(ill?p i. 1. Itll library 
 
 ?Jnrth (Earoltna ^talr (Tnllpgp 
 
 SF525 
 K462 
 
14909S 
 
 This book may be kept out TWO WEEKS 
 ONLY, and is subject to a fine of FIVE 
 CENTS a day thereafter. It is due on the 
 day indicated below: 
 
 50M — May-54 — Form 3 
 
Digitized by tlie Internet Arcliive 
 
 in 2009 witli funding from 
 
 NCSU Libraries 
 
 littp://www.archive.org/details/treatiseonbreediOOkeys 
 
TREATISE 
 
 ON THE 
 
 3SreeDtng aWO iManagement 
 
 OF 
 
 BEES, 
 
 TO THE GREATEST ADVANTAGE. 
 
 Interspersed with Important Observations, 
 ADAPTED TO GENERAL USE, 
 
 QEDt'CED FRO.M A SEPvIES OF EXPERIMENTS DURING 
 THIRTY YEARS. 
 
 BY JOHN KEYS. 
 
 A NEW EDITION. 
 
 I'RINTED FUR LACKINGTON, ALLEN, AND CO.; F, C. 
 
 AND J. rivington; lo.ngman, and CO.; c. law; 
 
 J.WALKER A.NDCO.; R.BALDWIN; B. A N D R. CROSBY 
 AND CO.; SHERWOOD AND Cn.; AND T. HAMILION. 
 
 1814. 
 
PriaUd by Macdouald and Sen, 46, CluUi I'air, Louil«o. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 ImPROA^EMENTS ill the manage- 
 ment of Bees, among farmers and cot- 
 tagers, have been but little advanced, 
 notwithstanding the many ingenious 
 contrivances which have been offered 
 to public notice; probably from being 
 too operose and expensive for people 
 of that description, to whom, in com- 
 mon, the management of bees is ge- 
 nerally of trifling concern. 
 
 Whether my present attempt will 
 succeed better, time must decide. My 
 utmost exertions have been directed to 
 the remedy of the defect ; which, it 
 is hoped, I have greatly advanced, if 
 
 ^ ^ 14SC9S ^ 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 not perfecied, as far as our unfavour- 
 able climate 'will admit. 
 
 Additional profits, in most cases, 
 are unavoidably attended with some 
 increase of cxpence. But from the 
 imparlial (s:(iniaie I have stated (page 
 60), it will be ascertained, that the 
 management there proposed far over- 
 balances the extra expence, and there- 
 fore will merit the adoption of bee- 
 keepers, and, perhaps, the patronage 
 of a2:ricuhural bociclies. 
 
 By persons of a higher class a trifle 
 of addiiional expenditure will not be 
 regarded, in comparison of the conve- 
 nience and safety with whicli the ope- 
 rations may be effected : to say no- 
 thing of the gralification of philoso- 
 phic curiosit}^ together with superior 
 pro tit. 
 
 Near the close of the year 1780, I 
 ventured to publish a work of this 
 kind, according to the best of the 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 knowledge and experience ! had then 
 atiained. Since ihat lime, iiavincr no 
 avocaiion to withdraw my attention 
 from my (avouriie pur5^uir,and encou- 
 laged by ihe favourable leceplion of 
 tliat work, 1 now, in ihe vale of life, 
 submit this 'realise, v^ the re.^ult of 
 a!! my rc-eaichcs ; drawn fiom a much 
 longer and moie a siduous experier<ce, 
 and honi a coo'er Judgment, lipened 
 by numberle:^s experiments, whicli have 
 led me to 7iew observaiions and im- 
 provements ' and 10 dij^cr t\ho, not 
 more (Vom mysc/f, ihsn from a/l 
 oi iters. 
 
 Instead of a second edition of my 
 former pubhcation, a new book became 
 necessary, as most part oF my present 
 management is on a different plan; 
 and much tautology and superfluity of 
 matter demanded curtailing, and a 
 more judicious arrangement of the 
 whole. 
 
 a 3 
 
vi PREFACE. 
 
 No article inculcated in these pages 
 is advanced without its being warrant- 
 ed by my own experience, unbiassed 
 by any author, however otherwise re- 
 spectable. Where 1 am still dubious, 
 it is so expressed. 
 
 Apiators may be assured that, to the 
 best of my knowledgey every informa- 
 tion or hint that has been found of any 
 real service, in any writer of note, 
 foreign or domestic*, is comprised in 
 this volume. 
 
 As my present design is wholly for 
 pi adit toners, the bulk and price is ac- 
 commodated to the purpose of becom- 
 ing oenerally useful ; and consequently 
 precludes the Natural History of Bees-f, 
 
 • Duller, Mew, Geddy, Purcliase, Woliidge, Rus- 
 deii, "VVaiacr, While, Tliorley, Mills, Wildmans, De- 
 braw, and Bruoinwich. Foreigners— Miraldy, Reau- 
 mur, Boiuiel, Sliiracli, Nccdham, Norion, Seykcrs, 
 and ollicrs of less note. 
 
 t See ajudiciuus book wiih ihat title, being a com- 
 pilallou from il.c Vrencli, published byKnapton, 1741' 
 
PREFACE. Vll 
 
 except in some small degree, ay far as 
 the knowledge of it is necessary to their 
 management. 
 
 A few years since, warm disputes 
 arose between different naturafists and 
 apiarian societies on the continent, re- 
 lating to the generatioyi of bees^ and 
 the formation of artificial swarms, in 
 consequence of some 7ieio and iconder- 
 ful principles advanced by a Mr. Schi- 
 rach (secretary of an apiarian society), 
 in his treatise entitled " Histoire Natu- 
 relle de la Regne des Abeilles,'^ &c. 
 translated into French by J. Blassiere, 
 Hague, printed 1771*. 
 
 Counter-experiments were made by 
 Needham, Rheim, and others f, with 
 results of an opposite nature. 
 
 * This book I had the honour of having presented 
 me by the late Earl of Majchmont. 
 
 f Brussels Memoirs, vol. ii. 17JJ0, presented me by 
 Thomas Diiks, Esq. to wliom I render my thankful 
 acknowledgments. 
 
 a 4 
 
Vm PREFACE. 
 
 It being incompatible with tlie de- 
 sign of this \vo)k to enter into detai's, 
 or a formal refutation of Schivach's doc- 
 trine, I shall only briefl)' declare, that 
 at first I was blrongly prejudiced in its 
 favour, and urged thereby to pursue a 
 series of expeiimcnts accoiding to his 
 directions, with the most sciupulous 
 exactness and caie, for eiglit yea's, but 
 without a single result in confirmation 
 of his scheme. I diversified the expe- 
 rimenf^, and aLso invented a more 
 suitable appar?Uis to peifoim them, 
 yet still met wiihthe same lamentable 
 disappoinlment. la thispurouit many 
 bees and many siocks weie unavoid- 
 ably ruined, besides an accumulation 
 of vexation and troub'c. But my 
 anxiety to acquire so desirable an end 
 urged me beyond the bounds of pru- 
 dence. I hope vanity will not be im- 
 puted to the declaration and inference, 
 that if one of long experience in the 
 
PREFACE. IX 
 
 handling of bee=^, and having every 
 convenicncy, yet coukl noi, in so many- 
 trials, succeed, it i<? nioie ibnn proba- 
 ble that oihe>?, with on's^ common 
 knov^'ledge, and des^itiiie of a proper 
 appaaius, vvi'l not be moie succcssfnl ; 
 and conseqiien'i!v ilint Schiiach's me- 
 thod cannot prove of pLiblic utility. 
 
 The most likely means to establish 
 the BEE ART, I believe, wi'l not be ac- 
 complif^bed wiibout the pa'ronage of 
 Agricultural Socielien ; namely, the 
 encouraging a p<oper person or per- 
 sons to exhibit, in ihe bee ^eason, the 
 most approved m.ethod through the 
 chief maiket-lowns of ihe kingdom. 
 The person mu t be capable of ex- 
 plaining the ptocesses, and have wilh 
 him the neces ary instruments. 
 
 I wou'd al-o recommend tliis em- 
 ployment lo any ingenious young man, 
 properly qualified, and provided v^^ilh 
 the apparatus, as a practice that most 
 
X PREFACE. 
 
 likely would turn to much advantage ; 
 taking care not to introduce tricks and 
 fancies, as some have done, to the de- 
 struction of multitudes of bees, in- 
 stead of exhibiting any real improve- 
 ments. 
 
 Or, if such persons, resident in vil- 
 lages, would qualify themselves, they 
 might, even in their limited stations, 
 exercise the art to their own benefit, 
 and that of the neighbourhood, by 
 performing it at a stated rate. 
 
 Rural curates might considerably 
 augment their too frequently niggardly 
 stipends, by the cultivation of bees, 
 and act at the same time consonantly 
 with their clerical profession ; as it is 
 an innocent amusement, both healthy 
 and profitable. 
 
 Farmers and others, who keep nume- 
 rous stocks of bees, cannot be supposed 
 to attend so minutely to every particu- 
 lar as those who have not many, and 
 
PREFACE. XI 
 
 have more leisure ; yet in this, as well 
 as in all the other articles of husbandry, 
 the greater the care bestowed, the 
 greater the return that usually follows. 
 Besides, most of the operations on bees 
 are to be performed in the evening, or 
 early in the morning, and, therefore, 
 will not interfere with more important 
 business. 
 
 To avoid repetitions, the manner of 
 performing the operations must be 
 severally learnt from the second party 
 to the paiticulars of which the Index 
 will direct. 
 
 The first part contains the princi- 
 ples ; the second, the manual, or ope- 
 rative part. 
 
 In general, I have used the word 
 hive indiscriminately for hive oi'bo.v, as 
 applicable to either; except when it 
 is otherwise expressed, or is self- 
 evident. 
 
Xll PREFACE. 
 
 The writer submits these pages to 
 the candour of ihe learned, under a 
 consciousness of his own inabilities for 
 the task ; but if it affords w'?^/'/// im- 
 provements i'l the art^ he hopes it 
 may be pleaded in excuse of his pre- 
 sumption. 
 
 JOHN KEYS. 
 
EXPLANATION OF TERMS. 
 
 Adapter, a board to set glasses on. 
 Apiavi', the place or spot where bees are kept. 
 Apialcr, tli8 person who manages ihe bees. 
 Bee-Herd, the person who watches the rising of 
 
 sv.arrns. 
 Casts, second, third, <^'C. swarms. 
 Deprivation, the separation, or taking of the 
 
 liivcs of honey. 
 Divider, the brass plate used in sq^arating hives. 
 Duplet, the hive set over or under another. 
 To Duplicalc, the act of performing this. 
 Fume-Bcv, the box kept for the purpose of 
 
 fuming. 
 
 Fumigation, ") • r 
 
 ^ T > the operation of stupefyinar. 
 
 Fuming, 3 i j c 
 
 Hackle, or Coppet, <K:c. the straw covering set 
 over a hive to shelter it. 
 
xlv EXPLANATION OF TERMS. 
 
 Hive, or Skip, cVc. that wherein the bees dwell, 
 
 and make their combs, whether made of straw 
 
 or other materials. 
 Nadir, the hive which is set under anotiier. 
 Non-swarmer, a stock which has not swarmed. 
 Stock, a hive of bees that has stood, or is to 
 
 stand, the winter. 
 Storifying, the ranging hives over or under each 
 
 other. 
 To Storify, to perform this. 
 Super-hive, to set one hive above another. 
 Superior Hive, the uppermost of a storified set. 
 Swarm, a great body of bees, which quit the hive 
 
 together, and fix in some tree, bush, tic. 
 To Treble, or Treph, to add a third hive to a stock 
 
 that has two before. 
 Trebled, a stock that has three hives. 
 Triplet, ditto. 
 To Triplicate, the act of triplifying. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 PART I. 
 
 Chap. Page 
 
 I. (JF the Queen, Drones, and Workers 1 
 II. Discoveries 8 
 
 III. The Sting of Bees 12 
 
 IV. Bee-Dress 19 
 
 V. Apiary 22 
 
 VI. Purchasing of Bees . ... 26 
 
 VII. Straiv Hives 32 
 
 VIII. Bee-Boxes 42 
 
 IX. Bee-House 51 
 
 X. Storififing 56 
 
 XI. Nature of Swarms 73 
 
 XII. Hiving of ditto 93 
 
 XIII. Artificial Swarms . . . . . J 14 
 
 XIV. To secure Wild Bees .... 117 
 
 XV. Salvation of Bees 122 
 
 XVI. Glasses 126 
 
 XVII. Deprivation, or Taking-up of Bees 133 
 
 XVIII. Pasturage 143 
 
 XIX. Honey-Dews 155 
 
 XX. Diseases of Bees 158 
 
 XXI. Of Feeding 165 
 
 XXII. Thefts, Wars, S^c 172 
 
XVI CONTENTS. 
 
 Cdap. Page 
 
 XX ill. Enemies 177 
 
 XXIV. Extraction oj Wax, Sfc. . . .185 
 XXV. Observations en Honey . . .192 
 
 XWl. J\ Jan II g of Mcfid li)9 
 
 XXVI I. Summary of Monthly Management 204 
 
 PART II. 
 
 THE OPERATIONS. 
 
 No. 
 
 General nvhs .... -211 
 
 I. Instrnmcnts of Fit., igalion . . . 213 
 W. The Materials for ditto . . . .216 
 
 III. The Method of ditto 220 
 
 IV. A Method for Cottagers . . . 221 
 V. Another . ■ 222 
 
 VI. The Use of Dividers 224 
 
 VII. To Slorify 22(J 
 
 VIII. Deprivation, or Separation . . 227 
 
 IX. Re anion of Strarms ivith StocLs . 232 
 
 X. To capture the Quern 235 
 
 XI. Out-licrs to recruit IViak Stocks . 23G 
 XII. To iir.iie a Qacenlcss SlocJc to another 237 
 
 XIII. To unite Weal Stcclcs cr Swarms in 
 
 Azitunm 233 
 
 XIV. Drii'ing 240 
 
 XV. Show- Box fcr Amateurs .... 242 
 
 XVI. Management of the Shoiv-Box . . 24G 
 Postscript 251 
 
Platel. 
 
Flatell. 
 
ON BEES. 
 
 PART I. 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 OF THE QUEEN, DBONES, AND WORKERS. 
 
 \JN the single female bee, styled queen, 
 dependiJ the increase, prosperity, and per- 
 manency of a stock. No swarm can pos- 
 sibly be established, unless accompanied 
 by a princess; although the bees become 
 ever so numerous, or eager to swarm. If, 
 by any mischance, the queen is killed, the 
 bees, soon sensible of her loss, quit the hive 
 to associate with their next neighbours, 
 transferring their treasure with them. 
 
 The queen fpl. JI. fig. 6) being then of 
 such consequence, it is necessary that the 
 apiator should be able to distinguish her at 
 
 B 
 
 D. H. HILL LIBRARY 
 North Carolina State Conegcf 
 
8 * QUELS. 
 
 sight. Observe, therefore, that she is longer 
 and more slender than the drones or the 
 workers, her hintler parts tapering to a 
 point; her belly and legs are also yellower; 
 and the upper part of her body much darker 
 than theirs, nearly approaching to a glossy 
 black. The part beyond the wings is di- 
 vided into four joints, distinguished into so 
 many rings; whereas the workers have but 
 three, and those of a lighter colour. The 
 more full of eggs, the more yellow is her 
 belly. Her wings reach only to the third 
 ring, but those of the workers extend to 
 the end of their bodies. Her appearance is 
 rather clumsy, but her deportment grave, 
 stately, and calm. She is armed with a 
 sting, shorter than those of her subjects. 
 Its use is only to oppose rival queens; for 
 otherwise she will bear the roughest hand- 
 ling, without attempting to wound. She is 
 very rarely to be seen, even with boxes of 
 three windows; and if by chance she is 
 discovered, instantly retires from view. 
 
 Her fecutidity is amazing; for in the 
 course of a year she usually lays forty 
 thousand eggs, or more : she has been seen 
 
QUEEN. 3 
 
 to lay forty immediately one after another. 
 Her body, at th^ height of the laying sea- 
 son, contains some thousands of eggs ; and 
 if empty cells are not prepared, she i$ 
 obliged to drop them. She is five time* 
 longer in laying a royal egg than a com- 
 mon one. 
 
 The eggs are little white bodies, fixed by 
 their smaller end to the bottom of the cell. 
 The royal cells are constructed on the edges 
 or sides of the combs, fpL II. Jig. 4, k,J 
 sometimes to the number of ten or twelve. 
 These cells, when about half finished, re- 
 semble the cup of an inverted acorn, c, and 
 are lengthened in proportion to the growth 
 of the maggot or nymph. They hang in a 
 pei'pendicular manner, with the open end 
 downwards, c After the egg is deposited, it 
 remains in that state three days ; and then 
 being hatched, appears as a maggot, in the 
 shape of a half moon, lying at the bottom 
 of the cell, surrounded with a clammy 
 white substance, continually supplied by 
 the workers for its nutriment. In five or 
 six days it grows considerably larger, ceases 
 to take food, is then sealed up, 6, with a 
 B 2 
 
4 DRONES. 
 
 waxen cap, and continues thus about twelve 
 days, when the royal nymph bursts open 
 the cover, and issues forth a complete prin- 
 cess. Cold weather makes two or three 
 days difference in the time of exclusion. 
 The queen is impregnated about August, 
 by virtue of which she is enabled to breed 
 in the spring, till she produces fresh drones. 
 Similar to the process above, is that of 
 the drones and u-orhers; excepting that the 
 eggs are hatched in the common cells, 
 which serve in a double capacity, either for 
 honey or brood. The cells for drones are 
 generally the two middlemost combs of the 
 hive; the cells are deeper than those for 
 the workers, and when they happen not to 
 be long enough, are lengthened by a cap' 
 of wax. They are generally hatched in 
 twenty-one days. 
 
 DRONES 
 
 Are those large bees fpl. IL Jig. 5,) which 
 usually appear before the rising of swarms. 
 They are the only males, and arc larger 
 than the workers ; of a clumsy shape, and 
 their extremity large, as are their eyes; 
 
DRONES. O 
 
 their trunk, or proboscis, short and thin, 
 and the body more hairy. They make a 
 "much louder and rougher noise than the 
 workers; and, having no sting, nor instru- 
 ment to collect honey, are sustained by that 
 of the hive. 
 
 It seems clear to me, that the drones are 
 of no other use but that of propagation. 
 I have, indeed, often found, that stocks will 
 swarm before any drones appeared; yet, 
 perhaps, some were bred long before, re- 
 siding in the warmest part of the hive: and 
 which facts proved true; for drone nymphs 
 have been cast out early in spring. Soon 
 after honey -gathering ceases, they become 
 devoid of the spermatic milky liquor, and 
 therefore are discarded. The queen, con- 
 taining some thousand eggs at a time in her 
 body, demands a larger supply of the pro- 
 lific juice than a few drones are equal to 
 furnish. This accounts for the large num- 
 ber of drones found in the hives, as being 
 absolutely necessary. As soon as the queen 
 finds no occasion for their service, they se- 
 parate from the workers to the sides of the 
 outward combs. 
 
 b3 
 
# WORKERS. 
 
 They are little noticed by the workers ; 
 and if killed at the doors of the hives, the 
 latter do not resent it. Those that happen 
 to remain in the stocks till the cold weather 
 arrives, soon perish by it. 
 
 As their agency in generation, or, indeed, 
 their utility at all, is still disputed, it is 
 ivorth notice, they are endowed with a 
 large quantity of a whitish liquor in sum- 
 mer, which the workers are fond of licking 
 when a drone is squeezed. The many 
 thousand times I have observed drones in 
 the combs, I never beheld one with its 
 tail in a cell. 
 
 ■WORKERS. 
 
 The common bees, or workers, fpL II. 
 Jig. 7,) live about a year, but are very 
 liable to premature death, by hard labour, 
 high winds, birds, and by many other acci- 
 dents. They are of neither sex, but abso- 
 lutely neuters. The young bees are distin- 
 guishable from the old, by being of a 
 lighter brown. They are not all of one 
 size, a few being shorter than the others, 
 by being hatched in shorter cells ; but the 
 
IVORKERS. 
 
 dimensions of a cell cannot alter the 
 sexual parts only as to size^ and not the 
 male organs into female. 
 
 Their labour seems to be indiscriminate: 
 they build the combs, nurse and sustain the 
 young, collect honey, and defend the hive 
 against all invaders. For cleanliness they 
 are remarkable ; have a quick and exten- 
 sive smell, either for honey or honey-dew ; 
 but are not disgusted with many odours 
 offensive to us, as paint, tar, urine, &c. 
 partaking sometimes of such substances as 
 are pernicious to them. Foreseeing im- 
 pending storms, they make a precipitate 
 retreat in great multitudes. 
 
 When first placed in a hive, they work 
 night and day, taking repose by turns, and 
 deeping in clusters. They can readily dis- 
 tinguish the bees of their own hive from all 
 others; and highly resent the killing, or 
 even disturbing, any bees of the same apiary, 
 with vengeance attacking the aggressor. 
 
 As probably the following novel and cu- 
 rious discoveries may be pleasing to natu- 
 ralists, their insertion will not offend prac- 
 titioners. 
 
 B 4 
 
DISCOVERIES. 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 DISCOVERIES. 
 
 Unexpectedly I saw a queen on a 
 comb, near the window of a double box ; 
 the next day I was favoured with a like 
 view; she remained each day about an 
 hour ; the bees very respectfully making a 
 free passage for her as she approached. 
 About a dozen of them tenderly licked and 
 brushed her all over, while others attended 
 to feed her. 
 
 During this interview I perceived several 
 eggs drop from her, which the workers took 
 no notice of. The box in which she then 
 appeared was a super one ; the under one 
 had only three bars, and four apertures. 
 The super box seemed quite full of honey 
 and brood. The queen tarrying and not 
 choosing to descend, being obstructed by 
 the middle bar, probably was the occasion 
 of this reluctance, as also that of the bees 
 from working in the empty nadir box. From 
 
DISCOVERIES. 9 
 
 several similar disappointments I surmised, 
 that the scantiness of the opening for commu- 
 nication was the sole cause. Instead of three 
 bars, from that time my boxes were altered 
 to six, which succeeded to my utmost wish* 
 Another time I saw the workers very busy 
 in demolishing a royal cell, close to the win- 
 dow of a box. It had been sealed up some 
 days: but continuing so beyond the usual 
 period of exclusion, I suspected some mis- 
 chance, and therefore was very intent to 
 observe the result. At five o'clock one 
 morning, the workers were very deeply en- 
 gaged in opening the side of the cell: in 
 about two hours they had made a chasm 
 large enough to see the nymph, and which 
 they were endeavouring to pull out, but in 
 vain. They then proceeded to a further 
 enlargement; when the queen, with hasty 
 steps, and anxious looks, as if angry at the 
 delay, began herself the arduous task, the 
 workers remaining quiet spectators. The 
 queen made several violent tugs to disengage 
 it, but her efforts proved fruitless. She then 
 retired, not without an appearance of dis- 
 pleasure. 
 
 B 5 
 
10 DISCOVERIES. 
 
 The workers then renewed their attempts, 
 about a dozen at a time, and at intervals 
 ceased to enlarge, while they tried to pull 
 the nymph out, but were still disappointed ; 
 for on pulling the nymph upwards, she was 
 pressed more into the convexity of the top. 
 Four hours were thus employed : when the 
 queen returned, with like demeanour as be- 
 fore, and proceeded with redoubled efforts 
 to extricate the nymph ; but still, unfortu- 
 nately, with no better success, and finally 
 relinquished the toil with great concern. 
 However, the labourers resumed the task of 
 enlargement from top to bottom, which was 
 not effected till near twelve o'clock; a bu- 
 siness of seven hours to draw the nymph 
 out. It v/as full grown, hut-~^dead ! The 
 season having been bad, the wax which 
 composed the cell was coarse, and much 
 thicker than usual, so as to render it impos- 
 sible that the young lady should extricate 
 herself in due time. 
 
 During the time of the above observation, 
 I beheld, in some other boxes, royal nymphs 
 bursting open the lower end of their cells, 
 and instantly issuing without assistance. 
 
DISCOTERIES. 11 
 
 After many essays by various means, I 
 never could procure a complete view of an 
 intercourse between a queen and a drone; but 
 have several times been witness to those 
 amorous preludes recorded by Reaumur. 
 By confining a queen and a drone under a 
 glass tumbler, after some little time the queen 
 began to caress the drone, frequently repeat- 
 ing such wanton gestures as would stimulate 
 a torpedo, or any other male but a drone ! 
 
 Reaumur's relation of this mysterious 
 affair states the result of the royal embrace 
 to be the death of the drone. The drones 
 knowing, perhaps, this to be the conse- 
 quence when slngUj employed, may be the 
 cause of their extreme reluctance. This, 
 togetlier with the violence used during their 
 captivity, and the coldness of their situation 
 compared to the warmth of the hive, seems 
 to account for the non-performance of that 
 which naturalists are so desirous of disco- 
 vering. 
 
 I have several times placed two queens, 
 taken from separate hives, under a tumbler- 
 glass, and immediately a royal duel ensued, 
 terminating in the death of both. 
 
12 STINGING. 
 
 CHAP. in. 
 
 OF THE bee's sting. 
 
 The stinging of bees is often not only 
 painful, but has sometimes proved fatal to 
 man and beast. Having frequently suffered 
 under the smart, it has taught me an ex- 
 perimental treatment of the wound. 
 
 Bees at a distance from their hives, and 
 while pursuing their labours, are harmless 
 and peaceable; but if disturbed near their 
 habitation, by hammering, bustling, or any 
 other, great noise, or by standing before 
 their hives when very busy, these intru- 
 sions will urge them to resentment. 
 
 On these occasions the /ace is their chief 
 aim, particularly the eyes. In such cases, 
 cover the face with the hands spread, and 
 make a speedy retreat: they will not at 
 that time sting the hands. 
 
 During their active season, gardeners 
 should do their requisite business near them 
 
STINGING. 13 
 
 early in the morning, or in the evening 
 when the bees are retired to rest. 
 
 High winds very much disconcert and 
 hinder their labours, and make them very 
 irritable, and prone to assault any person 
 that comes near their dwelling; and more 
 80, if it is at the time of their being anxious 
 to swarm, and if they are by some means 
 delayed therefrom. 
 
 To some persons they have a natural 
 aversion, however unoffending, or however 
 they may change their dress, or though at 
 twenty or thirty yards distance. 
 
 A single bee will sometimes fly into a 
 room, and settle upon the hands, face, or 
 neck ; but they have no hostile intent, and 
 will presently fly off again without wound- 
 ing, provided no part of the apparel 
 presses upon them. They may gently 
 be struck off, and they will fly out of the 
 window. 
 
 The venom of their stings is much 
 stronger in summer than in winter. When 
 a bee gets entangled in the hair, the alarm 
 is great, but danger none, if the patient is 
 entirely passive, till another person searches 
 
14 STINGING. 
 
 for it, and, when found, crushes it between 
 his finger and thumb. 
 
 When bees have been a little disturbed, 
 numbers will fly about a person near them, 
 and with angry sound (well known to api- 
 ators) warn them to depart or they will 
 sting. Retreat in haste, covering the face 
 with the hands, till the head can be pro- 
 tected among bushes, or in some dark 
 apartment; and there remain, till the vio- 
 lence of their fury is abated. It is very 
 wrong, when a person is beset with bees, to 
 strike or buffet them; for this is of no use, 
 but will make them ten times more furious, 
 and provoke multitudes to assist in the fray. 
 Patience, and a speedy retreat, and sprink- 
 ling water over them that remain, are the 
 best expedients to get rid of them, which in 
 about half an hour will be effected: but if 
 any remain on the clothes, they may be 
 brushed off; except those on the face and 
 hands, for that will make them immediately 
 sting. Let them alone, they will quit of 
 themselves, when the rest are departed. If 
 many continue to fly about, let water be 
 thrown among them, or blow them forth 
 
STINGING. 15 
 
 with a bellows, which they will suffer with- 
 out resentment. The smoke of damp straw, 
 or rags, will drive them away soon. 
 
 But the highest degree of their rage is 
 provoked by the moving, shaking, or tum- 
 bling down of their hives; for then the 
 whole army will rise in a mass, and fall 
 upon the aggressor, be it man or beast, hog 
 or dog, to the imminent danger of the crea- 
 ture's life. Immersion in water is the 
 quickest method to get rid of them, if any 
 ponds, &c. are near. But if that cannot be 
 conveniently done, taking refuge in a dark 
 room, or out-house, and using the other 
 means above directed, will be the most 
 likely to succeed, till medical help can be 
 procured. 
 
 REMEDIES. 
 
 Numberless have been the remedies pro- 
 posed, and tried, without being generally 
 beneficial. Those which have proved sa- 
 lutary to some, were the reverse to others ; 
 constitutions and the fluids being infinitely 
 various. 
 
 Some are affected only in a small degree 
 
l6 STINGING. 
 
 by a single sting; while others (though few) 
 hardly at all, though by many. Again, 
 many that are delicate and tender sufler se- 
 verely, though stung but slightly : those 
 also who are of an irritable constitution, like 
 that of the bees, suffer to a high degree. 
 
 In a curative point of view, it is of the 
 first importance that a remedy be at hand, 
 80 that it may be applied immediately ^ before 
 the subtlety of the venom gets into the cir- 
 culation. After that happens, the medicine 
 can but have a partial or weak elVect. I 
 have generally experienced my own saliva 
 (spittle) to be more beneficial than more 
 pompous chemicals or galenicals (I sup- 
 pose, chiefly, from its being always ready) ; 
 rubbing it on the wound, transversely from 
 the direction of the veins, and not up and 
 down, for that forces the venom more into 
 the circulation. 
 
 A second remedy fromnvhich great bene- 
 fit has been found is — Extract of saturn, 
 half an ounce; volatile alkaline spirit, half 
 an ounce; two drachms linseed oil ; shake 
 the extract and the spirit well together, and 
 then the oil: it must be rubbed on the 
 
STINGING. 17 
 
 wound well, and constantly, as long as any 
 pain is felt. It is dangerous if taken inter- 
 nally. 
 
 The third is dulcified spirit of sal ammo- 
 niac, adding one third of water ; both being 
 well shaken together. This has been found 
 more generally efficacious than the pre- 
 ceding. It will not always prevent some 
 degree of swelling, but soon assuages pain. 
 It is of a harmless quality, and I have often 
 used it about the eyes, without prejudice. 
 To some, dulcified spirit of nitre has proved 
 of present relief. Any of the articles may 
 be had of the chemists, or apothecaries, at 
 a cheap rate. 
 
 On great emergencies, if, unfortunately, 
 none, of these mtdicines are at hand, com- 
 mon linseed oil should be rubbed on the 
 part stung; or, in want of that, neat's foot 
 oil, fresh butter, or hog's lard, should be ap- 
 plied without delay, or the cure will be re- 
 tarded, with an increase of danger, if the 
 stings have been numerous. 
 
 In the mean time, tea made of balm, elder 
 flowers, or lime tree flowers, or water gruel 
 with a little saltpetre dissolved therein. 
 
18 STINGING. 
 
 should be prepared ; of which the patient 
 should drink plentifully, and often: refrain- 
 ing from all solid food, particularly that 
 which is salted, or dried; as also from acrid, 
 acid, or spicy articles. If a fever should 
 intervene, James's powders give admirable 
 relief. But if there is imminent danger, 
 medical assistance should be called in. 
 Where the symptoms are favourable, the 
 tumours will gradually subside in a few 
 days, without further applications. 
 
 The like cooling treatment is also to be 
 used for horses, cattle, &c. by enlarging the 
 quantities, by mashes, and by keeping them 
 moderately warm in the stable. 
 
 From the foregoing observations, persons 
 may justly conclude, that those to whom 
 the stings of bees are very afflictive, should 
 not, in coiomon prudence, attempt the office 
 of an apiator, nor approach bees, destitute 
 of a proper dress. 
 
 Nor is it adviseable to employ servants 
 about bees, that have a dislike to the busi- 
 ness; for, otherwise, it is a great chance but 
 they neglect, or mjudiciously and perhaps 
 spitefully treat them. 
 
BEE DRESS. 19 
 
 CHAP. IV, 
 
 THE BEE DRESS. 
 
 Is to be made of thin boulting cloth, which 
 may be bought at about sixpieuce a yard. 
 It is to be sewed to the brim of an old hat 
 when reduced to two inches and a haif in 
 width ; the cloth is to hang down a foot in 
 breadth all round the head. A broad tape 
 is to be prepared, long enough to tie the 
 cloth, close round the neck, under the chin. 
 But as the nose, chin, and neck, would be 
 liable to be stung through the meshes, 
 therefore, to secure those j)arts, some oiled 
 linen must be stitched opposite tiie face and 
 neck, withinside, leaving two inches and a 
 half free, opposite the eyes. 
 
 Or, a kind of hood of the like cloth may 
 be made of such a breadth, that from the 
 bottom of the crown of any hat in use, it 
 may hang a foot below the rim. It is to be 
 gathered up to a ferret binding, to let the 
 
20 BEE DRES«. 
 
 crown through, and encircle it close round. 
 The portion which hangs down, is to tie 
 round the neck, as before mentioned. Some- 
 thing for the mouth to grasp will be proper 
 in both cases, to keep the mesh at a requi- 
 site distance. This last hood is calculated 
 to carry in the pocket. 
 
 The oiled linen is prepared by soaking 
 linen in linseed oil, an^ then squeezing the 
 superfluous oil out, and drying it in the air: 
 this process will take two or three weeks. 
 The process is then to be a second time re- 
 peated. Gloves made of it, though thin, 
 will be impenetrable to the sting of the 
 bees: indeed they will not attempt it. Gar- 
 ments made of it will effectually resist wet. 
 The oil may be previously coloured by the 
 usual pigments, for green, blue, yellow, &c. 
 
 Besides the hood, a thick pair of tanned 
 leather gloves will be necessary, or other 
 leather oiled only once: a portion of old 
 stockings is to be sewed to the extremities, 
 to draw tight over the cufls of the coat. 
 The legs must be defended by a thick pair 
 of yarn stockings, drawn over those in com- 
 mon wear. T'he greatest care must be used 
 
BEE DRESS. ?1 
 
 in putting on the hood, that no hollows or 
 chasnns be left under the chin, or about the 
 neck; and, for better security, it will be 
 proper to tie a handkerchief over the ga- 
 thering round the neck, beside that of the 
 tape. An apron before will be useful, to 
 prevent these prying insects from tickling 
 the belly. 
 
 Thus appareled, defiance may be given 
 to millions of bees, or wasps, and all the 
 operations may be executed without dread 
 or dangtr. Or if, by accident, hives are 
 thrown down by cattle, hogs, &c. and the 
 bees enraged; having this dress on, the 
 creatures may be assisted, and the hives 
 replaced. 
 
 Women should not meddle with bees, 
 without this bee-dress; nor then, without the 
 addition of a man's coat, and, 1 had almost 
 said, breeches also. 
 
18^ APIARY. 
 
 CHAP. V. 
 
 ON THE APIARY. 
 
 The pioperest situation for an apiary is 
 one exposed to the wind as little as pos- 
 sible; it being detrimental, and proving 
 often fatal to numbers of bees, by blowing 
 them down, or into the water, or overturn- 
 ing the hives. Trees, high hedges, or 
 fences, on the back and western side of the 
 hives, will be necessary, to screen them 
 from the violence of its force. But they 
 should have a free opening in their front to 
 the south, or rather south-east aspect. A 
 valley is preferable to high grounds to fa- 
 vour their increase. 
 
 The hives should be vitW secured against 
 hogs, or other creatures, which might dis- 
 place the stocks, or otherwise disturb the 
 bees, and injure themselves. Let the hives 
 be set as near the dwelling-house as con- 
 veniently can be, or to rooms the most 
 
APIARY. 99 
 
 occupied, for the readier discovery of rising 
 swarms, or to be apprized of accidents. 
 Besides, the bees habituated to the sight of 
 the family, will become less ferocious, and 
 more tractable; while the buildings will 
 afford a protection from the wind and cold. 
 The hives must be clear of the dripping of 
 trees ; nor should long grass, weeds, or 
 dunghills, be sutfered near them, as har- 
 bouring myriads of insects and vermin, that 
 will prey upon the bees and their produc- 
 tion. Neither are rivers, ponds, or large 
 tubs of water, eligible to be near an apiary, 
 as great numbers will be blown therein. 
 
