The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1879-11-28
BEE CULTURE.
[For the ouachita telegraph.

BEE CULTURE.
[For the Ouachita Telegraph
The necessity of having water plen-
tifal for bees has, up to few years,
been but partially understood; nor does
there seem much use in our trying to
do so, living in a country where
streams and rivers abound; still there
are many who do not live near such
streams, and who depend upon cisterns
and wells for the water they use, two
sources that afford but scanty allow
ance for bees; and as this is of great
importance to a we'll regulated bee
yard, it is we'll not to pass it by un-
have water is proved every day during
our long dry summers, by them how
ering around the water spilled at the
wells and cisterns, and along the edges
OF our streams. 1t has been said by
some that they are gathering the mud,
but not so; their long proboscis is so
formed that they are able to draw by
suction the water out of the mud; mud
that looks to our naked eye like one
mass, but seen through microscope
is divided into minute pools and min
ute Jumps of earth; the long tongue of
the bee dives into the pools and is
quickly filled. When thus filed it be.
comes very heavy, and the advantage
of having the hives low on the ground
is now seen. A bee when loaded as
sends in the air and takes its course
home. If it be high in tree it may
have to rest upon some limb before it
can rise to the place; if low on the
ground b -
descend and comes down with great
rapidity, rarely missing the entrance,
yet it will now and then do so, and
will rest on the ground or grass in
front, then crawl slowly home.
Bees need water to work the pollen
with, in making the jelly that they
feed to the larva; they need it to thin
the old thick honey upon which they
feed themselves, or to dissolve the
honey when it sugars, which often &C.
ours in cold weather, and to moisten
the gum in working propolis. Many
devices have been used to save them
long flights after water, tubs with
shavings, inverted bottles in saucers,
pans with floats, some have even had
fountains placed about their grounds;
and indeed the tasteful bee-keeper can
adorn his bee-yard with many pretty
same time useful to the bee.
1t is recommended by persons living
in very cold climates to supply their
bees in the winter with water put in an
empty comb, to induce them to con-
tinue brood raising, but there is not
the least need of such inducement here,
as no matter how severe our winter
may be, I have found brood in the
hives the year round. But he that
would have the stinest, fairest, latest"
bees, must leave no leaf unturned, neg.
lect not the smallest thing that will
save these little insects such long flights,
and in the end will insure him such
grand results. Bees are like all beings
of the animal kingdom, they need at
tention and the strictest watch, and
the higher you rise in bee culture the
higher your bees will go with you.
The wild hog of the woods is called
the s'razor-back, long, lean and lank,
half starved and always hungry. What
is he, taken home, cared for and fed I?
And just the same with bees; those in
the woods are small, black, drawn-up,
half starved, and live the toughest
lives, and hence they are called ssthe
wild black bee." I have brought such
from the woods, and after few weeks
cared for, we'll fed, properly hived, and
taught proper manners, they became
as sleek and as glossy as the oldest
hive had.
Let those who have bees remember
when he takes a drink of cold water
in our hot dry summer, that the same
thirst exists in his hives, and if not
assisted in their efforts to obtain good
clean water, that his bees will suffer
just AS much in proportion as lot of
sheep or calves confined in a dry pas
ture; and his great care should be to
supply every want of theirs in his
power, then will they in return supply
that luscious nectar for which he is
working. AuMo.
ANIMALS FOR AUTUMN SOWING.