BEE-spoke-data/bees-v0 huggingface dataset:
When a man thinks of starting Bee-keeping, he generally has an eye to profit, and the question is commonly asked: "How much honey shall I get per hive?" Now this question is more easily asked than answered, the result being dependent on so many circumstances over some of which we have no control. Moreover, many think they have only to obtain a hive of Bees, set it down in the garden, and giving it no further attention, profit must, as a matter of course, ensue. This is a great mistake, the farmer sows his seed with the same end in view, " profit." Nature makes the seeds to grow, but without attention from the farmer, but a poor crop would be gathered in. We buy poultry, feed and attend them, and profit by their eggs and inerease, but we get none of these advantages without a proper share of attention and expenditure. Thus with Bee-keeping, thousands of Bee-keepers in England, belonging to the agricultural labouring classes, keep Bees, give them the minimum of attention, and make but small profit ; and the educated Bee-keeper, unless he follow a more rational plan, must not expect a better result. Mr. Pettigrew, in his _Handy Book on Bees_, wherein he advocates the use of straw sleps only, talks of the conten's of these hives commonly weighing from 100 to 150 pounds, and instances a swarm in its first season reaching 160 pounds in weight ; he also states that at a village in Ianarkshire, the profits of Bee-keeping averaged in six consecutive years, \(\&2\). \(11s.\)\(8d.\) per five. I can only say I never saw such hives, and none made their appearance at the first Crystal Palace Show, where they could not have failed to take many prizes ; and the Bee-keeper who allows his expectations to rise to this height, will be grievously disappointed, more especially if he repudiate the use of all the improvements of modern times, the result of the collective experience and wisdom of able and truth-telling observers. Very strong stocks have been known to gather 10 or 12 pounds per day during exceptionally good honey weather ; and a skilful Apiarian in a good honey locality and season, by the expenditure of ceaseless care and attention, may, perchance, with a strong stock of Bees, obtain a super of 80 or 100 pounds of pure virgin coomb.
"Huge honeycombs of golden juice,
Not only sweet, but fit for use."-Vrebi.
This is a feat to be proud of, but years may elapse before such a result is attained, notwithstanding the devotion of unlimited time, and the exercise of special skill in fostering, which the many are not able to bestow.
An average price for a good swarm of English Bees, we may set down at \(15s.\), a little more or less, according to the abundance. of Bees in the neighbourhood. If we allow \(2s.\) per annum for capital expended on a good frame hive, not a fancy article, and \(3s.\) for sugar in hard times, we shall have an annual expenditure of \(5s.\),and the stock, after the first year, may be fairly expected to return one swarm, value \(15s\),, and say \(20\) pounds of honey, value \(20s\),, a very large profit on the capital employed setting aside exceptional years when two or more swarms will come off, or the super of \(50\) pounds or \(100\) pounds that, possibly, may gladden the eyes of the resultant Bee-master, also the contingency of the swarm in its first year, giving a surplus in honey or virgin swarm.
Is not this profit enough to satisfy all but the most grasping unsurer? A labouring man residing in almost any rural district may keep quite fifty hives of Bees, without interfering with his ordinary occupation ; it is not necessary that his own garden should contain them all ; the country clergyman or square would, in nearly all cases, obtain or give permission for the standing of hives in their woods, fields, or waste grounds, and feel pleased at being able to assist in the industry of their poorer neighbours. The thousands of railway servants, station-masters, porters and signal men have splendid opportunities of increasing their incomes by Bee-keeping ; the Bees would prosper on, and gratefully accept, the shelter of the railway banks, which are generally clothed with flowers in all the luxuriance of their untended wildness ; and amongst the passengers using the stations would be found willing customers for the honey and swarms. Those who can make, buy, or borrow a " Honey Extractor," will derive a far larger profit, if using frame hives ; and such an instrument may be the joint stock property of a whole village travelling from one apiary to another. But there is another kind of profit besides that of money. Who but those who have experienced it can tell of the large fund of instruction, pleasure and amusement, afforded by the busy Bees.
The industry and activity of Bees in their domestic labours afford an instructive and amusing spectacle. All are actively engaged ; each attending, with all its power, to the business to be done. Some feed the young larva, others seal them over when full fed. A certain portion attend upon the Queen ; then there are the cell builders, and the mighty moving army of honey and pollen gatherers. No skulking, no idleness ; each Bee knows what it has to do and does it. Many employments are there in a hive ; some Bees ventilate, others perform all the operations of scavengers, so that by night and by day work goes on unceasingly in this busy home of industry.
"Behold! you bord'ring fence of sallow trees Is fraught with flowers, the flowers are fraught with Bees ; The busy Bees, with a soft mur mur mururing strain, Invite to gentle sleep the labouring swain."-Vigill.
