BEE-spoke-data/bees-v0 huggingface dataset:
6th. Balm of Lausanne, for Ucerated Chilblains and Chaps of the Mammae or Teats:
Olive or Cotton seed oil.................500
Rosin of Swiss Turpentine.................100
Yellow Wax.................133
Powdered Root of Alkanet.................25
Keep it melted _au bain-marie_ (**S34**) for half an hour and add :
Balsamum Peruvianum........16
Gun Camphor........................1
_7th. Mixture to Remove the Cracks in Horses' Hofs:_
Melt equal parts of wax and honey on a slow fire, and mix thoroughly.
Clean carefully the hoof with tepid water and rub the mixture in it with a brush. The cracks will disappear after several applications and the hoof will be softened.
6th. To Keep the Luster of Polished Steel Tools:
Oil of Turpentine........................8
Wax........................1
Boiled Linseed Oil........................1/2Chapter 13.1. **S61**. **We have shown, in the chapter on Physiology** (**43**)**, that bees cannot injure sound fruits, and in the chapter on Food (**26S**), that they help the foundation of flowers; but this accusation of bees injuring fruits has become of so much importance in the past years, especially in the best fruit and bee country of the world, California, that we deem it necessary to give it a whole chapter.
While the honey-bee is regarded by the best informed hortieulturists as a friend, a strong prejudice has been excited against it by many fruit-growits; and in some communities, a man who keeps bees, is considered as bad a neighbor, as one who allows his poultry to despoil the gardens of others. Even some warn friends of the "busy bee," may be heard lamenting its propensity to banquet on their beautiful peaches and pears, and choiesest grapes and pluns.
That bees do gather the sweet juice of fruits when nothing else is to be found, is certain; but it is also evident that their jaws being adopted chiefly to the manipulation of wax, are (the feeble to enable them to puncture the skin of the most delicate grapes.
**(**432**. **We made experiments in our apiary on bees and grapes, during the season of** \(1870-\)**one of the worst seasons we ever knew for bees. The Summer having been exceeding;y dry, the grape crop was large and the honey crop small. In every vineyard a number of ripe grapes were eaten by bees, and the grape-growers in our vicinity were so positively certain that the bees were guilty, that they held a meeting, to petition the State Legislature, for a law preventing any one from owing more than ten hives of bees.
This serious charge called our attention to the matter, and we decided to make a thorough investigation, in our own vineyard. But although many bees were seen banqueting on grapes, not one was doing any mischief to the _sound_ fruit. Grapes which were bruised on the vines, or lying on the ground, and the moist stems, from which grapes had recently been plucked, were covered with bees; while other bees were observed to alight upon bunehes, which, when found by careful inspection to be sound, they left with evident disappointment.
Wasps and hornets, which seerete no wax, being furnished with strong, saw-like jaws, for cutting the woody fibre with which they build their combs, can easily penetrate the skin of the toughest fruits. While the bees, therefore, appeared to be comparatively innocent, multitudes of these depredators were seen helping themselves to the best of the grapes. Occasionally, a bee would presume to alight on a buneh where one of these pests was operating for his own benefit, when the latter would turn and "show fight," much after the fashion of a snarling dog, molested by another of his species, while daintily discussing his own private bone.
During grape pieking, the barrels in which our grapes were hauled to the wine cellar, were covered with a cloud of bees feeding on the damaged clusters, and they followed the wagon to the cellar. After removing the barrels to a place of safety, we left _one bunch of sound grapes_, on the wagon, puncturing _one of the grapes_ with a pin. This bunch, being the only one remaining exposed, was at once covered with such a swarm of bees that it was entirely hidden from sight. It was three o'clock in the afternoon. At sunset the bees were all gone, except three, who were too exhausted to fly off. The buneh had lost its bloom, the grapes were shiny, but entirely sound. The one punctured grape had a slight depression at the pin hole, showing that the bees had sucked all the juice they could reach, but they had not even enlarged the hole.
