BEE-spoke-data/bees-v0 huggingface dataset:
**The judges thought its utility worthy of a special prize. It may thus be described : The board consists of sixteen wooden tongues about 10 inches long, fixed like the teeth of a comb ; it has legs which, for packing, fold underneath, and a zinc pan to catch the dripping honey. Flat on the tongues is placed the comb to be transferred, and the frame is fitted on to it ; a lath is then laid on its edge under the comb, and tapes passed between the tongues, and fastened at once on the top bar. The lath is not required if the frame be quite filled. The board can then be tilted up until perpendiicular, carrying the eomb and frame with it, which latter is to be at once lifted out and placed where required. I have several times used this appliance, and have found it very handy.
weak stock, which being discovered and appropriated by stronger Bees, they soon seek for more plunder in the same locality. The Rev. Mr. Kleine says, robbers may be repelled by imparting to the hive some intensely powerful and unaccustomed odour. He effects this by placing in it in the evening a small portion of musk, and on the following morning the Bees, if they have a healthy Queen, will boldly meet their assailants. These are nonplussed by the unwanted odour; and if any of them enter the hive and carry off some of the ovoted booty, on their return home, having a strange smell, they will be killed by their own household.
The means by which food may be administered to Bees is elsewhere considered, and I will now explain when, and in what quantity it should be given. At the time a swarm issues, the weather is generally fine ; but it sometimes happens a change takes place, and the swarm having no stores, and not being able to gather any, of necessity suffers. Such a contingency happening, the prudent and merciful Bee-keeper will give food at once, not too fast, say half a pint of syrup per diem ; if a superfluity be given, the swarm will occasionally construct Drone combs to store it in, which is not desirable. Bees, when they swarm, seem filled with an uncontrollable impulse to build combs ; this is a necessity of their future existence, and it is of the utmost importance that the impulse should be fostered and encouraged. The Queen cannot, of course, lay an \(lpha_{\mbox{ iny{$\circ$}}}^{\mbox{ iny{$\circ$}}}\) without a cell to put it in, and as she is capable at this time of laying 2,000 or 3,000 each day, the waste to their owners will be easily seen, should all these embryo. Bees be lost. Old stocks in the spring have their stores at the lowest ebb ; the winter's consumption has not been made good ; and unless the prudent insects find food is coming into the hive, no great amount of breeding will take place. Of course the earlier Beesbreed, the sooner they will swarm or store in supers; and in a great measure breeding may be induced at the will of the Bee-master. As soon as the weather will allow in the spring, every stock should be examined, and if found deficient in food, it must be administered. In cold, damp weather, too much syrup is not good; there is no objection to sufficient being given for daily consumption, but the Bees must not have enough given to fill their combs, or the damp arising from it will very likely cause dysentry, and if over supplied they will be apt to store it in the centre combs, being the nearest, and these are all just which should be left for the Queen's use. Barley sugar is a very good food for such times, and may be given to the Bees either in a bottle, or put into the hive, not too much at a time, or it may liquify and form a trouble as well as waste. Barley sugar, superior to that bought at confectioners, may be made as follows, viz. :--
Break up three pounds of loaf sugar, place it in a saucepan or preserving pan, and pour half a pint of cold water upon it and half a wine-glass full of vinegar, these are all the ingredients required. Prepare a fire in a grate, the top bar of which will let down in a similar way to that in an ordinary kitchen grate, taking care, however, that at the commencement of the operation the bar is up in its place, and the grate full to the top with glowing enders or wood embers, so that a great heat may be obtained without any flame. The saucepan containing the sugar place upon the fire and stir it without easing. In a few minutes it will begin to assume the character of dirty broth, which will have anything but a nice appearance, but presently a thick scum will rise and the mass will try to boil over. As soon as this is observed, the saucepan should be removed from the fire until the ingredients have cooled a little, when it should be set on the grate again in such a way that only a small part of it is over the fire; the boiling will then go on on the exposed side; and, as the ebullition takes place, the seum will be forced to the side not over the fire, whence it may easily be removed with a spoon. Thus the saucepan is held in the left hand, the spoon in the right, and the saucepan being on the left-hand side of the grate, with its right side exposed to the action of the fire, the scum will retreat to the left or cooler side, and will be in the handiest position for removal, as will be evident in a few minutes to any one trying it. After a quarter of an hour of this treatment, the mixture will have become in a great degree clarified, when it should be removed from the fire, while the top bar of the grate is let down so as to permit of its nearer approach to a greater heat. Should there be any irregularity of the fire it should now be corrected, but flame should be prevented, as the mixture having parted with its water will be liable to take fire if brought into contact with flame. It will be well here to remark that so long as the seum remained on the syrup, there was a tendency in the whole to boil over, since the water evolved in the form of steam, while the boiling was going on accumulating in a body, would lift the scum above the saucepan to enable it to escape; but when the seum was _gone_, the water would be evolved in bubbles of steam, which would _crackle_, but not boil over, unless a very intense heat were applied. The duration of the boiling of the clarified syrup, before it becomes liquid barley sugar, will depend upon the amount of heat, and the consequent evolution of the water, to which it is subjected ; but trials may, from time to time, be made by dropping a little on some cold surfaces to see if it becomes brittle, and when that state is arrived at it is done. Four it into a tin dish, set it in a dry, cool place until it becomes hard, and then by striking the tin on its underside, the whole of the barley sugar will be splintered into fragments, when it may be placed in bottles and corked up for use as required.
