Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1866-03-08
AGRICULTURAL.
Handling Bees.

Line upon line has been written upon
this sui iect, yet we speak within bounds,
when we assert that not one bee-keeper in
ten knows anything of the practical ease
with which they can be controlled and
brought under subsection. They are as
harmless as hies," if rightly managed
Gaping crowds attend our county and State
Fairs, and look upon the doings Of the
bee men," as something little less than
marvellous. \ man with d swarm of bees
in his hat, shaking them over his person,
down upon the crowd-nobody stung-per-
chance taking them into his mouth and
belching them forth, is looked upon as little
less than necromancer.
There is no great secret in all this. Any
man with a little tact, and a knowledge of
some of the pecularitieS Of the bee, may
do these things, and others still more sur
prsing The whole secret lays here "a
bee gorged a0ih S1ceets 1cW not sting" unless
forced TO it by hard usage Their appetite
is so strong for sweet, that they cannot re-
sist the temptation to gorge themselves.
when opportunity offers. The bee-charla-
tans take advantage of this fact in making
their public exhibitions This is the won
derful "bee charm" Not that which they
have bottled up to sell to the credulous
public at twenty-five or fifty cents per bot
tie, but simply causing their bees to gorge
themselves This may be done in many
ways. a little smoke will make them rush
to their stores and fill their sacks. Close
the hive, and by little rapping they will
dc the same thing Do anything to excite
their fears and the result will be the same
Offer them sweetened water and they will
partakc freely. After they have filled
themselves, you may run your hands among
them as much as you please-if you are
careful not to injure them-and they will
take it all in good part You may shake
them down from their combs over your own
person, or that Of others, and they will not
resent it. You may even tear their hives
and combs all to pieces, and not have a
single "sting for your pains"
If you want a hive Of bees i'll your hat,
all you have to do is to cage the queen of
the gorged swarm, in a small wire box,
and fasten it in the top of your hat. Shake
a few bees into the hat from one of the
combs, and their love for their queen will
make them cluster around the cage in the
hat.
The most convenient method that | have
tried, i'll common management OF bees IN
my apiary, is, when | wish to handle hive
or stock, to blow little tobacco smoke up
un them. After a moment or two, | can
remove the honey board and take out the
frames, without any fears of being stung.
II is not necess ary that man should learn
the detestable habit Of smoking, in order to
do this. \ pipe should be so constructed
that You can blow through it and direct the
smoke to any part of the hive. X. ?. Kid
der, an aparian, at Burlington, Vt. manu-
features a cheap pipe that answers very
good purpose, in smoking bees. Let any
one who has heretofore had trouble in the
handling of his bees, try little smoke,
and he will be surprised at their easy man
agement. He will find honey boxes can be
removed, the bees and combs examined,
with entire freedom from stings, with, per
haps, now and then an exceptional case.
Rolling Prairie, Wis. L. l.. FARcHLD.