The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1865-03-14 00:00:00

I was
e Cecil .... -4 Mr. Bright,
eer the United States bed I
Ikk Government for. coml.
, the Alabama, Mit -
English -. '
The '

BEE-KEEPING IN
LETTER Iv.

[The author reserves the right of republication.]
Volumes have been written about the treatment
of bees, and yet more will be published as long as the
common treatment of these invaluable Insects goes on.
I believe the origin of the destroying system &AM
mostly from fear of being assaulted and stung by them.
This is the veriest shame to any bee-keeper. Bees will
not attack persons in the habit of attending them ; or if
they really do, from occasional dislike to individuals.
"a veil over the face, and a pair of stout gloves are
ample protection in all eases." But with regard to the
system here explained, no danger whatever need be
apprehended. Supers may be taken off; the tops of
hives may be opened without the slightest attempt of
the bees to &ttack. ,They never are irritated in the
least by this syatem. The causes that irritate them
have mostly been already explained; they are generally
excessive heat endangering the safety of the hive, or
occasionally disagreeable smells of dung heaps or offal
near them; on other occasions they will "Nag no one
unless pinched or otherwise treated severely. Con-
fidence and a certain quiet way invariably suffice for all
operaitions.
It is disheartening to be 'aware of the fact that, gay
what you will, or argue as you please, the generality of
bee.keepers will &wept no other than the ancient an 4
cruel treatment of destruction. Hundreds of hives are
, annually sacrifioed in this county, every one of them
in full maturity, happy and hard at work even
in the momeat of annihilation. I have known ten
hives destroyed in a single evening—hives that would
have given the owner for four successive
30 lbs. each of honey had they been treater::
deoxidised, or at a low computation in cash, and that,
including unfavourable seasons, £5 sterling per
aanam. In fact the balance will be in his favour,because
he secures the finest honey that should not be sold for
lees than Is. the pound; indeed it is moat of it
pure honey, became the wax is far more delicately
formed than in the stock-hive. The arguments of our
rural folka are so absurd, that really one is constrained
to silence in order to keep one's temper. One argument /
heard was, "A neighbour kept bees, and he was sum
there was not enough food about for both." I replied,
"It you had ten times the number of pots, and he
ten times ari many, it would make no difference ;
and if every garden round had pots of bees they would
prosper, and would fill their combs is if there wore no
bees within five miles of you."
Whatever number of bees may be working, they can
never exhaust the quantity of bloom at various
seasons ; besides which, blossoms in perfection secrete
honey continually, as you may see if you watch certain
flowers; for instance, the Budlia globose (Borage
officinalis) or the common Borage. Take any individual
Bower, and watch it, and in ten minutes after a bee has
apparently plundered it, you will see another quite as
earnestly engaged, and the latter will secure quite as
much honey as the first.
The erroneous results of the destroying system may
be very easily reduced into figures. To simplify the
ealculations let um suppme • cottager begins the year
with two stocks, and it is rare he ever has more. As
he cannot save his second swarms, the following year
he has four; if he could have 'eyed his second swarms
he would have six. Bee four hives in the third year
will give him four more, es lie really has eight ; thus he
waits three yeare, and the remit is as follows—he takes,
by destroying his bees, his first two, by that time
containing an immense amount of pollen, oonsequently
useless, and his next year's hives are perhaps in fait
condition, and he takes them all, and is tempted to
obtain a marketable supply by two of Ids last yesrld
hives, and thus, perhaps, be secures in three or four
years a few down pounds of honey, and about fibs, of
wax.
Had he not killed his bees let is. examine the *onus
quencee—He began with two attacks, and the second
year he would have four hives. In the third year, soft
four being supered,eould give him one hundred weight
of honey, supposing each hive only prodneed 251bs.
though, as I have before remarked. 301 be. are very sully
taken in Dersetehire—by the depriving system—frose
each hive ; thus he hail for four more successive seasons
exactly the seine result. By his own system he must
wait four years without the smallest return for •
harvest of honey ; and having done so the value of his
produce will be dear at sixpamee the pound for his
honey, and eightpenee a pound for his bad wax.
, This is easily rendered into higher Seared and larger
supply by multiplying each stock by two if be can only
secure first swarms—by four if he can sate h
second swarms. In March they will be idd
for years, because the critical point of bMf
existence is overcome. Bees will not diminish
by degrees. They die generally in a mass, and very
often close watching and attention is the safeguard of
your hives. You will soon understand by watching
your hives in January and February--if the mouth of
the hivee is fell of dead bees, and you east extract ton
or twenty at a time from the entrance, they are then
failing, and the whole population are in denser from this
symptom. Immediately push inside some keg pieces of
barley-sugar, and close the entrant's almost to shutting
it altogether. If you do not do so the cold air from the
entrance will prevent the bees from availing themselves
of the food; but they will descend, if hungry, and carry
it away, and the lives of the whole will be preserved.
Ton will have to pursue this treatment oecasieually till
the beginning of April, after which they are ado from
all sooidents, and are able to shiftier themselves.
I shell conclude this article with some observation'
on The natural sources by which bees may be made
we:anedr, as to
begin wyiothurabn.ro,mieetssicton Ihosnlaeoyu.ld huge,:
your judgment the season is not favourable for a large
appropriation, be satisfied when your super la filled with
epxmgplruiro
earlier,
ed
one-balf its contents. You may even, if neesssary, cut
out • comb or two, replace your super, and the bees will
not object to your proceeding, nor even attempt any
reprisals. Tim natural sources by which been obtain
their store is a very interesting question, and one better
solved by those observant sons of nature who are ever
is the fields and have the faculty of close observance In
nsture'd ways. I can only go a shott distance with this
subject, and will give the names of a few plants I
know the bees have a liking for, and from which they
obtain large supplies. Some are not only beautiful, but
are not annoying weeds, and are indigenous to our
county. The first is the Lythrom Bellaire". I have
lately asoertained that it is common on the banks of our
rivers and their tributary ditches. It has of late been
improved by florists, and the seed of the improved
variety may easily be scattered on the side of drains and
ditches. It grows about four tut high, and has • spike
if rose-coloured flowers, called by florists Lythmus
Roses flowering in August; the bees obtain large sup.
IP from it. It is &knout useless to attempt any
garden Bowers for bees; the only flower that can be
cultivated near them is Borage. They will never desert
that flower till very sold weather obliges them to desist
work. Borage may be cultivated in & patch three or
four yards square. It is extremely useful. Bees that
cannot make long flights are madly attracted by this

