Feeding for Winter.
The last of September or first of October feed such stocks as are short of stores, to winter them. Each stock should have twenty pounds of honey in the brood section to winter safely. If they have less than that, feed until they have that quantity, or take a frame of honey from a stock that has some to spare, and exchange with the one that is short, and so proceed until all have sufficient stores to winter safely.
In no case take out frames at the close of the season, and leave that space without a frame, or with an empty frame. At the commencement of winter every hive must (to winter safely) have its full number of frames filled with comb, no matter if they are not filled with honey (if the hive has the required number of pounds,) but each frame must be filled, or nearly filled with comb, or there is great danger of loss from sudden changes of temperature through the winter.
In feeding for box honey, it often requires more than one pound of feed to secure a pound in boxes, for the bees consume some while storing it, and they often find some place in the hive which, like the crowded omnibus or street car, is not so full but that additions may be made.
The reader will bear in mind this simple fact: Bees do not make honey, they simply collect it. Honey undergoes no chemical change in the stomach of the bee.
Several years since my bees had access to several molasses hogsheads, and the result was, I found pure molasses stored in my hives, in the same comb with nice white honey. I am satisfied that the bee does not make honey, but collects it. My feed is prepared and recommended in view of this fact, and in perfect accord with all points bearing upon this subject.
The feed is of the same color as the nicest, white clover honey, and when put in boxes by the bees with the honey collected from flowers, (I have no doubt in many instances in alternate layers in the same cell with honey from flowers,) it cannot be distinguished, either in color or taste, from honey collected wholly from flowers.
CHAPTER V.
BOXES FOR SURPLUS HONEY.
IN the last chapter directions were given, when to put on boxes, but it is important to know more about this matter, the kind of boxes to use, how made, etc. I shall recommend a glass-box; that is, glass sides with wood corner-posts, top, and bottom,[4] such as I use with the Controllable Hive. The size and description of box is as follows, viz: get out a piece of board six and three-sixteenths inches long, by four and three-sixteenths inches wide; three-sixteenths inch thick for the top of box; another, same size, for bottom. For the top boxes, that is, the boxes that are to be placed over the brood section, with a sharp bit make four one-inch holes in one of the pieces, for the passage of the bees from the hive to the top boxes; next get out four pieces, five inches long, five-eighths square, for corner-posts to the boxes. Rebate two sides of each post about one-fourth inch square, to receive the glass sides and ends, which are held in place by small tin points. Get glass for the boxes 5 × 5½ inches square for the sides, and 3½ × 5 inches square for the ends. Nail the bottom and top to the ends of the posts, having the corner of the post come out even with the corners of top and bottom. A small (half-inch) finishing brad will hold the posts in place. While nailing, hold the box perfectly square.
[4] These boxes are shown in engravings under head of Construction of Controllable Hive, [Chapter XVIII], which, with the description here given, cannot fail to be understood.
For the side boxes, omit the holes in bottom, and leave out the glass from one end, and in place of the glass put in a piece of wood five inches long, two inches wide, three-eighths inch thick; place this piece in the center at the end, leaving an open space next to each corner post at that end for the passage of the bees from the hive to the boxes.
These boxes are just wide enough for two combs running the longest way of the box. Before putting in the glass, if you have any pieces of white, clean comb, it will be a great advantage to stick two small pieces of this comb in each box, where you wish the comb built. Place the pieces in the top of the box two inches apart. Melt the edge of the comb and apply in place where you want it, while hot; hold it in place till it cools, and it will remain.
The bees will commence work much sooner in boxes with the comb than they would without, even if the pieces of comb are not more than an inch square.
These boxes, when well filled with honey, will each weigh about four and one-half pounds. Honey in the boxes is very attractive, and is sought for in the market by customers who have purchased in this form. Honey put up in these nice glass boxes shows its superior quality at a glance, and customers prefer to purchase in such boxes, with no tare deducted for weight of box, to purchasing in the ordinary wood box with the weight of the box deducted.
In taking these boxes from the hive, when filled with honey, in warm weather, I recommend the following method: Take the boxes off early in the morning, and carry them to some out-building, and put them in a clean, tight box or barrel; place the boxes in such a manner that the openings in the boxes will be free for the passage of the bees from them. Spread over the box or barrel, a thin piece of cloth. The bees will leave the boxes, and collect on the under side of the cloth, which must be turned every few minutes, until all are out, except a few drones and very young Lees; these can be taken out with a pencil. To facilitate the removal of the bees from the boxes, if any are obstinate about leaving, remove the glass in the sides of the boxes, if the cover is not fastened to it. The greater part of the bees from these boxes will return to their hives; excepting a very few young ones which had never before been away from the hive; these will be lost. Thirty boxes like the ones here recommended fit each controllable hive—ten on each side, and ten on top over the brood section.[5]
[5] When the box frames or partitions are taken out in the honey season, the bees will often, if the stock is strong, spread out over the bottom, so that in putting the frame in, a large number will get crushed. To prevent this, get out two pieces of wood, each about one and one-half inches wide, and one-fourth inch thick, one eighteen inches long, the other twenty-two inches long; one edge of the long piece bevel to a thin edge, about the shape of a carpenter's chisel. Nail the long piece in the center to the end of the short piece at right angles with it, with the beveled edge down, so the beveled edge will be level with the end of the short piece; also bevel the lower end of the short piece. When the bees are spread over the bottom of the box section, with this instrument push them gently back to the brood section. To do this, thrust the instrument down into the box section with the beveled edge down; taking hold of the end of the short piece, or handle, work the bees gently back to the brood section, and when close up to the combs of the hive, let it remain to keep the bees from spreading over the bottom till you get the box frame down in its place, then remove it, and push the box frame up close to the brood section, so the ends of the boxes will be as near the brood combs, as the inside board of the partition was when the combs were built. If this is not done, and a large space is left, the bees will either lengthen the cells in the outer comb of the brood section, or build a new comb, between the ends of the boxes, and the outer comb of the brood section. In either case, we would find it very troublesome when we remove the boxes, and wish to put in the partition for wintering. Be sure to put the large box frame up close to the combs of the brood section, that is, leave barely space enough for the bees to pass between the ends of the boxes, and the outer comb of the brood section.
When boxes are to be taken off, use tobacco smoke freely, to quiet the anger of the bees. Puff smoke in at the entrance of the hive, before you touch it, then start the top boxes from their fastening, giving the bees a puff or two of smoke at every crevice about the boxes at the top and sides.