The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1874-08-07
Bee-keeping.

@-NSEA-S'
/ am glad to notice that the favor
able season has given quite an impetu.
TO this pursuit in Hancock county
Quite large number of our people are
giving it careful investigation and atten
ton One year ago last winter, a large
proportion of the bees in this county
perished from the excessive cold wealth
er. Last season, before harvest, bees
prospered, but the latter part of the
year, the drought caused an utter failure
OF bee-pasture, and many bees, for want
of proper care and attention, persisted.
or were very weak at the commence
ment of the present bee-season. The
present season, up to this time. in this
county, has been an unusually good one.
and, as / said in the start, has given
bee-keeping quite an impetus. There
has been an unfailing supply of white
clover and an abundance of Basswood,
(7UtG americana, which, occasionally
moistened by genial showers and stimu-
lated by sunshine, have kept our little
yellow-eoated friends busy and abund-
antly rewarded their patient industry.
Within the last three years many of
our bee-keepers have commenced the
Use of movable frames, and a few a-e
turning their attention to Italian bees
Those who are willing to give if careful
and pains taking attention will find the
movable frames a great improvement,
whilethose who propose to make the pur
suit a secondary consideration will soon
discover the box-hive, with space above
Tor surplus honey, is the best recepta-
Gle for their bees. There is so much |
humbug connected with patent bee |
hives that no inexperienced person
should have anything to do with a hive
that has not the recommendation of q /
reliable and experienced bee-keeDer
Whlle some styles of hives may be more
exempt from the ravages of the moth
than Others, the man that can invent a
moth-proof hive is yet to be created
Inc careful supervision of the bee-keep-
er VIII do more to prevent the ravages of
TINS insect than all the patent moth
proof devices yet invented. The INTEL
hgent bee-keeper, having his bees in mov-
able frames, will, at least once a week
go the round of his hives, carefully lift
ing out each frame, and examining for
tracks of the moth-worm, which NAV he
destroyed by the use of a sharp-pointed
knife. The worm effects lodgment in
the comb, where it spins itself a siIken
coat of mail impervious to stings Tho
track of the invader may be easily de-
tected, and neither moth nor motb-worm
should be allowed to escape. Untirinp
pursuit and merciless determination is
the only safeguard. To many this care
and attention may seem unnecessary.
but IN Bookkeeping, as in any other pur-
suIts, there are no gains without pains"
AS an instance of the good effect of this
method: Last Spring | found four of
our Italian colonies very weak, and a
careful examination resulted in finding i
them thoroughly infested with worms
The struggle to save them commenced-f
All were overhauled at once, and the in
and all traces of them, thor
'nghIy cleared out. The weakest one
was found in very bad condition, the
worms having undisputed possession of
he outside frames, the few remaining !
bees clustering in the center frames. ap-
dismayed and disheartened.
The contents of the outside frames wera
ut out and burned. One month after.
careful examination revealed the fact
hat this radical treatment had made it
he best colony of the four Now. | :
ccounted for this change for the better | 9
TINS wise: The queen of this colony q
as unusually prolific, and as soon as =.
ne worms were removed she, as the ;,
oys would say, ''went down to business" g
nd soon had eggs enough deposited to q
sure the repopulatiOn of the colony.
ad this treatment been postponed for
few days the worms would have nm IL
'ubtedly destroyed them. From this ex- OF
'rlence also conclude that it will never W
ny to keep queen that is not prolific. eA
the prosperity of your colony altogeth- Dr
depends upon the fruitfuIness of this sy
tie msect-the mother of the whole tn
tn
Inc hrst requisite in successful bee on
'eplng Is short but systematic course of
reading on the subject. Then sbouId fly
me practice on limited scale with sw
70 or three swarms for the first year TIT
should my time permit, 1 may write fee
series OF articles for the JEFFERsoyT,N tht
ION tins interesting subject, which | RAJ
Ne made careful study, the prosecu- the
N OF which has afforded ma ,..I lit
saSure.