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

Some people get into fury Of ex-
element whenever they see bee or
hear its hum, though it be only intent
ON gathering q little honey from the
nearest flower. They shout and wal
IIop 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
to your face. In all likelihood it is
only animated by curiosity. Make
! fuss about it, strike it, or get 1t en-,
TANGLED in your clothes or hair, ana
b,an,e yourself if you feel its savelin.
When engaged in collecting honey
or pollen, from tie flowers, no amoGnt
of teasing will csuse 10 to sting unless
YOU hurt or entangle IT. even when
swarm fills the air you may snSly wSlk
about in the midst of it, only let your
motions be slow and deliberate. Should
they alight on your hands or fac$
never mind. they will soon fly again;
they are only resting In such case
go slowly aside, and give yourself
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 ohtrusiveness. 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 filled 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.
2. 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 q hive
by smoke or conclusion, their first i'm
pulse is to ell their honey-bags from
their combs.
4. 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 a common straw hive. We
provide the needful empty skep and
four wood or iron pins, six or seven
inches long, roll of burning rags, un-
less we possess q modern bel
lows, smoker or tobacco pipe, and a
stool or empty pail, on which to steady
the hive while operating. We now APP
, | oh hn hixyn hlOxu thrao fn.lv
whif1is 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
show any sign of being ill-natured, give
them puff occasionally. Set the crown
of the hive on to the stool or pail, anC
see that it is steady, and having the
side where the bees are thickest raised
an inch or two, now fix the empty sker
over the other by sticking two of the
pins into the lower hive, about an incl
or two below the highest part of it,
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 vii
thus touch each other at one side, thu
other being open so Us to give ful
view.
Now commence rapping. gently a
first, but gradually with more force
against the sides of the lower hive. Ii
a few seconds the bees will commence
to run as if for life TO the upper hive
Among them may be seen the queen
sharp lookout be kept. The great ar
here is in keeping the bees i'll one con
tinuous. steady stream. Once they tax
a stand it is not so easy to d. slouS
them. Five to ten minutes should SUI
fee to finish the operation If the roA,n
be warm. The driven bees may nov
be shaken about or tumbled from ont
hive to another without the slightes
risk of stings.
II the weather be cold, or the opera
ton to be performed at season wher
there is no unscaled honey in the hive
little warm syrup should be sprinklee
on the bees before commencing to drive
In our modern hives we use less Ger
emory in dislodging the bees. After ;
Whit of smoke we simply lift the frame.
of comb one at a time, give them
shake in front of the hive or skep w,
want to get the bees into, and in a min
ute whisk off the few that remain will
feather.
In getting bees into hive we eithe,
pour them down in front of it, directing
their course to its entrance with a feath
er, or shake them at once on the top O
the frames, and cover instantly with
cloth.
To secure n swarm that has ISSUED
and clustered en- tree or bush, we ad
wise, if possible, to cut the branch OF
after all are settled. If this be don,
gently, the bees can then be carried I,
the stand they are to occupy, laid dow
at the door of their new hive, and di
rected with feather, as before; other
wise we hold an inverted skep below
the cluster, give the branch one sharl
rap, cover the skep, into which the bee
, will fall, with cloth, and carry it t,
= its future abode.
To make simple examination of
: colony in a bar frame hive, the quilt i
! removed, puff or two of smoke given
and the frames are lifted one at time
with as little jar as possible. Both side
can be examined, the queen seen an,
: captured ii desired, and the entir
: secrets of the hive discovered withou
J hurting bee or receiving sting
Dublin CREAMY Farmers Gazette.