We also placed bunches of sound grapes inside of some four or five hives of bees, directly over the frames, and three weeks after we found that the bees had glued them fast to the conbs, as they glue up anything they cannot get rid of, but the grapes were perfectly intact. This test may be made by every Apiarist.
**Mr.** McLain, in charge of the **U. S.** Apicultural Station, was instructed to test this matter thoroughly by shutting up bees with sound fruit, and the results were the same as in our case. (See the Agricultural Reports for 1885.)
**873.** The main damage to grapes is done by birds. Hence, the borders of a large vineyard are first to suffer, especially when in proximity to hedges, orchards or timber.
Even in small cities, the number of birds that feed on fruit is extraordinary, and one can have no idea of their depredations until he has watched for them at day-break, which is the time best suited to their pilfering.
After the mischief has been _begun_ by them or by insects, or whenever a _crack_, or a spot of _decay_ is seen, the honey-bee hastens to help itself, on the principle of "gathering up the fragments, that nothing may be lost." In this way, they undoubtedly do some mischief, but they are, on the whole, far more useful than injurious.
**875.** Among thousands of testimonials, we translate the following from \(L^{\prime}\)_lijicoltor_, of Milan, Italy, May 1874, page 181:
"Being a lover of good wine, I manufactured mine from wilted grapes; my crop amounts annually to from thirty to forty hectolitres" of wine, worth on average, one franc seventy-five centimes per litre.! When my grapes are gathered, I spread them on mats of red or straw in a sunny place in front of my apiary, where they remain about two weeks. For the first two or three days the mats are covered with bees, but I pay no attention to this, for I have ascertained that they gather only the juice of the berries that are damaged. As soon as the
* One hectolitre is twenty-five gallons.
* This is about one dollar and forty cents per gallon, a high price for Italy.
injured berries are sucked dry, the bees cease visiting the mats, for they cannot open sound berries. Instead of doing me any damage, they help me greatly, as they take away from my grapes the otherwise souring juices, which would give a bad taste to my wine.--Gaetano Taxini, Coriano, Italy, February, 1874.
**S76.** Those who handle grapes, apples, etc., in times of honey-earth, should avoid attracting the bees, by unnecessarily exposing the crushed fruit, in warm weather, as the presence of bees in press-houses and sheds, where fruit is either made into wine, or otherwise prepared for use, is the greatest annoyance that they can cause the hortieulturist.
With a little care, a wine-grower may escape all trouble, even if his press-house is in reach of a large apiary. But let him not imitate the groeer who had an open box of comb-honey at his door "for show," and tried to "shoo" the bees off, when they, in turn, deputized a few of their number to "shoo" him off, with great success.
**S77**. In these depredations, the wine-growers who do not own bees are often very much ineened, because they believe that the Apiarist is making a profit out of their loss. But such is not the case. The Apiarist loses more than the wine-grower, for many of the bees are destroyed, and the juice which the others bring home is worse than useless, as it is bad Winter food (**627**).
It is therefore, to the interest of the Apiarist, as well as of the fruit-grower, to prevent the bees, in all possible ways, from getting a taste of the forbidden juices, in seasons--luekily seare--when there is a dearth of honey during wine-making time.
**S78**. Some ignorant'people have also contended that the numerous visits of bees to flowers, injure the latter and cause them to abort. This is the greatest of all delusions. White-clover, knot-weed, and Spanish-needles, which are among the plants most visited by bees, are also the most abundant, and if they were damaged, by being deprived of the honey which they yield, they would sooner or later disappear. All the observations that have been made, whether scientific or practical, show that the contrary is the truth.
The National Ree-Keepers' Association has taken in handa the interests and the defense of bee-keepers in this matter as well as in all matters where the Apiarist is justly entitled to the support of his fellow-men. A small pamphlet, "Legal Rights," was published several years ago by the General Manager of the Association, Mr. X. E. France. To this association, the bee-keeper must look for protection, but let him bear in mind that he should by all possible honorable means avoid getting into conflict with his neighbors. He has a very easy remedy against ill-feelings. A little honey, as a present, will soften many a bee-sting.
