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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/19319-8.txt b/19319-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7bb8f83 --- /dev/null +++ b/19319-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1906 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, A Description of the Bar-and-Frame-Hive, by +W. Augustus Munn + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: A Description of the Bar-and-Frame-Hive + With an Abstract of Wildman's Complete Guide for the Management of Bees Throughout the Year + + +Author: W. Augustus Munn + + + +Release Date: September 18, 2006 [eBook #19319] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A DESCRIPTION OF THE +BAR-AND-FRAME-HIVE*** + + +E-text prepared by Steven Giacomelli, David Garcia, and the Project +Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team (https://www.pgdp.net/) from +page images produced and generously made available by the Core Historical +Literature in Agriculture collection of Cornell University +(http://chla.library.cornell.edu/) + + + +Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this + file which includes the original illustrations. + See 19319-h.htm or 19319-h.zip: + (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/9/3/1/19319/19319-h/19319-h.htm) + or + (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/9/3/1/19319/19319-h.zip) + + Images of the original pages are available through the + Core Historical Literature in Agriculture collection of + Cornell University. See + http://chla.library.cornell.edu/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=chla;idno=5017637 + + + + + +A DESCRIPTION OF THE BAR-AND-FRAME-HIVE, + +Invented by + +W. AUGUSTUS MUNN, ESQ. + +With an Abstract of Wildman's Complete Guide for the Management +of Bees Throughout the Year. + + + + + + + + Ipsa autem, seu corticibus tibi suta cavatis, + Seu lento fuerint alvearia vimine texta, + Angustos habeant aditus; nam frigore mella + Cogit hiems, eademque calor liquefacta remittit. + + Virgil, _G. lib._ iv. + + +London: +John Van Voorst, Paternoster Row. +M.DCCC.XLIV. + +London +Printed by S. & J. Bentley, Wilson, and Fley, +Bangor House, Shoe Lane. + + + + +PREFACE + + +Having been frequently requested to explain the use of the +_bar-and-frame-hive_, in the management of bees, I have been induced to +print the following pamphlet, to point out the advantages this new hive +possesses over the common ones. + +I have added extracts from various authorities to show the importance +of transporting bees for a change of pasturage, and thus prolonging the +honey harvest. Regarding the natural history of the bee, I have merely +stated a few of the leading facts connected with that interesting +subject, drawn from Wildman's Book on Bee-management. + +_London, April, 1844._ + + +[Illustration: PLATE I. _FIG. 1._] + + + + +EXPLANATION OF THE PLATE. + + +PLATE I, FIGURE 1. + + +A B C D E F and E F, the oblong box as shown in fig. 1, Plate I. + +A B C D, the top lid of the oblong box; G H, the half of it made to fall +back, and supported at an angle by the hinges, _h h_; _l_, the upper +part of the lock of the box; _i k_, the two gable ends of the roof; _i_, +the perforated zinc shown as secured in a triangular frame; and _k_, the +outside appearance of the ventilator. + +Q Q, the two quadrants, supporting the table, I J, which is formed by +the side of the box, A C E E, being let down; _a a a_, &c., fifteen +holes made to receive the back bolt, _m_, of the observation-frame, Z; +_b b_, two bolts to fasten into the holes, _c_ and _d_, when the table +I J, is closed, _f_, being the other part of the lock. + +T, one of the handles of the box (the other not seen). + +U, one of the blocks (the other not shown) to keep the bottom of the box +from the ground, when the four legs L L L L, are unscrewed from the four +corners of the box. + +X X B D, the front of the box; _e_, the alighting board, four inches +wide, extending the whole length from F to F; X _2_, shows a small ledge +to keep the wet from entering the bee-box, and X I, one of the slides +_s_, drawn out, and extending beyond the end of the box; the other half +slide, _s_, on the _left_ hand side, not drawn out in the sketch, the +part under X 1, shows the opening for the ingress and egress of the bees. + +R, one of the two pieces of red cedar at the inside of the box, fixed at +the ends, E F. E F. The Q Q, quadrants being made to work between the +red cedar and the outer case or box; _v v_, the fillet fixed in the +length of the box, on a level with the tops of red cedar; _c d_, the +holes for the bolts _b b_, in the table I J. + +W W, pieces of perforated zinc laid upon the tops of the bee-frames +resting on the fillets, _v v_. + +1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, six of the 15 grooves, half an inch deep, 9-1/2 long, +and 1-1/2 of an inch broad, formed on the floor-board: the holes shown +in the floor-board above the figures being made for the reception +of the two pins, _a b_, in the observation-frame. No. 8, shows the +"division-frame" run into the eighth groove of the floor-board, and +No. 14 and 15, the bee-frames run into their respective grooves, and +the 1-1/8 of an inch openings in the back closed by the slips of tin, +_q q q q_, &c. + +Y Y, the bar of mahogany with corresponding grooves, X X X X, &c. to +those on the floor-board, at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, and 15-2/8 holes for +the top bolt, _r_, of the observation-frame, Z, to fix into. _t, t, t_, +the screw nuts at the backs of the bee-frames, &c., for the screw at the +end of the spindle, S, to work into, and thus hold and draw out of the +grooves the bee-frames; _w_, the bee-frame containing comb and bees, +drawn partly into the observation-frame, Z. + + + + + + +A DESCRIPTION OF THE BAR-AND-FRAME-HIVE. + + + + +THE BAR-AND-FRAME-HIVE. + + +By first giving a general description of the "bar-and-frame-hive," +the details of its construction can be better explained afterwards. + +An oblong box is formed of well seasoned wood of an inch in thickness, +about thirty inches long, sixteen inches high, and twelve inches broad; +but the size may be varied to suit the convenience or taste of different +apiarians. Instead of the lid of the box being flat, it is made in the +shape of the roof of a cottage, and with projecting eaves to throw +off the wet more effectually. One of the long sides of the box is +constructed to open with hinges, and to hang on a level with the +_bottom_ of the box, and is held up by means of two quadrants. As many +grooves, half of an inch broad, half an inch deep, and about 9-1/2 +inches long, are formed, 1-1/8 of an inch apart, in the inside of the +bottom of the box as its length will admit. + +In the other side, a long half inch slip is cut for the egress and +ingress of the bees, having a piece of wood about an inch thick, and +four inches wide, fastened on the outside, just under the opening, to +form the alighting board for them. + +At the top, of the side of the box which is made to let down, a four +inch piece of mahogany the length of the inside of the box is secured +in, having corresponding grooves formed, half an inch broad, 1-1/8 of an +inch deep, and half an inch apart, to those made in the bottom of the +box, leaving just _twelve_ inches between the bottom grooves and the +upper bar grooves. + +When the four legs are screwed into the four corners of the box, the +small "bee-house" is ready for the reception of the "bee-frames" and +the bees. The "bee-frames" are made of half inch mahogany, being twelve +inches high, nine inches long, and not more than half of an inch broad, +so that these frames will fit into the box, sliding into fifteen grooves +formed on the bottom, and kept securely in their places by the upper +grooves in the mahogany bar. + +When the fifteen, or whatever number of the bee-frames intended to be +used, have been run into the grooves, sheets of perforated zinc are +placed on the tops of them; the 1-1/8 of an inch openings at the backs +of the frames being closed with slips of tin. + +One of the bee-frames is made solid, with sheets of zinc being fixed +in it; this frame can then be used as a divider between any number of +the bee-frames, and thus form the box into two compartments, either to +augment or diminish the space in the box according to the size of the +swarm, or the increasing wants of the bees for more room. + +The bees are then introduced into the hive (having first closed the +backs of the bee-frames with the slips of tin, and fastened the side +lid of the box against them, and also removed one of the sheets of +perforated zinc from the tops of the bee-frames) by dislodging the bees +from the straw-hive in which they had been previously collected, or +shaken from the boughs of the tree, where they may have settled, so as +to fall upon the tops of the frames within the box; when the bees have +all congregated within the bee-frames by crawling through the open +spaces at the top, the perforated sheet of zinc is placed over them; the +bees can then only escape through the long slip or entrance which was +made for them in the front of the box. + +The top lid can be closed and locked, when the bees will be secure from +the gaze of the inquisitive, or the bad intentions of thieves. + +Before I proceed to give any directions for the construction of the +"bar-and-frame-hive" I am _anxious_ to _warn_ all amateur carpenters, +and those who delight to superintend the labours of a "cheap working +country carpenter," against the fatal error of using unseasoned wood; +for, unless the "bottom board" and the "bee-frames" are made of +mahogany, or some well-seasoned, hard, or close-grained wood, the +advantages of the bar and frame-hive will be quite destroyed, as the +great object is to have the bee-frames to slide in and out of the +grooves with the _greatest facility_. Throughout the whole of the making +of the hive or box, no glue should be used, unless further secured with +small SCREWS OR NAILS.[1] + +[Footnote 1: Mr. John Milton of No. 10, Great Marylebone-street, has +some well constructed bar and frame bee-hives of various prices.] + +The oblong box, A B C D, E F and E F (Plate I, fig. 1), is to be made of +well-seasoned poplar, fir, or deal, of an inch in thickness; the inside +dimensions are 28 inches and 5/8 of an inch long from A to C, 10-1/2 +inches broad from A to B, and sixteen inches deep from A to E. + +The top lid A B C D is formed in the shape of a common roof, and made +to project an inch, before, behind, and at the two gable ends, like the +eaves of a cottage to throw off the wet. + +The half of this roof G H, is made to open and fall back with hinges +_h h_. + +The two gable ends of the roof have holes cut in them, _i, k_, to admit +the circulation of air; and secured with perforated zinc withinside to +prevent the intrusion of wasps, or any other enemies to bees; the gable +marked _i_, shows the perforated zinc framed into the gable, and _k_ the +outside appearance of the ventilator. + +The side of the box marked A C E E, is made to let down and form a table +I J, hung on hinges P P, and supported by the quadrants Q Q, one inch +_below the level of the bottom board_. + +Two handles are fixed in the ends of the box, one shown in the sketch +at T. + +Two blocks of wood are screwed on the bottom of the box (one shown at U) +to keep it off the ground, &c., when the four legs, L L L L, at the four +corners of the box are unscrewed for the convenience of packing, &c. In +the opposite side or front of the box at X X, is fixed a piece of board +_e_, four inches broad, and an inch thick, extending the whole length +from F F; this is secured at an angle with the bottom of the box, so as +to form a slightly inclined plain _e_, for the alighting board, which +would be always dry for the bees to land upon. A half inch opening is +made from F to F, just above the alighting board, for the ingress and +egress of the bees. Slides are made _s s_, to regulate the extent of the +openings, or to entirely close the entrance to the box; these slides can +be drawn out when it is necessary to clean the bottom board, &c. + +Within-side the box, two pieces of red cedar of half an inch in +thickness, 12-1/8 inches long, 9-1/2 inches broad, are nailed on to +each end at E F, and E F (one of the pieces of red cedar shown at R). +The quadrants, Q Q, being made to work between them and the outer case. +A fillet, _v v_, is fastened on a level with the tops of the two pieces +of red cedar, to form a ledge of about a 1/4 of an inch all round, to +support the sheets of perforated zinc, as shown at W W. + +Sixteen pieces of mahogany, 1-1/8 of an inch broad, and half an inch +deep, are to be screwed to the mahogany floor board, commencing against +the piece of red cedar, R, and leaving a space between each piece, half +of an inch, and finishing against the other piece of red cedar with the +last; there will then be formed fifteen grooves, half of an inch in +width, half an inch in depth, and 9-1/2 inches long on the floor-board +as shown at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. + +A bar of mahogany, Y Y, about two inches square, having grooves, +X X X X, &c., corresponding to those on the floor-board, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, +6, &c., is let in, and fastened between A and C, having a clear space of +twelve inches between the floor-board, and this top bar; the object of +these grooves being to receive, and keep steadily in their places, the +fifteen bee-frames, when introduced into them. + +[Illustration: _Fig. I._] + +The "bee-frames" are made of mahogany, nine inches long, twelve inches +high, and half an inch broad. Each frame is _dove-tailed_ to make it +strong at the angles, and to keep it true; the upper part is formed of +one inch mahogany, and _bevelled_ off (as the carpenters call it) to the +eighth of an inch, in the centre, as shown at _a_, fig. 1: on the two +sides of this triangular bar, _b b_, pieces of glass, extending the +length of the bar, are fixed with red lead. The two sides of the frame, +_d, d_, are to increase in size, from half an inch at the top, to 1-1/2 +inches at the bottom. The bottom piece, _c_, is half an inch in depth. +The back of each frame has a piece of tin, about the thickness of a +card, fixed on it, of the exact size, viz. twelve inches long, and half +an inch broad, _e, e_. In the centre of the back of each frame, _f_, +a screw-nut is let in, which is made to fit a screw at the end of a +long spindle, S, Plate I, fig. 1. This spindle with a handle, Z, will +screw equally well into the screw-nuts of the fifteen bee-frames and +division-frame. The use of this spindle being, to draw in and out of the +grooves the fifteen bee-frames when required. When the bee-frames have +been put into the grooves in the box, slips of tin about thirteen inches +long, and and a half broad, are slipped into their backs (being run in +between the backs of the bee-frames, and the pieces of thin tin fixed +upon them), to close the 1-1/8 of an inch openings. And three or four +sheets of perforated zinc are laid upon the tops of the bee-frames, +resting on the fillets. Thus, then, when a swarm of bees has been +introduced into this box, the bees have to build their combs within +the fifteen bee-frames, or whatever number may have been run into the +grooves for that purpose. The bees cannot escape from above the frames, +as the sheets of perforated zinc prevent them, nor from the 1-1/8 of an +inch openings at the backs of the frames, as they have been closed with +the slips of tin; the only open part being the long narrow slip, just +above the alighting board, which was originally left for their ingress +and egress. + +The division-frame is made of half inch mahogany, twelve inches high, +9-1/2 long, and half of an inch broad. So that it will run into any of +the grooves formed for the bee-frames; but made to fit close to the box +at the end, by means of a slip of wood, C C, fig. 2, to prevent the bees +crawling between the frame and the outer-box, as they can do round the +bee-frames. + +[Illustration: _Fig. II._] + +The division-frame itself is closed by having two sheets of zinc run +into it as shown in fig. 2, the one marked _b b b b_, and partly drawn +out, being of solid sheet zinc; and _a a_, the other in the frame, of +perforated zinc; _d_, being the screw-nut (like those in the bee-frames) +by means of which it can be drawn out into the observation-frame, &c. +Thus, wherever this division-frame is run into the bee-box, (except of +course at No. 1, and No. 15 grooves) it cuts off all communication with +the bee-frames on the right or left of it; and two colonies of bees may +be kept in the same box, and still have distinct frames to work upon, +and separate entrances, &c. + +If then bees have been put into one of the bar-and-frame-hives, and +sufficient time has been given them to build their combs within "the +bee-frames," the frames with their contents can be drawn out into the +"observation-frame," (which will be more fully described) whenever it +is wished to examine the bees, &c., as the 1-1/8 of an inch spaces +between the grooves will allow of a sufficient distance to be preserved, +between the lateral surfaces of the perpendicular combs formed in the +"bee-frames," and thus permit them to slide by each other with facility. + +[Illustration: _Fig. III._] + +The "observation-frame," fig. 3, is a mahogany frame, fourteen inches +high, eleven inches long, and about four inches wide, having a single +groove half an inch deep, and half an inch broad, running within its +whole length of eleven inches. The two largest sides have panes of glass +fixed in them with small brads. The top, bottom, and one end (this end +forming the back) of this frame, are made of solid wood; the back having +a small hole, _f_, 2/8 of an inch in diameter in the middle, to allow +the spindle before mentioned to pass through it. The end which forms the +front of the frame is open, so that any one of the bee-frames can be run +into the observation-frame, but may be closed by a piece of tin (_d_) +being slipt into the small grooves at _c c_. The observation-frame has +two pins, _a, b_, to fit into the 2/8 holes made along the bottom board +of the bee-box, shown by the figures, 1, 2, 3, &c., see Plate I, fig. 1, +and also two small bolts _r_ and _m_; _r_, the upper one to fix into the +holes above X X X, &c., in the mahogany bar; (but this bolt is only used +during the operation of drawing out the bee-frames into the observation +frame); and the other bolt _m_ at the back of the frame, to fasten into +the 2/8 holes, _a, a, a_, &c., made in the lid, I J. When the two pins +and the bolts of the observation-frame have been adjusted and fixed, the +groove in it will be in a straight line with one of the grooves formed +in the bottom board of the box, consequently a bee-frame can be made to +slide, by means of the long spindle, in and out of the box, into the +observation-frame. + +The use of this "observation frame" must now be explained more fully: +the top lid of the bee box, Plate I, fig. 1. G. H. being thrown up, +will screen the "operator" from the bees, which are flying in and out +in the front of the hive or box. The back lid, I. J., is let down, and +supported by the quadrants Q. Q., and forms a table, the box having been +raised from the ground by the four legs, L L L L. The observation frame +is placed opposite to whichever bee-frame is to be examined; the two +pins, _a, b_, fig. 3, running into the holes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, &c., made +in the bottom board. The small bolts, Plate I, secured at the top, as +at _r_, and the back _m_: the long spindle, S, is run through the 2/8 +hole in the back of the observation frame, as at Z, and the end of the +spindle screwed into the screw socket _t_, at the back of the bee-frame +_w_; the two pieces of tin on the right and left of the bee-frame are +pulled out (of course the observation frame being empty, and having the +piece of tin from its front taken out), the operator holding by the +handle, _z_, of the spindle, gradually draws out the bee-frame into the +observation frame, and after examining the bees and comb, gently returns +the bee-frame into its groove in the floor-board: the two slips of +tin are then replaced in the backs of the bee-frames: the spindle is +unscrewed and withdrawn, the bolts are unfastened, the observation frame +being kept firmly in its place, held by the left hand of the operator, +whilst with the right he runs in the long slip of tin, _d_, fig. 3, into +the front of the observation frame, to keep the bees (escaped from the +returned bee-frame), until the observation frame is again fixed opposite +to another bee-frame, when the tin is withdrawn and the bolts fastened +as before. It has been shown that by these means, each bee-frame, and +the bees and comb contained in it, can be easily drawn out and examined, +without interfering with any other part of the hive, or occasioning the +loss of a single bee. + +The whole of the interior of the hive is thus open to inspection at any +moment, and a choice can be made of the combs containing the most honey, +or the bee owner enabled to trace the devastation of the honey moth, +and ascertain the presence of any other enemy, and this without the +assistance of smoke, which must be injurious both to the bees and their +brood. + +When the bee-frame is returned and secured, the observation-frame is +removed; then the lid, I J, being shut up and bolted, and the upper lid, +G H, closed, the box may be locked up. When the bees have been shut in +with the slide in the front, the hive or box is ready to be transported +anywhere, to procure new pasturage for them, which, as every experienced +bee-keeper knows, is of the greatest benefit to prolong their +honey-harvest. + +Perfect protection from wet and the vicissitudes of temperature, is +partly ensured by the external bee-box being made of well-seasoned wood; +poplar is recommended as of a looser grain than fir, deal, &c., and +consequently, not so great a conductor of heat; but the objection to +wooden bee-hives or boxes, for being more easily affected by the +variations of the temperature, is removed by the construction of the +"bar frame-hive;" for the bee-frames form, as it were, a smaller box +within the oblong box, and are not in immediate contact with the +external air, but have a half inch space nearly all round them, which +will to a certain extent maintain an equable temperature for the bees, +both in summer and winter. + +Any moisture condensed from the heated air generated by the bees, is +carried off through the perforated sheets of zinc above the frames, and +cool store-room for the honey is also thus secured. + +A feeding trough is made on the principle of a bird-glass: with a tin +feeder and a small bottle for the liquid food to be put into. + +[Illustration: _Fig. IV._] + +The tin feeder is six inches by 7-1/2 long, and one inch deep, and just +fits on to the top of the bee-frames, where the perforated sheets of +zinc are laid; within this feeder a half inch opening is cut at the +bottom, fig 4, _a_, and an inclined plane _b_, reaching half way up +the depth of the trough; and a sheet of perforated tin, _c_ (placed +horizontally from point _b_,) through which the bees suck the food, +which is kept at the same level by atmospheric pressure; for as the food +is drawn down below the mouth of the bottle, _d_, air forces itself into +the bottle, and the same quantity of food trickles down into the feeder, +a piece of glass, _e_, exactly the same size as the feeder, is placed +over it, through which the bees may be seen whilst feeding, and the +feeding trough will be nearly of the same temperature as the interior +of the box or hive, and prevent the bees being chilled, as they would +be in winter, if compelled to descend for their food; and besides, the +bees are less likely to be attacked by wasps or strange bees when fed +from above, as the intruders would have to ascend through the mass of +bees in the box, which would be attended with danger to them. + +The bees can be fed when necessary by one of the sheets of perforated +zinc being drawn on one side, and the feeding trough, with the bottle of +food in it, being placed over the opening; when the bees will ascend +through the half inch space at _a_, and feed themselves with the liquid, +or carry it away and store it up for future use. + + + + +HIVES AND BEE-BOXES. + + +Having given a description of the bar-frame-hive, it will be as well to +enter into the comparative advantages of using wooden boxes and straw +hives. + +Some apiarians confine themselves to the use of straw hives, others to +wooden boxes, and a third party use both; but as far as the bees are +concerned it matters little what kind of hive is given them, for if the +season be favourable, and the bee-pasturage rich with flowers, they +collect and store up the honey in their combs in any receptacle of any +shape or size, provided it affords them shelter from the weather. + +Hives made of straw are generally preferred for an out-of-door apiary, +as being less liable to be over-heated by the rays of the sun, and +in the winter they exclude the cold better than hives made of other +materials, while the moisture arising from the bees is more quickly +absorbed within the hive, and does not run down the sides as it +generally does in wooden hives or boxes; at the same time they are +always to be obtained from their cheapness, and from their simplicity +easily understood and made use of; wooden boxes can only be used with +advantage in a bee-house, they stand firmer on the bottom boards, or +one upon another, they admit of having glass windows, through which +to observe the operations of the bees, and they are not so liable to +harbour moths, spiders, and other insects, as the straw hives. + +The objects to be attained in the construction and management of an +apiary, are, to secure the prosperity and multiplication of the colonies +of bees, to increase the amount of their productive labour, and to +obtain their products with facility, and with the least possible +detriment to the stock. It is to the interest of the owner, therefore, +that he provide for the bees shelter against moisture, and the extremes +of heat and cold--especially, sudden vicissitudes of temperature, +protection from their numerous enemies, every facility for constructing +their combs and for rearing their brood, and that the hive should be so +constructed as to allow of every part of the combs to be inspected at +any moment, and capable of removal when requisite: and while attention +is paid to economy, it should be made of materials that will secure its +durability. + +These observations apply equally to the straw hives, boxes, or whatever +the bees may be lodged in or hived. Some cultivators of bees have been +chiefly anxious to promote their multiplication, and to prevent the +escape of the swarms in their natural way, by forming artificial swarms, +by separating a populous hive previous to its swarming, into two parts, +and allowing to each greater room for the construction of their works. +Others, and the most numerous class, have contemplated only the +abundance of the products which they yield, and the facility of +extracting them from the hive, without showing any particular solicitude +as to the preservation of the bees themselves. Another class of +apiarians have, on the other hand, had it more particularly in view, +to facilitate the prosecution of researches in the natural history and +economy of bees. + +Then, again, amongst apiarians a diversity of opinion exists regarding +the system to be adopted in the management of the hives, whether the +bees are to be kept in single hives, caps or bell-glasses, and extra +boxes, which may be added at the top, which is called the _storifying_ +system; or inserting additional room at the bottom, called _nadering_; +or whether adding boxes at the sides, called the _collateral_ system, +should be followed out; and a plan of ventilating the boxes has been +added to the last system, but experience has proved that it is utterly +useless, as in spite of ventilating tubes and thermometers, the bees +have swarmed, and the queen-bee has deposited her eggs in the collateral +boxes and destroyed the purity of the honey. + +No successful plan has been yet devised to ventilate the combs where +the bees cluster; for the bees prevent the circulation of the cold air +amongst the combs by immediately forming themselves in thick rows at the +bottom of the combs; and instead of ranging the fields to gather honey +or pollen, have to collect together and idle away their time to retain +the necessary heat for the formation of the combs, or to rear their +brood. + +As a single hive, Huber's leaf-hive is certainly the best; but it +requires great attention, and none but experienced apiarists can use it +for the purpose of trying experiments; but in the hands of experienced +apiarists it is invaluable. All other single hives are objectionable, as +neither the proceedings of the bees can be observed, nor the honey taken +out, without either destroying the bees, or driving them out with smoke +by which much of the brood is killed; or if rainy weather occur at the +time the bees are preparing to throw off a swarm, and the hive be filled +to its utmost limits with comb, all the bees must remain idle till the +return of fine weather for want of room. + +To meet this objection, some apiarians have straw-hives with flat wooden +tops made, or use boxes, and have holes cut in them at the top, so that +small glasses may be added, when the bees require room. But this does +not prevent swarming, and besides, the flatness of the roof is +prejudicial, as it allows the moisture which exhales from the bees to +collect in the roof, and to fall in drops at different parts, to the +great injury of the subjacent contents of the hive, and, like the common +straw hive or square box, the bees cannot be examined, except partially +through the windows made in the sides. + +To remedy this evil, the further plan of _storifying_ hives or boxes, +was introduced, and by this method swarming may to an extent be +prevented, and the wax and honey can be taken without destroying the +bees; and with the same view was introduced the _collateral_ system, +which is adding room at the sides (of course preserving a free +communication between the boxes and hives). But there are objections to +the _collateral_ system, as it is now a very well established fact, that +partitions of any kind are detrimental to the prosperity of the bees; +and the same applies, though perhaps in an inferior degree, to the +_storied_ system, or hives and boxes divided into stories one above +another; besides that which holds good equally to all hives or boxes, +that it is not possible to proportion the hives in all cases to the +magnitude of the swarms, or the energy with which they labour. + +In single hives the honey becomes bad and discoloured from being put +into the old breeding cells. In double storied, or collateral hives, +the bees are divided, and live in different families; while their own +preservation, and that of the brood, requires them to live in the +strictest union; the heat also necessary for the secretion of wax is +lessened by the division of the bees into different groups. And, +besides, all these different hives or boxes should have some sort of +protection from the weather, either in the way of eaves or covers, +or be placed in a shed or bee-house. + +They require also centre boards and division tins, &c. to separate +one hive or box from another, floor boards for them to stand upon, +as well as stands or stools to raise them from the ground, &c., for +a description of which, and a full history of all hives and boxes, +I refer the reader to Dr. Bevan's "Honey-bee." + +In mentioning the defects of these different boxes and hives, I do not +mean to condemn them as useless, for they will all answer to a certain +extent the purposes for which they were intended, rewarding the +attentive bee-keeper, according to the seasons, and enabling the bees to +send forth many swarms, and collecting and storing up their treasures of +honey; but my object has been to point out briefly to those anxious for +the better, more extended, and economical mode of bee-management, the +difficulties to be provided against, and to recommend to their +consideration the advantages offered in the bar frame-hive. But, +however, I should not be doing justice to Mr. R. Golding, if I did