Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1897-03-02
ANOTHER SIDE OF BEE cuLruRe.

ANOTHER SIDE OF BEE CULTURE.
Rev. c. NJ. Herring spoke most truly
recently in the Maine Farmer when ht
said that The gumption In handling
bees Is mostly in the determination and
love we have for the work."
There are some persons who should
not keep bees. The tickle, the careless
aud the negligent man will as surely fall
In be culture "a in any occupation he
may pursue. So many people read or
hear of the success some person has had
In keeping bees, they have an idea that
all they have got tn do Il To buy COZ
ony OF bees, ses item out OF doors, and
In the fall gather in the honey. Oae or
two seasons viii convince them OF their
mistake. We are much more apt 10
write OF our success than Of our troubles
so thought this time | would give you
little OF the other side, or the expert
ence had with one of nv colonies last
season.
The last OF July | noticed that one of
nv colonies. which had been one Of the
best in the spring and which had thrown
out two good swarms, were not working
ss they should. Upon examination
found them queenless and with no brood
from which TO rear one.
immediately sen: TO j. Il. Mason of
Mechanic Falls for a full blooded Italian
queen, which | received August 18th.
She was one Of the most beautiful queens
ever saw. Her body WAS nearly OF a
solid gold color, long and tspering, sug-
gestive Of thousands OF eggs.
In the meantime this colony had be-
come rather weak in numbers, and To
nv CONSERVATION discovered that some
robber bees were trying to steal from
them. Although made the entrance so
that but one or two bees could pass in
at time, II was interesting 10 see the
guards that were stationed st the en-
trance.
When their own bees came they were
allowed TO pass in unmolested. The
robber bees visited the hive daily for
several weeks. Occasionally one would
get in AZ an ungusrded moment. l
found they would come early in the
morning before the policemen were sta
toned, so | used TO close the hive at
night aud open in the morning.
IL | did kill few Of those robber bees
il was no ones business, as they came
from another one OF my hives.
In looking the hive over one day, |
found had another enemy TO contend
with. A bee moth or miller had found
It's way into the hive and had laid a
large number OF eggs in the comb. Now
this was worse than the robber bees.
Neglect IL now, and the colony was
\ s,f l~.s fra
once or twice a week 10 destroy the
larve as they hatched.
The bees became so accustomed TO me
they would allow me 10 handle them
without smoke. and seemed 10 realize
that was their friend. | found the mill
er laid its eggs near the young brood, so
that the warmth of the bees would help
hatch the lsrve.
placed the new queen In the hive
August 4th, but as the bees had been
fighting so much did not liberate her
until August SIh. She very soon went
To laying, and September lst saw the
first Young bees. You could readily
tell them By the yellow bands, As the
hive was hybrid between Carinolisn
and Black Bee.
This queen proved to be a good laying
queen, and by the first OF November this
colony had become fully Italian. Not
Black or Csrinolian bee could be seen.
The life of the working bee in the
summer il seldom over two or three
AT present writing Feb. 81. |
have ten colonies in my cellar wintering
uicely. when a colony Is short of honey
make or buy sugar candy. | should
advise those who buy to purchase the
pure white stick candy aud lay IL across
the top Of the frames. IL is the best feed
| know of for this time Of year.
believe the value of bee culture is
not fully appreciated. The last United
States census reported the annual value
of apiarisu products 20 be $4,000, 900.
This was simply gathered, which, were
it not for our bees, would be total loss.
They are also of inestimable value in fer
.ilizing our fruit and vine blossoms.
". L. DECoSTER in Maine Farmer.