 It is very wrong to place hives on 
 benches, which is always the source of 
 mistakes, quarrels, and often slaughter, by 
 their interference with one another. A still 
 worse contrivance is that of little cots, or 
 sheds, with shelves therein, one above an- 
 other; aifording a great harbour for their 
 enemies, very inconvenient for the manage- 
 ment, and indeed impracticable in the story 
 method. 
 
 The arrangement I would recommend, 
 is, that of separate stands for each hive. 
 
54 APIARY. 
 
 made by driving four strong stakes into 
 the ground, at equal distances, as thus : : 
 corresponding to the dimensions of the hive 
 fioors, to rest thereon : they are to be sixteen 
 inches above the earth, and the tops to be 
 upon a level with each other. 
 
 The stands should be three or four feet 
 distant from one another, and from any 
 wall or fence, in uniform rows, for the api- 
 ator's conveuiency of managing each stock; 
 nor should the hives be set higher than 
 sixteen inches, in the story method ; for 
 then their height would be attended with 
 many difiiculties. Where persons have 
 many stocks, it is better to divide them into 
 several gardens; as being too numerous in 
 one, frequently occasions quarrels : eight or 
 ten in one place are enough. 
 
 Water is necessary near an apiary, in a 
 long season of dry iccather. Put the water 
 in a broad dish, covered with small stones, 
 or duck-weed, to assist the bees in drinking, 
 without wetting their wings, or being 
 drowned. 
 
 In very windy situations, especially near 
 the sea, or great rivers, numerous bees are 
 
APIARY. 
 
 destroyed, by being blown therein, and 
 others very much injured and hindered, by 
 being drove with violence to the ground, or 
 other hard substances, with the loss of their 
 farina, so laboriously obtained. 
 
 Some have thought that an apiary near 
 the sea-coast would be abundantly produc- 
 tive, by reason of the bees being fond of 
 sea-water. This point I have made ob- 
 servation on, my residence being only four 
 miles from the shore, but could not perceive 
 that the bees showed any such partiality, 
 unless necessitated by a long season of 
 very hot and dry weather. Nor did they 
 much affect the wild thyme that grew on 
 the sand-hills adjoining ; nor are they fond 
 of salt. 
 
Q6 PUKCHAPIXG. 
 
 CHAP. VI. 
 
 ox PURCHASING OF BEES. 
 
 The best time for establishing an apiary, 
 is just before the taking up season, which 
 is generally about the latter end of August ; 
 for then bee-keepers reserve as many of the 
 best stocks as they judge expedient for 
 their next summer's supply; and, therefore, 
 after that period are not disposed to part 
 with any, unless at an advanced price: 
 whereas, by purchasing some time before, a 
 choice may be made of the best, and at the 
 accustomed rate. 
 
 They should be selected by a skilful per- 
 son, in a cool evening, or rather morning 
 very early. By tapping about the hive, a 
 pretty near guess may be formed, whether 
 or not it is full of bees, as also if full of 
 combs. But for greater certainty, turn 
 those that seem heavy upon the edge of tlie 
 hive, and observe if the interstices between 
 
PURCHASING. 97 
 
 the combs are crowded with bees, and the 
 combs worked down to the floor. If white, 
 or of a light yellow, it denotes their being 
 of the present year's produce, and fit for 
 the purpose ; but if they are of a very deep 
 yellow, or brown, they are of the last sea- 
 son, and not so proper ; while those that 
 are dingy, or blackish, are old, and wholly 
 unfit to furnish a prosperous apiary. To 
 avoid deception, observe, that though a 
 hive may have the edges of the combs of a 
 light yellow, they may be old stocks never- 
 theless, v7hose combs the preceding year 
 not having been completed, have in the 
 present had new borders added to them of 
 virgin wax, so as to look like young stocks* 
 Look carefully beticeen the combs, as far as 
 the bees will admit ; and if the interior 
 parts appear favourable, form a judgment 
 accordingly. The hive should be poised 
 in the hand; and if it be about half- 
 bushel size, and weigh twenty-five pounds 
 or upwards, it is another test of its being a 
 good stock. But the weight alone, of old 
 stocks, cannot be relied on, as great part 
 of the combs may be crammed with old 
 c 2 
 
28 PUKCHA.SING. 
 
 farina, and other impurities, as mentioned 
 hereafter. 
 
 One good stock bought at the proper 
 time, is worth two swarms bought in the 
 spring : for such a stock will swarm once or 
 twice, or yiehl two or three hives full of 
 honey; whereas, from a swarm, little or no 
 profit can be expected ihefint year. 
 
 But should the proper season have been 
 neglected, aprime or Jin t swarm should be 
 sought, at least large enough, in com- 
 mon situations, to fill a peck, and if a 
 o-ood one, half a bushel. Small swarms 
 will turn to little account, and baulk the 
 expectation. 
 
 The swarm is to be brought home in the 
 evening of the day it rises. If a large one 
 cannot be had among the neighbours, two 
 or three may be united, to form a powerful 
 
 stock. 
 
 If a swarm is delayed being brought 
 home for two or three days, portions of 
 combs will have been constructed, which 
 mav p-.obably be displaced in the removal, 
 witii the bees thereon, and may be da- 
 maf^ed, or crushed, and so be the ruin of 
 
PURCHASING. 29 
 
 the swarm : to avoid which, let it be re- 
 moved at day-break. 
 
 To transfer the swarm from tlie common 
 hive into one of your own, or into a box, 
 invert that which has the swarm in a pail, 
 bucket, or the like; lay two thin flat sticks 
 across, and then set the empty hive over it . 
 stop the juncture with a cloth, and before 
 morning the bees will have ascended into 
 the upper one. But if not, let them stand a 
 day longer; when, if they still are reluctant, 
 stop the juncture quite, and beat round the 
 lower hive with two small sticks, till they 
 ascend, which may be known by the great 
 buz in the upper hive. 
 
 Or, as soon as two swarms are brought 
 home, spread a cloth on the ground, and 
 lay a stick across: then strike the edge of the 
 hive with violence on the ground; the bees 
 will fall out in a lump: then take the other 
 swarm, and serve them in the same manner, 
 close by the first; set an empty hive over 
 them, resting one edge on the stick, and 
 cover them with a cloth. If they are found 
 to quarrel when ascended, they must be 
 fumed, as directed hereafter, 
 c 3 
 
so PURCHASING. 
 
 JRemooing of Stocks should be in the even- 
 ing, or very early in the morning. The hive 
 should be raised by three or four wedges, 
 some hours before, provided the floor is not 
 moveable ; or otherwise many bees will re- 
 main on the floor at the time, and be very 
 troublesome. 
 
 A cloth must be laid on the ground be- 
 hind the hive to be removed ; nimbly lift 
 the hive thereon, and, gathering the four 
 corners tight, tie them fast on the top : im- 
 mediately draw a string close round the 
 body of the hive, to prevent any bees crawl- 
 ing between. 
 
 If they are to be carried a considerable 
 distance, they may be rested on the ground, 
 as occasion may require. Hand-barrows, or 
 yokes, with a hive suspended at each end, 
 or a long pole on men's shoulders, and a 
 hive or two between, may be advantage- 
 ously used for their conveyance. 
 
 But when it is for several miles, a coach, 
 or cart with plenty of straw at the bottom, 
 to break the shocks of the carriage, and 
 then proceeding with the slowest pace, and 
 taking the cool of the morning, will prove 
 
PURCHASING. 31 
 
 a safe and convenient removal. If any of the 
 combs should, however, be broken, and 
 fallen on the cloth, when the hive is taken 
 off, let them remain thereon, and set the 
 hive in the place or stand designed for it; 
 and gently spreading the cloth with the bees 
 on it on the top, by the morning they will 
 have quitted, and entered by the door of the 
 hive. 
 
 A stock should not be set close to the 
 bee-house front, the first night of its being 
 brought home, that the straggling bees may 
 find their way into the hive by the door, 
 and then no bees will be crushed. Straw- 
 hives, being of a circular form, leave a con- 
 siderable vacancy between the hive doorS 
 and front, which next night must be slopped, 
 by thrusting part of a hay-band, or clay, or 
 stiff cow-dung, to fill the chasms, but leav- 
 ing the door- way free. 
 
 Purchased swarms in spring, on bringing 
 home, are to be immediately set on empty 
 hives; and thus, by being doubled ntfrsty 
 will save that trouble afterwards. 
 
 c 4 
 
32 STRAW KITES. 
 
 CHAP. VJI. 
 
 ON THE FORMATION OF STRAW HIVES. 
 
 Straw is the best material for hives, as 
 best protecting the bees in the extremes 
 of cold and heat, and also generally easiest 
 to be procured. Where it is not so, rushes, 
 wicker-work plastered over, or sedges, must 
 be substituted. 
 
 Of straw, unthrashed rye is preferable, as 
 thrashing shivers the straw, and makes it 
 rough and shaggy, which the bees with 
 much labour are obliged to gnaw off. My 
 hive-maker laid the straw in a chaff-box, 
 and 60 readily cut off the ears. 
 
 The plan 1 propose is, three hives to each 
 stock. The size I have found most conve- 
 nient is that of half a bushel : larger are 
 very inconvenient to manage; while these, 
 by storifying, give ample room for all that 
 the bees can want, at the same time admit- 
 ting triplets to be taken off the sooner. 
 
STRAW HIVEF. 33 
 
 They are to be nine inches highland twelve 
 wide, in the clear, on the inside, i.e. exclu- 
 sive of the top. f PL II Ji<r. 3.) The body 
 is to have no straw iop fixed, or worked to it, 
 as in common, but is to he a separate piece* 
 The body of the hive, thv.reibre, resembles a 
 broad hoop; and, like that, must be perpen- 
 dicular, or straight down ; and not one part 
 swelling, or bemg wider t^ran -another. 
 
 The straw cover is to be made quite flat, 
 like a round mar, but wide enough to extend 
 an inch beyond the edge of the hive. There 
 needs only one cover to three hives. The 
 greatest proof of the maker's skill will con- 
 sist in his exactly following the prescribed 
 dimensions, and in the evenness of his work ; 
 particularly in both edges, that they may 
 admit one hive being set on another, with- 
 out any chasms, and that promiscuously, or 
 hnb nab. 
 
 In one of the edges a distance of full three 
 inches is to be left free of binding, for a 
 door-way. But a more proper one may be 
 formed by a small piece of wood, four or 
 five inches long, in which a door- way is to 
 be cut, of three inches long, and three* 
 c o 
 
34i STRAW HITES. 
 
 eighths of an inch in height, and worked into 
 the round of straw. 
 
 Or, what will be still better, is to take a 
 rod of willow, or hazel, while green, and 
 bend it to a circle of a proper^size for the 
 hive. When it is wanted, reduce it so as to 
 have two flat and even sides ; cut a proper 
 door-way out, and burn holes at due dis- 
 tances to receive the brier binding, by 
 which the first round of straw is to be fast- 
 ened to it. If the binding is carried wholly 
 round the hoop, the binding will be soon 
 rotted by the wet, and prove of little more 
 service than if there had been none ; but, 
 otherwise it will preserve the hive much 
 longer, and be more convenient in many 
 respects. 
 
 As soon as hives are made, they should be 
 set separate on level boards, or the like, and 
 another on the top, and heavy stones laid 
 on them: but, first, a person should jump 
 upon the boards to reduce the edges to a 
 proper evenness. This practice must not 
 be neglected. 
 
 Besides the flat straw cover, all the hives 
 must have wooden tops {pi. L Jig. C); to 
 
STRAW HIVES. 35 
 
 make which, procure a board of the width of 
 the hive, and half an inch thick, free from 
 knobs. Senen spaces or openings are to be 
 cut, b, b, b, b, b, b, b; each exactly half an 
 inch wide; the length of the three inner- 
 most, eleven inches; the two next, nine; and 
 the two outermost, six inches. The carpen- 
 ter must be attentive not to deviate from 
 these directions in the smallest degree, as a 
 trifling neglect will render the wliole useless. 
 
 In case boards of a proper width are not 
 to be had, one ten inches wide may be sub- 
 stituted, braiding circular pieces on the sides 
 after the top is cut out, to fill up the defi- 
 ciency. Round the edges a hoop of tin, or 
 slight ozier, must be tacked to strenghen it, 
 and prevent its splitting. A long braid or 
 peg should pass through the fore and hind 
 parts, and enter the edge of the hive, to keep 
 the top from being displaced; taking care 
 that the heads of the braids are driven ra- 
 ther helow the surface of the wood. 
 
 A cheaper top may be made of narrow 
 slips of wood, which I name bars, six in 
 number [pL 1. fig. 3, a, a, a, a, a, a) ; de- 
 signed to be laid across the top of the hive, at 
 
36 STRAW HIVES. 
 
 half an inch distance from each other; the 
 two outermost bars to be one inch and a 
 quarter wide, and the others one inch and a 
 half. Two slips of wood, b, b, an inch wide, 
 are to be braided across the bars within side 
 (or rather let in, to be flush on both sides) 
 near the ends, to fasten them together, and 
 to keep) them at their due distance. The 
 cross pieces will thus be below the edge of 
 the hive, while the ends rest on it. But since 
 the breadth of this frame of bars will not 
 be quite that of the hive, the deficiency 
 must be supplied by two small circular 
 pieces braided on the edge of the hive, 
 leaving two half-inch openings between 
 them and the bars. As the ends of the 
 bars, when laid on the hive, will leave va- 
 cancies between, these must be stopped by 
 cow-dung of a due temper, which, when 
 dry, will be sufticiently tenacious. Take 
 care that the whole top be even and smooth. 
 It should be laid on always in the direction 
 of front 3nd back. 
 
 The straw covers are to be fastened on by 
 loops of cord, or rather leathern thongs, 
 passed within, at about two inches below 
 
STRAW H1VE9. 37 
 
 the top of the hive. They are to be four in 
 number, placed at equal distances, and acord 
 to each pair, to draw them tight over the top. 
 
 The hive floors should be one inch 
 thick, of yellow deal planed on one side 
 only, truly level, and of sixteen inches dia- 
 meter. Where boards of that width are not 
 easily to be procured, an additional piece 
 must be rabbeted and doweled to it. Two 
 cross pieces are to be nailed underneath, to 
 strengthen and prevent its warping; or ra- 
 ther they should be nailed upon the ends. 
 Three of the corners may be cut off, leaving 
 the fourth for a place to alight on. One 
 floor only is requisite to every three hives; 
 but two or three spare ones will be conve- 
 nient on many occasions. 
 
 Cottagers may contrive tops from those 
 cuttings of trees which are straight, of an 
 equal thickness, and of a length as above 
 described. These, while green, may be ea- 
 sily cut Hat, with a knife, of the proper mea- 
 sure, by first laying them over the top of 
 the hive, at the distance of half an inch from 
 each other ; they may then be marked, and 
 cut to their just length. Two pieces are to 
 
38 STRAW HIVES. 
 
 be braided under their ends, so as not to pre- 
 vent the cross pieces from sinking into the 
 inside; and to hold the bars steady, without 
 sliding backward or forward. The vacan- 
 cies between the bars on the edge of the hive 
 are to be filled up with cow-dung, which, 
 when dry, will be sufficiently tenacious. 
 Care should be taken to make every part of 
 the top smooth and level ; which if not so, 
 reduce it by laying heavy weights thereon. 
 
 Hive-makers in some places have affected 
 considerable difficulty in making hives of 
 the form I have prescribed, but without just 
 grounds; the person employed by me, after 
 a little practice, could make them as expe- 
 ditiously and easily as those of the common 
 sort. 
 
 His method was to make a common hive, 
 the circumference of whose bottom was ex- 
 actly to the dimensions I desired ; on the 
 edge of this he worked a round and a half 
 of straw, bound on with a cord, and then 
 continued to proceed with brier binding, 
 having by him a straight stick, of the due 
 width, as a gauge, and to keep the work 
 truly perpendicular, or upright. If the hoop 
 
STRA-vr HIVES. 59 
 
 I before mentioned is provided for the bot- 
 tom edges of hives, the work might be be- 
 gun and carried on from that. 
 
 When he had got about half the intended 
 width, he finished the round even. Then 
 loosing the cord from the part he began at, 
 that part was taken off and inverted, and the 
 round left loose by the cord was re-bound 
 by brier: and thus he proceeded till he com- 
 pleted it. It is to be noticed, that the part 
 first begun at was in the middle when 
 finished. 
 
 Apiators, who understand what I have 
 written on this head, should offer a good 
 price to those who are reluctant in making 
 these hives, and should stand by while the 
 workman endeavours to make one ; and, by 
 giving occasional directions, it may be easily 
 effected, and they may be introduced over 
 the kingdom. 
 
 It will be a good method to plaster one 
 side of the straw top with cow-dung, even 
 and level, which will prove more eligible in 
 introducing the sliders. 
 
 Hackels, or coppcts, are made of wheaten 
 istraw. The method is this: Take a sheaf. 
 
40 STRAW HIVES. 
 
 bind it with a cord ten or twelve inches 
 below the ears: with the left hand gripe a 
 small parcel or locket (about 60 straws) of 
 the part above the cord, and with the other 
 hand a like locket; and giving it a twist round 
 the first locket, bring it down close to the 
 cord, pulling the other locket straight down. 
 Take a third locket and twist over the pre- 
 ceding; and thus continue to twist and turn 
 down, until the whole is finished, except 
 three locks, one of which is to be brought 
 between the other two, which are to be tied 
 in a knot over it. Then reducing the whole 
 as flat as can be, run a short forked stick 
 through the knot, to prevent its starting. 
 The hackel may be made in about twenty 
 minutes. 
 
 This form is the best suited to the purpose 
 of any that I have seen ; they sit close to the 
 top of the hives, keeping them warmer and 
 drier, which is of great advantage in winter 
 and spring. Neither are they so liable to be 
 blown off. The part before the doors should 
 be clipped so as totidmit the sun's rays. For 
 fear of storms, a hoop may be thrown over 
 them, and fastened by two strongsticks with 
 
STRAW HIVES. 41 
 
 crooks at their ends, and thrust into the 
 ground on each side. This will be a good 
 security at all times. 
 
 Placing the hives at the distance before 
 stated, will preserve the bees from quarrel- 
 ling, or emigrating from one hive to ano- 
 ther. 
 
 Opulent persons, to whom the appearance 
 of straw hives may seem inelegant, might 
 have them concealed from view by such 
 shrubs as are of service to the bees, planted 
 at such a distance as not to intercept the 
 sunshine to the front of the hives. 
 
 Or, handsome covers, something in the 
 shape of hackels, terminating in a point at 
 top, and painted, would have a pleasing 
 appearance. 
 
 Or, a screen in perspective, of rocks or 
 ruins, &c. with proper openings for the 
 bees to issue from behind, on floors properly 
 disposed, on which they should be placed 
 as in a bee-house. 
 
 N.B. By straw covers are not meant tops, 
 which are of wood, with bars. Nor are 
 hackles meant by the terra tops» 
 
42 BEE BOXES. 
 
 CHAP. VIII, 
 
 OK BEE BOXES. 
 
 Bee boxes are best made of seasoned 
 yellow deal, free from knots, and one inch 
 thick. The boxes are to be ten inches high, 
 and twelve square ; clear in the inside [pL I. 
 Jig. 2). One of the sides is to have a 
 pane of glass, d, of the whole widths and six 
 inches in height, with a shutter half an inch 
 thick, to be let into a bevel at top, and rest 
 on a ledge at bottom, and to fasten with a 
 button, a ; this is to be esteemed thei back. 
 There must be a door-way in the bottom 
 edge of the front, four inches long, and 
 five-eighths in height, exclusive of the threS' 
 hold, which is to be one-eighth of an inch 
 thick, to be let into the edge of the box, 
 and on a level therewith. 
 
 A slip of wood is to be fitted for a door, 
 to turn outward to the left, on a pivot or 
 pin, and to shut in a bevel, with a small 
 
BEE BOXES. 43 
 
 notch, that it may be opened by the point of 
 a fork. It must shut so far in as to be flush 
 with the side of the box. 
 
 The top [pi. I. jig. 2) is to be composed 
 of six slips of wood, which I name bars, 
 a, a, a, a, a, a, three quarters of an inch 
 thick; the two outermost, one inch and a 
 quarter broad ; the other four, one and a 
 half. The ends of the second and fifth bars 
 are to be let into the front and back edges 
 of the box, and flush with the outside; the 
 remaining four bars are to be of a due 
 length, to pass easily icithinside from front 
 to back. Two fillets, each an inch broad, 
 are to be braided to the bars, or rather let in 
 transversely, of the diameter of the box, 
 and near their ends, not only to keep the 
 bars at half an inch exact distance from 
 each other, and from the sides of the box, 
 but to connect the whole like a frame toge- 
 ther, and to take in or out, with the combs 
 fixed to them, at pleasure. The bars (1st, 
 3d, 4th and 6th) serve also to prevent the 
 frame from slipping from its situation. The 
 top, thus made, will have six bars, and seven 
 apertures, or openings, like the straw hives. 
 
44 BEE BOXES. 
 
 There is to be but one close covers or lid 
 of wood, three quarters of an inch thick, 
 to three boxes ; which is to take off and on 
 by means of four screws, one at each cor- 
 ner. 
 
 Loose floors are to be provided with the 
 boxes, to be planed on one side, and filleted 
 at the ends to prevent warping, and of an 
 inch more in their dimensions than the tops 
 of the boxes. If a board broad enough 
 cannot be had, a lesser must be added, rab- 
 betted and doweled thereto. One floor only 
 is necessary for a suit (three) of boxes, but 
 two or three spare ones will often be 
 wanted. 
 
 OBSERVATIONS. 
 
 A minute exactness is absolutely neces- 
 sary in working the boxes; for though the 
 unexperienced may imagine the deviation 
 of a quarter or eighth of an inch from what 
 has been directed will be of no consequence, 
 nevertheless such mistake or negligence in 
 any part would render the apparatus unfit 
 for the use it was intended for. 
 
 First observe, that the edges of the boxes. 
 
BEE BOXES. 45 
 
 both top and bottom, are to be truly level, 
 that when indiscriminately set one over or 
 under another, no chasms or vacancies are 
 left between them. 
 
 Secondly, that the frame of bars be made 
 to take out with ease. 
 
 Thirdly, that the screws for the covers 
 should be slight but long, to pass in at the 
 sides, exactly one inch and a half, from 
 front and back, so that any cover may screw 
 on any box, without making fresh holes. 
 They should always be greased before they 
 are put in, or they will become rusty, and 
 not to be drawn out without great disturb- 
 ance to the bets, and much inconveniency. 
 
 Fourthly, great care must be taken that no 
 snags or splints of wood, heads, or points of 
 nails, rise in the least degree above the sur- 
 face, as a brass plate is designed to slide over 
 the tops. 
 
 A necessary appendage, as well to the 
 hives as boxes, are ttco brass plates ^ of one 
 sixteenth of an inch thick as near as possi- 
 ble, fifteen inches wide, and fifteen and a 
 half long, which half inch is to be turned 
 upright, to pull it out by. They must be 
 
Ad BEE BOXES. 
 
 set on a true level. If they are thicker, the 
 bees will escape on their introduction ; and 
 if thinner, they will not be strong enough to 
 retain their necessary elasticity and level, 
 but will bulge in the middle, and let the 
 bees out. 
 
 The braziers or ironmongers will supply 
 them. I gave in London sixteen pence per 
 pound, and they came to eight shillings. 
 
 But as in many counties large brass pans 
 or kettles arc used, and, Avhen unfit for boil- 
 ing use, are sold as old brass ; the bottoms 
 of such of these as are of the proper dimen- 
 sions, and not having holes of a size for a bee 
 to pass, will do better than new, as being 
 tougher; and any smith will reduce them to 
 a level, and turn up one edge. They may 
 be bought at the ])rice of old brass, i. e. about 
 six-pence per pound. A pair come only to 
 four shillings. 
 
 I had an iron plate made which came to 
 near as much as the brass, but did not keep 
 its level so well, and was more unhandy. 
 Steel, being elastic, would retain the level 
 much better, but I suppose would be dearer, 
 and liable to rust; which brass is not, and 
 
BEE BOXES. 47 
 
 will at all times fetch a large share of its 
 first cost. 
 
 Eight or nine shillings by some may be 
 thought too expensive ; but the great utility 
 and convcfiiency of the plates,! am warranted 
 to say, will much over-balance that increase 
 of price. Every apiator must he feelingly 
 convinced of the difficulty and embarrass- 
 ment of separating hives of bees, and in the 
 other operations, by any of the methods 
 made public. Indeed, by them the bees of 
 wider hives are prevented from assaulting 
 the operator; yet those of the upper ones 
 are left entirely free to execute their whole 
 revenge. 
 
 By the use of the two plates, or dividers, 
 and by doors to shut, this great danger 
 and inconvenience is entirely avoided, as 
 the bees of both hives are equally inclosed, 
 and prevented from iusulting the apiator. 
 
 Besides, if only one is bought, it is ade- 
 quate in advantage with any other con- 
 trivance, and will suit hives as well as 
 boxes. 
 
 Moreover, the plates are not perishable 
 articles, but with care may last for genera- 
 
4lB BEE BOXES. 
 
 tions; and it must be remembered that the 
 charge lies on the whole apiary, and that 
 only for once. 
 
 Cottagers, whom I wish to benefit, or 
 others, may club in the purchase, by which 
 the cost will be but slightly felt. Or perhaps 
 country shopkeepers would find it their in- 
 terest to be furnished with suits of plates to 
 let out. 
 
 I have proposed a large window to a box, 
 as I found a small one of little use, and af- 
 fording but little entertainment. Those who 
 would choose a more enlarged view of the 
 bees in boxes, may have large windows in 
 the three sides. 
 
 Doors to the hives and boxes will be found 
 of great advantage on many occasions, par- 
 ticularly in passing the dividers under hives, 
 to prevent the egress of the bees if the 
 door-ways are stopped, and on various 
 other occasions. 
 
 Boxes of bees placed in the window of 
 a room much incommode the company 
 whenever the window is opened. The side 
 of the room suits better : a proper open- 
 ing to be made in the wall and a small tin 
 
BEE BOXES. 49 
 
 trough adapted to pass through to the door- 
 way of the box. On the inside a shelf is to 
 be" fixed, that the box may stand so close 
 as to leave no admission for the bees into 
 the room, and be so secured as not to be 
 displaced by any carelessness or inadver- 
 tency. 
 
 Apiators who have boxes, but whose 
 openings are on a different plan to that 
 now offered, may, at a little expence, have 
 them altered thereto, provided the dimen- 
 sions of the boxes do not exceed that of 
 the dividers. The superfluous vacancy may, 
 however, be filled up with solid wood, or 
 new tops may be made with the bars and 
 apertures, as I have described, though the 
 box itself be much larger. For should the 
 dividers be enlarged, the hands will not ex- 
 tend sufficiently underneath to keep them 
 close, or steadily to support the great 
 weight; therefore the apertures and bars 
 must not be longer than those of my plan, 
 commencing from the hack. Octagon boxes 
 may have a section of the back taken off, 
 and a large window supply its place. 
 
 D 
 
50 BliE BOXES. 
 
 The timber of the boxes is directed to 
 be one inch thiols, for one quarter of an 
 incii thinner will render them not warm 
 enough. 
 
 The Jioors of tlie hives and boxes being 
 moveable, will be of very great utility and 
 advantage in all the operations, and must 
 be so evident to every reflecting apiator, as 
 to need no further recommendation. 
 
BEE-HOUSE. 51 
 
 CHAP. IX. 
 
 OP A BEE-HOUSE FOR THREE STOCKS. 
 
 It is to be formed as in pi. I. jig. 1, and six 
 feet long, exclusive of the posts. 
 
 Four posts of three inches square. 
 
 Two long rails to nail the floor upon, and 
 two slight ones to nail the roof to. 
 
 A floor, seventeen inches in breadth, to 
 be laid across the rails. 
 
 A roof, four boards. 
 
 Two folding doors. 
 
 Thepostsareto be fixed to the due length, 
 and seventeen inches in breadth to their out- 
 side. They are to be secured in the ground 
 at a proper depth, and five feet above the 
 earth, and set truly perpendicular. The tops 
 to be bevelled one inch and a half. 
 
 The two strong rails of an inch thickness 
 are to be let into the posts on the outside, 
 and strongly nailed, one in front, the other 
 behind ; to these the floor is to be fastened, 
 cross-wise, perfectly level. 
 » 2 
 
62 EEE-IIOUSE. 
 
 The slight rails are to be let into the tops 
 of the posts close to the ends of the bevel, 
 to nail the roof upon. 
 
 On the bevel of the posts are to be fixed 
 two boards, each six inches wide, to extend 
 beyond them two inches behind and before. 
 
 Two more boards, each at least twelve 
 inches wide, and one thick, of yellow deal, 
 and free from knots, are to be nailed sloping 
 against each other, to complete the roof. 
 Their edges on both sides are to be bevelled 
 off, so as to meet at top, and make a neat 
 joint; and to prevent warping, braces across 
 on the inside will be necessary. 
 
 The frofit of the house, A, is to be in- 
 closed by three quarters of an inch boards, 
 placed perpendicularly in lengths, from the 
 top to the rail of the floor, and rabbeted to 
 each other. The boxes are to stand six 
 inches from the ends, and eight from each 
 other. 
 
 Openings are to be cut against each door- 
 way of the boxes, six inches in length, and 
 two in depth, a, a, a, estimating from the 
 loose floors of the boxes. 
 
 Similar openings are to be cut eleven 
 
BEE-HOUSL. 53 
 
 inches higher up, in a line with the fust, and 
 even with the tops of the boxes when their 
 covers or lids are off. 
 
 To the edges of the openings circular 
 pieces of wood are to be braided, a little 
 declining, for the bees to alight upon. 
 
 A batten, bevelled at both edges, should 
 be nailed ou the outside, just under the 
 highest alighting boards, to strengthen the 
 front boards, and prevent their warping or 
 casting. 
 
 The back is to have two doors, shutting 
 against each other in a rabbet, and to fasten 
 with a hasp. 
 
 The ends are to be closed as the propri- 
 etor chooses. 
 
 Good painting will be of advantage to 
 preserve the whole. The door-ways should 
 be of different colours, for the bees the 
 better to distinguish their respective habi- 
 tations. 
 
 OBSERVATIONS. 
 
 The junction of the boards at the top, 
 however close at first, will gape afterwards 
 by the changes from heat to wet: to remedy 
 D 3 
 
54 BEE-HOUSE. 
 
 which, stop it with putty ; or rather, as soon 
 .as it is nailed on, a slip of thin lead, of two 
 inches broad, should be tacked over the 
 junction, which will effectually prevent wet 
 from getting through. Bohea tea-chest lead, 
 that which is whole, will answer the purpose. 
 It is of the most material consequence to 
 bees to exclude wet. I have tried several 
 other materials for roofs, but none answered 
 ^ well ; and mine is a very trying situation. 
 
 If the front is not truly perpendicular, and 
 the floor truly level, the boxes will not sit 
 close to the front, and thereby leave vacan- 
 cies between, by which the bees may pass 
 into the house; which would be very detri- 
 mental. 
 
 The openings for the passage of the bees 
 are larger than those of the boxes, as being 
 more convenient on many occasions. No 
 openings are made in the house for triplets, 
 as being unnecessary. 
 
 Three of the front boards of the house, in 
 which the openings are to be cut, should be 
 eleven or twelve inches wide ; or they will 
 be too much weakened, by cutting six 
 inches in length out, to stand true. 
 
BEE-HOUSE. 55 
 
 The principal intention of a bee-house and 
 boxes, is for the more commodious inspec- 
 tion of the bees by the curious and wealthy. 
 Three stocks answer this design as well as a 
 larger number, as they furnish only a repe- 
 tition of the same scenes. However, a bee- 
 house is, in some respects, o? real use to those 
 who keep a number of straw-hived stocks, 
 as standards, from which, by inspection, 
 a judgment may be formed of the good or 
 bad condition of the stocks in straw hives; 
 but, that boxes are more productive than 
 those, is a great mistake, if both are ma- 
 naged by the same method of storifying. 
 
 Many contrivances for the purpose of 
 sheltering boxes have been practised as a 
 substitute for a house; but, in the end, are 
 not cheaper, and not near so convenient 
 for performing the operations : neither are 
 they so eligible for inspection. My bee- 
 house, ten feet long, cost me near thirty 
 shillings. 
 
 D 4 
 
56 STORIFTINC. 
 
 CHAP. X. 
 
 ON STORIFYING. 
 
 Of all the methods which have hitherto 
 come to my knowledge for the conducting 
 of bees, that of storifying undoubtedly 
 yields much the greatest profit, and is the 
 most congenial to their natural habitude, 
 and style of working. 
 
 By storifying is meant the setting of one, 
 two, or three hives over each other, as 
 duplets or triplets. 
 
 It is found, that three pecks of bees in one 
 hive will collect more honey than a bushel 
 divided into two; because a single hive has 
 not combs enough to receive the numerous 
 eggs that a queen is capable of furnishing, 
 and cells suflicicnt at the same time to 
 hold the honey. 
 
 Thus being limited to a small compass, 
 the increase must proportionally be so too. 
 For great part of the bees are necessarily 
 
STOniFYING. 57 
 
 employed in rearing the young, and there- 
 fore the number of those who are occupied 
 in collecting honey is not near so great as 
 has been imagined. 
 
 A good storifier that has not swarmed, or 
 has had the swarm returned, will increase 
 thirty pounds in seven days, in a favourable 
 situation and season: whereas a single hived 
 stock in the same apiary and season, that 
 has swarmed, will not increase above five 
 pounds in the same time. For every swarm, 
 the least as well as the greatest, is provided 
 with a queen, equal in fecundity to the 
 queen of the largest stock ; and as the brood 
 she brings continually demands the labour 
 and attendance of probably near half the 
 bees; this circumstance renders the other 
 moiety, from the smallness of their number, 
 unable to accumulate a large quantity of 
 honey in the short time it mostly abounds. 
 Whereas, by doubling, and trebling the 
 hives, the bees are never at a stand for room 
 to extend their combs, as fast as requisite 
 for honey or brood. 
 
 Bees, considered individually, live about 
 D 5 
 
58 STORIFYI^G. 
 
 a year, progressively coming into birth, and 
 as gradually decaying. It hence follows, 
 that those born in autumn, or spring, or in 
 the intervening months, inevitably die about 
 the same time in the succeeding periods of 
 time, and so in a regular proportion during 
 the breeding season ; but this is not per- 
 ceived while the brood is rapidly increasing, 
 and counterbalancing the chasms made by 
 death. 
 
 The queen often lays two or three hun- 
 dred eggs in a few hours; which occasions 
 as sudden a disappearance at the stated pe- 
 riod, and Avhich accounts for that great 
 thinness observable in hives after the swarm- 
 ing season is over, as if a swarm had escaped. 
 This likewise demonstrates, that at the ge- 
 neral time of deprivation, all hives, or stocks, 
 according to their populousness, are com- 
 posed of bees of all ages, from those in 
 embryo to those of old age. Consequently, 
 although individuals die daily, young ones 
 lise to birth, to succeed them, as do the hu- 
 man race in towns and cities. But, by sto- 
 rifying, the family is perpetuated to any 
 
STORIFYING. 59 
 
 length of time, without the cruel necessity 
 and trouble of destroying itidiscriininately 
 both old and young. 
 
