The Portland daily press., 1882-08-08
AGRICULTURAL.
The Apiary.
living Bees.

11lNA1B oOOC'
This is rather a simple job to do when ore
knows how to do it, yet how many there are
who seem to think they must comply with
all the superstltious notions OF ages past?
Who has not seen and heard the hdbbub
and fuss of hiving swarm of bees by tie
old method, and too many stick to tfat same
old style yet-the ringingo of bell, pounding
the dish pan, etc., to drown the commands
of the queen. We know now that all TINS Is
useless. If you have trees or bushes handy
for the swarm to cluster on, you Will rarely
lose a swarm, as it is very seldom that one
goes of without first settling. You
should have some good clean hives in cool
place, ready for the swarms when they
come.
If Won have a number of stocks that you
think likely NAV swarm right away and cause
trouble as soon as you see swarm issuing,
fill your garden sprinkler with water ana
sprinkle those stocks that have given signs
of swarming, which will hold them III cnecK
until your swarm already out can Ne nlV e.
IL another begins to pour out after the 1lrst
one is clustered but before you have had
time to hive them, throw sheet over those
clustered to prevent the others from allght-
ing there also. have had as many as three
such clusters covered at one time, o.her
swarms coming out too fast Tor the first 10
get out of the way.
Let your swarm have plenty OF time to
cluster-no need to be in hurry If they clus-
ter well. If they light on some tree or bush
that YOU do not care about marrlng, cut OH
the limb or limbs they are on and carry to
where YOUR hive is, which in this case may
be where YOU want it to say. Place cloth
drawn in front of the hive so the bees can
have clean road 20 the entrance. Holding
your cluster within foot of the entrance,
give it slight shake, enough to throw OIL
part of the bees, which will soon lind the en-
trance, and setting up that happy mum,
which is music to the bee-keeper, will travel
in; then, when they are all well under way,
shake off some more, holding the branch
meanwhile over those shaken down, which
will attract and catch those that may tale
wing Should you shake them all down at
once, and step to one side, you may have the
fun of seeing them form another cluster Tor
YOU to cut down. Watch the corners and
see to it that the stream of bees do not go
down under the hive or alighting board !;
keep them in the ranks by brushing them
back gently with wing, or blowing nght
puff Of smoke in their faces now and then.
Keep them moving till you get them all in,
else your queen may be outside, and the
swarm come out to find her.
It is of importance that you give them II
possible small patch of brood in frame,a
new swarm rarely leaves hive with a
brood in it. Never leave a swarm where it
is hived till shutdown; this is a mistake-one
which loses you many bees, for in less than
an hour they will locate their new home and
be carrying honey and pollen. Ii you have
to do it, then do so as soon as they are all IN
In case your swarm alights away up IN tall
tree or on branches you don't wish to cut of
hsye sack made Of common muslin, about
three feet long and fourteen to sixteen inch
es in diameter. Sew small finger loop on
the bottom of the sack both outside and In.
Bend or 8inch iron rcd into round hoop
for the mouth of the sack, letting the two
ends be welded together three or four inches
to form handle, and sew the ring last TO
the mouth of the bag.
Next get good stout pole OF such a diam
eter and length as to handle best, for the
height of your trees, or make one out OF a
2x2 piece of pine. Bore hole in one END
and insert the handle of the iron hoop, fas-
tening it so it will not turn. Have another
pole Tor inch rod may do with hook on
one end. With these two tools you can get
down cluster from quite high places by US
ing ladder part way. Hold the sack up till
it touches the limb, the cluster being inside,
then give the limb jerk with the hooked
pole, drop the latter and turn the hoop quar-
ter way round, which cloSes TIE sack with
the bees inside. Lover the sack ard carry
to your hive, pat your finger through the
loop on the bottom, end it mouth Gown and
shake out the bees. The loop is to provide
against the crushing of bees inside by grasp
ing with the hand. Turn the sack wrong
side odt by passing it through the hoop, and
the few bees remaining are on the outside.
Should your bees cluster on the body OF a
tree, or down among the roots OF BUSH
place your hive or box up over the cluster,
or next to it as near as you can, and STIR
them up by little smoke on the opposite
side. Soon a few bees will find the way in
and set up their cry, ''here is a home for Us;
come on, boys" and the rest will follow. If
at any time they lag on the way in, and stop
in little clusters, a little puff of smoke, or
drawing small bunch of grass or leaves over
their backs, will start them on again. some
sprinkle the cluster before hiving [ could
never see any advantage in this, any more
than the rant and noise of old times. Keep
quiet and enjoy the music of swarm OF
bees on the wing.