st yet) nth Hee aah ty Reo) SMA Ait wii MANUAL OF TIE a a i a By A. J. COOK OF THE MICHIGAN STATE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. . W. S..GEORGE & CO., PRINTERS AND BINDERS, LANSING, MICH. Kind Reader if you are in any way interested in BEES of ELON Y, we will with pleasure send you a sample copy of our Monthly “GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE? Simply write your address plainly on a postal card and address A. I. ROOT, - - - Medina, Ohio. HONEY EXTRACTORS, Made entirely of Metal. NO WOOD ABOUT THEM. PRICES, $8.50 TO $10.00. 2 Circulars with directions for use on application. In Ordering be particular to give us outside dimensions of frame or frames to be used. As we have procured the machinery for making every part on our own premises, we can supply Gearing, Honey Gates, Wire Cloth, etc. Bearings, Stubs’ Steel—Boxes, self-oiling. = A. §. ROOT, Medina, Ohic. P. S.—Be ‘sure and give width wnder top bar of frame. OUR PHOTOGRAPH MEDLEY OF BEE-KEEPERS, Containing the photographs of over 150 of the Bee-Keeper's of America. SIZE 11x14 INCHES. | W7i1L be Mailed securely packed for $1.00. WE MENTION BELOW A FEW OF THE MOST PROMINENT PICTURES CONTAINED. Te Ls ‘Langstroth ; Mrs. Langstroth; M. Quinby; Capt. J. E. Hetherington; Dr. Hamlin; Adam Grimm; Samuel Sragners James Bolin; Frank Benton; H. A. Burch; Prof. A. J. Cook; C. P. Dadant; G. M. Doolittle; E. Gallup; Mrs. Geiseler nee Katie Grimm; J. P. Moore; Chas. F, Muth; Mrs. E. 8. Tupper; R. Wilkin; W. M. Bellong E. J. Oatman; Prof. J. P. Kirtland; A. J. Murray; “ Scientific”; L. C. Root; S. B. Parsons; W. W. Cary, etc., etc. ‘It will be sent as a premium for 4 names to GLEANINGS at $1.00 each, A I ROOT, Medina, Ohio. MANUAL OF THE Pei il eo IR. Ys By A. J. COOK, OF THE MICHIGAN STATE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. Cornell University The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. htto://www.archive.org/details/cu31924085659757 TO THE REVEREND L. L. LANGSTROTH, THE INVENTOR OF THE MOVABLE FRAME HIVE, THE HUBER OF AMERICA, AND THE GREATEST MASTER OF PURE AND APPLIED SCIENCE AS RELATING TO APICULTURE IN THE WORLD, THIS LITTLE MANUAL IS GRATEFULLY DEDICATED BY THE AUTHOR, PREFACE. THE APIARY. Why another treatise on this subject? Have we not Langstroth, and Quinby, and King, and Bevan, and Hunter? Yes, all of these. Hach of which has done excellent service in promoting an important industry. Each of which possesses peculiar and striking excellences. Yet none of these combine all of the qualities desirable in a popular manual. Hence the excuse for another claimant for public favor. very cultured apiarist laments that there is no text book which possesses all of the following very desirable characters: Simple’ style, full in its discussions, cheap, disinterested, up with the times. It is for the bee-keeping public to decide whether this treatise meets any more fully the demands made by the latest discoveries and improvements, by the wants of those eager to learn, and by the superior ‘intelligence which is now enlisted in the interests of the Apiary. The following is, in substance, the same as the course of lectures which I have given each term to the students of the Michigan Agricultural College, and their desire, as expressed in repeated requests, has led to this publication. It will be my desire to consider subjects of merely scientific interest and value, as fully as scientific students can reasonably desire; and, that such discussions may not confuse or perplex those who only read or study with practical ends in view, a very full index is added, so that the whereabouts of any topic, either of practical or scientific value, can be easily ascertained. In considering the various subjects of interests to the bee-keeper, I am greatly indebted to the authors mentioned above, and also to the following journals, all worthy of high commendation: Gleanings in Bee Culture, American Bee Jour- nal, Bee-keepers’ Magazine, and Bee World. The illustrations for this manual were nearly all drawn by the author from the natural object. The engravings were made by Miss 8. E. Fuller, of New York, whose great skill is very worthy of high praise. Figs 1, 3, 4, 17, 18 and 19 were kindly loaned by Luther Tucker & Son, of the Country Gentleman, and are from those volumes so valuable in every prac- tical library: The Illustrated Annual of Rural Affairs. af a ik aml CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. Introduction. Who may keep bees? Inducements to bee keeping. What success demands of the Apiarist. CHAPTER II. The Bee’s Place in the Animal Kingdom. The Branch of the Honey Bee. The Class of the Honey Bee. The Order of the Honey Bee. The Family of the Honey Bee. The Genus of the Honey Bee. The Species of the Honey Bee. CHAPTER III. Natural History of the Honey Bee. The Neuter Bees. The Drone Bees, The Queen Bee. CHAPTER IV. Swarming, or natural method of increasing Colonies. CuarTer V. The Products of Bees. Propolus. CuHaprerR VI. Races of Bees. Egyptian. German, or