Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1884-06-13


Some people get into fury OF ex-
citement whenever they see bee or
hear its hum, though it be only intent
on gathering little honey from the
nearest flower. They shout and wal
lop about them with hands or handker-
chiefs. as if they were being attacked
by an enemy. Such are just the people
who generally get stung. Let the bee
alone, even though it is buzzing close
10 your face. In all likelihood it is
only animated by curiosity. Make a
fuss about it, strike it, or get it en-
tangled in your clothes or hair, and
blame yourself if you feel its javelin.
When engaged in collecting honey
or pollen from the flowers, no amount
Of teasing will cause it to sting unless
] you hurt or entangle it. Even when a
swarm fills the air you may safely walk
about in the midst of 1t. only let yonr
motions be slow and deliberate. Should
they alight on your hands or face,
never mind. they will soon fly again;
they are only resting. In such O case
go slowly aside, and give yourself q
gentle shake or two, but refrain from
brushing or beating at the bees. Avoid,
however, standing in the line of the
flight OF bees going from or returning
to their hives. At such times they have
such. an impetus that before they are
aware of your presence they get en-
tangled In your hair, and are apt to re-
sent your obtrusivepess. SO much for
ones passive behavior. Let us now
suppose ourselves engaged in necessary
action. First let us learn these princi.
pies:
/. Bees never attack when their
stomachs are filed with honey or other
liquid sweet. This is their normal con-
dition when swarming, and therefore
they are then harmless, as also when
returning laden to their hives.
?. Neither do they attack when
thoroughly frightened. We brighten
bees by blowing smoke among them, or
by rapping rather violently ON their
hives.
B. When bees are alarmed in hive
by smoke or conclusion. their first i'm
pulse is to fill their honey bags from
their combs.
A: Bees in hive that is constantly
being raped against will in few min
utes rush bodily out from among their
combs into an empty skep or box set
over them.
Suppose now we wish to get all the
bees out of common straw hive. We
! provide the needful empty skep and
four wood or iron pins, six or seven
inches long, a roll of burning rags, un.
less we possess a modern bel
lows, smoker or tobacco pipe, and a
stool or empty pail, on which to steady
the hive while operating. We now APP
proach the hive. blow three or four
whiffs of smoke into the entrance to
drive in any loiterers, gently raise the
edge from the floor board. and repeat
the smoking. Without the least jar,
now lift the hive boldly up. and gently
turn the mouth upward. If the bees
show any sign of being ill-natured, give
them puff occasionally. Set the crown
of the hive on to the stool or pail, and
see that it is steady, and having the
side where the bees are thickest raised
an inch or two, now fix the empty skep
over the other by sticking two of the
pins into the lower hive, about an inch
or two below the highest part of its
edge, so as TO support the edge of the
empty skep. The other pins, sharp
ened at both ends, are placed as sup
ports between the skeps. They will
thus touch each other at one side, the
other being open so rs to give full
view.
Now commence rapping, gently at
first, but gradually with more force,
against the sides of the lower hive. In
a few seconds the bees will commence
to run as if for life TO the upper hive.
Among them may be seen the queen if
sharp lookout be kept. The great art
here is in keeping the bees in one con-
tinuous, steady stream. Once they take
stand it is not so easy to dislodge
them. Five to ten minutes should suf-
fee to finish the operation If the room
be warm. The driven bees may now
be shaken about or tumbled from one
hive TO another without the slightest
risk of stings.
II the weather be cold, or the opera
ton to be performed at season when
there is no unscaled honey in the hive,
little warm syrup should be sprinkled
on the bees before commencing to drive.
In our modern hives we use less cer-
emony in dislodging the bees. After a
Whit of smoke we simply lift the frames
of comb one at time, give them a
shake in front of the hive or skep we
want to get the bees into, and in min
ute whisk off the few that remain with
feather.
In getting bees into hive we either
pour them down in front of it, directing
their course to its entrance with feath-
er, or shake them at once on the top Of
the frames, and cover instantly with a
cloth.
|. To secure a swarm that has issued
and clustered en- tree or bush, we adj
wise, if possible, to cut the branch of
after all are settled. If this be done
gently, the bees can then be carried to
the stand they are to occupy, laid down
at the door of their new hive, and di-
rected with feather, rs before; other
wise we hold an inverted skep below
the cluster, give the branch one sharp
rap, cover the skep, into which the bees
Will fall, with cloth, and carry it to
its future abode.
To make a simple examination of a
colony in bar frame hive, the quilt is
removed, puff or two of smoke given,
and the frames are lifted one at time,
with as little jar as possible. Both sides
can be examined, the queen seen and
captured if desired, and the entire
secrets of the hive discovered without
hurting a bee or receiving a sting
Dublin (Ire'a'ad) Farmers Gazette.