 The story method can in no case be pre- 
 judicial, though the bees should he prevented 
 thereby from swarming: on the contrary, 
 it would be a great advantage if it did so ; 
 for then artificial swarming would not be 
 wanted to perpetuate stocks, which would 
 beetfected without such assistance. Writers 
 have, however, followed each other, by as- 
 serting that by storifying no swarms will 
 rise. From long experience I am certain 
 of the reverse. When duplets or triplets 
 do not swarm, it is Tiot from that cause it 
 is from abortions of the royal brood, and 
 several other casualties. 
 
 Nor is there any danger of being over- 
 stocked ; for however numerous a ^5tock may 
 be in bees during summer, in winter they 
 will be reduced to a quart. Besides which, 
 bad seasons often happen, and many acci- 
 dents arise that will require recruiting, and 
 which may be happily effected by forbear- 
 ing to double a good stock, and a swarm will 
 be the sooner obtained. 
 
60 
 
 STORIFYING. 
 
 The following estimate will show how 
 far the advantage inclines to storijication. 
 
 A Comparative Estimate of Stocks kept in Single 
 Hives, and those placed according to //(eSTonirY. 
 iNC Mel/tod. 
 
 IN SINGLE HIVrS. 
 
 First Year. £. s. d. 
 
 12 stocks on an ave- 
 rage yielding 15 
 lbs. of honey each, 
 is 180 lbs. at 6(/. 4 10 
 
 Supposing each hive 
 to have a cast, 
 each of which usu- 
 ally affords 3 lbs.~ 
 36 "lbs. at 6d. 18 
 
 Wax 1 lb. each, and 
 4 oz. the cast, at 
 18d. 1 2 6 
 
 =£6 10 6 
 
 N. B. They are sup- 
 posed to emit 12 
 good swarms, to 
 stand for stocks. 
 
 To balance in favour 
 of the story method 2 16 
 
 ^8 12 
 Thus at the end of the year 
 the stocks will be equal. 
 
 BY STORIFYING. 
 
 First Year. £. s. d. 
 12 stocks on an ave- 
 
 ragewill yield two 
 
 additional hives of 
 
 honey, of 16 lbs. 
 
 each— 384 lbs. at 
 
 6d. 9 12 
 
 Wax, lilb. each hive 1 16 
 
 =£11 
 
 Discount for the ex- 
 traordinary ex- 
 pcnces, viz. 
 
 24 hives at 14d. 
 
 12 floors 
 
 2i wooden tops 
 
 2 brass plates 
 
 8 
 
 1 8 
 
 
 
 6 
 
 
 
 12 
 
 
 
 10 
 
 
 
 Second Year. 
 12 stocks, being the 
 
 last year's swarms 4 10 
 Casts,or small swarmsO 18 
 AVax 1 2 b 
 
 £6 10 6 
 Balance in favour 
 
 of storifying 4 17 6 
 
 ^11 8 
 
 =£2 16 
 
 =£8 12 
 
 Second Year. 
 12 stocks produce as 
 
 last year 9 12 
 
 Wax 1 16 
 
 >:il 8 © 
 
STORIFYIXG. 61 
 
 From hence it appears, that by laying out 
 two pounds sixteen shillings for the extraor- 
 dinary apparatus of the Jirst year, a superior 
 profit is to be gained of two pounds one shil- 
 ling and sixpence. But in the succeeding 
 years it will amount to four pounds seventeen 
 shillings, that is, about fifty per cent, per 
 annum, on the two pounds sixteen shillings 
 so laid out ; or four pounds seventeen shil- 
 lings and sixpence a-year more, gained by 
 storifying twelve stocks, than by a like 
 number in single hives. 
 
 This statement is made upon the lowest 
 calculation in favour of storifying, which 
 usually yields much more honey and wax 
 than here assigned, and that greatly superior 
 in quality, and consequently more valuable ; 
 but which cannot be obtained from common 
 single hives. The instruments are rated 
 higher than what they will usually cost, be- 
 sides their advantage of durability. 
 
 Though I supposed each common-hived 
 stock to emit a good first swarm, which 
 they often do not, or it is frequently lost; 
 and though some often afford two or three, 
 they in general are but trifling, and abate 
 
02 STORIFYING. 
 
 considerably of the produce of the mother 
 stock, often to its ruin ; what I have allowed 
 for casts, in the common run, will be the 
 full amount. 
 
 The estimate is founded on the produc- 
 tions of middling situations; but in better ,71 
 single hive may produce a stock of from 
 thirty to forty-six pounds weight, gross; 
 the higher likewise will be the proportional 
 advantage in storifying. Where hives weigh 
 so, they are usually much larger than the 
 general size: and I think in the single me- 
 thod, no hive should be less than three 
 pecks, or perhaps a bushel, but not more 
 than twelve inches in height. The twelve 
 stocks will require three shillings and six- 
 pence to be laid out in new hives every 
 third year, which I set against twelve new 
 hives, at least, which must be bought for 
 swarms in the single management. No 
 other branch of husbandry (1 am inclined to 
 think) will return so large an interest on so 
 small an expenditure. 
 
 Besides the advantages already mention- 
 ed, there are others of consequence which 
 deserve notice. 1st. In avoiding the unne- 
 
STORIFYING. 63 
 
 cessary and disagreeable trouble of suffo- 
 eating the bees. 2d. In relieving swarms 
 when too large. 3d. In preventing idleness 
 in their lying out. 4th. In uniting of 
 swarms. 5th. In the means of cleanliness 
 and wholesomeness. 6th. In preserving 
 them from moths, mice, and other insects, 
 by the frequent shifting of the hives. 7th. 
 In giving ample and timely enlargement. 
 8th. In being provided against bad seasons. 
 Lastly, In taking but little room in an api- 
 ary : as, for instance, four stocks will require 
 no more ground to stand on than they had 
 at first; while common hives will demand 
 twice or thrice as much for swarms, but 
 producing less honey. 
 
 The indications for storifying stocks, 
 are the appearance of an increase of num- 
 bers, and in their activity, favoured by the 
 mildness of the seasons. If the stock be 
 a last year's swarm, set a duplet ouer it; 
 and as soon as that seems, by its weight, 
 to be three parts full, set a triplet over the 
 duplet; which last, when full, or nearly so, 
 is to be taken off, and probably will be all 
 entire virgin honey, and without brood. 
 
64 STORIFYING. 
 
 Then raise the duplet, or double hive, by 
 placing a triplet under it. But if the 
 strength of the stock is great, and there is 
 plenty of honey pasturage, so that another 
 triplet may be expected to be filled, place 
 the triplet over, instead of that which was 
 taken off. Perhaps, in some good seasons 
 and situations, three ox four triplets may be 
 taken, if they are opportunely applied. 
 
 But if the stock is of two years standing, 
 it must be raised on a nadir; and as often as 
 it requires enlargement, take the superior 
 hive off, and put a triplet in its place; and 
 
 proceed thus as occasion may require. 
 
 These two methods of superhiving the last 
 year's swarm one year, and the next of nadir- 
 hiving the same stock, will be a sure means 
 of obtaining the greatest quantity of virgin 
 honey, and the largest quantity of the best 
 wax. 
 
 Observe, in all cases, when hives are set 
 over another, that if the nadir is judged to 
 be about three parts full, the door of it must 
 be stopped, and that of the duplet opened, 
 or the bees will not so soon be tempted to 
 ascend, to work in the duplet; nor will this 
 
STORIFYING. (55 
 
 procedure increase the labour of the bees 
 in the meanwhile, as the way down is as 
 short as the way up. 
 
 On the contrary, when a hive is placed 
 under, the door of it must be stopped for a 
 week or two, or till there is reason to think 
 there are some combs made in it; and then 
 it is to be opened, and in two or three days 
 after shut again, disguising it with a cloth, 
 &c. hung before it, for two or three days. 
 
 Be particularly careful not to let the 
 stocks be crowded, before they are storified. 
 For if a princess is impregnated early, it 
 may occasion a swarm to rise suddenly : for 
 often great numbers of brood are hatched 
 together, and therefore from want of room 
 become ferocious, and occasion much in- 
 conveniency to the apiator and bees; but 
 presently become peaceful and satisfied on 
 enlargement. For an additional hive hav- 
 ing communications in direct lines with the 
 combs of the hives added, the bees are led 
 to esteem the whole as one hive, in a few 
 days after its application. 
 
 In some critical days or weeks, when 
 honey dews are plentiful, or white clover or 
 
00 STORITYING. 
 
 other pasturage is abundant, the quantity 
 of honey collected in a few days will be al- 
 most incredible, if they have room enough 
 to lodge it, filling a hive in seven days ; of- 
 ten more than can be accumulated in a 
 whole season. 
 
 But the advantages arising from addi- 
 tional hives are entirely lost in the old single 
 method. 
 
 The duplets are in general not to be 
 taken off till late, lest the queen should be 
 therein, or it be mostly filled with brood. 
 But super-triplets may be always taken ae 
 soon as filled. 
 
 Bees never begin to work in an addi- 
 ditional hive, until new combs are wanted 
 for eggs, or honey; and then the bees will 
 begin to hang down, in ranges, or curtains, 
 which is always a sign they have begun to 
 make combs. 
 
 Bees often want enlargement before 
 swarm time ; "which is denoted by their 
 idly playing about the door and hive. It i« 
 the owner's fault and loss if he suffers it to 
 continue. 
 
 Duplicated boxes will sometimes appear 
 
STORIFYING. C7 
 
 full of combs and bees, through the back 
 windows, though perhaps they are not above 
 a quarter or half filled, the combs being only 
 at the back. 
 
 If the bees of a triplet lie out, before the 
 usual time of deprivation, it should be taken 
 and placed at a considerable distance, and 
 the duplified stock raised on a nadir hive: 
 if, in two or three hours after, the bees of 
 the stock seem quiet, and work as before, as 
 well as those removed, it is a sign they have 
 a queen in each ; and the hive taken may 
 be reserved as a stock, if such is wanted, or 
 fumed, and the queen taken away: most 
 likely there will be much brood, which 
 may be set over a weak stock, or returned 
 again to its mother stock. 
 
 In case duplets have idlers, they are to be 
 raised on a triplet, and in about a month 
 the superior hive is to be taken off. For 
 when lying out in hot weather, though their 
 hives are not full, and the swarming season 
 is past, the bees will not enter notwith- 
 standing; but by adding a nadir hive, the 
 accommodation of a spacious and cool hall 
 
6s STORITYING. 
 
 to regale themselves will induce the idlers 
 to enter it. 
 
 If it is suspected that bees are idle 
 (which, though they do not cluster out, 
 may be discovered by their not being so 
 active as their neighbours), turn the hive up 
 in the middle of the day : and if the combs 
 are partly empty, it may be concluded they 
 have either lost their queen, or she is un- 
 prolific, or is without drones; in which case 
 they are to be slightly fumed in the even- 
 ing, and set over another stock ; particu- 
 larly a weak one, to strengthen them. 
 
 But if the stock is abundant in bees, and 
 most likely in hone}^ let them stand till a 
 young queen can be taken from a swarm ; 
 when placing her just within the door, she 
 will be joyfully received. Otherwise, if it 
 is about the middle of the season, fume, and 
 place them over a stock ; and by that means 
 it will produce a very large quantity of 
 honey. 
 
 Scanty breeders produce but little honey 
 or brood ; so that, whilst other stocks are 
 rapidly increasing in riches, these will 
 
STORIFYING. 09 
 
 bavely get enough to support themselves in 
 the winter. 
 
 Empty combs placed in a duplet will not 
 entice them the sooner to work therein ; for 
 till the hive is completely full, and they are 
 in want of others, they will not ascend, 
 which in bad seasons may not happen for a 
 considerable time : nevertheless, from being 
 ready, they may be of considerable advan- 
 tage. 
 
 About the tenth of July the upper doors 
 of all storied stocks should be closed, to in- 
 duce the queen with more certainty to de- 
 scend, and breed in the loicer hive, except 
 it is designed to be taken; for then the door 
 is to be shut, and the upper one opened. 
 
 It often happens that in poor situations, 
 or in a long season of very inclement wea- 
 ther, neither duplets nor triplets will have 
 work therein: and this is not imputable to 
 a bad method of management, or want of 
 conduct, but wholly to a failure of the re- 
 sources of pasturage, or of opportunities to 
 gather it; which sometimes has been so 
 great as to prevent the generality of stocks 
 from procuring a sufficiency for their own 
 
70 STORIFYING. 
 
 winter's supply. It is necessary in sumKier, 
 when a hive has few bees, to strengthen it 
 with a portion of bees from one that is 
 strong. This will enable the queen to breed 
 fast, and the hive will prove as prosperous 
 as any hive you have. But in all sucb re- 
 inforcements, the hive so replenished should 
 be set at as great a distance as your conveni- 
 ence will allow, for several weeks. This is 
 a rule to be observed in all such cases. 
 
 Stocks that have emitted swarms can but 
 rarely be expected to yield a duplet that 
 summer, unless the swarm is returned. 
 Much less can a swarm do it, though I have 
 known some exceptions in extraordinary 
 «ituations. 
 
 To replenish a stock that is scanty of 
 bees, set some empty combs, and pour the 
 cells of one side full of sugared ale, or plat- 
 ters of it, slightly covering it with a little 
 hay or herbs, to prevent the bees from da- 
 maging themselves in it: set it on a hiv€ 
 floor in the morning, and place an empty 
 hive over it, in the midst of the apiary. 
 
 A great multitude of bees will be at- 
 tracted by the odour, and assemble round 
 
9T0RIFYING. fl 
 
 the feast. As soon as that is perceived, 
 stop the door of the hive until night; when 
 the bees, having ascended to the top of the 
 hive, take it, and give them a slight fuming, 
 and place them over or under the stock that 
 most wants their assistance. 
 
 If a queen is killed or dies in the sum- 
 mer, it may be known by the bees not carry- 
 ing in any farina, or by the door of the 
 queenless stock being much crowded, as well 
 as that to which they carry the honey. Both, 
 hives appear prodigiously active, as though 
 a honey dew had commenced, and with a 
 clear uninterrupted buz, with crumbs of wax 
 about the door. Immediately stop the door 
 of the unfortunate stock, and unstop it in 
 the evening: the interlopers will then fly 
 home. Early in the morning, take the hive 
 to a proper distance, and fume it, or keep 
 them confined till next day, in a darkened 
 room. They will then very peaceably and 
 readily quit the hive on a little drumming 
 on the sides. If the hive has much honey, 
 cut the combs out; but take care of those 
 that have brood, and add them to some other 
 
1jf9 STORIFYING. 
 
 stock. The bees, however, will continue 
 working till all the young are sealed up. 
 
 If a like accident happen in winter, take 
 the bees out, put them to a stock, and take 
 the honey. 
 
 In the want of a hive upon a sudden de- 
 mand of enlargement, and not having a 
 proper one in readiness, set a common one 
 with bars across it, in a pail or bucket, and 
 place the stock over it ; next night close the 
 joining, and at the accustomed time sepa- 
 rate it by the dividers, and take the bottom 
 one away. 
 
 Summers have sometimes been so hot as 
 to soften the combs so much as to tumble 
 them down, occasion the smothering of the 
 bees, and ruin of the stock. To prevent 
 this, in such weather, give them enlarge- 
 ment, and raise single hives behi^id : screen 
 them as much as possible from the sun, by 
 large boughs, pouring often plenty of water 
 about their hives, and taking off the hackels. 
 Bee-houses should have all their doors set 
 open. 
 
SWARMS. 73 
 
 CHAP. XL 
 
 THE NATURE OF SWARMS. 
 
 During the winter, stocks that are po- 
 pulous in the summer become reduced by 
 age and accidents to the small quantity of a / 
 quart; and the weaker stocks sustain a pro- 
 portional diminution. The repeopling the 
 hives, therefore, depends on the amazing 
 fecundity of the queen, which furnishes 
 those new-born multitudes that constitute 
 the swarms. 
 
 In consequence of a continued great in- 
 crease, the bees feel a natural impulse to 
 swarm. This law they are impatient to 
 obey, in defiance of all the obstacles that 
 the ingetiuity of man has contrived to its 
 taking place. A swarm does not consist of 
 all young bees, but of old and young promis- 
 cuously. 
 
 The breeding of young bees is begun 
 sooner or later, in proportion to the fruitful- 
 
74 SWARMS. 
 
 ness of the queen, the populousness of the 
 stock, the goodness of the situation, and of 
 the weather. The more numerous the bees 
 are in the hive, the greater will be the heat 
 to enable the queen to begin breeding earlier 
 than those of other stocks. When bees are 
 carefully supplied with food in spring, they 
 breed fast even in bad weather. 
 
 When January proves mild, the breeding 
 will sometimes commence at the latter end 
 of that month ; but often in February, and in 
 March generally. As soon as bees carry 
 in farina, or yellow balls, on their legs, it is 
 a sure sign of the queen's having begun to 
 breed. A long season of cold and wet wea- 
 ther retards the hatching or increasing of 
 the breed, causing many abortions, and not 
 uncommonly that of the royal nymphs. 
 They may be seen cast out in such unkindly 
 seasons. 
 
 The influence of a genial spring hastens 
 the breeding, and no less accelerates the 
 blossoms proper for their nourishment ; the 
 sallows, willows, snow-drops, crocuses, &c. 
 yielding plenty of farina. 
 
 But should the weather be unfavourable 
 
SWARMS. 7» 
 
 while these flowers are in bloom, thereby 
 preventing the bees from issuing out to col- 
 lect it, those already hatched will be starved; 
 and it will also delay a farther increase, until 
 a more auspicious change takes place. 
 
 If a spring is not very cold, but wet, it will 
 not favour the production of royal brood; 
 yet the common cells will be filled with 
 young, but no addition of honey; which 
 will cause the bees to be very anxious to 
 swarm, and very irritable, flying about the 
 hive in confusion and discontent. 1 li^ve 
 several times seen royal cells in which the 
 workers were continually introducing their 
 heads, I suppose, to feed the maggot ; but, 
 after a few days, they entirely neglected 
 them, probably as being abortive. In such 
 cases no swarm can rise until another birth 
 yields a princess. 
 
 In spring, when bees that are in no want 
 of food suddenly give over carrying, it may 
 denote the unprolificnessof the queen; and 
 if the hive contain but few bees, they had 
 better be united to another stock. 
 
 In forward springs, when the workers are 
 few, but the queen very pregnant, she will 
 E 2 
 
76 SWARMi?. 
 
 be obliged to deposit her eggs faster than the 
 small number of bees can supply the mag- 
 gots with sustenance; and they will therefore 
 perish, and be cast out. This is a disadvan- 
 tage which arises from keeping weak stocks. 
 
 To judge of the fulness of a hive in May, 
 observe the numbers of bees that enter the 
 respective hives, and form an estimate. 
 
 Queens are not equally fruitful While 
 some breed slowly or not at all, others will 
 speedily increase in prodigious numbers. 
 Sterile queens should be exchanged for the 
 spare queen of a swarm ; or at taking up 
 time destroyed, and a new stock substi- 
 
 tuted. 
 
 From the middle of. May to the middle of 
 June is the most advantageous time for 
 swarming; but they often rise, not only at 
 the beginning of April, or sooner, but also 
 as late as the 20th of August; counties and 
 seasons being so very various. Venj early 
 ones are seldom large enough to constitute 
 a good stock; and are in danger of perish- 
 ing, if bad weather succeeds. Very late 
 on^'e's, though mostly large, will often not 
 have sufficient time to lay up an ade- 
 
SWARMS. 77 
 
 quale store for the winter, nor rear a brood 
 in time ; beside which, their emigration di- 
 minishes the parent stock so much as to en- 
 danger its being starved during the next 
 spring. The prevention is, to encourage 
 timely swarms by warmth, and by a trough 
 of sugared ale now and then, in February 
 and March, But whether the swarms are 
 early or late, is a matter of no consequence 
 in the story method, by which they are re- 
 turned to the stocks. 
 
 In a good season for early honey-gathering, 
 the stocks will not be forward to swarm, 
 though they have a princess ready ; being 
 then wholly intent to collect the precious 
 sweets, and almost deserting the hive : the 
 few left, finding such spacious room, and full 
 employment, have no temptation to rise, and 
 quit such treasure for an empty hive. 
 
 Though a spring should be co/rf, and other- 
 wise unfavourable, a swarm may rise the first 
 or second fine sunny day, if a princess is 
 impregnated, notwithstanding the hive may 
 be very thin of bees. The swarm, of course, 
 will be small. New swarms will gradually- 
 desert their hive on a continuance of bad 
 E 3 
 
78 SWARMS. 
 
 weather, and unite with another stock or 
 •tocks, without loss to their master. 
 
 The increase of swarms in calm situations 
 is frequently three from a hive; and swarms 
 will emit swarms, or maiden ones. But it 
 is to be observed, that in these cases the 
 production of honey is proportionally less, 
 not near so much as might be expected fron:> 
 •the multitude of bees, for the reasons before 
 assigned. 
 
 Frequently, when stocks in very good sitU" 
 ations have many princesses, swarms will 
 rise though the weather has been unfavour- 
 able; while stocks only two miles distant 
 may be starving, and afford no swarm. 
 
 Stocks single-hived, on being filled, and 
 having a suitable princess, will often swarm 
 repeatedly, though of small bulk ; by reason 
 that, having no more space to work in, 
 they would rather swarm than be idle, that 
 the precious advantage of honey-gathering 
 may not be lost. 
 
 In very dry seasons few swarms are dis- 
 charged. On examining the hives, no 
 princess or royal cell was found. The cause 
 is uncertain; perhaps the drought did not 
 
SWARMS. 79 
 
 favour that kind of prolific nutriment fit to 
 produce royal eggs or brood, and therefore 
 no swarms could be formed. Such stocks 
 should be taken at the season; for having, 
 it is most likely, none but old queens, they 
 will die in the winter, and put an end to the 
 stock. 
 
 Bees that are placed near woods find therein 
 abundant farina (the great source of early 
 swarms) to feed their young. In all situa- 
 tions that have plenty of farina, the bees are 
 remarkably forward and active. In the heath 
 countries, on the contrary, they are later in 
 their productions than in other situations, 
 seldom swarming till the end of July, owing 
 to heath blowing late. In general, the 
 bleaker the situation, the later the swarms. 
 
 A wet early season prevents the gathering 
 of farina : then late swarms will be the con- 
 sequence ; and if the weather should conti- 
 nue very indifferent, they will rise when least 
 expected, and be lost for want of watching. 
 
 After the first or prime swarms have risen, 
 the succeeding ones should be returned to 
 the stock ; for if a second is emitted, it cer- 
 tainly so much impoverishes the stock that 
 E 4 
 
■SO SWARMS. 
 
 little honey can be collected afterwards, and 
 will not leave a sufficiency of bees to rear tlie 
 young, which at that time are abundant. 
 Undoubtedly there are exceptions, which a 
 discreet apiator must be left to judge of. 
 When additional stocks are not wanted, the 
 prime swarms are to be returned, as well as 
 casts; as being the most profitable method. 
 The stocks on the storied plan cannot be 
 kept too full of bees in the summer time. 
 
 Stocks that have not swarmed before the 
 first of July from single hives, should be re- 
 turned ; but reference in these and the like 
 cases must always be had to the difference of 
 seasons and situations, in which local circum- 
 stances only can direct the determination. 
 
 A large early swarm, with good vveather 
 succeeding, will be far more productive than 
 a similar one that rises later; for having 
 more time before them, their hives will be 
 furnished with combs and brood before the 
 honey harvest commences, and then are 
 prepared with empty cells, and young work- 
 ers, that will, in a short time, enable them to 
 collect a large store of honey, if care has 
 been previously taken to provide them with 
 
SWARMS. 81 
 
 spacious room. If bad weather should in- 
 tervene, it will be prudent to feed them, for 
 which their subsequent labour will amply 
 recompense. 
 
 There have been instances of stocks 
 which have swarmed, and notwithstanding 
 in the middle of July clustered out ; and on 
 iiaving another hive set over them, still re- 
 mained, without ascending; but two or 
 three days after, on setting a hive under, they 
 presently entered, and worked vigorously. 
 
 With respect to those stocks which do 
 not seem to increase in numbers, or appear 
 not to have drones; a dozen or two should be 
 taken from another stock that has plenty, 
 and put to them. To effect this, in a fine 
 sunny afternoon, when the drones issue out 
 most, take them singly with the finger and 
 thumb as they pass on the resting board, 
 and put them into a long phial, held ready 
 in the other hand, till the number wanted is 
 obtained: stop the phial with a notched 
 cork, and at night fasten the mouth of the 
 phial to the door-way of the hive, and by 
 morning they will have entered. 
 
 Those persons who kill the drones in the 
 £ 5 
 
83 SWARMS* 
 
 springy are not aware that thereby they are 
 destroying the only means of increase ; for 
 the drones are to bees what males are to 
 other creatures. But if it should be ob- 
 served that the drones in summer are so 
 abundant, especially of a weak stock, as 
 nearly to consume the honey as fast as ga- 
 thered ; in this case, and this only, some of 
 them may be destroyed. 
 
 Many schemes have been tried for dimi- 
 nishing the drones, but with little success. 
 For if they are stopped from entering their 
 own hive, they know their next neighbours 
 will gladly receive them : nor will traps 
 sufficiently destroy them ; and their appli- 
 cation greatly disturbs and hinders the 
 workers of not only their own hive, but also 
 of others. 
 
 More may be killed on the alighting 
 board in a short time by the end of a case 
 knife, than by any other means; and if done 
 leisurely, the workers will not resent it for a 
 while. When they do, retreat, and try 
 again some little time after. If continued 
 long, the workers will be so disturbed as to 
 enter other hives, and the whole apiary be 
 
SWARMS. 83 
 
 alarmed. If the workers do not kill the 
 drones at the usual time, a few may be killed 
 by the fingers; and then thrusting a small 
 twig into the hive, will provoke the workers 
 to finish the business. August is the usual 
 time of massacre. The strongest stocks 
 expel them the soonest : however, if they 
 are not killed then, the cold weather etfec- 
 tually destroys them. 
 
 Great numbers of workers are bred before 
 princesses or drones, which last do not usu- 
 ally appear before May, unless in early 
 springs ; and the populous stocks will have 
 them in March, and often in April. 
 
 Hives, however, will often be so full of 
 bees as to cluster out, and frequently 
 swarm, without any appearance of drones ; 
 though it is probable there may be a few, 
 but the weather too unfavourable for their 
 shewing themselves, as they are more ten- 
 der than the workers. 
 
 LYING, OR CLUSTERING. 
 
 The lying or clustering out of bees, on or 
 about a hive, has been commonly looked 
 
84 SWARMS. 
 
 upon as a sign of their being ready to 
 swarm : but this is deceitful. It indeed 
 may denote that there are bees enough to 
 compose a swarm; but it is also a token 
 that there is no princess to go with them ; 
 for, in want of room, they often continue 
 clustered several weeks. 
 
 It must be considered, that when the 
 combs of a hive are/M.// of honey and brood, 
 the spaces left between, being only half an 
 inch in width each, contain only a third part 
 of the capacity of the whole hive — about 
 fourteen thousand to a half bushel — and 
 consequently become soon overcharged by 
 a forward queen, and the surplus is obliged 
 to lie out ; which, in fact, they always do, in 
 such circumstances, and perhaps till the 
 middle of August in hot and dry seasons, 
 when but few bees can remain in the hive. 
 This clustering is very prejudicial, not 
 only in the loss of time, but also in what the 
 bees might have acquired by their labour 
 in that interval, usually the most productive 
 of any part of the season, when every bee 
 ought to be fully employed. Nor is this 
 all: the bees by this indulgence contract a 
 
SWARMS. 85 
 
 habit of indolence not easily relinquished. 
 The example tempts others to be as idle as 
 themselves, greatly obstructing those that 
 work, in their progress. Some, indeed, will 
 be industrious in spite of their owner's inat- 
 tention, and proceed to build combs on the 
 outside, or under the floor of the hive. 
 
 Although it is a certain sign, when bees 
 lie out from day to day, that there is no 
 princess ready; yet as there is no practical 
 means of knowing when there will, a con- 
 stant watching is necessary. 
 
 These disadvantages are admirably reme" 
 died by storifying. 
 
 But cottagers, who have not this conve- 
 nience, may cut a door-way in the back 
 of an empty hive that already has one in 
 front. Set the empty hive with one of its 
 door-ways against that of the stock, fixing 
 on a proper support, so as to be on an exact 
 level with the stock. The vacancy left 
 between the two hives fill up with a piece of 
 hay-band, &c. taking care, however, to leave 
 -the passage of the two door-ways free. The 
 bees will then pass through the empty hive 
 to the full one, till more room is wanted. 
 
8(5 SWARMS. 
 
 and then they will begin in the additional 
 one. 
 
 To separate them when full, at night 
 gently take away the hay-band ; have a 
 lump of clay or cow-dung of a proper con- 
 sistence ready ; nimbly force that between 
 the two hives so effectually that it may stop 
 both doors ; take away the foremost, and 
 place another empty one in its stead the 
 next night. About an hour after taking up 
 the first, you may venture to open the door 
 Of the stock with the end of a long stick, 
 and in the morning entirely clear the dung 
 away. 
 
 Under this management the bees will 
 constantly be employed, nor can they pos- 
 sibly be prejudicial to the owners, though 
 thereby the stocks should not swarm, for 
 doubling does not prevent it. 
 
 The profit on bees depends, in a great 
 measure, on the detention of the swarms. 
 \itliey are lost, the increase of honey can be 
 but trifling, however carefully all other 
 particulars are observed. A casual inspec- 
 tion will not answer this important purpose. 
 I have not seen or heard of any apiatorg 
 
SWARMS. 87 
 
 (myself not excepted), who, through neglect 
 in this point have not lost, more or less, 
 swarms every year, and chiefly prime ones ; 
 for hees often swarm without a minute's 
 notice, perhaps the very instant after being 
 left. There is no sure way of securing 
 swarms but by a constant watching of a bee- 
 herd, retained on purpose, from seven or 
 eight in the morning until three or four 
 in the afternoon, till all the prime swarms 
 have issued. Bad weather may be ex- 
 cepted. 
 
 Children, or rather aged people, might be 
 employed to do it at an easy rate ; and if it 
 should cost seven or eight shillings, it is bet- 
 ter to be at that charge, than run the great 
 risk of losing several of the best sicarms. 
 You also escape the anxiety and trouble of 
 going constantly to and fro, which is after 
 all attended with uncertainty. Besides, if 
 a person keeps but six stocks, and saves 
 only one swarm, he will be no loser; to 
 which add, the assistance given to an indi- 
 gent family by the money expended. The 
 usual hours of swarming are from ten to 
 two; but this is not to be depended on. I 
 
88 SWARMS. 
 
 have often known, and had them rise as 
 early or late as the hours stated. 
 
 Another cause of the loss of prime 
 swarms, is the mistaken notion that bees 
 always shew certain signs or tokens of their 
 going to swarm ; and, therefore, until those 
 signs appear, watching is omitted. But it 
 must be evident to every reflecting apiator, 
 that swarms frequently rise early in the 
 spring, as well as at other times, without 
 shewing any such signs at all. On the con- 
 trary, in some seasons the hive may be so 
 very full of bees as largely to cluster out, 
 and make an astonishing noise within, as 
 though that moment they would rise, and 
 yet very often do not; no, not for several 
 days or weeks afterwards, and sometimes 
 not at all. These tokens, indeed, clearly 
 shew there are bees sufficient in number for 
 a swarm, and they are most anxious to do 
 so ; but it also shews they cannot break na- 
 ture's law — no queen, no sicarm. 
 
 Although there are no signs that precede 
 first swarms; oi second, or casts, or after 
 ones, there are, viz. peculiar sounds or notes 
 in the hive not heard at any other season. 
 
SWARMS. 8d 
 
 They may be heard generally in the even- 
 ing in fine weather, and sometimes for se>- 
 veral days together; being probably ex- 
 pressive of the princesses' being ready, 
 and desirous of enjoying empires of their 
 own; for several are afterwards heard at a 
 time, in a kind of response either more 
 acute or grave, but very different from any 
 sounds made by their wings, and seeming 
 to be formed by a tube, resembling the ex- 
 pressions of toot, toot, toot, or nearly that of 
 a child's penny trumpet, but not near so 
 loud. Many cliimerical conjectures have 
 been formed relative, to this particularity ; 
 but one certain meaning they convey to the 
 apiator, tiiat when heard, he may be as- 
 sured that the Jirst or prime sicarm has 
 escaped, if that will comfort him. 
 
 It indicates also, that a swarm may be 
 expected very- soon, perhaps the next day, 
 or in a few following ones, according to the 
 fineness of the weather. 
 
 When the number of princesses is too 
 many to be supplied with bees for swarms, 
 it induces three or more to issue with a 
 single swarm, and either settle together, or 
 
90 SWARMS. 
 
 divide into different clusters ; well knowing 
 that death will be the fate of those that 
 tarry behind. Sometimes, indeed, a prin- 
 cess will coax a few bees to accompany 
 her, and form a small cast, of no profit, but 
 which rather contributes to impoverish the 
 stock. 
 
 Second sicarms are seldom worth pre- 
 serving single; but by uniting two or three, 
 you may form a good stock. 
 
 If a swarm is wanted from a duplet, both 
 doors must be left open : but if none should 
 rise, the stock at separation most likely will 
 have a queen in each. 
 
 It is very probable that a princess may 
 sometimes rise unimpregnated, or not ripe 
 for laying, and which the bees at their exit 
 with her were not sensible of; but when 
 hived, finding their mistake, they aban- 
 don her and the hive, and return home 
 again. 
 
 On the rising of swarms, many bees just 
 returned from the fields with their loads, 
 and many just entering, join them; by 
 which means they are capable of construct- 
 ing combs presently after settling ; and 
 
SWARMS. 91 
 
 sometimes do on the branch of a tree, if they 
 are suffered to remain there a considerable 
 time. 
 
 When bees play idly about the door or 
 hive, and are more than ordinarily mis- 
 chievous, it is a sign they are anxious to 
 swarm ; and probably may rise, though 
 without a princess, if it is late in the season, 
 but will return home again. 
 
 If the wind be brisk at the time of a 
 swarm's rising, it will fly in the same direc- 
 tion, and will settle in that spot which will 
 best shelter them from the inconveniency, 
 regardless of their accustomed place of 
 clustering. 
 
 As none but good swarms at any time 
 ought to be kept, it will be necessary t© 
 ascertain how such may be known. It 
 should be in bulk, when hived, not less than 
 a peck and a half; in middling situations 
 they run more. I have had them in Hert- 
 fordshire frequently half a bushel, some- 
 times larger. 
 
 Near Pembroke they seldom exceed a 
 peck, which is here esteemed a good swarm. 
 
93 
 
 SWARMS. 
 
 However, not less than a peck will prove a 
 productive one. 
 
 A swarm will appear much larger as it 
 hangs on a bush, than when clustered in the 
 top of a hive. 
 
 Tht Number, Weight, and Measure of Bees, 
 
 100 drones . . . 
 
 290 workers , . . 
 4,640 . . . 
 
 915 . . . 
 
 1,830 a pint 
 
 3,660 ' ■ a quart 
 29,280 a peck 
 
 AVOIRD. 
 WEIGHT. 
 
 lb. oz. dr. 
 
 10- 
 
 10 
 
 1 
 3 2 J> 
 
 6 5 I ^^'INCHESTER 
 
 12 10 i ME'^urvE. 
 6 5 6j 
 
 This statement is made on an average ; 
 for they will not prove twice exactly alike, 
 because of their different degrees of ful- 
 ness, &c. 
 
iiivixG. 93 
 
 CHAP. XIL 
 
 THE HIVING OF SWARMS. 
 
 As swarms [pLIL fg.^) frequently rise 
 when not expected, and that with precipi- 
 tation, common prudence, it might be 
 thought, would induce apiators to have 
 hives in readiness. But 1 have often seen 
 the contrary, though the expence of the 
 hives would be less, when bought early, and 
 you would also avoid the risk of losing a 
 )?warm while seeking a hive. 
 