Those who wish for early swarms and strong stocks will do well to feed slowly in March or in April, even although the stock has plenty of stores ; one of Mr. Chcshire's feeding stages will be found an admirable aid to effect this properly. The object aimed at should be to afford a _constant steady supply without a break;_ if the stage be used, as much as the Bees can suck through two or three holes will be sufficient, this will be perhaps one-third or one-fourth of a pint daily ; so long as this supply be kept up, so long will the Queen lay, and the Bees tend the young ; _but_ if the supply be stopped for a day or two, and nothing comes in of Nature's providing, the Bees will destroy all the young larvae, and even those almost ready to emerge, should famine appear imminent. In May and June last (1874), when bad weather succeeded a few fine weeks, the Bees could be seen carrying out their nearly mature young in thousands. When feeding is continued during the day as well as night, take care the supply is well protected against robber Bees, or it will lead to fights and slaughter.
Bee-keepers often express astonishment that their Bees, after wintering all right, die in the spring ; the cause is easily explainable: the stock had enough honey to last the winter, but not sufficient to supply the large demand of spring when the young put in their claims on the commonwealth.
When a stock has become very weak and impoverished, the Bees often display such lassitude that they do not accept the proffered food; in this case they may be excited by pouring into and amongst the cluster half a cupful or more of the syrup made warm: they will then set to work cleaning one another, and gain strength and inclination to make use of the remainder. Bees in straw skeps may also be fed at other times by pouring syrup in a fine stream into the combs; this will run into the cells and be afterwards properly taken care of by the Bees; the quantity given must be regulated by the weather and other circumstances, bearing in mind the caution I have given as to dysentry.
Honey is, of course, the most natural food to give to Bees, but sugar syrup answers equally well and is far less valuable ; and, unless the source from which the honey comes is known to be pure, there is a danger of introducing with it "Foul-brood." Foreign honey is said to be very often contaminated by this plague. Those using frame hives, where the frames are interchangeable, will often be able so to arrange their combs as to save much trouble in feeding. Some hives have more honey than they require, therefore can part with a comb or two to their poorer neighbour, and thus the stores may be equalized.
## Chapter 16 A manual of Bee-keeping.
### 16.1 P O L L E N.
There is another food that Bces, when breeding, cannot do without, that is "Pollen " or " Bee Bread," which, with honey, forms the food of the larvae. There is seldom any absolute necessity for the Bec-keeper to trouble about supplying this, the Bees generally having stored, or being able to gather, sufficient. But the Americans and Germans are in the habit of supplying a substitute for this in rye meal. Dzierzon, early in the spring, observed his Bces bringing home this substance from a neighbouring mill before they could procure a natural supply of pollen ; and so, not losing the lesson, it became a common practice to supply the Bces early in the spring with this article. Shallow troughs are set in front of the apiaries, filled about 2 inches deep with finely ground unbolted rye meal ; and Langstroth says : "Thousands of Bces, when the "weather is favourable, resort eagerly to them, and, "rolling themselves in the meal, return heavily laden " to their lives. In fine, mild weather, they labour at "this work with great industry, preparing the meal to "the _old_ pollen stored in their combs--thus they breed "early, and rapidly recruit their numbers. The feeding "is continued until the blossoms furnishing a preferable "article, they cease to carry off the meal. "The average "consumption of each colony is about two pounds." I have not heard that this pollen substitute has been much used in England ; probably its advantages are not appreciated.
