Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1845-06-06
VOL. xxx, NO. 30 WHOLE NO. 2o1s

SiuO vi oncct WIFI potion hon rd unmarked
placing small stone or block on the bo,tom hoard
under each front corner Of the hive, so as 10 mise
It two or three inches making the hive fast bv
placing a plank or pole, one end on tire hive
the other end on the ground. AS soon as they are ali
or nearly all on the bush, raise the same gently
out of the grounds bending it down near the en-
trance in the hivel begin with gentle shake then
soon as possible dlsengage the bees from the bush,
laying it some little distance from the hive. Should
they not readily enter their new habitation but
rather incline TO collect on the outside of the hive,
wing them down upon the sheet, occasionally
throwing little water on them. This | do until
they enter. This done, hook up the bottom board;
and remove them Immediately TO the stand where
wish them TO remain through the season. The
third day from hiving, turn the drawer, or draw
ers, that they may commence their abors therein
design my hives should contain as pounds of no.
ney when full, the drawers nearly as much more !;
| endeavor to equaze my swarlns by uniting small
swarns together, or taking the queen from them
and so return them back to the parent hive, which,
on the whole, think is the better way.
have this season, for the first time, made the
experiment of transferring from full hive to an
empty one. My first trial was on the parent stock
OF my bees, which bought in 1888, having been
IN the same hive IL years. In this attempt | was
perfectly successful. | think, in many instances,
transfers of this kind will be found beneficial if
rightly managed, and done in the right season of
the year. The first of Oct. raise the bottom board
so that my bees can only have egress from an IN.
erture not more than one half or three fourths of
an inch. This is the best month in the year in
which to feed light swarms, if they have not honey
enough to last them through the winter. The first
of November, remove them into my bee house
made perfectly dark, where they remain to enioy
the "good Of their labor" undsturbed by winds, or
storms, safe from every thing which would mar, or
disturb their peace During these five months. I
frpouputly call thnm hv In 10, H.,
door; to which, if in heaty condition, they with
united breath, will instantly respond And now,
find myself at the end ofthe year in my remarks
and have said but little to what might be said by
those who have bestowed more time upon the sub
ject than possibly could have done. | have very
briefly told you sir, hoc manage, and you will
be equally DESTROYS Of knowing ,chy do SO, I will
proceed to answer such nterrogatons as would
most naturally grow out Of the foregoing.
place my bees on the spot where wish them
TO remain as early as | can in the spring. from
the fact that at this time their numbers are daily
increasing with young; and every apiarlan, or
close observer, knows that a swarm of bees cannot
be removed If no more than six feet, without the
loss Of many bees unless they are carried beyond
their knowledge. have said, sir that | would
have them, if convenient, en;feet apart; now say,
sir, The further the better Some ofmy hives stand
within two feet of each other the consequence of
which is the loss Of many bees. My hives being
made alike, there is so much sameness in things
around them, that when on their return laden with
pollen, or honey, many mistake another for their
own hive, especially in windy days. and are receiv.
ed as robbers, and treated accordingly. A con-
tracted aperture is essential in spring and fall
while there is little or no honey for them to gather
from abroad. Possessing propensity to increase
their store, whether in the possession of little or
much they will, when not otherwise employed, be
sure to test the strength of their neghbors, and
mr., their Ovprhrn,y if within THAR
entrace into the hive therefore in these seasons of
the year, should be small that they may be
destroyed as fast as they enter with the view TO
rob. | am particular in clearing off the last bee
from the bush IN the time of hving, since the queen
bee is often of the first in the bush, of course
one OF the last TO leave it, and probably when
left behind is the cause why the swarm returns to
the parent hive. In transferring bees from full
hive to an empty one, | set the full hive on the
ground inverted, or top end down; | then place
the empty hive 1t in such manner as to prevent
the bees from crawling out corking up with rags
or tow; then disturb the bees by striking on the
side of the full hive but moi so hard as to break the
comb within; spend about thirty minutes in this
way, and then place the empty hive exactly where
the full one stood before it was inverted, then re-
move the full one 90 or 30 rods, and let them re.
main in this inverted position until morning. ina
king this process in the evening) then if the bees
have not all or nearly all left, | start off the top
board (if in the old box hive) sufficiently wide to
blow in little fume of birthstone; but if in the
improved hive, smoke them little through the
chamber floor after removing the drawers, and they
will return 10 the new hive if in the place of the
old one. and there as swarm newly hived com
mence their labors. This should be done in
six or seven days from the first swarminp, unless
wish for the second swarm; in that case trans
fer the second day from the second time of swarm.
ing If a hive does not swarm seasonably, should
dc n,t1b
raise the bottom board enough to prevent the bees
from entering the hive only by small aperture in
front, the object of which have already limited at
namely to prevent their robbing. When | dis
cover them thus engaged, my first business is to
ascertain where the bees belong which made the
attack. To accomplish this, / dust them freely
with flower then if discover any that are whiten-
ed with flour enter another hive, | Immediately take
stick made sharp at one end and mutulate their
combs, sufficient to make them some extra labor at
home; sometimes 1t answers every purpose TO
change the location, For instance, if A attacks
b. put in the place OF b, and B in the place of
A. | had last spring an instance where four
swarms had made an attack upon one swarm; they
had removed most of the honey before observed
it; in this case all my efforts TO save them seemed
fruitless. For several days shut up the hive from
which they had taken most all of the honey, and
on giving them liberty, would forthwith leave their
hive, carrying with them their own store into the
there was not more than pint of bees left and 6
or pounds OF honey, upon which carried the
hive about l-2 miles, there let it remain one
month, after which removed it home. They did
not swarm, but gathered eighty pounds of honey.
Butte remedy the evils Of robbing, in every case,
the apiarion finds the most perpexing of all the
labor he bestows upon his bees. My rule for ven
tilating in cold weather is the same as in warm
weather, except remove the drawers from each
chamber returning them the first of May, remem-
berng in every case to keep the chamber doors
closed, so as TO prevent the escape of bees and in
jury from vermin.
In closing my remarks sir, | wish here to ex-
press my thanks for your kind indulgence while
have endeavored to tell the simple story of my short
experience in the bee department, that the child
may ego and do likewise" am testing the hive
as invented by Mr. Jones of New-York the right
of which believe you own throughout the county
of Windham. When have sufficiently proved it.
sir, | will certify you more. The specimens oil
honey which have here PRODUCED wore made H.