Black. Italian, or Ligurian. CHAPTER VII. Requirements of successful Apiculture. Must Secure Natural Swarms. Empty cells demanded. Honey extractor. Continuous breeding. Feeding. Colonies never without queens. Rearing queens. Nuclei. Dividing colonies, or making artificial colonies. Handing Bees. Bee Veil. To Quiet Bees. Quinby Smoker. Room for Storing. Surplus Comb Honey. Position of Hive. Honey Plants. Wintering. Foul Brood. Italian Bees. 8 CONTENTS. CHAPTER VII. Requirements of successful Apiculture. Italianizing the Apiary. Introducing Queens. Hives. Frames. Quilt. Division Board. Boxes. Transferring. Clipping Queen’s Wing. Robbing. Enemies of Bees. Bee’s Wax. Calendar. MANUAL OF THE APIARY. CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION. WHO MAY KEEP BEES? Those of any profession or business,—who can give a little time in spring, summer, and autumn, who may desire to be associated with, and study natural objects, and supplement their present means of increasing their income,—pro- vided, they have a little ground three or four rods from the street. Thus, citi- zens of country, village, or city, male or female, who wish to add to the pleasures and profits of life, will here find an ever-waiting opportunity. To the ladies, so often shut out from fresh air and sunlight, till palor and languor point sadly to departing vigor, and to those men, the nature of whose business precludes air and exercise, the apiary offers special attractions. INDUCEMENTS TO BEE-KEEPING. This has been called the poetry of rural pursuits, and very properly: too. There is a fascination about the apiary that is indescribable. Nature is always presenting the most pleasurable surprises to those on the alert to behold them. And among insects, especially bees, the instincts and habits are so inexplicable and marvelous, that the student of this department of nature never ceases to meet with exhibitions that startle him, no less with wonder than with admiration. Show me a scientific bee-keeper, and I will show you anenthusiast. A thorough study of the wonderful economy of the hive, must from its very nature go hand in hand with delight and admiration. Said I, a short time since, to an exteri- sive apiarist who also owns a fine large farm, ‘‘ Why do you keep bees?’ The reply was characteristic: ‘‘ Even could I not make a good deal the most money from my bees, I should still keep them for the real pleasure they bring me.”’ Again, there is no other manual labor pursuit in which the returns are so large, compared with the labor and expense. An experienced apiarist may invest in bees any spring in Michigan, with the absolute certainty of more than doubling his investment the first season, while a net gain of four hundred per cent. causes no surprise to the bee-keepers of our State. During the past season an investment in bees has returned to me five hundred per cent., and though this has been a good season for honey, yet I have done better than this several times. No less than three farmers of our State who possess good improved farms, and also keep about one hundred colonies of bees, have told me within a few weeks that their income from their bees far exceeded that from their farms. What greater recommendation has any vocation? Money getting, even with the greatest privations is attractive, and is slighted by no class. Money 2 10 MANUAL OF THE APIARY. getting, with labor that brings, in désedf, constant delight, leaves little to be desired. Bee-kceping, too, on a limited scale, demands very little time ; and since the pleasures would be just as great with but few colonies, no one would object to thus add to his income. I know, in fact, of no business (and I speak from experience) that is so convenient and desirable as an avocation. ‘To the man with sedentary habits, it brings wholesome exercise; to the man tied to an office, air and exercise; to the clerk and factory hand, or others, whose lives are monotonous and machine-like, it gives occasion for intellectual effort; and, in inciting to thought and study, makes them feel more truly that they are men. ‘To our sisters, it offers all the above attractions, and, more, may serve to drive the wolf from the door. To all of us, who become successful apiarists, it spreads an intellectual feast that the old philosophers would have envied, fur- nishes the rarest food for the observing faculties, and brings us into that inti- mate communion with nature which is never-failing in its tendency to refine the tastes, elevate the feelings, and ennoble manhood. WHAT SUCCESSFUL BEE-KEEPING REQUIRES. No one should commence this business who is not willing to read, think, and study. To be sure, the unthinking may stumble on success for a time, but sooner or later failure will set her seal upon his efforts. Those of our apiarists who have studied the hardest, observed the closest, and thought the deepest, have even passed the late terrible winters with but slight loss. Prompt attention to the needs of his industrious little servants, is another absolute