Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1856-06-06
aorituItural faraoirlg.
From the New England Farmer
MANAGEMENT OF BEES.


Mn EDITOR II have read with pea Y
svre several articles in the Farmer reia F
60 - tbo management of bees in winter '
h,t - ;nducements to adopt any system {
are laid down. am somewhat engaged
IN the culture of honey and the honey
bae and thus far have been very success
el. vet there are drawbacks which re-
on;re attention. which we can obviate II
we will. I object to putting bees IN
cellar. packing them in straw and aiSo
burying in the ground. In the hrsf place.
. domn situation would sooner or later
prove downright ruin to them, as it would
be very likely to mould their combs ana
cause disease and death; l should as
soon think of wintering family OF chill
dren in q cellar and having them come
out healthy in the spring as l would
swarm Of bees. Packing them In straw
is also wrong, as you must necessarily
stop a free circulation Of pure air, winch
Is co essential to all animal life. The
method of burying them in the ground
; is, if possible, worse than either OF the
: above. for a closer confinement and con-
) seouently greater degree of dampness
, rnnst nreyail. Ibelieve that under ordl-
oorv circumstances six swarms out OF
|, e;obt would either die or be worthless the
e first season, if buried in the ground. A
J swarm reduced from four thousand to two
I or three hundred would be almost worth
less.
d The method which l practice has beer
successful, never having lost a swarm
l. either in winter or spring. My hives
ST are twelve inches square inside, with al
onenirg in front and rear for egress an'
ingress, three inches long and half al
inch nigh, with a seven by nine glass IN
, serteI in the rear for the purpose OF wit
cd Messing their operations, and ascertainin
if they have sufficient supply Of hone
. for Writer use, &c. :; the glass to be COY
rs cred by a door that can be opened an
= shut at pleasure. About the first of d.
gu cember. the hive should be placed dow
M closely upon the bottom board, with tt
DID front and rear entrance opened for a fri
III. circulation Of pure air, which is indispe
i sable. now place the hive in dar
unoccupied room, that is rather coll
PTS even if the Thermometer should run
me ten or fifteen degrees below the freezn
the point it would do no harm, and should
lit kept at as even temperature as pos
tan BILE. In this condition a swarm Of be
neh will consume ten or twelve pounds
Is honey less than they would were tn
lsh- exposed to the rays of the sun. In
winter, 1 occasionally open the doors
ON the rear of the hives to ascertain tn
tne condition, being careful to keep the Fl
and ice out of the entrances.
llne When sufficiently warm, say the
out of March, they may be taken from
and room and placed uponthe bee-stand VIII
they are to be kept for the summer,
ared if the weather be favorable and the b
nen, wish to issue out, I open the door in
ere rear of the hive for the purpose of
able ting in the light, being careful not to
con- any Of the bees out until the door
been opened at least twenty-four ho'
,eEe' and by so doing l prevent them be
" blinded by the rays of the sun, especi
am when there is snow on the ground. Il
emmy ing practiced the above system, feel
Out sured there is no safer way, and feel
cum fdent that should any feel disposed to
'e" low my directions, they would not ia
So' success.
s'n My spring management is somey
III q different; having them now placed I
Pu' the stand, [ close the rear entrance
! III fectly tight to stop the current Of air
der them, at the same time letting
left, RAYS of the SIM str;;l,o f,llr rnor tho
lehee to assist in creating sufficient degrt
t. heat to propagate the eggs and larva,
u, at the same time ascertain if possib
:. there is a supply of honey; if not
there is enough, feed with a little h,
or syrup, and they viii Prepay as 4
know dollars as. cents are paid for the tro
n tho z. VINTC
East Bethel, VT, April, 1856.