HOW TO WINTER BEES IN CONTROLLABLE HIVES.
Bees are wintered in Controllable Hives on their summer stands, by my plan, without loss, by maintaining an even temperature in the brood section, and disposing of all moisture or perspiration thrown off by the bees in cold weather. I have never lost a swarm of bees in Controllable Hives in the winter. I attempt to winter none except strong healthy stocks. I have no mouldy combs, no sour honey. The combs are kept perfectly dry, and the hives in a healthy condition. I do not lose a teacupful of bees, on the average, from each of my hives during the winter.
To winter in Controllable Hives, prepare as follows: At the commencement of steady cold weather, which, in the New England States, is usually near the close of November, put the bees in condition to winter, by entirely closing the upper entrance to the hive, and the lower one shut up about one-half.[9] Take out the box frames at the sides of the brood section, and put the moveable partitions in place. Remove the boxes and feeder, or honey board (whichever is in place,) from over the brood section. Place the ventilator over the brood section, so the lower edge of the ventilator, at the sides, will rest on the upper edge of the moveable partitions, on each side of the brood section. Secure it in place by means of a screw at each end.[10] Pack the sides of the hive (that part occupied by the side boxes in summer) closely with very line hay or straw. Pack the cap as full of the same matter as it can be crowded. Then put the thickness of one or two inches over the ventilator, filling up evenly, so when the cap is placed over the upper part, the cap and sides will be compactly filled. There must be no spaces left unfilled, the object being to secure an even temperature in the brood section, and absorb all moisture thrown off by the bees; and to do this successfully, the cap and sides must be closely packed throughout. When you have the cap and sides well packed, replace the cap, and the work is done. Shade the front of the hives during the winter months. No matter if the snow drifts over the hive so as to completely bury it from sight, let it remain;—your bees are safe.
[9] To secure a slight upward draught of air, to carry of the moisture arising from the bees, make a hole a half-inch in diameter in front and rear of the cap, in the center, close to the top or roof boards. (And here let me say, the roof boards, or boards covering the cap, should project about an inch, as they can be more firmly nailed, and make better joints; for driving rains must not be allowed to penetrate to the inside of the hive.) The inside of each hole should be covered with wire cloth, to keep out insects, etc.
[10] To make the ventilator, get out four pieces one inch square; nail them together making a frame large enough to cover the brood section of Hive. Cover this frame with wire screen, meshes too fine to admit the passage of the bees.
A neighbor of mine had fifteen stocks in Controllable Hives completely buried in snow over six feet deep, and the crust formed over them so it would bear a horse. They remained under the snow, from January until April when they thawed out, and every stock was found to be in first-class order.
When there is only a small quantity of snow about the hive, say only enough to cover the lower entrance, and there should come a very warm spell of weather, which would bring the bees out, be sure to clear away the snow so they need not be kept back by it. But it will take an exceedingly warm day in winter to rouse the bees from their dormant state in the Controllable Hive and bring them out for a turn in the open air. If the air is warm enough to induce them to come out, it is always warm enough for them to fly briskly. In this respect there is a great contrast between my hive and others. With other hives, an hour's warm sun will bring out the bees in winter, when the air is cold, and the consequence is, they fall into the snow, and perish by hundreds. In this way stocks are often reduced in numbers until all are lost. The dysentery generally attacks such stocks (brought on by the sudden changes in temperature in the hive.) and hastens their destruction, by causing them to leave the hive, when they would not do so, if in a healthy condition. Bees when wintered in Controllable Hives as directed, will come out in the spring, strong in numbers, and in a healthy condition—in great contrast to the weak and diseased stocks which have been wintered in the ordinary manner. I have perfect confidence in the method of wintering here recommended, for I have had it in practical use for many years, and have never lost a stock, notwithstanding some winters have been very destructive to bees in this section, some, who practice the old methods, losing their entire stocks. I learn from my correspondents in all parts of the United States that there is a great loss of bees in winter; so great in fact as to discourage many from attempting to engage in apiculture.
My plan of wintering is very simple, and commends itself to every intelligent person. In a few words it may be expressed thus: The brood section is secured against the effects of sudden changes in the weather (this keeps the bees dormant throughout the winter season, which is as nature designed,) and provides for the absorption of all moisture and perspiration arising from the bees while in a dormant state. These two points are the foundation of successful wintering.
CHAPTER XVI.
TRANSFERRING BEES.
