4 ,they even go to the length of forcing its occupants to help in the removal of their stores and grant them the privilege of joining their community for so doing4 ,those that remain faithful to the queen of the weak hive are thus reduced to starvation4 ,when a bee-keeper finds that a weak hive is being raided in this manner he should close it up entirely for a day or two4 ,this will often quicken the spirit of its inhabitants and cause them to retaliate on the raiders4 ,doubling ,stocks4--,for this purpose an empty hive is necessary1 and it should be one in which the frames range from the front to the back4 ,placing the two weak hives on either side of the empty one1 the frame with the bees from the right hand hive are transferred to the right side of the new hive4 ,a dummy is then placed and all holes through which a bee might crawl carefully blocked up4 ,the frames from the other hive are then placed in the remaining space and the hive closed up4 ,care should be taken to fasten the quilt down firmly so that the bees cannot obtain access to each other1 for if they do they will surely fight4 ,for the same reason the entrances to the two parts of the hive should be placed as far apart as possible and a piece of wood placed along the centre of the floorboard4 ,after a few weeks the bees in the two divisions will acquire the same scent and can be united4 ,should a spare queen be required one can be removed1 if not the older one should be killed1 for the bees should not be left to adjust the matter for themselves4 ,a hole may be made in the dummy so that the bees can pass from one division to the other1 and a few days after the dummy may be removed altogether4 ,this procedure may be followed also in the autumn1 especially if young queens are numerous and it is desired to save some4 ,feeding ,weak ,stocks4--,if facilities are not to hand for thus dealing with weak stocks1 the frames not required by the bees should be removed from the hive1 the space contracted by a dummy1 and the bees fed inside the hive4 ,in the autumn it is advisable to give weak hives frames of food that have been stored and sealed by a strong hive that is kept especially for such a purpose4 ,whenever inside feeding is adopted1 the entrance aperture to the hive should be reduced so as to keep out bodies of raiders4 ,the most efficient means of securing this is to place along the entrance a piece of perforated zinc with holes just large enough for one bee to pass through at a time4 ,this prevents a rush of marauders and allows ample ventilation in the hive4 ,uniting ,stocks4--,this procedure is not so common among ,english bee-keepers as it is with those in other parts of the world where the conditions are more favourable to a successful result4 ,the reasons are chiefly because we can very seldom secure that the bees all work on the same flowers1 and because most of our ,english bees are cross-breeds and therefore more addicted to fighting4 ,it is not to be expected that a broken breed of bees will unite peacefully with a pure breed4 ,illustration3 ,examining ,frames ,however1 uniting is sometimes resorted to1 and the method of procedure generally adopted in ,england is as follows4 ,the hives to be united are brought nearer to each other gradually1 not more than a yard or so at a time1 and on fine days only1 when the bees are flying about4 ,the need for this precautionary care is that the bees soon lose their bearings if their hive is shifted to any great extent and will fly about until death ensues from exhaustion2 while to enter a strange hive in mistake for their own is equally fatal for them4 ,the actual process of uniting is accomplished by taking combs alternately from each hive and placing them in their new quarters1 meanwhile spraying bees and combs with scented syrup1 or dredging them with flour4 ,i should1 however1 recommend the novice to shake or drive 7see pp4 #gd1 #gi7 each stock before uniting them1 for hunger will do more to reconcile the bees to each other than anything else4 ,the driven bees should be passed through a queen-excluder and the oldest queen1 or queens1 destroyed4 ,this will save a battle royal in the new hive1 and do much towards uniting the two sections of bees4 ,queen-rearing hives may have frames of young bees added to them without much fear of trouble1 for as a rule young bees do not fight4 ,stimulating4--,bee-keepers who are working for honey generally stimulate the bees after the semi-hibernation days of winter are passed1 for a period of some six or eight weeks before their services are likely to be required for honey gathering4 ,this is to encourage brood-rearing and is accomplished by feeding the bees with syrup or artificial pollen4 7,see ,chapter on ,feeding1 p4 #hb47 ,it must be remembered that once artificial feeding for this purpose has been resorted to it must be continued until the natural sources of nectar are available to the bees1 for nothing checks the population or does more harm to the hive than stopping the food supply when breeding has commenced4 ,it should be the aim of every bee-keeper to make himself acquainted with the order and approximate times of blossoming of the flowers and trees1 and particularly the largest source of nectar in his neighbourhood4 ,as a rule1 from six to eight weeks is required to get the hives into a profitable condition after brood-rearing has commenced in earnest4 ,in some favoured places the queen may begin to deposit eggs as early as ,january1 though of course1 in the north and colder districts1 this is exceptional4 ,unless1 therefore1 a bee-keeper is in an exceptionally good district1 and works for early fruit blossoms as a source of nectar1 it is to his interest to leave the bees to themselves until the middle or end of ,march1 provided1 of course1 they are not short of food4 ,choked ,brood-,nest4--,when feeding the bees in spring it is necessary to spread the brood-nest from time to time by adding a frame of comb near the centre of it4 ,this provides the queen with sufficient cells in which to lay her eggs4 ,should the brood-nest become choked with honey1 feeding should be stopped and a frame or two of honey taken from the hive and extracted1 or given to hives that are not so fortunately placed1 filling up the space with empty combs4 ,should the stores of honey and pollen be plentiful1 it is well to scratch the cappings from some of the cells1 though care must be taken not to damage the cappings of the brood cells1 which will usually be found in the centre of the frames4 ,should the hive be full of frames and bees and most of the cells along the top of the combs be covered with clean white cappings1 a super may be introduced1 the necessary sheet of queen-excluder being placed over the brood-nest4 ,the super should be a warm one with no leaky joints and fit properly over the brood-chamber4 ,in districts exposed to high winds the precaution should be taken of tacking a narrow strip of thin soft felt round the bottom edges of the super to make it perfectly draught proof4 ,,chapter ,,vii ,hints on ,working the ,bees--7,cont47 ,swarming4--,one of the oldest practices associated with bee-keeping is that of ringing the swarm4 ,immediately the swarm was seen to issue from the hive the bee-keeper began to create as loud a din as he could by beating a tin or tray1 and1 so doing1 followed the bees in their flight4 ,this entitled him to claim the swarm wherever they settled1 even though it might be in a neighbour's hive4 ,ringing is still continued1 for it is the most effectual means at command for causing the bees to settle4 ,the explosion of firearms1 a clap of thunder1 or the roar of a blast1 will secure their doing so1 and probably the most effectual settler for a swarm is a shower of rain--but none of these is at the immediate command of the bee-keeper4 ,illustration3 ,skepping a ,swarm ,when1 therefore1 the swarm is seen issuing from the hive preparations should be made for ringing and following it4 ,the noise should not be commenced until it is certain that the queen has come out1 or she may show no inclination to do so4 ,sometimes the swarm will fly for some distance1 or it may happen to cluster comparatively near its former home4 ,in some cases trouble arises from the fact1 already stated on p4 #dd1 that the swarm has chosen a home in a neighbour's empty hive4 ,any question of ownership can always be settled by an examination of the combs in this hive1 for if there are no eggs or brood more than a few hours' old the bees undoubtedly belong to the claimant of the swarm1 and he is entitled to their possession or their value4 ,should there be eggs or brood obviously deposited in the combs earlier than the day on which the swarm entered1 then no claim can stand1 for it is certain that it is impossible for the members of the swarm to be picked out from those already in the hive when they entered4 ,handling the ,swarm4--,should the swarm settle in a convenient position on a branch of a tree1 it can be transferred directly to a bar-frame hive in the following manner3 ,the hive1 placed as nearly under the swarm as possible1 