The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1899-10-17
BEE NOTES.

/ correspondence OF the Progressive Farmer.
Watering bees is OF considerable
benefit, and we would as soon thiDk Of
allowing our other stock to roam the
country in ql55t Of water, as the bees
in the apiary. During winter the
moisture that condenses IN the hive
furnishes the colony water, but during
the early spring the COMBINATIONS
cease. They begin brood rearing early,
and in order to prepare food for the
young larva, must have water. The
most vigorous bees go forth in quest OF
water, fad it at SON e brook or tank
where it is ice cold, fill themselves, and
are chilled, and do not get back to the
hive. The necessities for water stead
lily increasing, other bees go out, to
share a like fate, until the colony is
emaciAted and the brood dies; and
then we say to our neighbor bee keeper:
Il am bothered with spring dwind
ling"
Every careful bee keeper we'll knows
that one bee in early spring is Of more
value to him than half a hundred lattr
on. In order to prevent spring dwind
ling we take n Of the Mason half.
gallon fruit jars, Temove the screw top,
take a seven eighths board four inches
equare, and with a email gouge or q
knife cut a groove nearly from one
extreme corner to the other, taking
Oomo not $O arTF quito Rn Rhn nO~0nR
We fl the jar with water, place the
board over the mouth, invert ali q lick
ly, and place in convenient places in
the apiary. When the sun shines
sufficiently s that bees can fly it will
also warm the water through the glass,
and We ore always able TO give them
what they most desire, pure warn
water, and no one until they have
given this a trial will fully realIz9 how
much water a single colony will use
during the height of brood rearing. 10
order to draw them from the old water
ing place it may Unnecessary to slightly
sweeten the water for a day or two.
I wish 1 could give some faint idea
Of the wonderful evaporating propep
eities Of a colcny If bs9s. Have you
noticed early some warm evening
when nectar Is coming rapidly several
bees were standing up on their legs 10
front Of their hive, and their wings /
were flying at a rapid rate. that the
hu of busy work appeared TO come
from the entire hives This is the swap
Grating process. O.her bees take up |
the air aud pass it through the hive
while still others suck Up she freshly
gathered n cSar, and bio il back into !
the cell, Pace your ta2d carefully |
ov 2 the en.ra. ca; on side the air
is cool, on the Other it is warm. This |
pr cess is kept up dLrlng the entire
night, if the weather is warm.
Is it profitable to keep COWS On the
farm and produce butter7 Is it profit
abe to produce poultry or the farm7
OF cure one would not think Of Cr3 /
ducing apples in Alaska OR bananas in
Dakota; but Wher vsr thu conditions
r favorable bee keeping is as prof
able "a any oh r branch or egricul
tur3. It should receive more encour.
agement in the future, with a full un-
d~erstanding that, whether we are en-
gagged in agriculture, horticulture, or
market gardening, bees are u beet
friends, and as such should be encour
aged to lend help toward swelling tn,
balance sheet; fully realizing that in
the pure nectar of tho flower theirs is
not only health but wealth.
E WELCOME
Friend, Neb.