OUR OWN APIARY.
We mentioned last month that we gave the bees in the forcing house a brisk fly on the 17th, to accomplish this more effectually we removed the covers to all the hives, and this was one reason why only four bees remained on the sash. They saw their comrades just beneath them and of course “hopped down” among them. To avoid giving any erroneous impression we may remark that we spend the greater part of our Sundays with our books and papers in the forcing house, and on sunny days even the rest of the family find it an agreeable sitting room. Of course we do not mean to work with our bees on the Sabbath and should be very sorry to have any of our readers get such an opinion of us, yet it must be admitted that it so came about, that the bees instead of being allowed to rest on the Sabbath, rested six days, and on the seventh were expected to turn out and have a fly if nothing else. If they would not otherwise, we uncovered the hives etc., as above. Very likely friend Bolin will expect this treatment to kill them whether or no. Never mind; they would probably submit with resignation if they knew it was solely in the cause of science. On the 23rd, we warmed the house in the afternoon and made search in nearly all the hives for eggs, but none could be found. We were anxious to report brood in Jan., in our Feb. No., and so kept the room at a favorable temperature all day the 24th, and next day were delighted to find that the Queens had laid profusely, even to the lamp nursery which contained less than 100 bees with the Queen at this time. By the way we can see no difficulty in wintering any number of Queens with a tea-cupful of bees each, in this way. Our last form was to be printed on the 27th, and to get larvæ before this time required careful work, so we kept the room warm until the last item was set up, but “not a larvæ” could we see, and we dolefully sent you your papers with hardly a parting note in regard to our experiment. On the 28th we looked again and were cheered with the sight of whole patches of larvæ, so large it seemed we must have been hasty the day before. And now for pollen. Few of the colonies had any at all, some of them positively none, and the worst of it was the bees would take no notice of the spot where they had worked so industriously on it in Dec. They seemed to take their flights close under the glass. On the 31st we were rejoiced to see the sun come out full and clear, and by 10 o’clock the room was abundantly warm without any aid from the stove, but not a bit would they notice the meal. We had read in the Fruit Recorder that plants, especially strawberries, must be placed close up to the glass to thrive. Was it not so with bees? In a twinkling the Simplicity hive cover containing the heap of meal was suspended from the sash within about a foot of the glass. Our better half here interposed that it was long past church time and we bent our steps churchward with about as much alacrity as did we when in the woods with the wild Touch-me-nots. We were late, and what is more were rebuked by having the minister pause in his discourse until we could get seated. Never mind we deserved it and will try and do better next time. May our path through life never lead, where the influence of such as he is unknown.
Do you wonder that we were in a mood to rejoice more fully, with the bees, when we found them happy as in June, dancing about our heap of meal, and now and then scampering into their hive as fast as their padded legs could carry them. Yet this was a cold wintry day outside, and the sun scarcely thawed the snow on the south roofs of the houses.
We should have said before, that our second sash were put in place about the middle of Jan. It has not yet been closed up warm and secure by any means, but it does excellent service in keeping the ice from the glass and preventing the attendant drip.
Feb. 1st—To-day we had sunshine again, and brood rearing is going on beautifully. The only drawback is the drunken bees that blunder about and finally fall on the floor; these we gather up in the evening and put in the lamp nursery where they revive and at least a part of them go through the same programme next day. Not all, however, for the lamp nursery is getting built up thereby. We forgot to mention that one colony was found Queenless; search showed her dead in bottom of hive. As she looked natural and perfect, and as the bees were healthy, we cannot think it any fault of our own that we now have 67 colonies instead of 68.
[The following is from A. I. Root personally.]
Feb. 8th—I hope and trust that I have many warm friends among our readers, many who have followed my efforts, in years past, and very likely who feel that they know my weak points almost as well as those who have held daily converse with me, face to face. If I have gained any hold upon you, and if you have any confidence in my truth and candor, please listen, and do not turn away, even if I talk a little to you on these pages, on something, that does not directly pertain to Bee Culture.
For a little time back a great light has been breaking above me. This light might have come sooner had it not been for several things which stood in its way; prominently among them, a vain pride and ambition in regard to this very Gleanings. I worshipped worldly things first, and my Maker, (when I worshipped Him at all) afterwards. In fact when this great light commenced to reveal itself, I debated whether it was best to mention the matter at all, here; whether it would be—well, profitable. When these thoughts arose, the old darkness threatened to come back, until I could truly say, “I will do my Creator’s work first whatever it may be, and bees and all else afterwards.” Dear readers do you know that this is one of the first tasks shown to me, to use my influence whatever weight it may have, in all possible directions, to induce imperfect mankind to say with me Thy will our Heavenly Father, not ours be done.