Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1859-04-15
r,om the G,ee.e, Farmer.
Spring Management Of Bees.

laws gwen 10 tne hces Nv thelr Nrentnr, We
End that their love Of liberty is 50 great
that they had rather die Of sur,cation from
the heat generated nv themselves, than to
.uhmi, to involuntary confinement. To
confne them in warm room, or in hive
out Of doors, during weather which il suit.
able for them to he out, submits them 10 n
very severe punishment, as the oreu air at
such times j. their greatest delight
have at one time fitted up. and a, con.
siderable expense tested thoroughly the
practical working Of keeping bees in houses
according to the most approved THEORIES,
and during about eish, years Of continual
experiments, nv clos, oh.cru,ion, have
arrived at thcs, conclusions. viz
Where number or swarms Of bees are
collected together in a thoroughly enclosed
rvou. made warn, and close by helm: thor.
oushly protected from the surrounding
cold, that the natural procc.. Of generating
heat from the boiy of each bee constantly
going on. saus'. the temryratur, Of the
ruom O. b, raised 70 the required heat for
Matching. in advance Of the same cnrrcs.
rouding chang in the seasons out Of door,.
AMI the result j.. that too early in the sea-
sln the queen is induced TO dcpo'i, her
ss--. the process Of Matching them i, ac-
comrli.hcl. and the whole brood :, hatch.
cd immediately snrvcs TO death. as the
weather is not warm enough, nor the sea.
s0n forward enough. 80 that the working
bees can set out. or Il cut. cannot procure
the food which nature has intended 10 pro-
vide At 'iiils later date, cor their young.
Asa parallel case the miller OF the apple
,see worm lays her cc-- in a branch on a
twig in the latter pirt " summer. By
Law Of nature, they hatch out the following
spring. just at a time when the tender
leaves are putin: GA, on the same limb
that the worms occupy. and these leaves
furnish then with their natural food and
nature has =, ordained iha, ,he.' two pro-
c5s>c. shall ~ on hand in hand, one de-
pendent on the other. Now. take the sane
limb containing the egg. aud hang Il up
In a warm room carly In the season. The
eggs will hatch out, but the leaves on the
limb DO not pat forth, but have wi,hcrcd
and dried up consequently the worms
must de. b,c,u., no n,uri-hmcni ha. been
provided lor them. And - 1t i exactly IN
the case oi bees rnu6ncd m rooms, ia mos,
cascs. Artificial heat may hatch the egs',
but il cann,, IA, the sane time produce tic
necessary change in vegetation to support
them.
Look to your b.,' and hives Immediately.
), that they arc not cracked or ,plt by
Jampucss collected "a the inside during the
past winter. II 50, mend them By scrcS.
ing, (not nSiliusl on elcAts, Sc. II any
holes have been bored. to r,Hflois the hive,
(wLich. by the way. is wronsJ clo,e them
all up. aud render the hive as near air.tisht
n possible, by closing all openings excerpt
the usual passage way lsls for the bcc' at
the bottom OF an hives. Tho bees will
make corresponding repair, inside. liyour
bi,c, are made IL single inch boards, |
would recommend thntehing them with
straw. about three inches thick, by begin.
min: at the bottom %, th, hive and bending
the ends over on the top, :, tha, the hive
will be completely enycloped in straw.
Then. wl,h a pair Of shears, Gu, away the
straw. - thai It wall be no obstruction To
the hcgs in going IN or out Of the hive. !
think no one Win once tries thatchin: will
omi, It in future. The hive is now prcpar-
ed rur Matching and raising the young
broad. Bees require about the same heat,
(gu OF more.) and abou. the same time
which is rcqliryd 10 hatch brood OF chick
en., and the heat also requires TO he a
steady heat; and the hive once warmed
sufficiently by the bodily warmth Of the
bcy,. the young bees will hatch. and the
straw on the outside prevents their bein:
chilled or krlled by sudden changes, or cold
night. or DAYS. This straw should be rc,
moved fr,m the hive when apple trees are
IN bloom.
Prepare yourselves with suitable hives
Tor the young swarms; see that they are
made in a workmanlike manner, and 50
constructed rs to meet the instructive wants
Of the bee, as Tar as possible The kind Of
hives which have been led TO consider the
bfst. /. made Of two rhicknesscs of boards,
with "a chamber for hoxes ahove. y. GiEHr.
E., Il.nriniin. y. Y. March lst. 1850.