The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1885-10-14
A VISIT TO A BEE FARM.
A PLACE WHERE MILLIONS OF BEES
ARE AT WORK.

PLACE WHERE MILLIONS OF BEES
ARE AT WORK.
Making q Homo for a Big Family
Wnr on R0bbcr Rces-Bnby bees
and Bcc Food.
A tortuous path, ovcrhung with crook
ed old trees, leads from the Germantown
lane to the Wissahickon bee farm, one OF
The largest in this State. 1t is in o pic
turesoue and historical locality. Near
by is the burial place of several monks,
who long ago tenanted m adjoining
monastery, since merged into farm
house. The Wissahickon bee farm has
120 hives, with about 25, 900 beesi in each
hive, placed on terraces and watched
over by hundreds of sunhowers.
"You are in luck's way" said Arthur
Todd, the proprietor. Zone of my colo
nies is swarming. It is unusual and un.
desirable at this season. The weather
has been so mild that the bees have mis-
taken it for spring."
A cloud of bees was rising in the air.
It hovcred about hickory tree and dis
appeared among its topmost branches.
Forty thousand bees had Loyalty followed
their queen and alghted with her. The
apiarst proceeded to capture them,
which he did by using "smoker" and a
wood box. He climbed the tree without
any face covering and took the insects by
handfuls without being stung.
''Now these fellows want to start
housekeeping on their own account he
said, "and l must furnish them homo
or they will run away. Scientific bec-
keeping has rendered this easy of accom-
plishment. The hives are all of one size,
so that frames can be put together with
dispatch"
A hive was rapidly constructed and the
master of the bees scooped them up with
both hands, placed them on the tops of
the frames, which form artificial combs,
and the bees at once went in and the
cover was put on. Then he took the
box and emptied its noisy contents in
front of the hive. Each bee of the vast
throng Immediately turned its head
toward its future home and moved on.
"Now just listen to their hum," said
Mr.. Todd. "It's different hum to their
ordinary one. They arc starting fresh
colony, and the hum is song of rcjoic-
ing. BY and by the hum will be sub
dued. That will be contented hum.
Yes, bees express their feelings. Those
with vicious tempers will hum about like
buzz.saw. The cyprian is one of that
class. He is a good worker, but he's
such an almighty stinger that bee-keep-
ers won't have much to do with him.
The Italian bee has low, sweet hum. in
dicating docility. He won't attack you
unless he is provoked. Then he dashes
about like o moth after light, aud his
hum says plainly I'm mad"
Bees are instinctively Industrious,
which accounts for their hatred of
thieves. Their laws are unwrittcn but
severe. Illustrative of this: Several
robber bees had entered hive and be-
gan stealing honey. Sounds OF wrath
were Immediately heard within. Soon
afterward a crowd of bees came outside,
where they fcrociously assaulted each
other. The war lasted two hours. At
dusk over hundred bees were lying in
front of the hive with their legs up.
The bees were bringing out their slain
foes and throwing them out irreverently.
A pretty specimen of stately Syrian
queen bee was pointed out. Its mother
was born in the Holy Land. 1t is two
months old and may live three years. 1t
has golden shield on the thorax and
small mark like black half moon. 1t
is swift on the wing, flies long distance
in search of flower petals and is strong
and active. The race is numerous near
Jerusalem. Monks residing there believe
that Syrian bees have descended from
the first bees given to man. A queen
ranges in value from $50 to 500, the
price being governed by purity of breed.
The introduction of the queen bee into
a colony is an important item in bee
farming. She is put in separate cell,
with provisions. The bees eat their way
into her cell and escort her thence to
their combs, where she wanders about,
always with innumerable courtiers in her
train. If she entered cell without
this introduction she probably would be
killed.
The baby bee is hardy from the time
he leaves his cell and is strong enough
to fly. He is not allowed that liberty,
however. until he is domesticated. The
big bees teach him how baby bees ought
to behave when at home. He nurses the
grubs and serves the young queens with
food. When he is perfect he goes out
with his elders in quest Of honey, and
soon develops into an elder himself.
The principal sources Of food are the
maple, poplar, and :'jolly smoker trees,
which abound in the neighborhood of
the farm. There are clover fields not
far away whose crops are fertilized by
the humble and honey bees who visit
them. Mr.. Todd has seven or eight
acres of buckwheat, representing the
winter supplies for the bees.
"There is one matter connected with
bee farming" said Mr.. Todd, "that has
not been ventilated much as yet. The
bee laws are imperfect, indeed they are
in chaotic state. They are not suf-
tic;cntly defined to protect bee farmers
against people who are so ignorant as to
suppose bees will molest cattle and de-
stroy crops. A case is now in the courts
in which bcc-kecper named Frceborn
is being sued by a farmer for $500 dam
ages done by bees swarming on the
clover fields of the plaintiff and pre-
venting his sheep from grazing. A bee'
keepers union is the outcome of this ac-
ton. The stings of bees are used by
homeopathic doctors in the form of
medicine called "spis," as remedy for
rheumatism, diarrhoea and several other
ailments"
Bees are methodical in their habits
sometimes almost human. AS night
draws on they return to their hives and
the majority retire at respectable hour.
Some old fosies linger about the stoop,
as though smiling the evening breeze. A
few young scapegraccs hang about the
sunhowcrs, possibly making love to
them, humming to them in low, musical
tones. When all have gone to rest there
is peculiar mingling of bee harmonies
among the hives. Millions of bees join
in the refrain. The bees are aboard
with the first streak of day.-Philad"lphia
Times.
The C0bra's Poison.
The effect of the poison of the cobra
~, lad ht~u nrr