flower.
I have lately observed they are very fond of • small
blue flower aecidentally brought into my garden. It is,
I think, one of the minor species of salvia or sage,
flowering in August. lam endeavouring to propagate
it. Its colour is blue. In early spring they are delighted
with the Budlia globose, a lovely flower, and besides,
fall of 'rich honey. It is, however, very difficult to rear,
and requires a warm situation. Mignionette, pinks,
marigolds, and oertsin garden flowers, they will go to;
but if they do it is a bad sign—a certain symptom that
they are short of food. One of the best sources of their
wealth is the turnip flower, or the flower of the
brocoli and cabbage. It is to be lamented, that our
farmers never attempt seed crops. Did they do
No our bees would prosper well. lii, at that time that
they hoard the very best of their store.
I have often wished I could ascertain the results of
bee-keeping in the New Forett.• I conclude, not
having spring supplies, their harvest will be mush later
than the valley of the Stour, the Avon, or the Promo.
Lastly, as • kind of publie policy in whioh all are con-
rerne I, the common bee is one of the best producers of
fruit and seeds As she works she is incessantly impreg-
nating bloom, and consequently perfecting fruits and
grain. Had you no bees in your gardens and orchards
you would have but little fruit. By a wise kw of
nature it appears this oreration is carried on by them
during the chief season of blossoming. At that time
they carry upon them quantities of pollen not only
gathered for the service of the hive, but frequently
they are powdered all over with the dust. I have even
observed them, when it ia abundant, blinded with it,
and often unable to regain their hives in very dry
weather. The bee is not so prolific as other winged
insect,; we are not therefore required to destroy them
wantonly. She is fearless beyond all the winged
insect tribe. She flings herself from the hive on a
bright morning high in the air and away ter • lam
distance, yet hundreds of them never return. The
scythe of the mower, the feet of men and cattle, sadden
stormy, the treacherous water, and many other clauses
leave hundreds of them lifeless in the lields—To bo
concluded in one next,
WELT) TAYLOR.
Wimboese, Marsh IL
Nore.—An ordinary swarm of hoes bibs been talon.
irked by the beet authorities to amount to from 20,000
to 30,000. and if so the population of • hire must be
ruore than double that mount.
* Perhaps our excellent correspoadent, Mrs. Alfred
Weeary, mbledon Lodge, could oblige the tatter,