not +particularly mention his "improved Grecian hive" by the use of which +combs may be removed from the interior of the hive and inspected at +pleasure: this improvement he has effected by carefully investigating +the laws of the insects for whose use the hives were intended, and by a +particular arrangement of the bars, (every alternate one being furnished +with guide combs,) the bees have been induced, in a manner at once +simple and beautiful, to construct a uniform range of combs. When the +hive is filled with honey, two or three, or more of the bars may be, +at any time, removed, or exchanged for unoccupied bars, without much +disturbing the brood combs, all annoyance from the bees being prevented +by a whiff or two of tobacco smoke being blown into the hive at the time +of the removal of the bars. With the protection of a bee-house these +hives can be applied to many of the systems of bee-management, and prove +equally profitable, and more manageable than some of the newly-invented +hives. + + + + +THE APIARY. + + +Next of importance to the kind of hive and the system to be followed, is +the proper situation of an apiary. This subject engaged the attention of +bee-keepers in ancient as much as in modern times; but the directions +given by Columella and Virgil are as good now as when they were written; +and as is observed by the writer in No. CXLI. of the Quarterly Review, +in the amusing article on "Bee-books,"--"It would amply repay (and this +is saying a great deal,) the most forgetful country gentleman to rub +up his schoolboy Latin, for the sole pleasure he would derive from the +perusal of the fourth Georgic." The aspect has been regarded as of the +first importance; but there are points of greater consequence, namely +the vicinity of good bee pasturage, the shelter of the hives from the +winds by trees or houses, and their distance from ponds or rivers, as +the high winds might dash the bees into the water. + +Various aspects have been recommended, but the south, with a point to +the east or west, according to its situation as respects the shelter it +may receive from walls or trees, &c. is the best: care, however, must be +taken that neither walls, trees, nor anything else impede the going +forth of the bees to their pasturage. + +"I have ever found it best," says Wildman, "to place the mouth of +the hives to the west in spring, care being taken that they have the +afternoon sun; the morning sun is extremely dangerous during the colder +months, when its glare often tempts these industrious insects out to +their ruin; whereas the mouth of the hive being then in the shade, the +bees remain at home; and as clouds generally obscure the afternoon's sun +at that season, the bees escape the temptation of going out. When food +is to be obtained, the warmth of the air continues round the hive in +the afternoon, which enables the bees to pursue their labours without +danger. + +A valley is a better situation for an apiary than a hill, being more +convenient to the bees returning home with their loads; and, besides, +bees are not so apt to fly away when swarming as when on a hill: but +when swarms take a distant flight, they generally fly against the wind, +so that the stragglers of the swarms may better hear the direction of +the course taken by their fellow emigrants. + +I recommend a hard gravel terrace for the hives to be placed upon, as +being drier both in summer and winter for the bee-master to walk upon, +when inspecting his bees, and also as less likely to afford shelter for +ants or other enemies to bees; and, besides, it is better for the bees, +which when much fatigued by their journeys, or benumbed by the cold, are +apt to fall around the hives, and would recover more quickly from the +warmth of the dry ground than if they had alighted on damp grass. + +The hives should not be placed where water from the eaves of houses, +from hedges, or trees, drop upon them; but they should be near the +mansion house for the convenience of watching the bees, &c. + +A small stream of water running near the hives is thought to be of +advantage, especially in dry seasons, with gently declining banks, +in order that the bees may have safe access to it. + +Heaths, or places abounding in wild flowers, constitute the best +neighbourhood for an apiary, and in default of this pasturage, there +should be gardens where flowers are cultivated, and fields in which +buck-wheat, clover, or sainfoin, is sown. + +But cultivating small gardens of flowers for bees is useless, except a +few early flowers near the hives for the bees to collect some pollen for +the brood, such as the common kinds of crocus, white alyssum, single +blue hepaticas, helleborus niger, and tussilago petasites, all of which +flower early; but should any of the tribe of the willows grow near, +there will be no necessity for cultivating the flowers above-mentioned, +as they yield an abundant harvest of farina, or pollen. + +A rich corn country is well known to be a barren desert to the bees +during a greater portion of the year. Hence the judicious practice of +shifting the bees from place to place according to the circumstances of +the season, and the custom of other nations in this particular well +deserves our imitation. + +Few places are so happily situated as to afford bees proper pasturage +both in the beginning of the season and also the autumn; it was the +advice of Celsus that, after the vernal pastures are consumed, they +should be transported to places abounding with autumnal flowers; as was +practised by conveying the bees from Achaia to Attica, from Euboea and +the Cyclad Islands to Syrus, and also in Sicily, where they were brought +to Hybla from other parts of the island. + +Pliny states that the custom of removing bees from place to place for +fresh pasturage was frequent in the Roman territories, and such is still +the practice of the Italians who live near the banks of the Po, (the +river which Pliny particularly instances,) mentioned by Alexander de +Montfort, who says that the Italians treat their bees in nearly the same +manner as the Egyptians did and still do; that they load boats with +hives and convey them to the neighbourhood of the mountains of Piedmont; +that in proportion as the bees gather in their harvest, the boats, by +growing heavier, sink deeper into the water; and that the watermen +determine from this, when their hives are loaded sufficiently, and it is +time to carry them back to their places from which they came. The same +author relates that the people of the country of Juliers used the same +practice; for that, at a certain season of the year, they carried their +bees to the foot of mountains that were covered with wild thyme. + +M. Maillet, who was the French Consul in Egypt in 1692, says in his +curious description of Egypt; "that in spite of the ignorance and +rusticity which have got possession of that country, there yet remain in +it several traces of the industry and skill of the ancient Egyptians." +One of their most admirable contrivances is, the sending their bees +annually into different districts to collect food, at a time when they +could not find any at home. + +About the end October, all such inhabitants of Lower Egypt, as have +hives of bees, embark them on the Nile, and convey them up that river +quite into Upper Egypt; observing to time it so that they arrive there +just when the inundation is withdrawn, the lands have been sown, and the +flowers begin to bud. The hives thus sent are marked and numbered by +their respective owners, and placed pyramidically in boats prepared for +the purpose. After they have remained some time at their furthest +station, and are supposed to have gathered all the pollen and honey they +could find in the fields within two or three leagues around, their +conductors convey them in the same boats, two or three leagues lower +down, and there leave the laborious insects so long a time as is +necessary for them to collect all the riches of this spot. Thus the +nearer they come to the place of their more permanent abode, they find +the plants which afford them food, forward in proportion. + +In fine, about the beginning of February, after having travelled through +the whole length of Egypt, and gathered all the rich produce of the +delightful banks of the Nile, they arrive at the mouth of that river, +towards the ocean; from whence they had set out: care is taken to keep +an exact register of every district from whence the hives were sent +in the beginning of the season, of their numbers, of the names of the +persons who sent them, and likewise of the mark or number of the boat +in which they were placed. + +Niebuhr saw upon the Nile, between Cairo and Damietta, a convoy of +four thousand hives, in their transit from Upper Egypt to the Delta. +Savary, in his letters on Egypt, also gives an account of the manner of +transporting the hives down the Nile. In France floating bee-houses are +common. Goldsmith describes from his own observation, a kind of floating +apiary in some parts of France and Piedmont. "They have on board of one +barge," he says, "three score or a hundred bee-hives, well defended +from the inclemency of an accidental storm, and with these the owners +float quietly down the stream: one bee-hive yields the proprietor a +considerable income. Why," he adds, "a method similar to this has never +been adopted in England where we have more gentle rivers, and more +flowery banks, than in any part of the world, I know not; certainly it +might be turned to advantage." + +They have also a method of transporting their hives by land in carts in +Germany; and particularly in Hanover travelling caravans of bees may be +seen during the season. + +I have thus briefly quoted from famous authorities, to impress upon +those who keep apiaries the importance of transporting their bees from +pasture to pasture. + +The advantage to weak swarms is very great, "but whilst so little of the +true principles of bee management is understood, as that the destruction +of the bees has been considered absolutely essential, in order to the +attainment of their stores, it is no wonder that so little attention +should have been paid to their cultivation in this country, and that it +should not have proved a more productive department of rural economy." + +"Bees, like everything else worth possessing, require care and +attention; but persons generally think it is quite sufficient to procure +a hive and a swarm, and set it down in the middle of a garden, and that +streams of honey and money will forthwith flow; and, perhaps, commence +calculating, from the perusal of the statements of the profits made by +Thorley from a single hive, which he estimates to be 4300_l._ 16_s._ +from 8192 hives kept during fourteen years! deducting ten shillings and +sixpence, the cost of the first hive!" + +The bar and frame-hives are so constructed that they can be moved from +place to place with the greatest ease, and, perhaps, this may be an +inducement for bee-masters to try the recommendations of transporting +bees, and thus avoid one expense of feeding them during the winter. + +Connected with the foregoing subject of transporting bees from place to +place, is the question of the distance to which bees extend their flight +in search of food, &c.; and the comparative excellence of the position +of an apiary depends in some measure on the greater or less distance the +bees will have to fly to their pasturage. + +Dr. Chambers, and Dr. Hunter were of opinion, that the bee cannot extend +its flight beyond a mile, which idea they adopted on the authority of +Schirach; but then it must be recollected that the German mile of +Schirach is equal to about 3-1/2 English miles. + +It was the opinion of Huber, that the radii of the circle of the +flight of the bee extended nearly to four English miles. And Huish says +"The travelling apiaries of Germany, particularly those of Hanover, +are regulated by the prevailing opinion, that the bee can, and does, +extend its flight to four and even five miles; and acting upon that +supposition, when the bee-masters move their apiaries, they always +travel about two _stunden_, that is, about eight miles, as they then +calculate that the bees are beyond the former range of their pasture +by four miles." And adds, "a travelling apiary of 80 or 100 hives will +exhaust the food within the area of a circle of four miles in about +a fortnight or three weeks." + +"But certainly there is no reason to fear that any part of this country +will be overstocked with bees, for where one hive is now kept, fifty +might be kept without running any risk of overstocking the country; for +the average number of hives in the various apiaries does not exceed +five." + +"It has been calculated" says another authority, "that the pastures of +Scotland could maintain as many bees as would produce 4,000,000 pints +of honey, and 1,000,000 lbs. of wax; and were these quantities tripled +for England and Ireland, the produce of the British empire would be +12,000,000 pints of honey, and 3,000,000 lbs. of wax per annum, worth +about five shillings per pint for the honey, and one shilling and +sixpence per lb. for the wax, making an annual produce in money of about +3,225,000_l._ + +But in consequence of the present neglect of this branch of rural +economy, we pay annually nearly 12,000_l._ for honey alone. + +The imports and exports of wax bleached and unbleached were as follows: + + + Returned + Imported. Exported. for home the rate + Consumption. of Duty + + 1831. 1832. 1831. 1832. 1831. 1832. + + Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. £ s. d. + Unbleached 7,005 1,878 10,002 1 10 0 + 4,349 2,536 826 + Bleached 195 504 94 3 0 0 + + + Produce of Duty. + + Unbleached £ 10,262 + Bleached 823 + + +The price of wax varies (duty included) from 5_l._ to 10_l._ a cwt. + +In 1831, 7,203 cwt. of wax were imported, of which 3,892 cwt. of it came +from Western Africa; 1,551, from Tripoli, Barbary, &c.; and 910 cwt. +from the United States. + +In 1839, imports were 6,314 cwt., in 1841, 4,483 cwt. of wax; in 1838, +675 cwt. of honey; and in 1841, 3,761 cwt. valued at 12,000_l._ brought +principally from the West Indies, Germany, and Portugal. + +The above statement proves the demand there is in this country for honey +and wax. + +It is mentioned in Wildman's pamphlet that, when Corsica was subject to +the Romans, a tribute was imposed upon it of no less than two hundred +thousand pounds of wax yearly; but this is no proof of the excellence +of their honey, which, according to Ovid, was of very ill account, and +seems to be the reason why the tributary tax was exacted in wax, in +preference to honey. + +The honey collected by the bees at all times retains qualities derived +from the kind of plant from whence it has been procured, as is manifest +not only by the peculiar odour of the honey, such as that collected from +leek blossoms and all the onion tribe, but by the effects produced by +the use of honey obtained from certain plants, chiefly from the subtribe +Rhodoraceæ, such as the kalmia, azalea, rhododendron, &c., which yield a +honey frequently poisonous and intoxicating, as has been proved by the +fatal effects on persons in America. It is recorded by Xenophon in his +Anabasis that, during the retreat of the ten thousand, the soldiers +sucked some honey-combs in a place near Trebizonde, and in consequence +became intoxicated, and did not recover their strength for three or four +days; and these effects are supposed to have been produced from the +honey having been extracted by the bees from the rhododendron ponticum +or azalea pontica of Linnæus. + +Although many of these plants have been introduced into this country, +yet, probably from their small proportion to the whole of the flowers in +bloom, the honey collected by the bees has not been found to be injured +or to have produced any evil consequences. + +The goodness and flavour of honey depend on the fragrance of the plants +from which the bees collect it, and hence it is that the honey of +different places is held in different degrees of estimation. + +The honey gathered from the genus erica (termed _heather honey_) and +most labiate plants, is wholesome. That which is made early in the year +is preferred to what is collected in the latter end of the season. +Whilst on the subject of honey, I will add the directions given by +Wildman, how to separate the honey from the wax: "Take," he says, "the +combs which have been extracted from the different hives or boxes into +a close room, rather warm than otherwise, that the honey may drain more +freely, and keep the doors and windows shut, to prevent the bees from +entering, or else they will be very troublesome, and will attack and +carry away the greater part of the honey from the combs. + +"Lay aside such combs as have young bees or brood in them, as they +would give your honey a bad flavour and render it unwholesome, and the +bee-brood must also be separated and melted with the brood-combs. When +you have thus separated the combs, let such as are very fine be nicely +drained by themselves, without the least pressing whatever, having been +carefully cleaned of every sort of filth, or insects, and dividing each +comb in such a manner that the cells may be open at both ends, and +placing them upon a sieve or coarse cloth, that the honey may drain +off quite pure and undefiled. The remainder of the combs from which +the honey has been thus drained, together with those which contained +the bee-bread and brood, must be put into a coarse cloth or bag, and +squeezed or pressed to get all the honey out. This will make it inferior +in quality, and unfit for many uses, therefore it should be put into +pots or bottles by itself, to feed bees with, for which purpose it will +be better than pure honey, on account of the bee-bread that will be +mixed with it, which is necessary for their subsistence. + +"In order to obtain the wax in a pure state, what remains of the combs +after separating the honey, together with the empty combs which had been +laid aside, should be put into a copper with clean water; made to boil +gently over a slow fire, keeping it constantly stirring. When it is +melted, run it through a coarse cloth or bag made for the purpose, and +put it into a press to separate the wax from the dross. Let the wax run +from the press into a vessel placed under it, into which put some water +to prevent the wax adhering to the sides. + +"If this process of boiling and pressing is repeated twice or even three +times, the wax will be much purer and consequently of greater value. +Set it in a place where it may cool by degrees, in pans of the size you +would choose your cakes to be, with some water in them, to prevent the +wax sticking to the sides whilst hot. Honey should be kept only in stone +jars, called Bristol ware, and in a cool and dry situation, but not +corked up until a week or two after it has transuded through the sieve, +&c., but should be carefully covered with perforated sheets of zinc to +keep out insects and flies, &c. after which period the jars may be +secured and put into the store-rooms. + +"The only protection necessary for gentlemen,--for ladies, I presume, +would never venture to undertake the dangerous task of extracting the +honey combs from hives or boxes,--will be a pair of buckskin gloves, +with a pair of worsted gloves over them extending to the elbows; so that +the bees should not be able to creep between the gloves and the sleeves; +for the face a piece of wire pattern gauze net, made in the shape of a +bag, to draw with a string round the hat above the brim, which will keep +it from the face, and the other open end being secured under the neck +handkerchief, and with the assistance of a puff or two of smoke into any +hive intended to be operated upon, the bee-master may fearlessly turn up +the hive, and cut out combs or dislodge bees from their habitations, &c. +with impunity." + + + + +THE ENEMIES TO BEES, &c. + + +The proprietor having provided shelter for his bees, and as great a +plenty of pasture as he possibly can, should next be careful to guard +them from the numerous enemies which prey upon them, and destroy their +honey-combs. Bees themselves, in the autumn and spring, are very often +great enemies to one another, and rob each other's hives, especially +in dry seasons, when the honey gathering is almost over; and the bees +from over-stocked hives, not having honey sufficient for their winter's +store, will through necessity attack the old hives or stocks, which are +thinned by over swarming, carry away all their honey, and often destroy +their queens. In order to prevent this havoc, contract the entrance or +entrances of the hive attempted to be robbed, so that a few bees only +can enter at a time, by which means the old stocks will be better +able to defend themselves. If, notwithstanding this narrowness of the +passage, robbers attack a hive, the entrance should be instantly closed +and kept so till the thieves are gone, and it will be advisable in the +evening to examine the state of the hive, especially as to weight, and +if the queen be safe, remove it to another place, at least a mile from +the old locality. The person who is thus employed, at a time when the +bees are full of resentment, should be well defended from their stings. +But, should he be so unfortunate as to get stung for his interference, +the first thing is to extract the sting. To alleviate the irritation, +cooling lotions should be applied, but the pain of a sting is relieved +by applying spirits of hartshorn, or liquor potassæ, to the spot where +the sting entered. + +One would imagine the moth to be an enemy of no consequence, but the +wax-moth (_Tinea mellonella_) is a most formidable enemy. She lays her +eggs under the very skirts of the hive, or in the rubbish on the floor, +or even in the combs of the bees; these eggs when hatched produce a +small whitish worm or larva, and it is in this stage that it commits its +ravages, extending its galleries through every quarter of the combs, +detaching them from the tops and sides of the hives, and causing them +to fall together. + +The way to destroy them is frequently to lift up the hive in the +morning, and kill all you can see. The most effectual way is to drive +the bees into a new hive, but this can be only done in the height of +the honey season; or the affected combs may be cut out, and the bees +restored to their old habitation. + +Mice are likewise very destructive to bees; sometimes they enter at the +door, but most commonly near the top of the hive; this they do generally +during winter, when the bees are in a torpid state; when this is +suspected, set a few traps about the hives. + +The common bat will also sometimes take possession of a hive, and commit +very great havoc amongst the bees. + +Wasps and hornets must be destroyed, if possible, either by gunpowder, +or by the more primitive mode of placing limed twigs before the holes, +when you have discovered their nests. + +The spring is the time to kill the female wasps and hornets, for then, +by the death of one female, a whole nest is destroyed. Or place bottles +half full of sugar and beer where the wasps frequent; they will go in to +drink, and drown themselves in the liquor, not being able to get out of +the bottle again. Spiders must be killed, and their nets or webs broken +down, otherwise they will catch and destroy many bees. + +Swallows, frogs, ants, earwigs, snails, woodlice, poultry, and small +birds of almost all kinds, are reckoned amongst their foes. And, +therefore, there should be no lack of vigilance on the part of the owner +of bees, to keep the bee-house as clean as possible from all vermin. + +The signs of dysentery having commenced in any colony of bees may be +known by the floor-boards and combs being covered with stains, by the +dark coloured evacuations, producing an offensive smell, and frequent +deaths amongst the bees. "Bees," says Gelieu, "have no real disease; +they are always in good health as long as they are at liberty, are kept +warm, and provided with plenty of food. All their pretended diseases are +the result of cold, hunger, or the infection produced by a too close and +long confinement during winter, and by exposure to damp, &c." + +They appear however sometimes to be seized, in the spring, with +dysentery; this is occasioned by their feeding too greedily, it is +supposed, on honey dew, without the mixture of pollen and other +wholesome nutriment. + +The only remedy that has been found for this disease, is to give the +bees plenty of honey, such honey as that extracted from the refuse combs +in the autumn, that had abundance of bee-bread pressed amongst it,--the +more the better,--mixing with it a table-spoonful of salt, and giving +the bees their full liberty, and a clean hive. Many things are necessary +for the preservation of bees, but more especially in this country, where +the bees have only one season in five, on an average of years, really +good for their honey harvest; wherefore the owner should take care to +provide the light stocks with a sufficient quantity of food, which they +have not been able to secure by their own industry, either through the +badness of the bee-pasturage, the inclemency of the seasons, the +weakness of the colony, or the spoil made by their enemies; and +sometimes by the ill-judged management of their owners, in robbing the +bees beyond the bounds of reason. + +By this last unjust way of proceeding, these poor industrious little +insects are absolutely starved, and their greedy masters deservedly +experience the old proverb; that "Too much covetousness breaks the bag." + +It is impossible to ascertain what quantity of honey will serve a hive +of bees the whole winter, because the number in the hive may be more or +less, and in some years, the spring is more forward than in others; but +25 lbs. is said to be the quantity required in a common cottage-hive. +During frost, the bees consume very little food indeed; and still less +during severe cold weather. Mr. White (with many other apiarians) is of +opinion, that a greater degree of cold than is commonly imagined to be +proper for bees is favourable to them in winter, for the bees during +that period, are in so lethargic a state, that little food supports +them. + +The best method to feed the weak stocks, if in one of Mr. R. Golding's +improved Grecian hives, is to place some combs (drone combs reserved for +that purpose) filled on one side with honey, over the centre-board, and +covering it over with a common hive. + +The advantage of feeding bees from above is great; they are less likely +to be attacked by the bees from other hives, and they do not become +benumbed by the cold, as the same temperature is maintained above as in +the rest of the hive. + +But in all cases, bees should be fed in autumn, and before they are in +absolute want of food, otherwise they will be so poor and weak that they +will not be able to ascend or descend to feed themselves. When that +happens, it is almost too late to save them; however, you may try and +feed them, by first tying a piece of gauze over the bottom of the hive, +turning it up to receive the heat of the sun or fire, and, if the bees +revive at all, place a pewter dish with some liquid honey in it, on the +floor-board, and the hive over it, when the bees will draw up the honey +through the gauze or net without smearing themselves, the the pewter +dish having been filled with hot water to keep the honey liquid, and to +diffuse a genial warmth throughout the hive, and thus secure them for +a time from the cold, which would chill and even kill the bees in the +winter, when they came down to the bottom of the hive to feed on the +proffered bounty. + +In prosperous hives or colonies, as soon as the severity of the winter's +frost is past, the queen-bee begins to lay her eggs in the various cells +in the combs, and proceeds in proportion to the mildness of the season +to deposit a succession. The number of young bees that may by this means +rise in a hive, may endanger the lives of all the bees by famine, for +the increased multitude consume a great deal of honey, an accident +likely to happen if the mild weather of January or February should be +succeeded by cold, rainy, or even dry weather; for it is found that the +flowers do not secrete the sweet juices, which constitute honey, so +freely during the prevalence of dry easterly winds; and thus present a +barren field for the out-of-door labours of the bees. + +On this account, the proprietor should examine the hives frequently at +this season, that, if necessary, he may give them a proper supply, in +which he should be bountiful rather than otherwise, because the bees are +faithful stewards, and will return with interest what is thus in their +great need bestowed upon them. + +The time of the bees' swarming is generally in the months of May and +June, and sometimes July, but the latter is too late, as there are then +fewer bees than in the earlier swarms, and they seldom live through the +winter without much care and feeding. + +The later swarms should be hived in rather smaller hives than the first, +that, by clustering together, they may the better nourish and keep +themselves warm. + +The hours of their swarming are for the most part about twelve o'clock +at noon, never before eight, and seldom after four in the afternoon. + +The symptom of swarming, is generally the unusual number of bees seen +hanging at the mouth of the hive, and if a piping noise, or a shrill +note, which is made by the queen is heard, it is a sure index the bees +will swarm, if the weather be warm and dry. + +If the bees work a comb under the floor-board, as is sometimes the case, +it is a sign they will not swarm; a more certain sign is when they throw +out the young dead queens with the drone brood. When they retain the +drones in the hives after August, it is a bad omen, as they are then +reserved for the sake of the young queens, which they are expecting to +raise; and the season being too far advanced, and their failing in the +attempt, and being without a queen, the colony will most certainly +dwindle away, before the next season. + +Always choose a hive proportionable to the size of your swarm, and +prepare to hive them as soon as possible, lest they should rise again. +It is not unusual to ring a bell or tinkle a brass pan, &c., at the time +the bees swarm; it is also a common method to dress the hives with +honey, balm, &c. + +I mention these things, because they are customs of long standing: the +tinkling of bells is of little use, as the bees will generally settle +near the hive; and as to dressing the hives, I by no means recommend it, +as the bees like a clean new hive much better, for it does not give them +so much trouble to clean, &c. + +If the swarm should rise in the full heat of the day, and the sun shine +hot upon them, they will not continue long in their first situation; for +when they find they have all got their company together, they will soon +uncluster, rise again, fly to some particular spot which has been fixed +upon for that purpose by detached parties of bees, who return and +acquaint the swarm; therefore I would advise to hive them as soon as +possible, and remove them in the evening to the place where they are +to remain. + +The supposed relative value of early and late swarms is thus mentioned +in an old English proverb:-- + + A swarm in May, + Is worth a load of hay. + A swarm in June, + Is worth a silver spoon; + A swarm in July, + Is not worth a fly. + + + + +SWARMING AND HIVING THE BEES. + + +Every good swarm should weigh about 5 lbs., and according to the account +given in Key's Treatise, would contain 23,000 bees. The manner of hiving +them must be regulated chiefly by the places upon which they alight. + +If they settle on a dead hedge, or upon the ground, set a hive over +them, putting props under it if necessary, and, with a large spoon or +brush of wet weeds, stir them softly underneath, and they will go in. + +If they should happen to settle upon a small bough, you may cut it off, +and laying it quietly on a cloth, place a hive over them; or if you +cannot conveniently separate the bough from the body of the tree, you +may shake or sweep them off into the hive. + +If the sun shines hot upon it, shade it with a few boughs, &c., but let +it remain near the place where the bees settled until the evening, at +which time move it to the bee-house, or the place where it is to stand +during the season, as just directed. + +If the bees have hung a considerable time to the place where they first +settled, you will, perhaps, find it difficult entirely to