The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1879-07-02
What Bees to Keep.

We are often asked by begin
ners in Bookkeeping: "W hat KIND OF
bees shall we keep ?" To all such
our answer will be to keep Italians.
Ii it is not possible, or even conven-
lent, to obtain Italians at the start,
begin with the common black bees,
and. later, procure one or more pure
Italian queens with which to Italian
ize the stocks. 1t is now almost uni
versally conceded-almost, for there
are still some practical bee-keepers
who prefer the black bees-that I'M
der similar circumstances the Italians
are the most profitable. Prot. Cook,
in his Manual of the Apiary, enumer-
ates no less than eleven points IN favor
of the Italians over the black bees.
Some of these points may not weigh
heavily in the scales, but others are
of prime importance. Fhe main ones
are: First, that they have longer
tongues, and can therefore gathers
from many flowers from which blacks
cannot. Second, they are more active,
and, with the same opportunities,
gather more honey. Third, the queens
are more prolific. Fourth, the yell
low abdomen makes her majesty
more conspicuous, and she can, there:
fore be readily found when looked
for. Fifth, the bee-moth does not
easily gam foothold among the ltal-
ians. Sixth, they are more amiable'
TRANSFERRING.
When bees are purchased, either
in boxes OF in a style OF hives differ
ent from the one the bee-keeper has
decided to use, it becomes necessary
to transfer them. This may he done
at any time, though it is best not to
attempt it too early in the season, as
they cannot readily repair the comb.
Choose a warm day in the latter part
of April or the beginning of May,
when the bees are active gathering
honey. On such day blow some
smoke into the box-hive, invert it,
and above it place the nAovable-frame
hive, in which should be put some
brood and few frames of comb for
the bees to adhere to; wind blan-
ket around the junction to prevent
the bees from escaping, and drum on
the box. In few inmates the bees
will have deserted the box and gone
into the hive above, which should
then be placed on bottom-board and
carefully removed to the colony's for
mer stand in the apiary. Now the
bees are in the new hive adhering to
the new frames of comb previously
placed there, and there being brood
in one or more of these, the bees will
not desert the hive. Next, take the
box into some building TO avoid be-
ing bothered by the bees, and with
saw. chisel and hammer, carefully
take it to pieces, with as little injury
as possible to the comb.
The comb must now be put IN
frames aud these placed i'll the hive
with the bees. Cover a table, or a
piece of board serving as such, with
a thick Goth to prevent injuring the
brood: on this lay the comb, lay the
frame on it; and letting the knife fol-
low the inside of the frame, cut out q
piece of comb that will lit it exactly
No worker brood should be wasted,
as every worker that can be reared
will be needed to carry honey to the
hive. Drones, on the other hand. are
a tax upon the hive instead OF a help,
and at no time should a large number
of drones be tolerated in the apiary
all drone comb and brood should
therefore be cut out. Proceed thus
till all are transferred. Save all the
little pieces of comb that are cut off
these are handy TO use as guide-comb
in other frames. The inexperienced
can easily distinguish drone comb
from worker comb, the former having
the larger cells; and it there is cap.
ped brood, the drone brood projects
further out than the worker brood.
The comb can be better fastened in a
small frame than in large one, hence
in this respect, the Gallup frame,
which measures 114xl14 inches, is to
be preferred. In fastening small
piece, place piece of lath beneath
the comb, and support it by string
tied over the top bar Of the frame
Be careful not to drop any honey
about the apiary, as the bees will |
soon learn that it is much easier to
gather honey when found in bulk. |