 The poverty of cottagers may be an ex- 
 cuse for such supineness. Therefore in such 
 an exigency, the swarm may be put in a pail, 
 bucket, basket, &c. in which let it remain 
 till the evening: when turning the vessel up, 
 lay two flat sticks across it, place on it an 
 empty hive, bind a cloth round the junc- 
 ture (all but the door-way), and by the 
 morning the bees will have ascended there- 
 in ; but if not, gently beating the sides of 
 the vessel will cause them to ascend. 
 
94 HIVING. 
 
 To prepare hives for the reception of 
 swarms, the snags, or the roughness of the 
 straw, should be clipped off, and rubbed as 
 smooth as can well be, as this will save the 
 bees a deal of labour, which they will em- 
 ploy to greater advantage in constructing of 
 combs. 
 
 Boxes should have all holes and crevices 
 stopped with putty, or other cement, which 
 otherwise the bees must do, to exclude air 
 and vermin. 
 
 Spleets, or sticks, are proper to support 
 the combs, when extended near the bottom ; 
 but two only are necessary, and placed 
 thus +, at the height of the second round 
 of straw from the bottom ; one from the 
 front to the back, the other across that, from 
 right to left : for as the combs are usually 
 built in parallel lines from front to back, 
 each comb, when wrought down, being of 
 considerable weight, it will have a ready 
 support from the spleet, and which will 
 serve to fasten them also; but till they be- 
 come weighty, no fastening but that which 
 the bees themselves execute, will at all be 
 needful. 
 
HIVING. dft 
 
 But as sometimes the combs are con- 
 structed obliquely, or transversely, a second 
 spleet is necessary to take them in that di- 
 rection. In fact, common hives, having no 
 occasion for removes till they are taken up, 
 need no spleets, as verified by bees in hol- 
 low trees, &c. However, the two men- 
 tioned are enough for any hive, even in the 
 story method : much less have they occasion 
 for any spleet near the top, and which is ge- 
 nerally so preposterously placed as to be 
 very troublesome and prejudicial to the 
 honey, in taking the combs out. 
 
 No other preparation or dressing of hives 
 is necessary, than that which I have men- 
 tioned. The employing herbs, and many 
 other fanciful articles, is of no use ; but as 
 people are wedded to old customs without 
 rational foundation, sugared or honeyed ale, 
 sprinkled in the top of the hive, is the most 
 alluring substance that I know of. The 
 truth is, when a swarm quits a clean hive, 
 it is for other causes, and not through dis- 
 taste of the hive, unless it is too small. 
 
 It is customary to make a tinkling noise 
 to allure swarms to settle. Why it does so 
 
96 HIVING. 
 
 is uncertain ; but that it does, is as certain. 
 Most prime swarms, that are not in a habit 
 of settling in an usual s|)ot, are mostly- 
 lost, if not tinkled. 
 
 Btsides which, it ascertains the right that 
 the apiator who follows it, has to claim it, 
 if strayed from his own premises. The 
 greater the noise, the sooner it is likely ^o 
 succeed. I find a watch rattle (used about 
 London) the most eflicacious, and that 
 when the common method has failed. 
 
 In prime or first swarms, the noise should 
 not begin till such a quantity of bees have 
 arisen as will form a good swarm, for fear of 
 terrifying the princess from issuing; and if 
 so, all the bees will return, though hived. 
 A sudden storm, dark clouds, or thunder, 
 will cause them to return, if not settled ; or 
 if the princess, too weak to sustain the 
 flight, drops on the ground ; or if the bees 
 are roughly treated in the hiving. 
 
 The noise should be made on the contrary 
 side to that which will be most proper for 
 settling. Nor should it continue longer than 
 the bees begin to cluster: there is no danger 
 but the rest will follow on hearing their 
 
HIVING. 97 
 
 buz. When they rise iu windy weather, 
 they are very irritable, and apt to sting; 
 and, though clustered, will often return 
 home. 
 
 When a prime swarm is broke or divided, 
 the second will be much superior; and there- 
 fore, if it is in good time, may be kept, if a 
 stock is wanted. 
 
 When bees are hived, but seem discon- 
 tented and tumultuous, it is a sign they have 
 no queen among them. Probably she will 
 be found on the ground, with a small cluster 
 surrounding her. Take the cluster up, and 
 place it on the outside of the hive which 
 has the swarm, or near the door; it will 
 soon make them easy, and allure those on 
 the wing to join them also. 
 
 Hives fixed near the spots where bees 
 have been used to settle, and rubbed with 
 sugared ale, will sometimes decoy swarms to 
 reside therein. But this must not be relied 
 on ; for it often happens that bees previ- 
 ously choose a place, that they have made 
 clean for their reception, and to which, on 
 rising, they immediately repair. But a hive 
 of old combs will certainly allure some of 
 
 F 
 
98 HIVING. 
 
 your own swarms to stttle therein, if not of 
 some stra3'ecl ones. 
 
 If a swarm is too large to be contained in 
 a hive, immediately double it; but if it is a 
 common hive, turn it upside down in a buc- 
 ket, &c. and lay two flat sticks across, and 
 set another hive over it; then take them 
 from the bucket, and set them on four or 
 five rounds of an old straw hive doubled, 
 as they are, and in the evening place them 
 on their destined station, stopping the join- 
 ing with clay, and allowing a proper door- 
 way. 
 
 When swarms seem restless some time 
 after hiving, as often happens from their 
 having two princesses, and being undiiter- 
 mined in their choice; take them to a dark 
 apartment, when the bees, supposing it near 
 laight, will presently elect the most promis- 
 ing lady, and expel the other. 
 
 It is very likely that the old queen some- 
 times accompanies the first swarm. The 
 reason perhaps of there being no tooting pre- 
 ceding t{\t first swartns, is there being then 
 but one young queen qualified tjo lead 
 them. 
 
HIVING. ^ 
 
 When more royal cells than one are per- 
 ceived in a hive, the supernuraierary ones 
 may be taken out to make a swarm, if 
 wanted. 
 
 Bees, when swarming, are generally very 
 peaceable, as being under many fears and 
 appreliensions; so that they may be hived 
 with much ease and little danger (unless the 
 wind is high), if they are treated with gen- 
 tleness. 
 
 If they seem inclined to rove beyond the 
 proper bounds, handfuls of sand, dirt, or the 
 like, should be thrown up among them: 
 water also cast among them will induce a 
 speedy clustering. The same means should 
 be used when two swarms rise together, and 
 fight in the air. A great noise should be 
 made, especially that of a gun, to intimidate 
 them. 
 
 If several princesses rise with otie swarm, 
 when hived together, great commotions en- 
 sue, until one of the princesses is cast out 
 or killed. 
 
 But when they cannot decide in theif 
 choice, they fly out, and continue the con- 
 test ; or, which is most frequently the case, 
 F 2 
 
100 IIIVINO. 
 
 different parties cluster with the lady they 
 approve, and settle separately. Let them 
 alone till they are severally settled, hive 
 each parcel separate, afterwards strike them 
 out on a board one after the other, and take 
 the queens from each, all but the largest 
 cluster, to which putall the rest. Or other- 
 wise, at the close of theeven\ng,fu}ne them 
 all together, when the first princess that re- 
 covers will be acknowledged queen, and 
 the rest expelled or slain by the morning. 
 
 Stray swarms are often perceived flying 
 in the air, and may be allured to settle (es- 
 pecially if tired with flight) by making some 
 kind of tinkling with a knife upon a fork, 
 shovel, or the like; and when settled, may 
 be brushed into a hat, handkerchief, or part 
 of the garment, which being gathered up by 
 the corners, may safely be carried home, 
 and laid on the ground, or table, laying a 
 stick across ; and placing a hive over them, 
 they will assemble therein. 
 
 When a swarm settles in several clus- 
 tersy hive only the largest cluster, and re- 
 move it, a small distance at a time, near to 
 the smaller clusters, which are successively 
 
HIVING. 101 
 
 to be shook off the places of clustering by a 
 long hooked stick, leptatedly, till the buz- 
 zing of those in the hive-has attracted their 
 notice, and induced them to join. If the 
 clusters are equal in bulk, hive both sepa- 
 rately, and set them at a small distance from 
 each other; and if either of them have a 
 queen, and are dissatisfied with her, they 
 will quit the hive, and unite with the other; 
 but it both lemain contented, unite them by 
 fuming. 
 
 Swarms should be hived as soon as set- 
 tled ; for their clustering is generally but of 
 short duration, especially of prime swarms, 
 or if they have previously selected a place 
 of residence. 
 
 When a swarm attempts to settle on a 
 person, standing or walking, &c. let him not 
 be alarmed, nor in any wise oppose them, but 
 lift the hat a little above the head; perhaps 
 they will settle on that: if not, cover your 
 head and face with a handkerchief for them 
 to cluster on. But if, contrary-wise, they 
 begin to cluster on the shoulders, or under 
 the handkerchief, fling it off, and spread 
 your hands over the eyes and face, and thus 
 Y 3 
 
10^ HIVING. 
 
 remain entirely passive, till the whole have 
 fixed, which, if this is punctually observed, 
 will be done without a single sting. Then 
 retreat with leisure to some room in a 
 house, made nearly dark; and then a person 
 must hold a hive, pan, sieve, &c. (sprinkled 
 with sugared ale) over the cluster, with the 
 edge just touching it, which Avill, after a 
 little while, induce them to ascend irito it. 
 Blowing with bellows will cause them to 
 do it the sooner, without irritating their 
 propensity to sting. But if any violent or 
 ofiensive means are used, it will provoke 
 their revenge, so as to be dangerous. 
 
 When a swarm is clustering, and ano- 
 ther is rising, and endeavours to join it, 
 cover the first with a thin cloth, and throw 
 <]ust or water among the others, to cause 
 them to settle elsewhere. As likewise, if 
 a swarm that has risen attempts to settle on 
 a stock hive, stop the door, and cover the 
 bive with a cloth. Sprinkle an empty hive 
 with sugared ale, and place it a little raised 
 over the top of the stock, and the swarm 
 will enter therein. If the swarm siems 
 too large to be contained in the hive, set 
 
UIVING. 103 
 
 another upon the first. As soon as the bees 
 liave entered, take it away, and unstop the 
 stock. 
 
 Or it may be donsj by stopping the door 
 of the stock, and immediately removing it 
 to some distance. In the interim an assistant 
 is to place an empty hive in its place, to 
 which the swarm will enter; and then it is 
 to be taken to an appropriate stand, and 
 the stock brought back to its former situ*- 
 ation. 
 
 Swarms will sometimes cluster on, or en- 
 ter, improper places, as under roofs, or other 
 buildings. Immediately a hive is to be 
 placed close by, or just about the hole of 
 their entrance : encompass the hive and 
 bees with a cloth, and it is very likely after 
 a little time they will give the preference to 
 the hive. If not, put a piece of paper with 
 holes made in it over the bov. 1 of a pipe of 
 tobacco; apply the end to a small hole made 
 just under where the bees entered ; take the 
 empty lave away, and then blowing forcibly, 
 the smoke will generally induce them to fly 
 out, and cause them to settle in a more con- 
 venient situation for hiving. 
 F 4 
 
104 HIVING. 
 
 To avoid repetitions, I would observe, 
 that the general rule in conducting ope- 
 rations about bees is, that they be executed 
 without noise or talking in approaching 
 the hives, till the doors are secured ; other-" 
 wise the bees will be alarmed, and guard 
 the doors immediately. A leisurely and 
 calm deportment, with gentleness yet bold- 
 ness, and giving the least disturbance, will 
 greatly conduce to render the business easy 
 and safe. 
 
 In hiving, take care that none are crushed, 
 as that provokes the others to revenge; and 
 not only so, but it may chance to be the 
 queen, to the ruin of the swarm. Forbear 
 the use of weeds, or throwing water on 
 them, when clustering, or brushing them off, 
 which they will highly resent; and it may 
 make them fly quite away. Gently cut 
 away all spray twigs, or branches, that may 
 obstruct the placing the hive under the 
 cluster. Always spread a cloth on the 
 ground, with two small wedges on it, as 
 near the cluster as may be: the wedges are 
 to keep the edges of the front of the hive a 
 little raised, for the more ready entrance of 
 
HIVING. 105 
 
 the bees underneath ; as also to prevent in- 
 juring any of them. 
 
 It may be remarked that swarms often 
 settle icithout a queen-, which, therefore, 
 proves, that it is not the queen that leads 
 and begins the cluster. Most likely those 
 that are most inclined settle first, and the 
 rest naturally follow; as sheep through a 
 hedge. 
 
 Instruments necessary for hiving are, an 
 ^mpty box or hive, a hive floor, or loose 
 board, a large cloth, tv/o small wedges, and 
 a long fork, or crook-stick. 
 
 To hive bees, let the apiator take the hive 
 inverted, and leisurely introduce the hive 
 under the cluster as conveniently as can 
 be without disturbing the bees; then with 
 the left hand give the bough two or three 
 smart shakes, which will cause the greater 
 part of the cluster to fall into the hive: 
 nimbly take it away, and turn it on one 
 edge on the floor, and the other on the 
 wedges; draw the cloth up over the hive^ 
 leaving the raised part open. The bees, a(« 
 may be expected, w'lW be in great confusion, 
 and make a great buz, but will immediately 
 F 5 
 
iOG HIVING. 
 
 begin to ascend: the bough, or bush, &c. 
 must continually be shook by the long stick, 
 whilst any bees endeavour to relodge on 
 it: those on the wing, hearing the buz of 
 their companions in the hive, will gradually 
 fly down and join them. Let them remain 
 on the spot till the evening, unless the sun 
 should be too violent; and then the heat 
 would make them quit the hive, unless shel- 
 tered by boiighs, or the like. But if it should 
 be inconvenient for the hive to remain, they 
 may be removed a little way off. As soon as 
 the bees are nearly retired into the hive, the 
 hive may be carried to its destined stand; 
 the few bees that remain on the wing will 
 return home. 
 
 Whenever bees are so clustered that a 
 hive cannot be put under them, lay a cloth 
 under, or as near as circumstances will al- 
 low; shake the bush, &c. to make the bees 
 fall, and keep so doing till the bees relin- 
 quish it: when down on the cloth, or 
 •ground, set a hive over them, and they will 
 enter. 
 
 Or, should a swarm settle on a hedge, &c. 
 that a hive cannot be set under them, it may 
 
HIVING. 107 
 
 be placed over them: this do by forked 
 stakes, or cords ; and hy flinging a cloth over 
 the bees and empty hive, they will iu 
 some hours ascend. But for fear of mis- 
 chance, they should be watched. Or if they 
 are found not to ascend, set the hive three 
 parts over a floor, then with a spoon very 
 tenderly take up some of the bees, and turn 
 them out on the floor, within, or near the 
 door of the liive (its edge being raised by a 
 wedge): repeat it as long as the bees will 
 permit without showing much resentment : 
 the buz of those already entered (the larger 
 the number, the better) will the sooner al- 
 lure the others to do so. But if the bees are 
 fractious at first, introduce only a spoonful 
 or two at a time; and in the intervals retire 
 out of sight. 
 
 Or, to prevent a swarm from clustering 
 inconveniently in a hedge or bush, immedi- 
 ately lay a handkerchief or hat on the bush: - 
 probably they may settle on that, and may 
 afterwards be laid on the ground ; and a 
 hive being placed over, they will most likely 
 embrace the ofler. 
 
 Bees clustering round the body of a tree. 
 
108 HIVING. 
 
 or post, are difficult to hive. Take a liive 
 and floor, or board, and place it by means 
 of forked sticks, barrels, ladders, &c. or with 
 cords, so that the floor may be on a level 
 with the bottom of the cluster: then raising 
 the edge of the hive next to the bees, by 
 ■vvedges, gently advance the hive so as 
 slightly to touch the cluster: this in a little 
 while may induce some of the bees to enter, 
 and the rest to follow. But to save time, 
 use the spoon, as before directed, to dimi- 
 nish the cluster, and increase the buzzing in 
 the hive: at times disturb the cluster, by 
 gently shoving a small stick among the out- 
 ermost, to disengage them. As soon as a 
 considerable number have entered, the rest 
 will surely follow ; though, perhaps, but 
 slowly; unless the queen has been one of 
 those conveyed by the spoon. 
 
 Should swarms fix on the extreme 
 branches or twigs of high trees, beyond 
 the reach of the hand, a hive, or rather a 
 light basket, must be suspended to the end 
 of a long pole or fork. Then having a lad^ 
 dtr, introduce the basket under the cluster, 
 while an assistant with a long crook smartly 
 
HiviNcr. 109 
 
 shakes the bough, by which a great part of 
 the bees will fall into it. It must then 
 speedily be brought down, and turned up- 
 side down on a cloth ready spread, on which 
 many bees already fallen will be settled. In 
 the mean while the branches must be con- 
 stantly shook, by which the bees, finding no 
 quiet there, and hearing the buz of those un- 
 derneath, will descend and join them. 
 
 Or, another method is to tie twigs to the 
 end of a long pole, and therewith disturb 
 the cluster till they take wing again ; when 
 probably they will cluster in another situa- 
 tion more favourable, if treated with the 
 usual music. 
 
 A third means is to hold a pan of smok- 
 ing substances, which may make them glad 
 to move their quarters. 
 
 When swarms settle on large branches of 
 trees, too stubborn to shake, a hive is to be 
 set on a tloor, and fastened with cords, that 
 the floor may touch the cluster. Then treat 
 them as before mentioned. 
 
 A swarm in a hollow tree that has not 
 been lodged therein more than two or three 
 days, may be displaced, by carefully stop- 
 
110 HIVING. 
 
 ping all the holes, and crevices, except that 
 which they entered by; then lixing the bot- 
 tom of a hive against their hole of entrance, 
 securing it firmly with cords, as also tying 
 a cloth round the joinings, that no bees can 
 escape; beat with a large hammer, or great 
 stone, violently about the tree just below 
 the hive : probably this will terrify the bees, 
 so as to induce them to seek security in the 
 hive. Now and then cease the noise, and 
 listen whether they make a buz in the hive; 
 and repeat the hammering until the buz is 
 greatly increased. Then, loosing the hive 
 from the tree, set it on a cloth spread on the 
 ground, and repeat the strokes and noise on 
 the tree till but few bees rise. Stop the hole 
 of the tree, and those on the wing will re- 
 join their companions. 
 
 But if they will not take to the hive, make 
 a hole with a chissel, near the upper part of 
 the hollow (for the bees generally lie as 
 high as possible above the entrance): place 
 the hive just above the hole cut, and by 
 hammering it will cause them to fly fu- 
 riously out, and take to the hive, or settle 
 in a more commodious situation. But if 
 
HIVING. Ill 
 
 they should have settled below the passage 
 hole, make the large hole heloio the cluster, 
 as near as can be judged, by striking where 
 the buz may direct. 
 
 If these methods prove unsuccessful, re- 
 course must be had to smoking rags, damp 
 straw, or cow dung, put into the hole, if it 
 be made large enough; and at the same 
 instant hammering under their lodgment, 
 or teasing them by thrusting twigs up till 
 they fly out. Perhaps (for I have had no 
 opportunity of trying) if an opening could 
 be made large enough to receive a pot of 
 fuming puffs under them, for about twenty 
 minutes; by confining the smoke, pro- 
 bably the bees might be so stupified as to fall 
 to the bottom, and might carefully be taken 
 out, by a ladle, or spoon, and put into a 
 hive, and immediately carried away, and 
 placed in a dark room or out-house till the 
 morning. The chasms of the tree should 
 be all stopped, to prevent the bees from re- 
 turning to their former lodge. The longer 
 bees have settled in any place, the less dis- 
 posed they will be to quit it ; especially if 
 
112 HIVING. 
 
 they have made combs, and have brood 
 therein. They vi^ill sooner die than quit if. 
 In such a case it is better to let them re- 
 main till autumn; and then suflbcate the 
 bees, and take their treasure. 
 
 Bees in the holes of walls may be treated 
 after a similar method. 
 
 But when bees have settled under the 
 roofs or vacant parts of buildings, where 
 sparks of fire might be dangerous, fuming 
 must be avoided ; and instead thereof 
 water must be conveyed over the bees, by 
 the rose of a watering pot, funnel, or pipe, 
 taking some tiles off, or boards down, to 
 come at them: which will often succeed as 
 well. 
 
 Where windows have been left open, 
 swarms sometimes assume the liberty of 
 taking possession. To secure them, first 
 shut the window and door ; then holding a 
 hive under the cluster, draw a wire or thin 
 stick gradually between them and the 
 cieling, or part to which they are attached: 
 this w^ill cause the bees to fall into the 
 hive; which being set on the floor, the 
 
HIVING. 113 
 
 Stragglers will soon hear the buz of the 
 others, and rejoin them, and the sooner if 
 the room is made nearly dark. 
 
 All swarms, if the weather is fine, will 
 begin to work as soon as hived ; but if the 
 two first days prove foul, it discourages 
 them from labouring for several days, even 
 if then it should je fine. But in a long 
 continuance of bad weather, they will 
 perish, unless relieved by a timely feeding. 
 
 The foregoing directions, it is presumed, 
 will be fully applicable to all other cases 
 that may arise, though attended with some 
 variation. 
 
114 ARTIFICIAL SMTARMING. 
 
 CHAP. XII I. 
 
 ARTinCIAL SWARMING. 
 
 I AM sorry to declare, that I have met 
 with no invention, among the many that 
 have been published, or among the great 
 number of my own devising, for artificial 
 swarming, adapted to common use, or that 
 has been in general successful. From so great 
 a disappointment, I am inclined to draw a 
 conclusion, that as nature has implanted in 
 bees a strong propensity to swarm, as a 
 quality necessarily connected with the 
 manner and season; all our attempts, by 
 force or allurements, to etl'ect or prevent it, 
 with a tolerable degree of timely advantage, 
 must prove ineffectual. I propose the two 
 following methods, however; as, if not 
 successful, they will not be prejudicial to 
 the stocks, may amuse the curious, and be 
 accomplished without much trouble. But 
 they are inapplicable to general practice. 
 
^UTIFICIAL SWARMIKG. 115 
 
 By often looking through the windows of 
 storied boxes, in the swarming season, 
 sometimes a queen may be seen in one of the 
 boxes. Immediately shove a divider be- 
 tween the two boxes. Leave them about 
 an hour ; when if the bees of both boxes re- 
 main quiet, wait some time longer, and then 
 repeat the- inspection, by intervals, two or 
 three times, till the approach of night; and 
 if they are still in a quiet state, introduce 
 the other divider, and take the duplet to a 
 distant station. On the contrary, if the 
 bees of either box have shown signs of dis- 
 content, it is a token there is no queen in 
 that which shows uneasiness; and therefore 
 the divider must be withdrawn, till another 
 favourable opportunity offers. 
 
 The second method is — In the swarming 
 season, when the bees seem very numerous, 
 and show indications of swarming, shove a 
 divider between a duplet in the morning, 
 having before opened both doors ; and if 
 the bees remain quiet, and pursue their 
 work, in both boxes, till the evening, pro- 
 ceed with them as above. But if the bees 
 
116 ARTIFICIAL SWARMING. 
 
 of either box are confused, take out the 
 divider, and try your fortune another 
 time. 
 
 An artificial swarm may be made, by 
 purchasing one or more of second or third 
 swarms of your neighbours, as they will be 
 of little value to them, and therefore may 
 be had cheap. Unite as many of them in 
 one hive, as are sufficient to form a good 
 swarm, by placing the fewest in number to 
 the most populous; fuming them first, to 
 prevent quarrelling. But if such should 
 happen, fumigate the duplet. 
 
WILD BEES. 117 
 
 CHAP. XIV. 
 
 OF WILD BEES IN WOODS. 
 
 In February and March, bees are very fre- 
 quently numerous, on fallows, osiers, and 
 other plants that afford farina, in woods ; 
 which is a sure token that their habitations 
 are not far distant. They may be easily 
 traced ; and having found them, mark the 
 place or tree. Aged people, or children, 
 may be set to watch their swarming, and 
 they may be hived in the usual manner. 
 For whether in hollow trees, or any other 
 habitation, bees equally cast out swarms, as 
 well as those in hives. Having secured 
 and carried away the swarms, in autumn re- 
 pair to the same spot, and take the sum- 
 mer's produce, as directed under hiving. 
 
 If this early attention has been neglected, 
 make observation in woods on those places 
 which are most plentiful of bee-flowers; 
 or, in very dry weather, of watering places, 
 
lis "WILD BEES. 
 
 to which, in such seasons, they will be ob- 
 liged to resort. If their abode is too far to 
 be traced, dissolve some red or yellow ochre 
 in water, and, dipping some sprigs therein, 
 sprinkle the bees therewith as they alight. 
 Being thus marked, they will be easily dis- 
 tinguished. For, by observing whether re- 
 turns are sooner or later, or Avhethcr in 
 greater or lesser numbers, a tolerable guess 
 may be made; especially after a little prac- 
 tice. A person having a watch, may by it 
 more accurately determine this point. A 
 pocket compass will also be greatly assisting 
 to certify their course, which is always in a 
 direct line to their habitation in their return 
 home. 
 
 If this method proves not successful, take 
 a joint of a large reed, or of kex; force a 
 part of the pith out at one end, and do the 
 like at the other, only leaving a small parti- 
 tion between the two hollows: cut a small 
 slit over one of the hollows, put some ho- 
 ney made a little damp with ale in the hol- 
 low, and stop the end with a cork, or 
 paper; and if fire can conveniently be had, 
 melt some wax on the tube, the smell of 
 
WILD BEES. 119 
 
 wbicli will be wafted by the wind to a great 
 distance. Place this joint near their haunts, 
 and they will soon be allured to enter into 
 the hollow. When about eight or ten have 
 entered, stop the end with the finger; soon 
 after let one of the bees out, pursue it as 
 long as it is iu sight, and then let out an- 
 other. If it continues the same course, 
 follow that also; but if any take a different 
 route, let another fly, and so proceed till 
 you find several take the same course, which 
 will lead to their nests. 
 
 The bees that pursue other directions 
 probably belong to other nests, which may 
 be discovered by the same process as the 
 first. 
 
 If it be necessary to take the combs out 
 directly, a pot of fuming puffs should be 
 introduced under them by a hole made on 
 purpose. During the fumigation, forcibly 
 strike the tree. If the whole are not fallen 
 from the combs, they will, however, be so 
 lethargic as to give the operator but little 
 annoyance, if he has on the bee-dress. The 
 combs are to be taken out as whole as pos- 
 iible, and placed in aa empty hive, and sup- 
 
120 >VILD BEES. 
 
 ported by as many spleets as are necessary, 
 in the best manner the nature of the case 
 will admit of. The stupified bees which 
 have fallen into the cavity of the tree, may 
 be taken out by a spoon or ladle, and put to 
 the combs in the hive; which had best be 
 set on a floor before the combs are put in, 
 and then the bars and cover, and may be 
 removed without much trouble or displace- 
 ment. 
 
 If pufTs are not in readiness, the smoke of 
 dried cow dung, damp straw, &c. may be 
 used, which will be likely to force the bees 
 out; when, settling on some tree, dec. they 
 may be hived, and, on being carried home, 
 may be set over the hive of combs. 
 
 If the nests are taken during the swarm- 
 ing season, those parts of the combs that 
 have honey in them may be cut out, taking 
 great care of those with brood, which, with 
 the empty ones, are to be placed in the hive, 
 as well as can be in the same manner and at 
 the same distance as the bees do ; and plac- 
 ing the bees in them, they will soon repair 
 the damage, and furnish the hive afresh. 
 
 When the bees are esteemed not worth 
 
>TILr» BEES. 121 
 
 preserving, rags dipped in melted brim- 
 etone, and put under their nests, will imme- 
 diately sufl'ocate them. 
 
 Hives rubbed with honeyed ale, and some 
 poured into an old comb, and put under 
 them, and placed on those spots which bees 
 much frequent, will be likely to allure 
 swarms to settle therein. 
 
 Having had no experience in what relates 
 to this article, the above is given from re- 
 spectable authority. 
 
12? SALVATION OF BEES. 
 
 CHAP. XV. 
 
 SALVATION OF BEES. 
 
 Many of my readers will be much sur- 
 prised at the following declaration, ri:. That 
 the suffocation of bees kept in common hives 
 is not prejudicial to the interest of the 
 owners. This assertion, I beg leave to state, 
 relates only to those who keep bees in sin- 
 gle hives, loithout storifijing. 
 
 "Contrary to my former principles, preju- 
 dices, and practice, and to the current opi- 
 nion of writers, nothing less than a series 
 of stubborn facts could have effected my 
 conviction and recantation. 
 
 From theoretic deductions to facts I ap- 
 peal — to experiments, the justness of which 
 the judicious apiator may be convinced of, 
 by making proper observations. For those 
 who keep bees in boxes, with large win- 
 dows, may perceive that in December and 
 January very few bees are to be seen in the 
 
SALTATION OF BEES. 123 
 
 boxes that were crowded in August. Those 
 who have straw hives may, at that time 
 safely turn them upon their edge, and have 
 a tolerable view, to answer the above pur- 
 pose. The diminution is so great, that the 
 fullest hives or boxes are then reduced to 
 about a quart! and this by the natural de- 
 crease of the aged bees. To certify this, I 
 took the bees from several hives, and found 
 them to measure as by the above statement; 
 the weaker stocks less in proportion. 
 
 This result proves, that all the advantage 
 obtained by saving the hees o{ stocks tal^en^ 
 and uniting them to other stocks (the only 
 eligible means of saving), is ultimately only 
 the salvation of a quart. And as the queen 
 must be killed by the hand, or by the stock 
 bees to which they are to be united, they 
 cannot possibly make any farther increase 
 in the spring. 
 
 The question is then reduced to this is- 
 sue : Whether the multitude of bees, united 
 about August, will not consume (though 
 gradually diminishing) more honey before 
 the spring gathering commences, than the 
 quart left will compensate by their labour? 
 Q 2 
 
121 SALVATION OP BEE3. 
 
 Besides, it is to be considered, that the 
 eggs produced by the old queen of the stock, 
 not being more than usual, want not an 
 unusual number of workers to rear them* 
 a greater number may possibly be useless, 
 or prejudicial by the increase of consump- 
 tion. Nor do they contribute to the pro- 
 duction of more early swarms; for that 
 depends on the early birth of princesses, in 
 which the additional bees have no share. 
 
 The truth of the fact is further confirmed 
 by experiments on stocks that have the bees 
 of other hives united to them, but whicli 
 proved neither more forward nor more pro- 
 ductive than single ones hived in the com- 
 mon way, not only of my own, but of 
 neighbours. 
 
 On the contrary, storied stocks, in the 
 same season, were abundantly more pros- 
 perous, having provided themselves with 
 means sufficient for their own prosperity, 
 in a succession ot" peace and plenty, and 
 without the cruel necessity or trouble of 
 suffocation by fire and brimstone. 
 
 From this declaration it by no means 
 follows, that the old practice of sutfoca- 
 
SALVATION OF BEES. 125 
 
 tion can be justified; but must be con- 
 demned as impolitic, and highly disad- 
 vantageous: for they must he very iceaJc, 
 who pursue a plan of conduct of small 
 profty ichen a better is offered of double or 
 treble advantage. 
 
 G 3 
 
126 GLASSES. 
 
 CHAP. XVL 
 
 BEE GLASSES. 
 
 The most convenient shape to set over 
 bees should be similar to those of pi. IL 
 fig. 1 ; that is, perpendicular to the circular 
 top, or straight dome. 
 
 Four are designed for a box, one at each 
 corner; and one in the middle, which is to 
 hold two quarts ; tlie others, only one quart 
 each. 
 
 That of the centre should be in two 
 parts; the lower part to be open at both 
 ends ; the upper division of the glass to 
 be circular at top. There must be a 
 thin circular piece of wood, of proper di- 
 mensions, to lay over the top of the un- 
 der glass, to support it when set over, 
 and in it three apertures, cut out from 
 the middle, by which the bees are to 
 ascend into the upper half of the glass. 
 
GLASSES. 127 
 
 It will be necessary to have au adapter, 
 or board of the size of the top of the box, on 
 which the glasses are to be set. Apertures 
 are to be made in it, to correspond with 
 those on the hive-top, but to be limited in 
 length, and not to exceed the width of the 
 glasses, as pL II- fg- 3. 
 
 Instead of sticks to support the empty 
 combs, stages seem preferable. Three slips 
 of wood, an inch and a half wide, and of 
 a length to suit the bottom of the glasses: 
 small holes are to be made near their 
 edges, to receive long pegs, or slight 
 sticks, about three or four inches long, 
 and thus form stages wherein to fix the 
 empty cornbs. The bottom edgesi, and 
 ends of the stages, must be round, or be- 
 velled off; and the ends of the pegs are 
 to be cut smooth with the surface, to pre- 
 vent any impediment to the entrance of 
 the divider. The small glasses require 
 two such stages ; the larger central, three, 
 in each division ; and to be placed so as 
 not to obstruct the apertures of the box 
 by which the bees must ascend into the 
 glasses. 
 
 G 4 
 
12S GLASSES. 
 
 OBSERVATIONS. 
 
 When the glasses are filled with combs, 
 the edges are to be cut through with a thin 
 knife, close to the gh\ss ; and a stiff wire, 
 bent like an L, with its short end made flat 
 and sharp, is to be introduced between the 
 combs. Give it a twist, to turn the flat 
 end, so as to separate the upper part of the 
 combs from the top of the glass. The glass 
 of two parts is intended for the conveniency 
 of taking the upper part off when full, and 
 to be succeeded by placing another. All 
 glasses are difficult to crawl up by the bees, 
 occasioning extraordinary labour. In small 
 glasses especially, the crowds entering 
 with their load, after much struggling 
 find it not wanted there, nor perhaps in 
 several others; and after all this toil are 
 obliged to descend with it into the hive. 
 For this reason, I have advised none under 
 a quart. But to those who are not anxious 
 about quantity, small glasses to their own 
 taste Avill be more pleasing. The greater 
 the number of glasses, or their magnitude, 
 the greater should be the proportion of bees- 
 
GLASSES. 129 
 
 to fill them; or tiie box will contain mostly 
 brood, and very little honey. An addition 
 of a good swarm or two is, in that case, 
 necessary. 
 
 Those who have largeglobular glasses may 
 have them cut in two (by the glass-cutters), 
 and have a division-board adapted to the 
 under half, as directed for a central glass. 
 
 It may be thought that, by the use of 
 glasses, the queen might be often discovered: 
 but the reverse is true; she very seldom 
 visits them, having no business there, brood 
 hardly ever being found therein. Once I 
 had some in a large globular glass, owing to 
 want of room in the box below. The drones 
 often ascend in the glasses to repose them- 
 selves. Glasses do not prevent swarming, 
 for I have liad swarms rise, even after they 
 were half filled. 
 
 MANAGEMENT. 
 
 To place glasses over a box, set them as 
 
 in pi. II. fig. 1, properly upon the adapter; 
 
 slide the divider under the cover of the 
 
 box, and set the adapter and glasses on the 
 
 G 6 
 
130 GLASSES. 
 
 divider; then holding it steady with the left 
 hand, withdraw the divider by the right. 
 Then cover the whole with a dark-coloured 
 cloth. It is proper to omit inspecting them 
 for two or three days. Any chasms that 
 may happen by the glasses not fitting close, 
 or by not being wide enough for the open- 
 ings, may be covered with slips of bohea 
 tea-chest lead. 
 
 Glasses may be set on straw hives, by 
 having a c/rcw/ar adapter set over, as before 
 mentioned; only be careful that the glasses 
 do not stand too near the edges, so as to 
 prevent the body of a straw hive from sur- 
 rounding them, or the straw cover from 
 being laid over, and which may be removed 
 at pleasure for inspection. 
 
 No glasses ought to be set over stocks, 
 until a duplet is about half full, lest the 
 after-season should prove unfavourable for 
 storing the boxes. No glasses should be set 
 over weak stocks. About the tenth of July 
 glasses should be taken off; but if duplets 
 are well furnished, they may be safely ad- 
 mitted so long as the bees continue to place 
 honey therein. In case the bees of a duplet 
 
GLASSES. ISl 
 
 lie out, take the glasses off, and raise the 
 stock on a nadir. 
 
