Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-07-10
NO.. l6l.
Misfellanenns.
BEE MATTERS.

personally to the writer - qsra
The best substitute for pollen that we
have yet tried is rye -four 1t should be
ground very fine and not bolted. To feed
it advantageously, take board a foot and
half wide by three feet long, and nail
to its sides thin strips about four inches in
width. This will make shallow box of
three inches in depth. Now pour in the
flour to the depth of an inch, and set 1t in
some place near the apiary, out in the
wind. Rye flour fed in this manner in
duces early breeding, and consequently
early swarming. 1t shonld, however, be
fed early in the season, before the bees
can get supplies from natural sources.
As bees are ordinarily kept, they should
be set at least twenty feet apart. Especi-
ally where natural swarming is allowed,
the hives should be set as far apart as
they can be conveniently. When hives
are crowded close together there is great
danger that the young queens will be lost
when returning from their wedding
flight" . se.gl X III.
| In ordinary cases but one queen isstes
with a first swarm, and that is the old one.
Second and third or after swarms, often
contain several queens. When unfavora-
BILE weather delays the issue of after
swarms for several days they are almost
sure to obtain several queens issuing with
single swarm.
There are many reasons why swarms OF
! bees are week and feeble, and consequent
ly Improbable to their owner. There are
thousands of hives that contain too much
drone comb for profit This is especially
true of box hives. Another and common
cause of feeble swarms is small and unpro-
life queens. Where bees are kept in small
numbers and in insulated situations, the
queens are apt to meet with drones from
the same hive, which results in "in-and-
i'm breeding. Colonies that are weak in
spring, if they have a good queen and
plenty of good worker comb, can be built
up by a regular and judieious system of
feeding. If they are in movable camb
hives frame of comb may be occasion
ally exchanged with one taken from
strong stock containing broodthatis near
ly mature. To all apiarians who do not
find their bees source of profit, would
urgently recommend the Italian bee
Procure pure queen from some reliable
dealer, and rear all queens from this one,
paying no attention to what drones they
meet In this way you will have colonies
which will be prolific in both bees and
honey, provided they receive proper care
and attention.
Many bee keepers complain of bees de-
serting their hives. Often when bees are
hived in swarming time they will stay but
q short time and take French leave" for
the woods. A common cause for this is
that the hives are LETT exposed to the di-
rect rays of the hot sun. If the hive be
new and clean and is kept cool, but few
| Ln s,~<
who adopt artificial swarming have no
trouble with their bees leaving, as an ar
titicial swarm, properly made, never
leaves its hive.
The best time for transferring swarms
from box to movable comb hives is, in
our opinion, when the apple tree is in
blossom. 1t is also a good time three
weeks after swarming as the combs con-
tain but very little brood at that time Sc
lect the middle OF fine clear day in
which to perform the operations, and, re-
moving the hive to be transferred, setting
an empty hive or box in its place, for the
returning bees to cluster in, blow little
smoke in at the entrance OF the hive, and
turn it over, bottom side upwards. Now
place box without any bottom on the
hive and if there be any crevices where
bees can escape, Tie cotton sheet around
them where they come together.
Now with couple of light sticks rap
on the hive, and the bees will begin to as
cend into the box. When the bees have
nearly all ascended, which will be in
about twenty minutes from the time the
drumming was commenced, unite the
sheet and remove the box, setting it on
board so that the bees cannot get out.
Now take the old hive to some convenient
place--a clean barn or shop floor being as
good as any. With a chisel and hammer
pry off one side, and with a long, thin
bladed knife cut out the combs one by one.
Have smooth board little larger than
your combs, and lay a couple OF thick
nesses of flannel cloth upon it; then as
you cut out each comb, brush off the ad-
herring bees and lay it upon the cloth.
Now place your frame upon the comb and
mark the size of the inside of the frame.
Cut the combs a trifle larger, so that it
will fit snugly within the frame. To hold
the comb in place, we use a mixture of
melted resin and beef tallow, applied to
the edges of the combs. a
All combs containing brood should be
! placed together in the centre of the hive.
Reject all drone comb. When all the
frames are full, carry the hive and place it
upon the old stand, being careful not to
dislodge any of the combs. Now bring
the box containing the bees and shake
them down in front of the hive, and if the
entrance be large, as it should be, they
will enter readily. In transferring, care
must be used not to expose any honey
where the bees will find it, or robbing will
generally be the consequence, unless the
flowers are yielding an abundance Of
honey.
We have not as yet found any method
whereby swarming may be absolutely
prevented, if the bees are kept strong in
numbers Remove the old queen, and
give the colony young one of the pres
cnt years raising; and if the bees have
plenty of surplus room, easily accessible,
but few swarms will issue. Ii artificial
swarms are to be made, it should be done
early-as soon as the bees are strong ia
numbers, or just before they would issue ISSUE