dislodge them, +as they will neglect their labour and fly about the spot for many days +afterwards. The best method to prevent this is, by rubbing the branches +with rue, or any kind of herb disagreeable to the bees; but be careful +not to hurt any of the bees. + +Swarms seldom return home again, when they are well settled, and if you +find them inclined to do so, depend upon it, some accident has happened +to their queen, which you will easily ascertain by their making a +murmuring noise, and running in a distracted manner over and about the +sides of the hive. When you observe this, immediately seek about for +her, beginning with the stock-hive from whence the swarm rose, and +pursue the track they took at setting out; you will seldom miss finding +her, for she is never alone, but generally encompassed with a cluster of +bees, who would sooner perish than leave her in danger. + +When you have found her, take her up gently, and put her to the swarm, +and you will soon find the cause of their dissatisfaction removed by the +arrival of the queen. + +The greatest care must be taken to have your hive clean and sweet, free +from loose straws or other obstacles, which will create great trouble +and loss of time to the bees, if left to them to remove. + +If bees have flowers suitable to their tastes, and no great distance +to travel to them, they will fill their hives both with honey and wax, +in about a month or five weeks, and, if the season has proved fair and +pleasant, in less time; but the bee-keeper must expect four out of every +five seasons to be unpropitious to his little charge, and, therefore, +he must be on the watch to assist them with food in the time of need. + +Scarcely has the swarm arrived at its new habitation, when the working +bees labour with the utmost diligence, to procure food and build their +combs. Their principal aim is not only to have cells in which they may +deposit the honey and pollen, but a stronger motive seems to animate +them; they seem to know that their queen is about to deposit her eggs; +and their industry is such, that in four and twenty hours they will +have made combs, twelve inches long, and three or four inches wide. +They build more combs during the first fortnight, than they do during +all the rest of the year. + +Other bees are at the same time busy in stopping all the holes and +crevices they happen to find in their new hive, in order to guard +against the entrance of insects which covet their honey, their wax, or +themselves; and also to exclude the cold air; for it is indispensably +necessary that they be lodged warm and secure from damp, &c. + +A second swarm scarcely is, and much less are the third ones called +_casts_ worth keeping single, because, being few in number, they cannot +allow so large a proportion of working bees to go abroad in search of +provisions, as more numerous swarms can, after retaining a proper number +for the various works to be done within the hive. + +Bees sometimes swarm so often that the mother-hive is too much weakened +or reduced in population. In this case they should be restored; and this +should also be done when a swarm produces a swarm the first summer, as +is sometimes the case in early seasons. + +The best way, indeed, is to prevent such swarming, by giving the bees +more room; though this, again, will not answer where there is a prolific +young queen in the hive; as she well knows that her life is the forfeit +of her remaining at home. + +Before the union of one or two casts or late swarms is made, it is +better to kill one of the queens, if possible, to prevent the queens +destroying one another. + +If an old hive is full of bees, and yet shows no disposition to swarm, +puff in a little smoke at the entrance of the hive, then turn the hive +up, and give it some slight strokes on the sides so as to alarm the +bees. They will immediately run to the extremities of the combs, and +if you then attentively examine them, you will, in all probability, +perceive the queen-bee the foremost amongst them. Seize her between your +fore finger and thumb, and confine her in your hand till most part of +the bees take wing; let her then go, the bees will soon join her, and +settle on some branch of a tree. Put them into an empty hive. Restore +the old hive in its place, that the bees which have been out in the +fields may enter it on their return, and having allowed them to remain +there an hour or two, place it upon another stand near or next to its +own. + +The hive having what may now be called a swarm in it, is then placed +on the stand of the old stock; and if the bees in both hives work +regularly, carrying in loads of pollen on their thighs, all is well. + +Bees are not apt to sting when they swarm naturally, therefore, it is +not necessary then to take extraordinary precaution against them; but +when any of these violent and artificial modes are attempted, I should +advise the operator to be well guarded at all points. + +Wildman weighed bees and found it required 4,928 bees to make a pound of +sixteen ounces, but the different circumstances in bees may occasion a +considerable difference in their weight. When the bees swarm, they come +out loaded with wax secreted in their wax pockets and honey in their +honey bags, and would weigh heavier than bees taken for that purpose +by chance; and, therefore, the number of the bees is not to be thus +computed, from the weight of the swarm; for one fourth of the number at +least should be deducted, in lieu of the wax and honey they have brought +off with them. There is also another allowance to be made, namely, that +when alive, they do not probably weigh so heavy as when dead. + +The person who intends to erect an apiary, should purchase a proper +number of hives at the latter end of the year, when they are cheapest. +The hives should be full of combs, and well stored with bees. + +The purchaser should examine the combs, in order to know the age of the +hives. The combs of that season are white, those of a darkish yellow are +of the previous year; and, where the combs are black, the hives should +be rejected, because old hives are most liable to vermin and other +accidents. + +If the number of hives wanted were not purchased in the autumn, it will +be necessary to remedy this neglect after the severity of the cold is +past in the spring. At this season, bees which are in good condition, +will get into the fields early in the morning, return loaded, enter +boldly, and do not come out of the hive in bad weather; for when they +do, this indicates that they are in great want of provisions. + +They are alert on the least disturbance; and by the loudness of their +humming, you can judge of their strength. They preserve their hives +free from filth, and are ready to defend it against every enemy that +approaches. + +But the better plan is at once to commence with new hives, and purchase +the first and strong swarms to put into them, and introduce them into +the bee-house. + +There are various substances found in a hive, such as the _wax_, with +which the combs are built, the _honey_, the _farina_ or _pollen_, with +which the bee-brood is fed, and _propolis_. + +_Honey_, is a fluid or semi-fluid substance, the materials of which are +collected by the bees, from the nectaries at the base of the corollæ of +flowers, where this vegetable production is secreted. + +It cannot be said to be a purely vegetable production when found +in the combs, for after being collected by the insect by means of its +proboscis, it is transmitted into what is called the honey bag, where it +is elaborated, and, hurrying homewards with its precious load, the bee +regurgitates it into the cell of the honey comb. It takes a great many +drops to fill a cell, as the honey bag when full does not exceed the +size of a small pea. + +When the cell is full, it is sealed up with a mixture of of wax and +pollen, and reserved for future use in winter and spring. + +_Wax_. There are several varieties of this substance, but bees-wax is a +secretion of that insect from its ventral scales. With this substance +the comb is constructed; it takes the bees, according to Huber's +account, twenty-four hours to secrete the six laminæ of wax in the wax +pockets, which may be seen to exude between the segments of the under +side of the abdomen of the bee. For the purpose of the formation of wax, +the bees have to cluster and form themselves into festoons from the top +of the hive, and after the elapse of the necessary period, the wax +scales are formed, with which the bees commence immediately to build +their combs, and the various cells for the reception of the brood or +food, according to the season of the year. + +_Propolis_, is a tenacious, semi-transparent substance, having a +balsamic odour; which the bees gather from the buds of certain trees in +the spring, such as the horse-chestnut, the willow, the poplar, and the +birch. + +This tenacious substance is employed by the bees to attach more firmly +the combs to the top or foundation, and also the edges of the combs to +the sides of the hive or box, to stop the crevices, and fasten the hives +or boxes to the floor-boards, and in forming barriers against the +intrusion of enemies. + +_Farina_, or _Pollen_, is the dust or minute globules contained in the +anthers of flowers, and is the fertilizing property of flowers, which +the bees thus assist to carry, whilst travelling from flower to flower, +without which the flowers would not fructify. The bees have been found +to continue collecting pollen from the same species of flowers, and +prevent the multiplication of hybrid plants. They collect and carry +this substance on the outer surface of the tibia, or the middle joint +of the hinder leg; this part of the leg is broad, and on one side it +is concave, and furnished with a row of strong hairs on its margins, +forming as it were a natural basket, well adapted for the purpose. This +substance mixed with honey, forms the food of the larvæ or young brood, +after undergoing, perhaps, a peculiar elaboration by the working or +nurse bees. + +Having thus mentioned the different substances found in a hive, it only +remains to add a short history of the inmates of the hive. Every swarm +of bees comprises three distinct kinds of the same species, namely, the +_female_ or _queen_, the _neuter_ or _worker-bee_, and the _male_ or +_drone_. + +As there is only one _queen-bee_ in each swarm or colony, she is seldom +to be seen amidst the thousands of other bees; but she is easily +distinguished from the rest by her slower movements, her greater length +and larger size; and the general appearance of her body, being of a more +dark orange colour, and her hinder legs having neither brushes nor +pollen baskets upon them, although longer than those of the worker-bee; +her wings also appear stronger, and she possesses a more curved sting, +which she seldom uses, except when asserting her rights to the +sovereignty of the hive. + +Without a _queen-bee_ no swarm can thrive, for she is not only the +ruler, but chiefly the mother of the community in which she dwells, and +wherever she goes, the greatest attention is paid her. In the hive, the +utmost solicitude is evinced to satisfy her in every wish; wherever she +moves the bees anxiously clear away before her, and turn their heads +towards their sovereign, and with much affection touch her with their +antennæ, and supply her, as often as she needs, with honey or other +delicacy which their own exertions, or those of their fellow labourers, +have gathered for her use. + +The queen-bee is said to live four or five years, and is generally +succeeded on her throne by one of her own descendants duly brought up +for the purpose; but in the event of her untimely decease, the workers +have the power of raising a sovereign from amongst themselves, and +fitting her for the station she is intended to occupy; this they do +by selecting one of the larvæ of the worker-bee of a certain age, +and, enlarging the cell which it is to occupy, supplying it with a +nourishment different from that which they give to the worker and +drone-brood. + +A _queen-bee_ takes seventeen days to arrive at maturity, that is to +say, from the egg-state to the fully developed queen, but this period +will vary as a sudden change of temperature will prolong the interval; +and this also applies to the perfect _queen_ herself, who will not +deposit her eggs in the cells, when any severe weather happens at the +period she may be expected to produce the eggs. + +The fecundity of the queen-bee is very great, for it is estimated that +during breeding time, unless prevented by the cold weather, she lays +at the rate of from one hundred to two hundred eggs a day, causing +an increase of not less than eighty thousand worker-bees, and drones +included, in a season when circumstances are favourable. + +The cells formed for the royal brood are very different from those of +the males or the workers, and are generally suspended from the sides +or edges of the combs; in shape they are very much like a pear, the +thickest end joining the comb, and the small end having the mouth or +entrance to the cell, and hanging downwards, and being almost as large +as a lady's thimble. + +The _drones_ or _males_ in a hive are computed at from six hundred +to two thousand, but the numbers are remarkably irregular, and the +proportion is not regulated by the number of bees contained in a hive; +for a small swarm or colony will contain as many, or more sometimes, +than a large one. + +The drone may be easily distinguished from the _queen_ or _workers_, +from its greater breadth, having large eyes which meet at the top of the +head, and no sting, and from its making a loud humming whilst flying. + +It takes twenty-four days from the time of the laying of the drone _egg_ +to its coming forth a perfect insect. Drones are generally hatched about +the end of April or the beginning of May; they venture out of the hive +only in warm weather, and then only in the middle of the day, and they +are generally expelled by the bees from the hives about July or August, +after the impregnation of the young queens has taken place. + +When the destruction of the drones takes place earlier, it may be +considered a certain indication that no swarming will take place during +that season; but the retention of the drones after August, is a very bad +sign, as the swarm must certainly perish in the winter, unless their +vacant throne is supplied with a prolific queen. + +The _neuter_ or _worker-bee_, is the least of the three, and of a dark +brown colour; the abdomen is conical, and composed of six distinct +segments, and armed with a straight sting; it possesses a long flexible +trunk, known by the name of a proboscis, and has on its two hinder legs +a hollow or basket, to receive the propolis and farina which it collects +as before described. + +The number of workers in a well-stocked hive is about fifteen thousand +or twenty thousand. Upon them devolves the whole care and labour of the +colony, to collect pollen, propolis, and honey; to build the combs and +to attend upon the brood or young bees. + +The _worker-bee_ is short-lived, seldom surviving more than a year, but +this is more from the toil they have to endure, though it be a labour +of love, and the many risks they run upon each occasion of going out in +search of food, &c., from the weather, or their numerous winged enemies. + + + "Sunt quibus ad portas cecidit custodia sorti: + Inque vicem speculantur aquas et nubila coeli, + Aut onera accipiunt venientum, aut agmine facto + Ignavum fucos pecus à præsepibus arcent. + Fervet opus, redolentque thymo fragrantia mella." + + + + LONDON: + Printed by S. & J. BENTLEY, WILSON, and FLEY, + Bangor House, Shoe Lane. + + + + * * * * * + + + +Transcribers notes: + + A page of Errata appearing here has been applied to the text and + removed. + + Inconsistency in the hyphenation of phrases has been retained. + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A DESCRIPTION OF THE +BAR-AND-FRAME-HIVE*** + + +******* This file should be named 19319-8.txt or 19319-8.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/9/3/1/19319 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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Augustus Munn</title> +<style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[*/ + <!-- + body { margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; } + p { text-indent: 1em; + margin-top: .75em; + font-size: 100%; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; } + p.noindent { text-indent: 0em; + margin-top: .75em; + font-size: 100%; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; } + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { text-align: center; } + hr { width: 50%; } + hr.full { width: 100%; } + .foot { margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; text-align: justify; text-indent: -3em; font-size: 85%; } + .poem { margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: left; } + .poem .stanza { margin: 1em 0em 1em 0em; } + .poem p { margin: 0; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em; } + .poem p.i2 { margin-left: 1.5em; } + .quote { margin-left: 6%; margin-right: 6%; text-indent: 0em; font-size: 90%; } + .figure { margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; text-indent: 0em; text-align: center; font-size: 90%; font-variant: small-caps; } + .toc { font-size: 80%; margin: 0; text-align:center;} + center { padding: 0.8em;} + span.pagenum {position: absolute; left: 1%; right: 91%; font-size: 8pt; color: gray; text-indent:0; margin:0; padding:0;} + .sc { font-variant: small-caps; } + .center { text-indent: 0; text-align: center; } + img { margin:0; padding:0; } + hr.pg { width: 100%; + margin-top: 0em; + margin-bottom: 0em; + border: solid black; + height: 5px; } + pre {font-size: small;} +/*]]>*/ + // --> +</style> +</head> +<body> +<h1>The Project Gutenberg eBook, A Description of the Bar-and-Frame-Hive, by +W. Augustus Munn</h1> +<pre> +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at <a href = "http://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a></pre> +<p>Title: A Description of the Bar-and-Frame-Hive</p> +<p> With an Abstract of Wildman's Complete Guide for the Management of Bees Throughout the Year</p> +<p>Author: W. Augustus Munn</p> +<p>Release Date: September 18, 2006 [eBook #19319]</p> +<p>Language: English</p> +<p>Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1</p> +<p>***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A DESCRIPTION OF THE BAR-AND-FRAME-HIVE***</p> +<p> </p> +<h3>E-text prepared by Steven Giacomelli, David Garcia,<br /> + and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team<br /> + (<a href="http://www.pgdp.net/">http://www.pgdp.net/</a>)<br /> + from page images produced and generously made available by the<br /> + Core Historical Literature in Agriculture collection of Cornell University<br /> + (<a href="http://chla.library.cornell.edu/">http://chla.library.cornell.edu/</a>)</h3> +<p> </p> +<table border="0" cellpadding="10" style="background-color: #ccccff;"> + <tr> + <td valign="top"> + Note: + </td> + <td> + Images of the original pages are available through the + Core Historical Literature in Agriculture collection of + Cornell University. See + <a href="http://chla.library.cornell.edu/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=chla;idno=5017637"> + http://chla.library.cornell.edu/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=chla;idno=5017637</a> + </td> + </tr> +</table> +<p> </p> +<hr class="pg" /> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page1" name="page1"></a>[pg 1]</span></p> + +<a name="h2H_4_0001" id="h2H_4_0001"><!-- H2 anchor --></a> + +<div style="height: 4em;"><br /><br /><br /><br /></div> + +<h2> + A DESCRIPTION +<br /> + <span style="font-size: 50%;">OF THE</span> +<br /> + BAR-AND-FRAME-HIVE, +</h2> + +<h2> +<span style="font-size: 50%;">INVENTED BY</span> +<br /> +W. AUGUSTUS MUNN, ESQ. +</h2> + +<h3> +<span style="font-size: 50%;">WITH AN ABSTRACT OF</span> +<br /> +WILDMAN'S COMPLETE GUIDE +<br /> +<span style="font-size: 50%;">FOR THE</span> +<br /> +MANAGEMENT OF BEES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. +</h3> + +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<p class="i2"> Ipsa autem, seu corticibus tibi suta cavatis, </p> +<p class="i2"> Seu lento fuerint alvearia vimine texta, </p> +<p class="i2"> Angustos habeant aditus; nam frigore mella </p> +<p class="i2"> Cogit hiems, eademque calor liquefacta remittit. </p> +</div> +<p style="text-align:right;"> <span class="sc">Virgil</span>, <i>G. lib.</i> iv. </p> +</div> + +<div style="height: 3em;"><br /><br /><br /></div> + +<p class="center" style="font-size: 75%;"> + LONDON: <br /> + JOHN VAN VOORST, PATERNOSTER ROW. <br /> + M.DCCC.XLIV. +</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page2" name="page2"></a>[pg 2]</span></p> + +<div style="height: 4em;"><br /><br /><br /><br /></div> + +<p class="center" style="font-size: 75%;"> + <span class="sc">London</span> <br /> + Printed by <span class="sc">S. & J. Bentley, Wilson</span>, and <span class="sc">Fley</span>, <br /> + Bangor House, Shoe Lane. +</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="pageA" name="pageA"></a>[TOC]</span></p> + +<div style="height: 4em;"><br /><br /><br /><br /></div> + +<h2>CONTENTS</h2> + +<p class="toc"><a href="#h2H_PREF">PREFACE</a></p> +<p class="toc"><a href="#h2H_4_0003">EXPLANATION OF THE PLATE.</a></p> +<p class="toc"><a href="#h2H_4_0005">THE BAR-AND-FRAME-HIVE.</a></p> +<p class="toc"><a href="#h2H_4_0006">HIVES AND BEE-BOXES.</a></p> +<p class="toc"><a href="#h2H_4_0007">THE APIARY.</a></p> +<p class="toc"><a href="#h2H_4_0008">THE ENEMIES TO BEES, &c.</a></p> +<p class="toc"><a href="#h2H_4_0009">SWARMING AND HIVING THE BEES.</a></p> +<hr /> +<h2>ILLUSTRATIONS</h2> +<p class="toc"><a href="#image-0001"><i>PLATE I. Fig. 1.</i> </a></p> +<p class="toc"><a href="#image-0002"><i>Fig. I.</i> </a></p> +<p class="toc"><a href="#image-0003"><i>Fig. II.</i> </a></p> +<p class="toc"><a href="#image-0004"><i>Fig. III.</i> </a></p> +<p class="toc"><a href="#image-0005"><i>Fig. IV.</i> </a></p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page3" name="page3"></a>[pg 3]</span></p> + +<a name="h2H_PREF" id="h2H_PREF"><!-- H2 anchor --></a> + +<div style="height: 4em;"><br /><br /><br /><br /></div> + +<h2> + PREFACE +</h2> +<p> +Having been frequently requested to explain the use +of the <i>bar-and-frame-hive</i>, in the management of bees, +I have been induced to print the following pamphlet, +to point out the advantages this new hive possesses over +the common ones. +</p> +<p> +I have added extracts from various authorities to show +the importance of transporting bees for a change of pasturage, +and thus prolonging the honey harvest. Regarding +the natural history of the bee, I have merely stated +a few of the leading facts connected with that interesting +subject, drawn from Wildman's Book on Bee-management. +</p> +<p> +<i>London, April, 1844.</i> +</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page4" name="page4"></a>[pg 4]</span></p> + +<a name="image-0001"><!--IMG--></a> +<div class="figure"> +<img src="images/plate1.png" width="100%" +alt="PLATE I. Fig. 1." /> +<br /> +<i>PLATE I. Fig. 1.</i> +</div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page5" name="page5"></a>[pg 5]</span></p> + +<a name="h2H_4_0003" id="h2H_4_0003"><!-- H2 anchor --></a> + +<div style="height: 4em;"><br /><br /><br /><br /></div> + +<h2> + EXPLANATION OF THE PLATE. +</h2> +<h3> +PLATE I, FIGURE 1. +</h3> +<p> +<span class="sc">A B C D E F</span> and <span class="sc">E F</span>, the oblong box as shown in fig. +1, Plate I. +</p> +<p> +<span class="sc">A B C D</span>, the top lid of the oblong box; <span class="sc">G H</span>, the half +of it made to fall back, and supported at an angle by the hinges, <i>h h</i>; +<i>l</i>, the upper part of the lock of the box; <i>i k</i>, the two gable ends of +the roof; <i>i</i>, the perforated zinc shown as secured in a triangular +frame; and <i>k</i>, the outside appearance of the ventilator. +</p> +<p> +<span class="sc">Q Q</span>, the two quadrants, supporting the table, <span class="sc">I J</span>, +which is formed by the side of the box, <span class="sc">A C E E</span>, being let +down; <i>a a a</i>, &c., fifteen holes made to receive the back bolt, <i>m</i>, of +the observation-frame, <span class="sc">Z</span>; <i>b b</i>, two bolts to fasten into the +holes, <i>c</i> and <i>d</i>, when the table <span class="sc">I J</span>, is closed, <i>f</i>, being +the other part of the lock. +</p> +<p> +<span class="sc">T</span>, one of the handles of the box (the other not seen). +</p> +<p> +<span class="sc">U</span>, one of the blocks (the other not shown) to keep the bottom +of the box from the ground, when the four legs <span class="sc">L L L L</span>, are +unscrewed from the four corners of the box. +</p> +<p> +<span class="sc">X X B D</span>, the front of the box; <i>e</i>, the alighting board, four +inches wide, extending the whole length from <span class="sc">F</span> to <span class="sc">F</span>; +<span class="sc">X</span> <i>2</i>, shows a small ledge to keep the wet from entering the +bee-box, and <span class="sc">X I</span>, one of the slides <i>s</i>, drawn out, and +extending beyond the end of the box; the other half slide, <i>s</i>, on the +<i>left</i> hand side, not drawn out in the sketch, the part under <span class="sc">X</span> +1, shows the opening for the ingress and egress of the bees. +</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page6" name="page6"></a>[pg 6]</span></p> + +<p> +<span class="sc">R</span>, one of the two pieces of red cedar at the inside of the box, +fixed at the ends, <span class="sc">E F. E F</span>. The <span class="sc">Q Q</span>, quadrants being +made to work between the red cedar and the outer case or box; <i>v v</i>, the +fillet fixed in the length of the box, on a level with the tops of red +cedar; <i>c d</i>, the holes for the bolts <i>b b</i>, in the table <span class="sc">I J</span>. +</p> +<p> +<span class="sc">W W</span>, pieces of perforated zinc laid upon the tops of the +bee-frames resting on the fillets, <i>v v</i>. +</p> +<p> +1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, six of the 15 grooves, half an inch deep, 9-1/2 long, +and 1-1/2 of an inch broad, formed on the floor-board: the holes shown +in the floor-board above the figures being made for the reception of the +two pins, <i>a b</i>, in the observation-frame. No. 8, shows the +"division-frame" run into the eighth groove of the floor-board, and No. +14 and 15, the bee-frames run into their respective grooves, and the +1-1/8 of an inch openings in the back closed by the slips of tin, <i>q q q +q</i>, &c. +</p> +<p> +<span class="sc">Y Y</span>, the bar of mahogany with corresponding grooves, <span class="sc">X X X +X</span>, &c. to those on the floor-board, at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, and +15-2/8 holes for the top bolt, <i>r</i>, of the observation-frame, +<span class="sc">Z</span>, to fix into. <i>t, t, t</i>, the screw nuts at the backs of the +bee-frames, &c., for the screw at the end of the spindle, <span class="sc">S</span>, to +work into, and thus hold and draw out of the grooves the bee-frames; +<i>w</i>, the bee-frame containing comb and bees, drawn partly into the +observation-frame, <span class="sc">Z</span>. +</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page7" name="page7"></a>[pg 7]</span></p> + +<div style="height: 4em;"><br /><br /><br /><br /></div> + +<h1> + A DESCRIPTION +<br /> + <span style="font-size: 50%;">OF THE</span> +<br /> +BAR-AND-FRAME-HIVE. +</h1> + +<a name="h2H_4_0005" id="h2H_4_0005"><!-- H2 anchor --></a> + +<div style="height: 4em;"><br /><br /><br /><br /></div> + +<h2> + THE BAR-AND-FRAME-HIVE. +</h2> +<p> +By first giving a general description of the "bar-and-frame-hive," +the details of its construction can be better explained afterwards. +</p> +<p> +An oblong box is formed of well seasoned wood of an inch in thickness, +about thirty inches long, sixteen inches high, and twelve inches broad; +but the size may be varied to suit the convenience or taste of different +apiarians. Instead of the lid of the box being flat, it is made in the +shape of the roof of a cottage, and with projecting eaves to throw +off the wet more effectually. One of the long sides of the box is +constructed to open with hinges, and to hang on a level with the +<i>bottom</i> of the box, and is held up by means of two quadrants. As many +grooves, half of an inch broad, half an inch deep, and about 9-1/2 +inches long, are formed, 1-1/8 of an inch apart, in the inside of the +bottom of the box as its length will admit. +</p> +<p> +In the other side, a long half inch slip is cut for the egress and +ingress of the bees, having a piece of wood about an inch thick, and +four inches wide, fastened on the +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page8" name="page8"></a>[pg 8]</span> +outside, just under the opening, to form the alighting board for them. +</p> +<p> +At the top, of the side of the box which is made to let down, a four +inch piece of mahogany the length of the inside of the box is secured +in, having corresponding grooves formed, half an inch broad, 1-1/8 of an +inch deep, and half an inch apart, to those made in the bottom of the +box, leaving just <i>twelve</i> inches between the bottom grooves and the +upper bar grooves. +</p> +<p> +When the four legs are screwed into the four corners of the box, the +small "bee-house" is ready for the reception of the "bee-frames" and +the bees. The "bee-frames" are made of half inch mahogany, being twelve +inches high, nine inches long, and not more than half of an inch broad, +so that these frames will fit into the box, sliding into fifteen grooves +formed on the bottom, and kept securely in their places by the upper +grooves in the mahogany bar. +</p> +<p> +When the fifteen, or whatever number of the bee-frames intended to be +used, have been run into the grooves, sheets of perforated zinc are +placed on the tops of them; the 1-1/8 of an inch openings at the backs +of the frames being closed with slips of tin. +</p> +<p> +One of the bee-frames is made solid, with sheets of zinc being fixed +in it; this frame can then be used as a divider between any number of +the bee-frames, and thus form the box into two compartments, either to +augment or diminish the space in the box according to the size of the +swarm, or the increasing wants of the bees for more room. +</p> +<p> +The bees are then introduced into the hive (having first closed the +backs of the bee-frames with the slips of tin, and fastened the side +lid of the box against them, and also removed one of the sheets of +perforated zinc from the tops of the bee-frames) by dislodging the bees +from the straw-hive + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page9" name="page9"></a>[pg 9]</span> + + in which they had been previously collected, or shaken from the boughs +of the tree, where they may have settled, so as to fall upon the tops of +the frames within the box; when the bees have all congregated within the +bee-frames by crawling through the open spaces at the top, the +perforated sheet of zinc is placed over them; the bees can then only +escape through the long slip or entrance which was made for them in the +front of the box. +</p> +<p> +The top lid can be closed and locked, when the bees will be secure from +the gaze of the inquisitive, or the bad intentions of thieves. +</p> +<p> +Before I proceed to give any directions for the construction of the +"bar-and-frame-hive" I am <i>anxious</i> to <i>warn</i> all amateur carpenters, +and those who delight to superintend the labours of a "cheap working +country carpenter," against the fatal error of using unseasoned wood; +for, unless the "bottom board" and the "bee-frames" are made of +mahogany, or some well-seasoned, hard, or close-grained wood, the +advantages of the bar and frame-hive will be quite destroyed, as the +great object is to have the bee-frames to slide in and out of the +grooves with the <i>greatest facility</i>. Throughout the whole of the making +of the hive or box, no glue should be used, unless further secured with +small <span class="sc">SCREWS OR NAILS</span>.