 In bad seasons, glasses cannot be filled 
 without too much impoverishing the stock; 
 probably to their utter ruin. 
 
 In four or five days of bad weather, the 
 bees will feast on the honey of the glasses; 
 to prevent which, take them od'. But they 
 must not be put on again, on a favourable 
 change ; for they will take the rest of the 
 honey; although, when done, they will re- 
 fill them. Therefore put on fresh glasses, 
 with empty combs. 
 
 The glasses should be taken off as fast as 
 filled, and replaced by empty ones, or the 
 openings covered with tea-chest lead. 
 
 Two slips of double tin, each about half 
 an inch wider than the bottom of the largest 
 glass, are necessary to take the glasses oft' by. 
 Slide one under the glass to be separated, 
 and the other under the first; then with- 
 draw the upper tin, with the glass thereon, 
 while the other is kept close and steady 
 in its place, till an empty one is set on. The 
 glass taken off is to be conveyed to a dark- 
 ened room : and turning it on its side, to- 
 
J32 GLASSES. 
 
 wards the light, the bees will fly directly 
 thereto, and soon quit the glass. If they do 
 not, tapping on the sides with the hands, or 
 blowing with a pair of bellows, will make 
 them soon relinquish it. Small glasses are 
 to be taken ofV in the same way; but by 
 taking them to three or four yards distance, 
 and tapping with the fingers on their sides, 
 with the bottom upwards, and gradually 
 walking on, the bees will escape without 
 anger or danger. Or they may be laid on 
 their sides on the ground, and the bees will 
 quit leisurely of themselves. 
 
 These operations will be rather an amuse- 
 ment, than acts attended with fear, when a 
 little practice has made them familiar. 
 
 Spare virgin combs should annually be 
 reserved for decoys to the glasses. They 
 should be kept in close boxes, or drawers, 
 in a dry room, wrapped in papers, that nei- 
 ther dust nor the wax-moth may injure 
 them. 
 
DEPRIVATION. 133 
 
 CHAP. XVII. 
 
 DEPRITATIOX, OR THE TAKING UP OT 
 HIVES OF HONEY. 
 
 Deprivation is either partial or general : 
 the PARTIAL is that of taking hives or boxes 
 as soon as they are judged to be full. 
 When a stock has been so prosperous as to 
 h?i\e the triplet full, it must be then taken 
 off, and another triplet set in its place; but 
 the duplet must remain, while a continued 
 separation of triplets may be made as often 
 as they become filled. 
 
 To know when straw hives are nearly 
 filled, strike round the body, and if it 
 feel hollow, and a small buz be heard, it is 
 a sign of their not being near full; but if 
 it feel solid and dead to the strokes, and a 
 great buz of some continuance follow, it 
 indicates its fulness. 
 
 Through the windows of boxes this may 
 be discovered at sight. 
 
134 DEPRIVATION. 
 
 Triplets are to be taken so long as the 
 season and weather are favourable for pro- 
 ducing honey; otherwise the stock must be 
 raised on a nadir. Place the hive taken, a 
 considerable distance from the stock; and 
 if in two or three hours] the bees remain 
 quiet, there is a presumption of its having a 
 queen, or brood, and it must be set on again. 
 But when all the three hives appear crowded 
 with bees, so as to want more room, set 
 the hive that was taken, with its door as near 
 as can be to the stock door, so as to not to 
 obstruct it; laying a slip of wood as a bridge 
 from one to the other: and place an empty 
 triplet on the stock. The hive being placed 
 thus near to the stock, with its floor touch- 
 ing, will be esteemed still as one family, and 
 the brood reared as such ; and in about three 
 weeks may be taken away. The brood in 
 that time will be matured, and the cells filled 
 with honey. 
 
 But in the interim, if an unusual crowd 
 or disturbance, or crumbs of wax, are seen 
 at the door, it is a token that the stock bees 
 or some others have begun to pillage. Ob- 
 serving this, take it directly to a dark room. 
 
DEPRIVATION. 155 
 
 and cover it up for a few hours; if then the 
 bees are quietly escaping, let it remain till 
 morning, and then fume it, whatever be the 
 state of the bees. 
 
 But if, after the triplet has been taken, the 
 stock is in confusion, it is a sign that the 
 queen was therein (though this seldom hap- 
 pens), and it must be replaced. This caU' 
 tion is particularly necessary to be observed, 
 in respect of all hives when taken; as some- 
 times a young queen may reside in one hive, 
 and the old one in another; or the old 
 queen may be in it herself. This is often 
 the case with duplets which have farina and 
 brood ; and that even though the upper 
 door had been timely shut. Generally, when 
 a nadir is half full of combs, and the door of 
 the upper hive has been kept shut, the queen 
 begins to lay her eggs in the nadir; there- 
 fore, in about three weeks after, the brood 
 in the superior hive will have been hatched, 
 and the cells filled with honey, and proper 
 for taking. No duplet is to be separated 
 in autumn, unless the hive left, in all ap- 
 pearance, is quite full ; then that which 
 seems most likely not to have the queen may 
 
136 DEPRIVATION. 
 
 be taken; but if this cannot be determined, 
 it is most eligible to let both stand. The 
 bees will not be the worse for having more 
 food than is necessary (if kept warm in 
 winter) ; but may perish by having too 
 little, which may happen in a protracted 
 bad spring. 
 
 Bees will not quit a hive that has brood, 
 whether upper or under, without fuming or ^ 
 driving. The following day after a hive" 
 has been separated, 'if farina has been car- 
 ried in, it shews all is well ; but if not, 
 return the hive that fails to the stock again. 
 
 When it happens that a separate hive 
 has a queen, and is well stored, it may be 
 kept, if such an increase is wanted ; pro- 
 vided the stock left has also a queen. But 
 if, unfortunately, the stock queen has been 
 killed in the operation, restore the hive 
 taken to its family. 
 
 The hrood-comhs of hives taken should 
 be handled with great tenderness and cir- 
 cumspection, that none may be damaged or 
 crushed. Rather cut into the honey cells 
 than into the brood ; and let them be kept 
 warm, until they are set over a stock. Place 
 
DEPRIVATION. 137 
 
 them in an empty hive reversed, without 
 its cover; the combs to be disposed so as 
 to touch each other as little as possible, by 
 placing slips of wood, half an inch in thick- 
 ness, between, to give sufticient space for the 
 young to be excluded, and for the passage 
 of the bees to nourish them. At night set 
 them over the stock they came from, or 
 some other that needs recruiting. 
 
 Deprivation should always be done in the 
 evening, as soon as the bees are retired to 
 rest; that there may be sufficient light 
 leisurely to perform the operation. 
 
 The GENERAL time of deprhmtion, or 
 taking up of stocks, varies in duL rent coun- 
 ties, according to their diflereuL tempera- 
 tures; but about the latter end of August 
 is the usual season. 
 
 Bees kept in single hives ought to be taken 
 when honey-gathering begins to cease. This 
 may be known by a diminution of activity 
 in the bees (if not from bad weather): for, 
 when this happens, they begin to feed on 
 the hive honey, beginning with the un- 
 sealed or exterior cells first. Therefore, 
 the longer they are permitted to stand, the 
 
138 DEPRIVATION. 
 
 less honey there will be in the hive, when 
 taken; and that in proportion to the num- 
 ber of bees it contains; which at that time 
 consume a great deal in a little time, and 
 consequently prove an absolute loss. This 
 is meant of stocks taken the common way 
 to be , destroyed. What hive honey they 
 have eaten can be of no profit, when the 
 bees themselves are soon to be killed. 
 
 But this is not the case in the story me- 
 thod, the bees of which are always saved; 
 and therefore no disadvantage can arise 
 from their standing. For if a duplet that 
 has stood be taken after having eaten a 
 good part of the honey, it has saved a like 
 quantity of the stock's, which they would 
 have consumed, had they staid on. 
 
 At the usual season of deprivation there 
 is generally much brood, whose preserva- 
 tion is of much importance; for, coming 
 into birth so late in the season, they will 
 survive through the next summer, till the 
 honey harvest terminates. This brood, thus 
 preserved, is of more worth than twenty times 
 the number of promiscuous bees, taken from 
 a stock, and incorporated with another ; even 
 
DEPRIVATION. 139 
 
 if the stock should prosper, which is very 
 doubtful, as experience verities. 
 
 It is surprising, that the salvation of the 
 brood has never been noticed; although 
 every one, on taknig combs out at this sea- 
 son, might have observed brood therein, in 
 their several stages of maggots, or nymphs, 
 and often of eggs. Regardless thereof, they 
 are mashed indiscriminately with the honey- 
 combs; thus greatly injuring its quality by 
 such ill-judged conduct. 
 
 In the storied method, instead of the gene- 
 ral deprivation of duplets in August, I appre- 
 hend, for the reasons above assigned, it will 
 be eligible to defer it to the latter end of 
 Septonber, or the beginning^f Octoher; or 
 till the weather is too cool for the bees to 
 work much out; by which time all or most 
 of the brood will have been matured, and 
 have left their cells, without the risk of de- 
 stroying any of them : besides the advantage 
 of performing the operation with more ease, 
 safety, and satisfaction ; as at that time, from 
 having neither brood nor princess, the bees 
 will quit the duplet, when separated, in a 
 few hours, of themselves, without fuming. 
 
140 DEPRIVATION'. 
 
 In wet and cold seasons, honey-gathering 
 is very scanty ; a circumstance which leaves 
 numerous vacant cells for the rearing brood, 
 and thereby renders deprivation much later 
 than usual. For the hives may feel heavy, 
 but it will not be from honey, but mostly 
 from farina and brood (especially if the stock 
 is of two years standing); which may lead 
 the apiator into a fatal error, as thinking the 
 stock rich, though in fact it may be very 
 poor, and die of famine in the spring. Stocks 
 left double are not liable to this casualty. 
 
 To judge of the weight and condition of 
 a stock fit for standing, besides the direction 
 given before in this chapter, lift the stock a 
 little up: if it feels of a due weight, that 
 is, about twenty pounds exclusive of the 
 hive, it may be safely concluded as fit to 
 keep. 
 
 It will be useful, on several occasions to 
 number and weigh the hives and floors, 
 before the bees are put in. By this means, 
 any evening, by stopping the hive door, 
 they may be readily weighed, without any 
 disturbance to the bees. 
 
 If any of the stocks remain trebled till 
 
DEPRIVATION. 141 
 
 August, take away the most empty; for it 
 is adviseable, that tlie stocks, in general, be 
 reduced to duplets at this period. Those 
 that have bjt few combs, are obviously to 
 be taken. In a cold evening or morning, 
 an assistant may lift the hive high enough 
 up, to permit the apiator to look underneath, 
 vi'hich he may do with little dnnger, or dis- 
 turbance to the bets. The doors of all 
 duplets that seem most vacant should be 
 shut. 
 
 All stocks in common hives, that are light, 
 should be taken; and none kept, unless 
 about twenty pounds weight. Weak stocks 
 seldom survive the next spring; but, if by 
 chance they do, turn to liitiB account, not 
 adequate to the trouble and expence of feed- 
 ing. One strong stock will be more pro- 
 ductive than four weak ones. Nevertheless 
 in extraordinary situations and seasons, they 
 may yield tolerably well. 
 
 In favourable seasons three hives have 
 been taktn oft", each yielding twenty pounds 
 of combs, though in a situation that was but 
 middling. 
 
 Two or three casts joined together have 
 
148 DEPRIVATION. 
 
 accumulated honey very rapidly; while 
 their feeble neighbours, having few col- 
 lectors, lost that short but precious oppor- 
 tunity. 
 
 It is best to separate boxes about ten in 
 the morning, when the greatest number of 
 bees are out ; as it can be done with more 
 ease and security than in straw hives. 
 
 In small apiaries, the divider had better 
 be shoved under a hive the night before, and 
 then the bees will be so little disturbed as 
 hardly to resent it. 
 
 When bees are terrified by the operation 
 of deprivation, or other violence, they be- 
 come regardless of their queen, till the panic 
 has subsided, ^t the season of deprivation, 
 the light stocks had better be incorporated, 
 three or four, at discretion, in a hive, and 
 proportionally furnished with honey. 
 
PASTURAGE. 143 
 
 CHAP. XVIII. 
 
 OF PASTURAGE, OR BEE-FLOWERS. 
 
 A PLENTIFUL assortment of bee-flowers 
 is a consideration that requires attention, if 
 we design to favour an ample production of 
 honey. The nearer the pasturage is to the 
 apiary, the more journeys the bees can make 
 in a day, and consequently the sooner they 
 will be able to till their hives. 
 
 The product frorfi a large supply, but at 
 a small distance, and in a temperate situa- 
 tion, even with the common management, 
 will be superior to that of the most skilful 
 in a bad one. On the contrary, with bad 
 management, and with scanty pasturage, 
 and indifferent situation, a very trifling 
 profit can be expected. 
 
 Britain, in general, is but thinly stocked 
 with bees. Few farmers in comparison 
 esteem them worth their notice; it is from 
 the attention of cottagers we derive the chief 
 
144 PASTUllAGE. 
 
 supply of honey and wax. It will be rea- 
 dily admitted, that a large number of stocks 
 kept within a small circuit and in a bad 
 situation, will be prejudicial to that circuit, 
 as being more than can be supported in 
 affluence, and will necessarily impoverish 
 each other. The state of any particular 
 situation may be known by the general pro- 
 duct for several years together, and not 
 from one or two years only; but more cer- 
 tainly from what a very good season will 
 produce, which may be accounted as a 
 standard. 
 
 But there are many situations capable of 
 feeding a much larger number of stocks 
 than are to be found on them. However, 
 if the generality of farmers and cottagers 
 individually would kfep a few stocks, nearly 
 all the honey and wax this country could 
 produce might be collected. This would 
 not only benefit individuals, but might also 
 be of real national utility. 
 
 In many counties, cottagers' wages are 
 too low to enable them ever to purchase a 
 swarm or stock of bees, especially if they 
 have families. It is a prudent and com- 
 
PASTURAGE. 145 
 
 mendable method they have here, of giving 
 credit for a swarm, to be compensated for 
 by the first good one that it yields the next 
 year, and about a quart of honey for interest. 
 I hope this practice will become general, 
 among these industrious and useful people. 
 I flatter myself that the well-known bene- 
 volence of the British gentry will induce 
 them to assign some part of their influence 
 to promote it. 
 
 Large heaths and commons, surrounded 
 with woods, are noted for being abundantly- 
 productive: the first abounding with wild 
 thyme, and various other flowers untouched 
 by the scythe ; and the other with a profu- 
 sion of farina and honey-dews. Heath and 
 broom are very serviceable, as continuing 
 long and late in bloom. 
 
 It is remarkable, that the domestic bees 
 are very nice in tht^ir selections, and do not 
 rove from one sort of flowers to those of 
 another, indiscriminately. They are li- 
 mited to a few kinds. Those of the most 
 gaudy colours, and which afford the most 
 resplendent show, and agreeable odours, are 
 mostly neglected by them, as hyacinths. 
 
14G 
 
 PASTURAGE. 
 
 jasmines, roses, lioney-suckles, &c. while 
 very small floweis, or those of little note, 
 are to them plentiful sources of nectareous 
 sweets. 
 
 A Lisl of Bcc-Floicers. 
 
 Winter aconite 
 
 Lauristinus 
 
 Hazel 
 
 Snowdrops 
 
 Crocus 
 
 Sallows 
 
 Osiers 
 
 Primroses 
 
 Hepaticas 
 
 Violets 
 
 Stand arrl almonds 
 
 Single tcull-Jlowcr 
 
 Onion 
 
 Gooseberry 
 
 Apricot, and 
 
 other fruit-trees 
 Laurel 
 Tit inij)! 
 
 Brussiru, or cab- 
 bage, a Hi he spe 
 cies 
 Dwarf almonds 
 Rosemart/ 
 
 Strawberry 
 
 Tulip 
 
 Wliite-tliorn 
 
 Ileatli 
 
 Gorbe 
 
 Starof Bethlehem 
 
 Borage 
 
 Viper's bu gloss 
 
 liusberry 
 
 Lalninuiin 
 
 Tacamal.acca 
 
 Columbine 
 
 Barberry 
 
 Bian 
 
 Yellow lupine 
 
 Syrinj^a 
 
 Sweet-briar 
 
 Miislard 
 
 T;'.res 
 
 White Clover 
 
 Cucumbers 
 
 Greek 
 
 Valerian 
 
 Senna 
 
 French willows 
 
 Ilolly-hocli 
 
 Serpyllia, or 
 creeping le- 
 mon thyme 
 
 Capers 
 
 ]V Idle poppies 
 
 Mignonette 
 
 Blackberries 
 
 Lime-lrce 
 
 Chesnut 
 
 Mallows 
 
 Hyssop 
 
 Teazle 
 
 Buck-wheat 
 
 Nasturtium 
 
 Yellow vetches 
 
 Saintfoin 
 
 Alders 
 
 Scabious 
 
 Sun-flower 
 
 Broom 
 
PASTURAGE. 
 
 147 
 
 Michaelmas dai- 
 sies 
 Winter savory 
 
 Jacob's beard 
 Purple houseleek 
 Tree-ivy 
 
 And a few other* 
 of less note. 
 
 N. B. Those printed in Italics are such as produce 
 ihe grea/fs/ yuaH^//^/ of honey, or farina; and those 
 in Capital Letters, such as yield ihejinest honey. 
 Some of theni atrbrd both honey and farina. They 
 are ranked nearly in the order in which they blo\y. 
 
 Bees are most fond of spots where large 
 quantities of their favourite flowers are to 
 be found together. Fields of buck- wheat, 
 or ichite clover, will be thronged with bees 
 buzzing their joys, so as to be heard at a 
 great distance; while plants that afford 
 finer honey, but scattered here and there, 
 will be neglected. When several sorts of 
 honey flowers grow near each other, they 
 will only collect at first from those that fur- 
 nish the best honey. For instance, if several 
 species of thyme are planted together, they 
 will prefer the creeping lemon thyme only, 
 as long as its flowers last. In seasons of 
 scarcity, they are obliged to take up with 
 species of a very inferior quality, and such 
 as they would despise at another time. 
 H 2 
 
148 PASTURAGE. 
 
 Besides the acquisition of honey , farina 
 is of great importance to make bees flourish. 
 It is the dust or flour found on the stamina 
 of flowers, and which contains much essen- 
 tial oil, visible to the naked eye on holly- 
 hocks. This precious concrete substance 
 the bees collect in little bails, on their hind 
 legs, or by the hair of their bodies. The 
 balls, on their return home, are struck oft' 
 from their legs, in its crude state, or by 
 biting it oft" piecemeal, and are deposited in 
 their cells ; other bees often assisting. Pro- 
 bably the farina of ditVerent colours may be 
 also as difterent in quality. 
 
 Its ?ise is partly to feed themselves, and 
 partly to nourish the young. That gathered 
 in summer is immediately swallowed, and 
 by their digestive faculties converted ei- 
 ther into food, or wax wherewith to form 
 the combs, and which is discharged at their 
 mouths in a soft state; so well adapted is it 
 to its intended purpose. Therefore, when a 
 swarm is newly hived, little or no farina is 
 seen to be carried in; and a proof of this 
 may be had, by an attentive observation to 
 boxes. 
 
PASTURAGE. 149 
 
 Wax is also drawn by the bees from the 
 resinous and balsamic juiced of trees; the 
 purer sort from the leaves, and imported 
 under the folds of their bellies. The bees 
 that have the good fortune to acquire this 
 l)recious article, on their arrival in the hive, 
 shake themselves very much, as though they 
 had a difficulty to disengage it; and yet are 
 impatient that others should do it for them. 
 Tar and paint they will likewise load them- 
 selves with, much to their prejudice, Ta- 
 camahacca yields resin so abundantly, that 
 the bees are very profuse of it, daubing the 
 box windows so much therewith as scarcely 
 to be seen through. Combs made with it 
 are coarse and clumsy. On the contrary, 
 those made from white clover, or white 
 poppies, are white and elegant. 
 
 Wax from Africa is chiefly drawn from 
 resins of the nature of turpentine sub- 
 stances, and for that reason bears a less 
 price than British, which is chiefly from 
 flowers. 
 
 Sallows furnish a larger quantity of farina 
 than most other plants, and that as early 
 as the bees have occasion for it. Rosemary 
 
 H S 
 
150 PASTURAGE. 
 
 is the first aromatic plant that blows; it 
 grows wild in some parts of France, and is 
 the cause of that superiority for which the 
 Narbonne honey is esteemed. Mignonette 
 yields good honey, and is valuable for its 
 long continuance in bloom, even till No- 
 vember. Beds of it near an apiary will be 
 of advantage, as will edgings of creeping 
 lemon thyme along the borders of the gar- 
 den. Single wall-flowers in plenty will be 
 serviceable. Lime trees are not to be neg- 
 lected about apiaries, serving in a double 
 capacity, by their flowers, and by their 
 leaves, which are frequently covered with 
 honey-dews. 
 
 Neither beans nor orchard trees afford 
 any great quantity of honey; as may be 
 observed by the stocks in Herefordshire, 
 which, though abounding in orchards, is 
 not more productive in honey than other 
 counties. In contrast to this, the borders 
 of Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire, and 
 part of Hampshire, abounding with large 
 heaths, commons, and woods, are much 
 more productive than any other part of the 
 kingdom. Farmers there have been knovva 
 
PASTURAGE. 151 
 
 to keep from an hundred to an hundred 
 and fifty stocks of bees. 
 
 Viper's bugloss is a plant much like bo- 
 rage. It is a very troublesome weed in 
 corn, among which it is found in many 
 places in great plienty; and is sure to make 
 rich hives; it has a biennial root, delights 
 in chalky or dry soils, and will grow on 
 old walls. 
 
 But BORAGE is the king of bee-flowers; 
 it is annual, and blows all the summer, till 
 the frost cuts it off. It affords honey even 
 in cold and showery weather, when other 
 flowers do not, owing to the flowers being 
 pendulous. The seeds drop, and sow them- 
 selves ; the honey from it is hne. 
 
 To find the quality of the honey from any 
 particular species of flowers, if they are in 
 considerable quantity, set small glasses over 
 a stotjk at the time of their flowering, and 
 tliey will chiefly be filled w.th honey of 
 the predominant flavour. 
 
 Lavender and balm, though fine aroma- 
 tics, yield little or no honey in our cli- 
 mate; though they do in warmer countries. 
 In ours, where wet and cold so often occur, 
 H 4 
 
152 PASTURAGE. 
 
 the changes are so sudden (but generally 
 not in all counties alike at the same time) 
 as to affect the flowers in the dili'erence of 
 their products, suiting one sort, and not an- 
 other. Lavender is a particular instance, 
 which is very abundant, and yields a large 
 quantity of honey late, when most others 
 have done. 
 
 Very dry summers are as unfavourable, in 
 causing the flowers to fade and die tuo 
 speedily to yield much honey. Furze or 
 gorse, in many parts of Britain, the bees 
 collect from; yet, in the vicinity of Penv 
 broke, I have observed it to be entirely neg- 
 lected by them : whereas, the quantity here 
 is so large in the hedges and fields, that the 
 product of honey would be very great. 
 Rape is ver}' beneficial to bees, as also tur- 
 nip, and, as it is later in bloom, will be ser- 
 viceable when tlie other is gone. 
 
 Some flowers, it is probable, contain at 
 once all the honey they can furnish, and, 
 when deprived of that, yield no more, 
 though continuing in bloom much longer. 
 As for instance, white clover. I have seen 
 fields of it covered with bees; but in two 
 
PASTURAGE. 153 
 
 or three days they had not a single bee on 
 them, although continuing in bloom, and 
 the weather equally favourable. 
 
 In very scanty seasons of honey-gather- 
 ing, bees have been observed to feed on 
 mellow gooseberries, and ripe saccharine 
 pears ; but I believe none was carried in for 
 store. 
 
 Bees do not fly to so great a distance as 
 has been imagined for pasturage. The 
 hotter the weather, and greater the profu- 
 sion of flowers to be found on one spot, 
 the farther they vpill be allured to fly, and 
 pasture thereon; perhaps a mile, or a mile 
 and a half: but generally, it is most pro- 
 bable, they do not exceed half a mile. When 
 it is cool and windy, though they are short 
 of provisions, they will perish rather than 
 fly beyond that distance. Instances of this 
 I have seen in stocks in that condition, situ- 
 ated in a large garden; which, on being 
 removed to the side of a large common, not 
 a mile distant, presently resumed tlieir la- 
 bours with vigour, and prospered. 
 
 Where land i<} very cheap, is seems rea- 
 sonable to suppose, that it might be culti- 
 
 H 5 
 
154 PASTURAGE. 
 
 vated with some of the most productive of 
 bee- flowers ; such as white clover to stand 
 and seed, rape, mustard, borage, viper's 
 bugloss, strawberries, rasberries, or buck- 
 wheat: marshy wet soils, with sallows,^ 
 osiers, or lime-trees, which would be likely 
 to prove of more considerable advantage for 
 establishing a productive apiary, than to let 
 such lands remain covered only with sour 
 grass, rushes, furze, and briers, and such 
 like unprofitable vegetables. Perhaps many 
 persons will find their account in removing 
 their stocks of bees to fields of clover, buck- 
 wheat, turnips, mustard, or heath, accord- 
 ing as the flowers are earlier or later than 
 those of their own situation. 
 
HONEY-DEWS. 155 
 
 CHAP. XIX. 
 
 OF HONEY-DEWS. 
 
 HoNEY-dew has, in general, been erro- 
 neously supposed to be a dew that falls 
 indiscriminately on all plants alike; whereas 
 the true honey-dew is an exudation tVonn 
 the leaves ot" a few species onfy, and that 
 at a time when other dews do not exist. 
 The trees and plants on which it is found, 
 are the oak, inaple, sycamore, lime, hazel, 
 and blackberry; and sometimes, thouo-h 
 very seldom, on cherry trees and currant 
 bushes. 
 
 Its time of appearance is about ten or 
 eleven o'clock in the morning, and its du- 
 ration about four or five hours, according 
 as the sultry heat which produces it con- 
 tinues. Sometimes it is found as early as 
 seven o'clock, even though the sun does not 
 shine out, if the preceding day and night 
 have been sultry; or when the sun's ravs 
 
150 HONEY-DEWS. 
 
 are reflected from clouds. It is not always 
 found in the several species at one time, 
 perhaps only on one in particular. 
 
 This substance is as transparent and as 
 sweet as honey; in fact, it is honey. At 
 times it resembles little globules ; but more 
 often appears on the leaves like a syrup, 
 and mostly in the old ones. 
 
 The season of its usual appearance is from 
 the middle of June to the middle of July; 
 but varies in different counties, and ac- 
 cording as the weather is more or less fa- 
 vourable. In some years there is none at 
 all. In general, when fruit is backward, so 
 are honey-dews; even so late as harvest. 
 There have been instances of honey-dews 
 two months later than the usual time, owing 
 to the wetness of the summer, and then but 
 snjall in quantity. The stocks, when 
 taken, were light, and those left mostly 
 died of famine in the winter; except in the 
 heath countriesy which, blowing late, fur- 
 nished honey that was but very ordinary, 
 and barely adequate to their winter's wants. 
 When a honey-dew is produced, the ac- 
 tivity of the bees is violent and unremitting: 
 
HONEY-DEWS. 157 
 
 they almost desert the hive to import it; 
 knowing its time of continuance to be of 
 short duration, and that on the weather 
 suddenly changing it is entirely over. 
 
 While the trees are charged with it, the 
 bees are as though swarming therein, buz- 
 zing their joys in loud acclamations. But 
 woe and smart to those who obstruct their 
 swift descent to their hives ! 
 
 More honey will be collected in one 
 week from dews, than in many from 
 flowers. It is obvious, therefore, how great 
 must be the advantage of those kind of trees 
 in the vicinity, and from the story method, 
 by which the bees may (with care) never be 
 at a loss for enlargement to bestow the trea- 
 sure in. 
 
158 DISEASES. 
 
 CHAP. XX, 
 
 DISEASES OF BEES. 
 
 Cold, foggy, damp weather, in the win- 
 ter, is very often fatal to bees : for then 
 having no exercise they become subject to 
 a purging, by which they are soon reduced 
 very weak: and, clustering together in a 
 body, soil each other, and thus contami- 
 nate the whole. The signs of this disease 
 are small crumbs of wax about the door, 
 or on the floor, with many dead bees, and 
 much filth caked together, and, if of some 
 time standing, mouldy, often concealing 
 destructive wax-moths, &c. If the bees 
 do not fly out, and appear as active as other 
 stocks, it is a syinptom that they are either 
 dead or starving. In Hertfordshire I had 
 many stocks aftected: but in Pembroke- 
 shire I never had one diseased; owing, I 
 suppose, to the strong and frequent ventila- 
 tion of sea air, to which my situation is 
 
DISEASES. I5<? 
 
 exposed, keeping the atmosphere always 
 pure. 
 
 The diseased stocks are to be taken, as 
 soon as discovered, into a warm room. 
 Brush away the fouhiess from the edges of 
 the combs, cutting out the parts that are 
 mouldy or black : set the hive at a moderate 
 distance from the fire, which will revive the 
 bees that are feeble, or torpid : as soon as 
 they begin to move, pass among them a 
 few drops of honeyed ale ; tie a slight cloth 
 over the hive that none may crawl out, and 
 let it remain three or four hours, to purify 
 the damp and foul exhalations. When the 
 bees are pretty well recovered, give them a 
 trough of honeyed ale in which the leaves of 
 rosemary have been infused, and set the hive 
 on a clean floor. Contract the door, so as to 
 admit a little of the warm air. Let them 
 remain till next day. If then the bees are 
 few, or are still weakly, cover a dry floor 
 with ashes, place on that a little hay, or 
 straw, and set the hive therein, conveying 
 it to its usual stand. Cover it well with 
 straw, bags, &c. and notice occasionally 
 whether their condition may require further 
 
100 DISEASES. 
 
 feeding ; which should be given daily, if 
 the hive is notsufFiciently stored with honey 
 and farina. 
 
 When bees fall motionless to the bottom 
 of the hive, it indicates that they are chilled 
 with cold, or in a starving condition. To 
 prevent a further destruction, treat them as 
 above, or set them to a plentiful stock. 
 
 Bees often fly in a desultory manner 
 about the hives, bee-houses, or dwelling 
 house, in the spring, with lamentable tones, 
 as though wanting something: that some" 
 iking is food ; for they are almost famished. 
 By observing which of the stocks has an 
 unusual crowd at their door, the distressed 
 hive may be discovered. A fresh, dry and 
 warm floor must be given them ; and they 
 must be immediately fed : the delay of a day 
 may be a day too late. 
 
 When stocks appear to be light, a daily 
 feeding is indispensable, till a certainty of 
 honey-gathering has commenced. Or a 
 hive or box may be cut down to five 
 inches, and filled with combs of honey, 
 properly placed, which may last them a 
 long while. 
 
DISEASES. 101 
 
 The more bees a hive contains, the 
 greater their warmth; which causes them 
 the sooner to become active in the spring, 
 and accelerates the breeding of the queen, 
 and the production of young: but the 
 quicker also will the honey be exhausted. 
 And this is the reason why so many stocks 
 perish in the spring, when least thought of ; 
 if they were scantily stored. This consi- 
 deration should operate as a strong indute- 
 jnent to keep none but rich stocks. 
 
 A degree of cold that sliall throw the 
 few bees of a wtak stock into an usetV.l le- 
 thargy, will not have that etfect on one that 
 is populous. On this principle the weak 
 stock will survive ; while the populous one 
 perishes, by consuming all the honey by 
 the increase of numbers; admitting botii to 
 have an equality of honey. 
 
 When bees, in cold weather, disengage 
 themselves from the body or cluster that is 
 in the hives, or fly out, they are presently 
 chilled to death. 
 
 These insects suffer more through the in- 
 stability of our climate, in its frequent and 
 
162 DISEASES. 
 
 sudden transitions, than from a long conti- 
 nuance of frost. The milder the winter and 
 spring have been, the sooner their store is 
 exhausted ; and if it was rather short at 
 first, the sooner the stock dies ; or per- 
 chance it may survive till the latter end of 
 May. 
 
 The frequent failure of stocks has in 
 most counties been attributed to icitchcraft, 
 or other superstitious notions, instead of 
 attributing them to their true cause, — bad- 
 ness of weather, or rather their owner's 
 neglect, or want of skill. 
 
 These causes operate alike in every arti- 
 cle of husbandry; often blasting the fondest 
 expectations of the farmer. But he will not 
 be so absurd as to suppose that evil spirits, 
 or witchcraft, have any power to sport with 
 mortals, or their property, at pleasure; much 
 less that bees in particular should be victims 
 to thi'ir malice, more than sheep or cattle. 
 No! he patiently submits to the Omnipo- 
 tent Disposer of all events, from the de" 
 struction of the ant-hill to the dissolution, 
 of mighty empires. 
 
DISEASES^. 163 
 
 To secure thein from diseases, it will be 
 necessary {contrary to the common opinion) 
 to keep the hives warm in winter, by filling 
 the vacancies around and at top of the hives 
 with straw ; especially box-hives. In snowy 
 weather, or very hard frost, the door-ways 
 should be wholly closed, which in such a 
 season will be not prejudicial, provided care 
 is taken to unstop them immediately on 
 the weather changing; for as soon as that 
 happens, they will be very anxious to issue 
 out for fresh air, as also to empty them- 
 selves. Bees should always be suffered to 
 make their exit, except as above, as they 
 well know what weath; r thiy can bear, 
 and how long to stay in it. It is best 
 not to house bets in winder; for when a 
 mild day comes, they will rf joice to take 
 the air, which contributes much to pre- 
 serve them in health. 
 
 The bees in winter should be disturbed 
 as little as possible. 
 
 When bees are long confined by severe 
 frost, or laiiiy weather, though in summer, 
 they grow diseased for want of exercise, 
 and for want of emptying themselves. 
 
164 DISEASES. 
 
 The regulation of the doors of the hives 
 should be proportionate to the weather and 
 the populousness. 
 
 The warmer the hives are kept, the 
 better. In cold springs, the doors should 
 be shut at night, and opened in the morn- 
 ing; but be sure that the bees have no 
 exit, but of the hive, or it may prove their 
 death. 
 
TEEDING. 16c 
 
 CHAP. XXL 
 
 OF FEEDING. 
 
 Various have been the methods and ma- 
 terials for feeding bees in winter. I have 
 found none more successful, cheap, or con- 
 venient, than soft brown sugar, that is not 
 grainy ; a pound to half a pint of mild ale, 
 dissolved over the fire. But when sugar is 
 very dear, honey may supply its place, 
 though inferior for the purpose. This 
 composition, which should be regulated 
 to tlie consistence of syrup, comforts and 
 strengthens the bees, preventing disorders, 
 increasing their activity, and forwarding 
 the brood, if given plentifully in the 
 spring. 
 
 It is to be administered by means of 
 trojighs, made of joints of elder, angelica, 
 or other kexes, slit down the middle, the 
 pith and bark taken away, and reduced to 
 such a depth as easily to pass the door-ways 
 
1Q6 FEEDING, 
 
 of the hives. Their length to be eight 
 inches, or six at the least, and flatted a lit- 
 tle on the under side, and the end closed 
 Avith putty or other cement. These troughs, 
 by passing far into the hive, enable the bees 
 to come down to feed, without danger from 
 the cold, which they would suffer in coming 
 to feed at the door. They are also too nar- 
 row to smother themselves therein. The 
 larger the number of bees, so much the 
 larger must be their supplies. 
 
 When stocks shew signs of poverty, push 
 into the hive a trough of the honeyed ale 
 (by this term I always mean either honeyed 
 or sugared ale, as may happen to be cheap- 
 est) in the evening; and if the combs ob- 
 struct its entrance, pass a long thin knife 
 to cut a free passage. The next evening 
 take another trough full, and, pulling the 
 empty one out, push in the full one; and 
 thus proceed as long as there is occasion. 
 If stocks do not come down to feed, they 
 should be taken into the house, and fed. 
 