## Chapter XXIII.
Bee-Keeper's Calendar.
This chapter gives to the inexperienced bee-keeper brief directions for each month in the year,* and, by means of the full alphabetical index, all that is said on any topic can easily be referred to.
Footnote *: _Palladius_, who wrote on bees nearly 2,000 years ago, arranges his remarks in the form of a monthly calendar.
**S79.**Jancar.--In cold climates, bees are now usually in a state of repose. If the colonies have had proper attention in the Fall, nothing will ordinarily need to be done that will excite them to an injurious activity.
In January there are occasionally, even in very cold latitudes, days so pleasant that bees can fly out to discharge their faeces; do not confine them, even if some are lost in the snow.
It is advisable to arouse them early so as to cause them to fly (**639**) if the day is sufficiently warm. Otherwise, disturb then as little as possible. In very cold climates, where eellar wintering (**646**) is resorted to, all that is required is to keep the temperature as even and as near \(42^{\circ}\) to \(45^{\circ}\) as possible (**648**), with quietude and darkness (**650**). The Winter months are those, in which the bee-keeper should prepare his hives, sections, foundation, &e., for the coming busy season.
**S80.**February.--This month is sometimes colder than January, and then the directions given for the previous month must be followed. In mild seasons, however, and in warm regions, bees begin to fly quite lively in February, and in some locations they gather pollen (**263**). The bottom-board should be cleaned of the dead bees and other rubbish (**663**) that sometimes obstruct the entrance, and prevent the bees fromflying out; as their worry in finding themselves imprisoned does them much harm. If any hives are suspiciously light, food (**607**) should be given them; this only in mild climates.
Strong colonies will now begin to breed slightly, but nothing should be done to excite then to premature activity.
**SS1**. March.--In our Northern States, the inhospitable reign of Winter still continues, and the directions given for the two previous months are applicable to this. If there should be a pleasant day, when the bees are able to fly briskly, seize the opportunity (") remove the covers (**636**); carefully clean out the hives (**663**), and learn the exact condition of every colony. See that your bees have water (**271**), and are well supplied with rye-flour (**265**). In this month, weak colonies commonly begin to breed, while strong ones increase quite rapidly.
If the Winter has been very severe, this month is the most destructive to unhealthy bees. The hives of dead colonies should be thoroughly cleaned, and closed tightly to keep robbers (**664**) out, or they would carry off what honey may remain in them. Spring dwindling (**659**) should be guarded against by shutting off all upward ventilation (**352**), and reducing the space in the brood-chamber (**349**) to the number of combs actually occupied by the bees. The entrance of the hives, especially of the weak colonies, should also be narrowed (**348**).
If the weather is favorable, colonies which have been kept in a special Winter depository, may now be put upon their proper stands.
The time of removal from eellars (**646**) must depend altogether on the locality. Dr. C. C. Miller removes his bees _when the first major tree blowns_. In Canada, they are sometimes left in the eellar till May. \(\lambda\)s a rule, bees are not, and should not be, winterl in eellars, south of the 30th degree of latitude.
**SS2**. April.--Bees will ordinarily begin to gather much pollen (**263**), in this month, and sometimes considerable honey. As brood is now very rapidly maturing, there is a largely increased demand for honey, and great care should be taken to prevent the bees from suffering for want of food (**607**). If the supplies are at all deficient, breeding will be cheeked, even if much of the brood does not perish, or the whole colony die of starvation. If the weather is propitious, and the bees do not have a liberal supply of stores on hand, feeding to promote a more rapid increase of young may now be commeneed (**606**). Feeble colonies must now be reinforced (**1S0**), and should the weather continue cold for several days at a time, the bees ought to be supplied with water (**271**) in their hives.