No need to stray from home in search of recreation in our idle hours, the Bees will teach us these should be unknown. Employment and interesting instruction will always be found in the careful watching for the welfare of the stocks in fine weather, and when the elements are unpropositions our ideas may be enlarged, and our mechanical genius fostered by the manufacture, improvement and invention of hives and appliances. In the long evenings of winter all may be got ready for the summer's requirements.
Many of our ablest Apiarians whose means permit, are content to sink pecuinary profit, and devote all their energies to the philosophical study of the mysteries of our industrious little friends and their works. Some Bee-keepers also aim only at increase of Bees, finding the sale of these pay better than honey ; and, as a rule, it may be taken as correct, that if the breeding power be unduly pushed, the storage of honey must be sacrificed.
## Chapter 1 A manual of bee-keeping.
### 1.1.1 Calleda.
The Bee-keeper of experience wants no calendar to tell him what to do as each month comes round, but one may be very useful to the novice, reminding him of something he would otherwise have forgotten to the detriment of his apiary and, consequently, of his pocket. In the following compilation much of necessity will be repetition which the importance of its remembance must excuse.
### 1.1.2 Jannary.
During this month Bees are best left in perfect quietude. See that the hives are well sheltered from wet and snow ; and, in the event of the latter falling heavily, do not omit to clear it away from the entrance of each hive. Bees, like human beings, cannot live without air. Should a bright sunny day tempt the Bees abroad while snow is on the ground, numbers will be observed to fall on it, never again to rise ; and it is as well at such times to shade the hive from the glare of the winter's sun. Tomtits now finding insect food scarce will, probably, wait upon the Bees and catch and swallow many. Should these marauders be noticed, a small piece of wire netting, bent crescensthape and placed before the hive's entrance, will baulk them. Now is the time to consider and decide on the hives and apparatus we shall require in the summer, and orders should be given for them if they have tobe bought ; many people omit this until the time to use them arrives, when, to their disappointment, they find the demand exceeds the supply. Take great care the stocks are not disturbed, undue excitement in bad weather being very injurious.
**FEBRUARY.**
In this month we generally have a week or two of mild warm weather, and when it occurs take advantage of it to make an examination of the stocks with as little disturbance as possible. Let each live be carefully and quietly lifted off its floor board, which should be nicely and quickly scraped clean before the hive is returned. Note the amount of stores left in each hive and, if absolute poverty is found, feed with barley sugar ; it is as well not to give too much liquid at this season as it will tend to make the hive cold and damp. Should any stock be found to have died, clear away all the defunct Bees with as little delay as possible, examine the depopulated hive carefully for indications of foul-brood, and, if none be found, wrap up the hive with its combs in a cloth and put it away for future use ; it will be found very useful in swarming time. Usually in this month the erocus blooms, and from that flower the Bees, on warm days, will be observed bringing home pollen ; wherever this is seen it is a certain indication that the Queen is living, and breeding going on. The children of the household will find a great fund of amusement watching for pollen gatherers, and great is the glee when another hive is marked as all right with a reigning monarch. If you buy Bees this month, select a stock where pollen is actively brought in. Rye flour may now be given as artificial pollen. If the cold weather appear to have passed away, stimulative feeding may be resorted to. (See "Feeding.") Our aim now should be to fill our hives with brood and then early swarms will come off and supers be filled.
M A R C H.
If examination of the stocks was not made last month let it be now done, of course selecting a fine warm day. Bees driven abroad in cold weather get chilled and fall to the ground to die, therefore never disturb them unneecessarily in cold weather. Let all stores of hives, &c., be looked up and thoroughly cleaned.
Bars and frames should receive their guide combs, and if hives to be purchased are not ordered let it be now done. As the spring advanees the Apiarian will find other work in... Continue stimulative feeding. The entrance of a little food into the hive sets the Queen breeding, and the Workers pollen gathering. Where bar-frame hives are used, it is a good plan, towards the end of March, to shave off the seals of the honey caps, and return the combs wet with honey to the Bees ; they will imagine harvest has come, and eagerly lick up the oozing honey and repair the damaged combs. If any portions of the combs are mouldy, pare such parts off, and a better atmosphere will be insured to the Bees. Generally attend to all sanitary works, if you would have your stocks thrive. Bees can endure cold, but not damp. Sow your sweet flowers to blossom in the autumn when wild flowers are scarce.
A P R I I. Now our Bces are busy at home and abroad ; vigorous Queens are filling their cells with eggs, and a great strain is on the Workers to feed their numerous charges. Large quantities of food are consumed, and we should assist the Bees with a bountiful supply, at the same time taking care that we do not give over much, for the Bees may in that case fill the cells with it and not leave breeding-room for the Queen. Stocks do sometimes perish from over prosperity. As the fruit trees blossom, so may artificial feeding be discontinued ; and those hives that are populous and rich may have a super placed over, duly provided with guide combs, and warmly wrapped up. If the Bees work vigorously in the super, it is probable the hive will not swarm, although this is not invariably the case. Should any stock now be found inactive while others around are busy, probably the Queen is dead. Another must be provided, or the Bees driven out and added to another stock, the hive of combs being carefully preserved.