AS some of my readers may have bees in ordinary hives, which they would like to transfer to the Controllable Hive, I will devote a chapter to Transferring.
If you have bees in a box or patent hive, or any of the thousand and one bee hive humbugs, which are of little or no profit, and cause you much trouble and perplexity in swarming time, and frequent and heavy losses in winter, you can move them into Controllable Hives—comb, honey and bees together—and manage them on the plan here recommended, and they will winter well, come out strong and healthy in the spring, and cause comparatively no trouble in swarming time, yielding you a good profit yearly.
The best time to transfer is as early in spring as the weather becomes warm enough to keep the bees active every day, which in the New England States is usually in April. It is a good time to transfer about twenty-four days after the first swarm issues from a stock as at that time there is but little brood, and usually but few bees. October is a very good time to transfer, but not as good as either of the times before mentioned. Great care is required to prevent robbing, and also to have the comb frames all filled with combs, and in good position for the bees to winter. As cold weather is so close at hand, the bees will have but little time to arrange for winter.
For transferring, construct the Controllable Hive as directed, with exception of the comb frames. Make several holes one-fourth inch in diameter through the top, bottom and ends of frames, and a like number of sharp wooden pins about two inches long to fit these holes.
Early in the morning before the bees begin to fly, prepare your smoker, go to the hive you propose to transfer, and before you touch it, smoke the bees at the entrances moderately, giving them two or three puffs, waiting about a minute and giving them two or three more. Then stop the entrances, so no bees can escape. Take the hive from the stand and carry it to some out-building, so the bees from the other hives will not trouble you, and get a taste of the honey thereby inciting them to robbery. Turn the hive bottom up, and with two sticks each about a half-inch in diameter and twelve inches long, strike the hive lightly half a dozen times, and then wait for two or three minutes. Then with the sticks on each side of the hive, drum briskly (but lightly so as not to break the comb,) for about five minutes. Then puff smoke under the bottom board on all sides. Much of this preliminary work is for the purpose of confusing the bees, and inducing them to fill themselves with honey from the cells of the hive, as a bee gorged with honey will never volunteer an attack for the purpose of stinging. The bees are now ready to be transferred. You will need some one to assist you, and it will be necessary for you to put on your articles of protection, and keep your smoker in readiness for use, as occasionally a swarm is hard to subdue, though the great majority of them are perfectly docile after the treatment recommended. But we are to "beard the lion in his den," and to be forewarned is to be forearmed.
The bees usually manifest their submission by a loud humming noise. If after you commence operations (before you get the side of the hive off) they show a disposition to be cross, replace the bottom board, close the entrances, if open, and give the insects a good smoking, at the entrances, and by raising the bottom board enough to introduce the smoke; give them the smoke freely for several minutes. Then again remove the bottom board. (These directions apply to the common box hive. If hives of a different pattern are operated upon, vary the operation to conform to the requirements of the case, applying the same principles.) Then with a chisel and hammer remove one side of the hive (the side to which the bees have attached the least comb,) and with a thin, sharp table-knife, cut the edges of the comb from the sides of the hive. It is well to have a table or stand near by, with a cloth folded in several thicknesses, on which to lay the sheets of comb with the bees adhering, if necessary. The cloth prevents crushing. Cut out a comb from the hive with the bees adhering, and cut off the edges, if required, so it will fit the new frame closely at the top and bottom. No matter if it does not go the whole length of the frame from front to rear, as the bees will finish it.[11] Have the comb occupy the same position, relatively, in the new hive, that it did in the old. When the comb is in place in the frame, secure it by putting the wooden pins through the holes in the frames into the combs, and having fastened it firmly in place by means of the pins, place it in the Controllable Hive in its proper position.
[11] But very few hives are large enough for their combs to fill the moveable comb frames of the Controllable Hive.
Thus proceed, till all of the frames of the Controllable Hive are filled, or the comb in the old hive is exhausted. In transferring, very old, black combs should be discarded, even if you do not have your new hive more than half full. Get all the bees, if possible, in the new hive, and when you set it on the stand, close the lower entrance entirely, and let the upper one remain only one-half open, for a few days, until the bees get well located in their new home. Be careful not to crush any of the bees, and take special care not to injure the queen.