requirement. ‘To be sure, this attention is slight, and so is apt to be neglected ; but always with loss,—often with disaster. That ‘bees work for nothing and board themselves’? is only comparatively true. Their demands are indeed light; but they must be met. Enthusiasm, or real love for the business, is another requisite. This is a plant whose growth, with the least opportunity, is sure. It only demands per- sistence. The beginner, without either experience or knowledge, may meet with discouragements,—undoubtedly will. Swarms will be lost, others will fail to winter, the young apiarist will become nervous,—which will disgust the bees in so much that they will essay to administer reproof of a sharp and pointed kind. Yet, with persistence all of these difficulties will fade away. Every contingency will be foreseen and provided against, and the myriad little workers will become as manageable and may*be fondled as safely as a pet dog or cat. And the apiarist will minister to their needs with the same fearlessness and self-posses- sion that he would attend to his gentlest cow or favorite horse. Persistence in the face of those discouragements, which are so apt to confront inexperience, will surely triumph. For he who has one jot of appreciation of the beautiful and the marvelous in his character will soon grow to love his insect pets, and the labor attendant upon their care and management, and this love will soon kindle into enthusiasm, MANUAL OF THE APIARY. 11 CHAPTER II. THE BEE’S PLACE IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM. THE BRANCH OF THE HONEY-BEE. The Honey-bee belongs to the great branch of animals known as Articulates, a very appropriate name given by the great French naturalist Cuvier, as it refers to the ring or jointed structure which characterizes all the animals of the -group, whether worms, crustacea—which includes the lobsters, sow-bugs, and barnacles—or true insects. These rings form a skeleton, which, unlike that of the higher vertebrate branch, is external, and this serves to protect the softer inner parts, as well as to give strength and solidity. An examination of a bee will quickly reveal these rings, while in our beautiful Italians coloration makes them show eyen more plainly. CLASS OF THE HONEY-BEE. Our subject belongs to the class Insecta, which is characterized by breathing air usually through a very complicated system of air tubes. These tubes are very peculiar in their structure, as they are formed of a spiral thread, and thus tesemble a hollow cylinder which might be formed by closely winding a fine wire about the finger, and then withdrawing the latter, the wire remaining unmoved. These tubes are constantly branching and are almost infinite in number. Nothing is more surprising and interesting than this labyrinth of beautiful tubes as seen in dissecting a bee under the microscope. I have fre- quently detected myself taking long pauses in making dissections of the honey- bee, as my attention would be fixed in admiration of this beautiful breathing apparatus. Doubtless all of my readers have associated the.quick movements and surprising activity of birds and most mammals with their well developed lungs. So, too, in such animals as the bee we see the relation between this intricate system of air-tubes—their lungs—and the quick, busy life which has been proverbial of them since the earliest times. ORDER OF THE HONEY-BEE. Our bees belong to the order Hexapods, or true Insects. The first term is appropriate, as all have in the imago or last stage, six legs. Nor is the second term less applicable, as the word insect comes from the Latin and means to cut in, and in no other articulates does the ring structure appear so marked upon merely a superficial examination. More than this, the true insects when fully developed, have unlike all other articulates, three well marked divisions of the body, namely: the head, which contains the antennee—the horn-like appendages common to all insects; eyes and mouth organs; the thorax, which bears the legs, and wings, when they are present; and lastly, the abdomen, which, though usually memberless, contains the ovipositor, and when present, the sting. Insects, too, undergo a more striking metamorphosis than do most animals. When first hatched they are worm-like and called larve, which means masked ; afterward they are frequently quiescent, and would hardly be supposed to be animals at all. They are then known as pups. At last there comes forth the imago with compound eyes, antennez, and wings. In some insects the transfor- 12 MANUAL OF THE APIARY. mations are said to be incomplete, that is the larva, pupa, and imago differ little except in size, and that the latter possesses wings. SUB-ORDER OF TIIE HONEY BEE. The honey bee belongs to the sub-order Hymenoptera, which also includes the wasps, ants, ichneumon-flies and saw-flies. This group contains insects which possess a tongue by which they may suck (see Fig. 12 a), and strong jaws (see Fig. 12 c) for biting. Thus the bees can sip the honeyed