The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-06-21
MR.. SIMPSON AND HIS BEES.
a y S to the Ioncy Making Mills III y -orl1
County.
Iorh-riHc En1uirr,..
County.


the Italian bee # | rAa help it but
lind it very difficult to Keep them all
solutcly pure. bought my first
queen in August, 1850, from DR.
Brown, Of Augusta. and paid hin
$3.50 Cor her. After that. about -four
years ago, | imported u queen bee
direct from Italy. She cost ST. and
was | days coming over. She lived
until about year ago. and by means
OF her. have been enabled to main.
tain my colonies at high standard. .
Here MIR. Simpson called my atten-
/ ton to dozen or more bees that were
posted on the platform a. the entrance
OF hive, buzziug their wings with a
humming noise. These" lie ex-
planned "are engaged in vcntilating
the hive. During weather like this,
there is a great deal Of l.eat inside.
If you should stop up the entrance for
lO minutes. the whole interior would
collapse sticky mass and kill the
entire colony. With their wings these
bees are creating an outgoing current
that serves to keep down the tcmpcra-
turc. They work for about II min
utcs that way, when they arc relieved
by as many fresh bees from the in
side. This is kept up all during the
hottest part Of the day expressed
surprise at this remarkable piece of
sagacity, aud Mr. Simpson went on to
relate another popularity Of the Or
ganization that was no less interest
ing. In seasons like this he said
when not much honey is being made.
there is disposition on the part Of
the bees of one colony to go out and
rob the stores Of another. I can show
you at each hive guards that are cs-
pccially placed for protection against
robbers, and whenever bee of another
colony attempts to enter where he has
no right, | can show you fight.
About that time an angry bee COM
menccd buzzing at my ear. 1t was
the tirst time that had been molested
in the least, and began to fear that
maybe her business was to drive
away unwelcome newspaper men. Mr..
Simpson sent a puff or two of smoke
at her; but she paid no attention to
that. [ was tempted to ask him to
tell her to please 60 away; but, in
stead, he concluded, of his own ac-
cord, that the only thing to be done
for her was to knock her down, which
he did. After that felt more CON-
Portable; but at the same time it oc-
CURED to me that could just as we'll
get such further information az
wanted up nearer the house.
MIR. Simpson explained that there
are three honey making seasons dur
ing the year. The first is from about
the middle of April up to the 2Oth of
May. During this season bees depend
upon fruit and flower blossoms. soft
maple and poplar buds. They don t
usually begin to make any surplus
until May, and then the quality is not
of the best. From the goth of May
until about the middle of July, there
follows an idle season, during which
not much surplus honey is made
practically none. The first good honey
of the year is made during the month
following the middle Of July. It is
made almost entirely from cotton
blooms, and is usually so transparent
that objects may be discerned through
@ quart of it. The flavor is also de.
iightful. But there are some pecu-
liarities about this cotton honey, ac-
cording to Mr.. Simpsons experience.
The little brow bee cannot make hon
ey from cotton at all. She is not
strong enough to get into the blooms
right. Only the Italian bee is equal
to the task, and except under certain
conditions. the cotton bloom honey is
out of her reach also. When seasons
are good and the cotton plants are
vigorous, there is no honey to be had.
When, however, the cotton is back
ward and droopy. the Italians have a
picnic. The next and most reliable
honey making season of the year is
during the month of October. The
honey Of that season is made princi-
pally Of the aster or iron weed. 1t is
of splendid quality.
l asked Mr.. Simpson as to the aver.
age yield of honey to the colony, and
he answered the question in a very
satisfactory manner. Zone year got
an average Of only pounds. Last
year the average was 5! pounds. An
other year | got 60 pounds: some Of
the colonies yielding over 80 pounds