Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1876-09-14
Changing the situation Of Hives,

1t often happens that the beekeeper
for some reason or purpose finds it
necessary to get a stock transported
to a new situation in the apiary before
the dormant season arrives. One of
the plans usually recommended, is to
move it daily towards the intended
sight by short stages, of about two feet
at time.
Another and more efficient plan some.
times adopted, is to take the stock to a
distance of not less than a mile, and
after allowing it to remain there three
weeks, to bring it home and set it on
the stance prepared. Both these
methods are attended with considera-
ble trouble, but it must be apparent the
difficulty of shifting a hive would be
greatly reduced if we could put it's
bees into the condition peculiar to a
swarm. This is what we attemp to af-
feet whenever we transport stock
from one side of our garden to the
other.
Our procedure is as follows: If the
bees acc in common straw skep, we
drive out half Of their number with
the queen, into an empty one-and put
the driven bees on the old stance, and
the skep, from which they were eject.
ed, on the new, leaving them thus till
the following morning.
Then, before many bees are astir-
we drive again the elected bees, with
their queen, into another empty skep,
and place them for few hours as near
as possible to the hive from which
they were first driven. These driven
bees now act like aswarm, and, as they
successfully 60 out, examine and make
themselves acquainted with their new
tituatlon. Toward midday we shake
shem out in portions on to a new:pa-
per, and make them run into the origi.
nal skep.
If a hive containing frames is to be
shifted, let it, early in the afternoon,
be carried at once to the place it is in
tended to occupy, and there opened.
Look over the frames, till the one
which has the queen is found. Take
tn frame to the vicinity of the old
stance, and, by jerk send queen and
bees from it into a skep that has bsen
used, and to which fragments of comb
adhere. Adjust the skep on the stance,
and restore the frame to its place in
the removed hive. The skep will re-.
ccive all bees that are not out in the
fields, when they come home, and all
the more aged bees that will return
from the shifted hive, as soon as they
discover the absence of their queen.
Early in the morning following,
drive, as before, queen and bees in the
skep into another empty one, and set
them besied the frame hive, and join
at midday.
If the nights are cold, to prevent in.
jury to brood from only a small num-
Der of bees being left, the driven hive
should be taken before dusk into a
warm, dark room and kept there till
next day.
This method of moving hives to a
little distance is moro convenient than
any other we have tried. and we have
often practised it with success.
About Milking.
Five per cent. and perhaps ten, can
be added to the amount of milk oh
tanned from the COWS of this country.
if the following rules are inexorably
followed:
l. Never hurry COWS in driving to
and from pasture.
2. Milk as nearly at equal intervals
as possible. Half-past five in the
morning and six at night arc good
hours.
3. Be especially tender to the cow at
milking time.
4. When seated draw the milk as
rapidly as possible, being always GER
tain to get it all.
S. Never talk or think of anything
besides what you are doing when milk.
ing.
s. Offer a caress, and always a
soothing word when you leave her.
The better she loves you, the more
free and complete will be her abandon
rs YOU sit by her side.