should have the entrance to the body raised1 and wedged1 about an inch1 and a board placed from the ground to the alighting board2 a sheet should be spread over this board and the ground under the swarm4 ,the swarm should be shaken from the branch on to the sheet4 ,should the cluster be in too awkward a position for this to be done1 a skep will have to be brought into requisition for transferring the swarm to their new quarters4 ,the cluster may be shaken into the skep by gently raising the branch from which it is suspended and then giving it a sharp downward movement4 ,the skep should be held firmly and gently turned right side up over the sheet on to which the bees should be shaken in front of the bar-frame hive4 ,should the bees be slow to run into the hive1 those at the rear should be given a few gentle puffs from the smoker4 ,sometimes the swarm will contain more than one queen and consequently will split up into several clusters4 ,in such a case each cluster has to be shaken separately4 ,occasionally it becomes necessary to shake a swarm two or three times if the queen is not hived4 ,it sometimes happens1 too1 that the queen will come out again if the hive is objectionable to her1 and almost certainly so if she be a virgin4 ,as a rule1 though1 the old queen comes out with the first swarm1 but ,i have known cases in which swarming has been delayed1 when as many as five queens1 including the old one1 have come out with the first swarm4 ,in a very strong hive a virgin queen will sometimes come out with a first swarm1 but in such cases the swarm1 as a rule1 is a very small one4 ,the hive used for a swarm should be scrupulously clean and contain sufficient frames and combs for the requirements of the swarm4 ,it is usual to place only one thin quilt over the frames for the first few days after a swarm has been given possession4 ,hives containing newly placed swarms are usually allowed to stay until the evening of the day before they are removed1 but1 of course1 if the situation is an inconvenient one1 or if the hive is liable to be a nuisance to the public1 it should be taken away at once4 ,if allowed to remain it must be sheltered from the rays of the sun or the heat will cause the bees again to issue forth4 ,should a swarm not be required by the bee-keeper he must return it to the hive whence it issued very early on the morning following the day of swarming4 ,each bee in a swarm usually carries sufficient food to meet its requirements for one day1 so that should a bee-keeper receive a swarm from a distance he should feed it as soon as it arrives4 ,all swarms should be fed if the natural supply of nectar be scanty4 ,excessive ,swarming4--,where bees are given to excessive swarming some bee-keepers trim one of the wings of the queen to hinder her flight1--a method also adopted to distinguish the ages of queens3 the right wing of one year's queens being cut1 and the left of those of the following year4 ,of course1 the wings of a virgin queen should never be trimmed1 for mating is thereby prevented4 ,swarm ,preventing4--,the bee-keeper who works for surplus honey does all he can to prevent his bees from swarming1 and thus increases both his stock of bees and supplies of honey4 ,anyone who has even but slightly studied the ways of bees will have noticed that they store their honey above the brood in response to one of the wonderful instincts bestowed upon them by nature1 and it is by taking advantage of this fact that the bee-keeper who is working for profit assures himself of one point of success4 ,it is the method of working standard frames from the brood-chamber as a super by which each hive is practically made into two--a queenless colony above and a brood stock below4 ,i have tried pretty well all the systems used in ,england and have proved this to be the most successful in securing the purpose aimed at4 ,for thereby the queen is given plenty of room in which to lay her eggs1 and the bees plenty of accommodation in which to store their honey4 ,the method of working this plan is as follows4 ,the bees should be stimulated in the spring and as soon as the weather is favourable to swarming the strongest hive should be examined4 ,it the frames are seen to be covered by the bees1 and almost full of brood or stores1 everything is in order for the scheme4 ,the essential point in it is the removal of the combs from the brood-chamber minus the queen4 ,a super of the same size as the brood-chamber should be prepared and a similar number of frames to those already in the brood-chamber duly fitted with empty combs or a sheet of foundation4 ,the first frame is then removed from the brood-chamber1 the bees shaken from it and placed in a super4 ,the shaking should be done by holding the frame about a foot above the hive and giving it a sharp downward and upward jerk to displace the bees4 ,needless to say1 great care is necessary in the operation1 as to drop the frame1 or crush the bees1 would lead to disaster4 ,when the second frame is removed1 an opportunity is afforded to look for the queen1 which may be identified by her larger bulk and longer legs4 ,close attention must be given to see that there are no queen cells in the combs as they are removed1 for the presence of a queen in the super is fatal to the scheme4 ,all queen cells--easily identified by their acorn shape--therefore1 should be removed from the combs4 ,after the third frame has been removed the empty ones should be inserted as each full one is transferred to the super1 until the whole interchange has been effected4 ,the next proceeding is to place a sheet of queen-excluding zinc over the brood frames1 so that no possible way is open for the queen to gain access to the super4 ,the super is then placed in position and covered up4 ,should the combs contain any drone brood opportunity will have to be given them to escape after hatching1 as they cannot pass through the queen excluder4 ,this may be done by rolling the quilt back for about an inch along the whole length of one side1 on a bright1 sunny day4 ,the drones will soon find the opening and take flight4 ,if1 after supering1 the weather should be unfavourable for the bees to gather food1 artificial feeding will have to be resorted to4 ,should the scheme be carried out early in the year and the queen be prolific1 it may be found necessary to repeat it to prevent swarming4 ,it is necessary to remember that inasmuch as the rearing of young queens and the consequent swarming is not carried on under this method1 it is a necessity that the hives should be re-queened every two years4 ,queen ,rearing4--,it is better to retain one hive for queen-rearing purposes and this should contain the very best queen available so as to secure a good strain of workers4 ,the drones1 too1 should be selected by allowing no drone cells in any but the best hives4 ,for the small bee-keeper who cannot spare much time among his bees1 and who only requires half a dozen queens in a year1 ,i would recommend that queen-rearing should be worked in with the standard-frame super method described in the earlier part of this chapter4 ,if this course be adopted the procedure is as follows4 ,the hive should be allowed to come to swarming-point in order that queen cells maybe formed by the bees4 ,these should contain eggs or larv before the frames are transferred to the super1 and all eggs or larv should be of the same age4 ,this is an important point1 for should one be hatched earlier than the others it will promptly destroy all the other queen eggs or larvae in the frame4 ,the wisest plan is to destroy all queen cells that are capped and the ages of eggs or larv noted in accordance with the information given on this point on page #ac4 ,in working this method of queen-rearing1 the frames must not be shaken1 but the bees brushed off into the hive1 otherwise the contents of the queen cells will be displaced4 ,the zinc excluder1 of course1 must be thoroughly applied to prevent the queen obtaining access to the super4 ,the super can be left until the day previous to that on which the first young queen is due to leave the cell4 ,it must then be removed1 with all the bees in it1 and it should either be split up or each queen caged in its cell4 ,after the super is split up1 the bee-keeper should try to procure a swarm to divide amongst each part of the super--first running it through a queen excluder to catch the queen4 ,these divisions should be given a separate hive if possible1 but if it is necessary that they should occupy one large hive care must be taken thoroughly to separate each section and to have the entrances as far apart as possible4 ,it is advisable1 too1 that the entrances should be of a different colour to ensure the young queens entering their own section1 for should they by chance enter another a battle is sure to ensue with fatal results4 ,re-queening the ,hive4--,as already stated1 the method of working the hive with standard frames as a super necessitates re-queening every two years4 ,there are several ways of doing this4 ,one is to find the old queen and kill her1 and allow the bees