The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1874-06-09

| nay
A swarm of bees In Jane Is worth silver
swarm Of bees in July's not worth single
n.y."
has far more truth than poetry.
We find that by artificial swarming we
obtain earlier swarms, prevent all loss Of
bees by Ascending, aud are able to keep
all our colonies strong SO as to secure
some surplus honey. however poor the
season, and this method is for us q great
saving Of labor. The incessans watching
necessary during two months, where a
largo apisry is allowed to swarm at will.
would be impossible for US. BY our
plan, all divisions are made about the
Same time, aud it is easy to give all the
necessary care. We would, at any time,
rather make an artificial swarm than
hive natural one.
1t is sometimes urged that "bees proba.
bly, know best when the right time for
them to swarm has come !" "their TO-.
stincts are the safest guide" This, though
plausible, is not true. We have known
bees TO make all preparations for swarm.
ing. build queen cells, rear drones, etc..
and then when a sudden change in the
weather occurred, destroy all-invovinp
the necessity of two weeks more prepare.
ton and much loss OF time at the best
season Of the year.
Now, we know, that in the natural
order of things, it will be pleasant and
warm again in few days, and can gov.
ern ourselves accordingly. We have
known cold rain in June to cause bees
to destroy all the drones in the apisry.
to the dsmay of its owner, the bees evi
IDENTIFY thinking summer was over. We
do not allow other animals the right to
decide for themselves iu matters Of i'm.
portaDce, but set our hens, wean our
calves, and break our colts at our pleas.
ure-not theirs,
When bees are in movable comb hives.
they can be divided in various ways.
Every 5ee.keeper of experience has meth.
DDS of his own. We are not writing for
those who do not need our aid, but for
beginners in this pleasant work.
If you have but one or two colonies in
these hives, you may proceed thus, choos.
ing the middle of fiue day as the best,
though not the only time to do it Have
ready another hive of the same size aud
form Of your own, side by side with the
old one. Open the former. first blowing
smoke freely in at the entrance, take Out
comb and look for the queen, who will
usually be found on one of the middle
frames. Put the comb containing her
into the new hive and also another comb
we'll filed with brood and honey. Set
this new hive where the old one stood.
and move that one several yards away.
This is all a; the new hive has the queen,
and the majority of the bees will return
to the old spot and finding mother"
there, will 60 to work with a will to re-
plenish it, while the one retaining the
main part will very soon DO in as good
condition as if DO bees had been taken
from it.
Ifyou have number of colcnie.
hives oil alike, you can, by TAXI = 10
two frames from each, FL = ono OF
move ono ,b.. rattern, and then re.
a new -, you have not disturbed to
o. pace, setting the newly filled one
..nere that stood. Multitudes of bee,
will come to it, and though perplexed foI
a time, will, after finding all the neces
saries Of life in tho new domicie, cleavt
to it and form an excellent colony.
After trying any Of thee ways o.
swarming, you will never go back to tbt
old way Of allowing bees to do es they
please.
A little practice will encourage you tt
go aud attempt still more. Some fact
must be remembered to succeed in thu
matter.
/. A swarm, when 1t comes off natur
ally, does it "advisedly," aud the frs
thing, after taking possession Of their new
home. every bee marks the location,
so as to fly back after an absence. Wher
bees are driven out 'summarily, they vii
not do this, but each bee flies back to thu
old spot. 1t is necessary, therefore. tc
set the new hive in the old spot; enough
bees will remember the looks of the ole
one to serve all practical purposes unit
the young bees hatch,
2. 1t is necessary to have an old queer
or young fertile one with the majorit,
, Of bees in the empty hive; for queenles
, bees build only drone combs, and tn
hives would be filled with them. and thu
be fit for little except storing honey.
, 3. Always, if possible, have one o
) more combs containing brood in the ne,
hive, and the bees will never leave it
e They seem to have the attachment for tn
n brood that all animals have for thei
e young, and will not forsake it.
4. Never attempt to divide oees unit
the colony is strong the earlier in tn
! season that they are thus strong, the bel
J. ter, for the early made colonies are tn
!. ones that store the surplus honey.-Mr!
Ellen s. Turner in Rec Journo1