Bee Keeping for Profit. A New System of Bee Management (1891) / Third Edition.

by Mrs. Lizzie E. Cotton

FEEDING FOR WINTER.

In September or 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. It would not pay to feed for box honey, were there no yield of honey from natural sources.

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 hogheads, 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 some instances in alternate layers in the same cell with honey from flowers,) it cannot be distinguished, either in color or taste, from honey wholly collected from flowers.

If at any time there is a lack in the yield from natural sources, feed the bees all they will eat and when the flowers yield again they are ready to store in boxes. Manage as recommended and let the old fogies growl. Your honey will be of superior quality and give perfect satisfaction to your customers.

CHAPTER V.
BOXES FOR SURPLUS HONEY.

IN the last chapter instructions were given when to put on boxes, but it is important to know more about this subject, the kind of boxes to use, etc. I shall recommend two sizes, two pound and one pound. The larger size, with glass sides and ends, top and bottom, and corners wood; the smaller size, all wood.

Seventy-six of the small size and thirty-eight of the large size will fit each Controllable Hive, or part of each size can be used on the same hive at same time. The large boxes are just wide enough to contain two combs; the small ones, one comb. These boxes fit the sides and top of Controllable Hive. The bees enter the top boxes through spaces in bottom of the box. They enter the side boxes through spaces at the ends of the boxes. (For a more particular description of the boxes and their adjustment to the hives, see Drawings or a Complete Controllable Hive.)

Before giving the bees access to the boxes, stick a piece of comb or comb foundation in the top of each box where you wish the combs built, a piece one or two inches square to hold them firmly in place. Melt resin and bees wax equal parts, dip the edges in the mixture and apply while hot.

Honey in these 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 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,[3] 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 bees; 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.

[3] 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 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 fastenings, giving the bees a puff or two of smoke at every crevice about the boxes at the top and sides.