to install one of the young queens4 ,this method1 however1 has many disadvantages4 ,first of all1 there is the disturbance to the hive in the search for the queen2 secondly1 if the queen be found and killed1 there is a loss of nearly three weeks in the height of summer when no eggs are laid in the hive4 ,another method is to allow the hive to swarm and to return the swarm to its hive after destroying the queen4 ,but this plan1 too1 has the disadvantage of checking the supply of eggs4 ,the best method for all practical purposes is to re-queen after the honey-flow1 either with a home-reared queen or one purchased from a reliable breeder4 ,the old queen1 together with any queen cells in the combs1 must be removed three or four days before the new queen is introduced4 ,the easiest way to accomplish the introduction is by means of a queen-cage4 ,these are usually made of wood with three compartments1 in the inner two of which the queen is imprisoned4 ,the other is filled with soft candy4 ,this cage is placed over the frames in the hive and the queen is liberated by the bees eating a way through the candy4 ,by the time this is accomplished the queen will have acquired the scent of the hive and will be accepted as ruler by the community4 ,the hive should not be disturbed for at least four days after the introduction of the new queen4 ,illustration3 ,shaking a ,swarm ,driving ,bees4--,after the honey-flow is ended1 it becomes necessary to clear some of the hives and unite the bees with others4 ,the old method of dealing with this matter was the drastic and wasteful one of putting the hive over the sulphur pit and wiping out the bees4 ,the more economical1 as well as humane1 method of driving is now generally practised by the commercial bee-keeper4 ,driving is often accomplished immediately after the clover has finished flowering1 and the bees sold to the bee-keepers in the heather districts1 who are often glad to increase their stocks in readiness for the heather honey harvest4 ,in other cases the driven bees are used to strengthen weak hives4 ,in any case driving must be done before the autumn unless the bee-keeper is prepared to give the bees drawn-out combs and food to fill them with in preparation for the winter4 ,when driving is to be put into operation it is always advisable to remove the hive that is to be driven well away from the other hives1 for the operator is far more liable to be stung by the bees from them than by those to be driven4 ,an empty hive should be placed in the position occupied by the removed one3 this will serve to attract any stragglers and prevent their flying away4 ,another empty hive will also be required for the process1 which is commenced by turning the hive which contains the bees upside down4 ,over this is placed the empty one--which should be of the same size--and the edge nearest the end of the longest comb is fixed on the lower hive by means of a knitting needle thrust through both edges4 ,the opposite edges of the hives should be left about six inches apart1 being secured in that position by means of driving irons or strong pieces of hazel sharpened and stuck into the edge of both hives at a different angle from that of the knitting needle at the back4 ,it is advisable1 too1 to fix a tea-cloth or a piece of similar material1 so as to prevent the bees from running up the outside of the top hive4 ,the actual process of driving consists in tapping the sides of the lower hive to which the combs are fixed1 simultaneously with the hands4 ,if the bees are slow to run the taps may be given at shorter intervals1 while if they run freely the tapping may be lighter and slower4 ,as a rule the bees will fill themselves with food before leaving the combs and it may be necessary to use the smoker to dislodge the stragglers2 in this case only very slight blasts should be administered4 ,transporting ,bees4--,when hives are sent any distance care must be taken that ventilation is afforded above as well as below the bees4 ,the reason for this is obvious2 there must be a way for the escape of hot air which rises to the top of the hive4 ,this can be secured by placing coarse linen cheese cloth or a sheet of perforated zinc under a thin porous quilt4 ,all loose parts of a bar-frame hive should be made thoroughly secure before the hive is dispatched4 ,skep hives should be packed bottom upwards in a crate4 ,swarms and driven bees should be sent away as soon as possible after swarming and driving are completed1 for1 as we already have pointed out1 bees can only carry sufficient food to meet one day's requirements4 ,it should be an accepted rule1 therefore1 that when a hive is received from a distance the bees should be fed immediately4 ,when bees are moved about regularly from one district to another it is advisable that the hive should be fitted with a short alighting board and thus take up less space in the conveyance4 ,,chapter ,,viii ,feeding ,,in an erratic climate1 such as that of ,great ,britain1 bee-keeping includes among its duties that of bee-feeding at certain periods of the year1 if profit is to accrue4 ,it must be remembered that shortage of food when the bees are active means an inroad on their stores and a suspension of brood-rearing operations4 ,this applies most particularly to early spring when successful brood-rearing is absolutely necessary to ensure a profitable issue to the bee-keeper4 ,if1 therefore1 there is a shortage of food then1 the hive will be thrown backward to such an extent that the bees will have no time to gather surplus stores for the bee-keeper's benefit4 ,all their strength will go to supply the necessities of brood-rearing4 ,the honey-flow over1 with their store so small that it serves their needs but a short time--for much food is consumed in summer--the bees then begin the pernicious system of robbing other hives1 and thereby causing further trouble4 ,spring ,feeding4--,spring feeding1 therefore1 may be looked upon as a necessity for the bee-keeper out for profit4 ,it is then that the neglected hive so often succumbs after the community has existed safely through the winter4 ,i consider that outside feeding is by far the better method in the spring4 ,for one reason it is always risky to disturb the bees by inside feeding early in the year1 and there is always the certainty of admitting a draught of cold air to the hive4 ,another reason in favour of outside feeding is that it induces the bees to take exercise1 which is decidedly good for them after the winter seclusion1 and also keeps the young bees from wandering in search of food1 and thereby running the risk of getting lost4 ,the food should be placed on a shelf at a good height from the ground1 and in a warm situation1 well sheltered from cold winds4 ,protection1 too1 is necessary for the food2 a garden light reared against the house wall answers the purpose admirably4 ,the sun's rays passing through the glass will warm the food and make it more acceptable to the bees4 ,old honey in the combs is of course the ideal food for bees1 but where this is not available artificial food must be resorted to4 ,syrup ,food4--,all artificial syrup food should be made from pure refined cane sugar1 which supplies the bees with a substitute as near to the natural food as is possible4 ,syrup for spring feeding or stimulating should be made as follows3 ,cane sugar #aj lb4 ,water 7clean spring water preferably7 #g pints ,table ,salt #a oz4 ,vinegar #a tablespoonful ,this mixture must be boiled in a clean enamel saucepan and all scum that rises to the surface carefully removed4 ,some bee-keepers add a pinch of borax1 or some naphtha beta1 or other chemicals as preventives against disease1 but unless disease be actually rife in the district these additions are totally unnecessary1 especially in the spring of the year4 ,moreover they are liable to spoil the flavour of any surplus honey subsequently gathered by the bees4 ,it is only necessary to give each hive about one pint of syrup per week1 when spring feeding is commenced1 but after a few weeks the amount must be gradually increased4 ,the worker bee generally leaves the cell about #ba days after the egg has been deposited by the queen1 and as the young bee cannot leave the hive until she is a fortnight old1 an increased amount of food is required after each batch of brood is hatched4 ,artificial ,pollen ,food4--,many bee-keepers use artificial pollen in springtime for stimulating purposes4 ,this consists of finely ground pea or oat meal1 and is sprinkled among dry shavings or chaff in a box4 ,a good method of attracting bees to such supplies is to place the pollen1 etc41 in an old skep hive which retains some propolis1 or to place an old quilt in the box4 ,in any case this food supply must be kept in a sheltered spot as directed on page #hc4 ,water4--,a plentiful supply of clean water should be placed in the food shelter1 for the bees use large quantities in the brood-rearing operations4 ,in each gallon of water #b oz4 of table salt should be dissolved4 ,the water should be placed in a glass jar which should be covered with a saucer