The Plymouth Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1869-1941, 1870-09-08
FARM AND HOUSEHOLD
Honey Gathering.

Honey Gathering.
MANY still think that bees make honey,
some believing that the workers make it,
others that it is the work of the drones to
make honey, others again suppose that
both classes make it. Such is not the
case, however; neither workers nor drones
ever make drop of honey. Honey is
nothing more nor less than the sweet nec-
tar found in almost every flower, and is
gathered from the flowers by the work
ers only. Lighting upon the flower, they
thrust in their proboscis or tongue. and,
extracting the sweet, they convey it to
their stomach or honey-bag. AS soon as
they have obtained all the honey bag will
hold, they return to the hive and empty
its contents into CELL One can readily
see that it would not undergo much
change in so short a time, while careful
experiments prove that it undergoes no
change whatever. If they feed upon
syrup made of sugar, they will deposit
syrup in the cells, and if it is strongly
scented with any fiavoring extract it will
retain the flavor as long as it remains in
the cells This being true, it IS evident
that different flowers yield different kinds
of honey. With little practice any bee
keeper may easily determine, from the
taste of the honey, what flowers it was
gathered from. l will not say it can be
done in every case, but in many cases it
can.
Some might be ready to ask, how can
that be, when they gather from flowers of
different kinds and mix it all together?
1t would certainly be difficult to tell, if
such were true; but they do not mix it
together. AS rule, bee that commences
to work upon white clover continues to
gather from that flower until its honey
sack is full. Such is their nature; they
do not 60 from one kind of flower to an
other, but having commenced to gather
from any one kind, they continue to do so
until their honey-bag is full and each
kind of honey is also deposited by itself
in the combs. Bees working upon differ
ent flowers do not deposit in the same
cells. Any person wishing to prove this
can do so by examining the combs about
the time the bee commences to work on
buckwheat, and they will find the dark
colored buckwheat honey in cells by itself,
quite separate from the light white clover
honey. They also do the same when
gathering pollen or bee bread each kind
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they do this is more than am able to say.
1t is, however, a very convenient arrange
ment for the bee keeper, as he can select
the best honey and keep it by itself for
his own use, or sell it at higher price.
swARMING.
The philosophy of swarming is but
little understood. Many suppose that
when spring opens a swarm begins to
grow, and when sufficiently large and nu-
merous enough in bees it is cast forth
with its queen. Hence the question is
often asked: Is there more than one
swarm in hive? There is never more
than one swarm in hive, strictly speak
ing. Though we may put two, or even
three swarms together, and all in one
hive, yet in short time, if they do not
swarm out, the queens are all killed but
one, and the two or three swarms become
one. 1t is often the case that there are
bees enough in the hive at one time to
form two OR three good swarms; still it
can only be called one swarm until di.
vided artifcially or naturally. The prep
aration for swarming is all made by the
workers. The hive, or rather combs OF
the hive, being filled with brood and
honey, and the harvest good, and the hive
populOus, the workers construct queen
cells and commence to rear young queens.
In about eight days swarm comes of,
and the old queen with it.
Generally the swarm clusters on con.
venient tree Or bush, and a number of the
workers go out and hunt a home. When
such Is found, the whole swarm takes
wing and goes TO it. In some cases home
is found before the swarm comes off; in
which case the swarm is quite likely to
leave for it without clustering. There
are also instances where q swarm coming
off discovers al empty hive, and at once
enters it. Two or three cases of this
kind have occurred in this vicinity this
season.
When the swarm remains long In tie
cluster, apart Of the workers go out and
gather honey, bringing in food for the
others; and in few instances swarms
have commenced comb building on the
limb or bush where they clustered, and
before home was secured. This comb
becoming large, and the queen hav-
ing deposited eggs in it, the swarm has re-
fused to leave, making the bush or tree
their home, have built large combs and re-
NAMED in the open air during the 0oason-
About nino days after the first swarm has
Issued, second swarm comes off if the
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bees guarding each cell, when queen es-
capes from one cell she is not allowed to
destroy the others, but like the old queen
goes off with swarm, which is called a
second swarm. The queen in such a
swarm is virgin queen, and does no,
commence to lay for several days after
the swarm is hived.
Third and fourth swarms gre the result
of the other cells Matching; each cluster
of workers guarding its queen, will not
allow them to meet and destroy each
other; the consequence is, several little
swarms come off, called third, fourth and
fifth swarms. 10 some cases they ali come
off together, and all cluster together
forming what is called a swarm with
several queens Such swarm beng put
into hive during the night following
the queens are set at liberty, and all are
destroyed but one.-L H. Thomas, IN
Canada Fdrner.