[<a href="#note-1" name="noteref-1"><small>1</small></a>] +</p> +<p> +The oblong box, <span class="sc">A B C D, E F</span> and <span class="sc">E F</span> (Plate I, fig. +1), is to be made of well-seasoned poplar, fir, or deal, of an inch in +thickness; the inside dimensions are 28 inches and 5/8 of an inch long +from <span class="sc">A</span> to <span class="sc">C</span>, 10-1/2 inches broad from <span class="sc">A</span> to +<span class="sc">B</span>, and sixteen inches deep from <span class="sc">A</span> to <span class="sc">E</span>. +</p> +<p> +The top lid <span class="sc">A B C D</span> is formed in the shape of a common +roof, and made to project an inch, before, behind, and at + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page10" name="page10"></a>[pg 10]</span> + +the two gable ends, like the eaves of a cottage to throw off +the wet. +</p> +<p> +The half of this roof <span class="sc">G H</span>, is made to open and fall back with +hinges <i>h h</i>. +</p> +<p> +The two gable ends of the roof have holes cut in them, <i>i, k</i>, to admit +the circulation of air; and secured with perforated zinc withinside to +prevent the intrusion of wasps, or any other enemies to bees; the gable +marked <i>i</i>, shows the perforated zinc framed into the gable, and <i>k</i> the +outside appearance of the ventilator. +</p> +<p> +The side of the box marked <span class="sc">A C E E</span>, is made to let down and +form a table <span class="sc">I J</span>, hung on hinges <span class="sc">P P</span>, and supported by +the quadrants <span class="sc">Q Q</span>, one inch <i>below the level of the bottom +board</i>. +</p> +<p> +Two handles are fixed in the ends of the box, one shown in the sketch at +<span class="sc">T</span>. +</p> +<p> +Two blocks of wood are screwed on the bottom of the box (one shown at +<span class="sc">U</span>) to keep it off the ground, &c., when the four legs, <span class="sc">L L +L L</span>, at the four corners of the box are unscrewed for the +convenience of packing, &c. In the opposite side or front of the box at +<span class="sc">X X</span>, is fixed a piece of board <i>e</i>, four inches broad, and +an inch thick, extending the whole length from <span class="sc">F F</span>; this is +secured at an angle with the bottom of the box, so as to form a slightly +inclined plain <i>e</i>, for the alighting board, which would be always +dry for the bees to land upon. A half inch opening is made from +<span class="sc">F</span> to <span class="sc">F</span>, just above the alighting board, for the +ingress and egress of the bees. Slides are made <i>s s</i>, to regulate the +extent of the openings, or to entirely close the entrance to the box; +these slides can be drawn out when it is necessary to clean the bottom +board, &c. +</p> +<p> +Within-side the box, two pieces of red cedar of half an inch in +thickness, 12-1/8 inches long, 9-1/2 inches broad, are nailed on to each +end at <span class="sc">E F</span>, and <span class="sc">E F</span> (one of the pieces of + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page11" name="page11"></a>[pg 11]</span> + + red cedar shown at <span class="sc">R</span>). The quadrants, <span class="sc">Q Q</span>, being made +to work between them and the outer case. A fillet, <i>v v</i>, is fastened on +a level with the tops of the two pieces of red cedar, to form a ledge of +about a 1/4 of an inch all round, to support the sheets of perforated +zinc, as shown at <span class="sc">W W</span>. +</p> +<p> +Sixteen pieces of mahogany, 1-1/8 of an inch broad, and half an inch deep, +are to be screwed to the mahogany floor board, commencing against the +piece of red cedar, <span class="sc">R</span>, and leaving a space between each piece, +half of an inch, and finishing against the other piece of red cedar +with the last; there will then be formed fifteen grooves, half of an +inch in width, half an inch in depth, and 9-1/2 inches long on the +floor-board as shown at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. +</p> +<p> +A bar of mahogany, <span class="sc">Y Y</span>, about two inches square, having +grooves, <span class="sc">X X X X</span>, &c., corresponding to those on the +floor-board, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, &c., is let in, and fastened between +<span class="sc">A</span> and <span class="sc">C</span>, having a clear space of twelve inches between +the floor-board, and this top bar; the object of these grooves being to +receive, and keep steadily in their places, the fifteen bee-frames, when +introduced into them. +</p> + +<a name="image-0002"><!--IMG--></a> +<div style="float:right; width: 300px; text-align:center; margin-left: 2em;"> +<img src="images/fig-1.png" width="300" alt="Fig. I." /> +<br /> +<i>Fig. I.</i> +</div> + +<p> +The "bee-frames" are made of mahogany, nine inches long, twelve inches +high, and half an inch broad. Each frame is <i>dove-tailed</i> to make it +strong at the angles, and to keep it true; the upper part is formed of +one inch mahogany, and <i>bevelled</i> off (as the carpenters call it) to the +eighth of an inch, in the centre, as shown at <i>a</i>, fig. 1: on the two +sides of this triangular bar, <i>b b</i>, pieces of glass, extending the +length of the bar, are + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page12" name="page12"></a>[pg 12]</span> + + fixed with red lead. The two sides of the frame, <i>d, d</i>, are to increase +in size, from half an inch at the top, to 1-1/2 inches at the bottom. +The bottom piece, <i>c</i>, is half an inch in depth. The back of each frame +has a piece of tin, about the thickness of a card, fixed on it, of the +exact size, viz. twelve inches long, and half an inch broad, <i>e, e</i>. In +the centre of the back of each frame, <i>f</i>, a screw-nut is let in, which +is made to fit a screw at the end of a long spindle, <span class="sc">S</span>, Plate +I, fig. 1. This spindle with a handle, <span class="sc">Z</span>, will screw equally +well into the screw-nuts of the fifteen bee-frames and division-frame. +The use of this spindle being, to draw in and out of the grooves the +fifteen bee-frames when required. When the bee-frames have been put into +the grooves in the box, slips of tin about thirteen inches long, and and +a half broad, are slipped into their backs (being run in between the +backs of the bee-frames, and the pieces of thin tin fixed upon them), to +close the 1-1/8 of an inch openings. And three or four sheets of +perforated zinc are laid upon the tops of the bee-frames, resting on the +fillets. Thus, then, when a swarm of bees has been introduced into this +box, the bees have to build their combs within the fifteen bee-frames, +or whatever number may have been run into the grooves for that purpose. +The bees cannot escape from above the frames, as the sheets of +perforated zinc prevent them, nor from the 1-1/8 of an inch openings at +the backs of the frames, as they have been closed with the slips of tin; +the only open part being the long narrow slip, just above the alighting +board, which was originally left for their ingress and egress. +</p> +<p> +The division-frame is made of half inch mahogany, twelve inches high, +9-1/2 long, and half of an inch broad. So that it will run into any of +the grooves formed for the bee-frames; but made to fit close to the box +at the end, by + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page13" name="page13"></a>[pg 13]</span> + + means of a slip of wood, <span class="sc">C C</span>, fig. 2, to prevent the bees +crawling between the frame and the outer-box, as they can do round the +bee-frames. +</p> +<a name="image-0003"><!--IMG--></a> +<div style="float:right; width: 300px; text-align:center; margin-left: 2em;"> +<img src="images/fig-2.png" width="300" alt="Fig. II." /> +<br /> +<i>Fig. II.</i> + +</div> +<p> +The division-frame itself is closed by having two sheets of zinc run +into it as shown in fig. 2, the one marked <i>b b b b</i>, and partly drawn +out, being of solid sheet zinc; and <i>a a</i>, the other in the frame, of +perforated zinc; <i>d</i>, being the screw-nut (like those in the bee-frames) +by means of which it can be drawn out into the observation-frame, &c. +Thus, wherever this division-frame is run into the bee-box, (except of +course at No. 1, and No. 15 grooves) it cuts off all communication with +the bee-frames on the right or left of it; and two colonies of bees may +be kept in the same box, and still have distinct frames to work upon, +and separate entrances, &c. +</p> +<p> +If then bees have been put into one of the bar-and-frame-hives, and +sufficient time has been given them to build their combs within "the +bee-frames," the frames with their contents can be drawn out into the +"observation-frame," (which will be more fully described) whenever it +is wished to examine the bees, &c., as the 1-1/8 of an inch spaces +between the grooves will allow of a sufficient distance to be preserved, +between the lateral surfaces of the perpendicular combs formed in the +"bee-frames," and thus permit them to slide by each other with facility. +</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page14" name="page14"></a>[pg 14]</span></p> + +<a name="image-0004"><!--IMG--></a> +<div style="float:left; width: 300px; text-align: center; margin-right: 2em;"> +<img src="images/fig-3.png" width="300" alt="Fig. III." /> +<br /> +<i>Fig. III.</i> +</div> + +<p> +The "observation-frame," fig. 3, is a mahogany frame, fourteen inches +high, eleven inches long, and about four inches wide, having a single +groove half an inch deep, and half an inch broad, running within its +whole length of eleven inches. The two largest sides have panes of glass +fixed in them with small brads. The top, bottom, and one end (this end +forming the back) of this frame, are made of solid wood; the back having +a small hole, <i>f</i>, 2/8 of an inch in diameter in the middle, to allow +the spindle before mentioned to pass through it. The end which forms the +front of the frame is open, so that any one of the bee-frames can be run +into the observation-frame, but may be closed by a piece of tin (<i>d</i>) +being slipt into the small grooves at <i>c c</i>. The observation-frame has +two pins, <i>a, b</i>, to fit into the 2/8 holes made along the bottom board +of the bee-box, shown by the figures, 1, 2, 3, &c., see Plate I, fig. 1, +and also two small bolts <i>r</i> and <i>m</i>; <i>r</i>, the upper one to fix into the +holes above <span class="sc">X X X</span>, &c., in the mahogany bar; (but this bolt is +only used during the operation of drawing out the bee-frames into the +observation frame); and the other bolt <i>m</i> at the back of the frame, to +fasten into the 2/8 holes, <i>a, a, a</i>, &c., made in the lid, <span class="sc">I +J</span>. When the two pins and the bolts of the + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page15" name="page15"></a>[pg 15]</span> + + observation-frame have been adjusted and fixed, the groove in it will be +in a straight line with one of the grooves formed in the bottom board of +the box, consequently a bee-frame can be made to slide, by means of the +long spindle, in and out of the box, into the observation-frame. +</p> +<p> +The use of this "observation frame" must now be explained more fully: +the top lid of the bee box, Plate I, fig. 1. <span class="sc">G. H.</span> being thrown +up, will screen the "operator" from the bees, which are flying in and +out in the front of the hive or box. The back lid, <span class="sc">I. J.</span>, is +let down, and supported by the quadrants <span class="sc">Q. Q.</span>, and forms a +table, the box having been raised from the ground by the four legs, +<span class="sc">L L L L</span>. The observation frame is placed opposite to whichever +bee-frame is to be examined; the two pins, <i>a, b</i>, fig. 3, running into +the holes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, &c., made in the bottom board. The small bolts, +Plate I, secured at the top, as at <i>r</i>, and the back <i>m</i>: the long +spindle, <span class="sc">S</span>, is run through the 2/8 hole in the back of the +observation frame, as at <span class="sc">Z</span>, and the end of the spindle screwed +into the screw socket <i>t</i>, at the back of the bee-frame <i>w</i>; the two +pieces of tin on the right and left of the bee-frame are pulled out (of +course the observation frame being empty, and having the piece of tin +from its front taken out), the operator holding by the handle, <i>z</i>, of +the spindle, gradually draws out the bee-frame into the observation +frame, and after examining the bees and comb, gently returns the +bee-frame into its groove in the floor-board: the two slips of tin are +then replaced in the backs of the bee-frames: the spindle is unscrewed +and withdrawn, the bolts are unfastened, the observation frame being +kept firmly in its place, held by the left hand of the operator, whilst +with the right he runs in the long slip of tin, <i>d</i>, fig. 3, into the +front of the observation frame, to keep the bees (escaped from the +returned bee-frame), until the + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page16" name="page16"></a>[pg 16]</span> + + observation frame is again fixed opposite to another bee-frame, when the +tin is withdrawn and the bolts fastened as before. It has been shown +that by these means, each bee-frame, and the bees and comb contained in +it, can be easily drawn out and examined, without interfering with any +other part of the hive, or occasioning the loss of a single bee. +</p> +<p> +The whole of the interior of the hive is thus open to inspection at any +moment, and a choice can be made of the combs containing the most honey, +or the bee owner enabled to trace the devastation of the honey moth, +and ascertain the presence of any other enemy, and this without the +assistance of smoke, which must be injurious both to the bees and their +brood. +</p> +<p> +When the bee-frame is returned and secured, the observation-frame is +removed; then the lid, <span class="sc">I J</span>, being shut up and bolted, and the +upper lid, <span class="sc">G H</span>, closed, the box may be locked up. When the bees +have been shut in with the slide in the front, the hive or box is ready +to be transported anywhere, to procure new pasturage for them, which, as +every experienced bee-keeper knows, is of the greatest benefit to +prolong their honey-harvest. +</p> +<p> +Perfect protection from wet and the vicissitudes of temperature, is +partly ensured by the external bee-box being made of well-seasoned wood; +poplar is recommended as of a looser grain than fir, deal, &c., and +consequently, not so great a conductor of heat; but the objection to +wooden bee-hives or boxes, for being more easily affected by the +variations of the temperature, is removed by the construction of the +"bar frame-hive;" for the bee-frames form, as it were, a smaller box +within the oblong box, and are not in immediate contact with the +external air, but have a half inch space nearly all round them, which +will to a certain + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page17" name="page17"></a>[pg 17]</span> + + extent maintain an equable temperature for the bees, both in summer and +winter. +</p> +<p> +Any moisture condensed from the heated air generated by the bees, is +carried off through the perforated sheets of zinc above the frames, and +cool store-room for the honey is also thus secured. +</p> +<p> +A feeding trough is made on the principle of a bird-glass: with a tin +feeder and a small bottle for the liquid food to be put into. +</p> +<a name="image-0005"><!--IMG--></a> +<div style="float:right; width: 300px; text-align:center; margin-left: 2em;"> +<img src="images/fig-4.png" width="300" alt="Fig. IV." /> +<br /> +<i>Fig. IV.</i> + +</div> +<p> +The tin feeder is six inches by 7-1/2 long, and one inch deep, and just +fits on to the top of the bee-frames, where the perforated sheets of +zinc are laid; within this feeder a half inch opening is cut at the +bottom, fig 4, <i>a</i>, and an inclined plane <i>b</i>, reaching half way up +the depth of the trough; and a sheet of perforated tin, <i>c</i> (placed +horizontally from point <i>b</i>,) through which the bees suck the food, +which is kept at the same level by atmospheric pressure; for as the food +is drawn down below the mouth of the bottle, <i>d</i>, air forces itself into +the bottle, and the same quantity of food trickles down into the feeder, +a piece of glass, <i>e</i>, exactly the same size as the feeder, is placed +over it, through which the bees may be seen whilst feeding, and the +feeding trough will be nearly of the same temperature as the interior +of the box or hive, and prevent the bees being chilled, as they would +be in winter, if compelled to descend for their food; and besides, the +bees are less likely to be attacked by wasps or strange bees when fed +from above, as the intruders would have to ascend through the mass of +bees in the box, which would be attended with danger to them. +</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page18" name="page18"></a>[pg 18]</span></p> + +<p> +The bees can be fed when necessary by one of the sheets of perforated +zinc being drawn on one side, and the feeding trough, with the bottle of +food in it, being placed over the opening; when the bees will ascend +through the half inch space at <i>a</i>, and feed themselves with the liquid, +or carry it away and store it up for future use. +</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page19" name="page19"></a>[pg 19]</span></p> + +<a name="h2H_4_0006" id="h2H_4_0006"><!-- H2 anchor --></a> + +<div style="height: 4em;"><br /><br /><br /><br /></div> + +<h2> + HIVES AND BEE-BOXES. +</h2> +<p> +Having given a description of the bar-frame-hive, it will be as well to +enter into the comparative advantages of using wooden boxes and straw +hives. +</p> +<p> +Some apiarians confine themselves to the use of straw hives, others to +wooden boxes, and a third party use both; but as far as the bees are +concerned it matters little what kind of hive is given them, for if the +season be favourable, and the bee-pasturage rich with flowers, they +collect and store up the honey in their combs in any receptacle of any +shape or size, provided it affords them shelter from the weather. +</p> +<p> +Hives made of straw are generally preferred for an out-of-door apiary, +as being less liable to be over-heated by the rays of the sun, and +in the winter they exclude the cold better than hives made of other +materials, while the moisture arising from the bees is more quickly +absorbed within the hive, and does not run down the sides as it +generally does in wooden hives or boxes; at the same time they are +always to be obtained from their cheapness, and from their simplicity +easily understood and made use of; wooden boxes can only be used with +advantage in a bee-house, they stand firmer on the bottom boards, or +one upon another, they admit of having glass windows, through which +to observe the operations of the bees, and they are not so liable to +harbour moths, spiders, and other insects, as the straw hives. +</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page20" name="page20"></a>[pg 20]</span></p> + +<p> +The objects to be attained in the construction and management of an +apiary, are, to secure the prosperity and multiplication of the colonies +of bees, to increase the amount of their productive labour, and to +obtain their products with facility, and with the least possible +detriment to the stock. It is to the interest of the owner, therefore, +that he provide for the bees shelter against moisture, and the extremes +of heat and cold—especially, sudden vicissitudes of temperature, +protection from their numerous enemies, every facility for constructing +their combs and for rearing their brood, and that the hive should be so +constructed as to allow of every part of the combs to be inspected at +any moment, and capable of removal when requisite: and while attention +is paid to economy, it should be made of materials that will secure its +durability. +</p> +<p> +These observations apply equally to the straw hives, boxes, or whatever +the bees may be lodged in or hived. Some cultivators of bees have been +chiefly anxious to promote their multiplication, and to prevent the +escape of the swarms in their natural way, by forming artificial swarms, +by separating a populous hive previous to its swarming, into two parts, +and allowing to each greater room for the construction of their works. +Others, and the most numerous class, have contemplated only the +abundance of the products which they yield, and the facility of +extracting them from the hive, without showing any particular solicitude +as to the preservation of the bees themselves. Another class of +apiarians have, on the other hand, had it more particularly in view, +to facilitate the prosecution of researches in the natural history and +economy of bees. +</p> +<p> +Then, again, amongst apiarians a diversity of opinion exists regarding +the system to be adopted in the management of the hives, whether the +bees are to be kept in single + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page21" name="page21"></a>[pg 21]</span> + + hives, caps or bell-glasses, and extra boxes, which may be added at the +top, which is called the <i>storifying</i> system; or inserting additional +room at the bottom, called <i>nadering</i>; or whether adding boxes at the +sides, called the <i>collateral</i> system, should be followed out; and a +plan of ventilating the boxes has been added to the last system, but +experience has proved that it is utterly useless, as in spite of +ventilating tubes and thermometers, the bees have swarmed, and the +queen-bee has deposited her eggs in the collateral boxes and destroyed +the purity of the honey. +</p> +<p> +No successful plan has been yet devised to ventilate the combs where +the bees cluster; for the bees prevent the circulation of the cold air +amongst the combs by immediately forming themselves in thick rows at the +bottom of the combs; and instead of ranging the fields to gather honey +or pollen, have to collect together and idle away their time to retain +the necessary heat for the formation of the combs, or to rear their +brood. +</p> +<p> +As a single hive, Huber's leaf-hive is certainly the best; but it +requires great attention, and none but experienced apiarists can use it +for the purpose of trying experiments; but in the hands of experienced +apiarists it is invaluable. All other single hives are objectionable, as +neither the proceedings of the bees can be observed, nor the honey taken +out, without either destroying the bees, or driving them out with smoke +by which much of the brood is killed; or if rainy weather occur at the +time the bees are preparing to throw off a swarm, and the hive be filled +to its utmost limits with comb, all the bees must remain idle till the +return of fine weather for want of room. +</p> +<p> +To meet this objection, some apiarians have straw-hives with flat wooden +tops made, or use boxes, and have holes cut in them at the top, so that +small glasses may be added, + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page22" name="page22"></a>[pg 22]</span> + + when the bees require room. But this does not prevent swarming, and +besides, the flatness of the roof is prejudicial, as it allows the +moisture which exhales from the bees to collect in the roof, and to fall +in drops at different parts, to the great injury of the subjacent +contents of the hive, and, like the common straw hive or square box, the +bees cannot be examined, except partially through the windows made in +the sides. +</p> +<p> +To remedy this evil, the further plan of <i>storifying</i> hives or boxes, +was introduced, and by this method swarming may to an extent be +prevented, and the wax and honey can be taken without destroying the +bees; and with the same view was introduced the <i>collateral</i> system, +which is adding room at the sides (of course preserving a free +communication between the boxes and hives). But there are objections to +the <i>collateral</i> system, as it is now a very well established fact, that +partitions of any kind are detrimental to the prosperity of the bees; +and the same applies, though perhaps in an inferior degree, to the +<i>storied</i> system, or hives and boxes divided into stories one above +another; besides that which holds good equally to all hives or boxes, +that it is not possible to proportion the hives in all cases to the +magnitude of the swarms, or the energy with which they labour. +</p> +<p> +In single hives the honey becomes bad and discoloured from being put +into the old breeding cells. In double storied, or collateral hives, the +bees are divided, and live in different families; while their own +preservation, and that of the brood, requires them to live in the +strictest union; the heat also necessary for the secretion of wax is +lessened by the division of the bees into different groups. And, +besides, all these different hives or boxes should have some + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page23" name="page23"></a>[pg 23]</span> + + sort of protection from the weather, either in the way of eaves or +covers, or be placed in a shed or bee-house. +</p> +<p> +They require also centre boards and division tins, &c. to separate +one hive or box from another, floor boards for them to stand upon, +as well as stands or stools to raise them from the ground, &c., for +a description of which, and a full history of all hives and boxes, +I refer the reader to Dr. Bevan's "Honey-bee." +</p> +<p> +In mentioning the defects of these different boxes and hives, I do not +mean to condemn them as useless, for they will all answer to a certain +extent the purposes for which they were intended, rewarding the +attentive bee-keeper, according to the seasons, and enabling the bees to +send forth many swarms, and collecting and storing up their treasures of +honey; but my object has been to point out briefly to those anxious for +the better, more extended, and economical mode of bee-management, the +difficulties to be provided against, and to recommend to their +consideration the advantages offered in the bar frame-hive. But, +however, I should not be doing justice to Mr. R. Golding, if I did not +particularly mention his "improved Grecian hive" by the use of which +combs may be removed from the interior of the hive and inspected at +pleasure: this improvement he has effected by carefully investigating +the laws of the insects for whose use the hives were intended, and by a +particular arrangement of the bars, (every alternate one being furnished +with guide combs,) the bees have been induced, in a manner at once +simple and beautiful, to construct a uniform range of combs. When the +hive is filled with honey, two or three, or more of the bars may be, +at any time, removed, or exchanged for unoccupied bars, without much +disturbing the brood combs, all annoyance from the bees being prevented + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page24" name="page24"></a>[pg 24]</span> + + by a whiff or two of tobacco smoke being blown into the hive at the time +of the removal of the bars. With the protection of a bee-house these +hives can be applied to many of the systems of bee-management, and prove +equally profitable, and more manageable than some of the newly-invented +hives. +</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page25" name="page25"></a>[pg 25]</span></p> + +<a name="h2H_4_0007" id="h2H_4_0007"><!-- H2 anchor --></a> + +<div style="height: 4em;"><br /><br /><br /><br /></div> + +<h2> + THE APIARY. +</h2> +<p> +Next of importance to the kind of hive and the system to be followed, is +the proper situation of an apiary. This subject engaged the attention of +bee-keepers in ancient as much as in modern times; but the directions +given by Columella and Virgil are as good now as when they were written; +and as is observed by the writer in No. <span class="sc">CXLI</span>. of the Quarterly +Review, in the amusing article on "Bee-books,"—"It would amply repay +(and this is saying a great deal,) the most forgetful country gentleman +to rub up his schoolboy Latin, for the sole pleasure he would derive +from the perusal of the fourth Georgic." The aspect has been regarded as +of the first importance; but there are points of greater consequence, +namely the vicinity of good bee pasturage, the shelter of the hives from +the winds by trees or houses, and their distance from ponds or rivers, +as the high winds might dash the bees into the water. +</p> +<p> +Various aspects have been recommended, but the south, with a point to +the east or west, according to its situation as respects the shelter it +may receive from walls or trees, &c. is the best: care, however, must be +taken that neither walls, trees, nor anything else impede the going +forth of the bees to their pasturage. +</p> +<p> +"I have ever found it best," says Wildman, "to place the mouth of the +hives to the west in spring, care being + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page26" name="page26"></a>[pg 26]</span> + + taken that they have the afternoon sun; the morning sun is extremely +dangerous during the colder months, when its glare often tempts these +industrious insects out to their ruin; whereas the mouth of the hive +being then in the shade, the bees remain at home; and as clouds +generally obscure the afternoon's sun at that season, the bees escape +the temptation of going out. When food is to be obtained, the warmth of +the air continues round the hive in the afternoon, which enables the +bees to pursue their labours without danger. +</p> +<p> +A valley is a better situation for an apiary than a hill, being more +convenient to the bees returning home with their loads; and, besides, +bees are not so apt to fly away when swarming as when on a hill: but +when swarms take a distant flight, they generally fly against the wind, +so that the stragglers of the swarms may better hear the direction of +the course taken by their fellow emigrants. +</p> +<p> +I recommend a hard gravel terrace for the hives to be placed upon, as +being drier both in summer and winter for the bee-master to walk upon, +when inspecting his bees, and also as less likely to afford shelter for +ants or other enemies to bees; and, besides, it is better for the bees, +which when much fatigued by their journeys, or benumbed by the cold, are +apt to fall around the hives, and would recover more quickly from the +warmth of the dry ground than if they had alighted on damp grass. +</p> +<p> +The hives should not be placed where water from the eaves of houses, +from hedges, or trees, drop upon them; but they should be near the +mansion house for the convenience of watching the bees, &c. +</p> +<p> +A small stream of water running near the hives is thought to be of +advantage, especially in dry seasons, + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page27" name="page27"></a>[pg 27]</span> + + with gently declining banks, in order that the bees may have safe access +to it. +</p> +<p> +Heaths, or places abounding in wild flowers, constitute the best +neighbourhood for an apiary, and in default of this pasturage, there +should be gardens where flowers are cultivated, and fields in which +buck-wheat, clover, or sainfoin, is sown. +</p> +<p> +But cultivating small gardens of flowers for bees is useless, except a +few early flowers near the hives for the bees to collect some pollen for +the brood, such as the common kinds of crocus, white alyssum, single +blue hepaticas, helleborus niger, and tussilago petasites, all of which +flower early; but should any of the tribe of the willows grow near, +there will be no necessity for cultivating the flowers above-mentioned, +as they yield an abundant harvest of farina, or pollen. +</p> +<p> +A rich corn country is well known to be a barren desert to the bees +during a greater portion of the year. Hence the judicious practice of +shifting the bees from place to place according to the circumstances of +the season, and the custom of other nations in this particular well +deserves our imitation. +</p> +<p> +Few places are so happily situated as to afford bees proper pasturage +both in the beginning of the season and also the autumn; it was the +advice of Celsus that, after the vernal pastures are consumed, they +should be transported to places abounding with autumnal flowers; as was +practised by conveying the bees from Achaia to Attica, from Eubœa and +the Cyclad Islands to Syrus, and also in Sicily, where they were brought +to Hybla from other parts of the island. +</p> +<p> +Pliny states that the custom of removing bees from place to place for +fresh pasturage was frequent in the + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page28" name="page28"></a>[pg 28]</span> + + Roman territories, and such is still the