and then inverted4 ,should the saucer be deep1 some small pieces of wood or spent tea leaves should be placed in it to form alighting places for the bees4 ,another method of supplying water is to allow it to drip from a small barrel on to a sloping board4 ,when to ,stop ,spring ,feeding4--,artificial feeding must be stopped as soon as the bees are able to collect their natural supplies of nectar and pollen4 ,this is usually about the time when the sycamore blooms1 but in districts where crocuses or willows are plentiful it will be earlier4 ,autumn ,feeding4--,it is when the honey-flow is ended1 and there is no more natural nectar available for the bees1 that feeding must again be resorted to if the bees are to be saved through the winter4 ,the old method of allowing the bees to fend for themselves and stand the risk of starvation in the winter is now looked upon not only as unnecessarily cruel but absolutely wasteful4 ,the slight cost of feeding them is amply repaid by the strength of the stock when spring once more arrives4 ,when the bee-keepers are working up an apiary from swarms1 or driven bees1 autumn feeding is essential1 for it is very seldom that late swarms or driven bees are capable of securing sufficient winter stores without the assistance of the bee-keeper4 ,food given in autumn should contain less water than that given in the spring4 ,the reason for this needs but slight consideration4 ,in springtime when the days become increasingly warmer1 and the temperature of the hive increases with the growth of the population1 the bees need thinner food4 ,the increasing heat of the hive would ripen thick nectar or syrup too quickly and give the bees extra work in collecting water with which to thin the food for the brood4 ,in autumn1 however1 the tendency is to a falling temperature1 and1 though brood may be reared1 the temperature of the external atmosphere will keep that in the hive down to the normal4 ,syrup for autumn feeding made according to the following formula will be found to meet all requirements3-- ,cane ,sugar #aj lb4 ,water #e pints ,salt #a oz4 ,vinegar #a tablespoonful ,when feeding bees for the winter all supers of frames should be removed from the hives1 otherwise the bees are liable to form two clusters1 and it is generally the case in such an event that one of these falls a prey to cold when severe weather comes4 ,the supers above the brood-chambers should be removed before feeding is commenced4 ,if one is placed under the brood-chamber to give additional air-space the frames must be removed therefrom4 ,winter ,feeding4--,if in winter the bees should be short of food1 a cake of candy may be put in the hive1 placing it on pieces of wood resting on the frames4 ,the candy may be made in various ways4 ,if some is required at short notice it may be obtained by mixing some castor sugar with a little thin honey into a stiff paste4 ,if time will allow of the honey being heated so much the better1 for the candy will then keep in good condition for some time4 ,a candy used by many bee-keepers for winter feeding is made by boiling #e lb4 of cane sugar in a quart of water for about #ae or #bj minutes4 ,after the sugar has dissolved and the scum has been removed1 the mixture should be allowed to boil briskly without stirring4 ,in order to ascertain when it has boiled sufficiently1 a little should be taken in a spoon and dropped into a cup of cold water4 ,should it form into a soft ball on the bottom of the cup it is ready for dishing up2 if it mixes with the water1 the boiling must be continued4 ,it should be poured from the saucepan into a tin or enamelled pan to cool4 ,as soon as it is cool enough for one to bear one's finger in it1 it should be stirred until it is resolved into a stiff paste4 ,the stirring breaks up the coarse grains of sugar and thereby makes the candy more acceptable to the bees4 ,should the mixture1 on testing1 prove brittle or stringy it is evidence of over-boiling1 and more water must be added until it boils to the proper consistency4 ,a little honey may be added with advantage after the mixture has been removed from the fire--but not before1 or the whole will boil over and be wasted4 ,the honey will often prevent the candy from becoming too hard to be of use to the bees4 ,when ,bees ,refuse ,food4--,there are times when the bees will refuse to avail themselves of food1 and when such is the case it is certain that there is a reason for it4 ,the bee-keeper should try to ascertain what this may be without unnecessarily disturbing the bees and provided that the weather is suitable to an examination of the hive4 ,starvation is often a cause of bees declining the food1 or1 rather1 not availing themselves of it4 ,hives that have been purchased may be so short of food that the bees are too weak1 to exert themselves to get to the food supplied4 ,in such cases the application of a little heat to the hive will generally work1 wonders4 ,it may be done by warming some common bricks and placing them on the quilt1 after closing the entrance to the hive4 ,care must be taken that the bricks are not too hot or the combs will be melted4 ,such a proceeding will sometimes revive bees that are practically dying from starvation1 so that they will take full advantage of any food that is offered to them4 ,this remedy may be applied in spring to moribund hives4 ,fermenting or ,granulated food in the combs are other causes of the bees declining to take other food4 ,the first condition is usually brought about through excessive moisture in or around the hive4 ,honey that is gathered in late autumn1 or syrup that is supplied to the bees1 may not become sufficiently ripe in the cells to be sealed by the bees1 and fermentation ensues4 ,old ,honey ,stores4--,if when examining the hives in spring it should be found that there is any considerable quantity of dark coloured honey left over from their winter store it is advisable to persuade the bees to use it for brood-rearing4 ,the cells in such combs should be uncapped and placed near the centre of the brood-nest4 ,all old stores should thus be used up if possible1 otherwise they may spoil the colour and flavour of the new honey4 ,should anything be the matter with the hive or bees1 try to rectify it2 but1 if the case be hopeless1 burn or otherwise destroy the whole rather than run any risk of contamination to other bees from disease4 ,,chapter ,,ix ,how to ,secure the ,harvest of the ,hive ,,as already mentioned1 the use of the bar-framed hive is now considered essential to profitable bee-keeping1 and in previous chapters many hints have been given as to the working of certain details connected with it4 ,there are1 however1 matters connected directly with the gathering and harvesting of honey which have yet to be dealt with4 ,the ,use of ,comb-,foundation4--,one of the most important items in the working of the bar-framed hive is the comb-foundation to which reference was made on page #ce4 ,it is by its use that profit reaping is made possible to the bee-keeper4 ,where it is intended to work combs on the standard frame principle1 the foundation should be of the thick worker kind1 for if the bees are not inclined to wax-making they will often thin down the thick foundation to obtain the wax with which to draw out the cells4 ,in placing the foundations in the frames1 particular care should be taken to see that the latter are accurately square4 ,the foundation should be so placed that the angles of the cells point to the top and bottom of the frame1 and the cells run in parallel lines thereto4 ,the foundation must be fixed firmly in the frame1 and1 to secure this1 it is often advisable to drive one or two fine or inch nails through the top bar4 ,melted bees-wax should then be run in the sawgate for final security4 ,wiring ,frames4--,many bee-keepers wire the frames to secure a sure hold for the foundation4 ,personally ,i do not consider it necessary except under exceptional circumstances4 ,the great objection ,i have to it is that the wire is bound to rust in time1 more especially the parts that are not covered with wax1 and the rust is sure to affect the flavour of the honey4 ,it is well known that nothing is so detrimental to honey as contact with metal4 ,should wiring be considered necessary1 there are various ways of doing it4 ,some are content with two wires stretched across the width of the frame at equal distance from the top and bottom1 and others take the wires across the length from opposite corners4 ,in any case the wires must be pulled taut and embedded in the foundation4 ,a little implement known as an embedder is used for the purpose and has to be heated sufficiently to set the wire in the wax without unduly melting the latter4 ,an embedder can be made by rubbing or grinding obliquely the point of a fairly large nail and filing a small ,v-shaped groove at the end in which the wire can run4 ,hives of bees that contain frames recently fitted with foundation should not be moved if it can possibly be avoided1 for the foundation is apt to buckle under the heat of the hive and may easily break away under