As you will probably complete the operation of transferring at about the time that bees will be flying briskly about the other hives, it will be better to put wire cloth over the entrances, to confine the bees you have transferred, and let them remain in the out-building until about an hour before sunset; then set them on the stand and give them their liberty. Keeping them shut up for the time named, gives them a chance to take up the honey which runs from the transferred combs, and which might, if the bees were carried immediately to the stand, incite robbing.
Transferring is by no means so formidable an operation as at first appears. I have transferred a very large number of swarms from the old box hives, without protection for hands or face, and now the bees seldom show any disposition to sting. Yet I would advise beginners to protect themselves, until by practice they become familiar with the work.[12] "Practice makes perfect" is an old and true saying, and it applies to all operations with bees, I assure you. In my first attempts at this work I thought I must be protected, and I would not for the world proceed without a protector, and that of the most invulnerable kind. Now, having had much practice, I feel no necessity for any covering whatever. I trust I have made my method of transferring perfectly plain, so that all who wish may avail themselves of its advantages.
[12] To protect the hands use thick woolen mittens. To such as wish, I will furnish a veil, so constructed as to protect face and neck, price one dollar by mail. When thus protected the most timid can proceed with any work required among the bees without fear of stings.
CHAPTER XVII.
ITALIAN BEES.
THE Italian bee is a native of the Alps, and was first imported to this country about the year 1860. The Italian being a native of mountainous regions and a high latitude, they were reported to be extremely hardy and vigorous. Those who were first to obtain them, were unanimous in their praise of the Italian bee, and fully agreed that it was superior to our native or black bee in very many respects. The good reputation which preceded the introduction of the bee to this country, by time and experience in their care, has been fully vindicated. The pure Italian bees are superior to the natives in the following characteristics: They are more hardy and vigorous, withstanding our severe winters, with ordinary care, better than the natives; they are more industrious than the native bee, being very active in storing honey in cool, windy, or cloudy weather, such as keeps the native bees quiet in the hive.
The pure Italian, being large and more vigorous than the natives, go greater distances to collect honey, and as they are larger, they carry more at a time, and being swifter of flight than the natives, they go the same distance in much quicker time. Then, too, the pure Italian bee is very beautiful, nearly the entire body being of a golden color, so that some of its admirers have given it the name of "golden bee." It is very mild in disposition, seldom offering to sting unless unreasonably irritated. They show great activity in protecting their hives from the bee moth, even when weak in numbers. They also show the same trait in defending their stores from the attacks of robber bees. When the native bees have come buzzing around a hive of Italians in search of plunder, I have seen an Italian dart from the hive like a bullet, and seizing a native, while on the wing, bear him to earth and dispatch him with a sting. This feat I never saw a native bee accomplish. Being larger than the natives they are able to reach the honey in the red clover, and many other flowers not accessible to our common bees, which makes an essential difference in the amount of honey collected.
Rev. L. L. Langstroth says of the Italian bees: "They gather more than twice as much honey in the same localities, in the same time, as the swarms of native bees."
I consider the pure Italian bee a valuable and very desirable acquisition. I have furnished several of my lady friends with full colonies of them in Controllable Hives, and they have expressed themselves as very much pleased with their gentle disposition and great beauty.
I think the points of superiority here designated will be found in the pure Italian bee. Very many who have purchased bees purporting to be Italians, have been grossly deceived, having received simply a native swarm of bees, the queen of which, a pure native, had been impregnated by a drone having a slight tinge of Italian blood; such stock was but very little, if any, better than a pure native swarm.
I find I can make an improvement, even in the pure Italian stock, by selecting queens for rearing to supply my full stocks, and with eggs and drones, from such stocks as show the superior characteristics in the fullest degree. This course persevered in for a term of years will show marked results in the improvements of the desirable points of superiority found in the Italian bees.
I take great pride in my Italian bees. I believe they are as beautiful specimens of this variety as it is possible to produce, and possessing the characteristics of superiority of the Italians in the fullest degree. The points which I strive to cultivate and develop fully, are: Industry, mildness of disposition, beauty of color, vigor of constitution, etc.
In the spring of 1885 I selected from one hundred and forty swarms of Italian bees, eight swarms of average size. Each had a vigorous and prolific queen. I selected them with a view of increasing them to the fullest extent, by swarming on my plan, and securing as many good swarms for wintering as possible. I commenced feeding early but lightly. The entire cost of feeding the eight swarms did not exceed seventy-five cents per swarm, or six dollars for all. The first of November I had increased them to thirty-three swarms all in good condition to winter, and had taken from them over three hundred pounds of honey in glass boxes.