A contributor to the _British Bee Journal_ has given an amusing account of a least of "yes meal provided to his "Bees :--
"I obtained some "yes" flour or meal, and having "!" placed it in two shallow boxes near the hives, I "waited the result. The first day or two the Bees took "no notice of it, but soon a few with inquiring minds, "having made a minute inspection of the contents of "the boxes, communicated to the Bee community at "large, that in conjunction with the unusually early "supply of honey (syrup) this spring, pollen was to be "obtained in quantity close at hand. At it they went, "and much amusement they afforded me in watching "their actions. Some rolled in and took all they could "in that way, going home like veritable millers. Others "do" moulded up a small ball, and taking it between their "legs, conveyed it to the hives in that manner ; in fact, "they seemed very much puzzled as to the best way of "availing themselves of such an unusual supply of their "farinaceous requirements. I fancied they seemed to "want something to stand upon to enable them to "gather it up easily, so I mixed some bran which I "happened to have at hand with the meal, and this "seemed quite to meet the exigencies of the case, for "now they were no longer puzzled how to act. Down "they went, again and again, each time repeating the "same operation, and the pellets on their legs each "time growing larger, until at length, fairly loaded, "away they flew, happy enough, with their new baby "food. For four or five days only did this last, for I "found them bringing in pollen of the orthodox yellow "int, and, excepting early in the morning, my boxes "were neglected."
VENTILATION OF HIVES.
Upon a due appreciation of this subject, much of the success of Bee-keepers depends. If we consider Bees as we should human beings, we should not err much in the treatment and construction of their domieiles. With proper ventilation, Langstroth says : "No amount of cold that we over have will injure "Bees;" and as he records the temperature of January, 1857, at 30 degrees below zero, which is never reached in England, I do not think we need fear. We all know a cold dry winter is more healthy than a mild wet one, even though the temperature of the latter should be many degrees higher ; and a large airy bedroom, with window open, is preferable to a small close one with sand-bags and appliances to keep the cold out. Langstroth eites a case where twenty hives were in a row, one suspended 20 inches from the ground, without a bottom board, the others in the usual condition for wintering. The whole got very
"hard texture, with a hole in the centre for feeding "purposes, two or three thicknesses of felt, flanncl, or "other porous materials, each also having a hole in "its centre of similar size as that on the carpet, a "piece of perforated zinc or vuleanite as a feeding "stage, a pad like a kettle-holder to lay upon the "vuleanite, and a folded sack, blanket, or rug laid "upon the whole; after which, the roof may be put on, " and should be fastened to prevent it blowing off. "We have had the quilt arrangement in use during "the whole of the past scason, we have not now a "single bar-frame hive without it, and we never "intend to use a crown board again. During the "whole of our experience with this 'new invention,' "we have not had one article of the 'bedding " attacked by moth, nor during the whole period has "the slightest inconvenience arisen through using "them. "If _closely_ covered, the whole arrangement will "become'sopping-wet,' simply because the vapours "_cannot escape ;_ but this only proves its value when "properly disposed, as it shows that the vapours "would escape _through_ it if permitted to do so."
Mr. Abbott's experience is great, and his opinion is entitled to much weight, but my limited observation during one winter with six hives so covered is opposed to his. I having found, in most cases, the quilt, or rather bed, wet and mouldy. In this experience I am joined by others, although I am bound to say evidence on the other side is equally strong. Whatever quilt mat or crown board is used, it is, of course, absolutely necessary that the hive and its covering be protected from rain and snow. The Americans use mats made of sewn straw, according to their record, with great satisfaction. Mr. F. R. Jackson recommends a most inexpensive quilt of dried bracken in paper or linen case, passed through a maple to flatten it. Possibly a combination, say one square of carpet, mat, and crown board, would make a better covering than any we have yet tried.