the strain of a sudden jerk4 ,section ,working4--,in working with sections for honey it is always advisable to use the thin foundation1 for if there is nothing for the bees to start work on they will build combs of all kinds and shapes among the sections2 many bee-keepers use drone foundation for the purpose4 ,with the view1 too1 of confining each comb to a section1 dividers 7see p4 #ca7 are placed between each row of sections4 ,the use of the queen excluder1 of course1 is absolutely necessary to the success of section working4 ,illustration3 ,section fitted with ,comb ,foundation ,illustration3 ,bees at work on a ,section ,it is often advisable when giving very strong stocks sections to work1 to place a super of shallow frames immediately above the brood-nest1 for the heat arising therefrom will often discolour the combs in the sections4 ,in any case1 to avoid this risk it is better to remove a crate of sections too soon rather than too late1 for1 in addition to the discoloration risk1 it must be remembered that so long as the combs remain in the hive the bees will continue to add to the thickness of the cappings4 ,as soon1 therefore1 as the cappings are sufficient to seal the cells effectually the crate of sections should be removed4 ,i do not advise the use of sections unless there is opportunity and facilities for the bees to fill these from one source1 for sections never look well if they contain vari-coloured honey1 and certainly the mosaic-like appearance consequent thereon is against them commercially4 ,the ,care of ,honey-combs4--,the bees should be encouraged to draw out as many honey-combs as possible during a slack time in the beginning of the year4 ,it means feeding the bees1 of course1 to do this1 but1 as brood-rearing is encouraged at the same time1 the feeding is to good purpose4 ,honey-combs are a valuable asset of the bee-keeper--a fact that is emphasised when we consider that it takes from #f to #bj pounds of nectar to produce one pound of comb4 ,great care therefore should be taken of them when not in use and precautions taken to preserve them from the attacks of mice1 moths1 and predatory insects4 ,in winter time they should be stored in an old hive in a dry situation1 and small pieces of camphor or naphthalene should be placed in the bottom of the hive and in a saucer over the frames4 ,mildew1 too1 has to be guarded against1 but slight attacks of it may be remedied by placing the combs either in the warmth of the sun or near a fire4 ,the ,honey4--,one very important fact to remember is that no combs should be removed from the hive until the cells have been sealed by the bees4 ,when the nectar is gathered and deposited in the cells it contains a certain proportion of water which must be evaporated before the honey is ready to be sealed4 ,the bees know precisely when the moment for sealing has arrived1 so that to secure the honey in good condition it is necessary to await this final operation4 ,the rule cannot be--and is not--observed by bee-keepers who are short of supers1 for they are often obliged to remove one from the hive1 take the contents1 and return it to the hive fitted with new frames4 ,this method of working is unsatisfactory from every point of view4 ,not only are the bees disturbed unnecessarily1 but the flavour of the honey is not so good if taken too soon from the hive4 ,moreover1 it is an accepted rule that honey should be extracted from the combs as soon as possible after it is taken from the hive1 and if a bee-keeper is to be continually interrupting his normal work to remove and extract honey1 he is giving himself far more trouble than is necessary if he is properly equipped4 ,it is1 therefore1 far better to leave the honey in the hive until the end of the honey-flow and deal with it as a whole4 ,,chapter ,x ,how to ,secure the ,harvest of the ,hive--7,cont47 ,extracting ,honey4--,the use of an extractor is a necessity to the bee-keeper who is working for profit1 for chief among its advantages is that the honey can be separated from the combs without breaking them4 ,uncapping4--,when uncapping the cells1 care should be taken to collect all the cappings in a tray or basket as they are removed1 and they should be melted down as soon as possible after the extracting is completed4 ,working the ,extractor4--,the side of the comb which contains most honey should be dealt with first1 and in placing the frame in the extractor it should be seen that the bottom bar faces the direction in which the spindle revolves4 ,the cells of the comb are usually built on an angle1 and the honey will be thrown out of them quicker in this way than if they were placed to catch the air4 ,great care is needed when extracting honey from new combs1 for they are exceedingly brittle4 ,it is generally advisable1 therefore1 to turn the handle very slowly at first1 and1 unless it runs very freely1 not to extract all the honey from a comb at the first operation4 ,by partially emptying the one side and then reversing the comb the pressure on it is relieved gradually and the risk of breakage avoided4 ,when the greater part of the honey has been extracted1 the speed of the revolutions of the cages can be increased without any danger to the combs4 ,all honey should be extracted from the combs as soon as possible after they are taken from the hive1 for it will run more freely then than after it has been allowed to stand and thicken1 while its flavour will be better retained4 ,when a large amount of honey has to be extracted1 the cleanest combs with the lightest honey should first be dealt with1 and before the darker honey is taken the other should be run through the strainer and put to ripen1 so that each kind shall be kept absolutely separate4 ,ripening ,honey4--,after extraction1 the honey should be placed in a suitable vessel in a warm room to ripen4 ,after it has stood for a few days the surface will be seen to be covered with a white scum--particles of wax and pollen--which should be removed as it forms4 ,the honey immediately below is thin and watery4 ,this is due to the proportion of water it contains1 and measures must be taken to get rid of this by evaporation1 or it will spoil the keeping property of the whole4 ,to seal up any of this thin honey is to ensure fermentation and disaster4 ,the very best vessels in which to ripen honey are the large earthenware cream pots that are glazed inside4 ,being to a certain extent porous they allow for the evaporation of excessive moisture4 ,they are1 too1 easy to clean and free from any possibility of metallic influence on the honey4 ,straining ,honey4--,strainers may be made of many variable materials from wire to muslin1 according to the preference of the bee-keeper4 ,personally ,i have found that the most serviceable and effectual strainer material is soft linen cheese-cloth1 and ,i would recommend that a good supply of it1 ranging from coarse to fine in quality1 should be kept by every apiarist for straining purposes1 when broken comb has become mixed with the honey4 ,when the operation is necessary and a considerable quantity of comb has to be removed1 the following method will be found to be both simple and effectual3 ,a piece of coarse cheese-cloth1 about four feet long1 with the ends gathered and tied1 should be held by two persons4 ,the honey is poured into the middle of the cloth1 under which is the vessel into which the honey is to drain4 ,as the thin honey escapes1 the cloth should be gently raised and lowered alternately at each end4 ,this movement causes the comb and wax to move first in one direction and then the other and accumulate into a ball which constantly gathers up the particles of wax that in the ordinary way clog the strainer4 ,by its weight and movement1 too1 it forces the honey through the cloth4 ,the old-fashioned strainers made from cheese-cloth in the shape of a fool's cap were effectual1 but slower in their action than the method ,i have described4 ,they had the advantage1 of course1 that they could be left to perform their work while other matters were attended to--an advantage to a cottage bee-keeper4 ,they were made by cutting a piece of cheese-cloth square and sewing up the cross-cut to about three parts of its length1 with one of the sides from the corner where they meet4 ,after the seam had been run1 the edge of the cloth was turned over and hemmed to prevent the escape of any particles of wax with the honey4 ,to ,strain ,dense ,honey4--,most bee-keepers have had experience of the difficulty of straining dense honey1 and most of them are agreed that the old-fashioned method of squeezing it through a strainer is far from satisfactory4 ,it is a tedious1 messy process1 calculated to try the patience and temper of the mildest of men4 ,the alternative method1 though not perfect1 is1 in my opinion1 far preferable4 ,this is of heating the honey by the water-jacket principle to reduce its density4 ,the great point in it1 of course1 is to apply just sufficient heat to affect the honey without melting the wax4 ,great care is needed in this respect1 for if the wax melts and mixes with the