This point is much neglected, by ourselves, as well as by others, in practice, but we are convinced that much of our April loss is due to the bees going in search of water in implement weather (**662**). At this time, if not before, the larvae of the bee-moth will begin to make their appearance, and should be carefully destroyed, not that they are very damaging to bees in a carefully-conducted apiary, but only that they give annoyance by their presence on the combs or comb-honey, removed from the bees, in the latter part of the season (**S12**). "One stitch in time saves nine." One moth killed in April, prevents several thousand in October.
It is at this time, that the hives should be inspected, to remove all drone comb that can be found, as well as crooked combs and broken pieees,\(-\)to be replaced by straight worker comb (**676**), or strips of foundation (**674**). At this time, also, the hives that are intended for drone raising (**511**), should be supplied with sufficient drone comb for the purpose. Queensland colonies should be given young queens, purchased from queen-breeders in the South. This may be deferred until May, if the weather is cool. Weak queenless colonies should be united to others, as a rule, it does not pay to give brood to a queenless colony for raising young queens, unless it is quite strong, in bees.
**SS3**. May.\(-\)As the weather beeomes more genial, the in erease of bees in the colonies is exceedingly rapid, and drones, if they have not previously made their appearance, begin to issue from the hives that have been allowed to retain a notable amount of drone comb, and this is the time to raise queens for increase, or for improvement (**189**).
The breeding space of weak colonies, which has been previously reduced, should again be enlarged as their needs may denand (**349**). If their combs are judiciously increased, with a proper amount of stimulative food (**606**), and a little help from the stronger colonies (**450**), they may become as strong as any for the June harvest. In some localities, the strongest colonies may already gather much honey, and it will often be advisable to give them the supers (**721**); but in some seasons and localities, either from long and cold storms, or a deficiency of forage, hives not well supplied with honey will exhaust their stores, and perish, unless they are fed. In favorable seasons, swarms (**106**) may be expected in this month, even in the Northern States. These May swarms often issue near the close of the blossoming of fruit-trees, and just before the later supplies of forage, and if the weather becomes suddenly unfavorable, may starve, unless they are fed, even when there is an abundant supply of blossoms in the field.
**SS-1**. June\(.-\)This is the great swarming month in all our Northern and Middle states. As bees keep up a high temperature in their hives, they are by no means so dependent upon the weather for forwardness, as plants, and as most other insects necessarily are. We have bad as early swarms in Northern Massachusetts, as in the vicinity of Philadelphia.
If the surplus cases (**721**) have been put on before the honey crop, there will be a less number of swarms, especially if the boxes have been furnished with combs, as baits, and the entrance enlarged to help ventilation (**341**).
If the apiary is not carefully watched the bee-keeper, after a short absence, should examine the neighboring busles and trees on some of which he will often find a swarm -clustered, preparatory to their departure for a new home (**119**).
'As it may often be important to know from which hive the swarm has issued, after it has been hived and removed to its new stand, let a cup-full of bees be taken from it and thrown into the air, near the aplary, after having sprinkled them with flour; they will soon return to the parent colony, and may easily be recognized, by standing at the entrance, fanning, like ventilating bees."--Dzlerzon.
This is the quickest method to discover the home of a swarm.
As fast as the surplus honey receptacles are filled, more room should be given (**735, 763**).** Carcless bee-keepers often 1\(\cdot\)se much, by neglecting to do this in season, thereby condemning their colonies to a very unwilling idleness. The Apiarist will bear in mind, that all after-swarms which come off late in this month, should be either aided, doubled, or returned to the mother-e colony. The issue of such swarms may be prevented, by removing, in season, the supernumerary queen-cells. During all the swarming season, and, indeed, at all other times when young queens are being bred, the bee-keeper must ascertain seasonably, that the hives which contain them, succeed in securing a fertile mother (**152**).
**S85.** July.-In some seasons and districts, this is the great swarming month; while in others, bees issuing so late, are of small account. In Northern Massachusetts, we have known swarms coming after the Fourth of July, to fill their hives, and make large quantities of surplus honey besides. In this month, or as soon as the first crop is over, all the spare honey should be removed from the hives, before the delicate whiteness of the combs becomes soiled by the travel of the bees, or the quality of the honey is impaired by an inferior article gathered later in the season (**7S2**). For the same reason, the honey extracted after this crop should not be mixed with that harvested later. In all the localities where a second crop is expected, the bees should again be ineited to breed (606) to be ready for this second crop.
