Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1860-07-30
A1ritultural.

PROPER METHOD OF HrvrSG BEES The
Rural New Yorker says in its last issue
The hives should be in readiness long be-
fore it is time TO expect the bees to swarm.
This, il is true, is very seldom the case; it
indicates, however, that very little care and
attention are given by the keeper to his bees
They should also be well made, neat and
clean. If they have before been in use, it is
advisable to wash them pretty thoroughly
with warm water, thereby destroying the
eggs OF the bee-moth, should there be any, as
well as removing all impurities. All hives
thus treated, and newly y-made hives, need no
further preparation before they are ready to
receive the swarm. And here let me remark
that TO wash the hive with salt or sugar and
water, whisky, or to rub the inside of the
hive with bee-balm, or leaves of any kind, is
entirely unnecessary--it is time, labor and
expense thrown away. Now, should not in
the least be surprised that some sensitive,
old-fashioned bee-keeper, may think | am in
error in reference to the above remarks; if So
I have only to remind such that this is an age
of Improvement that | have practiced for
years the various methods suggested prepar-
atory for hiving and that they have all been
discarded-regarding simplicity as the great
law of nature.
The bees, after clustering, should be hived
rs soon as possible. There is, however; no
need of getting fidgety, for they will seldom
depart for the woods within an hour. The
hive may be placed few feet FROM the place
on which the bees are clustered--nOt on a
table or scaffolj, few feet above the ground,
but on sheet or blanket, directly on the
ground. Boards may, if preferred, be laid on
the ground-the sheet or blanket laid over
them. 1t is not absolutely necessary to use
either sheet or blanket yet prefer to do so
as many bees are thereby kept from getting
into the dirt or grass. The hive is now placed
on the sheet, one side raised, with strip OF
wood, about two inches.
Should the bees be clustered on u limb that
is of but little value, it may be carefully cut
or sawed of, carried TO the hive, and the bees
invariably Jared off close by the lifted side.
With a wing, casekuife, or tablespoon, stir
them gently, and it will be surprising to see
how speedily they will enter the hive. Of all
Instruments for stirring the bees as above,
prefer large tablespoon. Many times bees
are inclined to.cluster upon some particular
limb, if not removed; and as it is not very
good policy TO cut off such limbs, they had
better be saved, ifpossibe
have method for hiving swarms with
out removing the limb, which have prac-
tced with very good success 1t is this: take
an ordinary clothes-basket and hold it under
the swarm, Jar the bees into it, and then
shake them out by the side of the hive. Quite
II number of bees may return TO the limb; if
so, jar them into the basket again-two or
three times will be sufficient, as the queen
will seldom, after the second jarring, be
found on the limb. Many bee.keepers have
found considerable difficulty in keeping few
bees from clustering repeatedly on the limb.
This may always be remedied by putting
green catmint upon the place. The bees
should all, if possible, be made to enter the
hive, and as soon as this is accomplished the
hive should be conveyed Immediately to the
stand intended for it. The reason why: First
FeVer bees wiH be lost If the bees are left
where hived till evening, as is commonly
done, the bees that work during the day
aud there will generally be a large number
will mark the location, return the next day,
and be lost.
2. Less danger Of bees Leaving for the ayoods.
Scouts" are unquestionably sent off, either
before or soon after they swarm, to look for
home. Now, should the hive be moved as
soon as the swarm is hiyed, if the 'scouts"
have not at the time returned, they will be
unable to find the swarm, and will 90 back
TO the parent stock. No communication win
take place from this source; hence less
danger of the swarm leaving.
The entrance of the hive should face the
southeast. This seems TO be, taking every
thing into consideration the best direction
for all hives to face. Advantages-frst the
bees receive the heat of the sun early in the
morning, and are thus enticed to commence
working earlier second, the heat of the sun
in midday does not fall upon the front of the
hive SO oppressively as when it fronts d-
rectly south.
How TO PREVENT HENS KILLING CHICKENS.
had several hens which hatched chickens.
but not exactly at the same time. | wished
to have them lay as soon as possible, and
save the trouble of making a large number
of coops, so placed all of the chickens under
one hen as they were gradually Matched.
The hen seemed determined to kill all of
them, excepting her own, so | covered the
coop perfectly tight with cloth, and made
it dark leaving a small hole for the chickens
TO run out and in. Within three days took
the cloth of to let the light shine in her
prison, and the chickens, fifteen in number
were. growing finely. H. g., Corning
NJ Y.
WHEN TO Cur TIMOTHY Levi Bartlett
says, in the New Hampshire Journal of ia
rlcnttuTe 'As far as practicable, we cut our
heIdsgrass when the seed is in the donOh
state, aud before the bloom is much Shed.
Il is said by those who have carefully inyes-
tIgated the matter, that too early moving of
herdsgrass results in great injury to the next
year crop much more so than TO that of
other grasses. 1t being dubious root plant,
II cut too soon, the bulb has not stored up
the necessary nutriment in il TO secure Wig
orous after-growth. Glover should be cut
when about half the blossoms have turned
brown, and made mostly in the cock"
SALT IN LAYING DowN- MEADOW LAND
>. Pierce, writing 10 the Maine Farmer, re-
lates that in his youth he met wi th the state
ment that one part Of the old English method
OF laying down land to grass, was to "plow
or harrow in seven bushels Of salt per acre.
and the result was, they got heavy crop Of
hay for ten years.
bow TO GET RID OF BLACK ANTs.-Take a
piece OF thick brown paper, saturate it well
WIN strong eamphor, and cover the Jars OF
ooxes with II under the lid You will soon
discover that the industrious little creatures
have sought new quarters. ~