honey straining is hopeless and the sale spoilt4 ,when dealing with small quantities the vessel of honey can be placed in a pan of boiling water on the fire4 ,for larger quantities the extractor1 or a large milk-can--provided it be not galvanised--may be used1 and suspended over or in a copper full of boiling water4 ,it is advisable1 however1 not to heat more than three inches of honey at one rime1 for there is the liability of having the honey nearest the side of the vessel hotter sooner than that in the centre4 ,this may be obviated to a degree by stirring it while it is heating4 ,to avoid altogether the risk of overheating it is better first to warm the honey sufficiently for it to pass through a coarse strainer and then repeat the operation through a finer one4 ,storing and ,bottling ,honey4--,it is far better to keep honey in bulk than to store it in small bottles or jars1 for there is no question that the flavour is thereby retained to a greater degree4 ,it should be stored in a perfectly dry place1 for it has the property of absorbing moisture4 ,especially is this shown in connection with sections1 for they generally contain a few cells that are only partially filled or imperfectly sealed4 ,marketing ,honey4--,in dispatching honey it will be found that the tin vessels supplied by the appliance makers are the most convenient1 for they are light1 and1 if properly packed in a box or crate1 are not very liable to damage4 ,the bee-keeper who lives any distance from the market will find it more profitable to sell his honey in bulk rather than to bottle it for sale1 for1 after buying bottles1 allowing for carriage and breakages1 the small apparent advantage vanishes4 ,sections should be graded according to the colour of the honey and weight of the combs4 ,attractive cases may be obtained in which to place them1 but before being put therein the sections must1 of course1 be cleaned of all odd pieces of wax and propolis that are generally found adhering to them when taken from the hive4 ,bees-,wax4--,bees-wax is one of the byproducts and has a certain commercial value for the bee-keeper4 ,all pieces of wax1 however small1 comb and foundation1 should be carefully preserved1 and never wasted4 ,they should be stored in an air-tight tin box1 to secure them against the attentions of the wax-moth until such time as they can be melted down4 ,only comb of a very dark colour1 or such as has the cells thickly coated with linings of cocoons1 are not worth retaining and should be burnt forthwith4 ,before melting the wax1 it should be sorted approximately into light and dark varieties1 and each melted separately4 ,combs from the brood-nest should also be treated separately owing to the additional straining required by the wax obtained from that source4 ,wax extractors are made in many forms by various makers1 but for ordinary use nothing excels the common earthenware jam or preserve jars1 provided they are sound and free from cracks4 ,water should be added to the wax before it is treated1 or it will burn in the jar4 ,dark wax is saleable to tailors1 and the lighter quality to manufacturers of foundation4 ,,chapter ,,xi ,diseases of ,bees ,,to understand thoroughly the life of the bee as exhibited in the hive is all to the benefit of the bee-keeper2 for he will then quickly appreciate when matters are at all wrong with the bee communities in his care4 ,he realises the necessity for keeping his stocks up to their full strength1 for his knowledge tells him that they are better in every way for being numerically strong2 they then keep warmer1 consume less food proportionately than when the hive is weak1 and give a far better return in brood and honey4 ,there are many infectious diseases to which bees are liable1 most of which are due to bacilli and yeasts or ferments1 and which receive untold assistance from inferior or fermenting food and unclean conditions in the hive4 ,these1 then1 are two conditions against which the good bee-keeper is always on guard4 ,he is careful never to give fermenting honey1 or an excess of artificial pollen1 when natural food is scarce1 and especially to bar unsuitable food such as beet1 raw or ill-conditioned sugar1 and syrup4 ,he is scrupulous concerning the cleanliness of the hives1 and allows no accumulations of wax1 dirt1 dead bees1 or the presence of decaying matter of any kind4 ,most particular is he1 too1 to see that the roofs are thoroughly watertight1 for he knows that any leakage is bound to engender mildew in the quilts and consequent fermentation in the combs4 ,he believes in prevention rather than cure1 for he knows that the conditions of bee life tend to spread disease with lightning rapidity should it once get a hold in the hive4 ,its hundreds of inhabitants confined in such a small space1 each possessing air organs which penetrate every part of its system1 afford every advantage to the spread of microbic diseases4 ,should bees ever be seen vigorously fanning at the entrances to a hive without apparent cause1 it is a sure sign there is something wrong1 and examination should be made at once4 ,foul ,brood4--,this is the very worst scourge to which the bees are subject4 ,it is a disease that attacks the brood in the cells1 and1 as there are no young bees produced to take the place of those that die1 the hive is soon decimated4 ,the disease is easily identified1 for the whole of the cells attacked are perforated and of a brown colour1 and a most offensive odour is produced4 ,the disease is probably spread by bees from an infected hive taking refuge in others1 or by robber bees entering the infected one4 ,there is nothing to do when virulent foul brood is discovered but to burn the whole contents of the hive4 ,dysentery4--,this is a disease which principally affects the older bees and is generally caused by feeding too heavily on pollen--more particularly in winter time when proper exercise cannot be taken4 ,the symptoms are a distended abdomen1 which is filled with a yellowish brown substance that is discharged copiously4 ,in bad cases it is discharged on the combs4 ,the best remedy is to add an ounce of table salt to a quart or more of warm syrup and feed the bees outside in a sheltered spot4 ,isle of ,wight ,disease4--,this is one of the most mysterious and deadly diseases which affect bees4 ,further1 it attacks the hives in winter when circumstances are all in its favour4 ,large sums of money have been spent by bee-keepers1 and a vast amount of time and thought given by pathologists in the endeavour to trace its cause and remedy1 but hitherto without avail4 ,the usual symptoms are similar to those of dysentery1 with a loss of power of flight4 ,in attempting to fly1 an affected bee falls to the ground in a helpless condition4 ,as in dysentery1 however1 it is the older bees that are affected2 the brood and young bees seem immune4 ,it would seem1 therefore1 that the winter feeding on pollen has something to do with it4 ,probably because pollen is more of a natural food to them1 and because their air organs are not fully developed1 the disease does not affect the young bees through that channel4 ,there are many so-called remedies which claim to be efficacious1 but ,i have no faith in them except in very mild cases4 ,i fail to see how a remedy can be administered when a hive is attacked in mid-winter and the bees are clustered1 or when it reaches the stage when paralysis occurs4 ,in such a case there is nothing to be done short of destruction4 ,if1 however1 a bee-keeper should have reason to suspect the conditions of a hive1 and it is at all possible to feed it outside1 ,i would recommend that the method should be tried1 for no harm would be done and possibly a certain amount of good4 ,the food given should be thinner than usual--to counteract the effect of the farinaceous pollen food--and contain double the ordinary amount of salt4 ,the hive should be cleared of any dirt1 and the floor-board washed over with a weak solution of carbolic acid4 ,should the combs become full of syrup as the result of this feeding1 take some of them out and place them near the feeder1 replacing them with empty ones4 ,the outside feeding encourages the bees to take exercise1 which is all to their advantage1 but it is not permissible where there are large numbers of hives in the district4 ,in such a case a quilt of open material must be placed over the hive instead of the several thick ones1 and inside feeding adopted4 ,chilled ,brood4--,although this cannot in every instance be accounted a disease1 yet1 unless care be taken1 there is no knowing where an incipient case will end4 ,the cause is suggested by the name-- the brood in the cells becomes chilled1 and the effect is death4 ,as a rule1 when this has happened the cappings of the cells become black1 and the appearance of an affected comb is something akin to that presented by foul brood4 ,whenever a hive contains any quantity of chilled brood1 the bees should be given to another hive1 and the queen1 together with the combs1 destroyed1 unless the hive be a very strong one4 ,in such a case the worst half of the combs