The bees should have a liberal allowance of air during all extremely hot weather, especially if they are in unpainted hives, or stand in the sun (341).
The larger the amount of honey they contain, the greater the danger of combs breaking down from the intense heat (369). The end of the honey crop can be told by the presence of a few robbers who immediately begin lurking about the hives (66-1).
**SS6**. August.-In most regions, there is but little forage for bees during the latter part of July, and the first of August, and they being, on this account, tempted to rob each other, the greatest precautions should be used in opening hives (666). In districts where buckwheat is extensively cultivated, on flat prairies, or in the low land surrounding or rivers, in which Fall-blossoms grow, the main harvest is sometimes gathered during this month and the next, and swarming (106) may be resumed. In 1856, we had a buckwheat swarm as late as the 16th of September!
The bee-keeper who has queenless hives (199) on hand as late as August, must expect, as the result of his ignorance or neglect, either to have them robbed (66-1) by other colonies, or destroyed by the moth (802).
**S87**. September.-This is often a very busy month with bees. The Fall flowers are in full hlossom, and in some seasons, colonies which have hitherto amassed but little honey, become heavy, and even yield a surplus to their owner. Bees are quite reluctant to build comb so late in the season, even if supplies are very abundant; but if empty combs are provided, they will fill them with astonishing celerity (763).
As soon as the first frost takes place, or whenever the crop is at end, the entire surplus must be removed, whether it be comb on extracted honey. If our method of extracting (781) is resorted (i., the supers that have been returned to the bees, for cleaning, after the honey is extracted, may be left on the hives till October, as they are safer from the moths, when in care of the bees.
If no Fall supplies abound, and any colonies are too light to winter with safety, then, in the Northern States, the latter part of this month is the proper time for feeding (**608**) them. We have already stated, that it is impossible to tell how much food a colony will require (**623**), to carry it safely through the Winter; it will be found, however, very unsafe to trust to a bare supply, for, even if there is food enough, it may not always be readily accessible (**631**) to the bees. Great caution will still be necessary to guard against robbing; but if there are no feebie, queenless or impoverished colonies, the bees, unless tempted by improper management, will not rob each other (**664**).
**SSS.**October.--**Forage is now almost entirely exhausted in most localities, and colonies which are too light should either be fed, or have surplus honey from other hives given to them, early this month.
The extraeting cases (**781**) should be removed previous to cold weather, as some bees may cluster in them and starve. These cases must be piled up carefully in the coldest room (**S10**) of the honey house, safe from mice (**S16**). The exact condition of every hive should be known now, at the latest, and, if any are queenless, they should be broken up. Small colonies ought to be promptly united.
The honey-selling season is now at hand, and from this time till the end of the holidays, the producer must look for a honey market. He should not only rely on sale in large cities, for they are always crowded, but a home market must be cultivated (**S10**).
**SSS9.**November.--**The hives should now be put in Winter quarters, the quilt removed, and absorbents placed in the upper story (**636**).
All possible shelter should be given (**635**). For eellar-wintering (**646**), the time of removing the bees should be at the opening of cold weather. The later in the season that the bees are able to fly out and discharge their faeces, the better. The bee-keeper must regulate the time or housing his bees by the season and elimate, being careful neither to take them in until cold weather appears to be fairly established, nor to leave them out too late. A cold day, immediately after a warm spell is the best time (**647**).
**S90.** December.--In regions where it is advisable to house bees, the dreary reign of Winter is now fairly established, and the directions given for January are for the most part equally applicable to this month. It may be well, in hives out of doors, to remove the dead bees and other refuse from the bottom boards if the weather is warm enough for them to fly; but, neither in this month nor at any other time should this be attempted with those removed to a dark and protected place. Such colonies must not, except under the pressure of some urgent necessity, be disturbed in the very least.