 Such a trough holds about half an ounce; 
 one of them is enough for any stock for a 
 day and night. This I call private feeding. 
 
FEEDiyCr. 167 
 
 By this method they are prevented from 
 feeding to excess, which they are but too 
 apt to do, when they have an abundant 
 supply at once; and thereby bring on a 
 looseness, and prove both destructive and 
 Avasteful. Daily feeding, indeed, is more 
 troublesome than giving a quantity at once; 
 but the last is more expensive, and not so 
 safe. I fed, one winter, two very light 
 stocks, through the dreary season of 1777, 
 till the end of the ensuing May, By the 
 means, and at the expence only of sixteen 
 pounds of sugar, and one quart of ale, I 
 saved my bees to flourish in prosperity. 
 Care should be taken to place no feeding 
 article on the outside, or at the door-ways, 
 as it will attract strange bees, who may also 
 become robbers, and ruin the stocks. 
 
 In such a disastrous season, a public 
 feeding may be substituted, which is by 
 taking an old empty comb (the deeper and 
 harder the better), filling the cells on one 
 side with honeyed ale, and placing it on a 
 hive-floor, and over that an empty hive or 
 pan, and setting it about the middle of the 
 apiary. The bees will soon flock about in 
 
W8 FEEDING. 
 
 in crowds, and empty the comb: once in 
 twenty-four hours replenish it. They will 
 not come out to feed in improper weather, 
 though it continues for three or four days. 
 Troughs of food must be substituted durinf^ 
 bad weather. Nor must public feeding be 
 practised when other apiaries are pretty 
 near, as the bees of those will equally par- 
 take with the owner's. The bees will en- 
 tirely neglect public feeding as soon as 
 honey can be obtained from flowers. 
 
 At a public feeding much quarrelling will 
 happen, between those who are feeding 
 and others that cannot approach near 
 enough to partake for the great crowd ; 
 but it will be unattended with mischief — 
 only mere boxing bouts, without using 
 their stings, as in fatal duels. 
 
 Feeding should not be attempted, until 
 the robbing season is over. If any stocks 
 before that time are in distress, they should 
 have a trough given them at night, and 
 withdrawn in the morning. 
 
 The weighing, ov poising of hives, in Fe- 
 bruary, to judge whether they require feed- 
 ing, ought not to be deferred till after they 
 
FEEDING. lf)9 
 
 have for some time begun to breed ; lest the 
 additional weight of them be mistaken for 
 that of honey, wheii perhaps there may not 
 be a spoonful in the hive, and the continual 
 increase of mouths produce the speedier 
 famine. 
 
 Now and then a trough of food given to 
 the stocks as soon as farina is collected, will 
 forward the queen's breeding, and likewise 
 udd much to invigorate the bees to greater 
 activity in their labour. 
 
 I weighed a stock on the 5d of November ; 
 it was then 29 lb. 3 oz. On February 26th, 
 the weight was 24 lb. loz. — ^Difference, 5 lb. 
 2 oz. From November 2d to February 26th 
 is 115 days, (the weather mild,) in which 
 were consumed 5 lb. 2 oz. or 82 oz. ; which is 
 but three quarters of an ounce per day. 
 
 On the Sth of December a stock weighed 
 211b. iloz.; the 11th, 20lb. 15 oz. ; the 
 21st, 20 lb. 8oz. The difference, from the 
 Sth to the 11th, is 12 oz. or almost an 
 ounce per day. From the 11th to the 31st, 
 5oz. which is but half an ounce per day. 
 The weather frosty the whole time. 
 
 In the first thirteen days the consumption 
 
 T 
 
170 FEEDIlfG. 
 
 was 12 oz. ; in the ten last, only 5 oz. On 
 further trials I found the results nearly 
 similar. 
 
 From the whole I have been induced to 
 conclude, that a trough holding about half 
 an ounce of honeyed ale, daily administered, 
 is a sufficient support to any stock while 
 feeding is required. 
 
 Where the price of honey is higher than 
 that of sugar, feeding will be of advantage, 
 though the stocks do not need it. For what 
 sugared ale they will consume, will be a pro- 
 portional saving of so much stock honey 
 Besides which, it will cause those stocks, in 
 the next season, to be the sooner fit for sto- 
 rifying; and likewise, if it should be rigorous 
 and long, the stocks, nevertheless, would 
 be rejoicing in plenty, while their neigh- 
 bours would be starvmg through scarcity. 
 
 The feeding of bees, in spring, is of great 
 advantage to them, as it enlivens and 
 strengthens them, and stimulates their acti- 
 vity, causing them to breed the earlier. A 
 little good ale, with honey dissolved in it, 
 will be very acceptable, even though they 
 should be well provided. 
 
FEEDING. 171 
 
 Since the preceding sheets were written, 
 I have found a very eligible method of feed- 
 ing, by taking a half hive, or box, cutting 
 combs of honey down to the proper depth, 
 and placing them therein, on bars similar to 
 those of the stock which they are to be set 
 over. Loosen the cover, thrust a divider 
 under it, take it off, and then carefully set 
 the half box of combs upon the divider, 
 and immediately withdraw it, and place a 
 cover over the stock. The quantity of 
 combs put in must be proportionate to the 
 wants of the bees, to the time of its appli- 
 cation, and the nature of the season. 
 
 1 2 
 
172 THEFTS. 
 
 CHAP. XXII. 
 
 OF THEFTS AND WARS OF liEES. 
 
 The bees of apiaries are often eneuiics to 
 each other, and wage destructive war, com- 
 pelled thereto by necessity. 
 
 The robbing season is sooner or later, as 
 the summer has been more or less favour- 
 able; but in general it happens in March 
 and August. That of March is but seldom 
 and trifling; in x\ugust, very frequent and 
 formidable. I once had a stock attacked 
 in this month, and again in October. 
 
 When swarms have been late, but nume- 
 rous, or a bad season has followed, it will 
 be a very dangerous time, and make it ne- 
 cessary to contract all the door-ways, as a 
 caution of security. A few bees will defend 
 a nanovv pass against a multitude. 
 
 As very bad seasons often occur, which 
 prevent stocks from procuring suftjcient 
 honey for their winter store; reduced to 
 
THEFT?. 173 
 
 the choice of starving or plundering, those 
 that are strong chiefly prefer the latter. 
 
 This beinj^ determined on, they send 
 spies to discover the state of neighbouring 
 stocks; and such as are found to have but 
 few bees, but much honey, are concluded 
 to be proper objects for an attack. 
 
 A few of the spies for several days dodge 
 about the doors, trying to get in to obtain 
 more certain knowledge of their strength 
 and riches; but are driven away by the 
 powerful stocks, who then plant guav^'s at 
 their door, which the weak stocks do not, 
 and therefore are the first to be assaulted. 
 The next day they return in force, and be- 
 gin a violent siege ; and a desperate conflict 
 ensues, both within and without the hive, 
 neither side giving quarter. 
 
 The stoutest warriors make a desperate 
 attempt, and rush forward and seize the 
 queen; knowing that, by dispatch mg her, 
 instant victory is the const-quence; for the 
 assaulted bees always desist, and j^jn the 
 victors, the moment they are apprised of 
 their queen's death, become as one frater- 
 nity, and assist to carrj' their own treasure 
 1 3 
 
174 THEFTS. 
 
 to their new habitation. But in case the 
 queen is protected, they fight on with rage 
 and fury, and death and pillage soon destroy 
 the stock. 
 
 As soon as strange bees are perceived, 
 contract the doors to half an inch ; and 
 when an attack is actually begun, stop the 
 doors of all the stocks ; taking care that no 
 admission can be had, at any chasms, into 
 the hives, till a little before dark; and then 
 open all the doors, and the thieves vt'xW rush 
 out and fly home, and the true bees, tliat 
 were excluded, will enter in. 
 
 About an hour after, lift the stock up; if it 
 is not heavy, it must be taken and set over 
 another stock, by fuming. But if heavy, 
 and not much plundered, take it to a dark 
 out-house, and keep it there two or three 
 days confined, with some admission of air. 
 
 Very early in the morning, shut all the 
 doors, and post a person near the stocks that 
 were most likely to be assaulted, with a kind 
 of battledore of slight wood, in his or her 
 hand, with which to strike all the bees down 
 that shall nppear, and tread upon them. 
 Continue this sport as long as any approach, 
 
THEFTS. 1 
 
 70 
 
 and in a few hours these formidable despe- 
 radoes will be destroyed. It will be finished 
 about noon. As the apiator's bees are all 
 confined, those killed are sure to be robbers 
 onl}'; but if they should happen not all to 
 be killed in one day, keep them still confined, 
 till night, and finish the work next day. 
 
 When stocks do not shew resentment 
 against the attempts of the spies, and there- 
 upon keep guard, it is a very suspicious sign 
 of their weakness or poverty. They should 
 be roused to anger by thrusting some twigs 
 into the door-way, which will urge them to 
 revenge, and to guard their door. 
 
 But if not, take the hive, or the enemy will 
 be sure to strip it. The guard at the doors 
 will continue two or three weeks, if robbers 
 are about. 
 
 But when robbers find all the stocks upon 
 their guard, and courageous, after essays 
 for two or three days, they will desist, and 
 retreat to other apiaries in the neighbour- 
 hood more favourable to their design. 
 
 When a stock has been assaulted, and all 
 on a sudden becomes quiet, with great 
 crowds of bees passing to and fro, it denotes 
 I 4 
 
176 THEFTS. 
 
 the death of the queen ; on which immedi- 
 ately close the door, and take the hive into a 
 dark lOom; ami in the evening unstop the 
 door, when the strange bees will take wing 
 for their own home. Then take the combs 
 out, and save the brood; or if the honey or 
 brood be small in quantity, reserve the hive 
 as it was left, to super-hive a stock next 
 year, or to put a swarm in. 
 
 As soon as strange bees are seen about 
 the stocks, it will be prudent, if there are 
 any weak stocks, to unite several into a 
 well-stored hive of honey, which will not 
 only rouse the courage of the bees, but ren- 
 der them too powerful to be conquered. 
 
 The bees of good stocks are always very 
 irritable and revengeful, whenever invaders 
 are on the scout; nor will they let their 
 familiar friend the apiator at that time ap- 
 proach them. 
 
ENEMIES. ' 177 
 
 CHAP. XXIIL 
 
 ENEMIES OF BEES. 
 
 Many, various, and powerful are the 
 enemies and destroyers of these industrious 
 and beneficial insects. But a little timely 
 care and attention would prevent or greatly 
 diminish their depredations. 
 
 The wood-pecker, or tree-creeper, seizes 
 the bees as they are gathering farina off the 
 sallows in the spring. Robins and sparrows 
 will boldly wait at the hive door, and catch 
 them as they come out; and sundry birds 
 seize them in their flight. 
 
 Poultry are very prejudicial to bees, by 
 catching them as they pass in or out of 
 their hives; and their dung is a great nui- 
 sance to thera. 
 
 Mice get into the hives, by the large and 
 
 deep gaps made for door-ways in common 
 
 hives readily admitting them in winter, to 
 
 the destruction of the stock. They often 
 
 I 5 
 
178 ENEMIES. 
 
 also make a lodgment, and breed, under the 
 crown of the hackel, and eat their way 
 through the top of the hive, to the ruin of 
 the stock. Inspection should be taken to 
 prevent it ; and traps set to catch the mice. 
 A good cat, bred in the garden, would de- 
 vour them. The doors of the hive should 
 be made too low for a mouse to enter, but 
 at least three inches wide. 
 
 The wax-moth is but little noticed, or 
 even suspected of being, as it is, a very dan- 
 gerous enemy, destroying many stocks in a 
 concealed manner. The mother moth lays 
 her eggs about the skirts of the hive, if she 
 Qonnot elude the vigilance of the bees, to 
 lay them in the inside. She spins a close 
 and strong web to defend the young, who 
 burrow in the floors, and progressively 
 consume the combs, to the total destruc- 
 tion of the bees. 
 
 Old straw hives, or decayed floors, are 
 very favourable to their depredations. Fre- 
 quent shifting the hives, and cleaning the 
 floors, will prevent the evil; and will guard 
 against other diminutive enemies, as ear- 
 wigs, wood-lice, and ants. The nests of 
 
ENEMIES. 179 
 
 these should be destroyed; or platters of 
 honey and water, covered with brown pa- 
 per, with many holes, which the ants may 
 pass, but not the bees, and tied close round, 
 will entice them to their destruction. Spi- 
 ders' webs should not be suffered about an 
 apiary. 
 
 Large slugs, or snails without shells, 
 creep into the hives in wet weather; and 
 are troublesome to the bees, by hindering 
 their labour, and soiling the hive by their 
 excrements, causing the bees to be very 
 fractious; but they neither consume the 
 honey nor wax ; and generally, sooner or 
 later, blunder their way out again; for I 
 very seldom found one in taking a hive up, 
 though I have often seen four or five at a 
 time in boxes. By chance, they sometimes 
 lie against the door-way, and stop it quite 
 up; which may be soon discovered, by the 
 bees not being able to enter. They may be 
 taken out by a sharp-pointed wire in the 
 form of a hook. 
 
 Wasps are much more destructive to 
 stocks than their other adversaries, by their 
 superior strength and prodigious numbers; 
 
180 ENEMIES. 
 
 especially in a year favourable to their 
 breeding. They are most numerous in 
 July and August. Soon after that the 
 workers die; but the mothers survive the 
 winter, and commence breeding about 
 April. But if cold and wet weatheren- 
 sues, greater part of the brood are starved; 
 because the workers cannot fly out for fo- 
 rage, and wasps never lay up any store. 
 Wet is very injurious to their nests; and, 
 therefore, in a long season of heavy rain, 
 few wasps will appear till September. But 
 a mild winter, succeeded by a hot spring, 
 will so favour the increase of wasps, that, 
 without the greatest vigilance, many stocks 
 will fall victims to their power. 
 
 One wasp is a match for three bees. They 
 are very bold, and frequently encounter the 
 most evident danger, undauntedly opposing 
 a host of bees, to filch a belly-full of honey. 
 Therefore, when cold weather sets in, know- 
 ing that the bees keep no guard then, 
 great numbers get quietly in, and carry off 
 abundance of honey; and having once 
 tasted of the sweets, they will not desist 
 till they possess the whole. Perhaps the 
 
ENEMIES. 181 
 
 same method of destroying them, in this 
 case, as directed for bee robbers, would 
 prove as effectual against wasps. 
 
 When wasps are seen dodtjing about the 
 hives, contract the doors to half an inch; 
 and should the bees be negligent in guard- 
 ing their doors, rouse them to anger by 
 agitating twigs within the door of the hive, 
 which will induce them to guard and assail 
 the wasps. 
 
 In the spring, the mother wasps may be 
 seen about old timber, with the splints of 
 which they compose their nests. On the 
 blossoms of gooseberries and rasberries they 
 will be found often, and may easily be 
 knocked down and destroyed. Their death, 
 at that time, will prevent a like number of 
 nests from existing the next summer. A 
 nest of wasps, naturalists inform us, con- 
 sists of thirty thousand. 
 
 Their nests should be sought for by chil- 
 dren ; who, for a trifle, would seek, and 
 give information of them. Effectually to 
 destroy a nest— In the evening, when the 
 wasps have done labour, repair to the place, 
 and stop all the holes of their egress or re- 
 
^9 ENEMIES. 
 
 gress. Introduce a squib into the chief 
 passsage, and, instantly stopping it with a 
 sod, &c. they will presently be suilocated. 
 Dig the nest up, and burn it. Perhaps a 
 wildfire, of damp gunpowder, placed on a 
 piece of wood, and introduced, would an- 
 swer the sarne purpose. 
 
 Another way is, to make a hole in the 
 top of their nest (stopping all the others), 
 and then pouring a quantity of boiling 
 water down. This plan might be substi- 
 tuted for any method by means of fire, 
 where gunpowder might be dangerous. 
 
 I have known wasps so abundant, that 
 in one season they destroyed ten stocks, in 
 one apiary, out of twelve. A few shillings, 
 prudently distributed, probably would have 
 prevented this disaster, and diminished 
 their nests next year. 
 
 Hornets, in the spring, will watch the 
 bees as they issue from the hives. When 
 they are seen about the hives, they should 
 be knocked down and trodden upon. They 
 may be trepanned, by placing an empty 
 hive, with its inside smeared with honey, 
 among the stocks. Allured by this, the 
 
ENEMIES. 183 
 
 mother hornets will begin to build therein. 
 In the evening lift up the hive, which may 
 be done with safety, if the mother is there : 
 then set it down again, and in about half 
 an hour after, have a vessel with water 
 ready ; take the hive, and plunge it a little 
 way into the water ; then strike smarth^ on 
 the top of the hive, and the hornets will 
 fall into the water, and by a pair of tonga 
 may be crushed to death. Or, the hive 
 may be closely stopped up till morning ; 
 and then taking it into a room, raise the 
 edge next the window : the hornet will fly 
 directly thereto, and may readily be cut 
 in two by scissars, crushed, or knocked 
 down. 
 
 Their nests are usually hung on the 
 rafters, beams, or roofs, of barns or out- 
 houses, or fixed in hollow trees. They re- 
 semble a globe of brownish paper. 
 
 The nest may be taken, by preparing a 
 large-mouthed bag, with a running string, 
 to draw the mouth close. On a rainy day, 
 or in an evening, put on the bee-dress, and 
 with great stillness approach the nest, and 
 draw the bag gently over it, instantly pull- 
 
184 ENEMIES. 
 
 ing the mouth so close, that not a hornet 
 may escape. Separate it from the parts 
 it may be attached to, by a long knife; 
 plunge it into a proper depth of water, and 
 let it remain till morning. By this time 
 the hornets will be motionless ; then taking 
 the bag out, tread upon it, to crush the 
 nest flat. Turn t^e nest out upon a parcel 
 of straw, which, being lighted, will of 
 course burn them ; for the water will not 
 kill them, but they will revive. But if 
 poultry are at hand, the cakes of brood 
 may be taken up by a pair of tongs, and 
 laid before the poultry, and they will soon 
 devour the young as a delicious feast. The 
 same may be done with the brood from 
 wasps' nests. 
 
EXTRACTION OF HONEY, &,C. 185 
 
 CHAP. XXIV. 
 
 EXTRACTION OF HONEY AND WAXr 
 
 •1 HE hives should be kept in a warm room, 
 till the combs are taken out; since the ho- 
 ney will drain out the sooner while in a 
 fluid state. Turn the hive upside down, 
 cut through the ends of the spleets close to 
 the hive; then with a broad but thin knife 
 cut through the edges of all the aorab^, 
 close to the hive, and lift it on a clean 
 board, or shallow dish, having first taken 
 oft the straw cover. Then, by a cbissel or 
 wedge, force the body of the hive up 
 which will be effected if tiie ends of the 
 combs have been properly loosened ; and 
 by this means the combs will alt be pre- 
 served in their natural order, as tixed at 
 their tops to the frame of bars: disengage 
 them sin::,dy with the knife, cutting a notch 
 out of each, where it is fastened to the 
 spleet (which keeps the combs all in therr 
 
186 EXTRACTION OF 
 
 places) till the last is disengaged. The 
 combs being thus preserved entire, lay them 
 in a cleanly manner on dishes, and slicing 
 off the cover of those sealed up, let the 
 honey run out. 
 
 The combs of common hives cannot be 
 taken out vv^hole, though spleeted according 
 to my directions, without an iron instru- 
 ment in form of an L. The shaft to be that 
 of the depth of the hives, exclusive of the 
 wooden handle ; the short foot is to be tv70 
 inches long, and half an inch wide, made 
 sharp to cut both ways; the handle, of 
 wood, four-square. This is to be passed 
 down between the combs to the hive-top ; 
 then turning the instrument half round, 
 and drawing it to you, the combs will be 
 disengaged from their fastening to the top 
 of the hive. 
 
 Proceed then to loosen them from the 
 sides, &c. as above directed, and they may 
 be taken out without crushing or breaking 
 them to pieces. 
 
 The taking out the combs whole, or nearly 
 so, is of great advantage to the preservation 
 of the brood, and the purity of the honey; 
 
MONEY AND XTAX. 187 
 
 which may, by these means, be extracted 
 without mixing the fluids of brood, or 
 dead bees, or any other heterogeneous mat- 
 ter, with it. 
 
 Carefully separate and preserve the parts 
 of empty virgin combs by themselves, for 
 placing in glasses ; and those that are black, 
 drossy, or charged with farina or dead 
 brood, keep apart. 
 
 The f^ne combs are to be drained and 
 melted by themselves, as being free from 
 any alloy. They may be mashed by the 
 hands, and put upon hair-sieves, as being 
 pure virgin honey. -rn: 
 
 The parts of combs that have brood or 
 farina in them, are to be cut out rather 
 beyond their extent, to guard against the 
 chance of cutting among the brood cells.rt 
 
 The inferior combs must have all their 
 defiled parts cut out, and then be squeezed 
 over sieves, or bolting cloths stretched over 
 sticks, laid over dripping or other wide 
 pans, &c. and placed at a proper distance 
 from the lire, or in a room that has one, 
 for the more speedy running of the baney. 
 But for greater expedition, in large apiaries. 
 
188 EXTRACTION OF 
 
 presses are used. The pots ot lioney should 
 not be tied down till a few days after their 
 fiiiiug, that the siuali particles of wax or 
 other foreign matter may rise to the top, 
 and be taken off. 
 
 The portions of combs that were laid 
 aside as. very impure, but containing ho- 
 ney, may be cut, and thrown into water, to 
 make ordinary mead ; or, brewed with malt, 
 to make what is in Pembrokeshire called 
 hragget ; or else set before the bees on broad 
 dishes, &c. but spread thin to prevent the 
 bees from stifling themselves thereby ; as 
 may likewise the refuse combs after drain- 
 ing, and afterwards the vessels, first strew- 
 ing over them hay, grass, or herbs, to keep 
 the bees from being soiled. They will lick 
 up every drop of honey. It should be set 
 before them towards the evening. But if it 
 is not carefully done, many bees will suffer 
 by quarrelling; so that I thmk small mead 
 had better be made of them. 
 
 Having thus drained the honey from the 
 combs, boil the fine combs by themselves, 
 ■with a sufficiency of water to keep them 
 floating, till they are thoroughly melted. 
 
HONEY AND WAX. 189 
 
 A three-cornered 6ag, of strong linen 
 cloth, tapering to a point, is to be prepared, 
 which is to be held by an assistant over a 
 tub of cold water, while the operator pours 
 the melted combs into the bag; instantly 
 draw the top of the bag close by a string, 
 and let two |iersons press it sirongly down- 
 wards, between two strong sticks tied toge- 
 ther at one end lii<e a flail. Do this repeat- 
 edly down the sides of the bag till no more 
 wax issues through. When the wax is 
 cold, it is to be taken from the water, and 
 re-melted with very little water, merely 
 suflficient to prevent burning. As it boils, 
 take the scum off as long as any rises, and 
 pour it into proper vessels. Those that are 
 narrower at bottom than top (the most so) 
 are to be preferred. Rmsing the vessels 
 and all the instruments with cold water first, 
 prevents the wax from sticking thereto. 
 
 The vessels or moulds for wax are to be 
 placed so as to have the warmth of the fire, 
 with a cloth over them, that the wax may 
 cool gradually, or it will crack. When 
 quite cold, turn out the cakes of wax, and 
 pare off' all the dregs that may appear on 
 
190 EXTRACTION OF 
 
 the top or bottom, that it may be clear and 
 marketable. The dregs that are pared off 
 may be re-melted, and will yield a little 
 more wax. 
 
 Instead of persons to hold the bag, which 
 is fatiguing, it may be slung upon a strong 
 staff, with the ends resting on the backs of 
 two chairs, &c. 
 
 Or a four-legg€d frame might be more 
 eligible; high and wide enough to admit a 
 tub of water in the inside; and with strong 
 pegs fixed on the top, at proper distances, 
 for sustaining the bag in the middle of the 
 frame. The bag is to have a rurming string 
 to draw the mouth together. 
 
 The vessels in which wax is boiled ought 
 to be considerably larger than the matter 
 contained: for when the wax boils, it very 
 suddenly rises to a great height, and may 
 prove of dangerous consequence. 
 
 A more expeditious method of extracting 
 the wax fTomJine combs is, by boiling them 
 alone. Press them slightly down, use very 
 little water, keep them stirring till the scum 
 rises, which take oft" as long as any rises ; 
 but when only froth appears, blow that 
 
HONEY AND WAX. IQl 
 
 aside. When perfectly dissolved, pour it 
 into proper moulds, and set it near the fire, 
 covered over, till cold. On turning it out, 
 the small quantity of impurities which has 
 subsided to the bottom is to be pared off. 
 
 If the cake of wax should by chance 
 seem discoloured, re-boil it again without 
 water. 
 
 Wax, wben taken off the fire, cools near- 
 ly as soon as metals; therefore the process 
 should be executed as expeditiously as pos- 
 sible, or a less quantity of wax will pass 
 through the strainers. 
 
 If combs are kept a considerable time 
 without being melted, they will moulder 
 and rot, or the wax-moth will breed among 
 them, and devour the greatest part, and 
 pester the whole apiary. 
 
 A hive of three pecks, well filled with 
 full honey combs, of two years standing, 
 will yield in general 25 lb. of honey, and 
 not more than 2 lb. of wax. The average 
 run of common hives is 15 lb. of honey, 
 and 1 lb. of wax. 
 
192 ON JIONEY. 
 
 CHAP. XX f. 
 
 CHARACTETllSTIC OBSERVATIONS ON 
 HONEY. 
 
 Honey varies in quality, according to the 
 nature of the flowers from which it is ga- 
 thered. 
 
 That from aromatic plants is the best. 
 But often, through very bad weather, the 
 bees are necessitated to collect from flowers 
 of very ordinary and disagreeable qualities ; 
 causing the honey of particular situations 
 to be, bad, while in other counties at the 
 same time (the weather having been more 
 favourable) the boney was of a very supe- 
 rior «'egree of excellence. 
 
 Vit\S[!n combs are supposed to contain 
 none but honey of the iincst quality; yet, 
 if the above principle be true, such may be 
 ordinary. ^11 combs taken from swarms 
 are CDmmonly esteemed virgin; but this is 
 an error, if by virgin is meant the purest 
 
ON HONEY. 195 
 
 and best. For every comb, or part of a comb, 
 that has had farina or brood in it, is thereby- 
 rendered impure ; so that so much of any 
 comb or combs, whether of swarms or 
 stocks, thus circumstanced, is not virgin. 
 
 This is evident from the swarms breeding 
 through the summer equally with the slocks, 
 and their combs being equally charged with 
 brood and farina. The wax from such 
 combs will indeed be finer, and in greater 
 quantity, than that of stocks. The conti- 
 nued use of the cells in breeding, first soils 
 them, and at length renders them impure; 
 but the cells where nothing but honey has 
 been deposited, and which, when full, have 
 been sealed over, are certainly most pure. 
 As to quality, that of virgin combs may be 
 ' as ordinary as that of stocks, if both were 
 gathered at the same time, and from the 
 same kind of flowers. 
 
 The older combs are the weightiest; for 
 the bees will cement the skins of the difi'er- 
 ent breeds of maggots to the sides of the 
 cells, to strengthen them, till at last they 
 become as stiff as brown paper. 
 
 Old farina and other matters are conti- 
 
 K 
 
914 ON HONEY. 
 
 nually an increasiog addition to their weight 
 and consistence, so as witli dilficulty to be 
 separated from the real wax, even by a 
 long boiling, and then but partially. Honey 
 deposited in such old combs, necessarily 
 receives a tinge, taste, and some impurities 
 from them. However, parts of some combs 
 in old hives, that have been lately made, 
 may be virgin. 
 
 It is for the reasons above, that a hive of 
 stale combs, though bulky and weighty, 
 disappoints the expectation, by producing, 
 in general, only one pound of wax. 
 
 The homy generally brought to the Lon- 
 don and other markets is mostly foul, and 
 of a coarse quality, from the causes above 
 stated, as well as from tlie careless and un- 
 cleanly manner by which it is extracted. 
 The common method is, by taking the 
 combs out of the hives by piece-meal, in- 
 discriminately, and mashing them, dead 
 bees, brood, farina, and dross, altogether; 
 which must needs render it an heteroge- 
 neous mass, of a disagreeable, and often nau- 
 seous taste, and unwholesome in quality. 
 For sieves exclude only the grosser parts; 
 
ON HONEY. 195 
 
 but the fluids of the maggots and dead bees, 
 with many other impure particles, remain 
 intimately incorporated with the honey. 
 By this unskilful management, a very valu- 
 able and salutary article of diet and medi- 
 cine has been rendered disgusting and in- 
 elegant. 
 
 With submission, I would recommend to 
 the nobility and gentry to purchase none 
 but combs of honey, to be drained at home. 
 Sophistications and impurities would then 
 be avoided, and such combs might be se- 
 lected as are fine, or according to their own 
 fancy. Were this condition insisted upon, 
 the markets would soon abound with combs 
 of honey, instead of pots. The introduction 
 of such a custom must depend on the patron- 
 age of the gentry ; without which so useful 
 an improvement will not be likely to take 
 root. Doubtless the price must be regu- 
 lated according to the quality of the cojiibs, 
 as in sugar and other articles. 
 
 Another benefit may arise from it, — the 
 
 promoting of the improved management of 
 
 bees: for as in the common method few, 
 
 very few, fine combs can be produced, 
 
 K 2 
 
196 ON HONEY. 
 
 compared to that of storifyiug; the pea- 
 santry would thereby, by degrees, be influ- 
 enced to adopt it. 
 
 The comparative taste and fragrancy of 
 honey are the best criterions to judge of its 
 excellency. In cold weather it grows hard 
 and grainy; some sorts are of a whitish co- 
 lour, as that gathered from white clover. In 
 warm weather, or in warm rooms, it will fer- 
 ment, and grow acid. In some years it is 
 naturally very glutinous and thick, to what 
 it is in others. 
 
 Hone}', as partaking of acidulous and 
 saline parts, ought not to be kept in vessels 
 glazed with lead, as all coarse ware is, but 
 in stone: for though its effects may not be 
 felt by the strong, it may prove detrimental 
 to the weak and delicate. 
 
 Sometimes a white mealy matter will se- 
 parate, and concrete about pots of honey, 
 which is a real meal or farina that the bees 
 digest with their honey. 7'he white at- 
 tracts the notice, from being the more con- 
 spicuous. 
 
 Honey may be clarified by putting it 
 into a bowl, and setting that in water over 
 
ON HONEY. 197 
 
 a fire. When it boils, part of the impuri- 
 ties will rise to the top, and is to be skimnned 
 off. The heat, in this process, however, 
 takes off from its fragrancy, and, if properly 
 extracted, it is not necessary. 
 
 It may be thought that honey retains the 
 virtues of the flowers from which it is ga- 
 thered. This may be true in a degree, espe- 
 cially of aromatics; but as it is gathered 
 from a variety of different Mowers, of various 
 qualities, the rioney must partake of that of 
 the aggregate. We iind, whatever flowers 
 it may have been collected from, it still re- 
 tains its disagreeing quality (though other- 
 wise diversified by flavour and colour), and, 
 if exposed much to fire, loses its fine smell 
 and taste. Nevertheless, whether it could be 
 deprived of its disagreeing quality, and made 
 as agreeable as sugar, without a diminution 
 of its medicinal virtues, merits the consider- 
 ation of the chemist. 
 
 The heating and griping properties of ho- 
 ney probably arise from its essential oil, with 
 which farina largely abounds; its detergent 
 and saponaceous qualities, from a fixed alka- 
 line salt, combined with the essential oil. 
 K 3 
 
198 ON HONEY. 
 
 It is wonderful, amidst the great che- 
 mical discoveries of tliis age, tliat this bene- 
 ficial article should never have been thought 
 of importance enough to obtain an analysis ; 
 by which a process might be deduced, to 
 free it from its offending qualities, without 
 impairing its medicinal ones. Probably such 
 a refinement as is used with sugar might 
 produce the effect; though with the loss of 
 its fragrancy and fine taste. 
 
 Bees will not feed on candied honey, nor 
 syrup formed of rough-grained sugar, but 
 suck up the liquid pari, and leave the gra- 
 nules behind. 
 
MEAD. 199 
 
 CHAP. XXV L 
 
 TO MAKE MEAD. 
 
 To every gallon of water add three 
 pounds and a half of honey. Boil it as long- 
 as any scum arises, which skim off. If it 
 boils longer, the fermentation will not suc- 
 ceed so well, nor will the liquor prove so 
 fine. 
 
 Pour it into a cooler : at a proper degree 
 of heat, put in a slice of bread toasted hard 
 on both sides, covered with fresh yeast, and 
 with it a little lemon peel, or any other 
 pleasant-tasted substance. Set it in a warm 
 place, and cover it from the cold air. 
 When it has fermented two or three days, 
 tim it up, and slightly cover the bung-hole ; 
 taste it every day, till it is found to have a 
 vinous flavour and smell. Bimg it then 
 slightly; and when it appears to have en- 
 tirely done fermenting, stop it quite down. 
 
 If another fermentation should be per- 
 K 4 
 
SOO MEAD. 
 
 ceived, leave the vent-peg out for some 
 days. Having stood six months, if it is 
 fine, bottle it ; if not, draw it off the lees, 
 drain them out, without rinsing the cask, 
 and return the liquor into it. Then take a 
 long two ounce phial (such as Bateman's 
 drops or Godfrey's cordial are usually put 
 in), put therein a quarter part of chalk in 
 small bits, and to it a quarter of water: theu 
 tying round the neck a piece of thread or 
 twine, let it down into the cask, till its top 
 is on a level with the bung-hole; when 
 pour in about a quarter part of the measure 
 of the phial of weak spirit of vitriol, and in- 
 stantly let it down far enough for the bung 
 to go in ; but not so low as for any of the 
 liquor to pass into the phial. Hold th€ 
 string till the bung is fast in, to secure the 
 phial from slipping down. 
 
 Care must be taken, when the bung is to 
 be taken out, to secure the string, that the 
 phial may not sink into the liquor. The 
 quantity stated is enough for nine gallous. 
 
 The fixed air generated from the phial 
 will gradually pass into the liquor, and not 
 only fine, but tend greatly to preserve it from 
 
MEAD. 201 
 
 acidity, and give it the sparkling quality of 
 champagne; taking off the disagreeable 
 lusciousness so comnrion in mead. Having 
 stood four or six months longer, it will be 
 fit to bottle. If any part of the spirit should 
 rise with the fixed air, or by other means get 
 into the liquor, it will be harmless; being 
 often prescribed in medicine. Perhaps sharp 
 vinegar may answer as well. 
 
 I conjecture, malt and other fermetited 
 liquors will equally be benefited by a simi- 
 lar use of the vitriolic acid. Perhaps, if 
 used at first with the ferment, it would' 
 answer the purpose much sooner. 
 
 Honey is preferable to sugar for making- 
 domestic wines, giving the lightnets, cordi- 
 ality, and vinosity of foreign wines. 
 
 Mead may be flavoured by rasberries, 
 currants, &c. by a proper quantity of such 
 articles, that have been preserved with ho- 
 ney or sugar, being infused into the liquors 
 when set to ferment. A small quantity will 
 then flavour a much larger quantity, than a 
 much larger if boiled in the liquor at first. 
 
 If the liquor ferments too long after it is 
 tunned, brimstone thrown on a few live 
 
202 ~ MEAD. 
 
 coals, and set under the cask, will presently 
 restrain it, or any other fermenting liquor. 
 
 To promote fermentation, care must be 
 had, that the casks be not shook, and that 
 they be kept warm, excluding much air or 
 light; and with the bung-hole but loosely 
 covered. 
 
 For conducting the fermentation with 
 success, the rule is, to stop it at the vinous 
 state, before it commences to be acidulous: 
 for if not fermented enough, it will be foul, 
 mawkish, and not keep; if too much, it will 
 then turn sour. 
 
