The Iowa transcript. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1858-1866, 1861-02-07

from SOS DWOUYuS AUWcS.x
The following interesting paper was
read before the Dubuque Farmers' Club
At its last meeting:
Mr.. President and Gentlemen q Me
Earmsrx' Glib:
The subject Of Bee Culture is attract
ing much a..ers;on at the present time.
FOR the last half GENTRY il has terncua.
sidered precarious business. Ths raw.
ages Of the moth, and til. great and fire.
quent losses through spring and winter,
have discouraged very many persons en-
gagged in the culture. Others have com.
menced the business without = correct
knowledge Of the nature and instinct Of
the bee.
And not having leisure and patience
for observation, aid time to Investigate
the science, have signally failed-hc-
cause they had no ''luck."
Mr.. Quinby remarks that 1T is time
the word luck as applied to bee-kecp-
ing. was discarded. The prevailing
opinion that bees will not prosper -
well with one person as with another,
under the same circumstances is entire
.fal!acious. As well might slack" be
applied to the farmer and mechanic
The careless, ignorant farmer might oc-
cas,onally succeed in raising . crop
with poor broken down fence. bnt
would be liable TO lose it at any time by
trespassing cattle. lie might have suit
able coil in the beginning, but withon.
a knowledge for the application Of ma
nures it might fail to produce, unless a
chance application happeaed to be
right.
But with the intelligent farmer the
case is different; fences in order, ma
nurcs judiciously applied, and with pro-
pitious seasons he makes sure thing ,f
it. Cali him lucky if you please; it is
his own knowledge and care, that rem
tlers him SO. So with Bookkeeping
the careful, attentive man is the lucky
one.
There is no effect without preceding
cause. II a colony Of bees is lost, there
is cause producing it. Why is there
so much more uncertainty in Apiarian
science than other farming operations !?
l answer that among the thousands
who are engaged in and have studied
agriculture, perhaps not more than one
has given his energies to the nature and
habits Of the bee" Mr.. Quinby il cor
rect in all this.
II is an easy matter to be successful
bee.keeper. A little attention At the
proper time il all the bee requires
When they commence flying i. the
spring, for the first ten or fifteen days
there are but few flowers ;during which
time they should be fed plcntifully with
unbolted rye Jeosr-wl,ich / have been
in the habit Of doing for years, At the
time Indicated with entire success-as
it answers all the purposes Of oo!lta--
It il indeed amusing to the bees wal
lowing and carrying in their little pal.
lets Of flour. The article il, however,
discarded a. soon a. blossoms make
their appearance. The meal can be pct
il large wooden dishes, and placed q
few rods from the hives.
A barrel Of pure watcr should be kept
near the Apiary, and clean piece Of
coarse canvas thrown over the water
by which means they have access to II
without the risk Of being drowned.
With . Lang troth hivc,b Ian be
increased very rapidly BY artificial
swarming, avoiding the risk Of losing
young awar,ns by the natural mode.
Ny plan is to take an empty hive and
set it BY the side Of one about ready to
swarm; lift three or four cards, one Of
which must be stocked with brood
comb or eggs; place them with the bees
attached into the empty one. This
should be performed about ten O'Clock,
4. n. ON pleasant day, when many Of
the bees are absent in quest Of food
Then remove the old hive . few feet to
ono side, set the new one in its place in
order to catch the returning bees. In
few hours thereafter tho new one will
be the stronger hive.
In this way bees can bc multiplied
very rapidly. The process j. simple and
easy.
With the help Of movable comb
hive, the Aparian can readily examine
the interior Of his hives. and learn many
thinga by "ocular demonstration" whit
be had 70 guess At in the common bo,