sweets of flowers, and also gnaw away mutilated comb. They have, besides, four wings, and undergo complete transformations. FAMILY OF THE HONEY BEE. The honey bee belongs to the family Apide. Insects of this family have robust bodies, usually very hairy, large heads, prominent eyes,—which inthe males meet above,—elbowed antenne, and very long tongues. Many of these are social, and besides the true females, every colony possesses those with abor- tive ovaries, which are called neuters or workers. This group includes the wax-secreting bees, and the humble-bees, which do not build wax cells, but simply lay their eggs in the pollen masses, and the larvee, by feeding on the pollen, hollow out egg-shaped cavities, which become the honey cells. Thus some larvee feed only on pollen. Others of this family are solitary, like the carpenter bee, which bores in wood; the sand-bee, which digs in the earth; and the tailor bee, which cuts those regular pieces, circular or oblong, from our rose-leaves or rose-petals, and from which it forms its wonderful thimble-shaped cells. Thus we see that all the insects of this family possess strange instincts, and habits so curious that few subjects of study yield more real pleasure and gratification. GENUS OF THE HONEY-BEE. The genus Apis is characterized by the peculiar structure of the mouth- parts and the venation of the wings. But to particularize would lead me too deeply into the details of structure. SPECIES OF THE HONEY-BEE, The scientific name of the honey-bee is Apis mellifica, and the species will be fully described as we proceed to explain its natural history and habits. The races of the honey-bee will also be more appropriately considered in the sequel. MANUAL OF THE APIARY. 15 CHAPTER III. NATURAL HISTORY OF THE HONEY-BEE. Close examination of any prosperous colony of bees, in the summer season, will discover a marked difference in the individuals composing it. A large majority will appear small, a few hundred large and heavy, while a single one will fix attention by her long, tapering abdomen. Thus we have the workers, drones, and queen: the first being undeveloped females, called neuters; the second, males; and the last the fully developed female. Let us examine these in detail. e THE NEUTERS, OR WORKER-BEES. These (see Fig. 1) are by far the most numerous individuals of the hive, there being from 20,000 to 40,000 in every good colony. They are also the smallest members of the colony, measuring but little more than one-half inch in length, and being only two-thirds the length of the queen. They also possess peculiarities of structure which at once distinguish them from both the queen and drones. Their tongues (see Fig. 12) are almost twice as long as in either the drone or queen; their jaws are much stronger; their wings, like the wings of the drone, Fig.l. attain the extremity of the body, while the tibia and tarsi—names given to the last joints of the legs—of the posterior legs are hollowed out, FIG. 2. forming pollen-baskets, in which respect they differ from both the drones and the queen; the eyes do not differ from the same in the queen, but are smaller than those of the drone, and do not meet above. 14 MANUAL OF THE APIARY. The workers also possess a natural weapon of defense, the sting (see Fig. 2), which they are free to use as occasion requires. The mechanism of this organ is very interesting. At its base is a double gland, which secretes the poison; which, when secreted, is poured into an ample poison sack (Fig. 2, ¢), which is as large asa flax seed. The sting proper is a triple organ, consisting of three sharp spears, very smooth and of exquisite polish, which lie side by side, and make up the sting as seen by the naked eye. The central lance (Fig. 2, a) is hollow,—a little shorter than the others. The central opening connects with the poison sack, so that the poison all passes through this part of the sting. The side pieces (Fig. 2, 0 4) arc marvelously sharp, and each barbed at the end with teeth, of which seven are prominent, and which extend out and back like the barb of a fish-hook, so that the sting cannot be withdrawn when once fairly used, and with its loss the bee’s life is sacrificed. These side pieces are worked alternately by small muscles (Fig. 2, d) at the base of the sting, and when fairly inserted the poison is intruded through the central piece. The workers rau a honey stomach (Fig. 3), or crop, in which the honey is carried to e hive. FIG. 3. Alimentary Canal.—a, honey stomach; b, true stomach; ¢, urinary tubes; d, intestine. The workers always hatch from an impregnated egg, which can only come from a fertile queen, and is always laid in the small horizontal cells (see description of comb and Fig. 11). The eggs are in the form of a short, slightly- curved cylinder, and are fastened by one end to the bottom of the cell. They can be easily seen by holding the comb so that the light will shine into the cells, ‘ee The eggs hatch in about four days. The larva (Fig. 4) is white and eee, Bye * (Black Raspberry. : : ‘ (MELILOT.) i z cos P ¥-) “ “ ag oF > etces * (RED RASPBERRY ) EA eats ett snes (ee : “ — Sept.