Occasionally, in April, a swarm may issue ; we should, therefore, be prepared for its reception. Should the weather be dry, and no water near, some should be provided for the Bees ; for while the young are feeding, much water is consumed.
If scientific Queen-rearing is to be attempted before Drones can naturally be expected, early this month, if not done before, Drone comb should be placed in the centre of the brood nest of some selected hive ; this the Queen will fill with Drone eggs, and twenty-five days thereafter the gentlemen will appear. (See chapter on " Queen-breeding.")M A Y.
"A Swarm of Bees in May is worth a load of hay," is a very old saying ; but I fancy hay must have been cheaper in those days. Now if May is fine and genial, the sooner we get our swarms the better ; so that the practical Apiarian will do well to watch carefully his stocks, and as waiting for natural swarms is tiresome and costly, every hive that seems too full should be artificially swarmed, and the chapters on "Swarming " carefully studied. If the month be cold and wet, the old hives are better left well populated ; for, if a swarm be made, it becomes a trouble and annoyance, requiring constant attention in feeding, and even then it will not do so well as one which comes off in finer weather, although, perhaps, two or three weeks later. Whenever clustering at the entrance of the hive is observed, which will only happen in fine weather, wait not a day, but form an artificial swarm. If you have never performed that operation, do so now ; everything has a beginning, and what at first appears a formidable thing, afterwards becomes simple and easy. What is more tantalising to a Bee-keeper than to see one or two quarts of Bees idly hanging out of their hive for two or three weeks, while he is anxiously waiting for a swarm which, perhaps, after all, never comes. Where swarms are not desired, attend to the instructions for supering as last month. Never forget that if unfavourable weather ensue after a swarm be lived, food must be administered or they will starve.
Ix June the Bees are all activity--swarming is in full progress and honey gathering also. Remove supers as filled and supply others empty. Careless Bee-keepers often lose much by neglecting to do this in season, thereby condemning their Bees to unwilling idleness. As every swarm leaves its old home, supply the latter with a young Queen or ripe Queen cell, if possible, thus saving time, and time is money. Strengthen weak stocks by adding casts to them.
Every hive that has swarmed and not been supplied with a fertile Queen should receive a thorough examination to make sure the Bees have succeeded in raising a monarch ; should this not be the case, if left to itself, the colony will infallibly die. In the matter of supplying Queens in proper season the skill of the advanced Bee-keeper is shown.
Dzierzon says : " It may often be important to " know from which hive the swarm has issued. After " it is hived and removed to its new stand, let a cup " full of Bees be taken from it and thrown into the air " near the apiary ; they will soon return to the parent " stock and may easily be recognized by their standing " at the entrance and fanning like ventilating Bees." This may be improved upon by powdering the Bees with flour before loosing them, or by adopting Sir John Lubbook's plan of marking Bees. All swarming should be now over ; only at exceptional times will later swarms do any good. Bring the extractor into requisition, if available, to give breeding space as well as to obtain the surplus honey.
**J U L Y.**
Narrowly watch the supers to see when storage ceases, which generally happens this month, unless at the heather. When this is determined, let them be removed or the Bees will carry the honey down to the hive as their stores there diminish; also see that the stock hive is not filled by a glut of honey to the loss of egg laying space. Those who use extractors can easily make room by slinging out the honey.
stocks from the moors, and begin to prepare for winter. During this and next month Ligurian Queens are procurable at the lowest price. Should you desire to Ligurianize your stocks by means of imported Queens, now is the time. (See chapter on "Ligurians.") Select your finest supers for exhibition and competition at the Show of the British Bee-keepers' Association, which do not fail to attend, and the experience and information gathered will amply repay you. Practical demonstration goes a great deal further than oral or written teaching. Wcigh all stocks ; all that have not at least twenty pounds net contents should be fed up to that weight ; the Bees are still active and will carry in food fast. Hives may be easily weighed by one of Salter's spring balances or a steclyard; put round the hive a cord and hook the balance into it, a skep may be turned up and the hook attached to its lower margin. Cold weather may set in any day, remember delays are dangerous. Trap wasps and take precautions against robber Bees. Should Drones now appear in any hive, be sure that hive has an infertile Queen or none at all ; in either case supply it with another, or unite its inhabitants to a neighbouring stock.
OCTOBER.
Complete work left undone last month and prepare every stock for wintering ; see that covers and warm padding are furnished to every hire requiring them. Narrow the entranees and make all snug for the winter. Carefully preserve spare combs for next season ; clean and dispose of supers and all the summer's litter. Where the hives can be gradually withdrawn to the shelter of an open barn it will be worth doing; they may be moved two or three feet per dicm, and thus no Bees will get lost.
