The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1881-03-08 00:00:00

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BEES AND BEEKEEPING.

As many of our readers are deeply interested in bees
and beekeeping, we hope occasionally to devote a
little space thereto, for the purpose of giving useful
hints to those who already keep bees, and with • view
to showing others that both pleasure and profit can he
derived from this most interesting pursuit. The
@clones of apiculture is progressing sto,vly but certninly.
Before the establishment of the british Beekeepers'
Alleviation very little in. ereet we taken in this
business. A few hives, of the old le tern, were to he
met with here and there in out.of.' he-way country
village., but beekeeping was indulged i.. even here, as
a rule, more as • hobby than a business that could
be made profitable. The operatiohe .ti tke Beekeeper.'
Association have eh.nget all this, or at least is
gradually changing all this. Mainly through the
agency of this neutral body. which was established,
under the presidenry of the Baroness Buviett-Coutts,
for the purpose of advoc tt.104 the in, re humane and
intelligent treatment of the honey-bee, and of better-
ing the c mdition of cottager* by Cho encauragement,
improvement, and advancement of bee culturec socie-
ties have sprung up throuchout th.a country. Eleven
county Ivuociations have alre ply affiliated themselves
with the central &witty, wine!) now numbers 250
members; and others are being fried. Such associa-
tions are already in existence in Dorset, Devon, and
Somerset. The ther work done by the central
association is very tncouracing. if not very showy.
Arrangement,, have been In vle for the formstion of •
reference library of ',cries rdating to bee culture, and
a "honey market" has been formed to assist in dis-
posing of the spare pro luco belonging to members, but
the market was without honer, am it had ail been dis-
posed of by private sale. Further arrangements have
been made for exhibition tent. in connection with the
annual shows of the Royal Horticultural Society, the
Royal Agricultural Society, the Oxfordshire Agricul-
bind Society, the West Kent Society, and the Dairy
Farmers' Society, at Birmingham. Negotiations are
also to be opened with the Rath and West of
England Society, with • view to the obtaining of
the same recognition. In our own county, shows
are likely to be held at Dorchester, Sher -
borne and several other towns during next summer.
Locafbeekeepers will do well to examine their stock,
at the earliest favourable opportunity. Bright, sun-
ing days should be chosen for this work, as the bees
will necessarily be disturbed, and a flight will not
then do them any harm. Floor-boards should be
cleansed, and all evidences of the wax moth should
be carefully removed. If stocks are week they should
be fed forthwith. The best food at this time of year
is what is commonly however as •` barley-sugar," a
common kind of "rock" or "lollipop' without any
flavouring. Any dealer in such articles would supply
it at about CacL per. lb., or those of our readers who do
not mind the fuss can make it for themselves, by
boiling down common loaf sugar. Then feeding is
commenced it should be centinned slowly but
regularly, as this indurate the queens to breed early,
and strong stocks are thus secured for the ingather-
log of the first flow of nectar from the fruit blossoms.