Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1871-01-05

SCIENTIFIC BEE CULTURE.

| In the REPUBLICAN of Dec. 18th, 20
we gave statement of our personal
experience fer the Honey season ofls1G
and in corresponding ratio gave the
figures for the profits of an apiary worth
$4,000. The figures look inviting for ju-
dicious management, and We are glad to
know that this department of rural
economy is beginning to receive in
creased attention. Any one commenc-
ing carefully on a small scale can make
it profitable, if the proper course is
pursued, which is to read, till the habits
of the little insects are sufficiently un-
derstood to bring them under control.
That bees can be so managed as to in
crease the amount of honey gathered,
by taking advantage of the knowledge
of their habits and disposition, is no
longer question of doubt. That we
may be better understood we will give
a comparison illustrative of their in
stincts. For instance, if man should
have his house overthrown by hurri-
cane, and his property greatly damaged,
his provisions destroyed, &C., his instinct
and knowledge will tell him winter is
coming by and by, and if he is dis
couraged at first, he will work the harder
to make up the loss. So if bees are
swarmed artificially, and at once thrown
upon their labors, our experience is
that one such swarm is worth more
than any natural swarm. Also if you
use the mel-eXtractor judiciously, the
increase of honey is certain result. To
prove this, let any bee-keeper take two
good sworms as near alike as they can
find them, set them in the same apiary
and give them alike opportunities every
way, only put one in an old fashioned
hive with all the Improvements for box
honey you can get, and put the other one
in single Langstroth hive. When it
has filled its frame with combs, add an
other full story of frames and combs,
and as often as they are filled with honey
throw it out with the machine, and at the
end of the season compare the amount of
honey gathered by the one in the box
hive with the one in the Langstroth hive.
The result will surprise those who
preach up the old "let-them-alone" sys-
tenn, box hives, patents all humbugs, &C.,
&c. If it is desired to have new swarm
make two sets of combs, or to fill 20
frames when the first set (10) is full,
take them out of the hive and put empty
frames in the place of them, then add
your second story and put the frames.
that you took out of the bottom, above
the empty ones, put on honey board and
cap as before, and the bees will COM
mence at once to build combs below,
and as fast as the combs are built the
Queen will deposit eggs in them, thus
making the lo,eer story the brooding
chamber, and as fast as the brood matches
in the combs you put in the upper story,
the cells will be filled with honey, if this
management is done in the proper sea-
son. When the bees begin to cap the
honey in the upper frames, take them
out and empty them, and so on as often
as filled. Of course it is matter clear
ly understood that no colony OF bees,
few in numbers, or as we term them,
weak, would amount to anything with
any mode of management, short of be-
ing made very strong. Strength is the
talisman of success. To be strong in the
right season is the most important fea-
ture of bee-keeping, then comes the i'm
proved appliances. In the future we will
write about the best manner, and best
time to excite breeding to increase
stocks for the honey harvest.
A. B. FREY.