I have given in brief my views of the Italian bee, as I receive many letters of inquiry in regard to them. I base my statement on practical experience. I would advise all who wish to procure the Italian bees, to exercise great care in selecting them and purchase only of those who are known to have pure stocks, for the best is the cheapest in the end, no matter if the first cost seems high. If the worth of the money is in the bees, the higher the price paid, the better you will be satisfied. But do not pay even a low price for inferior stock, for you will not be satisfied.[13]
[13] Spring being the best time to start bee-keeping on my plan, I am usually able to supply my friends with first-class swarms of Italian bees in spring of each year. I send out none but the very best, such as I can warrant First-Class in every respect.
I will give the results of keeping the pure Italian bees on my plan as reported by persons who have purchased this variety from me:
A gentleman in Vermont purchased of me, in the spring of 1881, a swarm of Italian bees in a Controllable Hive. He commenced feeding early, with the view of increasing his stocks by new swarms, preferring an increase of stocks rather than surplus honey for that season. The result was an increase of five swarms, all in good condition for winter, and also over seventy pounds of honey in glass boxes.
Another, a lady in Kansas, obtained sixty pounds of box honey from a swarm of Italians, which she obtained from me late in the spring of 1882.
A lady in Illinois purchased of me, in the spring of 1880, a swarm of Italian bees in a Controllable Hive. The first season she got one nice, large swarm and a good yield of box honey. The second season (1881,) she had two swarms to commence with, and obtained four new swarms from that two, and about five hundred pounds of nice honey in glass boxes. In 1882 she had increased her stocks to ten, and reported that she was meeting with perfect success.
A gentleman in Rhode Island purchased of me a swarm of Italians in the spring of 1883. They gave him in June and July of that year, two fine young swarms, and eighty pounds of honey in glass boxes.
In the spring of 1882, a gentleman in Maine purchased a swarm of Italian Bees of me, and that season they gave him five large swarms. They were managed with a view of securing as many swarms as possible, as the gentleman wished an increase of swarms rather than surplus honey.
Every one who has a place to set a hive of bees, would derive great pleasure, as well as profit, in keeping Italian bees in Controllable Hives. They are so docile, so very industrious and so beautiful in color, that one finds real pleasure in their care.
Some of my friends claim that the honey collected by the Italian is of better flavor and a nicer quality generally, than that collected by the common bees; and this may be the case in some localities, where there are certain varieties of flowers accessible to the Italians, but not accessible to the natives, the latter being smaller; yet in my location I see no difference in the quality of the honey collected by the two varieties, but a great difference in favor of the Italians, in the quantity collected.
But I do claim that by my New System of Bee Keeping, the surplus honey is greatly superior to that obtained by the old methods, both by the Italian and common bees, for this reason:
By the ordinary methods of bee keeping, the bees require the best part of the honey season to fill up the brood combs of their hives, or in other words to store a supply for their own use, but on my plan we feed the bees nearly all they need for their own use, then we get nearly all they collect from natural sources in the boxes. So we get the cream of the honey stored in boxes—the very best.
CHAPTER XVIII.
COMB FOUNDATION AND HONEY EXTRACTORS.
COMB foundation, or artificial comb is one of the greatest inventions of modern times. By its use the production of honey is greatly increased. To obtain the most satisfactory results from the use of comb foundation, we must use that which is manufactured from pure bees-wax. There is much foundation offered to bee-keepers that is wholly unfit for use, the material used in its manufacture being tallow which is very much disliked by the bees.
Twenty-five years ago it was thought impossible to successfully imitate the bee in the construction of honey comb, but invention has triumphed in this, as in many other improvements deemed impossible. We now have honey comb manufactured by skillful workmen, so closely resembling that made by bees, that it seems the bees cannot detect any difference. I have always studied to give my bees every possible advantage, and I find that comb foundation, used in conjunction with my system of feeding, secures very large yields of surplus honey—much greater than I could otherwise secure. I also find comb foundation of great importance in furnishing encouragement to the bees when placed in the brood section of the Controllable Hive. The bees work with greater vigor; besides, with comb foundation we can secure all straight comb. I can confidently recommend the use of comb foundation. It will give perfect satisfaction. Use none but the very best. That with flat bottom cells, and high, sharp side walls, measuring about ten or twelve square feet to the pound, is best for surplus boxes. That for brood frames should measure from six to eight square feet to the pound.