## 5 NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER.
All work should now be over and the Bees be warm and comfortable in their winter quarters, where they should be left undisturbed till February. Guard against the depredations of mice and touts; and, in the long nights of winter, make up your Apiarian Journal and communicate your useful experiences to the periodicals whose columns are open for that purpose--and then rest and be thankful.
# NEW PLAN: SPEEDILY INCREASING  **NUMBER OF BEE-HIVES**
**SCOTLAND ;**
Br JAMES BONNER, BEE-Master,
AUTHOR OF PASTICAL Wrapping MADE RAST, &cc.
_Thought/null's, the LJAB, great will be the Gaia 1_
_If heavenly Powers permit, and Phobus not diflia,_
EDINBURGH:
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my LORDS AND GENTLEMEN,
The generous and diftinguifhed mark of reflect already leftowed'upon me, for my
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while it commanded my gratitude, at the fame
time emboldened me to folic your Patronage
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efcence, in granting me this additional honour,
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both as a Society and as Individuals.
That your laudable endeavours, for promoting the good of your Country, in every respect, may be crowned with the greateft fuccefs, and that both the prefent and future generations may be extensively benefited by your public-fpirited and patriotic exertions, is
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MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN,
Your moft obedient,
Moff obliged, and
Moff humble Servant,
YAMES BONNER.
EDINBURGH,
JULY 18.1795.
**P. REFA C.**
**B\({}_{\mbox{\small{IGGRAPHERS}}}\) and Philosophers are equally puzzled to account for the great diverity of talents among mankind, and the peculiar bent of genius to be found in each individual. While fome pretend to account for thefe peculiarities, from the accidental circumfances in which individuals happen to be placed, others, with at least equal probability, attribute them to peculiar inclinations, implanted by Nature, or rather the Author of Nature in the human mind. Perhaps both cautes muff co-operate to produce that degree of enthufiaffic fond-nefs for particular purfuits, which, in all ages, has diftinguifhed. fome individuals in every branch of fcience, or of art, and which is fo humorously entitled by the facectious Sternne, a man's hobby horse. * The author of this work has been, almoft from his infancy, an admirer of bees, and the fruitiv. \(\bf P\,R\,E\,P\,A\,C\,E\).
fruit of their labours. When a fchool-boy, he read with peculiar pleafure, the defcription given of Canaan, as a land flowing with milk and ioney.
Being appointed by his father,* when a boy, to watch his bees in fwarming time, his fond-nefs for thefe wonderful infects daily increafed; and he could not help thinking himfeld in a kind of paradifaied fate, when employed in this delightful office in his father's garden, and running
* The author's father, James Bonner, was, like himself, fond of rearing bees, a.d. often had a dozen of hives at a time in his garden. He lived above so years in the married fate, and had twelve children, of whom the author is the youngest alive. He frequently boufled, that, in good fefons, he made as much money by his bees, as nearly purchafed out-meal sufficient to ferve his numerous family for the whole year. He purchafed a large quarto Bible with the wax produced in one year from his hives, which forced as a family book ever after; and his houfle was always well fa:plied with honey, and a kind of weak mead, which ferved for drink at all fefons of the year. As he lived regularly and temperately, he preferved a great degree of health and vigour to the half; and was employed in his ordinary buffenfs of weaving, till within a few days:oi his death; which happened in the 86th year of his age, when he left four fons and a daughter, to regret his lofs. He had always an uncommonly retentive memory; for, upon the fmalefith hint, he could repeat slmoff any paffage in fcripture verbatim. He ufed often to entertain his family with a narrative of his treatment of his bees, and of the profit, as well as pleasure, which he had in keeping them.
PREFACE. v. running among the blooming bufhes, and variegated flowers, to look after the young fwarms. When very young, he purchafed three hives, which he gradually increafed to a pretty large flock, and has ever fince taken great pleasure, over and above every view of embolument, to fludy the nature of thefc valuable infects, and to investigate the caufes of their thriving and unprofperous flates; their health and diefaes; the left means of preferving the individuals, and of propagating and multiplying their induftrious race, with their management in every refpect. For this purpofe, he has perufed with avidity every book in the English language, on the fubject, that he could get accefs to; and has fjared neither time, trouble, nor expence, (having leftowed much indeed of both, beyond what he could well afford,) in trying numerous experiments upon them."
So great was the author's curiosity, and enthufidic attachment to the fludy of the nature and properties of thefe curious infects, that, above twenty years ago, he went from Berwickhire to London, on purpofe to coaverfe with Mr Wuldman on the fubject; but that gentleman happening to be in France at the time, he contented himfelt with purchasing every book he could find on the management of bees, and has ever fince made it his
**vi.** **P R E F A C E.**