White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1859-02-17
for tBt farmer
o. ths Management Of Bees.


FRIESp BArKHAn III find in the Ohio
Cultivstor No 8, reference to my for
mer success in keeping bees. with re-
quest for further inform alton and | would
say briefly, that in 1913, I had seven
swsrms from which ] took three hundred
and thirty pounds Of honey. with an in
crease Of two new swarms. In 1874. l
had nine swarms, which gave three bun
drsd and fifty pounds of honey-no in
crease. 1T viii be seen that count the
increase, not from the swarms that come
out, but from what remain when they are
prepared and set away for the winter.
The last summer / had seven new swarms,
but in the process of uniting. had but
nine left the past simmer in this place
was considered unfavorable for bees !;
the increase small From .,a last Of
June till the middle of August, my bees
appeared to lie perfectly idle-a cireum-
stance that never knew before, nor do
/ know how to account for it. However,
some older in the busidess than myself,
have witnessed the same before, and attri-
buts the cause to an unusual quantity of
Spindles. or four-winged insects, which
are known to be very destructive to bees.
With regard to management, l will
mention several things which deem Of
importance Hives should be of me-
dunn size; if planed inside, the top
should be scratched, and so constructed
that bees will be able to keep proper
temperature of heat at night, Is well as
In the day. In swarming, all unusnal
noises, such as the ringing Of bells or The
rafting of pans. should be strictly avoid
ed. When hived, the bees should he set
directly into the bee house, or in some
other way protected from the hot sub.
The bee moth is the greatest evil that
we have to contend with. My method of
procedure, is to examine the bottom board
often, and see that it is kept clean also
destroy what millers l find about the apI-
sry; they are still in the day time, lying
with their heads downwards. But the
Eurest safeguard, is a full swarm of bees.
] never have had full swarm seriously
injured, but several weak swarms have
been. Security against the moth is not
the only advantage to be derived from full
swarms; they 60 better through the win
ter, and with less honey, and in the Spring
when many are necessarily employed in
taking care Of the young brood, others
will be bringing in their stores this is
the secret Of getting large quantities Of
honey.
With regard to uniting swarms, my
prlctice is to examine all my swarms in
November, and select such old swarms
as need to be transferred, or young ones
that are too light to winter, and by the
use of fungus, common meadow puff
ball, sufocate them that they may be
handled with safety, and then unite them
with such swarms as | choose This is
done by burning the puff ball, placing it
under the hive, with something over the
fire TO prevent the bees from falling into
it; and when the bees have fallen they
may be taken into honey box and insert
ed in the top of hive, always putting
some of the puff in the hive into which
you put the lees, to give them the same
smell; they readily unite. | have taken
three small swarms and put with the
fourth. If they should not have honey
enough they can te fed on the poorer
honey. When prepared in this way. l
let them stand in the house or shed which
fronts the east the west or back side
closed, to protect from the storms Since
practicing in this way, have not lost a
swarm in Wintering.
3ours, &c. D. B. KINNEY.