 The practice of vintners is to scent their 
 casks with the match; viz. For a pipe, take 
 four ounces of brimstone, of burnt alum one 
 ounce, put in a pipkin, and held over a cha- 
 fing dish of coals till the brimstone is melted 
 and runs. Slips of canvas or coarse linen 
 are then dipped into it, and the powders of 
 nutmegs, cloves, and corianders, instantly 
 sprinkled on them, and then fired, and let 
 down at the bung-hole, and the fumes kept 
 within the vessel as nmch as possible. 
 
 This prevents the ropiness of liquors, and 
 a dissipation of spirits, and consequent 
 
MEAD. 203 
 
 weai:iiess, arising from the imbibing quality 
 of new casks. 
 
 When vinous liquors become flat, they 
 may be resiort;<l with spirit of wine, and 
 with raisins and sugar, or honey. These 
 articles soon render them brisk and spark- 
 ling, and restore their strength. 
 
 The juice of elder-berries will communi- 
 cate a fine claret colour and taste. An 
 agreeable roughu' eg may be also given bj 
 the juice of ripe sloes. 
 
*04 StJJMMi.RY. 
 
 CHAP. XXV IL 
 
 A StJMMARY OF MONTHLY MANAGE" 
 MENT. 
 
 As the most natural, it will be proper to 
 begin our bee year with 
 
 October. 
 
 This month requires no other superin- 
 lenHance than some casual observations; 
 viz. that the stocks are not attacked by 
 robbers (for this, though not common in 
 this n:onth, sometimes happens); and that 
 no insects or vermin harbour about the 
 hives. 
 
 November. 
 
 It is proper to clean the floors, or rather 
 to tx -hunge them for clean and warm ones. 
 Co\er boxes, especially about the tops, with 
 mats or straw. If any stocks are light, feed 
 them; which, in this case, must be conti- 
 
SUBTMART. 205 
 
 nued through the otlier cold months. Clear 
 away cobwebs, weeds, and vermin. 
 
 December 
 
 Requires a continuation of the same pre- 
 cautions. If an uncommonly severe frost 
 happens, secure them effectually with co- 
 verings, and close the door-ways, leaving 
 only a very small vacancy for fresh air. 
 And in snowy weather it is to be attended 
 to, that no bees may come out. 
 
 January. 
 
 The same directions are to be observed 
 as for tbe two preceding months. 
 
 February. 
 
 Feel the weight of the stocks: those that 
 feel light feed daily, till honey-gathering 
 arrives. If two or three troughs of honeyed 
 ale are given each of the stocks in this and 
 the following month, it will contribute to 
 forward the brood. 
 
 March. 
 
 As soon as the bees begin to work brisk- 
 ly, the floors should be again shifted, and 
 
206 SUMMARY. 
 
 every annoyance about the hive taken away. 
 Early in the morning will be the properest 
 time. 
 
 Those stocks that appear to be very nu- 
 merous, if the weather be mild, should be 
 duplicated. 
 
 April. 
 
 The flowers in this month are often re- 
 plete with honey, and the stocks with 
 young bees, so that swarms are sometimes 
 emitted; to which attention is to be given. 
 
 Through the windows of boxes may be 
 seen whether honey is carried in, and then 
 feeding may cease, unless on a change to 
 bad weather. Observe to double all the 
 stocks. 
 
 May. 
 
 The weather in this month is mostly very 
 changeable, so that light stocks require still 
 to be fed, when it is unfavourable, even to 
 the last day of its continuance. If the wea- 
 ther is hot, take off the additional coverings 
 put on in the other months. Be sure now 
 to let the bees have a plenitude of room for 
 
SUMMARY. 207 
 
 breeding; better too much than too little. 
 But if the weather is cold, misty, and damp 
 for several days, and not attended to, famine 
 may be the consequence. 
 
 This month generally furnishes many 
 swarms : therefore constant watching is 
 requisite from eight till three; or otherwise 
 great part of the prime swarms will escape. 
 
 June. 
 
 By tapping on the sides of the duplets, it 
 nfiay be known whether they want the ad- 
 dition of a triplet. About the latter end of 
 this month, it is likely it may be necessary 
 to take off some triplets, and to set nadir 
 hives under. 
 
 Be very circumspect with regard to the 
 stocks that have not swarmed. 
 
 July. 
 
 Swarms often rise till the end of this 
 month ; and therefore the bees must be 
 watched till all the hives have sent out their 
 prime swarms. Take hives off, and place 
 nadirs under, as often as may be requisite. 
 
SOS SUMMARY. 
 
 About the tenth, the upper door-ways of 
 duplets must be stopped. 
 
 If the weather is so hot as to endanger 
 the melting of the combs, give the hives as 
 much air as possible, and screen them from 
 the sun, and pour water upon the ground 
 around them. 
 
 August. 
 
 This is a dangerous month for robbing. 
 Therefore an observation must be had every 
 day, to see whether the hives are assaulted. 
 By neglecting that, many stocks are lost. 
 Wasps are to be guarded against. 
 
 About the latter end of this month is 
 the usual season of general deprivation, or 
 taking up of stocks. Instead of taking 
 off duplets in this month, it would be 
 better, I think, to defer it till the latter 
 end of the next month, or beginning of 
 October. 
 
 Septejnber. 
 
 No other attention is required than a 
 casual cast of the eye, to see that the stocks 
 are not annoyed by robbers, or vermin. 
 
PART II. 
 
 INSTRUCTIONS 
 
 PERFORMING 
 
 OPERATIONS. 
 
GENERAL RULES, 
 
 To put on the bee-dress whenever an ope- 
 ration is to be performed ; for although not 
 always necessary, yet it will be prudent to 
 be prepared against the worst, especially 
 for the untxperienced. For a foot may 
 slip, or an accident happen; that no human 
 foresight could be apprised of. Great care 
 should be taken afier the dress is off, of 
 coming near the bees, as they will be eager 
 to sting, for three or four days, though the 
 person be at a considerable distance. 
 
 II. 
 
 Before any operation on a stock, stop or 
 shut the door-ways, and be sure to unstop 
 them as soon as it is over, unless where it 
 
SIS GENERAL RULES. 
 
 is otherwise directed. The best material, 
 as well for this purpose, as for stopping 
 crevices, is loug shaggy moss, found on 
 banks under hedges. 
 
 III. 
 
 Though the operations are directed to be 
 performed in the morning early, or in the 
 evening, as soon as the bees are all at home; 
 yet by the use of the dividers they may be 
 done at any hour; in cloudy mizzling days; 
 when the bees are out at their labour, or 
 have been previously shut in very early in 
 the morning. 
 
INSTRUMENTS OF FUMIGATION. 213 
 
 No. I. 
 
 Instruments of Fumigation 
 
 x\re, first, a box fpl. I. fig. 4) adapted to 
 this purpose, of the exact size of the boxes 
 in use. It must have a close bottom, nailed 
 to the edges, and without crevices. 
 
 On one side a round opening must be cut 
 to receive the mouth of a quart tin pot 
 from within ; and at such a distance that 
 the pot may not be nearer than an inch 
 from the side, and three inches above the 
 bottom. 
 
 The quart poty without a handle, is to be 
 punched round the sides as full of holes as 
 possible, within an inch of the top (except 
 about two inches, which need have but 
 few), as also in its bottom. The holes should 
 be as large as those of a flour-dredger. 
 The pot is to be fixed in the circular open- 
 ing by flat-headed tacks, with the part hav- 
 ing the fewest holes next the bottom. 
 
214 INSTRUMENTS OF FUMIGATION. 
 
 Another aperture is to be cut on the right 
 of that for ihe pot, six inches in length and 
 four and a half wide, to receive a pane of 
 glass; it is to have a shutter let into a bevel 
 at top, and rest on a ledge at bottom, and 
 to fasten with a button. A wooden or cork 
 stopper must be fitted to the pot. It will 
 make the box more convenient for vision, 
 if a small window three or four inches square 
 is made in the back, about three inches 
 distance from the bottom. 
 
 Observations. 
 
 Without a great quantity of holes in the 
 pot, each at least one-eighth of an inch in 
 diameter, the matter for fuming will not 
 burn freely, and will thereby hinder the ef- 
 fect designed. The pot is placed an inch from 
 the side, that the bees in falling may not 
 lodge or be obstructed in their passage, and 
 thereby scorched. For a like reason the pot 
 is three inches above the bottom. The cir- 
 cular form of the pot prevents any consider- 
 able number of bees from being dt-tained 
 thereon. The part on one side having few 
 holes, is for laying the fuming substance on. 
 
INSTRUMENTS OF FUMIGATION. 215 
 
 Annexed to the fume-box is a frame 
 fpl. I. Jig. 5) to nail on its edge. It consists 
 of a hollow square, the rim three inches 
 broad, and three quarters of an inch thick; 
 the inside hollow, to be equal to that of the 
 box ; the other parts to extend over the 
 outside. 
 
 This frame is intended for placing full 
 boxes as well as hives over it; and there- 
 fore, to suit it to that purpose, its corners 
 have four small pieces of wood fastened in, 
 to adapt it to the circular bottoms of the 
 hives. By the breadth of the rim, it will 
 likewise admit any common-sized hive. 
 
 Other instruments are, a long thin and 
 broad knife, with a square end, and a square 
 wooden handle: 
 
 Two brass plates, or dividers, and ttco siips 
 of double tin, of the same length as the 
 plates, and three inches broad ; or, in lieu 
 thertof, two old saws without handles, and 
 their teeth taken off. 
 
tSl6 MATERIAL FOR FUMIGATION. 
 
 No. II. 
 
 The Material for Fumigation. 
 
 In my former treatise I slightly mention- 
 ed a method of stupefying bees, but have 
 since that time heard that some persons on 
 trial could not succeed. 
 
 Having always been in a habit of drivings 
 I did not give the subject that attention 
 which it so justly deserved. But reflecting 
 on the great advantages it was capable of, 
 could the difficulties be surmounted, I stu- 
 dioush' applied to experiments, to accom- 
 plish this desirable end, which I now sub- 
 mit to my apiarian friends. 
 
 The substance best adapted for this pur- 
 pose is the lycnpcrdon, or great puff ball. 
 It is likewise called frog cheese, mully puff, 
 punk-fist, and by various other names; b 
 I shall mention it only under that oi puffs, 
 in the sequel. 
 
 In good soils it frequently grows as large 
 
MATERIAL TOll FUMIGATION. 21T 
 
 as a child's head; commonly as large as the 
 double fist. There is also a small sort, 
 about the size of a small apple, but of a 
 very weak quality. 
 
 Both sorts grow on dry pasture grounds, 
 and in woods; and thrive where mush- 
 rooms do, and nearly about the same time, 
 or either sooner or later, — or sometimes not 
 at all. 
 
 They are to be gathered in dry weather, 
 if possible, and as soon as full grown, which 
 is in about eight days. They then begin to 
 turn brown and powdery, and are thefi 
 most fit for the purpose. But if not come 
 to their growth, when dried, they become 
 too hard to hold fire. Presently after the 
 puffs are gathered, expose them as much as 
 possible to the sunshine to dry ; or, for want 
 of that, in a dry shade, &c. secure from wet 
 or dew. Dicing them by the fire makes 
 them hard, however moderate the heat- 
 Care must be taken to preserve them dry, 
 in paper bags, in a dry room, till they are 
 wanted. For as they seldom come in sea- 
 son early enough for use, they should be 
 preserved in readiness for next summer. 
 
218 MATERIAL TOR FUMIGATION. 
 
 They are to be laid on the hearth for an 
 hour or two, the evening before tliey are to 
 be used, to expel from them the dampness m 
 their sponginess makes then:^ liable to; I 
 which would render them unfit for burning " 
 freely. Age likewise has the same effect, 
 bereaving them in part of their stupefying 
 power. Pufls found in autumn in woods, 
 or under hedges, being dried b}' a moderate 
 fire, though not so good, may do for want 
 of better. Puffs kept longer than the second 
 year, retain little virtue. 
 
 Thos.e puffs Vvhich in a dry season have 
 become mature, light, and dry, burn the 
 best of any. The lighter and more spongy 
 the puffs are, the readier they burn. Those 
 that are gathered in, or soon after, wet wea- 
 ther will be very tardy in burning, being 
 deprived in a great measure of their virtue, 
 however dried afterwards; as will those that 
 have been dried, but suffered to get wet 
 again, but whicli re-drying will not restore. 
 
 When a wet season, or any other cause, 
 has hindered the acquisition of puffs of a 
 good quality, they should be steeped in a 
 solution of nitre (saltpetre) in water, viz. a 
 
MATERIAL FOR FUMIGATION. 219 
 
 tea-spoonful of nitre grossly powdered, to a 
 pint of water. After the puffs are soaked 
 therein, they are to be well dried ; and, thus 
 treated, will quickly take fire, and retain it. 
 
 But if puffs are very bad, rub a piece of 
 camphor, of the bigness of a pea, to powder, 
 and then add a little linseed oil. This 
 being smeared lightly over a puff", will ini- 
 mediately take flame by a candle; blow 
 the flame out, the puft'will continue to hold 
 fire, and fume till reduced to tinder. 
 
 It is to be noticed, that most dry puffs will 
 readily hold fire in the open air: but when 
 introduced into a close box, excluded from 
 fresh air, they cease to fume. And should 
 fresh air be admitted, it would counteract 
 the stupefying quality of the fume already 
 admitted, and delay the operation, or make 
 it wholly unsuccessful; therefore the least 
 fresh air possible should be admitted. 
 
 L 2 
 
920 METHODS OF FUMING. 
 
 No. 111. 
 
 The Method of Fuming. 
 
 Take as many pieces of puff, each about 
 the size of an egg, as the fume-pot will 
 hold without pressing ; lay the pieces on 
 embers or live coals, in a chafing-dish, or 
 the like: when they appear to fume well, 
 put thera nimbly into the pot of the fume- 
 box, and immediately stop the mouth. 
 The hive or box of bees being previously 
 set over the box (with all crevices stopped, 
 that no smoke may escape), in about fifteen 
 or twenty minutes the bees will be stupe- 
 fied, and fall from their combs into the 
 fume-box. This will the sooner happen if 
 the hive or bee-box is now and then gently 
 tapped on the top. When the smoke first 
 arises, it causes a great buzzing among the 
 bees, which gradually ceases as they become 
 senseless ; and then they may be heard to 
 drop down, and will recover again in about 
 
 I 
 
METHODS OF FUMING. 221 
 
 the same space of time on the admission of 
 fresh air, and without receiving the least 
 injury. 
 
 * A slight fuming will at all times render 
 them very peaceable, though not quite in- 
 sensible. 
 
 A small portion of brand may be laid on 
 bad puffs when they are first put in, lest 
 they should not retain the fire. The stupe' 
 fying bees is in no loise prejudicial to them, 
 since they soon return to their wonted la- 
 bour and activity, as if no such operation 
 had been done. Nor do they afterwards 
 show any resentment upon that account, 
 which is always the case after driving. 
 
 No. IV. 
 
 * A Method Jor Cottagers icho are not pro- 
 vided with Dividers. 
 
 Make a hole in the ground something 
 less than the circumference of the hive, and 
 L 3 
 
522 METHODS OF FUMIXG. 
 
 eight inches deep ; spread a cloth to cover 
 the bottom and sides. 
 
 In the evening, take a stick seven inches ^ 
 long, having a slip in its end to receive a 1 
 piece of puff about the size of an egg ; ^ 
 light it, stick the other end in a clod of clay, 
 and instantly place a hive of bees over it; 
 and they will become as easily stupefied as 
 when suffocated by brimstone. If one 
 piece of puff is not sufficient, put in two or 
 three upon sticks. 
 
 No. V. 
 
 Or, instead of a liole, a circular ridge 
 of earth, nine inches in height, with the 
 inside hollow, and suitable to support the 
 hive, when set over it. Leave a part of 
 the ridge open to put in a fuming-pot, which 
 may be a small earthen pan, an old tin pot, 
 or tlie like, in which put the lighted puffs, 
 and cover the pot with an old funnel (the 
 pipe of!) With many holes in it, to keep the 
 bees from falling on the burning puffs. Im- 
 
METHODS OF FUMING. 223 
 
 mediately on putting tlie pot under, stop tlie 
 opening by a sod of" earth, made ready for 
 that purpose. If the puffs should not hold 
 fire, run a wire, or small stick, througli the 
 sod, to let in a little fresh air. 
 
 Or, an empty hive may be used for this 
 purpose, in lieu of the earth; turning the 
 hive upside down, and setting another 
 thereon. 
 
 Or, the ridge of earth may be made on a 
 board, and so be more convenient to be re- 
 moved near the hives. 
 
 If the hives are not of equal circumfe- 
 rence, two sticks, of the due length, with 
 two others nailed across them, and laid over 
 the hive, pot, or kettle, will conveniently 
 suit any hive you have. 
 
 These methods are designed for storified 
 hives onhj-, it being of no use to save the 
 bees of single hives. 
 
 L 4 
 
'^C4 THE VSE OF DIVIDER? 
 
 No. VI. 
 
 The Use of Dividers. 
 
 Is separating storified hives, thrust in one 
 of the brass dividers first, with its turned 
 end upwards, between the two hives ; then 
 shove in the other with its turned end down- 
 wards, and slide it under the first. At the 
 same time, an assistant is to keep both hives 
 from slipping out of their places. When 
 the apiator withdraws the upper divider, 
 and hive thereon, the assistant is firmly to 
 keep the under divider from moving with 
 one hand, and with the other keep the un- 
 der hive steady. The apiator, in drawing 
 the hive towards him, must move his hands 
 gradually under the divider, till nearly half 
 is withdrawn; he will then feel it upon a 
 poise: still keeping the divider close up to 
 the hive, lift it gently and carefully up, and 
 set it on the fume-box, placed by him in 
 readiness. The assistant, in the mean while, 
 
THE USE OF DIVIDERS. 22S 
 
 is to place another empty hive over the 
 stock in lieu of that taken off, or a cover, as 
 the case may require. Keep the hand on 
 the cover, or empty hive, and withdraw the 
 divider. If the divider do not easily come 
 out, use a pair of pincers. 
 
 Sometimes the irregularities and snags of 
 the broken binding or straw of the hives 
 greatly obstruct the free entrance of the di- 
 vider. -To obviate this, it is proper to have 
 two slips of double tin, fifteen inches long, 
 and four wide; they are to be shoved in on 
 the right and left sides of the hive; intro- 
 ducing them at the middle of the sides, and 
 not at their ends, they will then generally 
 pass easily. But if any impediment occurs, 
 run a broad knife between the edge of the 
 hive and the tin, and raise it a small degree 
 at th^ point of.obstruction. Or, if it arises 
 from the under iaive, the knife is to enter 
 under the tin, to disengage it. The slips 
 having passed nearly to their whole width, 
 the dividers are to be shoved in at the back 
 or front of the hive, as shall be most easy, 
 and under the slips; by which means they 
 will enter with great facility. Observe to 
 L 5 
 
226 STORIFYING. 
 
 turn their ends, as before mentioned. If the 
 dividers enter at the back, a person must 
 hold his hand against the door- way, to pre- 
 vent the stopping from being shoved out. 
 
 Particular care should be had, in taking 
 out the dividers, to set them upright against 
 some support, or to lay them flat, to prevent 
 their being bent, vs^hich would render them 
 unfit to keep the bees close in. 
 
 No. VII. 
 
 To S.torify. 
 
 To set on a duplet, loosen the cover of 
 the stock, and slide a divider underneath it, 
 keeping one hand on the cover. Take it off 
 as soon as the slider is adjusted ; then set an 
 empty hive upon the divider, and keep the 
 hive fast while it is withdrawn. Early in 
 the morning, or in the evening, will be the 
 properest time to do it: a pair of gloves, only 
 will be needful. 
 
 To place a duplet under a stock, set a 
 stool behind the stock; shove the divider 
 
DEPRIVATlOy. 227 
 
 under it, then lift the hive and slider on the 
 stool; set an empty hive (with its cover off) 
 and floor in the place of the stock, which 
 lift thereon ; pull out the slider with one 
 hand, while the empty hive is kept steady 
 with the other. 
 
 A triplet is to be managed in the same 
 manner. 
 
 No. VIII. 
 
 Deprivation, or Separating of Hives. 
 
 First, a triplet is to be taken in the 
 evening. The dividers are to be introduced, 
 as by Xo. VI.; the separated hive is to be 
 placed on a floor at some distance, and then 
 the door unstopped. In about an hour after, 
 or the next morning, if the bees in the triplet 
 are quiet, as also those of the stock, there 
 are queens in both ; but if not, shut the door 
 of that taken, and set it over the fume-box, 
 and proceed to fume, as by Xo. III. 
 
228 DEPUIVATION. 
 
 If an under or nadir hive is to be taken 
 from a double or triple hive stock, the 
 saKie method is to be used ; — .only the two 
 upper hives are to be taken off together, and 
 placed on a stool till the nadir is taken 
 away, and then set on a fresh floor in its old 
 situation. 
 
 Second Method of taking Triplets 
 
 Is, for a stout man to lift up the triplet, 
 stock, floor and all, and take them to some 
 apartment, in which a strong form or bench 
 is firmly prepared close to the wall, and 
 to place them on that. It may be done any 
 time in the morning, if the bees are very 
 early secured from coming out. Follow the 
 directions of No. VI; only the operation may 
 be more securely done, without being in- 
 commoded by the bees of the apiary, when 
 at a distance from them ; and being against 
 a wall, the hives are kept more steady 
 during the insertion of the dividers. If the 
 middle hive seems full of combs, and has 
 not much brood, that also may be taken. 
 
 On the general deprivation, the hives 
 
DEPRIVATION. 22D 
 
 taken off must be set apart in anoilier 
 part of the garden, to discover which have 
 queens; as also of the stocks. And if any 
 are without, the hive taken from it must 
 be restored, and remain some weeks longer. 
 The further fumigation is to be deferred 
 till the next day after taking. It is to be 
 noted, when hives are lifted on the fume- 
 box, it should be on the divider, which is 
 then withdrawn, by which means no bee 
 can escape. The stupefied bees are always 
 to be put in an empty hive, and placed be- 
 fore the stock on some support. 
 
 To separate duplets is so obvious from 
 what has been written, as to preclude fur- 
 ther directions. 
 
 Cottagers must pursue the methods of 
 No. IV. 
 
 Many times the edges of straw hives will 
 be so uneven as to suffer the bees to pass 
 under them, so as to be very troublesome 
 on the introduction of the dividers. To re- 
 medy this default, prepare a narrow siip of 
 coarse linen cloth, about three inches wide, 
 and of a length somewhat more than the 
 circumference of the straw hives in use. 
 
230 DEPRIVATION. 
 
 Two small wire hooks are to be fixed at 
 one end. This cloth is to be thoroughly 
 wet, and drawn round the body of the hive, 
 about an inch and a half above the bottom 
 edge. When the dividers are to be used, 
 raise the edge of the cloth, just high enough 
 to suffer them to pass a little under, and let 
 the cloth drop close round. Its weight will 
 render it so close as to exclude any bee 
 from passing. 
 
 It will many times happen, that a few 
 bees will still remain in the hive, notwith- 
 standing the most powerful fumigation, by 
 having secured themselves in the empty 
 cells, or by the fume not being strong 
 enough when first put in. In such a case, 
 throw a cloth over the hive, and take it 
 into a dark room, there to remain till the 
 next day; when gently drumming or tap- 
 ping on the sides and bottom of the hive, 
 they will rise to the edge of the combs, and 
 fly home, without shewing any anger. 
 
 When a hive is cleared of bees, the brood 
 combs should be properly placed in an 
 empty hive, inverted on a divider, and so 
 placed over the stock. This must be done 
 
DEPRIVATION. 231 
 
 very leisurely, lest it provoke the bees to 
 destroy the young. If one hive will not 
 hold them, put the residue in another, 
 which set over some other stock. 
 
 Boxes are much easier separated than 
 hives, from having their edges more even, 
 though the like obstacles will sometimes 
 happen ; and which are relieved by the 
 same means as for hives. But the use of 
 tin slips will not be requisite. 
 
 It will be advisable for the unexperienced 
 to practise the manner of operation by trials 
 on empty hives with a weight laid over 
 them, before they attempt with hives of 
 bees. 
 
 Care must be taken, that as few bees may 
 be killed as possible; especially where the 
 queen's death would be the ruin of the 
 hive. 
 
 Cottagers should separate the combs 
 from the bottom hive the night before, by 
 a knife; when they are to take the hive off, 
 give it a kind of twist, and then lift it on 
 the ridge of earth, as by No. IV. while a 
 person instantly throws a cloth over the 
 top of the hive left, there to remain till 
 
232 RE-UNION OF SWARMS. 
 
 next morning ; then placing the edge of the 
 straw cover just under the cloth, shove it 
 nimbly and closely with the right hand, 
 ■while the cloth is kept smooth with the 
 left ; by which means the bees, and pieces 
 of combs, that were lodged on the top, 
 will be pushed off by the sliding in of the 
 cover. But if the cover does not sit close, 
 stop the chasms with moss till cold weather 
 comes, when the obstructions may be pared 
 away with a knife. 
 
 No. IX. 
 
 The'J^e-Union of Sioarms with their Stocks, 
 or with each other. 
 
 Having hived a recent swarm, take it 
 to a distance from the apiary, lay a cloth 
 on the ground, and strike the edge of the 
 hive thereon; the bees will fell out in a 
 lump. With a spoon tenderly divide them 
 into three or four parcels, putting them 
 into as many pans, sieves, &c. and set each 
 
SE-UNION OF SWARMS. 233 
 
 parcel at a considerable distance from each 
 other's sight. Those parcels which have 
 no queen will soon return home again. That 
 which remains take to a darkened room, 
 and fume, as by No. HI. This done, turn 
 them out upon a table, and with a small 
 stick disengage a few at a time from each 
 other, and look attentively for the queen. 
 If not found in the first number, strike 
 them off the table into an empty hive, and 
 thus proceed with the rest. When she is 
 ' found, instantly seize her between the finger 
 and thumb, and put her into a phial with a 
 notched cork, and about a dozen workers 
 with her, to keep her warm and easy. In- 
 spect the remainder of the parcel, lest there 
 should be another young queen. lucl.ude 
 them all in one hive, and set them (town 
 before the stock, to which they will gladly 
 unite. But should a queen not be found, 
 it is possible she may have fallen down and 
 been crushed. In that case the bees will 
 soon shew their inquietude, and return 
 home. If not, give them a slight fuming, 
 and proceed as before, but with more cir- 
 cum pection. 
 
234 RE-UNION OF SWARMS. 
 
 Keep the captive queen two or three days, 
 when, if there should be no occasion for 
 preserving her, death must be her portion. 
 For if let loose, she will return to the stock, 
 and occasion a repetition of the process. 
 Or else make an artificial swarm with her, 
 if wanted. 
 
 By the like means, as many swarms as 
 rise may be added to the stock, or united 
 with one another, to form a powerful stock 
 of themselves. Only then keep the bees in 
 the hive, with a cloth over it, and take them"* 
 out by a spoonful at a time to examine them, 
 pulling the cloth over after every spoonful, 
 to prevent their reviving too soon. 
 
 Or, swarms may be united, three or four, 
 or more, together, to form a stock, as di- 
 rected at pages 99 and 100, or at depri- 
 vation time. 
 
 When two queens rise together with a 
 swarm, and are hived, but prove hostile to 
 each other, fumigation will reconcile them. 
 The first queen that recovers will be ac- 
 knowledged, the other slain. 
 
 If a swarnj that is to be united is tumul- 
 tuous and mischievous, the giving them a 
 
CAPTURING THE QUEEN". €35 
 
 slight fuming will make them more tracta- 
 ble. It is worth remarking, that bees are 
 often adverse to receiving strangers at one 
 time, but will cordially receive them at an- 
 other; therefore they must be humoured. 
 
 No. X. 
 
 Capturing the Queen of a Stock, 
 
 Fume the stock, and examine the bees 
 as in the foregoing article. Sometimes she, 
 as well as some other bees, will evade the 
 effect of the smoke, by entering the empty 
 cells (which is equally the case even with 
 brimstone), and therefore must be proceed- 
 ed against as before directed. To distin- 
 guish a queen, a previous knovi'le(5ge should 
 be acquired, by inspecting the bees that 
 have been suffocated. A queen may be 
 attached to any part, by passing a silk 
 thread round her neck, and clipping off 
 part of one wing. Where she is fixed, the 
 swarm will surround and never quit hey» 
 
23(3 UNION OF STOCKS* 
 
 Or a queen may be captured thus: — Put 
 the bees that have a queen into a hive or 
 box, whose top has long slits of only jive 
 thirty -seconds of an inch in width. The 
 working bees, by much tapping on the sides 
 of the box, or by blowing the smoke of to- 
 bacco in, will issue out, and leave the queen 
 behind, as she will not be able to pass the 
 slits, if accurately made. 
 
 No. XI. 
 
 Out'liers to recruit loeak Stocks. 
 
 At the close of the evening, place a floor 
 on a level with, and to touch that of the 
 outliers ; bring the weak stock pretty near ; 
 then with a small stick very leisurely stroke 
 the out-liers down on a vacant floor. In- 
 stantly take away the stock, and set it at a 
 little distance, while an assistant places the 
 weak stock over the floor of out-liers, its 
 edge being kept raised by a wedge. Let 
 them remain till day-break, by which time 
 
UNION OF STOCKS. 237 
 
 the idlers, in all probability, will have 
 ascended; when, taking away the wedge, 
 replace the stock in its former situation, 
 and the other at a considerable distance. 
 
 But when a great quantity of bees cluster 
 round the body of a hive, an empty hive 
 should be placed near; when lifting the 
 stock upon the empty hive, idlers and all 
 thereon, they will soon find and embrace 
 the new accommodation. 
 
 Another method is, to spread a cloth 
 underneath, and by a brush or watering-pot 
 sprinkle water over them ; by which means 
 they will be unable to rise, and may be 
 brushed off on the cloth, and put on the 
 floor of an empty hive, and the weak stock 
 over them. 
 
 No. XII. 
 
 To unite a queenless Stock to another. 
 
 When a stock, in summer, has lost its 
 queen, stop the door immediately, till the 
 
3SS UNION OF WEAK STOCKS 
 
 Other stocks have done work, then open it 
 for about an hour, and then stop it again ; 
 shde under the divider, fume it, put the 
 bees in an empty hive, and set them over 
 another stock. By this means, as they gra- 
 dually acquire vigour, they will assimilate 
 with the stock, without any disturbance. 
 The hive of combs taken most likely will 
 have much brood therein, which is to be 
 disposed of as before mentioned, and what 
 honey there is is at the owner's service. 
 
 No. XIII. 
 
 To unite iceak Stocks or Sicarms in Autumn. 
 
 If, through inadvertence, weak stocks or 
 swarms have been retained till autumn, and 
 one of them has a sufficient winter's store, 
 incorporate the lightest with the strongest, 
 by fuming each separate, and then placing 
 the weak one over the other. When the 
 bees recover, thty will unite without strife, 
 and the supernumerary queen be cast out. 
 
OR SWARMS IX AUTUMN. 235 
 
 If they are both poor in honey, but strong 
 in numbers, they will form a good stock, if 
 a good hive of honey is placed over them. 
 Otherwise, suffocate them, and take the ho- 
 ney, and save the brood, if any. 
 
 Cottagers may unite them by turning 
 one hive bottom upwards, in a cold day, for 
 several hours, till the bees become chilled 
 and feeble : the combs are then to be taken 
 out severally, and the bees brushed off upon 
 a table, and the queen taken from them. 
 Then put the bees into a pail, pan, &c. lay 
 two sticks across, and place the other hive 
 over it; close the joining with a cloth, all 
 but the door- way. Let them stand thus two 
 or three days, in which time they will have 
 united. If afterwards the hive should be 
 found too light, the bees should be fed. 
 
 After all, this is but a shift, which seldom 
 answers. Had they been incorporated in 
 summer, they would have turned to good 
 account. 
 
240 DRIVING.' 
 
 No. XIV. 
 
 Driving. 
 
 Pass a divider under the hive to be driven, 
 and then tie a cord across it and the divider; 
 turn the hive upside down on an empt}'^ 
 hive, bucket, or something convenient. 
 Place the fume-box, reversed, over the hive 
 (first taking the cord off), and gently with- 
 draw the divider, taking care that the dooi' 
 of the hive is well closed; then with two 
 sticks beat, as though drumming, on the, 
 sides of the hive (all but that side*Yiext you), 
 and at the bottom, not very hard, but very 
 quick, ceasing a little at intervals. In about 
 fifteen minutes the bees will begin to be 
 terrified ; hearken whether they make a 
 great buz, and whether a buz is likewise 
 in the box, for by that it may be guessed 
 that many are ascended. Some one should 
 bold the box steady while the drumming is 
 made, or it will shake, and let the bees out. 
 The box may then be safely lifted up on its 
 
» HIVING. 241 
 
 side opposite to the light (for the room 
 should be almost dark), and the bees will fly 
 directly towards the light. Hold the box 
 steadily between your side and arm, and 
 with the other hand continue tapping round 
 the side?. The bees by this become tame, 
 and will gradually crawl up from the hive 
 into the box, with loud buzzing; and the 
 more so when the queen ascends, for then 
 the rest will soon follow; but till that hap- 
 pens, they rise with grerit reluctance. 
 
 By chance a few may be left behind, 
 which may be drummed out the next day. 
 
 If no fume-box or divider is provided, a 
 common straw-hive may be used instead; 
 and the stock lifted on it (when inverted) 
 over night. In the morning, stopping all 
 ch"Ssms ai'.d the door, tie the two hives fast 
 with a cord, and invert them, and then pro- 
 ceed as above. 
 
 The driving of bees renders ihem very 
 peaceable and tractable, so that they may be 
 safely taken up in the hand; though not 60 
 completely as by fumigation. They may be 
 turned on a table, severally divided, inspect- 
 ed, and the queen taken from them. But this 
 
 M 
 
242 SHOW-ilOX 10 11 AMATKUUS. 
 
 peaceable disposition continues but a little 
 while in either method ; so that the opera- 
 tor must be as expeditious as possible : ex- 
 cept when the bees are kept in an empty 
 hive two or three days, which will make 
 them extraordinarily tame. 
 
 Driving will be useful as a succedaneuni 
 for puffs, in seasons or circumstances when 
 they cannot be had. To naturalists it may 
 be of advantage, by enabling them to in- 
 vestigaie the properties of these wonderful 
 but irritable insects, while in a state of 
 vii.^our, more satisfactorily than by fumiga- 
 tion or immersion. 
 
 No. XV. 
 
 Show-Box for Amateurs. 
 
 This box, or frame, is to be made of rat- 
 tan or mahogany, without to}) or bottom. 
 It is to be nine inches hii^h, and two and a 
 quarter wide, clear in the inside, exactly; 
 and twelve long. There is to be a pane of 
 
SHOW' 15 ox FOU AMATEURS. 243 
 
 clear glass on each side as large as the frame 
 will admit. The glasses are not to be let into 
 a rabbet, as usual, but to slide up from the 
 bottom to the top withinside, under four 
 small tenter hooks, and stopped at bottom 
 by a small screw, so that the glasses may be 
 taken out occasionally. There are to be two 
 half-inch shutters on the outside, to fasten in 
 a bevel (not to slide) at bottom, and with a 
 button at top. 
 
 The top is to have a bar one inch wide, 
 and the full length of the frame, and is to 
 be let in at each end so as to be flush with 
 the top, and at half an inch distance from 
 each side of the box. 
 
 A door-way is to be cut at one end, 
 one inch and a half long, and half an inch 
 high; this is to be esteemed the front. At 
 the other end, or back, a like door-way is to 
 be cut; and another, three inches higher. 
 
 On the top edges of the box are to be two 
 narrow slips or ledges fastened ; between 
 which are to lie (not to slide in a rabbet) 
 two pieces of glass, each half the length, and 
 sufficient in width to cover the top between 
 M 2 
 
244 SHOW-BOX I' OR A-MATEtrilS. 
 
 the ledges, A wooden loose cover must 
 close the whole. 
 