practice of the Italians who +live near the banks of the Po, (the river which Pliny particularly +instances,) mentioned by Alexander de Montfort, who says that the +Italians treat their bees in nearly the same manner as the Egyptians did +and still do; that they load boats with hives and convey them to the +neighbourhood of the mountains of Piedmont; that in proportion as the +bees gather in their harvest, the boats, by growing heavier, sink deeper +into the water; and that the watermen determine from this, when their +hives are loaded sufficiently, and it is time to carry them back to +their places from which they came. The same author relates that the +people of the country of Juliers used the same practice; for that, at a +certain season of the year, they carried their bees to the foot of +mountains that were covered with wild thyme. +</p> +<p> +M. Maillet, who was the French Consul in Egypt in 1692, says in his +curious description of Egypt; "that in spite of the ignorance and +rusticity which have got possession of that country, there yet remain in +it several traces of the industry and skill of the ancient Egyptians." +One of their most admirable contrivances is, the sending their bees +annually into different districts to collect food, at a time when they +could not find any at home. +</p> +<p> +About the end October, all such inhabitants of Lower Egypt, as have +hives of bees, embark them on the Nile, and convey them up that river +quite into Upper Egypt; observing to time it so that they arrive there +just when the inundation is withdrawn, the lands have been sown, and the +flowers begin to bud. The hives thus sent are marked and numbered by +their respective owners, and placed pyramidically in boats prepared for +the purpose. After they have remained some time at their furthest +station, and are + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page29" name="page29"></a>[pg 29]</span> + + supposed to have gathered all the pollen and honey they could find in +the fields within two or three leagues around, their conductors convey +them in the same boats, two or three leagues lower down, and there leave +the laborious insects so long a time as is necessary for them to collect +all the riches of this spot. Thus the nearer they come to the place of +their more permanent abode, they find the plants which afford them food, +forward in proportion. +</p> +<p> +In fine, about the beginning of February, after having travelled through +the whole length of Egypt, and gathered all the rich produce of the +delightful banks of the Nile, they arrive at the mouth of that river, +towards the ocean; from whence they had set out: care is taken to keep +an exact register of every district from whence the hives were sent +in the beginning of the season, of their numbers, of the names of the +persons who sent them, and likewise of the mark or number of the boat +in which they were placed. +</p> +<p> +Niebuhr saw upon the Nile, between Cairo and Damietta, a convoy of +four thousand hives, in their transit from Upper Egypt to the Delta. +Savary, in his letters on Egypt, also gives an account of the manner of +transporting the hives down the Nile. In France floating bee-houses are +common. Goldsmith describes from his own observation, a kind of floating +apiary in some parts of France and Piedmont. "They have on board of one +barge," he says, "three score or a hundred bee-hives, well defended +from the inclemency of an accidental storm, and with these the owners +float quietly down the stream: one bee-hive yields the proprietor a +considerable income. Why," he adds, "a method similar to this has never +been adopted in England where we have more gentle rivers, and more +flowery banks, than in any part of the world, I know not; certainly it +might be turned to advantage." +</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page30" name="page30"></a>[pg 30]</span></p> + +<p> +They have also a method of transporting their hives by land in carts in +Germany; and particularly in Hanover travelling caravans of bees may be +seen during the season. +</p> +<p> +I have thus briefly quoted from famous authorities, to impress upon +those who keep apiaries the importance of transporting their bees from +pasture to pasture. +</p> +<p> +The advantage to weak swarms is very great, "but whilst so little of the +true principles of bee management is understood, as that the destruction +of the bees has been considered absolutely essential, in order to the +attainment of their stores, it is no wonder that so little attention +should have been paid to their cultivation in this country, and that it +should not have proved a more productive department of rural economy." +</p> +<p> +"Bees, like everything else worth possessing, require care and +attention; but persons generally think it is quite sufficient to procure +a hive and a swarm, and set it down in the middle of a garden, and that +streams of honey and money will forthwith flow; and, perhaps, commence +calculating, from the perusal of the statements of the profits made by +Thorley from a single hive, which he estimates to be 4300<i>l.</i> 16<i>s.</i> +from 8192 hives kept during fourteen years! deducting ten shillings and +sixpence, the cost of the first hive!" +</p> +<p> +The bar and frame-hives are so constructed that they can be moved from +place to place with the greatest ease, and, perhaps, this may be an +inducement for bee-masters to try the recommendations of transporting +bees, and thus avoid one expense of feeding them during the winter. +</p> +<p> +Connected with the foregoing subject of transporting bees from place to +place, is the question of the distance to which bees extend their flight +in search of food, &c.; and the comparative excellence of the position +of an apiary depends + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page31" name="page31"></a>[pg 31]</span> + + in some measure on the greater or less distance the bees will have to +fly to their pasturage. +</p> +<p> +Dr. Chambers, and Dr. Hunter were of opinion, that the bee cannot extend +its flight beyond a mile, which idea they adopted on the authority of +Schirach; but then it must be recollected that the German mile of +Schirach is equal to about 3-1/2 English miles. +</p> +<p> +It was the opinion of Huber, that the radii of the circle of the +flight of the bee extended nearly to four English miles. And Huish says +"The travelling apiaries of Germany, particularly those of Hanover, +are regulated by the prevailing opinion, that the bee can, and does, +extend its flight to four and even five miles; and acting upon that +supposition, when the bee-masters move their apiaries, they always +travel about two <i>stunden</i>, that is, about eight miles, as they then +calculate that the bees are beyond the former range of their pasture +by four miles." And adds, "a travelling apiary of 80 or 100 hives will +exhaust the food within the area of a circle of four miles in about +a fortnight or three weeks." +</p> +<p> +"But certainly there is no reason to fear that any part of this country +will be overstocked with bees, for where one hive is now kept, fifty +might be kept without running any risk of overstocking the country; for +the average number of hives in the various apiaries does not exceed +five." +</p> +<p> +"It has been calculated" says another authority, "that the pastures of +Scotland could maintain as many bees as would produce 4,000,000 pints of +honey, and 1,000,000 lbs. of wax; and were these quantities tripled for +England and Ireland, the produce of the British empire would be +12,000,000 pints of honey, and 3,000,000 lbs. of wax per annum, worth +about five shillings per pint for the honey, + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page32" name="page32"></a>[pg 32]</span> + + and one shilling and sixpence per lb. for the wax, making an annual +produce in money of about 3,225,000<i>l.</i> +</p> +<p> +But in consequence of the present neglect of this branch of rural +economy, we pay annually nearly 12,000<i>l.</i> for honey alone. +</p> +<p> +The imports and exports of wax bleached and unbleached were as follows: +</p> + +<table border="0" align="center" summary="imports and exports of wax bleached and unbleached" width="100%"> + +<tr><td></td><td colspan="2" align="center"> Imported. </td><td colspan="2" align="center"> Exported. </td><td colspan="2" align="center">Returned for<br /> home Consumption. </td><td colspan="3" align="center">the rate<br /> of Duty</td></tr> +<tr><td></td><td align="center">1831. </td><td align="center">1832. </td><td align="center">1831. </td><td align="center">1832. </td><td align="center">1831. </td><td align="center">1832. </td><td align="right">£</td><td align="right"> s.</td><td align="right"> d.</td></tr> +<tr><td> Unbleached </td><td align="right"> 7,005</td><td rowspan="2" align="center"><div style="float:left; font-size: 200%;">}</div>Cwt.<br />4,349 </td><td align="right"> 1,878</td><td rowspan="2" align="center"><div style="float:left; font-size: 200%;">}</div>Cwt.<br />2,536</td><td align="right">10,002</td><td rowspan="2" align="center"><div style="float:left; font-size: 200%;">}</div><div style="float:right; font-size: 200%;">{</div>Cwt.<br />826</td><td align="right">1</td><td align="right"> 10</td><td align="right"> 0 </td></tr> +<tr><td> Bleached </td><td align="right"> 195</td><td align="right"> 504</td><td align="right"> 94</td><td align="right">3</td><td align="right"> 0</td><td align="right"> 0 </td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="10" align="center">Produce of Duty.</td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2"></td><td colspan="2">Unbleached </td><td align="right" colspan="2">£ 10,262 </td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2"></td><td colspan="2">Bleached </td><td align="right" colspan="2"> 823 </td></tr> +</table> + +<p> +The price of wax varies (duty included) from 5<i>l.</i> to 10<i>l.</i> a cwt. +</p> +<p> +In 1831, 7,203 cwt. of wax were imported, of which 3,892 cwt. of it came +from Western Africa; 1,551, from Tripoli, Barbary, &c.; and 910 cwt. +from the United States. +</p> +<p> +In 1839, imports were 6,314 cwt., in 1841, 4,483 cwt. of wax; in 1838, +675 cwt. of honey; and in 1841, 3,761 cwt. valued at 12,000<i>l.</i> brought +principally from the West Indies, Germany, and Portugal. +</p> +<p> +The above statement proves the demand there is in this country for honey +and wax. +</p> +<p> +It is mentioned in Wildman's pamphlet that, when Corsica was subject to +the Romans, a tribute was imposed upon it of no less than two hundred +thousand pounds of wax yearly; but this is no proof of the excellence +of their honey, which, according to Ovid, was of very ill account, and +seems to be the reason why the tributary tax was exacted in wax, in +preference to honey. +</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page33" name="page33"></a>[pg 33]</span></p> + +<p> +The honey collected by the bees at all times retains qualities derived +from the kind of plant from whence it has been procured, as is manifest +not only by the peculiar odour of the honey, such as that collected from +leek blossoms and all the onion tribe, but by the effects produced by +the use of honey obtained from certain plants, chiefly from the subtribe +Rhodoraceæ, such as the kalmia, azalea, rhododendron, &c., which yield a +honey frequently poisonous and intoxicating, as has been proved by the +fatal effects on persons in America. It is recorded by Xenophon in his +Anabasis that, during the retreat of the ten thousand, the soldiers +sucked some honey-combs in a place near Trebizonde, and in consequence +became intoxicated, and did not recover their strength for three or four +days; and these effects are supposed to have been produced from the +honey having been extracted by the bees from the rhododendron ponticum +or azalea pontica of Linnæus. +</p> +<p> +Although many of these plants have been introduced into this country, +yet, probably from their small proportion to the whole of the flowers in +bloom, the honey collected by the bees has not been found to be injured +or to have produced any evil consequences. +</p> +<p> +The goodness and flavour of honey depend on the fragrance of the plants +from which the bees collect it, and hence it is that the honey of +different places is held in different degrees of estimation. +</p> +<p> +The honey gathered from the genus erica (termed <i>heather honey</i>) and +most labiate plants, is wholesome. That which is made early in the year +is preferred to what is collected in the latter end of the season. +Whilst on the subject of honey, I will add the directions given by +Wildman, how to separate the honey from the wax: "Take," he says, "the +combs which have been extracted from the different + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page34" name="page34"></a>[pg 34]</span> + + hives or boxes into a close room, rather warm than otherwise, that the +honey may drain more freely, and keep the doors and windows shut, to +prevent the bees from entering, or else they will be very troublesome, +and will attack and carry away the greater part of the honey from the +combs. +</p> +<p> +"Lay aside such combs as have young bees or brood in them, as they +would give your honey a bad flavour and render it unwholesome, and the +bee-brood must also be separated and melted with the brood-combs. When +you have thus separated the combs, let such as are very fine be nicely +drained by themselves, without the least pressing whatever, having been +carefully cleaned of every sort of filth, or insects, and dividing each +comb in such a manner that the cells may be open at both ends, and +placing them upon a sieve or coarse cloth, that the honey may drain +off quite pure and undefiled. The remainder of the combs from which +the honey has been thus drained, together with those which contained +the bee-bread and brood, must be put into a coarse cloth or bag, and +squeezed or pressed to get all the honey out. This will make it inferior +in quality, and unfit for many uses, therefore it should be put into +pots or bottles by itself, to feed bees with, for which purpose it will +be better than pure honey, on account of the bee-bread that will be +mixed with it, which is necessary for their subsistence. +</p> +<p> +"In order to obtain the wax in a pure state, what remains of the combs +after separating the honey, together with the empty combs which had been +laid aside, should be put into a copper with clean water; made to boil +gently over a slow fire, keeping it constantly stirring. When it is +melted, run it through a coarse cloth or bag made for the purpose, and +put it into a press to separate the wax from the dross. Let the wax run +from the press into a vessel placed under it, + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page35" name="page35"></a>[pg 35]</span> + + into which put some water to prevent the wax adhering to the sides. +</p> +<p> +"If this process of boiling and pressing is repeated twice or even three +times, the wax will be much purer and consequently of greater value. +Set it in a place where it may cool by degrees, in pans of the size you +would choose your cakes to be, with some water in them, to prevent the +wax sticking to the sides whilst hot. Honey should be kept only in stone +jars, called Bristol ware, and in a cool and dry situation, but not +corked up until a week or two after it has transuded through the sieve, +&c., but should be carefully covered with perforated sheets of zinc to +keep out insects and flies, &c. after which period the jars may be +secured and put into the store-rooms. +</p> +<p> +"The only protection necessary for gentlemen,—for ladies, I presume, +would never venture to undertake the dangerous task of extracting the +honey combs from hives or boxes,—will be a pair of buckskin gloves, +with a pair of worsted gloves over them extending to the elbows; so that +the bees should not be able to creep between the gloves and the sleeves; +for the face a piece of wire pattern gauze net, made in the shape of a +bag, to draw with a string round the hat above the brim, which will keep +it from the face, and the other open end being secured under the neck +handkerchief, and with the assistance of a puff or two of smoke into any +hive intended to be operated upon, the bee-master may fearlessly turn up +the hive, and cut out combs or dislodge bees from their habitations, &c. +with impunity." +</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page36" name="page36"></a>[pg 36]</span></p> + +<a name="h2H_4_0008" id="h2H_4_0008"><!-- H2 anchor --></a> + +<div style="height: 4em;"><br /><br /><br /><br /></div> + +<h2> + THE ENEMIES TO BEES, &c. +</h2> +<p> +The proprietor having provided shelter for his bees, and as great a +plenty of pasture as he possibly can, should next be careful to guard +them from the numerous enemies which prey upon them, and destroy their +honey-combs. Bees themselves, in the autumn and spring, are very often +great enemies to one another, and rob each other's hives, especially +in dry seasons, when the honey gathering is almost over; and the bees +from over-stocked hives, not having honey sufficient for their winter's +store, will through necessity attack the old hives or stocks, which are +thinned by over swarming, carry away all their honey, and often destroy +their queens. In order to prevent this havoc, contract the entrance or +entrances of the hive attempted to be robbed, so that a few bees only +can enter at a time, by which means the old stocks will be better +able to defend themselves. If, notwithstanding this narrowness of the +passage, robbers attack a hive, the entrance should be instantly closed +and kept so till the thieves are gone, and it will be advisable in the +evening to examine the state of the hive, especially as to weight, and +if the queen be safe, remove it to another place, at least a mile from +the old locality. The person who is thus employed, at a time when the +bees are full of resentment, should be well defended from their stings. +But, should he be so unfortunate as to get stung for his interference, +the first thing is to extract the sting. To alleviate the irritation, +cooling + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page37" name="page37"></a>[pg 37]</span> + + lotions should be applied, but the pain of a sting is relieved by +applying spirits of hartshorn, or liquor potassæ, to the spot where the +sting entered. +</p> +<p> +One would imagine the moth to be an enemy of no consequence, but the +wax-moth (<i>Tinea mellonella</i>) is a most formidable enemy. She lays her +eggs under the very skirts of the hive, or in the rubbish on the floor, +or even in the combs of the bees; these eggs when hatched produce a +small whitish worm or larva, and it is in this stage that it commits its +ravages, extending its galleries through every quarter of the combs, +detaching them from the tops and sides of the hives, and causing them +to fall together. +</p> +<p> +The way to destroy them is frequently to lift up the hive in the +morning, and kill all you can see. The most effectual way is to drive +the bees into a new hive, but this can be only done in the height of the +honey season; or the affected combs may be cut out, and the bees +restored to their old habitation. +</p> +<p> +Mice are likewise very destructive to bees; sometimes they enter at the +door, but most commonly near the top of the hive; this they do generally +during winter, when the bees are in a torpid state; when this is +suspected, set a few traps about the hives. +</p> +<p> +The common bat will also sometimes take possession of a hive, and commit +very great havoc amongst the bees. +</p> +<p> +Wasps and hornets must be destroyed, if possible, either by gunpowder, +or by the more primitive mode of placing limed twigs before the holes, +when you have discovered their nests. +</p> +<p> +The spring is the time to kill the female wasps and hornets, for then, +by the death of one female, a whole nest is destroyed. Or place bottles +half full of sugar and beer where the wasps frequent; they will go in to +drink, + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page38" name="page38"></a>[pg 38]</span> + + and drown themselves in the liquor, not being able to get out of the +bottle again. Spiders must be killed, and their nets or webs broken +down, otherwise they will catch and destroy many bees. +</p> +<p> +Swallows, frogs, ants, earwigs, snails, woodlice, poultry, and small +birds of almost all kinds, are reckoned amongst their foes. And, +therefore, there should be no lack of vigilance on the part of the owner +of bees, to keep the bee-house as clean as possible from all vermin. +</p> +<p> +The signs of dysentery having commenced in any colony of bees may be +known by the floor-boards and combs being covered with stains, by the +dark coloured evacuations, producing an offensive smell, and frequent +deaths amongst the bees. "Bees," says Gelieu, "have no real disease; +they are always in good health as long as they are at liberty, are kept +warm, and provided with plenty of food. All their pretended diseases are +the result of cold, hunger, or the infection produced by a too close and +long confinement during winter, and by exposure to damp, &c." +</p> +<p> +They appear however sometimes to be seized, in the spring, with +dysentery; this is occasioned by their feeding too greedily, it is +supposed, on honey dew, without the mixture of pollen and other +wholesome nutriment. +</p> +<p> +The only remedy that has been found for this disease, is to give the +bees plenty of honey, such honey as that extracted from the refuse combs +in the autumn, that had abundance of bee-bread pressed amongst it,—the +more the better,—mixing with it a table-spoonful of salt, and giving +the bees their full liberty, and a clean hive. Many things are necessary +for the preservation of bees, but more especially in this country, where +the bees have only one season in five, on an average of years, really +good for their honey harvest; wherefore the owner should take care + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page39" name="page39"></a>[pg 39]</span> + + to provide the light stocks with a sufficient quantity of food, which +they have not been able to secure by their own industry, either through +the badness of the bee-pasturage, the inclemency of the seasons, the +weakness of the colony, or the spoil made by their enemies; and +sometimes by the ill-judged management of their owners, in robbing the +bees beyond the bounds of reason. +</p> +<p> +By this last unjust way of proceeding, these poor industrious little +insects are absolutely starved, and their greedy masters deservedly +experience the old proverb; that "Too much covetousness breaks the bag." +</p> +<p> +It is impossible to ascertain what quantity of honey will serve a hive +of bees the whole winter, because the number in the hive may be more or +less, and in some years, the spring is more forward than in others; but +25 lbs. is said to be the quantity required in a common cottage-hive. +During frost, the bees consume very little food indeed; and still less +during severe cold weather. Mr. White (with many other apiarians) is of +opinion, that a greater degree of cold than is commonly imagined to be +proper for bees is favourable to them in winter, for the bees during +that period, are in so lethargic a state, that little food supports +them. +</p> +<p> +The best method to feed the weak stocks, if in one of Mr. R. Golding's +improved Grecian hives, is to place some combs (drone combs reserved for +that purpose) filled on one side with honey, over the centre-board, and +covering it over with a common hive. +</p> +<p> +The advantage of feeding bees from above is great; they are less likely +to be attacked by the bees from other hives, and they do not become +benumbed by the cold, as the same temperature is maintained above as in +the rest of the hive. +</p> +<p> +But in all cases, bees should be fed in autumn, and + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page40" name="page40"></a>[pg 40]</span> + + before they are in absolute want of food, otherwise they will be so poor +and weak that they will not be able to ascend or descend to feed +themselves. When that happens, it is almost too late to save them; +however, you may try and feed them, by first tying a piece of gauze over +the bottom of the hive, turning it up to receive the heat of the sun or +fire, and, if the bees revive at all, place a pewter dish with some +liquid honey in it, on the floor-board, and the hive over it, when the +bees will draw up the honey through the gauze or net without smearing +themselves, the the pewter dish having been filled with hot water to +keep the honey liquid, and to diffuse a genial warmth throughout the +hive, and thus secure them for a time from the cold, which would chill +and even kill the bees in the winter, when they came down to the bottom +of the hive to feed on the proffered bounty. +</p> +<p> +In prosperous hives or colonies, as soon as the severity of the winter's +frost is past, the queen-bee begins to lay her eggs in the various cells +in the combs, and proceeds in proportion to the mildness of the season +to deposit a succession. The number of young bees that may by this means +rise in a hive, may endanger the lives of all the bees by famine, for +the increased multitude consume a great deal of honey, an accident +likely to happen if the mild weather of January or February should be +succeeded by cold, rainy, or even dry weather; for it is found that the +flowers do not secrete the sweet juices, which constitute honey, so +freely during the prevalence of dry easterly winds; and thus present a +barren field for the out-of-door labours of the bees. +</p> +<p> +On this account, the proprietor should examine the hives frequently at +this season, that, if necessary, he may give them a proper supply, in +which he should be bountiful rather + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page41" name="page41"></a>[pg 41]</span> + + than otherwise, because the bees are faithful stewards, and will return +with interest what is thus in their great need bestowed upon them. +</p> +<p> +The time of the bees' swarming is generally in the months of May and +June, and sometimes July, but the latter is too late, as there are then +fewer bees than in the earlier swarms, and they seldom live through the +winter without much care and feeding. +</p> +<p> +The later swarms should be hived in rather smaller hives than the first, +that, by clustering together, they may the better nourish and keep +themselves warm. +</p> +<p> +The hours of their swarming are for the most part about twelve o'clock +at noon, never before eight, and seldom after four in the afternoon. +</p> +<p> +The symptom of swarming, is generally the unusual number of bees seen +hanging at the mouth of the hive, and if a piping noise, or a shrill +note, which is made by the queen is heard, it is a sure index the bees +will swarm, if the weather be warm and dry. +</p> +<p> +If the bees work a comb under the floor-board, as is sometimes the case, +it is a sign they will not swarm; a more certain sign is when they throw +out the young dead queens with the drone brood. When they retain the +drones in the hives after August, it is a bad omen, as they are then +reserved for the sake of the young queens, which they are expecting to +raise; and the season being too far advanced, and their failing in the +attempt, and being without a queen, the colony will most certainly +dwindle away, before the next season. +</p> +<p> +Always choose a hive proportionable to the size of your swarm, and +prepare to hive them as soon as possible, lest they should rise again. +It is not unusual to ring a bell or tinkle a brass pan, &c., at the time +the bees swarm; it is + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page42" name="page42"></a>[pg 42]</span> + + also a common method to dress the hives with honey, balm, &c. +</p> +<p> +I mention these things, because they are customs of long standing: the +tinkling of bells is of little use, as the bees will generally settle +near the hive; and as to dressing the hives, I by no means recommend it, +as the bees like a clean new hive much better, for it does not give them +so much trouble to clean, &c. +</p> +<p> +If the swarm should rise in the full heat of the day, and the sun shine +hot upon them, they will not continue long in their first situation; for +when they find they have all got their company together, they will soon +uncluster, rise again, fly to some particular spot which has been fixed +upon for that purpose by detached parties of bees, who return and +acquaint the swarm; therefore I would advise to hive them as soon as +possible, and remove them in the evening to the place where they are +to remain. +</p> +<p> +The supposed relative value of early and late swarms is thus mentioned +in an old English proverb:— +</p> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<p class="i2"> A swarm in May, </p> +<p class="i2"> Is worth a load of hay. </p> +<p class="i2"> A swarm in June, </p> +<p class="i2"> Is worth a silver spoon; </p> +<p class="i2"> A swarm in July, </p> +<p class="i2"> Is not worth a fly. </p> +</div> +</div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page43" name="page43"></a>[pg 43]</span></p> + +<a name="h2H_4_0009" id="h2H_4_0009"><!