Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1841-10-16
Taking Honey without killing
the Bees.

unnecessary or surplus money might Oe
appropriated 10 the comfort OF those
who had the care Of them. 1t has al
ways seemed but lite short Of murder
to destroy such multi,udes of these lit
tie laborers if any method Of sparing
them could be introduced; and various
improved hives, which have been intro
duced to effect this object, have at diff.
ferent times been brought before the
public. A these have been more or
less useful, some by giving more room
for labor, and some by placing their
stores at the command of the apiarian
still all seem liable TO some objections,
and muIipl lying the methods or bringing
notice of new ones before the public,
may be of service.
The treatment of bees seems TO be
based on few facts, or which are u
sually considered as such. viz: that a
large number of bees, or two swarms
in the same hive, will consume but
little more honey, if any, than small
number, or each of the two Swarms in
separate hives: and that as bees are
short lived insect, performing their la
bors and the various functions of their
lives, mostly, if not altogether, in sin
gle year, the necessity Of saving those
bees in the fall, that are to perform the
la Dor Of the coming year, becomes more
Strikingly apparent. The fact, that bees
may be stupfied SD as to be rendered
harmless, and yet not permanently in
ured, has long been known; but this
knowledge has not been turned 10 prac.
lical use except in very few instances
unit! very lately. The following,
which we copy in substance from for
eign periodical, exhibits Il method Of
turning this power to use both car y and
profitable.
The writer savs:-ln autumn gath
er three or four of the large mushrooms
or pufi,bals growing in meadow lands,
before they are fully ripe, compress
them little. aud dry them thoroughly
in an oven after bread has been taken
out, and keep them dry for use. A tin
box two inches square, with pointed
top, pierced full of holes, with small
holes in the sides, made without solder
is TO be provided to contain the puti,baI
while burning. 1t must be supported
on n stick some six or eight inches il
length when used. As The object is Il
unite the swarm, from which the honey
is TO be taken, with another 10 live over
the winter. hive of the same size a.
the one 10 be operated upon is placed il
II tub with the open end upwards, viii
a hole made in the lower part, in whict
the stick that supports the tin box is set
In this box is now put piece OF iungu
or the dried ball OF the size of II hen
egg, to which fire has been communl
Gated, and it is placed in the lower hive
The hive with The bees Is now removed
from its stand, and placed on the other
wet cloth being coSel Y secured a
round the line of meeting to prevent III,
escape OF the smoke. The naroti
: fumes are soon felt, by the bees, whic
fall rapidly into the Iowcr hive, the uT
u per one being frequently tapped vii
a stick or the fingers. To jar down sue
bees as may not fall OF themselves, o
discharge them from the combs. TIL
dropping of the bees will be dStlnctI
II heard, and when it ceases the Inv
s may be taken off. The torpid bee
:. are now poured upon table, and III
Il Queen separated and placed under
glass. The bees are then sprinkle
s. with thick syrup made Oi llie a
and sugar boiled minute or two, az
. applied freely with feather. The
are then returned to the empty hiv
and on this is now placed the hive wi
which it is intended the swarm shall /
mite, and the cloth is replaced, so tn
no bee can escape. In this positlC
J lhev remain for twenty>four hours,
7 the following night, when the cloth
Is. removed and the hive placed ON
c. former stand. The bees in the hive d
scend to feed on honey or sugar on Il
sprinkled bees, and in the operation
ly clearing them, a:e SD thoroughly nike
es that no distinction is ever atterwar
y, apparent. The few bees that rcma
ii. in the comb may be killed before th'
y! recover irom their siupliacllon, and
Ter lllc auldlEalllalloh ol ''lo s""'"''
complete, the reserved Queen may
ms 50 be destroyed. She is reserved tn
sh far to guard against the contlnsenci'
lis Other narcotics, such as lobac
H. leaves, folded in paper, previously dI
rn ped in nilre and dried, have been use
but the puf,ball will be found prefer
! biz 10 any othar, both for ease OF p