THE
BEE KEEPER'S GUIDE,
CONTAINING
CONCISE PRACTICAL DIRECTIONS
FOR
THE MANAGEMENT OF BEES,
UPON THE
DEPRIVING SYSTEM.
BY J. H. PAYNE,
Author of "the Cottager's Guide."
FOURTH EDITION.
LONDON:
T. C. NEWBY, 65, MORTIMER St., CAVENDISH Sq.
1842.
Figures 1-7.
| Fig. | Description |
| 1 | Improved Cottage Hive |
| 2 | Improved Cottage Hive with small hive affixed |
| 3 | Hive showing the opening on top |
| 4 | Small Hive with glass opening |
| 5 | Adapter for small Hive or Box |
| 6 | Knife for cutting out the comb |
| 7 | Box to be used instead of small Hive |
Figures 8-10
PREFACE
TO THE FIRST EDITION.
Having written the "Cottager's Guide for the Management of his Bees, upon the Depriving System," which has been printed under the direction of the Suffolk and Norfolk Apiarian Society, for gratuitous distribution amongst the Cottagers, I am induced, at the particular request of several Apiarian friends, to enlarge the above little work, and to give in addition a description of Nutt's newly invented Hive, and other practical remarks in Bee-knowledge, resulting from nearly forty years close observation.
Should this little work be the means of inducing any person to promote the culture of Bees amongst the Cottagers in his immediate neighbourhood, upon the Depriving System, I shall be amply repaid for the trouble it may have occasioned me; and the hope that such will be the result, must be my apology for adding to the number of books (perhaps already too numerous) upon this subject.
Reaumur in a letter to M. de la Bourdonaye, in 1757, says, "The preservation and also the increase of Bees is an object of such interest to Britanny, that the peasantry cannot be too much encouraged to turn their attention to it." Surely this is equally applicable to our own country at the present time, when the condition of the labouring poor calls so loudly for relief.
I have little hesitation in saying, that Cottagers who are able to keep from four to six Hives of Bees, may make from four to eight pounds, yearly profit, after paying all expenses upon them. I paid last year to one Cottager seven pounds, fifteen shillings, and to another five pounds and one shilling for Bees and Honey.
The following anecdote has so much the appearance of truth in it, and is so well suited to my present purpose, that I cannot refrain from giving it.
A good old French Bishop in paying his annual visit to his Clergy, was very much afflicted by the representations they made of their extreme poverty, which, indeed, the appearance of their houses and families corroborated. Whilst he was deploring the state of things which had reduced them to this sad condition, he arrived at the house of a Curate, who, living amongst a poorer set of parishioners than any he had yet visited, would, he feared, be in still more woful plight than the others; contrary however to his expectations, he found appearances very much improved, every thing about the house wore the aspect of comfort and plenty. The good Bishop was amazed. "How is this, my friend?" said he, "you are the first man that I have met with a cheerful face and a plentiful board. Have you any income independent of your Curé?"
"Yes, Sir," said the Clergyman, "I have; my family would starve on the pittance I receive from the poor people that I instruct, come with me into the garden and I will show you the Stock that yields me an excellent interest."
On going to the garden he showed the Bishop a large range of Bee-hives.
"There is the Bank," he continued, "from which I draw my annual dividend.—It never stops payment."
Ever after that memorable visit, when any of his Clergy complained to the Bishop of poverty, he would say to them, "Keep Bees! Keep Bees!"
In the words of an Apiarian friend, I solicit information from every one who may have it in his power to transmit it to me, and on the other hand, I profess my perfect readiness to impart whatever knowledge I may possess in the management of an Apiary, to any person who will favour me with the application; my aim is general utility, and the establishment of a national advantage.
PREFACE
TO THE SECOND EDITION.
Since the first appearance of this little Treatise I am most happy in being able to state that Apiarian Science has in this neighbourhood and in the adjoining Counties, made very considerable advances, that the ridiculous notions, and foolish prejudices entertained respecting Bees, are fast wearing away—that the Cottagers are generally managing them upon the depriving system, making them a real source of profit and of comfort, and that a number of influential persons are making themselves acquainted with the practical management of Bees, upon the simplest and most profitable methods, for the sole purpose of setting an example, and for qualifying themselves to give instructions in the management of them to their poor neighbours. Nor is this spirit of well directed benevolence confined to these Counties only, for at Oxford a Society is just formed to promote an improved and more extensive system of Bee management among the Cottagers by the diffusion of information on the subject, and the loan of hives not the gift, their cost to be repaid from the produce, and also to promote a more extensive and scientific knowledge concerning the Natural History and cultivation of Bees among the higher classes; the society I find is flourishing, a piece of ground has been taken and laid out as an experimental Bee-garden, there is already a very considerable number of stocks of Bees placed in it in common straw, and experimental hives. Subscribers pay half a guinea a year, and non-Subscribers a shilling each visit This is an example worthy of imitation.
I am just favoured with a letter from a Gentleman who has recently visited the above establishment giving me a certain and simple method of Autumnal union of weak stocks, which he there witnessed, but it comes too late to be embodied in this treatise the whole of that part being already in the press, still as I consider the union of weak stocks important, and Gelieu's method which I have given too troublesome for most persons, I will venture to give it in this place. "The process" he says, "is merely fumigating the Bees for which they have invented a tube much more simple than Nutt's which they insert into the mouth of the hive; under the hive is previously pushed either an empty one reversed, or a shallow box with a wide rim, this receives the stupified Bees; cut out the combs and remove all the remaining Bern from them that none be lost. Now take a little sugared ale and sprinkle it over them just as they are recovering, place upon them the hive to which they are to be united, this hive requires no sprinkling nor any fumigation, the Bees in the latter are soon attracted by we ale and go down into the hollow containing the fumigated ones licking them over, the whole are mixed and go up without the least disturbance, it is unnecessary to take any trouble about the Queen," he adds "I was assured that not a Bee would be lost" and he further says "upon my return home I tested it with entire success on some of my neighbour's Bees, it was the work of but a few minutes, and not the smallest danger. I left the hive placed upon the other all night, and the next morning every Bee had left the bottom one, more perfect quiet I never saw. I think there were nearly two quarts of Bees fumigated."
Puff-ball is generally recommended being the safest, mild tobacco answers very well, great caution, however, is required in its use, or the Bees may be killed. Common fumigating bellows, or even a tobacco-pipe may be used for this operation: After this discovery it will be absurd not to unite weak stocks, or to destroy a single Bee on taking up an old hive.
I have always considered the keeping of Bees and the advantages arising from them to be the undoubted privilege of the Cottagers and theirs alone, other persons may keep a few for amusement, or to endeavour to learn something of their natural history, but all should in my opinion be made subservient to the Cottagers' benefit.
The present season has been a most unpropitious one, especially in this neighbourhood, perhaps the most so that I remember, but I am disposed to think that this is not a favourable district for the collection of honey. I have frequently compared the produce of my own apiary with that of others at a distance, and this year especially, with that of a friend upon the Essex bank of the Stour, which I assisted in forming and have frequently visited, the quantity of honey obtained from this is small, but it is five times as much as that of any one in this neighbourhood consisting of the same number of stocks.
I cannot close this preface without acknowledging the very flattering manner in which my little treatise has been mentioned in various publications, and my thanks to the many correspondents it has obtained for me. The addition which I have been enabled to make to it, will I trust be acceptable and useful.
I still solicit information from any who will give it me, and am ready to impart it to all those who will ask it.
Bury Saint Edmund's,
Oct, 11th, 1838.