The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1895-12-17
BEE CULTURE.

Bee culture is an industry which has
been greatly neglected in North Caro-
lima. It cannot be traced to any want
of attention, but results rather from an
inadequate knowledge of the habits of
the bee. One of the principal causes
lies in the defective construction of the
hives. If the hive is not constructed
so as to give the apiarian a correct
knowledge of all that pertains to the
life, habits and instincts Of the bee, he
will certainly make many failures, and
the result of this lack of knowledge has
caused many to abandon entirely the
pursuit of bee cul: ure. The common
bee-keeper may have many stocks OF
bees and may know that there is a
queen, workers and drones, but the
| function of each class and the relations
which ez ist between them are matters
of conjecture with him.
If the means were properly directed
for the labors of a colony, and the
operations Systematically carried out
to secure the desired end, there would
not be the lack of suCca ass so often met
with.
After a swarm has been secured and
placed on it's stand and the bees allowed
to prosecute their labors their success
depends largely on the proper manage
ment, and the knowledge of this man
agement is within the reach of all who
wish to acquire it BE culture need
no longer be regarded as a precarious
pursuit, but one regulated by system,
which can be successfully prosecuted
in North Carolina. 1t requires but
small amount of capital and exacts but
very little time, which can be rendered
in leisure hours.
The aparian should at the outset pro-
cure series Of movable frame hives to
enable him to have perfect control of
his bees. The Langstroth hive is one
of the very best. He should thorough
ly familiarize himself with the best
practices of bee culture. In the first
place he should set about transferring
his bees into movable frame hives from
the ordinary box hives. This can be
done about noon in the working season
when large number Of bees are out
foraging. IT he does not wish to make
the transfer, he can hive his swarms
into movable frame hives. If the bee
keeper expects to accomplish the best
results he must adopt some system of
movable comb hives; he is then in a
position to give his bees ell the atten-
ton they may require. After
completing these preparations he will
be in position to prosecute the work
more satisfactorily.
The opinion prevails that bees live to
good old age, but such is not the case.
This is verified by removing the black
queen from a stock of black bees and
giving them a fertile Italian queen,
which will commence laying eggs, and
in twenty-one days young Italian bees
will commence Matching; and in the
working season when honey is plenti-
full, and the young do the building of
comb and the nursing of the brood, the
old bees do all the foreging, and from
incessant labors die, and in about three
months no black bees will be found in
the stock. By this means anyone can
be convinced of the short life of the
bee; that is, in the working season; but
if an Italian queen is given to a stock
in the fall some of the black bees will
be found in the hive the next spring,
the reason being that they do not for
age after the honey season is over in
the fall, or before spring opens.-J. w.
Hunter, N. @. Experiment Station.
If the aim is to increase the stock of
humus in the soil, the quick and sure
way Is to grow crops for the purpose
and return them direct to the ground.
Nk-,0A