Bees in Hancock County, Indiana.
Mr. Editor:—Having been raised in the mountains of Virginia, I had not much chance for schooling and do not expect to write anything smart; but in my blundering manner will try to tell you how I am getting along in the bee business.
In the fall of 1868, I had twelve stands of black bees in log and box hives. All seemed to be in nice order and doing well. But they became subject to dysentery, flux, or whatever you may please to call it. The disease did its work, and next spring I had one colony left, with not over a quart of bees. But 1869 was a good season for bees. My one colony cast five swarms, and the first swarm cast one also—making seven in all. All wintered well on their summer stands.
This spring I bought Langstroth hives, and on the 27th of May got a man that understood the business to come and help me transfer and divide them. We put them in fourteen hives, and all are doing well. We took away the black queens and gave them Italian queens—one of which died or was killed before commencing to lay, for which my man sent me another in her place. Another either died or was killed, nine days after she was introduced, but left plenty of young brood; and they have not less than fifteen queen cells capped and nearly ready to hatch. Query, would it be better to divide them as they are very strong, and then have their queens fertilized by black drones, as I have no Italian drones yet? Or should I let them alone, and let them swarm or kill off all their queens but one, as they see fit?
I intend to divide all my bees as soon as Italian drones are plenty. Mine are the only Italian bees in this settlement, and the woods are full of black bees. I shall be troubled with hybrids, but intend to keep on in the good work until I have them all pure Italians.
Our country is almost covered—that is, pastures and meadow—with white clover. Even the lanes and highways are white with its bloom, and bees have a good time gathering honey.
I am well pleased with the Journal, and add the names of some bee-keepers, who perhaps do not yet take it. I think you would do well to send them specimen numbers.
Jonathan Smith.
Willow Branch, Ind.