was no effect. Mr. G. Walker, of Wimbledon, has recorded an experiment he made on himself to try how long, and how many stings, it would require to get inoculated. He gives the following as the _modus operaadi_ and result, viz :--
"I went to one of my hives, caught a Bee, placed " it on my wrist, and allowed it to sting me, taking " care that I received the largest amount of poison by " preventing it from going away at once ; then I let " the poison-bag work, which it does for some time " after being separated from the Bee. The first day I " only stung myself twice. A Bee sting has always " had a very bad and injurious effect on me, inasmuch " as it has always caused a great amount of swelling " and of pain ; in fact, once when stung on my ear, " the part became so painful and swollen that I hardly " got any sleep the following night, and it was three " days before I recovered. The first few stings I got " during this experiment had the usual effect ; the " whole of my fore-arm was affected with a cutaneous " erysipelas, and there was disorder of the muscular " nerves, accompanied with heat, redness, swelling and " pain. This attack lasted till Tuesday, and on " Wednesday, (October 7th) I was so far recovered " that, following the same plan, I stung myself three " times more also on the wrist. The attack of " erysipelas this time was not nearly so severe ; but, as " before, I felt a stinging sensation as far up as my " shoulder, and I noticed that a lymphatic gland " behind my ear had increased considerably in size, " the poison being taken up by the lymphatic system. " On Saturday (October 10th) I again treated myself " to three stings, and the pain was considerably less,* " though the swelling was still extensive. At the end " of the next week (October 17th) I had had eighteen " stings ; then I stung myself seven times more during " the next wock, and I reached the number of thirty-" two on October 31st ; the course of the experiment " having lasted very nearly four weeks. After the " twentieth sting thrc was very little swelling or pain, " only a slight Iching sensation, with a small amount " of inflammation in the immediate neighbourhood of " the part stung, which did not spread further ; and I " stung myself on November 8th, without its having " any effect on mc."
Bees, when properly handled, seem in a great measure to know their masters. A nervous, fussy man, who attempts to disarrange them or their works will most certainly be attacked, whilst an adept in Bee management, who will do what he has to do, calm, steady, and without fear, will mostly escape soot free. In removing frames with their attendant Bees, if care be taken not to jar them, or in any way to irritate the Bees unnecessarily, they scarcely seem to object at all. It is true that, like in our human hive, tempers vary, and some cantankerous, spiteful little fellow may make a dash at any part of us that is unprotected. If a.person be attacked by Bees, no attempt should be made to retaliate ; the assailed party should quickly retreat to the protection of a building or shady place, or, if none be near, lic down with his face to the ground. An angry Bee will seldom follow into the shade if the sun be shining. Violent winds seem often to make the Bees very angry, by blowing them about ; but, as a rule, Bees do not volunteer an attack without cause. Langstroth, amongst his Bee-keepers' axioms, says :
3 inches of the coat cuffs, held in place by elastic run into their upper edge. Where the India-rubber gloves are not procurable, stout woolen or leather may be used, but are not so effectual.
Thus equipped, the aspirant to Bee honours may bid defiance to his angry little friends, and in time confidence will be mutually established and, possibly, the gloves presented to a more unpractised hand ; but even with the most experienced \(\Gamma\) should advise that the veil be kept in constant use, for accidents will happen, and stings about the eyes are never pleasant to any one. The Queen, although provided with a sting, never uses it, except in combat with another Queen ; and it is scarcely necessary to say that Drones have no sting at all. Having been stung, the next consideration comes how to cure it, or at least reduce the effect to a minimum of discomfort. Many things are given as remedies, but I have no faith in any, except a good soaking in warm water in the manner most convenient. If the hands are stung, lay them in a basin of hot water, the longer time the better ; if the face or other part, foment or poultiee. When stung, remove the sting quickly, then, if possible, warm the pipe of a small key and press it over the puncture, a little drop of poison will, probably, appear, which remove ; then apply a single drop of liquor potasse, sal volatile, or chloroform, or rub well with sweet oil ; either of these remedies will sometimes give relief, but they are neither specifies.
REMOVING BEES.
HIVES with Bees in them travelling for six hours or more, should always be carried mouth upwards, except frame hives where the crown board can be removed, and perforated zinc substituted. On a short journey, if the hive be not removed from the floor board, it should be securely tied or nailed there, and perforated zinc be fixed before the entrance, and over the feed hole at top. Swarms and stocks may be trusted for a few hours, covered with cheese cloth or open towelling, but the Bees will knaw through this if the journey be one of days. Newly made combs will not stand much shaking, and these should only travel under the supervision of some careful persons; for should the combs be shaken down, great destruction of Bees would ensuc, and the owner would have considerable trouble in rectifying the mishap. When frame hives are sent away, two strips of wood, with pieces nailed to them to go between the frames to keep them apart, should be fastened over and under the frames. When Bees are to be removed by hand, they ride easily and safely on a light hand barrow, which may be made of a couple of light poles, crossed by a few thick sticks.
Pastuage for Bees.
" Thou cheerful Bee! come, freely come,
And travel round my woodbine bower;
Delight me with thy wand'ring hum,
And rouse me from my musing hour.
Oh! try no more those tedious fields,
My honied treasures all are thine ;
Come taste the sweets my garden yields,
The bud, the blossom, all are thine."--Smixth.