 It must have a loose floor two inclies 
 wider than the box ; and little abutments 
 should be added at the corners near the bot- 
 tom, to give the box a steadiness sulficient 
 to prevent its being turned aside. 
 
 Observations. 
 
 The narrowness of the box, and its hav- 
 ing but one bar, is mtended to prevent the 
 bees from making more than one comb, 
 which they woidd do if it was a quarter of 
 an inch wider. 
 
 By being confined to one coiiib, the nii- 
 iiutias ot their transactions are exposed to 
 view on both sides, the queen's not except- 
 ed : a discovery 1 suspect not to be so fully 
 obtained by any other means known to the 
 public. 
 
 A window, full south, is the properest to 
 place the box in. A situation the least 
 exposed to wind is necessary for their suc- 
 ceeding. The bees are used to great heat. 
 
SIIOM'-BOX FOR AMATEURS. 245 
 
 ~ - 9 
 
 and communicate much themselves, which 
 causes a great indraught of cold air to be 
 very prejudicial and discouraging. 
 
 I invented this box in the year 1783, 
 when removing to this s'tuation (which is 
 an extiaordinarily win-ly one, heneticial to 
 my own health, but not propitiou- to bee«) ; 
 and not having a conv. nient ?spect to fix 
 the box in, the wind greatly impeded th^ir 
 labour, and frustrated my d^'igns; except 
 one year, which being tolerably favourable, 
 my purpose was in part nnswered. 
 
 The two dooi-ways m the back of the 
 box are the leadier to introduce troughs of 
 food, in case the bees, through bad wea- 
 ther, are hindered from collecting, after 
 being first put in, or at any other time. The 
 two back door-ways are to be always close 
 stopped when not used. 
 
 The reason why the panes of glass are not 
 to be fixed in, is, that in case of accidents 
 they may easily be repaired. 
 
 »i 3 
 
546 MANAGEMENT OF 
 
 No. XVI. 
 
 Management of the Shoiv-Box. 
 
 Procure a slip of deal, of the length of 
 the box, one inch and a quarter broad, three 
 quarters of an inch thick : pierce small holes 
 in it, at equal distances, four on aside; into 
 which put eight slight sticks, four or five 
 inches long, and thus form a stage, cutting 
 o& all irregularities at the bottom. Place in 
 it a thick empty virgin comh, four or five 
 inches in length and breadth. Introduce it 
 as far up the middle of the box as to touch 
 the bar; fasten it at the ends by two fine 
 and long screws, passed in at the front and 
 back of the box. Or, the stage may be 
 hung to the bar by four strings (horse-hair 
 will be best) over the bar let into grooves, 
 and tied on the side of the bar, that there 
 may be no obstacles above the level of the 
 box. 
 
 Having procured a queen from a swarm, 
 
THE SHOW-BOX. 24? 
 
 cut her wings half oiY, put her into the box 
 at the top, the door being stopped; then put 
 Sipint oi fumed bees, including ten or twelve 
 drones, into the box with her. A less num- 
 ber of bees than a pint will be too few ; and 
 a greater will so much crowd the comb as 
 to prevent the view designed. Close the 
 lop by one-half of the glass, and the other 
 by a perforated piece of tin. Whenever 
 the door is unstopped, bolh pieces of glass 
 must be laid over, or there will be too great 
 a draught of air. Throw over then^ a cloth, 
 and let tnem remain till the morning; then 
 unstop the door so as to admit a passage of 
 two bees at a time. If on the second day 
 the bte? seem contented, entirely unstop the 
 door, and give them a trough of food. Re- 
 frain from opening the shutters for four or 
 five days, and then but seldom, till they 
 have begun to collect, and repair tht combs, 
 or it will disgust them, and cause a desertion 
 of the box, which will sometimes happen 
 notwithstanding-. 
 
 For the queen and her subjects, being used 
 to a much greater heat, to a larger society, 
 and a more commodious habitation, will be 
 M 4 
 
#48 MANAGEMENT OP 
 
 very much displeased at such a scanty tene- 
 ment, and not soon reconciled to it. 
 
 But however disgusting it may be, if the 
 queen does crawl out, or her subjects swarm 
 out, the one must drop, and the others, 
 though clustered on something near, must 
 return, and the queen may be found under 
 the window, and again returned into the 
 box. The cluster being secured, is to be 
 introduced to her. 
 
 If great winds annoy them very much, 
 they will emigrate, though they have en- 
 riched the box with honey and brood. The 
 cluster that settles may be shook into an 
 empty hive, and shook out again upon a 
 table, and the box placed near them, when 
 they will soon join the queen. 
 
 For the purpose of excluding the wind, 
 it is adviseable to have a tin trough, of the 
 shape of a T ; the long end to fit the 
 door-way of the box, and to be open 
 at the other end, as well as at the ends 
 of the cross tube. Corks are to be fitted 
 to them, that either of them may be stop- 
 ped in the point from which the wind 
 blows. 
 
THE SHOW-BOX. 9iB 
 
 When the weather proves cool and chilly, 
 cover the box with a woollen cloth. 
 
 When the bees are wanted to relinquish 
 the box, slide a divider under it, and set it 
 over the fume-box; shove the box as near 
 the edge of the hollow as its width, and 
 withdraw the slider the like width, and the 
 bees will have a free opening to fall into the 
 fume-box. Fume them according to art. 
 
 The box must be set on a board in the 
 window, and so that no bee may have 
 egress to the room ; observing the like 
 precautions as before advised for window- 
 boxes. 
 
 M 5 
 
POSTSCRIPT. 
 
 Just as my manuscript was ready for the 
 press, I became acquainted with a Treatise 
 recently pubUshed by Mr. James Bonner, 
 of Edinburgh, purporting to be ^' A New 
 " Plan for speedily increasing the Number 
 *• of Bee-Hives in Scotland" &c. Upon a 
 careful perusal, several passages in that work 
 seemed worthy of notice; but, not to alter 
 the body of my own, I here give them se- 
 parate, with a few brief remarks. 
 
 Mr. Bonner is a stickler for the Schi- 
 rachean doctrine of raising young queen bees 
 at pleasure, in order to form artificial 
 sicarms; and opposes those of a contrary 
 opinion, though fortified by numerous ex- 
 periments of respectable naturalists, at 
 home and in Germany, several years after 
 those of Schirach. 
 
S52 POSTSCRIPT. 
 
 The subject of dispute is of little con- 
 sequence, as not being advantageous for 
 the general use of those who seek the 
 best method of producing the most honey 
 and wax; nor is it eligible for the pur- 
 pose it was designed for, viz. artificial 
 swarming^ 
 
 The champions of both sides express their 
 doubts of its general benefit. Bonner him- 
 self, in particular, says, " It is not a great 
 ** number of hives that will produce the 
 " greatest quantity of honey and wax, but 
 " only real good ones. I also doubt whe- 
 " ther more hives can be reared by this 
 " method, as our bees generally produce 
 •* more queens naturally, than they are 
 " able to supply with a sufficient number 
 " of common bees to compose a swarm 
 " with, as appears from their killing super- 
 " numerary ones;" and therefore he *' pre- 
 " fers natural swarms." 
 
 Schirach's method is by a double hive, 
 and the bees are compelled to ascend into 
 the upper one by the smoke of rags, &c. 
 A piece of brood comb is cut out, of four 
 or five inches diameter, containing a mag- 
 
POSTSCRIPT. £i>S 
 
 got or maggots, precisely of three days old, 
 and properly placed in an empty hive, toge- 
 ther with part of a comb of farina, and 
 another of honey ; about a quart of bees 
 is then to be introduced, and the hive 
 stopped up, except a small passage for air, 
 and so remain three days. There v^ill be a 
 great tumult and noise in the hive for some 
 hours, when it will subside, and the bees 
 will begin to build a royal cell. The fourth 
 day an opening is to be made of a quarter 
 of an inch, that the bees may come out lei- 
 surely. After roving about for some time, 
 they will return to their hive. It should be 
 done in the spring. 
 
 Bonner's process is, I think, an improve- 
 ment : he drives the bees out, then cuts a 
 piece of comb out that has several maggots, 
 of various ages, and placing, &c. and then 
 sets the hive at a very considerable distance 
 from the apiary, without stopping the bees in. 
 This I understand to be Bonner's method, 
 for he seems reserved as to an explicit ex- 
 planation. I make no doubt but the use of 
 the puffs will be found preferable. 
 Schirach's stopping the bees was ill- 
 
€54 POSTSCRIPT. 
 
 judged, and what, perhaps, occasioned my 
 bad success. 
 
 It is somewhat strange that Mr. Bonner 
 should have pursued his researches, without 
 the advantage of bee-glasses, or bee-boxes, 
 but confined himself to straic hives of the 
 common form holding two pecks and a half, 
 and occasionally eeks. 
 
 His principal dependance for rearing a 
 great number of stocks, is by providing a 
 sufficiency of pasturage adequate thereto ; 
 but the waxen castle he has raised for this 
 purpose seems to have been built on a hill 
 of sand. 
 
 He supposes a person to begin with five 
 stocks, which the second year will be in- 
 creased to ten, and so continue to increase in 
 duplicate ratio for ten years, vvliich will 
 then amount to 2500. He supposes like- 
 wise, that if each parish of Scotland had 
 twenty hives in May, the amount of the 
 eight hundred parishes would be 16,000. 
 Supposing each of these hives to throw out 
 one swarm in September, we should have 
 32,000. On these principles, with proper 
 management and tolerable seasons, in the 
 
POSTSCRIPT. 955 
 
 space of seven years the stocks would in- 
 crease from 32,000 to 2,048,000 ; and, after 
 his draw-backs, his lowest estimate is a clear 
 million, producing 4,000,000 pints of ho* 
 ney, and 1,000,000 pounds of wax. 
 
 On the supposition that bees will increase 
 double every year, and therefore that five 
 hives the first year may increase to ten the 
 second year, &c. I will not dispute; but 
 will there be double the quantity of honey and 
 wax? I doubt, not; for, supposing the five 
 hives (the bees of them) can only collect 
 from the vicinage, as far as their flight for 
 pasturage usually extends, enough to fill 
 their five hives; the second year being 
 increased to ten, the same quantity of flowers 
 will only yield the same quantity of honey, 
 admitting the season similar to the first. I 
 infer, therefore, that the produce will be no 
 more, though double the number of bees. 
 To this we may add (which Bonner ac- 
 knowledges) that seasons are often bad ; 
 rendering hives impoverished instead of in- 
 creasing, and that they often die in the win- 
 ter. The second link of this golden chain 
 being broke, down falls the whole mass of 
 
950 POSTSCRIPT. 
 
 honey and wax appending thereto; and 
 there I leave it. 
 
 No, say its advocates ; that is not fair! 
 We can increase the flowers in proportion 
 to the number of bees. Can the cottagers 
 extend their land? or will they extirpate 
 from their little allotment the vegetables of 
 their daily support, to give place for bee- 
 flowers? Will gentlemen (whom Bonner 
 chiefly addresses) plough up their grass and 
 corn lands, to cultivate such flowers ? Surely 
 corn and cattle are of more value than ho- 
 ney ! We had better be without honey than 
 bread. But Bonner has a resource in heath, 
 which covers, he says, more than half of 
 Britain! If true, I am sorry to hear it; 
 and hops, most part of it will speedily be 
 ploughed up for corn, though it should 
 prove the ruin of this new plan of increasing 
 of bees. 1 should sooner prefer Virgil's 
 method of raising bees from a dtad heifer, 
 or of Sampson's procuring honey from a 
 dead lion. 
 
 I sincerely hope, as Mr. Bonner has been 
 a practitioner for twenty-six years, he has 
 accumulated a snug fortune, to compensate 
 
POSTSCRIPT. S57 
 
 for his labours and ingenious discoveries. 
 But as his native land so much abounds in 
 white clover, heath, furze, «Scc. it is wonder- 
 ful that honey sells at ten-pence and twelve- 
 pence per pound, at Edinburgh. It is also 
 observable, that he gives no account of the 
 produce of his own apiary, and only five 
 instances of other persons', of whom he 
 bought honey and wax. To one, in particu- 
 lar, he paid five pounds for one hive, which 
 was weighed in the market-house of Edin- 
 burgh; but unluckily he omits the weight or 
 dimensions of the hive. The reader, there- 
 fore, is left to his own calculations. 
 
 Mr. Bonner, besides his grand resource of 
 flowers, relies on preserving the bees of the 
 stocks taken, and uniting them with the 
 stocks left. 
 
 I think his ingenious method of swarm- 
 ing deserves a place here ; and I recom- 
 mend it to a trial, as it will be too late for 
 me to do it. My work, I hope, will be 
 printed before the season arrives : and my 
 age, and increasing infirmities, forbid a 
 longer delay. 
 
 " Suppose one drive all the bees out of % 
 
258 POSTSCRIPT. 
 
 " hive, and thereby make an artificial swarm. 
 " If the old hive has a royal cell in it, by 
 " introducing into it about five thousand 
 " bees, they will hatch out the young queen, 
 " with all the eggs and nymphs in the cells, 
 " and render it a flourishing hive. The 
 " method of introducing the common bees 
 " is as follows: Let a strong out-lying hive 
 " be removed from its usual situation, about 
 ** 10 A. M. and place the hive that has no 
 ** bees on the spot where it stood; the bees, 
 ** on their return from the fields, will enter 
 " it, and, finding plenty of honey, and abun- 
 ** dance of eggs, will rear up the young bees 
 ** with great alacrity." But here it may 
 be asked. Suppose there happens to be no 
 royal cell in the old hive, how are we to 
 proceed .? On my plan, instead of driving, I 
 wou\(\ fumigate them out ; then inspect whe- 
 ther there is a royal cell; and it' not, return 
 the bees into the hive. But if there is a 
 royal cell, cover the hive of fumed bees with 
 a cloth, and let an assistant take it to some 
 distance. In the mean time, carefully exa- 
 mine the old hive, to be assured that the 
 queen is not left behind among the combs. 
 
POSTSCRIPT. 250 
 
 as she is frequently one of the last that falls. 
 Being satisfied on this point, place it on its 
 original stand. The bees, on their return, &:c. 
 —The hive with the fumed bees should be 
 confined till night, to be certain that the 
 queen is with them; for, if not, they will 
 soon shew it by their uproar, and, in conse- 
 quence, must be taken before the stock, and 
 set bottom upwards. But if they remain 
 quiet till night, take them to a very consi- 
 derable distance, in another garden or field. 
 An empty hive should be set in lieu of the 
 combed hive, during the operation, to amuse 
 the bees as they return from the fields. 
 
 As Mr. Bonner approves the Schirachean 
 doctrine of a common egg being capable of 
 becoming a queen by the nursing of the 
 workers, why should he insist on there be- 
 ing a royal cell in the hive? when common 
 eggs would serve the purpose; only causing 
 a delay of a few days before a young queen, 
 so reared, would be capable of laying eggs. 
 
 Another method he gives of artificial 
 swarming is, " to take all the bees out of 
 " the hive, and put into it a considerable 
 " number of common bees, who will hatch 
 
260 POSTSCRIPT. 
 
 *' out the brood, and rear them, and often 
 *' succeed very well. But this plan is liable 
 *' to some imperfections ; for, from the time 
 " the old queen is taken away till the young 
 " one is fit to lay eggs, will be twenty-fiv$ 
 "days; during which space not a single 
 " egg can be laid. To which add eighteen 
 " days more, before the eggs can be of any 
 " service. It is evident that the best part 
 *' of the honey season will be over ; and 
 " consequently, by autumn, the hive cannot 
 ** be replenished with bees. If I intend to 
 " kill a hive of bees in autumn, it seems 
 ** best to take away the queen at the end of 
 *' July, leaving a great number of bees in 
 *' the hive, which, having but few bees to 
 *' nurse up, would collect a greater quantity 
 *' of honey in that period, than if they had 
 ** a queen to lay eggs." — 
 
 " In the spring, having two hives that 
 " had but few bees in each, 1 put the bees 
 " of one hive into the other, suspecting, as 
 *• they had both bred slowly, there might 
 " be a defect in one of the queens; and 
 " hoping that, by putting them together, 
 " the least healthy woald have been killed; 
 
POSTSCRIPT. 2<Jl 
 
 " but the worktrs of both hives kindly 
 •' united. On turning up the hives twents' 
 " minutes after, I perceived a few beesclus- 
 " tered together. On a close inspection, 
 *' I observed the two queens struggling 
 *' together with the utmost fury. Being 
 *' afraid of the ruin of both, I separated 
 " them, and kept them asunder, though 
 " they ran with great fury along the table 
 " in search of each other. I then took 
 " the one that appeared the boldest, and 
 " put her again into the hive, where she 
 " was kindly received. When a duel takes 
 " place between two queen- bees, the work- 
 " ers commonly kill one of the queens 
 " themselves." — 
 
 " In November, December, and January, 
 ** bees eat very little food, as any person 
 " may be convinced by weighing their hives 
 " in the beginning and end of these months. 
 " But if he will weigh a hive in the begin- 
 ** ning of March, and likewise at the end, 
 *' he will find a considerable decrease; for 
 " the bees, having now much exercise, eat 
 " more honey in that month than during 
 " the three cold ones, and three times as 
 
2(5'2 POSTSCRIPT. 
 
 •' much in May as in March, owing to the 
 •• increase of brood." 
 
 " In a mild winter they eat more than 
 *' in a cold one, which enables them to 
 " hatch earlier, and increase the number of 
 " bees in the hive. In a very cohl winter 
 *' many stocks die; whereas in a mild one, 
 " very few. In the midst of a severe frost 
 " I have often seen my hives with young 
 " brood in them : they are, therefore, not 
 " inactive, but breed even before they carry 
 •' in loads."— 
 
 " About Lammas, those who live where 
 *' bee vegetation is early over, especially if 
 •' they keep numerous hives, ought to re- 
 " move them to the neighbourhood of heath 
 " grounds, if they should be even six or 
 ** eight miles distant; and allow them to 
 " continue in that situation till the heath is 
 " out of bloom. The risk is, if the wea- 
 *• ther turn out bad in August, the trouble 
 " will be lost." [Is there no risk of robbers?] 
 " When bees are placed in a new situation, 
 " they should not be permitted to come out 
 " of their hive for the first time in cold wea- 
 " ther, but kept close prisoners for a day or 
 
posTScniPT. 2(53 
 
 " two, or many will be chilled to death in 
 " searching for their new settlements." — 
 
 " Very little ground will keep many bees 
 " abundantly at work. 0}ie acre of land 
 " would not be overstocked with twenty 
 " hives; and, consequently, the tvv'entieth 
 " part of an acre would keep one .'" [This 
 statement seems vague and unsatisfactory.] 
 
 " Sicanns should be covered with a cloth 
 " till the Ik at of the day is abated, lest they 
 " should be urged to rise. 
 
 " Nor should it be omitted to keep a watch 
 " over them, as they sometimes rise after 
 " being two or three hours in the hive, and 
 " though they had begun to work — perhaps 
 " to settle in another place they had previa 
 " ously prepared. Sometimes, though sel- 
 " dom,a swarm will fly off, notwithstanding 
 " every method that can be used to prevent 
 " it. This happens only in very cahii wea- 
 " tiier, when bees have had liberty, some 
 " days before swarming, to roam about ia 
 "search of a habitation to their liking: : 
 " which if once they find, it is difficult, and 
 *' often impossible, to prevent them from 
 '• emigrating to it." — 
 
2G4 posT.scniPT. 
 
 " If the rays of the sun have been inter- 
 *' cepted by a cloud, or shower of rain, in 
 " the time of swarming, the swarms will 
 " probably be small, as preventing the 
 " greater part from issuing. In which case, 
 " let the swarm be placed where the mother 
 *' hive stood, for about a quarter of an hour; 
 " in which time the bees that are returning: 
 •' from the lields, will soon make the swarm 
 " large enough; and then the swnrm should 
 •' be removed to a mile distance, to pre- 
 " vent the bees from going to the old stock. 
 " When bees are separated from their mo- 
 " ther hive by driving, or \^hGn the hive is 
 " shifted from where it formerly stood, they 
 " are insensible of the change, and always 
 " fly back to their former station; for which. 
 " reason, every artificial swarm, or rein- 
 *' forcfd hive, is to be sot at a considerable 
 " distance." [Would not removing them 
 to a dark room, and confining them a day 
 or two, produce ttie like (fleet ?] 
 
 *' A swarm that esi apes from the apiary 
 " to a habitation they have previously 
 " chosen, usually fly to it in a direct line. 
 " The bce-heid shouid run or ride within 
 
POSTSCRIPT. 965 
 
 " sight of tliem, as fast as lie can; and if 
 " obstructions hinder him, he should atten- 
 " tively notice the point of the line, and 
 " keep or recover it, to march therein 
 " straight forwaixl, regarding the bushes 
 " and hedges as he goes, lest they should be 
 " settled thereon. But otherwise the line 
 ** will probably lead him to some apiary, 
 ** where he may claim his swarm. I kaow 
 *' for certain, that a swarm will not fly a 
 " mile to an empty hive; whereas they will 
 " fly four miles to take possession of an old 
 *' one with combs in it." 
 
 It is proper here to remark, that Mr. 
 Bonner represents the setting of an old hive 
 of combs in a person's own garden, or api- 
 ary, as a fraudulent practice; as such hives 
 may allure his neighbour's swarms to settle 
 therein. So may a field of good pasture 
 allure his neighbour's cattle or sheep to feed 
 thereon. What! then must he not have 
 better pasturage than those in his vicinity? 
 If strange bees visit his hive, which he set, 
 bond fide, to entice his own swarms, should 
 any escape unperceived, and his neighbour's 
 bees take possession of it, without being 
 
^66 POSTSCRIPT. 
 
 followed by a person who saw them rise, he 
 seems to have a good title to keep them ; 
 for who can swear whose property they 
 were? They should have been better 
 watched. The loss they deserve for their 
 negligence; which I hope will make all bee- 
 owners more careful in this point, if for no 
 other reason. No honest person will refuse 
 the restoration, if they can make good their 
 claim. If a person sets such hives with a 
 view of trepanning his neighbour's swarms, 
 it is certainly wicked. The motive consti- 
 tutes the crime. 
 
 " Driving of bees, to make artificial 
 •• swarms," Mr. Bonner observes, " is very 
 " profitable, when properly performed by 
 " skilful bee-masters; yet it always has 
 *• been, and ever will be, destructive to beesj 
 " if performed by unskilful persons. And, 
 •• indeed, all new beginners may be almost 
 " certain of ruining some hives in their 
 •* attempts." 
 
 T. Wildman corroborates the assertion,; 
 by saying, " It is an art not speedily attain^ 
 " ed; yet, till it is, the destruction of many 
 " hives must be the consequence, as everjr 
 
POSTSCRIPT. 2G7 
 
 " one will find, on their first attempts to 
 •' perform it." To which truth, J. K. sets 
 his seal ! 
 
 j\Ir. Bonner, it seems, has been a bee- 
 manaser from his youth ; and is now a 
 professor of the art, and proH'ers his ser- 
 vice to the gentry of his country, who may 
 be desirous of his assistance. He appears to 
 be a successful pupil of the elder Wildman, 
 and, like him, enumerates several manoBU- 
 vres that he can perform, &c. but he does 
 not, like Wildman, divulge the secret oihoic, 
 which he reserves for his own use. How- 
 ever, we may shrewdly guess, that it is by 
 means of the bee-dress, by driving, and by 
 the managementof the queen-bee; by which, 
 to my thinking, any intelligent person, con- 
 versant in practice, may easily do the like, 
 if any one would compensate him for his 
 time and trouble of amusing them, which is 
 the only use these feats seem adapted for. 
 
 In a few words — ZN^otwithstanding ^Ir. 
 Bonner confidently assures his readers, 
 that his plan is " no chimera, or JViil o the 
 " wisp,'' many of them, perhaps, may require 
 more solid proofs on which to establish such 
 K 2 
 
268 POSTSCRIPT. 
 
 an idea. The more wonderful any thing of- 
 feied for our belief is, the stiOiiger shou'd be 
 the evidence. It seems requisite they should 
 know what number of stocUs Boiiiier, as 
 well as some of h's principal pupi's, keep; 
 the quanl^ly of ground sown w'iih bee vege- 
 tables on purpose; what the quanti;y of 
 wild bee-flowers is in the circuit of their 
 flight; and wtiat the produce is, on an ave- 
 rage, for several ye.rs, &c. Till this is 
 done, those that have little faila, hut much 
 reason, will still doubt, if not disbelieve. 
 
INDEX. 
 
 Adapter - page ice 
 
 Age of bees - - 57 
 
 Amateurs, box for - 242 
 
 Apiary, tiie situation for 22 
 
 best muQageaient of 23 
 
 Aromatic Jlowers good lor bees 151 
 Artificials-warming - 114 
 
 B. 
 Bee boxes, to mi'.ke 
 
 dress, to m.ike 
 
 flowers, a list of 
 
 house 
 
 Bees, ilieir age 
 
 42 
 
 19 
 
 146 
 
 - 50 
 
 57 
 
 nuQiber, weiglit, measure 92 
 
 to find in woods - 117 
 
 OQ ti;e Sdlvii "u of - 122 
 
 w'.il no. qu .. a ii've that 
 
 lias biood ill - - 136 
 
 how lende.ed ;..me 142 
 
 B;',t;!:at i.;'ys;ocked w'.h 143 
 
 nice in iie'rse'ec oa 145 
 
 disvaace iieyflv lo co ect 153 
 
 the qu.;ii.ltyo.'i;oi:ey con- 
 sumed in wioer - 169 
 
 wuy a s.ock i^ceiscs 
 
 more in propor ioa if kept 
 from swyrmng - 59 
 
 have a nalur;;! impu'se ;o 
 
 swiirm . - 73 
 
 dec.ea<;e o.', in wlnler 73 
 
 reduced to a qu. rt in 
 
 ■wiuler - - 125 
 
 - ;o judge Of a si.u..L'on 
 that will be produc.ive 144 
 
 to be kept warm in winter l64 
 
 Borage, the king of flowers 
 
 page 151 
 jBorfs, SJtow, foramsteuis 242 
 Brood Combs, how to neat 136 
 
 preservation of 139 
 
 Brccdirg begun - 73 
 
 C. 
 Carsfj, L.ie advan.^ige of, (see 
 
 Swarms) - 141 
 
 Cells Royal, described - 3 
 Cottagers, .0 ass!=C one ano- 
 ther ill liie 'oan of bees 144 
 _-^— — methou of fuming 221 
 
 ■ separa* 
 
 r<.'.oo, or tal;:ng - 231 
 
 to dou- 
 
 b'e ii'.ves - 85 
 
 Commons, Heat?is, and Woods, 
 near, best siu:i Ioa for bees 143 
 D. 
 Deprivation, d'rections for 133 
 
 best ime for 137, 139 
 
 gene al ■ Inie for 137 
 
 of s ag'e iiives 137 
 
 le roetiiod of 227 
 
 general, how 228 
 
 Discoveries - - 8 
 
 Dividers desc 'bed - 45 
 
 ■ — oDse, vations lliereon 47 
 
 '■ to use - 224 
 
 Diseasts of bees • 158 
 
 ;o prevent - 162 
 
 Doors, n manage - 64, 69 
 Drones described - 4 
 
 proper trtatmeut of 81 
 
f70 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 Drones, improper treatment 
 
 of - - page 82 
 ' their first appearance 83 
 do not always precede 
 
 swarms 
 Driving of bees, method of 
 Duplets will not be worked in 
 
 till wanted 
 
 ■ how long to stand 
 
 ■ when to put on 
 
 when to t<tke off 
 
 when a swarm wanted 
 
 from 
 
 to storify, 
 
 to separate 
 
 — ^ when expedient to re- 
 main all the winter 
 E. 
 
 Enlnrgement, a timely 
 
 E'lCDiies of bees 
 
 Estimate, shewing the supe- 
 rior profit from storifying 
 
 Extraction of wax 
 V. 
 
 Farina, its nature 
 
 Feeding of bees 
 
 83 
 
 240 
 
 66 
 
 140 
 
 6.3 
 
 63 
 
 90 
 
 226 
 229 
 
 135 
 
 65 
 177 
 
 60 
 188 
 
 148 
 
 165—171 
 
 signs of poverty 
 ■ instruments for 
 public 
 
 166 
 166 
 
 167 
 
 Fumigation, instruments for 213 
 
 materials for 216 
 
 . the mctliod of 220 
 
 cottagers' me- 
 
 thod of 
 
 G. 
 
 Classes, the most proper 
 
 observations on 
 
 nianageuicnt of 
 
 II. 
 Hackcls, to make 
 Hives, to rnxke 
 
 for cottagers 
 
 upon an emergency 
 
 only a third left for 
 
 126 
 127 
 129 
 
 39 
 
 32 
 37 
 
 72 
 
 bees when filled ^Yitll combs 81 
 
 Hives, how to hive bees in page 104 
 on the body of a tree 107 
 
 on the branches 108 
 
 on a hollow tree I09 
 
 in a room 113 
 
 to know when nearly 
 
 filled - - 13.3 
 
 to judge of their weight 140 
 
 of a larger size than 
 
 common recommended for 
 the single method - 62 
 
 preparation of - Qi 
 
 Hot Summer melts the combs 72 
 Honey, a quick importation of 65 
 
 scanty in bad seasons 140 
 
 extraction of - 185 
 
 observations on - 195 
 
 ■ combs, virgin, errors 
 
 about - - 192 
 
 of bad quality - I94 
 
 how to ju(lj;e of - I96 
 
 its disagreeing qualities I97 
 
 dews, their nature 155 
 
 1. 
 Idlers of duplets 
 
 ■ • that do not lie out 
 
 not to be suffered 
 
 of a triplet 
 
 lhou"h not full 
 
 151 
 146 
 
 84 
 
 Increase by storifying - 
 
 L. 
 Land, waste, to improve by 
 
 bee plants - 
 
 List of bee Rowers - 
 Lying~out, reason of - 
 
 ■ what delays tliem 
 
 from swarming - 85 
 
 M. 
 Mead, to make - - 199 
 
 a new method of fining 200 
 
 ■ ■ useful observations 201-203 
 
 N. 
 Kadir hives, to manage C4, 67 
 
 O. 
 Orchards of little use to bees 15© 
 
INDEX. 
 
 271' 
 
 Out-lien of a triplet page &t 
 
 in July - 81 
 
 in general, the Cduse 38 
 
 how prejudicinl 84 
 
 cannot be made a 
 
 swarm of - 8t, 88 
 
 added to a weak 
 
 sloefc - - 235 
 
 P. 
 Pasturage described - 143 
 ■ in great quantities 
 together - 147 
 
 farina, observations 
 
 on - - 148 
 
 what distance the 
 
 bees fly to collect - 153 
 
 Princess often not ready when 
 btes want to swarm — 84 
 
 when too numerous 89, 99 
 
 unimpregnated, will 
 
 be deserted - _ 90 
 
 Puffs for fuming described 2l6 
 
 Purchasing of bees, rules and 
 
 cautious for — — C6 
 
 Q. 
 
 Qucot described — - 1 
 
 to distinguish - 2 
 
 her fecundity - 3 
 
 royal brood - 3 
 
 cf iier laying eggs 58 
 
 dying in the summer 71 
 
 dying in winter - "2 
 
 ;ire not alike fruitful 76 
 
 d;ficient in royal brood 78 
 
 to capture - - 235 
 
 infertile — 68 
 
 Queeitlcsi stock added to an- 
 
 ollier - - 237 
 
 R. 
 
 Removing of bees - 30 
 
 Rules, general - 104, 211 
 
 S. 
 Saltation of bees - 122 
 
 uot beoeScial for 
 
 MDgle liives - 123 
 
 Sea- n'ater, bees disregard pagt C9- 
 Season, very dry, why bad 78 
 
 what consequence 79" 
 
 wet and cold 69, 70, 139 
 
 Show-box, to make - 242 
 
 observations on 244 
 
 management of 246 
 
 Situation, poor, its consequence 69 
 
 good - 144, 145 
 
 Spring, when bad - 75 
 
 when good - 74" 
 
 Splects, proper ones — 94 
 
 statement of profit - 60 
 
 Stinging of bees - 12 
 
 remedies for - 15 
 
 Stock, that has swarmed • 70 
 
 • to recruit - - 70 
 
 . ^ddilional,when wanted 80 
 
 to supply with drones 81 
 
 ~ to replenish with bees 70 
 
 weak, disadvantage of 75 
 
 reduced to a quart in 
 
 winter — - 123 
 
 Storifi/ing, the method of 56 
 
 does not prevent 
 
 swarrrtiug — 5g 
 
 its superiority to 
 
 other methods - 60 
 
 . other particulars 
 
 in which it excels - 62 
 
 indicitioDS for 63 
 
 the manner of 226 
 
 of a triplet 2£7 
 
 Szcurms, the nature of . 73 
 
 - ■ the advantage of a mild 
 
 spring - - 74 
 
 • the best time - 75 
 
 when the bees are re- 
 luctant - - 77 
 
 may rise in a cold spring 77 
 
 the number from a hive 78 
 
 why few or none . 75 
 
 why small, from single 
 
 hives - - 73 
 
 — — woods favourable for 7? 
 
272 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 Swarms, wet seasons bjd /or p. 79 
 
 af.c-, to be leturoed • 79 
 
 disci'minaiing reasons 
 
 to judje by - - 80 
 a me'.'.iod o." doubling, 
 
 for CO tiijers - — 85 
 successor" bees depends 
 
 OJ ilie swarms - 86 
 s^L.ct walci.iiis neces- 
 sary — - 87 
 ' mist.ikea notions ;<bout 88 
 
 signi of - 88 
 
 ■ si jn of a prime swarm's 
 
 esc.ipe - - 89 
 l)0W,w':ih several pr'ii- 
 
 cesses ' - - 89 
 duplets to ii.ive bo.ii 
 
 doais open - 90 
 
 pi iacess DOi. ready lor 88, 91 
 
 a S'gn tli.il bees waut lo 9] 
 
 fiy -ttiin ,iie wiad 9' 
 
 to judge wiiicu is a 
 
 good swai m • 91 
 
 \n\■\^z of - ' 9i 
 
 . preparation of iiives "or 9* 
 
 . — tinkling necessary • 95 
 
 — oi' prime - 96 
 
 ■ of divers princesses 
 
 Willi one - 98, 99 
 
 ■ stiay - - 100 
 
 of c'usLer 13 diversely 100 
 
 _ an.ficial - - 114 
 
 _ . liie me'.iiod of uniiing 
 
 wilii tne stock - - 232 
 
 — or with eacii Oilier 234 
 
 wliat siLuatioDS pro- 
 duce most - "- 73 
 
 .Swarm;, single hives produce 
 too many - puge 78 
 
 early, wlien best 80 
 
 liie suddenness of 87, 93 
 
 • cause of liie los>ol° 87,88 
 
 sealing on a persoD 101 
 
 to decoy - - 100 
 
 nummary of monllily manage. 
 
 204 
 
 17* 
 
 173, 175 
 
 - 174 
 
 ment 
 
 T. 
 Thefts and Wars 
 
 signs of 
 
 to manage 
 
 Tinkling necessary in tlie 
 
 liiving of bees - 75 
 
 Tri/jieis, ouiliers of - 6T 
 
 wuen lo take 133, 140 
 
 to storify - S27 
 
 to deprive - 63, 227 
 
 U. 
 Uniting swarms will) the stock 234 
 
 weak slocks in aiitumn 23S 
 
 . of swarms ^nilli one 
 
 anollier - - 99. 234 
 
 with tlieirraolberslotk 232 
 
 W. 
 Wax, what drawn from 
 
 Watching indispensable 
 Wasps enemiss lo bees 
 Weight and measu.e of bees 
 Winter, bees lo be kept warm 
 
 in - • 
 
 Woods, good for early sw.am- 
 
 ing - 
 rror/fcrs dcscibed 
 • i'..eir biood 
 
 149 
 
 87 
 
 179 
 
 93 
 
 165 
 
 FINIS. 
 
 frinua ty KACDONALa *nil SO, 4!, C:«;h fair, I.»«J«. 
 
^ 
 
yr.