can be removed and their space filled with a dummy4 ,if new combs are added it will generally be found that it is merely to afford facilities to the spreading of the evil4 ,it is useless to add bees to an affected hive1 for they will immediately fly away from the danger zone4 ,,chapter ,,xii ,enemies of the ,bee and ,bee-keeper ,,bees1 and with them the bee-keeper1 are subject to annoyance and depredations from many enemies in the natural world4 ,some make direct attacks on the hive and their contents1 and others1 by destroying or interfering with the food supply of the bees1 sadly deplenish the stores for which the bees work and on which the bee-keeper's hopes rest4 ,among the former are insect-eating birds1 spiders1 moths1 and other insects4 ,prominent in the other class are bud-eating birds and the green fly4 ,thus it will be seen that in both classes the enemies of the bees are also those of the gardener1 so that no scruples need be felt in combating them with all the forces at our command4 ,the ,earwig4--,among the most tiresome of pests is the earwig4 ,the bar-framed hive seems to suit its requirements in every particular1 and an opportunity is apparently never lost by it to enter and take possession4 ,any empty combs that may lie within its purview are immediately commandeered for its own particular purposes--even when combs are kept for warmth in a super or section crate on the quilt inside the hive they are not safe from the ravages of this pest4 ,its eggs are deposited in the cells and the combs rendered useless4 ,one of the best traps for catching earwigs is the old-fashioned one of a plant-pot filled with moss and placed upside down on the end of a stake4 ,the pot and its contents should be dropped into boiling water at regular intervals of a few days4 ,mice4--,both house and field mice are included in the bee-keeper's black list4 ,their raids are seldom made in summer-time1 especially if the hives are up to strength1 but in winter it is no uncommon occurrence to find them in possession of a hive4 ,it is probably the sweet scent and suggestion of warmth that first attract them to explore the hive1 but once inside they begin the work of devastation4 ,they are keen after the farinaceous pollen and demolish the combs to get to their stores4 ,the only effective way to prevent the entry of mice is to place a piece of zinc perforated with holes just large enough to admit the passage of a bee1 along the entrance to the hive to a height of #c_/af of an inch4 ,moths4--,moths of various kinds choose the hive as a suitable place in which to deposit their eggs1 and the bee-keeper has need to keep a sharp lookout for the first evidence of their visitation1 for1 if not dealt with promptly1 disaster is sure to follow4 ,they generally deposit their eggs in loose bundles among the combs1 and immediately the grubs are hatched they commence operations on the cells1 which are rendered useless by their perforations4 ,the sawgate of the frame is a favourite lodging of the moth1 and the skep hive1 of course1 is a happy hunting ground for it4 ,the old-fashioned remedies--lavender flowers and camphor--are still esteemed the best for warding off moths1 though naphthalene and chemical solutions are without doubt equally effective4 ,ants4--,the fondness of ants for sweet things is sufficient explanation of their raids on the hives4 ,where they are numerous it is advisable to stand the legs of the hive in tins containing paraffin oil3 this is an effective means of preventing their climbing into the hives4 ,the ,blind ,louse4--,this is a parasite fairly common in this country1 and the bees1 both hive and wild varieties1 are favoured by it as hosts4 ,although it is said to be harmless1 it must be treated with suspicion1 and if its presence in a hive be detected steps should be taken to get rid of it4 ,if tobacco smoke be blown into the hive1 the parasite will loosen its tenacious grip and fall to the floorboard of the hive4 ,its destruction is then easy4 ,before the floor-board is replaced it should be washed with hot water into which a few drops of carbolic acid have been dropped4 ,pollen ,mites4--,amongst the smallest of the insects visible to the naked eye these little creatures work--as their name suggests--among the pollen stored by the bees4 ,they are about the size of a grain of pollen and prefer the pollen when it is damp either with honey or water4 ,it is a commendable practice to keep combs that contain pollen by themselves when they are not in use4 ,spiders4--,in this country the spider is not to be so dreaded by the bee-keeper as it is in hotter climates4 ,for cleanliness' sake1 however1 it is well to keep the hive clear of its webs4 ,green ,fly4--,it is the bee-keeper rather than the bee that has cause to dislike the green fly4 ,to the bee1 indeed1 the aphis ranks as great a friend as it does to the ant4 ,to both it is the excretion with which the aphis surrounds itself that is the attraction4 ,to the gardener and the bee-keeper1 however1 it is an abomination to be warred against by all means at command4 ,the excretion of the aphis1 popularly known as honeydew1 is white when at first sprayed out by the little creature1 but after it is stored by the bee in the comb its presence is marked by a dark patch in the honey1 and the bee-keeper knows that the latter is spoiled4 ,this dark colour is attributed to a fungus generated by the honeydew4 ,where large quantities of honeydew are contained in combs the most economical method of dealing with the latter is to give them to the bees for drawing-out combs1 for it is practically impossible to separate the honey1 and for commercial purposes the presence of honeydew is prejudicial4 ,occasionally honey that contains honeydew will crystallise1 sometimes to look like a sponge1 and in such cases the honeydew can be run off4 ,if not so treated it will ferment and permeate the candied honey4 ,wasps4--,when particularly numerous1 wasps become a source of anxiety to the bee-keeper1 and it is therefore to his interest to aid in keeping their numbers down as much as possible4 ,the usual method is to destroy the nests before the queens are hatched out--which generally occurs about the middle of ,september4 ,snails and ,slugs4--,here again the bee-keeper and the gardener are at one in their efforts against common enemies4 ,it is probably due to the trail of slime left by both slug and snail that the bees do not care to interfere with these intruders to the hive and leave them to roam about at their leisure4 ,the practice of using old honeycombs as bait or traps for these marauders is not to be commended1 for their fermenting contents near the hives is in no way good1 and may lead to ill1 for the bees4 ,where snails and slugs are troublesome it is better to raise the hives at least a foot from the ground and clear away all grass and weeds in their immediate neighbourhood1 sprinkling the ground with strong salt and water--or if the ground is to be fallowed1 dry salt may be used4 ,birds4--,for the most part birds are indirect enemies of the bees1 for they injure them by injuring the buds and flowers on which they draw for nectar4 ,finches and sparrows are the worst offenders in this respect4 ,a bird that often makes a direct attack on bees1 however1 is the blue-tit1 an insect-eating bird4 ,when the winter is severe1 and insects rare1 the blue-tit will venture to tackle bees4 ,its methods afford a curious instance of the adaptability of wild creatures to circumstances4 ,the general proceeding is for the blue-tit to alight on the front of a hive and tap gently with its beak at the entrance4 ,the tapping attracts the attention of the inmates1 and one is usually curious enough to investigate its cause4 ,the bird seizes it immediately1 flies off with it to a convenient branch1 and1 holding it down with one claw1 with a quick motion abstracts the sting organs4 ,that source of danger removed1 little ,billy ,bluecap proceeds to peck off the head--which he likewise discards--and to lay open the thorax1 the contents of which are all that he requires4 ,from this1 it is evident that blue-tits have developed an epicurean taste with regard to bees1 and1 when one has acquired it1 it is astonishing the number of bees it will demolish to satisfy its cravings4 ,when hives are liable to such raids1 perforated zinc1 or small strips of glass1 fixed on edge across the entrance will often serve to frighten the birds off4 ,another bird that raids directly on bees is the flycatcher1 one of the migratory birds which come here for breeding purposes4 ,their usual swooping movement when catching insects on the wing is not practised when bees are their objective4 ,it would seem that they avoid bees when flying4 ,when raiding them1 the bird alights at the back of the hive1 and rushing under the alighting board1 gathers up as many bees as he can from the ground in front of the hive4 ,it is quite possible that flycatchers could account for many a missing virgin queen4 ,the ,toad4--,perhaps it is hardly right to class the toad as an enemy to the bee1 seeing that the bulk of