Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1897-07-23

SOMETIMES tOlSpllF ~ III the NOiioiH VI
those whom the gods seem to favor
That money is to be made in bee keep
ing goes without saying. but those who
| depend solely upon this sort of bust
mess for their livelihood are, all things
considered, likely to have a meager
one. if they do not come 10 grief alto
grther," and the speaker. an old bee
keeper, deliberately pinched off cou-
pie of superfluous queen cells from
the frame he was examining and slip
ped it gently down among the gold
banded Italians that buzzed and flut-
tered around his hands.
"A great many more people would
keep bees if they We're not afraid of
them, and they are afraid of them
simply because they do not take the
trouble TO get acquainted with them.
If | kept a flock of pigeons and went
near them but once ia a few weeks and
then made a great deal of fuss if they
came near me. the probabilities are
that they would beat their lives out
against the bars of the cage. 1t
sounds rather troll to many persons to
talk about getting intimately acquaint-
ed with honey bees. but | can say from
experience that this is entirely possible
and that most Ieople can handle bees
with perfect safety and comfort if they
only set about it in the right way.
Quiet, deliberate handling is one OF the
necessities, and contact and familiar
fly with the pretty creatures breeds
admiration and respect. never get
n sting unless | hurt one of the bees
or happen TO come across one of the
cranks that almost every hive con-
tains. 1t IS a curious fact that even
in the gentlest colonies there may be |
two or three exceedingly ill-tempered |
bees They VIII follow one all about |
the place. almost into the house: some
times quite through the door. I make |
ii a rule to kill such bees whenever I |
find them. They are annoying and not
worth keeping. The hives should be
opened. II possible. on a bright sum
ny day. when there is little or no
wind. A breeze blowing across the
hive irritates che bees, and on duh
lays the majority of them are likely
to be hanging around home. When
he weather is clear and sunshiny. they
are out fOrasing for nectar, and the
1--WE will contain not much more than
half the usual number of workers
Whenever a hive is opened there are
NO things to think OF. One is TO see
hat the queen is there and all right:
t+s other to examine for queen cells.
I there are capped cells one must
Tther destroy them OF remove the
rame to queenless colony or start a
ew one. 1t is possible to almost en-
rely control swarming, and it is much q
as!er to pinch cut the queen cells than ,
D chase an absconding colony ND hill =
nd down dale. and then be Obliged TO !;
limb trees ana saw limbs. with the
harees against the hunter of getting :
le swarm intact. Handled on proper !
mes eight or ten colonies of bees :
ught to pay the grocer's bills for
nall family. Almost all grocers will :,
Ika 81 few pounds OF honey. and It -
'urts up rapidly. Of course it is not -
cant by this bit of counsel that every :,
edy should go to raising honey. as =
lat would be as improvident as for =
err man to turn blacksmith or car =
'nter. AS an exclusive business bee -
seping is not to be recommended =,
1t as a supplementary occupation TO ~
her pursuits, it is one of the most adj -
irable and least laborious of the ~
Oney methods whereby one may turn /
honest penny.