-- H2 anchor --></a> + +<div style="height: 4em;"><br /><br /><br /><br /></div> + +<h2> + SWARMING AND HIVING THE BEES. +</h2> +<p> +Every good swarm should weigh about 5 lbs., and according to the account +given in Key's Treatise, would contain 23,000 bees. The manner of hiving +them must be regulated chiefly by the places upon which they alight. +</p> +<p> +If they settle on a dead hedge, or upon the ground, set a hive over +them, putting props under it if necessary, and, with a large spoon or +brush of wet weeds, stir them softly underneath, and they will go in. +</p> +<p> +If they should happen to settle upon a small bough, you may cut it off, +and laying it quietly on a cloth, place a hive over them; or if you +cannot conveniently separate the bough from the body of the tree, you +may shake or sweep them off into the hive. +</p> +<p> +If the sun shines hot upon it, shade it with a few boughs, &c., but let +it remain near the place where the bees settled until the evening, at +which time move it to the bee-house, or the place where it is to stand +during the season, as just directed. +</p> +<p> +If the bees have hung a considerable time to the place where they first +settled, you will, perhaps, find it difficult entirely to dislodge them, +as they will neglect their labour and fly about the spot for many days +afterwards. The best method to prevent this is, by rubbing the branches +with rue, or any kind of herb disagreeable to the bees; but be careful +not to hurt any of the bees. +</p> +<p> +Swarms seldom return home again, when they are well + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page44" name="page44"></a>[pg 44]</span> + + settled, and if you find them inclined to do so, depend upon it, some +accident has happened to their queen, which you will easily ascertain by +their making a murmuring noise, and running in a distracted manner over +and about the sides of the hive. When you observe this, immediately seek +about for her, beginning with the stock-hive from whence the swarm rose, +and pursue the track they took at setting out; you will seldom miss +finding her, for she is never alone, but generally encompassed with a +cluster of bees, who would sooner perish than leave her in danger. +</p> +<p> +When you have found her, take her up gently, and put her to the swarm, +and you will soon find the cause of their dissatisfaction removed by the +arrival of the queen. +</p> +<p> +The greatest care must be taken to have your hive clean and sweet, free +from loose straws or other obstacles, which will create great trouble +and loss of time to the bees, if left to them to remove. +</p> +<p> +If bees have flowers suitable to their tastes, and no great distance to +travel to them, they will fill their hives both with honey and wax, in +about a month or five weeks, and, if the season has proved fair and +pleasant, in less time; but the bee-keeper must expect four out of every +five seasons to be unpropitious to his little charge, and, therefore, he +must be on the watch to assist them with food in the time of need. +</p> +<p> +Scarcely has the swarm arrived at its new habitation, when the working +bees labour with the utmost diligence, to procure food and build their +combs. Their principal aim is not only to have cells in which they may +deposit the honey and pollen, but a stronger motive seems to animate +them; they seem to know that their queen is about to deposit her eggs; +and their industry is such, that in four and twenty hours they will have +made combs, twelve inches + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page45" name="page45"></a>[pg 45]</span> + + long, and three or four inches wide. They build more combs during the +first fortnight, than they do during all the rest of the year. +</p> +<p> +Other bees are at the same time busy in stopping all the holes and +crevices they happen to find in their new hive, in order to guard +against the entrance of insects which covet their honey, their wax, or +themselves; and also to exclude the cold air; for it is indispensably +necessary that they be lodged warm and secure from damp, &c. +</p> +<p> +A second swarm scarcely is, and much less are the third ones called +<i>casts</i> worth keeping single, because, being few in number, they cannot +allow so large a proportion of working bees to go abroad in search of +provisions, as more numerous swarms can, after retaining a proper number +for the various works to be done within the hive. +</p> +<p> +Bees sometimes swarm so often that the mother-hive is too much weakened +or reduced in population. In this case they should be restored; and this +should also be done when a swarm produces a swarm the first summer, as +is sometimes the case in early seasons. +</p> +<p> +The best way, indeed, is to prevent such swarming, by giving the bees +more room; though this, again, will not answer where there is a prolific +young queen in the hive; as she well knows that her life is the forfeit +of her remaining at home. +</p> +<p> +Before the union of one or two casts or late swarms is made, it is +better to kill one of the queens, if possible, to prevent the queens +destroying one another. +</p> +<p> +If an old hive is full of bees, and yet shows no disposition to swarm, +puff in a little smoke at the entrance of the hive, then turn the hive +up, and give it some slight strokes on the sides so as to alarm the +bees. They will immediately run to the extremities of the combs, and if +you + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page46" name="page46"></a>[pg 46]</span> + + then attentively examine them, you will, in all probability, perceive +the queen-bee the foremost amongst them. Seize her between your fore +finger and thumb, and confine her in your hand till most part of the +bees take wing; let her then go, the bees will soon join her, and settle +on some branch of a tree. Put them into an empty hive. Restore the old +hive in its place, that the bees which have been out in the fields may +enter it on their return, and having allowed them to remain there an +hour or two, place it upon another stand near or next to its own. +</p> +<p> +The hive having what may now be called a swarm in it, is then placed on +the stand of the old stock; and if the bees in both hives work +regularly, carrying in loads of pollen on their thighs, all is well. +</p> +<p> +Bees are not apt to sting when they swarm naturally, therefore, it is +not necessary then to take extraordinary precaution against them; but +when any of these violent and artificial modes are attempted, I should +advise the operator to be well guarded at all points. +</p> +<p> +Wildman weighed bees and found it required 4,928 bees to make a pound of +sixteen ounces, but the different circumstances in bees may occasion a +considerable difference in their weight. When the bees swarm, they come +out loaded with wax secreted in their wax pockets and honey in their +honey bags, and would weigh heavier than bees taken for that purpose +by chance; and, therefore, the number of the bees is not to be thus +computed, from the weight of the swarm; for one fourth of the number at +least should be deducted, in lieu of the wax and honey they have brought +off with them. There is also another allowance to be made, namely, that +when alive, they do not probably weigh so heavy as when dead. +</p> +<p> +The person who intends to erect an apiary, should purchase + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page47" name="page47"></a>[pg 47]</span> + + a proper number of hives at the latter end of the year, when they are +cheapest. The hives should be full of combs, and well stored with bees. +</p> +<p> +The purchaser should examine the combs, in order to know the age of the +hives. The combs of that season are white, those of a darkish yellow are +of the previous year; and, where the combs are black, the hives should +be rejected, because old hives are most liable to vermin and other +accidents. +</p> +<p> +If the number of hives wanted were not purchased in the autumn, it will +be necessary to remedy this neglect after the severity of the cold is +past in the spring. At this season, bees which are in good condition, +will get into the fields early in the morning, return loaded, enter +boldly, and do not come out of the hive in bad weather; for when they +do, this indicates that they are in great want of provisions. +</p> +<p> +They are alert on the least disturbance; and by the loudness of their +humming, you can judge of their strength. They preserve their hives free +from filth, and are ready to defend it against every enemy that +approaches. +</p> +<p> +But the better plan is at once to commence with new hives, and purchase +the first and strong swarms to put into them, and introduce them into +the bee-house. +</p> +<p> +There are various substances found in a hive, such as the <i>wax</i>, with +which the combs are built, the <i>honey</i>, the <i>farina</i> or <i>pollen</i>, with +which the bee-brood is fed, and <i>propolis</i>. +</p> +<p> +<i>Honey</i>, is a fluid or semi-fluid substance, the materials of which are +collected by the bees, from the nectaries at the base of the corollæ of +flowers, where this vegetable production is secreted. +</p> +<p> +It cannot be said to be a purely vegetable production when found in the +combs, for after being collected by the + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page48" name="page48"></a>[pg 48]</span> + + insect by means of its proboscis, it is transmitted into what is called +the honey bag, where it is elaborated, and, hurrying homewards with its +precious load, the bee regurgitates it into the cell of the honey comb. +It takes a great many drops to fill a cell, as the honey bag when full +does not exceed the size of a small pea. +</p> +<p> +When the cell is full, it is sealed up with a mixture of of wax and +pollen, and reserved for future use in winter and spring. +</p> +<p> +<i>Wax</i>. There are several varieties of this substance, but bees-wax is a +secretion of that insect from its ventral scales. With this substance +the comb is constructed; it takes the bees, according to Huber's +account, twenty-four hours to secrete the six laminæ of wax in the wax +pockets, which may be seen to exude between the segments of the under +side of the abdomen of the bee. For the purpose of the formation of wax, +the bees have to cluster and form themselves into festoons from the top +of the hive, and after the elapse of the necessary period, the wax +scales are formed, with which the bees commence immediately to build +their combs, and the various cells for the reception of the brood or +food, according to the season of the year. +</p> +<p> +<i>Propolis</i>, is a tenacious, semi-transparent substance, having a +balsamic odour; which the bees gather from the buds of certain trees in +the spring, such as the horse-chestnut, the willow, the poplar, and the +birch. +</p> +<p> +This tenacious substance is employed by the bees to attach more firmly +the combs to the top or foundation, and also the edges of the combs to +the sides of the hive or box, to stop the crevices, and fasten the hives +or boxes to the floor-boards, and in forming barriers against the +intrusion of enemies. +</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page49" name="page49"></a>[pg 49]</span></p> + +<p> +<i>Farina</i>, or <i>Pollen</i>, is the dust or minute globules contained in the +anthers of flowers, and is the fertilizing property of flowers, which +the bees thus assist to carry, whilst travelling from flower to flower, +without which the flowers would not fructify. The bees have been found +to continue collecting pollen from the same species of flowers, and +prevent the multiplication of hybrid plants. They collect and carry +this substance on the outer surface of the tibia, or the middle joint +of the hinder leg; this part of the leg is broad, and on one side it +is concave, and furnished with a row of strong hairs on its margins, +forming as it were a natural basket, well adapted for the purpose. This +substance mixed with honey, forms the food of the larvæ or young brood, +after undergoing, perhaps, a peculiar elaboration by the working or +nurse bees. +</p> +<p> +Having thus mentioned the different substances found in a hive, it only +remains to add a short history of the inmates of the hive. Every swarm +of bees comprises three distinct kinds of the same species, namely, the +<i>female</i> or <i>queen</i>, the <i>neuter</i> or <i>worker-bee</i>, and the <i>male</i> or +<i>drone</i>. +</p> +<p> +As there is only one <i>queen-bee</i> in each swarm or colony, she is seldom +to be seen amidst the thousands of other bees; but she is easily +distinguished from the rest by her slower movements, her greater length +and larger size; and the general appearance of her body, being of a more +dark orange colour, and her hinder legs having neither brushes nor +pollen baskets upon them, although longer than those of the worker-bee; +her wings also appear stronger, and she possesses a more curved sting, +which she seldom uses, except when asserting her rights to the +sovereignty of the hive. +</p> +<p> +Without a <i>queen-bee</i> no swarm can thrive, for she is not only the +ruler, but chiefly the mother of the community in + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page50" name="page50"></a>[pg 50]</span> + + which she dwells, and wherever she goes, the greatest attention is paid +her. In the hive, the utmost solicitude is evinced to satisfy her in +every wish; wherever she moves the bees anxiously clear away before her, +and turn their heads towards their sovereign, and with much affection +touch her with their antennæ, and supply her, as often as she needs, +with honey or other delicacy which their own exertions, or those of +their fellow labourers, have gathered for her use. +</p> +<p> +The queen-bee is said to live four or five years, and is generally +succeeded on her throne by one of her own descendants duly brought up +for the purpose; but in the event of her untimely decease, the workers +have the power of raising a sovereign from amongst themselves, and +fitting her for the station she is intended to occupy; this they do +by selecting one of the larvæ of the worker-bee of a certain age, +and, enlarging the cell which it is to occupy, supplying it with a +nourishment different from that which they give to the worker and +drone-brood. +</p> +<p> +A <i>queen-bee</i> takes seventeen days to arrive at maturity, that is to +say, from the egg-state to the fully developed queen, but this period +will vary as a sudden change of temperature will prolong the interval; +and this also applies to the perfect <i>queen</i> herself, who will not +deposit her eggs in the cells, when any severe weather happens at the +period she may be expected to produce the eggs. +</p> +<p> +The fecundity of the queen-bee is very great, for it is estimated that +during breeding time, unless prevented by the cold weather, she lays +at the rate of from one hundred to two hundred eggs a day, causing +an increase of not less than eighty thousand worker-bees, and drones +included, in a season when circumstances are favourable. +</p> +<p> +The cells formed for the royal brood are very different + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page51" name="page51"></a>[pg 51]</span> + + from those of the males or the workers, and are generally suspended from +the sides or edges of the combs; in shape they are very much like a +pear, the thickest end joining the comb, and the small end having the +mouth or entrance to the cell, and hanging downwards, and being almost +as large as a lady's thimble. +</p> +<p> +The <i>drones</i> or <i>males</i> in a hive are computed at from six hundred +to two thousand, but the numbers are remarkably irregular, and the +proportion is not regulated by the number of bees contained in a hive; +for a small swarm or colony will contain as many, or more sometimes, +than a large one. +</p> +<p> +The drone may be easily distinguished from the <i>queen</i> or <i>workers</i>, +from its greater breadth, having large eyes which meet at the top of the +head, and no sting, and from its making a loud humming whilst flying. +</p> +<p> +It takes twenty-four days from the time of the laying of the drone <i>egg</i> +to its coming forth a perfect insect. Drones are generally hatched about +the end of April or the beginning of May; they venture out of the hive +only in warm weather, and then only in the middle of the day, and they +are generally expelled by the bees from the hives about July or August, +after the impregnation of the young queens has taken place. +</p> +<p> +When the destruction of the drones takes place earlier, it may be +considered a certain indication that no swarming will take place during +that season; but the retention of the drones after August, is a very bad +sign, as the swarm must certainly perish in the winter, unless their +vacant throne is supplied with a prolific queen. +</p> +<p> +The <i>neuter</i> or <i>worker-bee</i>, is the least of the three, and of a dark +brown colour; the abdomen is conical, and composed of six distinct +segments, and armed with a straight sting; + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page52" name="page52"></a>[pg 52]</span> + + it possesses a long flexible trunk, known by the name of a proboscis, +and has on its two hinder legs a hollow or basket, to receive the +propolis and farina which it collects as before described. +</p> +<p> +The number of workers in a well-stocked hive is about fifteen thousand +or twenty thousand. Upon them devolves the whole care and labour of the +colony, to collect pollen, propolis, and honey; to build the combs and +to attend upon the brood or young bees. +</p> +<p> +The <i>worker-bee</i> is short-lived, seldom surviving more than a year, but +this is more from the toil they have to endure, though it be a labour +of love, and the many risks they run upon each occasion of going out in +search of food, &c., from the weather, or their numerous winged enemies. +</p> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<p class="i2"> "Sunt quibus ad portas cecidit custodia sorti: </p> +<p class="i2"> Inque vicem speculantur aquas et nubila cœli, </p> +<p class="i2"> Aut onera accipiunt venientum, aut agmine facto </p> +<p class="i2"> Ignavum fucos pecus à præsepibus arcent. </p> +<p class="i2"> Fervet opus, redolentque thymo fragrantia mella." </p> +</div> +</div> + +<div style="height: 4em;"><br /><br /><br /><br /></div> + +<p class="center"> + +LONDON: <br /> +Printed by S. & J. <span class="sc">Bentley, Wilson</span>, and <span class="sc">Fley</span>, <br /> +Bangor House, Shoe Lane. +</p> + +<hr class="full" /> + +<div style="height: 4em;"><br /><br /><br /><br /></div> + +<h2>Footnotes</h2> + +<a name="note-1"><!--Note--></a> +<p class="foot"> +<u>1</u> (<a href="#noteref-1">return</a>)<br /> +Mr. John Milton of No. 10, Great Marylebone-street, has +some well constructed bar and frame bee-hives of various prices. +</p> + +<hr class="full" /> + +<p> </p> +<p class="noindent"> +Transcribers notes:<br /> +<br /> +A page of Errata appearing here has been applied to +the text and removed.<br /> +<br /> +Inconsistency in the hyphenation of phrases has been +retained.<br /> +<br /> +A Table of Contents has been added for the convenience of the +reader; it does not appear in the original text. +</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<hr class="pg" /> +<p>***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A DESCRIPTION OF THE BAR-AND-FRAME-HIVE***</p> +<p>******* This file should be named 19319-h.txt or 19319-h.zip *******</p> +<p>This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:<br /> +<a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/9/3/1/19319">http://www.gutenberg.org/1/9/3/1/19319</a></p> +<p>Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed.</p> + +<p>Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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Augustus Munn + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: A Description of the Bar-and-Frame-Hive + With an Abstract of Wildman's Complete Guide for the Management of Bees Throughout the Year + + +Author: W. Augustus Munn + + + +Release Date: September 18, 2006 [eBook #19319] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A DESCRIPTION OF THE +BAR-AND-FRAME-HIVE*** + + +E-text prepared by Steven Giacomelli, David Garcia, and the Project +Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team (https://www.pgdp.net/) from +page images produced and generously made available by the Core Historical +Literature in Agriculture collection of Cornell University +(http://chla.library.cornell.edu/) + + + +Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this + file which includes the original illustrations. + See 19319-h.htm or 19319-h.zip: + (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/9/3/1/19319/19319-h/19319-h.htm) + or + (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/9/3/1/19319/19319-h.zip) + + Images of the original pages are available through the + Core Historical Literature in Agriculture collection of + Cornell University. See + http://chla.library.cornell.edu/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=chla;idno=5017637 + + + + + +A DESCRIPTION OF THE BAR-AND-FRAME-HIVE, + +Invented by + +W. AUGUSTUS MUNN, ESQ. + +With an Abstract of Wildman's Complete Guide for the Management +of Bees Throughout the Year. + + + + + + + + Ipsa autem, seu corticibus tibi suta cavatis, + Seu lento fuerint alvearia vimine texta, + Angustos habeant aditus; nam frigore mella + Cogit hiems, eademque calor liquefacta remittit. + + Virgil, _G. lib._ iv. + + +London: +John Van Voorst, Paternoster Row. +M.DCCC.XLIV. + +London +Printed by S. & J. Bentley, Wilson, and Fley, +Bangor House, Shoe Lane. + + + + +PREFACE + + +Having been frequently requested to explain the use of the +_bar-and-frame-hive_, in the management of bees, I have been induced to +print the following pamphlet, to point out the advantages this new hive +possesses over the common ones. + +I have added extracts from various authorities to show the importance +of transporting bees for a change of pasturage, and thus prolonging the +honey harvest. Regarding the natural history of the bee, I have merely +stated a few of the leading facts connected with that interesting +subject, drawn from Wildman's Book on Bee-management. + +_London, April, 1844._ + + +[Illustration: PLATE I. _FIG. 1._] + + + + +EXPLANATION OF THE PLATE. + + +PLATE I, FIGURE 1. + + +A B C D E F and E F, the oblong box as shown in fig. 1, Plate I. + +A B C D, the top lid of the oblong box; G H, the half of it made to fall +back, and supported at an angle by the hinges, _h h_; _l_, the upper +part of the lock of the box; _i k_, the two gable ends of the roof; _i_, +the perforated zinc shown as secured in a triangular frame; and _k_, the +outside appearance of the ventilator. + +Q Q, the two quadrants, supporting the table, I J, which is formed by +the side of the box, A C E E, being let down; _a a a_, &c., fifteen +holes made to receive the back bolt, _m_, of the observation-frame, Z; +_b b_, two bolts to fasten into the holes, _c_ and _d_, when the table +I J, is closed, _f_, being the other part of the lock. + +T, one of the handles of the box (the other not seen). + +U, one of the blocks (the other not shown) to keep the bottom of the box +from the ground, when the four legs L L L L, are unscrewed from the four +corners of the box. + +X X B D, the front of the box; _e_, the alighting board, four inches +wide, extending the whole length from F to F; X _2_, shows a small ledge +to keep the wet from entering the bee-box, and X I, one of the slides +_s_, drawn out, and extending beyond the end of the box; the other half +slide, _s_, on the _left_ hand side, not drawn out in the sketch, the +part under X 1, shows the opening for the ingress and egress of the bees. + +R, one of the two pieces of red cedar at the inside of the box, fixed at +the ends, E F. E F. The Q Q, quadrants being made to work between the +red cedar and the outer case or box; _v v_, the fillet fixed in the +length of the box, on a level with the tops of red cedar; _c d_, the +holes for the bolts _b b_, in the table I J. + +W W, pieces of perforated zinc laid upon the tops of the bee-frames +resting on the fillets, _v v_. + +1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, six of the 15 grooves, half an inch deep, 9-1/2 long, +and 1-1/2 of an inch broad, formed on the floor-board: the holes shown +in the floor-board above the figures being made for the reception +of the two pins, _a b_, in the observation-frame. No. 8, shows the +"division-frame" run into the eighth groove of the floor-board, and +No. 14 and 15, the bee-frames run into their respective grooves, and +the 1-1/8 of an inch openings in the back closed by the slips of tin, +_q q q q_, &c. + +Y Y, the bar of mahogany with corresponding grooves, X X X X, &c. to +those on the floor-board, at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, and 15-2/8 holes for +the top bolt, _r_, of the observation-frame, Z, to fix into. _t, t, t_, +the screw nuts at the backs of the bee-frames, &c., for the screw at the +end of the spindle, S, to work into, and thus hold and draw out of the +grooves the bee-frames; _w_, the bee-frame containing comb and bees, +drawn partly into the observation-frame, Z. + + + + + + +A DESCRIPTION OF THE BAR-AND-FRAME-HIVE. + + + + +THE BAR-AND-FRAME-HIVE. + + +By first giving a general description of the "bar-and-frame-hive," +the details of its construction can be better explained afterwards. + +An oblong box is formed of well seasoned wood of an inch in thickness, +about thirty inches long, sixteen inches high, and twelve inches broad; +but the size may be varied to suit the convenience or taste of different +apiarians. Instead of the lid of the box being flat, it is made in the +shape of the roof of a cottage, and with projecting eaves to throw +off the wet more effectually. One of the long sides of the box is +constructed to open with hinges, and to hang on a level with the +_bottom_ of the box, and is held up by means of two quadrants. As many +grooves, half of an inch broad, half an inch deep, and about 9-1/2 +inches long, are formed, 1-1/8 of an inch apart, in the inside of the +bottom of the box as its length will admit. + +In the other side, a long half inch slip is cut for the egress and +ingress of the bees, having a piece of wood about an inch thick, and +four inches wide, fastened on the outside, just under the opening, to +form the alighting board for them. + +At the top, of the side of the box which is made to let down, a four +inch piece of mahogany the length of the inside of the box is secured +in, having corresponding grooves formed, half an inch broad, 1-1/8 of an +inch deep, and half an inch apart, to those made in the bottom of the +box, leaving just _twelve_ inches between the bottom grooves and the +upper bar grooves. + +When the four legs are screwed into the four corners of the box, the +small "bee-house" is ready for the reception of the "bee-frames" and +the bees. The "bee-frames" are made of half inch mahogany, being twelve +inches high, nine inches long, and not more than half of an inch broad, +so that these frames will fit into the box, sliding into fifteen grooves +formed on the bottom, and kept securely in their places by the upper +grooves in the mahogany bar. + +When the fifteen, or whatever number of the bee-frames intended to be +used, have been run into the grooves, sheets of perforated zinc are +placed on the tops of them; the 1-1/8 of an inch openings at the backs +of the frames being closed with slips of tin. + +One of the bee-frames is made solid, with sheets of zinc being fixed +in it; this frame can then be used as a divider between any number of +the bee-frames, and thus form the box into two compartments, either to +augment or diminish the space in the box according to the size of the +swarm, or the increasing wants of the bees for more room. + +The bees are then introduced into the hive (having first closed the +backs of the bee-frames with the slips of tin, and fastened the side +lid of the box against them, and also removed one of the sheets of +perforated zinc from the tops of the bee-frames) by dislodging the bees +from the straw-hive in which they had been previously collected, or +shaken from the boughs of the tree, where they may have settled, so as +to fall upon the tops of the frames within the box; when the bees have +all congregated within the bee-frames by crawling through the open +spaces at the top, the perforated sheet of zinc is placed over them; the +bees can then only escape through the long slip or entrance which was +made for them in the front of the box. + +The top lid can be closed and locked, when the bees will be secure from +the gaze of the inquisitive, or the bad intentions of thieves. + +Before I proceed to give any directions for the construction of the +"bar-and-frame-hive" I am _anxious_ to _warn_ all amateur carpenters, +and those who delight to superintend the labours of a "cheap working +country carpenter," against the fatal error of using unseasoned wood; +for, unless the "bottom board" and the "bee-frames" are made of +mahogany, or some well-seasoned, hard, or close-grained wood, the +advantages of the bar and frame-hive will be quite destroyed, as the +great object is to have the bee-frames to slide in and out of the +grooves with the _greatest facility_. Throughout the whole of the making +of the hive or box, no glue should be used, unless further secured with +small SCREWS OR NAILS.[1] + +[Footnote 1: Mr. John Milton of No. 10, Great Marylebone-street, has +some well constructed bar and frame bee-hives of various prices.] + +The oblong box, A B C D, E F and E F (Plate I, fig. 1), is to be made of +well-seasoned poplar, fir, or deal, of an inch in thickness; the inside +dimensions are 28 inches and 5/8 of an inch long from A to C, 10-1/2 +inches broad from A to B, and sixteen inches deep from A to E. + +The top lid A B C D is formed in the shape of a common roof, and made +to project an inch, before, behind, and at the two gable ends, like the +eaves of a cottage to throw off the wet. + +The half of this roof G H, is made to open and fall back with hinges +_h h_. + +The two gable ends of the roof have holes cut in them, _i, k_, to admit +the circulation of air; and secured with perforated zinc withinside to +prevent the intrusion of wasps, or any other enemies to bees; the gable +marked _i_, shows the perforated zinc framed into the gable, and _k_ the +outside appearance of the ventilator. + +The side of the box marked A C E E, is made to let down and form a table +I J, hung on hinges P P, and supported by the quadrants Q Q, one inch +_below the level of the bottom board_. + +Two handles are fixed in the ends of the box, one shown in the sketch +at T. + +Two blocks of wood are screwed on the bottom of the box (one shown at U) +to keep it off the ground, &c., when the four legs, L L L L, at the four +corners of the box are unscrewed for the convenience of packing, &c. In +the opposite side or front of the box at X X, is fixed a piece of board +_e_, four inches broad, and an inch thick, extending the whole length +from F F; this is secured at an angle with the bottom of the box, so as +to form a slightly inclined plain _e_, for the alighting board, which +would be always dry for the bees to land upon. A half inch opening is +made from F to F, just above the alighting board, for the ingress and +egress of the bees. Slides are made _s s_, to regulate the extent of the +openings, or to entirely close the entrance to the box; these slides can +be drawn out when it is necessary to clean the bottom board, &c. + +Within-side the box, two pieces of red cedar of half an inch in +thickness, 12-1/8 inches long, 9-1/2 inches broad, are nailed on to +each end at E F, and E F (one of the pieces of red cedar shown at R). +The quadrants, Q Q, being made to work between them and the outer case. +A fillet, _v v_, is fastened on a level with the tops of the two pieces +of red cedar, to form a ledge of about a 1/4 of an inch all round, to +support the sheets of perforated zinc, as shown at W W. + +Sixteen pieces of mahogany, 1-1/8 of an inch broad, and half an inch +deep, are to be screwed to the mahogany floor board, commencing against +the piece of red cedar, R, and leaving a space between each piece, half +of an inch, and finishing against the other piece of red cedar with the +last; there will then be formed fifteen grooves, half of an inch in +width, half an inch in depth, and 9-1/2 inches long on the floor-board +as shown at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. + +A bar of mahogany, Y Y, about two inches square, having grooves, +X X X X, &c., corresponding to those on the floor-board, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, +6, &c., is let in, and fastened between A and C, having a clear space of +twelve inches between the floor-board, and this top bar; the object of +these grooves being to receive, and keep steadily in their places, the +fifteen bee-frames, when introduced into them. + +[Illustration: _Fig. I._] + +The "bee-frames" are made of mahogany, nine inches long, twelve inches +high, and half an inch broad. Each frame is _dove-tailed_ to make it +strong at the angles, and to keep it true; the upper part is formed of +one inch mahogany, and _bevelled_ off (as the carpenters call it) to the +eighth of an inch, in the centre, as shown at _a_, fig. 1: on the two +sides of this triangular bar, _b b_, pieces of glass, extending the +length of the bar, are fixed with red lead. The two sides of the frame, +_d, d_, are to increase in size, from half an inch at the top, to 1-1/2 +inches at the bottom. The bottom piece, _c_, is half an inch in depth. +The back of each frame has a piece of tin, about the thickness of a +card, fixed on it, of the exact size, viz. twelve inches long, and half +an inch broad, _e, e_. In the centre of the back of each frame, _f_, +a screw-nut is let in, which is made to fit a screw at the end of a +long spindle, S, Plate I, fig. 1. This spindle with a handle, Z, will +screw equally well into the screw-nuts of the fifteen bee-frames and +division-frame. The use of this spindle being, to draw in and out of the +grooves the fifteen bee-frames when required. When the bee-frames have +been put into the grooves in the box, slips of tin about thirteen inches +long, and and a half broad, are slipped into their backs (being run in +between the backs of the bee-frames, and the pieces of thin tin fixed +upon them), to close the 1-1/8 of an inch openings. And three or four +sheets of perforated zinc are laid upon the tops of the bee-frames, +resting on the fillets. Thus, then, when a swarm of bees has been +introduced into this box, the bees have to build their combs within +the fifteen bee-frames, or whatever number may have been run into the +grooves for that purpose. The bees cannot escape from above the frames, +as the sheets of perforated zinc prevent them, nor from the 1-1/8 of an +inch openings at the backs of the frames, as they have been closed with +the slips of tin; the only open part being the long narrow slip, just +above the alighting board, which was originally left for their ingress +and egress. + +The division-frame is made of half inch mahogany, twelve inches high, +9-1/2 long, and half of an inch broad. So that it will run into any of +the grooves formed for the bee-frames; but made to fit close to the box +at the end, by means of a slip of wood, C C, fig. 2, to prevent the bees +crawling between the frame and the outer-box, as they can do round the +bee-frames. + +[Illustration: _Fig. II._] + +The division-frame itself is closed by having two sheets of zinc run +into it as