its food consists of insects that are injurious--either directly or through their larvae--to vegetable or plant life4 ,but1 inasmuch as it varies its diet with bees when they can be obtained1 we have included it in this list4 ,,index ,a ,,air-,,organs of bee1 #i1 #ad ,alighting board1 #bf1 #ha ,ammonia as remedy for bee-sting1 #ai ,antenn of bee1 uses of1 #ae ,ants in hives1 #aad ,aphis and bees1 #aaf ,artificial pollen1 #he ,autumn feeding1 #hg-h ,b ,,bar frame1 advantages of1 #bh2 how to handle1 in hive1 #fj1 #gd ,bar-framed hive1 working for profit and1 #d2 comb formation and1 #ce2 how to transport1 #ha2 essential to profit-making1 #ic2 how to work1 #ib et seq4 ,bee-bread1 #ef ,bee escapes1 #cb ,bees1 as heat producers in hive1 #e2 and swarming1 #h1 #dd1 #fh2 metamorphosis of1 #ac2 anatomy of1 #ac-i2 sting of1 #ah2 and fowls1 #ai2 stingless1 #ai2 scent of1 #df-g2 and comb-making1 #ej2 and varnish1 #ea2 and cross fertilisation of flowers1 #ec2 and honey gathering1 #ed-e2 and pollen1 #ef-g2 treatment of chilled1 #eh2 manipulation of1 #eh-i2 how to stimulate1 #fe2 and reserve food1 #gb1 #ha2 how to drive1 #gi2 how to transport1 #ha2 when food is declined by1 #hi2 diseases of1 #ajf et seq42 enemies of1 #aab et seq4 ,bees-wax1 how formed1 #di-ej1 #ib2 value of1 #ajd2 how to melt and sort1 #ajd-e ,birds and the bee-keeper1 #aag ,blind louse and bees1 #aae ,blue-bag as remedy for bee sting1 #i ,blue-tit and bees1 #aah ,brood-chamber1 #bf2 when to expand1 #fa2 standard frames from1 as super1 #gc ,brood-nest1 choked1 treatment of1 #fg ,brood-rearing1 artificial feeding1 and1 #ff2 time of commencement of1 #ff2 use of old honey stores in1 #ij-a ,brushes1 best form of1 #da ,c ,,calico1 unbleached1 for quilt1 #cc ,camphor1 use of1 in hives1 #db1 #if1 #aad ,canadian feeders1 #cg ,candy1 for winter feeding1 #hh ,carbolic acid1 use of1 as disinfectant1 #db ,carbolic cloths1 how to use1 #dj-a ,carr1 ,w4 ,b41 and self spacers1 #bh1 #bi ,cells1 queen1 #f1 #h1 #gd2 drone1 cappings of1 #ab1 #ac2 shapes of1 #di ,cheese-cloth as strainer1 #ajj ,chilled brood1 #aaj ,chyle food1 #g1 #i1 #ej-a ,cleanliness1 necessity for1 #ch1 #fa1 #ga1 #ajg ,comb-foundation1 and drone rearing1 #ab2 varieties of1 and how to use1 #ce2 how to use old1 #cf2 and wax-making1 #ej2 how to use1 #ib-c2 handling of hives containing1 #id ,confidence1 necessity for1 #eh ,d ,,disinfectants1 #db ,doubling stocks1 method of1 #fb ,driven bees1 taking old queen from1 #fe ,driving1 method of1 #gi ,drone1 the1 and mating1 #g1 #aa2 life history of1 #aa2 how to keep down number of1 #ab2 period of incubation of1 #ac2 comb-foundation and breeding of1 #ce2 cells of1 #di2 means of escape from super for1 #gd ,dummy1 how used1 #cb1 #fa ,dysentery1 symptoms of1 and remedy for1 #ajh ,e ,,earwig and bees1 #aab ,embedder1 a simple1 #id ,enemies of bees1 #aab ,excessive swarming1 remedy for1 #gc ,excluder1 zinc1 #cf1 #gd1 #gf ,extractor1 necessity for1 #ch2 how to work1 #ih-i ,eyes of bee1 #af ,f ,,fanning as a sign of trouble in hive1 #ag1 #ajg ,feeders1 varieties of1 and how to use1 #cg ,feeding1 circumstances in which it is useless1 #e2 varieties of feeders1 #cg2 use of propolis in1 #eb2 when necessary1 #fa1 #ha2 weak stocks1 #fc2 inside1 #fd2 to encourage brood rearing1 #ff2 after supering from brood-chamber1 #ge2 necessity of1 in spring1 #hb2 method of1 in spring1 #hc2 syrup food1 #hd2 artificial pollen food1 #he2 water in1 #he2 when to stop1 in spring1 #hf2 in autumn1 #hf2 in winter1 #hh2 injurious1 #ajg2 in cases of suspected disease1 #aji ,fermentation in hive1 #ah1 #ij ,float-feeders1 #cg ,flowers and bees1 #ec ,flycatcher and bees1 #aai ,formic acid1 in bee sting1 #ai ,fold brood1 #ah2 symptoms of1 #ajg ,fuel for smoker1 #dj ,g ,,gloves1 use of1 #dc1 #ei ,green-fly and bees1 #aae ,h ,,heather honey1 shallow frames and1 #cj2 colour and flavour of1 #ee2 extraction of1 #ef ,hive1 bees as heat producers in1 #e2 bees and ventilation of1 #ag2 hints on selection of1 #ba2 the skep1 #bb2 disadvantages of wooden1 #bd2 size of1 #be2 floorboard of1 #bf2 brood-chamber1 #bf2 queen-rearing1 #cc1 #ge2 observation1 #cd2 scent of1 #df2 position of1 #eh2 how and when to clean1 #fa2 weak1 #fa2 for swarm1 #ga2 re-queening of1 #ge1 #gg2 transport of1 #ha2 heating when bees are starved in1 #ij2 dangers of fermenting food in1 #ij2 use of old honey-stores in1 #ij-a2 mice in1 #ah1 #aac ,honey1 what it is1 #dh2 flowers and nectar for1 #ed2 influence of source of on colour1 #ee2 flavour of1 #ee2 formation and sealing of1 #if2 extraction of1 #ig-i2 ripening1 #ii2 straining1 #ajj-b2 storing and bottling1 #ajc2 marketing1 #ajc ,honeycomb1 composition and purpose of1 #dh-i2 care of1 #ie1if2 removal from hive of1 #if-g ,honey dew1 #aaf ,honey press1 #ci ,i ,,imps for skep hive1 #bc ,incubation1 period of1 #ac ,isle of ,wight disease1 #ajh ,j ,,jaws of bee1 how used1 #ag ,l ,lime honey1 colour of1 #ee ,m ,,metamorphosis of bees1 #ac ,methylated spirit1 as remedy for bee sting1 #ai2 bees' objection to1 #ai1 #ea ,mice and hives1 #ah1 #aac ,mildew1 in honeycombs1 #if2 in quilts1 #ajg ,modern methods1 necessity for1 #c ,montbretia leaves1 brushes of1 #da ,moths in hives1 #aad ,n ,,naphthalene as disinfectant and insecticide1 #db1 #if1 #aad ,nucleus hives1 #cc ,o ,,observation hives1 #cd ,onion as remedy for bee-sting1 #ai ,outside feeding1 advantages of1 #hc2 method of1 #hc-d2 in cases of suspected disease1 #aji-aj ,p ,,pollen1 and worker bees1 #aj2 bees as transferrers of1 #ec2 how used by bees1 #ef2 artificial1 #he ,pollen-baskets of bee1 #af1 #ef ,pollen mites1 #aae ,porter escape1 #cb ,prevention of swarming1 #gb ,profit1 necessities to secure1 #c1 #cf1 #ch ,propolis1 on old quilts1 #cc1 #eb2 what it is1 #ea2 excess of1 #ea-b2 use of1 in artificial feeding1 #eb1 #he ,q ,,queen bee1 life history of1 #e-g2 chyle food and1 #g2 mating of1 #g2 egg-laying capacity of1 #g2 virgin1 and unfertile eggs1 #g1 #ab2 and swarming1 #h1 #dd1 #fh1 #gj2 size of1 #h2 how to prevent rearing of1 #h2 period of incubation of1 #ac2 susceptibility to cold of1 #ad2 hives for rearing1 #cc2 excluder1 #cf2 scent of1 #dh2 shape of cell of1 #di2 wing-clipping of1 #gb2 exclusion of1 from super1 #gd2 rearing of1 #ge ,queen-cage1 #gh ,queen excluders1 #cf2 use of1 in driving1 #fe2 use of1 in supering1 #gd1 #gf ,queen-rearing hives1 #cc1 #fe1 #ge ,queen-rearing1 methods of1 #ge ,quilt1 its use and material1 #cb-c ,r ,,ringing the swarm1 #fh ,ripening honey1 method of1 #ii ,rot in wood hives1 #bd ,rot preventers1 #be ,rust1 and frame ends1 #bi2 and frame wires1 #ic ,s ,,scent of bees1 #df et seq4 ,sections1 shallow frames and1 #ca2 how made1 #ca2 how to work1 #id2 how to market1 #ajd ,self-spacers for bar frames1 #bh ,shaking1 a swarm1 #gj2 frames1 #gd ,shallow frames1 #cj ,skep hive1 development of1 #bb2 uselessness of1 in modern practice1 #bb2 how taken1 #bc2 imp and super for1 #bc2 its immunity from fungus and rot1 #bd2 how to pack for transport1 #ha ,slow feeders1 #cg ,slugs and the bee-keeper1 #aag ,smoker1 object and use of1 #ci-dj2 how to use1 #ei1 #hj ,snails and the bee-keeper1 #aag ,soda as remedy for bee sting1 #ai ,spiders in hives1 #aae ,spring feeding1 #hc-f ,standard frames1 sizes of1 #bh2 ends for1 #bh-i1 #fj2 how to hang1 #bi2 wide-shouldered1 #bi2 as super1 #bi1 #ge2 comb foundation and1 #ib2 wiring1 #ia ,starvation1 symptoms of1 #hi ,stimulating1 process of1 #fe ,sting of bee1 as weapon of defence1 #ah2 remedy for1 #ai2 scent of1 #dg2 safeguards against1 #ei ,stingless bees1 #ai ,straining honey1 #ajj-b ,super1 and queenless stock1 or weak hive1 #e2 for skep1 #bc2 standard frames as1 #bi2 shallow frames as1 #cj2 what it is1 #ca2 for use with choked brood-nest1 #fg2 of standard frames from brood-chamber as1 #gc2 removal of1 for winter feeding1 #hg2 in section working1 #ie ,swarm1 how to handle the1 #de1 #fi2 virgin1 #de2 ringing the1 #fh2 shaking the1 #gj2 first1 #ga ,swarming1 cause of1 #h1 #dd2 signs of1 #dd-e2 times of1 #de2 scent in1 #df2 excessive1 #gb2 prevention of1 #gb ,syrup food1 recipes for1 #hd1 #hg ,t ,,tongue of bee1 uses of1 #ae ,trache1 #i1 #ad ,transporting bees1 methods of1 #ha ,u ,,uncapping1 #ih ,uncapping knives1 how to use1 #ch ,uniting stocks1 method of1 #fd ,v ,,varnish1 and bees1 #ea ,veil1 how to use1 #db-c1 #ei ,ventilation of hive1 #ag1 #ha ,virgin queen1 and unfertile eggs1 #g2 swarm1 #de1 #gj ,w ,wasps and the bee-keeper1 #aaf ,water1 necessity for providing1 #he2 in autumn feeding1 #hg ,weak hive1 #fa2 robbery from1 #fb2 treatment of1 #fb-e ,white clover honey1 colour of1 #ee ,wings of bee1 arrangement and uses of1 #ag ,wiring of frames1 methods of1 #ic ,worker bee1 description of1 #h2 occasional fertility of1 #h1 #ab2 life history of1 #h1 #aj2 and pollen1 #aj2 as honey-gatherer1 #aj2 period of incubation of1 #ac1 #he2 sensibility to cold of1 #ad2 cells of1 #di2 and pollen1 #ef-g ,,printed ,,by ,,cassell ,,company1 ,,limited1 ,,la ,,belle ,,sauvage1 ,,london1 ,e4,c4 99 99 99 99 99 ,transcriber ,note ,minor typos corrected4 ,text moved to prevent splitting of paragraphs by image placement4 ,hyphenation or lack thereof1 were left as in the original4