The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1874-10-15
Bee u1tgre.L

A few queen breeders. and vendors OF
| patent hives advise an men, women and
/ children of whatever profession or call
| ing TO keep bees; : that any one can do it
as easy as rolling offa log, but the con-
/ trary has been proven in practice to the
! cost of many person. While will adj
NIT that keeping and caring for few col
onics OF bees requires no great eXpendi-
( ture OF time or money, / am not of those
who advise all 10 90 into the business, for
If they do, five of every six will fail.
let no man or woman ever throw away
money enough 10 pay for stand OF bees
unless the buyer have coBrage and pa
! thence enough to Open n hive in any wea-
ther and handle the combs tbe~same as
they would open a stable door and clean
! OIL horse or milk cow. Neither should
any one buy bees expecting them to- take
care of themselves, for they need care now
and then or theyas0on dwindle5 away aud
are gone. Every one-no matter whether
he lead what is called ascharmed life or
| not-requires the person protected swhile
at work among his bees. To those who
are commencing, and until familiarity
| causes the loss Of fear, a pair of good
gauntlet gloves and q ven are necessary,
but a1terthe fear and trembling occasioned
by the1hought of opening a hive full of
bees has ceased to have its horrors, all
protection except theveil viii be dispensed
with. -----..-.,,.. = j-.-.,7...,-.,
a good bee veil rs made by taking a
yard of blaek netting-costing usually
about Queensland sewing the ends to-
gether, thus making bag open at the top
and bottom. Then with a half-yard Of
fgoOd strong rubber cord, run through the
meshes at the ends, you hayea veil which
eli Of hot
and by drawing up and tying at the neck,
! you have all the protection required, for if
| properly made and adjusted no bee can
! touch your face or neck, consequently
there need be no fear of stings, and be-
sides it is light and one can see through it
nearly as well as if not worn.
With the aboYe-naIned requisites one
San make up his mind toibly some bees
and try his lnck-aifd that '-Sverd :" luck =,
requires an explanation right here. Luck
in bee keeping is simply knowing how to
/ take care of bees and attending to their
wants, whenever they require attention.
! just the same as luck in raising cattle,
horses, hogs or any other kind of stock
no work and no bees.
Always, if possible, buy in the spring.
At that time the hives have the besC lFeney
in the combs, and the risk of wmtering
has passed.
If you buy from man who makes bee
keeping business you will, in nine cases
out of ten, DO best, for no man wishes TO
permit second-class stock to go out of
his apiary who has his interests at stake.
1t is necessary that the hive be pretty
well filled with straight combs, and that
there be number of bees in the hive
dark combs are no objection. In moving
to your house, il in box hive, turn bot
tom up. If in a movable frame hive, if not
! already fixed so they are stationary, have
them made so, and then ventilateS with
Some wire cloth and carry either in good
spring wagon, or pack plenty of hay or
straw around the hive to prevent sudden
jars from breaking the combs. A warm
day should be taken for the, purpose, be-
cause, if very cold, many are lost in wan
Gering about the hive away from the clus-
! ter.
One who has never had any experience
should not buy more than three or four
colonies to begin with, and even a less
number will generally be better until the
few can be successfully managed.
Every hive needs protection from sun
and rain. A few short boards laid on top
loosely with a cross piece under, to give
an air space, is all that is necessary. ~ ..
COntine the boards by laying on top a
heavy stOne-whicfT, by the way, in this
windy country, is-Of;seryice TO keep the
| hive from blowing over. u eFE& 81
Always point your hives to the east, that
the morning sun may prevent those which
fly fromchilling. aWithyeur bees bought,
safely home. and adjusted, we will in fu-
ture numbers follow the subject so that
beginners can work as well with them as
any One-HduSGS Farmer