shown in fig. 2, the one marked _b b b b_, and partly drawn +out, being of solid sheet zinc; and _a a_, the other in the frame, of +perforated zinc; _d_, being the screw-nut (like those in the bee-frames) +by means of which it can be drawn out into the observation-frame, &c. +Thus, wherever this division-frame is run into the bee-box, (except of +course at No. 1, and No. 15 grooves) it cuts off all communication with +the bee-frames on the right or left of it; and two colonies of bees may +be kept in the same box, and still have distinct frames to work upon, +and separate entrances, &c. + +If then bees have been put into one of the bar-and-frame-hives, and +sufficient time has been given them to build their combs within "the +bee-frames," the frames with their contents can be drawn out into the +"observation-frame," (which will be more fully described) whenever it +is wished to examine the bees, &c., as the 1-1/8 of an inch spaces +between the grooves will allow of a sufficient distance to be preserved, +between the lateral surfaces of the perpendicular combs formed in the +"bee-frames," and thus permit them to slide by each other with facility. + +[Illustration: _Fig. III._] + +The "observation-frame," fig. 3, is a mahogany frame, fourteen inches +high, eleven inches long, and about four inches wide, having a single +groove half an inch deep, and half an inch broad, running within its +whole length of eleven inches. The two largest sides have panes of glass +fixed in them with small brads. The top, bottom, and one end (this end +forming the back) of this frame, are made of solid wood; the back having +a small hole, _f_, 2/8 of an inch in diameter in the middle, to allow +the spindle before mentioned to pass through it. The end which forms the +front of the frame is open, so that any one of the bee-frames can be run +into the observation-frame, but may be closed by a piece of tin (_d_) +being slipt into the small grooves at _c c_. The observation-frame has +two pins, _a, b_, to fit into the 2/8 holes made along the bottom board +of the bee-box, shown by the figures, 1, 2, 3, &c., see Plate I, fig. 1, +and also two small bolts _r_ and _m_; _r_, the upper one to fix into the +holes above X X X, &c., in the mahogany bar; (but this bolt is only used +during the operation of drawing out the bee-frames into the observation +frame); and the other bolt _m_ at the back of the frame, to fasten into +the 2/8 holes, _a, a, a_, &c., made in the lid, I J. When the two pins +and the bolts of the observation-frame have been adjusted and fixed, the +groove in it will be in a straight line with one of the grooves formed +in the bottom board of the box, consequently a bee-frame can be made to +slide, by means of the long spindle, in and out of the box, into the +observation-frame. + +The use of this "observation frame" must now be explained more fully: +the top lid of the bee box, Plate I, fig. 1. G. H. being thrown up, +will screen the "operator" from the bees, which are flying in and out +in the front of the hive or box. The back lid, I. J., is let down, and +supported by the quadrants Q. Q., and forms a table, the box having been +raised from the ground by the four legs, L L L L. The observation frame +is placed opposite to whichever bee-frame is to be examined; the two +pins, _a, b_, fig. 3, running into the holes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, &c., made +in the bottom board. The small bolts, Plate I, secured at the top, as +at _r_, and the back _m_: the long spindle, S, is run through the 2/8 +hole in the back of the observation frame, as at Z, and the end of the +spindle screwed into the screw socket _t_, at the back of the bee-frame +_w_; the two pieces of tin on the right and left of the bee-frame are +pulled out (of course the observation frame being empty, and having the +piece of tin from its front taken out), the operator holding by the +handle, _z_, of the spindle, gradually draws out the bee-frame into the +observation frame, and after examining the bees and comb, gently returns +the bee-frame into its groove in the floor-board: the two slips of +tin are then replaced in the backs of the bee-frames: the spindle is +unscrewed and withdrawn, the bolts are unfastened, the observation frame +being kept firmly in its place, held by the left hand of the operator, +whilst with the right he runs in the long slip of tin, _d_, fig. 3, into +the front of the observation frame, to keep the bees (escaped from the +returned bee-frame), until the observation frame is again fixed opposite +to another bee-frame, when the tin is withdrawn and the bolts fastened +as before. It has been shown that by these means, each bee-frame, and +the bees and comb contained in it, can be easily drawn out and examined, +without interfering with any other part of the hive, or occasioning the +loss of a single bee. + +The whole of the interior of the hive is thus open to inspection at any +moment, and a choice can be made of the combs containing the most honey, +or the bee owner enabled to trace the devastation of the honey moth, +and ascertain the presence of any other enemy, and this without the +assistance of smoke, which must be injurious both to the bees and their +brood. + +When the bee-frame is returned and secured, the observation-frame is +removed; then the lid, I J, being shut up and bolted, and the upper lid, +G H, closed, the box may be locked up. When the bees have been shut in +with the slide in the front, the hive or box is ready to be transported +anywhere, to procure new pasturage for them, which, as every experienced +bee-keeper knows, is of the greatest benefit to prolong their +honey-harvest. + +Perfect protection from wet and the vicissitudes of temperature, is +partly ensured by the external bee-box being made of well-seasoned wood; +poplar is recommended as of a looser grain than fir, deal, &c., and +consequently, not so great a conductor of heat; but the objection to +wooden bee-hives or boxes, for being more easily affected by the +variations of the temperature, is removed by the construction of the +"bar frame-hive;" for the bee-frames form, as it were, a smaller box +within the oblong box, and are not in immediate contact with the +external air, but have a half inch space nearly all round them, which +will to a certain extent maintain an equable temperature for the bees, +both in summer and winter. + +Any moisture condensed from the heated air generated by the bees, is +carried off through the perforated sheets of zinc above the frames, and +cool store-room for the honey is also thus secured. + +A feeding trough is made on the principle of a bird-glass: with a tin +feeder and a small bottle for the liquid food to be put into. + +[Illustration: _Fig. IV._] + +The tin feeder is six inches by 7-1/2 long, and one inch deep, and just +fits on to the top of the bee-frames, where the perforated sheets of +zinc are laid; within this feeder a half inch opening is cut at the +bottom, fig 4, _a_, and an inclined plane _b_, reaching half way up +the depth of the trough; and a sheet of perforated tin, _c_ (placed +horizontally from point _b_,) through which the bees suck the food, +which is kept at the same level by atmospheric pressure; for as the food +is drawn down below the mouth of the bottle, _d_, air forces itself into +the bottle, and the same quantity of food trickles down into the feeder, +a piece of glass, _e_, exactly the same size as the feeder, is placed +over it, through which the bees may be seen whilst feeding, and the +feeding trough will be nearly of the same temperature as the interior +of the box or hive, and prevent the bees being chilled, as they would +be in winter, if compelled to descend for their food; and besides, the +bees are less likely to be attacked by wasps or strange bees when fed +from above, as the intruders would have to ascend through the mass of +bees in the box, which would be attended with danger to them. + +The bees can be fed when necessary by one of the sheets of perforated +zinc being drawn on one side, and the feeding trough, with the bottle of +food in it, being placed over the opening; when the bees will ascend +through the half inch space at _a_, and feed themselves with the liquid, +or carry it away and store it up for future use. + + + + +HIVES AND BEE-BOXES. + + +Having given a description of the bar-frame-hive, it will be as well to +enter into the comparative advantages of using wooden boxes and straw +hives. + +Some apiarians confine themselves to the use of straw hives, others to +wooden boxes, and a third party use both; but as far as the bees are +concerned it matters little what kind of hive is given them, for if the +season be favourable, and the bee-pasturage rich with flowers, they +collect and store up the honey in their combs in any receptacle of any +shape or size, provided it affords them shelter from the weather. + +Hives made of straw are generally preferred for an out-of-door apiary, +as being less liable to be over-heated by the rays of the sun, and +in the winter they exclude the cold better than hives made of other +materials, while the moisture arising from the bees is more quickly +absorbed within the hive, and does not run down the sides as it +generally does in wooden hives or boxes; at the same time they are +always to be obtained from their cheapness, and from their simplicity +easily understood and made use of; wooden boxes can only be used with +advantage in a bee-house, they stand firmer on the bottom boards, or +one upon another, they admit of having glass windows, through which +to observe the operations of the bees, and they are not so liable to +harbour moths, spiders, and other insects, as the straw hives. + +The objects to be attained in the construction and management of an +apiary, are, to secure the prosperity and multiplication of the colonies +of bees, to increase the amount of their productive labour, and to +obtain their products with facility, and with the least possible +detriment to the stock. It is to the interest of the owner, therefore, +that he provide for the bees shelter against moisture, and the extremes +of heat and cold--especially, sudden vicissitudes of temperature, +protection from their numerous enemies, every facility for constructing +their combs and for rearing their brood, and that the hive should be so +constructed as to allow of every part of the combs to be inspected at +any moment, and capable of removal when requisite: and while attention +is paid to economy, it should be made of materials that will secure its +durability. + +These observations apply equally to the straw hives, boxes, or whatever +the bees may be lodged in or hived. Some cultivators of bees have been +chiefly anxious to promote their multiplication, and to prevent the +escape of the swarms in their natural way, by forming artificial swarms, +by separating a populous hive previous to its swarming, into two parts, +and allowing to each greater room for the construction of their works. +Others, and the most numerous class, have contemplated only the +abundance of the products which they yield, and the facility of +extracting them from the hive, without showing any particular solicitude +as to the preservation of the bees themselves. Another class of +apiarians have, on the other hand, had it more particularly in view, +to facilitate the prosecution of researches in the natural history and +economy of bees. + +Then, again, amongst apiarians a diversity of opinion exists regarding +the system to be adopted in the management of the hives, whether the +bees are to be kept in single hives, caps or bell-glasses, and extra +boxes, which may be added at the top, which is called the _storifying_ +system; or inserting additional room at the bottom, called _nadering_; +or whether adding boxes at the sides, called the _collateral_ system, +should be followed out; and a plan of ventilating the boxes has been +added to the last system, but experience has proved that it is utterly +useless, as in spite of ventilating tubes and thermometers, the bees +have swarmed, and the queen-bee has deposited her eggs in the collateral +boxes and destroyed the purity of the honey. + +No successful plan has been yet devised to ventilate the combs where +the bees cluster; for the bees prevent the circulation of the cold air +amongst the combs by immediately forming themselves in thick rows at the +bottom of the combs; and instead of ranging the fields to gather honey +or pollen, have to collect together and idle away their time to retain +the necessary heat for the formation of the combs, or to rear their +brood. + +As a single hive, Huber's leaf-hive is certainly the best; but it +requires great attention, and none but experienced apiarists can use it +for the purpose of trying experiments; but in the hands of experienced +apiarists it is invaluable. All other single hives are objectionable, as +neither the proceedings of the bees can be observed, nor the honey taken +out, without either destroying the bees, or driving them out with smoke +by which much of the brood is killed; or if rainy weather occur at the +time the bees are preparing to throw off a swarm, and the hive be filled +to its utmost limits with comb, all the bees must remain idle till the +return of fine weather for want of room. + +To meet this objection, some apiarians have straw-hives with flat wooden +tops made, or use boxes, and have holes cut in them at the top, so that +small glasses may be added, when the bees require room. But this does +not prevent swarming, and besides, the flatness of the roof is +prejudicial, as it allows the moisture which exhales from the bees to +collect in the roof, and to fall in drops at different parts, to the +great injury of the subjacent contents of the hive, and, like the common +straw hive or square box, the bees cannot be examined, except partially +through the windows made in the sides. + +To remedy this evil, the further plan of _storifying_ hives or boxes, +was introduced, and by this method swarming may to an extent be +prevented, and the wax and honey can be taken without destroying the +bees; and with the same view was introduced the _collateral_ system, +which is adding room at the sides (of course preserving a free +communication between the boxes and hives). But there are objections to +the _collateral_ system, as it is now a very well established fact, that +partitions of any kind are detrimental to the prosperity of the bees; +and the same applies, though perhaps in an inferior degree, to the +_storied_ system, or hives and boxes divided into stories one above +another; besides that which holds good equally to all hives or boxes, +that it is not possible to proportion the hives in all cases to the +magnitude of the swarms, or the energy with which they labour. + +In single hives the honey becomes bad and discoloured from being put +into the old breeding cells. In double storied, or collateral hives, +the bees are divided, and live in different families; while their own +preservation, and that of the brood, requires them to live in the +strictest union; the heat also necessary for the secretion of wax is +lessened by the division of the bees into different groups. And, +besides, all these different hives or boxes should have some sort of +protection from the weather, either in the way of eaves or covers, +or be placed in a shed or bee-house. + +They require also centre boards and division tins, &c. to separate +one hive or box from another, floor boards for them to stand upon, +as well as stands or stools to raise them from the ground, &c., for +a description of which, and a full history of all hives and boxes, +I refer the reader to Dr. Bevan's "Honey-bee." + +In mentioning the defects of these different boxes and hives, I do not +mean to condemn them as useless, for they will all answer to a certain +extent the purposes for which they were intended, rewarding the +attentive bee-keeper, according to the seasons, and enabling the bees to +send forth many swarms, and collecting and storing up their treasures of +honey; but my object has been to point out briefly to those anxious for +the better, more extended, and economical mode of bee-management, the +difficulties to be provided against, and to recommend to their +consideration the advantages offered in the bar frame-hive. But, +however, I should not be doing justice to Mr. R. Golding, if I did not +particularly mention his "improved Grecian hive" by the use of which +combs may be removed from the interior of the hive and inspected at +pleasure: this improvement he has effected by carefully investigating +the laws of the insects for whose use the hives were intended, and by a +particular arrangement of the bars, (every alternate one being furnished +with guide combs,) the bees have been induced, in a manner at once +simple and beautiful, to construct a uniform range of combs. When the +hive is filled with honey, two or three, or more of the bars may be, +at any time, removed, or exchanged for unoccupied bars, without much +disturbing the brood combs, all annoyance from the bees being prevented +by a whiff or two of tobacco smoke being blown into the hive at the time +of the removal of the bars. With the protection of a bee-house these +hives can be applied to many of the systems of bee-management, and prove +equally profitable, and more manageable than some of the newly-invented +hives. + + + + +THE APIARY. + + +Next of importance to the kind of hive and the system to be followed, is +the proper situation of an apiary. This subject engaged the attention of +bee-keepers in ancient as much as in modern times; but the directions +given by Columella and Virgil are as good now as when they were written; +and as is observed by the writer in No. CXLI. of the Quarterly Review, +in the amusing article on "Bee-books,"--"It would amply repay (and this +is saying a great deal,) the most forgetful country gentleman to rub +up his schoolboy Latin, for the sole pleasure he would derive from the +perusal of the fourth Georgic." The aspect has been regarded as of the +first importance; but there are points of greater consequence, namely +the vicinity of good bee pasturage, the shelter of the hives from the +winds by trees or houses, and their distance from ponds or rivers, as +the high winds might dash the bees into the water. + +Various aspects have been recommended, but the south, with a point to +the east or west, according to its situation as respects the shelter it +may receive from walls or trees, &c. is the best: care, however, must be +taken that neither walls, trees, nor anything else impede the going +forth of the bees to their pasturage. + +"I have ever found it best," says Wildman, "to place the mouth of +the hives to the west in spring, care being taken that they have the +afternoon sun; the morning sun is extremely dangerous during the colder +months, when its glare often tempts these industrious insects out to +their ruin; whereas the mouth of the hive being then in the shade, the +bees remain at home; and as clouds generally obscure the afternoon's sun +at that season, the bees escape the temptation of going out. When food +is to be obtained, the warmth of the air continues round the hive in +the afternoon, which enables the bees to pursue their labours without +danger. + +A valley is a better situation for an apiary than a hill, being more +convenient to the bees returning home with their loads; and, besides, +bees are not so apt to fly away when swarming as when on a hill: but +when swarms take a distant flight, they generally fly against the wind, +so that the stragglers of the swarms may better hear the direction of +the course taken by their fellow emigrants. + +I recommend a hard gravel terrace for the hives to be placed upon, as +being drier both in summer and winter for the bee-master to walk upon, +when inspecting his bees, and also as less likely to afford shelter for +ants or other enemies to bees; and, besides, it is better for the bees, +which when much fatigued by their journeys, or benumbed by the cold, are +apt to fall around the hives, and would recover more quickly from the +warmth of the dry ground than if they had alighted on damp grass. + +The hives should not be placed where water from the eaves of houses, +from hedges, or trees, drop upon them; but they should be near the +mansion house for the convenience of watching the bees, &c. + +A small stream of water running near the hives is thought to be of +advantage, especially in dry seasons, with gently declining banks, +in order that the bees may have safe access to it. + +Heaths, or places abounding in wild flowers, constitute the best +neighbourhood for an apiary, and in default of this pasturage, there +should be gardens where flowers are cultivated, and fields in which +buck-wheat, clover, or sainfoin, is sown. + +But cultivating small gardens of flowers for bees is useless, except a +few early flowers near the hives for the bees to collect some pollen for +the brood, such as the common kinds of crocus, white alyssum, single +blue hepaticas, helleborus niger, and tussilago petasites, all of which +flower early; but should any of the tribe of the willows grow near, +there will be no necessity for cultivating the flowers above-mentioned, +as they yield an abundant harvest of farina, or pollen. + +A rich corn country is well known to be a barren desert to the bees +during a greater portion of the year. Hence the judicious practice of +shifting the bees from place to place according to the circumstances of +the season, and the custom of other nations in this particular well +deserves our imitation. + +Few places are so happily situated as to afford bees proper pasturage +both in the beginning of the season and also the autumn; it was the +advice of Celsus that, after the vernal pastures are consumed, they +should be transported to places abounding with autumnal flowers; as was +practised by conveying the bees from Achaia to Attica, from Euboea and +the Cyclad Islands to Syrus, and also in Sicily, where they were brought +to Hybla from other parts of the island. + +Pliny states that the custom of removing bees from place to place for +fresh pasturage was frequent in the Roman territories, and such is still +the practice of the Italians who live near the banks of the Po, (the +river which Pliny particularly instances,) mentioned by Alexander de +Montfort, who says that the Italians treat their bees in nearly the same +manner as the Egyptians did and still do; that they load boats with +hives and convey them to the neighbourhood of the mountains of Piedmont; +that in proportion as the bees gather in their harvest, the boats, by +growing heavier, sink deeper into the water; and that the watermen +determine from this, when their hives are loaded sufficiently, and it is +time to carry them back to their places from which they came. The same +author relates that the people of the country of Juliers used the same +practice; for that, at a certain season of the year, they carried their +bees to the foot of mountains that were covered with wild thyme. + +M. Maillet, who was the French Consul in Egypt in 1692, says in his +curious description of Egypt; "that in spite of the ignorance and +rusticity which have got possession of that country, there yet remain in +it several traces of the industry and skill of the ancient Egyptians." +One of their most admirable contrivances is, the sending their bees +annually into different districts to collect food, at a time when they +could not find any at home. + +About the end October, all such inhabitants of Lower Egypt, as have +hives of bees, embark them on the Nile, and convey them up that river +quite into Upper Egypt; observing to time it so that they arrive there +just when the inundation is withdrawn, the lands have been sown, and the +flowers begin to bud. The hives thus sent are marked and numbered by +their respective owners, and placed pyramidically in boats prepared for +the purpose. After they have remained some time at their furthest +station, and are supposed to have gathered all the pollen and honey they +could find in the fields within two or three leagues around, their +conductors convey them in the same boats, two or three leagues lower +down, and there leave the laborious insects so long a time as is +necessary for them to collect all the riches of this spot. Thus the +nearer they come to the place of their more permanent abode, they find +the plants which afford them food, forward in proportion. + +In fine, about the beginning of February, after having travelled through +the whole length of Egypt, and gathered all the rich produce of the +delightful banks of the Nile, they arrive at the mouth of that river, +towards the ocean; from whence they had set out: care is taken to keep +an exact register of every district from whence the hives were sent +in the beginning of the season, of their numbers, of the names of the +persons who sent them, and likewise of the mark or number of the boat +in which they were placed. + +Niebuhr saw upon the Nile, between Cairo and Damietta, a convoy of +four thousand hives, in their transit from Upper Egypt to the Delta. +Savary, in his letters on Egypt, also gives an account of the manner of +transporting the hives down the Nile. In France floating bee-houses are +common. Goldsmith describes from his own observation, a kind of floating +apiary in some parts of France and Piedmont. "They have on board of one +barge," he says, "three score or a hundred bee-hives, well defended +from the inclemency of an accidental storm, and with these the owners +float quietly down the stream: one bee-hive yields the proprietor a +considerable income. Why," he adds, "a method similar to this has never +been adopted in England where we have more gentle rivers, and more +flowery banks, than in any part of the world, I know not; certainly it +might be turned to advantage." + +They have also a method of transporting their hives by land in carts in +Germany; and particularly in Hanover travelling caravans of bees may be +seen during the season. + +I have thus briefly quoted from famous authorities, to impress upon +those who keep apiaries the importance of transporting their bees from +pasture to pasture. + +The advantage to weak swarms is very great, "but whilst so little of the +true principles of bee management is understood, as that the destruction +of the bees has been considered absolutely essential, in order to the +attainment of their stores, it is no wonder that so little attention +should have been paid to their cultivation in this country, and that it +should not have proved a more productive department of rural economy." + +"Bees, like everything else worth possessing, require care and +attention; but persons generally think it is quite sufficient to procure +a hive and a swarm, and set it down in the middle of a garden, and that +streams of honey and money will forthwith flow; and, perhaps, commence +calculating, from the perusal of the statements of the profits made by +Thorley from a single hive, which he estimates to be 4300_l._ 16_s._ +from 8192 hives kept during fourteen years! deducting ten shillings and +sixpence, the cost of the first hive!" + +The bar and frame-hives are so constructed that they can be moved from +place to place with the greatest ease, and, perhaps, this may be an +inducement for bee-masters to try the recommendations of transporting +bees, and thus avoid one expense of feeding them during the winter. + +Connected with the foregoing subject of transporting bees from place to +place, is the question of the distance to which bees extend their flight +in search of food, &c.; and the comparative excellence of the position +of an apiary depends in some measure on the greater or less distance the +bees will have to fly to their pasturage. + +Dr. Chambers, and Dr. Hunter were of opinion, that the bee cannot extend +its flight beyond a mile, which idea they adopted on the authority of +Schirach; but then it must be recollected that the German mile of +Schirach is equal to about 3-1/2 English miles. + +It was the opinion of Huber, that the radii of the circle of the +flight of the bee extended nearly to four English miles. And Huish says +"The travelling apiaries of Germany, particularly those of Hanover, +are regulated by the prevailing opinion, that the bee can, and does, +extend its flight to four and even five miles; and acting upon that +supposition, when the bee-masters move their apiaries, they always +travel about two _stunden_, that is, about eight miles, as they then +calculate that the bees are beyond the former range of their pasture +by four miles." And adds, "a travelling apiary of 80 or 100 hives will +exhaust the food within the area of a circle of four miles in about +a fortnight or three weeks." + +"But certainly there is no reason to fear that any part of this country +will be overstocked with bees, for where one hive is now kept, fifty +might be kept without running any risk of overstocking the country; for +the average number of hives in the various apiaries does not exceed +five." + +"It has been calculated" says another authority, "that the pastures of +Scotland could maintain as many bees as would produce 4,000,000 pints +of honey, and 1,000,000 lbs. of wax; and were these quantities tripled +for England and Ireland, the produce of the British empire would be +12,000,000 pints of honey, and 3,000,000 lbs. of wax per annum, worth +about five shillings per pint for the honey, and one shilling and +sixpence per lb. for the wax, making an annual produce in money of about +3,225,000_l._ + +But in consequence of the present neglect of this branch of rural +economy, we pay annually nearly 12,000_l._ for honey alone. + +The imports and exports of wax bleached and unbleached were as follows: + + + Returned + Imported. Exported. for home the rate + Consumption. of Duty + + 1831. 1832. 1831. 1832. 1831. 