The following thermometrical observations are from the journal before mentioned. The first column gives the day of the month,—the second shows the hour of the day when the thermometer was examined,—and the third is its height at those several times in the colony of Bees upon which my experiments were so successfully made.
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1826. April Hour Ther. 1 8 38 — 12 46 2 8 38 — 12 43 3 8 32 — 12 37 4 12 37 5 37 6 37 7 37 8 8 40 — 12 45 9 8 46 10 12 58 11 6 46 — 10 58 12 9 52 — 1 64 13 12 64 14 64 15 64 16 64 17 64 18 8 54 19 12 60 20 56 21 12 58 22 50 23 52 24 60 25 65 26 70 27 74 28 68 29 74 30 70 | At this state of the Thermometer it is highly necessary to remove your Bees to their summer stand. A great decrease of wealth in the hive will appear daily under this temperature; and feeding should be resorted to until it rise to 50: and if moderate feeding be continued until the interior temperature reach 55, it will materially strengthen and invigorate your Bees. And as the thermometer continues to rise, you will find your hive improve. It will soon be in a good state for the spring. Considerable improvements in the combs, and immense gathering of farina, appear to occupy the Bees at this time. The enemies of Bees are numerous and active in this month. As much as possible guard against their attacks, and be careful to defend your Bees against them. At all times keep their floor-boards clean; and now withdraw the dead Bees, if there should appear to be any lying on the floor-boards or other stands. This will save the live Bees much labour, and may be done very easily. | |
| 1826. April | Hour | Ther. |
| 1 | 8 | 38 |
| — | 12 | 46 |
| 2 | 8 | 38 |
| — | 12 | 43 |
| 3 | 8 | 32 |
| — | 12 | 37 |
| 4 | 12 | 37 |
| 5 | 37 | |
| 6 | 37 | |
| 7 | 37 | |
| 8 | 8 | 40 |
| — | 12 | 45 |
| 9 | 8 | 46 |
| 10 | 12 | 58 |
| 11 | 6 | 46 |
| — | 10 | 58 |
| 12 | 9 | 52 |
| — | 1 | 64 |
| 13 | 12 | 64 |
| 14 | 64 | |
| 15 | 64 | |
| 16 | 64 | |
| 17 | 64 | |
| 18 | 8 | 54 |
| 19 | 12 | 60 |
| 20 | 56 | |
| 21 | 12 | 58 |
| 22 | 50 | |
| 23 | 52 | |
| 24 | 60 | |
| 25 | 65 | |
| 26 | 70 | |
| 27 | 74 | |
| 28 | 68 | |
| 29 | 74 | |
| 30 | 70 |
| May Hour Ther. 1 5 42 — 9 58 — 12 70 2 5 41 — 8 48 — 12 60 3 5 43 — 12 56 4 7 51 5 7 52 — 4 52 6 7 46 — 1 63 7 5 42 8 12 60 9 1 78 10 12 58 11 12 54 12 12 62 13 12 72 14 12 70 — 1 75 15 5 43 — 12 70 — 2 74 16 12 70 | Swarming may be expected in this month if the hives be rich and the season favourable. To prevent which enlarge your hives, by adding three or four rounds, i. e. an eke, to the bottom of each of them. If you have the collateral-box hives, you need only draw up the tin-slides, or one of them, as occasion may require. By this means you enlarge the Bees' domicil, without admitting the atmospheric air. This move so pleases these indefatigable creatures, that you will behold at once the utility and humanity of this mode of management. | |
| May | Hour | Ther. |
| 1 | 5 | 42 |
| — | 9 | 58 |
| — | 12 | 70 |
| 2 | 5 | 41 |
| — | 8 | 48 |
| — | 12 | 60 |
| 3 | 5 | 43 |
| — | 12 | 56 |
| 4 | 7 | 51 |
| 5 | 7 | 52 |
| — | 4 | 52 |
| 6 | 7 | 46 |
| — | 1 | 63 |
| 7 | 5 | 42 |
| 8 | 12 | 60 |
| 9 | 1 | 78 |
| 10 | 12 | 58 |
| 11 | 12 | 54 |
| 12 | 12 | 62 |
| 13 | 12 | 72 |
| 14 | 12 | 70 |
| — | 1 | 75 |
| 15 | 5 | 43 |
| — | 12 | 70 |
| — | 2 | 74 |
| 16 | 12 | 70 |
| May Hour Ther. 17 12 68 18 8 58 19 8 50 — 12 70 20 8 58 — 12 60 21 8 54 — 12 62 — 2 58 22 8 54 — 12 62 — 2 58 23 7 50 — 12 62 — 2 70 24 7 50 — 12 68 — 2 72 25 5 60 — 8 62 — 11 64 — 12 70 — 3 71 26 7 58 — 10 74 — 1 80 — 4 73 27 6 61 — 10 74 — 12 84 — 2 82 — 4 80 — 5 70 28 6 60 | Should the weather be seasonable, the boxes will now be filled rapidly, and the thermometer will rise quickly. At this period ventilation will demonstrate what has hitherto been a secret of nature;—viz. many young sovereigns in various states of perfection will be seen daily cast out of the hives: and the waxen cells will be extended to the remotest corners of their domicil. Riches are now rapidly accumulated: and the glasses filled with the purest sweets. Small glasses may be taken off from the inverted-hives, if the weather prove fine. Mem.—A glass of honey, weighing 12 lbs. and a collateral-box, weighing 42 lbs. taken. After taking the above treasure from the collateral-hive, and placing an empty glass and an empty box in the places of those taken off, the interior temperature was reduced to 60 degrees, while the atmosphere was 56 at twelve o'clock at night. | |
| May | Hour | Ther. |
| 17 | 12 | 68 |
| 18 | 8 | 58 |
| 19 | 8 | 50 |
| — | 12 | 70 |
| 20 | 8 | 58 |
| — | 12 | 60 |
| 21 | 8 | 54 |
| — | 12 | 62 |
| — | 2 | 58 |
| 22 | 8 | 54 |
| — | 12 | 62 |
| — | 2 | 58 |
| 23 | 7 | 50 |
| — | 12 | 62 |
| — | 2 | 70 |
| 24 | 7 | 50 |
| — | 12 | 68 |
| — | 2 | 72 |
| 25 | 5 | 60 |
| — | 8 | 62 |
| — | 11 | 64 |
| — | 12 | 70 |
| — | 3 | 71 |
| 26 | 7 | 58 |
| — | 10 | 74 |
| — | 1 | 80 |
| — | 4 | 73 |
| 27 | 6 | 61 |
| — | 10 | 74 |
| — | 12 | 84 |
| — | 2 | 82 |
| — | 4 | 80 |
| — | 5 | 70 |
| 28 | 6 | 60 |
| The pure honey taken wasabout one-fourth of the weightof the hive, and it will be observedthat the heat shows adecrease in the temperature ofone fourth.
Mem.—A collateral-box ofhoney, weighing 56 lbs. and aglass on the 10th, weighing 14½lbs. taken. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||