Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1870-03-08
House, Farm and Garden.
/. d. R. COLLINS, Editor.
Hints ON Bee-keepina.

Many bee-keepers at the present time,
consider that their success or failure in
bee keeping depends on their ability to in
crease their stock. But l think they make
a great mistake if they keep bees for profit.
Suppose you get two or three stocks from
one, how much have you gained? | claim
that YOU are the loser by it, and will try
and prove it. In the first place, if you
get more than one they are small and will
seldom get sufficient stores to winter on;
not one second swarm in ten will winter
without feeding, and that seldom pays, and
then your old stock is left almost worthless
and often queenless if they swarm more
than twice. Allowing this to be true, land
it will prove true eight times out of ten
you will have but one stock that will be
safe to winter. and that is the first or prime
swarm, and that in a season like the past
will often fail to gather sufficient stores, es-
pecially if they isue late in the season. In
the year 1862. had four strong stocks in
the spring, and to all appearances equally
good. Three of them cast one swarm each,
and the three old and three new ones made
eighty pounds of box honey; new stock
and box honey were worth S44 The 9TH
er did not swarm but made l24 pounds of
box honey worth thirty-one dollars-al-
most three-fourths rs much Is from three.
| could give other instances almost as good
to prove that a slight increase or none at
all is the most profitable; but some will
say, how can we prevent their swarming
This is very easily and quickly done in a
movable comb hive you wish to double
your stock, let them swarm once, and after
| six days cut out all the queen cells but one
and they are all right; and if you want
| only one swarm from two, take the first
swarm that comes out and set in the place
Of the one that cast swarm; now remove
4 strong stock five or six feet from its stanC
and set the stock that has cast the swarm
in its place, and after six days cut out al
the queen cells but one, and if the stool
which you have moved to & new plac
should swarm. shake them on a sheet, ant
as they spread out if you look sharp yol
will soon see the queen catch and kill he
and return the bees to the hive they cam
from, and after six days cut out all tn
queen cells but one. There are many 9th
er ways to accomplish the same obieC
which an expert viii soon learn. Som
will say they cannot handle bee, in TIL
way; they would sting them to DEATH
, What man has done man may do. HUI
= dreds in thi. country are handling the
/ bees as much or more. and find it plea
e ant and profitable employment. Othe
= will say they cannot spend so much tin
: with their bees. They might a, well :,
a they cannot spend so much time with the
= sheep, COWS, horses. and hogs, when be
= will pay almost double the net profit VIII,
y skillfully managed. And another ella
l. will say, bees disturbed 50 much will n
a work 50 well. Did you ever hear any o
l. say 50 that knew will venture the
i sertion that you never did and never wi
= if done in the swarming season and VIII
49, they are getting honey.
', j. W. HOWARD.
- a.