The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1894-04-28
FARMER AND PLANTER
THE CARE OF BEES.
a Few Spring Hints to Those Who Keen
the Busy Insects


ter, hut as soon as spring opens they
should have proper attention given
them II one expects to secure the best
results the coming season. Every hive
needs to be carefully examined, and
all dirt and dead bees should be re-
moved. Some bees are sure to die in
the hive during the winter, and there
will be more or less accumulation of
art on the bottom of every hive. If
the dirt is left there it will furnish a
breeding place for the moth miller,
and as soon as the warm weather sets
In they will be sure to take advantage
OF it. Before one is aware of it he will
have hives with the combs filed with
moth larvae instead of young bees.
II the bottom of the hive is movable,
the process of cleaning up is very
simple one. All one has to do is to
loosen the bottom and remove it, set
ting the hive on the lid until he is
ready to put it in place again. After
the bottom is removed all dead bees
should be brushed off, and the bottom
thoroughly cleaned by scraping off all
dirt, propolis, etc, with an old knife
or something of that kind. When the
bottom has been replaced, then all of
the combs should be removed, OF u suf-
ficient number of them to enable the
operator to know the exact condition
OF the colony. The idea is to see that
they have plenty of honey and a good
queen. He can judge of the latter by
the quantity of brood he finds in the
hive.
The hives, however. should not be
opened unless it is warm enough for
the bees to fly, and then they should
not be kept open any longer than is
absolutely necessary to accomplish the
work in hand. The young brood is
very easily chilled. so that the warmer
it can be kept-during the spring
months the better it will be for the
colony. Another reason for not leav-
ing the combs exposed any longer than |
is necessary is that the bees can be |
very easily started to robbing this time
OF year, when there is no honey to be |
gathered and they are anxious to get |
all they can in order rear brood an d |
build up the colony. If they once get |
started to robbing, they are almost
sure to destroy some of the weak
colonies before they can be stopped.
All combs are to be put back
into the hive in the same order
in which they were before the
hive was opened; for, if they
are not, the brood nest must be spread
out so that the bees can not keep all of
the brood warm, and the result will be
that some of it will perish. AS young
bees are very valuable in the spring it
is important that none of the brood be
permitted to die from carelessness.
All colonies found short of stores
should be fed so that they may have
plenty of food in the hive to carry them
along safely to fruit bloom. They need
not only enough to keep them alive,
but surplus on which to feed the
young brood. For, if there is not plenty
OF food in the hive to feed the young
larvae, the queen will not lay many
eggs; and as the value of colony de-
ponds on the quantity of bees in the
hive when the main honey flow begins,
it is very important that they be kept
rearing brood as fast as possible until
that time arrives. u
To return now to the cleaninp-out
process, l will say if the hives used
have the bottoms nailed fast, a good
way to proceed is as follows: Take an
extra hive and remove all of the
and clean it out thoroughly.
Then remove from the stand on which
It is sitting the first hive to be over
hauled, and put the empty hive on the
stand, placing the other hive by the
tide of it. Carefully transfer all of the
frames in the hive containing the bees !,
20 the one upon the stand, being care |
'ul to replace them in the new hive in ,
he same order in which they came out
II the old. The operator will have an S
opportunity to examine the condition {
" the colony while making the trans
er. 8
After the combs are all removed the i
'ees remaining in the old hive can be 8
'ently Jared out in front of the new a
me, and then after thoroughly clean. G
ng the hive from which You have taken
he bees, 1T can be utilized for the next
olony. and SO on until all hives have
'een cleaned and the colonies carefully
xamined. BY working in this wav S
ne can overhaul large number of e
olonies in short space of time. Some 9
nay think this going to good deal of
rouble 'just for few bees" but I r
gant to say that just a very little
tronble" makes all the difference be- II
ween success and failure in bee cul. .
ure. There may be lust few bees, II f
ut that few bees means dollars in the +
wner's pocket if the season proves to h
9 good one, and he gives them proper {
are. IL
Even if the season is a bad one. it win p
ay to look after them at the right
me, as only those who do this get any O
oney during such seasons, when the /,
oney is snre to bring good price If G.
laced on the market. :,
II any colonies have died during the .
inter, the combs should all be taken ii
ut and the dead bees brushed off from n