The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1876-11-01

again and let him go till he falls down
a second time; let him get up imme.
diately and hitch him up, and you will
probably never have any more trouble
with him."
Bookkeeping to Beginner.
An experienced bee-keeper says {:
"John has desire to keep bees. Let
him take measures to know his bust
ness, examine the subject, and what
may from such examination seem I'm.
favorable, is often an advantage. If
he has been trained to think that the
simple act Of buying four hives Of bees
will secure competence, let him be
undeceived. If he is sufficiently cred
ulous to take the marvellous tales of
the patent-vender, that his particular
hive, and no other, will male him rich
without an effort on his part, let him
be undeceived. If he is indolent, and
hopes to escape the necessity of labor
by procuring bees to do it for him, I
beg that he will not disgrace the bust
ness by undertaking and failing. If
he feels that he has an exemption pass
-"bees never sting me''-and suppos-
es that he will have no case of suffl-
cient provocation for them to sting,
and bases his fitness on that alone, he
will feel differently after a little ex-
perience. Ifhe dare not risk the pos
sibility of a sting when protected as
he can be now, or let's the fear Of one
prevent the performance Of any duty
until tomorrow or next week, he will
find the profits small. With kees more
than many other things, very much
depends on doing proper things at the
right time. A good way to test his
qualifications for Bookkeeping is to ex-
anime his way Of doing things in the
past.
If he has been so unfortunate in his
training as to form habits Of Incidence
or negligence in his farming opera
ton, until all chances of remuneration
are lost not so much from non-per-
formances as for not performing the
proper thing at the proper time, and
failed to make it pay in consequence
he will not be likely to do better with
bees. If his training has induced a
study of natural history, and he is
familiar with the habits Of many
things about him and of bees in par
tlcular, or has wish to become ia
miliar, and has energy to carry good
resolve into effect, and can spare the
time necessary from other duties to do
it, I would advise few bees, to begin.
If he is conversant with the best books
and papers on the sucject, whic h he
should be, he will not need much in
struction until he gets the first colony.
Should he begin in spring, which is
the best time, let him get some one
better acquainted with them than him.
self, if possible, to make the first pur-
chase. In the absence Of such assis.
lance, would say, first, Italians, in
movable combs, are most desirable.
Select from large number, if possible.
The best stocks are not the heaviest.
A large colony is verv important.
There should be bees in the spaces
between five or six combs, at. least.
To ascertain this point in the box-hive,
turn it bottom up, without EARRING,
some clear, cool morning, and let the
sun shine directly into the hive. If
the stock is an old one, there is anoth-
er point to be ascertained at this time;
see whether it contains foul brood--a
disease to be described another time.
It will show itself now by some of the
breeding-cells, outside the cluster be-
ing sealed, and containing dead larvae.
Never take such stock, even as a gift.
If it is a movable-comb hive, it may
be examined on a warm day. I forgot
to say that it is we'll to be protected
with veil over the face, and gather.
around the throat, and use a little
lsmoke to keep the bees quite ; lift out
the combs, and examine one by one
the bees will be little more scattered
on the combs than when cooler. One
point more can be ascertained with
movable combs that is, if a queen is
present all thrifty hives should now
brood iii all stages, from the egg to the
mature bee !; the brood would indicate
her presence without the trouble of
Hndino her