American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1872-01-06
Value and Management of Small
SWarmAOf Bees.

=
Oh one or two DECISIONS | have called
the attention of the bee keeper to the
keeping of small swasns each by itself,
rather than to put two lDr three of these
light sWarms into omen as is the usual
practice While it is true that a strong
colony will stand more exposure than the
weak ones it does not follow that there
is any great necessity for undue exposure.
Suppose we have three weak swarms in
the fall, it is better to give them a shell
tered location, and keep them separate,
/ than to put them all in one hive. We
must bear in mind that the bees that are
winteTCd over die very eahv in the
| spring hence, the large number of old
bees add nothing to the value of the
swarm at the opening Of spring but it is
| the young bees that have been Matched
after the severe cold of winter is past
that give the greater value and upon
which depends the future Of the swarm.
We will suppose the hive has abundant
empty cells for the reception of the eggs
of the queen As these begin to hatch
in order, the young bees in turn care for
the brood, which is thus brought forward
as fast as required and, when the spring
is really open, the hive is full of Young
bees, that have the summer before them.
Such Il swarm IS, therefore as valuable
or more so, than the hive that is filled
with old bees or those of last season.
The object is, therefore, to take such
care of all weak sWarms, that, when the
breeding season arrives, they will be
ready TO fill the combs with young brood.
These small sWarms were not, all Of
them, weak small swarms in the begin
ming. Some of them came of strong at
the start, but, the honey crop failing for
Il time, the breeding of young bees be
came partly suspended, and the swarm
was gradually reduced in numbers. 1t is
difficult for one to realize the constant
drain of life that there is on swarm of
bees. Every rain-storm, every high wind,
the depreciation of cannibal insects, and
of insect-catng birds, make constant
drain on the numbers of these busy work
crS. Under ordinary conditions it would
appear impossible for them TO struggle
through and to maintain the unequal fight.
For these reasons we must study their
habits, in order TO be able to aid them
against all untOward conditions that sur
round them. We have certainly made one
step in the field of progress when we are
able to care for the weak swarms, and to
bring them through the cold of winter to
the first bright days of spring, when the
vcrnal flora begin to gladden. the borders
of the lawn. We may have given them
sheets of comb taken from more fortunate
SwaimS; we may have given them melted
sugar; but we must have given them shell
ter from the storms and extreme cold of
winter, or they would not be alive when
the croCus or the datiodil sends up its
tiny shoots, tipped with white, purple or
yellow.
Thi. seosnu has hecn 50 rroliGc in loro-
continued droughts in so many narts 9f
the rnnntrv tI,9t if Inns tenIrd ~ Ieava
Ms q larre number of weak svarms that
viii re,,nirc nur hest care to hrinr them
fbronrh the winter. Int we mist beor in
mind that all these swarms mnst I'm mn
thrir nnn,hrr, ne soon ~ the,, reach tbp
season of abundant food II is v,al
worth nnr's while 10 give Them attention
for mo, hi. will Innrnd q, mood etort fn,
the coming season. Now is fine time to
Inol, tn this ana ia he SIRE In rive nII tbn
,,-cat syyaru,s tirst a yond ,ya1n, cn,-pn,
in The dr., rrIlar - ir, roo,n NJ Inv shoI
trt.irg lion, from tbr wind Inv - rGveri,,,,
of rrolp..t,Il,s IVn,nust oI.oI o.,
in mini thot small su.,Ins will nnt Loar
,,,,oh ventilation. tb.,- h.ya ma hno.- -,
.,,.,,e .,nL u,,,.t tber,.f,r. Inc Ion, o,,t 81
.,Id ,.rrre,,t. ,f mir Fnr MI. r,n.,r ,I,a
ort,s,,c,. ,,,yt h, r,.,,I,. ,InsoI So tI,.,t H.,
49,, a., IN I.,,,,,,.l g., IN -, f,,, ,i'
t,,,. tl,.',, i,, i,,,,,,,,, 81 l.,,I,;,., ''''
r. ~ ~ .,
lo-uaA '',e'ciiip'i ~ We Hc haNlhS .
ilo3F! la,' oi SNOW nav neeh OUT To /
'ooh ~ INC ni''S' aHu l'llu VIC entrance
Oh ii'ilN ~ ,ltIl' i'ittty "eH oiockGu up; .
nut nav ''Il "l' az -''"ic III o''n none!
board anu On tapping On 'hc hINeS' ma
'l'a' ttc Ihu'g'cS Ic"''Iiy answer 10 my
'uiiiilIohS' anu l't"'h nv uo"SN s'rall
VI nan upI 'h"'l5 ptc'' i Put my ihputl
70 the hGl'' ana mo" tl' warm orcath
among 'h"m Nnch me W'r,hoteS are sem
loIjl' All r'ShI my iille uaII'lSs'
VIII put ON lhV ca ana lc'Nc YOU inr tlC
present. pu' inc urs' sunny gay VIII
see mat new shcet OF COMP De placed
IN lhc center OF your hlN', provided that
lhg last one IS nearly all consumed
inns doctrine OF lhe Mlhtellng OF small
weak sWarms IS comparatively new to
many, for the books have all told Us that
he best way was to double them, ana to
>ill all the extra queens. AND, just here,
WISH To make another point IN regardto
lutchlcss sNaIlns.
We lose many swarms Tor the want OF
queens. In the late S"ai'ile' we are ilable
10 lose me queen Whch shc goes out 10
meet inc droncs, belhg destroyed ny
llruS, or Iosl III storms OF "'hd OF ram.
Vi course these ne" sNaiihs nave DO
means OF making good inc loss Tor as yet
hey have no young proof from winch To
reproduce lhe queens; mere are also
pined' are llaple 10 ElNc mort OF ieSs
Iueenless S"arms. Now we may look
out these s"aIms, ana auu them 20 small
SWarmS. In this way we add 10 The small