1832. + + Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. L s. d. + Unbleached 7,005 1,878 10,002 1 10 0 + 4,349 2,536 826 + Bleached 195 504 94 3 0 0 + + + Produce of Duty. + + Unbleached L 10,262 + Bleached 823 + + +The price of wax varies (duty included) from 5_l._ to 10_l._ a cwt. + +In 1831, 7,203 cwt. of wax were imported, of which 3,892 cwt. of it came +from Western Africa; 1,551, from Tripoli, Barbary, &c.; and 910 cwt. +from the United States. + +In 1839, imports were 6,314 cwt., in 1841, 4,483 cwt. of wax; in 1838, +675 cwt. of honey; and in 1841, 3,761 cwt. valued at 12,000_l._ brought +principally from the West Indies, Germany, and Portugal. + +The above statement proves the demand there is in this country for honey +and wax. + +It is mentioned in Wildman's pamphlet that, when Corsica was subject to +the Romans, a tribute was imposed upon it of no less than two hundred +thousand pounds of wax yearly; but this is no proof of the excellence +of their honey, which, according to Ovid, was of very ill account, and +seems to be the reason why the tributary tax was exacted in wax, in +preference to honey. + +The honey collected by the bees at all times retains qualities derived +from the kind of plant from whence it has been procured, as is manifest +not only by the peculiar odour of the honey, such as that collected from +leek blossoms and all the onion tribe, but by the effects produced by +the use of honey obtained from certain plants, chiefly from the subtribe +Rhodoraceae, such as the kalmia, azalea, rhododendron, &c., which yield a +honey frequently poisonous and intoxicating, as has been proved by the +fatal effects on persons in America. It is recorded by Xenophon in his +Anabasis that, during the retreat of the ten thousand, the soldiers +sucked some honey-combs in a place near Trebizonde, and in consequence +became intoxicated, and did not recover their strength for three or four +days; and these effects are supposed to have been produced from the +honey having been extracted by the bees from the rhododendron ponticum +or azalea pontica of Linnaeus. + +Although many of these plants have been introduced into this country, +yet, probably from their small proportion to the whole of the flowers in +bloom, the honey collected by the bees has not been found to be injured +or to have produced any evil consequences. + +The goodness and flavour of honey depend on the fragrance of the plants +from which the bees collect it, and hence it is that the honey of +different places is held in different degrees of estimation. + +The honey gathered from the genus erica (termed _heather honey_) and +most labiate plants, is wholesome. That which is made early in the year +is preferred to what is collected in the latter end of the season. +Whilst on the subject of honey, I will add the directions given by +Wildman, how to separate the honey from the wax: "Take," he says, "the +combs which have been extracted from the different hives or boxes into +a close room, rather warm than otherwise, that the honey may drain more +freely, and keep the doors and windows shut, to prevent the bees from +entering, or else they will be very troublesome, and will attack and +carry away the greater part of the honey from the combs. + +"Lay aside such combs as have young bees or brood in them, as they +would give your honey a bad flavour and render it unwholesome, and the +bee-brood must also be separated and melted with the brood-combs. When +you have thus separated the combs, let such as are very fine be nicely +drained by themselves, without the least pressing whatever, having been +carefully cleaned of every sort of filth, or insects, and dividing each +comb in such a manner that the cells may be open at both ends, and +placing them upon a sieve or coarse cloth, that the honey may drain +off quite pure and undefiled. The remainder of the combs from which +the honey has been thus drained, together with those which contained +the bee-bread and brood, must be put into a coarse cloth or bag, and +squeezed or pressed to get all the honey out. This will make it inferior +in quality, and unfit for many uses, therefore it should be put into +pots or bottles by itself, to feed bees with, for which purpose it will +be better than pure honey, on account of the bee-bread that will be +mixed with it, which is necessary for their subsistence. + +"In order to obtain the wax in a pure state, what remains of the combs +after separating the honey, together with the empty combs which had been +laid aside, should be put into a copper with clean water; made to boil +gently over a slow fire, keeping it constantly stirring. When it is +melted, run it through a coarse cloth or bag made for the purpose, and +put it into a press to separate the wax from the dross. Let the wax run +from the press into a vessel placed under it, into which put some water +to prevent the wax adhering to the sides. + +"If this process of boiling and pressing is repeated twice or even three +times, the wax will be much purer and consequently of greater value. +Set it in a place where it may cool by degrees, in pans of the size you +would choose your cakes to be, with some water in them, to prevent the +wax sticking to the sides whilst hot. Honey should be kept only in stone +jars, called Bristol ware, and in a cool and dry situation, but not +corked up until a week or two after it has transuded through the sieve, +&c., but should be carefully covered with perforated sheets of zinc to +keep out insects and flies, &c. after which period the jars may be +secured and put into the store-rooms. + +"The only protection necessary for gentlemen,--for ladies, I presume, +would never venture to undertake the dangerous task of extracting the +honey combs from hives or boxes,--will be a pair of buckskin gloves, +with a pair of worsted gloves over them extending to the elbows; so that +the bees should not be able to creep between the gloves and the sleeves; +for the face a piece of wire pattern gauze net, made in the shape of a +bag, to draw with a string round the hat above the brim, which will keep +it from the face, and the other open end being secured under the neck +handkerchief, and with the assistance of a puff or two of smoke into any +hive intended to be operated upon, the bee-master may fearlessly turn up +the hive, and cut out combs or dislodge bees from their habitations, &c. +with impunity." + + + + +THE ENEMIES TO BEES, &c. + + +The proprietor having provided shelter for his bees, and as great a +plenty of pasture as he possibly can, should next be careful to guard +them from the numerous enemies which prey upon them, and destroy their +honey-combs. Bees themselves, in the autumn and spring, are very often +great enemies to one another, and rob each other's hives, especially +in dry seasons, when the honey gathering is almost over; and the bees +from over-stocked hives, not having honey sufficient for their winter's +store, will through necessity attack the old hives or stocks, which are +thinned by over swarming, carry away all their honey, and often destroy +their queens. In order to prevent this havoc, contract the entrance or +entrances of the hive attempted to be robbed, so that a few bees only +can enter at a time, by which means the old stocks will be better +able to defend themselves. If, notwithstanding this narrowness of the +passage, robbers attack a hive, the entrance should be instantly closed +and kept so till the thieves are gone, and it will be advisable in the +evening to examine the state of the hive, especially as to weight, and +if the queen be safe, remove it to another place, at least a mile from +the old locality. The person who is thus employed, at a time when the +bees are full of resentment, should be well defended from their stings. +But, should he be so unfortunate as to get stung for his interference, +the first thing is to extract the sting. To alleviate the irritation, +cooling lotions should be applied, but the pain of a sting is relieved +by applying spirits of hartshorn, or liquor potassae, to the spot where +the sting entered. + +One would imagine the moth to be an enemy of no consequence, but the +wax-moth (_Tinea mellonella_) is a most formidable enemy. She lays her +eggs under the very skirts of the hive, or in the rubbish on the floor, +or even in the combs of the bees; these eggs when hatched produce a +small whitish worm or larva, and it is in this stage that it commits its +ravages, extending its galleries through every quarter of the combs, +detaching them from the tops and sides of the hives, and causing them +to fall together. + +The way to destroy them is frequently to lift up the hive in the +morning, and kill all you can see. The most effectual way is to drive +the bees into a new hive, but this can be only done in the height of +the honey season; or the affected combs may be cut out, and the bees +restored to their old habitation. + +Mice are likewise very destructive to bees; sometimes they enter at the +door, but most commonly near the top of the hive; this they do generally +during winter, when the bees are in a torpid state; when this is +suspected, set a few traps about the hives. + +The common bat will also sometimes take possession of a hive, and commit +very great havoc amongst the bees. + +Wasps and hornets must be destroyed, if possible, either by gunpowder, +or by the more primitive mode of placing limed twigs before the holes, +when you have discovered their nests. + +The spring is the time to kill the female wasps and hornets, for then, +by the death of one female, a whole nest is destroyed. Or place bottles +half full of sugar and beer where the wasps frequent; they will go in to +drink, and drown themselves in the liquor, not being able to get out of +the bottle again. Spiders must be killed, and their nets or webs broken +down, otherwise they will catch and destroy many bees. + +Swallows, frogs, ants, earwigs, snails, woodlice, poultry, and small +birds of almost all kinds, are reckoned amongst their foes. And, +therefore, there should be no lack of vigilance on the part of the owner +of bees, to keep the bee-house as clean as possible from all vermin. + +The signs of dysentery having commenced in any colony of bees may be +known by the floor-boards and combs being covered with stains, by the +dark coloured evacuations, producing an offensive smell, and frequent +deaths amongst the bees. "Bees," says Gelieu, "have no real disease; +they are always in good health as long as they are at liberty, are kept +warm, and provided with plenty of food. All their pretended diseases are +the result of cold, hunger, or the infection produced by a too close and +long confinement during winter, and by exposure to damp, &c." + +They appear however sometimes to be seized, in the spring, with +dysentery; this is occasioned by their feeding too greedily, it is +supposed, on honey dew, without the mixture of pollen and other +wholesome nutriment. + +The only remedy that has been found for this disease, is to give the +bees plenty of honey, such honey as that extracted from the refuse combs +in the autumn, that had abundance of bee-bread pressed amongst it,--the +more the better,--mixing with it a table-spoonful of salt, and giving +the bees their full liberty, and a clean hive. Many things are necessary +for the preservation of bees, but more especially in this country, where +the bees have only one season in five, on an average of years, really +good for their honey harvest; wherefore the owner should take care to +provide the light stocks with a sufficient quantity of food, which they +have not been able to secure by their own industry, either through the +badness of the bee-pasturage, the inclemency of the seasons, the +weakness of the colony, or the spoil made by their enemies; and +sometimes by the ill-judged management of their owners, in robbing the +bees beyond the bounds of reason. + +By this last unjust way of proceeding, these poor industrious little +insects are absolutely starved, and their greedy masters deservedly +experience the old proverb; that "Too much covetousness breaks the bag." + +It is impossible to ascertain what quantity of honey will serve a hive +of bees the whole winter, because the number in the hive may be more or +less, and in some years, the spring is more forward than in others; but +25 lbs. is said to be the quantity required in a common cottage-hive. +During frost, the bees consume very little food indeed; and still less +during severe cold weather. Mr. White (with many other apiarians) is of +opinion, that a greater degree of cold than is commonly imagined to be +proper for bees is favourable to them in winter, for the bees during +that period, are in so lethargic a state, that little food supports +them. + +The best method to feed the weak stocks, if in one of Mr. R. Golding's +improved Grecian hives, is to place some combs (drone combs reserved for +that purpose) filled on one side with honey, over the centre-board, and +covering it over with a common hive. + +The advantage of feeding bees from above is great; they are less likely +to be attacked by the bees from other hives, and they do not become +benumbed by the cold, as the same temperature is maintained above as in +the rest of the hive. + +But in all cases, bees should be fed in autumn, and before they are in +absolute want of food, otherwise they will be so poor and weak that they +will not be able to ascend or descend to feed themselves. When that +happens, it is almost too late to save them; however, you may try and +feed them, by first tying a piece of gauze over the bottom of the hive, +turning it up to receive the heat of the sun or fire, and, if the bees +revive at all, place a pewter dish with some liquid honey in it, on the +floor-board, and the hive over it, when the bees will draw up the honey +through the gauze or net without smearing themselves, the the pewter +dish having been filled with hot water to keep the honey liquid, and to +diffuse a genial warmth throughout the hive, and thus secure them for +a time from the cold, which would chill and even kill the bees in the +winter, when they came down to the bottom of the hive to feed on the +proffered bounty. + +In prosperous hives or colonies, as soon as the severity of the winter's +frost is past, the queen-bee begins to lay her eggs in the various cells +in the combs, and proceeds in proportion to the mildness of the season +to deposit a succession. The number of young bees that may by this means +rise in a hive, may endanger the lives of all the bees by famine, for +the increased multitude consume a great deal of honey, an accident +likely to happen if the mild weather of January or February should be +succeeded by cold, rainy, or even dry weather; for it is found that the +flowers do not secrete the sweet juices, which constitute honey, so +freely during the prevalence of dry easterly winds; and thus present a +barren field for the out-of-door labours of the bees. + +On this account, the proprietor should examine the hives frequently at +this season, that, if necessary, he may give them a proper supply, in +which he should be bountiful rather than otherwise, because the bees are +faithful stewards, and will return with interest what is thus in their +great need bestowed upon them. + +The time of the bees' swarming is generally in the months of May and +June, and sometimes July, but the latter is too late, as there are then +fewer bees than in the earlier swarms, and they seldom live through the +winter without much care and feeding. + +The later swarms should be hived in rather smaller hives than the first, +that, by clustering together, they may the better nourish and keep +themselves warm. + +The hours of their swarming are for the most part about twelve o'clock +at noon, never before eight, and seldom after four in the afternoon. + +The symptom of swarming, is generally the unusual number of bees seen +hanging at the mouth of the hive, and if a piping noise, or a shrill +note, which is made by the queen is heard, it is a sure index the bees +will swarm, if the weather be warm and dry. + +If the bees work a comb under the floor-board, as is sometimes the case, +it is a sign they will not swarm; a more certain sign is when they throw +out the young dead queens with the drone brood. When they retain the +drones in the hives after August, it is a bad omen, as they are then +reserved for the sake of the young queens, which they are expecting to +raise; and the season being too far advanced, and their failing in the +attempt, and being without a queen, the colony will most certainly +dwindle away, before the next season. + +Always choose a hive proportionable to the size of your swarm, and +prepare to hive them as soon as possible, lest they should rise again. +It is not unusual to ring a bell or tinkle a brass pan, &c., at the time +the bees swarm; it is also a common method to dress the hives with +honey, balm, &c. + +I mention these things, because they are customs of long standing: the +tinkling of bells is of little use, as the bees will generally settle +near the hive; and as to dressing the hives, I by no means recommend it, +as the bees like a clean new hive much better, for it does not give them +so much trouble to clean, &c. + +If the swarm should rise in the full heat of the day, and the sun shine +hot upon them, they will not continue long in their first situation; for +when they find they have all got their company together, they will soon +uncluster, rise again, fly to some particular spot which has been fixed +upon for that purpose by detached parties of bees, who return and +acquaint the swarm; therefore I would advise to hive them as soon as +possible, and remove them in the evening to the place where they are +to remain. + +The supposed relative value of early and late swarms is thus mentioned +in an old English proverb:-- + + A swarm in May, + Is worth a load of hay. + A swarm in June, + Is worth a silver spoon; + A swarm in July, + Is not worth a fly. + + + + +SWARMING AND HIVING THE BEES. + + +Every good swarm should weigh about 5 lbs., and according to the account +given in Key's Treatise, would contain 23,000 bees. The manner of hiving +them must be regulated chiefly by the places upon which they alight. + +If they settle on a dead hedge, or upon the ground, set a hive over +them, putting props under it if necessary, and, with a large spoon or +brush of wet weeds, stir them softly underneath, and they will go in. + +If they should happen to settle upon a small bough, you may cut it off, +and laying it quietly on a cloth, place a hive over them; or if you +cannot conveniently separate the bough from the body of the tree, you +may shake or sweep them off into the hive. + +If the sun shines hot upon it, shade it with a few boughs, &c., but let +it remain near the place where the bees settled until the evening, at +which time move it to the bee-house, or the place where it is to stand +during the season, as just directed. + +If the bees have hung a considerable time to the place where they first +settled, you will, perhaps, find it difficult entirely to dislodge them, +as they will neglect their labour and fly about the spot for many days +afterwards. The best method to prevent this is, by rubbing the branches +with rue, or any kind of herb disagreeable to the bees; but be careful +not to hurt any of the bees. + +Swarms seldom return home again, when they are well settled, and if you +find them inclined to do so, depend upon it, some accident has happened +to their queen, which you will easily ascertain by their making a +murmuring noise, and running in a distracted manner over and about the +sides of the hive. When you observe this, immediately seek about for +her, beginning with the stock-hive from whence the swarm rose, and +pursue the track they took at setting out; you will seldom miss finding +her, for she is never alone, but generally encompassed with a cluster of +bees, who would sooner perish than leave her in danger. + +When you have found her, take her up gently, and put her to the swarm, +and you will soon find the cause of their dissatisfaction removed by the +arrival of the queen. + +The greatest care must be taken to have your hive clean and sweet, free +from loose straws or other obstacles, which will create great trouble +and loss of time to the bees, if left to them to remove. + +If bees have flowers suitable to their tastes, and no great distance +to travel to them, they will fill their hives both with honey and wax, +in about a month or five weeks, and, if the season has proved fair and +pleasant, in less time; but the bee-keeper must expect four out of every +five seasons to be unpropitious to his little charge, and, therefore, +he must be on the watch to assist them with food in the time of need. + +Scarcely has the swarm arrived at its new habitation, when the working +bees labour with the utmost diligence, to procure food and build their +combs. Their principal aim is not only to have cells in which they may +deposit the honey and pollen, but a stronger motive seems to animate +them; they seem to know that their queen is about to deposit her eggs; +and their industry is such, that in four and twenty hours they will +have made combs, twelve inches long, and three or four inches wide. +They build more combs during the first fortnight, than they do during +all the rest of the year. + +Other bees are at the same time busy in stopping all the holes and +crevices they happen to find in their new hive, in order to guard +against the entrance of insects which covet their honey, their wax, or +themselves; and also to exclude the cold air; for it is indispensably +necessary that they be lodged warm and secure from damp, &c. + +A second swarm scarcely is, and much less are the third ones called +_casts_ worth keeping single, because, being few in number, they cannot +allow so large a proportion of working bees to go abroad in search of +provisions, as more numerous swarms can, after retaining a proper number +for the various works to be done within the hive. + +Bees sometimes swarm so often that the mother-hive is too much weakened +or reduced in population. In this case they should be restored; and this +should also be done when a swarm produces a swarm the first summer, as +is sometimes the case in early seasons. + +The best way, indeed, is to prevent such swarming, by giving the bees +more room; though this, again, will not answer where there is a prolific +young queen in the hive; as she well knows that her life is the forfeit +of her remaining at home. + +Before the union of one or two casts or late swarms is made, it is +better to kill one of the queens, if possible, to prevent the queens +destroying one another. + +If an old hive is full of bees, and yet shows no disposition to swarm, +puff in a little smoke at the entrance of the hive, then turn the hive +up, and give it some slight strokes on the sides so as to alarm the +bees. They will immediately run to the extremities of the combs, and +if you then attentively examine them, you will, in all probability, +perceive the queen-bee the foremost amongst them. Seize her between your +fore finger and thumb, and confine her in your hand till most part of +the bees take wing; let her then go, the bees will soon join her, and +settle on some branch of a tree. Put them into an empty hive. Restore +the old hive in its place, that the bees which have been out in the +fields may enter it on their return, and having allowed them to remain +there an hour or two, place it upon another stand near or next to its +own. + +The hive having what may now be called a swarm in it, is then placed +on the stand of the old stock; and if the bees in both hives work +regularly, carrying in loads of pollen on their thighs, all is well. + +Bees are not apt to sting when they swarm naturally, therefore, it is +not necessary then to take extraordinary precaution against them; but +when any of these violent and artificial modes are attempted, I should +advise the operator to be well guarded at all points. + +Wildman weighed bees and found it required 4,928 bees to make a pound of +sixteen ounces, but the different circumstances in bees may occasion a +considerable difference in their weight. When the bees swarm, they come +out loaded with wax secreted in their wax pockets and honey in their +honey bags, and would weigh heavier than bees taken for that purpose +by chance; and, therefore, the number of the bees is not to be thus +computed, from the weight of the swarm; for one fourth of the number at +least should be deducted, in lieu of the wax and honey they have brought +off with them. There is also another allowance to be made, namely, that +when alive, they do not probably weigh so heavy as when dead. + +The person who intends to erect an apiary, should purchase a proper +number of hives at the latter end of the year, when they are cheapest. +The hives should be full of combs, and well stored with bees. + +The purchaser should examine the combs, in order to know the age of the +hives. The combs of that season are white, those of a darkish yellow are +of the previous year; and, where the combs are black, the hives should +be rejected, because old hives are most liable to vermin and other +accidents. + +If the number of hives wanted were not purchased in the autumn, it will +be necessary to remedy this neglect after the severity of the cold is +past in the spring. At this season, bees which are in good condition, +will get into the fields early in the morning, return loaded, enter +boldly, and do not come out of the hive in bad weather; for when they +do, this indicates that they are in great want of provisions. + +They are alert on the least disturbance; and by the loudness of their +humming, you can judge of their strength. They preserve their hives +free from filth, and are ready to defend it against every enemy that +approaches. + +But the better plan is at once to commence with new hives, and purchase +the first and strong swarms to put into them, and introduce them into +the bee-house. + +There are various substances found in a hive, such as the _wax_, with +which the combs are built, the _honey_, the _farina_ or _pollen_, with +which the bee-brood is fed, and _propolis_. + +_Honey_, is a fluid or semi-fluid substance, the materials of which are +collected by the bees, from the nectaries at the base of the corollae of +flowers, where this vegetable production is secreted. + +It cannot be said to be a purely vegetable production when found +in the combs, for after being collected by the insect by means of its +proboscis, it is transmitted into what is called the honey bag, where it +is elaborated, and, hurrying homewards with its precious load, the bee +regurgitates it into the cell of the honey comb. It takes a great many +drops to fill a cell, as the honey bag when full does not exceed the +size of a small pea. + +When the cell is full, it is sealed up with a mixture of of wax and +pollen, and reserved for future use in winter and spring. + +_Wax_. There are several varieties of this substance, but bees-wax is a +secretion of that insect from its ventral scales. With this substance +the comb is constructed; it takes the bees, according to Huber's +account, twenty-four hours to secrete the six laminae of wax in the wax +pockets, which may be seen to exude between the segments of the under +side of the abdomen of the bee. For the purpose of the formation of wax, +the bees have to cluster and form themselves into festoons from the top +of the hive, and after the elapse of the necessary period, the wax +scales are formed, with which the bees commence immediately to build +their combs, and the various cells for the reception of the brood or +food, according to the season of the year. + +_Propolis_, is a tenacious, semi-transparent substance, having a +balsamic odour; which the bees gather from the buds of certain trees in +the spring, such as the horse-chestnut, the willow, the poplar, and the +birch. + +This tenacious substance is employed by the bees to attach more firmly +the combs to the top or foundation, and also the edges of the combs to +the sides of the hive or box, to stop the crevices, and fasten the hives +or boxes to the floor-boards, and in forming barriers against the +intrusion of enemies. + +_Farina_, or _Pollen_, is the dust or minute globules contained in the +anthers of flowers, and is the fertilizing property of flowers, which +the bees thus assist to carry, whilst travelling from flower to flower, +without which the flowers would not fructify. The bees have been found +to continue collecting pollen from the same species of flowers, and +prevent the multiplication of hybrid plants. They collect and carry +this substance on the outer surface of the tibia, or the middle joint +of the hinder leg; this part of the leg is broad, and on one side it +is concave, and furnished with a row of strong hairs on its margins, +forming as it were a natural basket, well adapted for the purpose. This +substance mixed with honey, forms the food of the larvae or young brood, +after undergoing, perhaps, a peculiar elaboration by the working or +nurse bees. + +Having thus mentioned the different substances found in a hive, it only +remains to add a short history of the inmates of the hive. Every swarm +of bees comprises three distinct kinds of the same species, namely, the +_female_ or _queen_, the _neuter_ or _worker-bee_, and the _male_ or +_drone_. + +As there is only one _queen-bee_ in each swarm or colony, she is seldom +to be seen amidst the thousands of other bees; but she is easily +distinguished from the rest by her slower movements, her greater length +and larger size; and the general appearance of her body, being of a more +dark orange colour, and her hinder legs having neither brushes nor +pollen baskets upon them, although longer than those of the worker-bee; +her wings also appear stronger, and she possesses a more curved sting, +which she seldom uses, except when asserting her rights to the +sovereignty of the hive. + +Without a _queen-bee_ no swarm can thrive, for she is not only the +ruler, but chiefly the mother of the community in which she dwells, and +wherever she goes, the greatest attention is paid her. In the hive, the +utmost solicitude is evinced to satisfy her in every wish; wherever she +moves the bees anxiously clear away before her, and turn their heads +towards their sovereign, and with much affection touch her with their +antennae, and supply her, as often as she needs, with honey or other +delicacy which their own exertions, or those of their fellow labourers, +have gathered for her use. + +The queen-bee is said to live four or five years, and is generally +succeeded on her throne by one of her own descendants duly brought up +for the purpose; but in the event of her untimely decease, the workers +have the power of raising a sovereign from amongst themselves, and +fitting her for the station she is intended to occupy; this they do +by selecting one of the larvae of the worker-bee of a certain age, +and, enlarging the cell which it is to occupy, supplying it with a +nourishment different from that which they give to the worker and +drone-brood. + +A _queen-bee_ takes seventeen days to arrive at maturity, that is to +say, from the egg-state to the fully developed queen, but this period +will vary as a sudden change of temperature will prolong the interval; +and this also applies to the perfect _queen_ herself, who will not +deposit her eggs in the cells, when any severe weather happens at the +period she may be expected to produce the eggs. + +The fecundity of the queen-bee is very great, for it is estimated that +during breeding time, unless prevented by the cold weather, she lays +at the rate of from one hundred to two hundred eggs a day, causing +an increase of not less than eighty thousand worker-bees, and drones +included, in a season when circumstances are favourable. + +The cells formed for the royal brood are very different from those of +the males or the workers, and are generally suspended from the sides +or edges of the combs; in shape they are very much like a pear, the +thickest end joining the comb, and the small end having the mouth or +entrance to the cell, and hanging downwards, and being almost as large +as a lady's thimble. + +The _drones_ or _males_ in a hive are computed at from six hundred +to two thousand, but the numbers are remarkably irregular, and the +proportion is not regulated by the number of bees contained in a hive; +for a small swarm or colony will contain as many, or more sometimes, +than a large one. + +The drone may be easily distinguished from the _queen_ or _workers_, +from its greater breadth, having large eyes which meet at the top of the +head, and no sting, and from its making a loud humming whilst flying. + +It takes twenty-four days from the time of the laying of the drone _egg_ +to its coming forth a perfect insect. Drones are generally hatched about +the end of April or the beginning of May; they venture out of the hive +only in warm weather, and then only in the middle of the day, and they +are generally expelled by the bees from the hives about July or August, +after the impregnation of the young queens has taken place. + +When the destruction of the drones takes place earlier, it may be +considered a certain indication that no swarming will take place during +that season; but the retention of the drones after August, is a very bad +sign, as the swarm must certainly perish in the winter, unless their +vacant throne is supplied with a prolific queen. + +The _neuter_ or _worker-bee_, is the least of the three, and of a dark +brown colour; the abdomen is conical, and composed of six distinct +segments, and armed with a straight sting; it possesses a long flexible +trunk, known by the name of a proboscis, and has on its two hinder legs +a hollow or basket, to receive the propolis and farina which it collects +as before described. + +The number of workers in a well-stocked hive is about fifteen thousand +or twenty thousand. Upon them devolves the whole care and labour of the +colony, to collect pollen, propolis, and honey; to build the combs and +to attend upon the brood or young bees. + +The _worker-bee_ is short-lived, seldom surviving more than a year, but +this is more from the toil they have to endure, though it be a labour +of love, and the many risks they run upon each occasion of going out in +search of food, &c., from the weather, or their numerous winged enemies. + + + "Sunt quibus ad portas cecidit custodia sorti: + Inque vicem speculantur aquas et nubila coeli, + Aut onera accipiunt venientum, aut agmine facto + Ignavum fucos pecus a praesepibus arcent. + Fervet opus, redolentque thymo fragrantia mella." + + + + LONDON: + Printed by S. & J. BENTLEY, WILSON, and FLEY, + Bangor House, Shoe Lane. + + + + * * * * * + + + +Transcribers notes: + + A page of Errata appearing here has been applied to the text and + removed. + + Inconsistency in the hyphenation of phrases has been retained. + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A DESCRIPTION OF THE +BAR-AND-FRAME-HIVE*** + + +******* This file should be named 19319.txt or 19319.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/9/3/1/19319 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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