|* St. John’s Wort. Mootterees * (Sumach.) f July to Aug.|* Silk or Milk weeds. = ||_ “= ------ * Blackberry. “ «> 1 Boneset. JULY ccncace * BASS-WOOD. August... --- * (Buckwheat.) Ce ree * (Virginia Creeper.) Wee Fee * Asparagus. July to Sep.’ (St. John’s Worts. essen * Snap-dragon. Aug. to Sep.|/* GOLDEN Rop. ¢ . “ |* Asters. t ve “ |* Stick-tights t—Coreopsis. ss se (Minnesota bee-plant) —Po- lanisia. HOW TO WINTER. This is the subject, of course, of paramount importance to the apiarist, as this is the rock on which some of even the most successful have recently split. Yet I come fearlessly to consider this question, as from all the multitude of dis- asters I see no occasion for discouragement. If the problem of successful win- tering has not been solved already, it surely will be, and that speedily. So im- portant an interest was never yet vanquished by misfortune, and there is no reason to think that history is now going to be reversed. Hven the worst aspect of the case, in favor of which there is no proof, and but few suggestions even, that these calamities are the effects of an epidemic, would be all powerless to dishearten men trained to reason from effect to cause. Hvyen an epidemic— which would by no means skip by the largest, finest apiaries, owned and con- trolled by the wisest, most careful, and most thoughtful, as has been the case in the winters of our late discontent—would surely yield to man’s invention. WHAT THEN IS THE CAUSE? Epidemic then, being set aside as no factor in the solution, to what shall we ascribe such wide-spread reverses. I fully believe, and to no branch of this sub- ject have I given more thought, study, and observation, that all the losses may be traced either to unwholesome food, failure in late breeding of the previous year, extremes of temperature, or to protracted cold with excessive dampness. I know from actual and wide-spread observation, that the severe loss of 1870 and 1871 was attended in this part of Michigan with unsuitable honey in the hive. The previous autumn was unprecedentedly dry. Flowers were rare, and storing was largely from insect secretion, and the stores unwholesome. I tasted 38 MANUAL OF THE APIARY. of honey from many hives only to find it most nauseating. I fully believe that had the honey been thoroughly extracted the previous autumn, and the bees fed good honey or sugar, no loss would have been experienced. At least it is sig- nificant that all who did so, escaped, even where their neighbors all failed. Nor less so the fact that when I discovered eight of my twelve colonies dead, and four more just alive, I cleaned the remaining ones all out, and to one no worse nor better than the others I gave good capped honey stored early the previous summer, while the others were left with their old stores, that that one lived and gaye the best record I have ever known, the succeeding season, while all the others diéd. ; : Again, suppose that after the bass-wood season in July, there is no storing of honey, either from want of space, or from lack of bloom. In this case brood- rearing ceases. Yet if the weather is dry and warm, as of course it will be in August and September, the bees continue to wander about, death comes apace, and by autumn the bees are reduced in numbers, old in days, and illy prepared to brave the winter and perform the duties of spring. 1 fully believe that if all the colonies of our State and country had been kept breeding by proper use of the extractor, and feeding even till into October, we should have had a different record, especially as to spring dwindling, and consequent death. In the autumn of 1872 I kept my bees breeding till the first of October. The following winter Thad no loss, while my neighbors lost all of their bees. Extremes of heat and cold are also detrimental to the bees. If the tempera- ture of the hive becomes too great the bees become restless, eat more than they ought, and if confined to their hives are distended with their foeces, become diseased, besmear their comb and hives, and die. If when they become thus disturbed, they could have a purifying flight, all would be well. Again, if the temperature becomes extremely low, to keep up the animal heat more food must be taken; they are uneasy, exhale much moisture, which may settle and freeze on the outer combs about the cluster, preventing the bees from getting the needed food, and thus in this case both dysentery and starvation confront the bees. I have little doubt, in fact I know from actual investigation that in the past three severe winters, those bees which under confinement have been subject to severe extremes, are the ones that have invariably perished. Had the bees becn kept in a uniform temperature ranging from 35° to 45° F., the record would haye been materially changed. Excessive moisture, too, especially in cases of protracted cold, is always to be avoided. Bees, like all other animals, are constantly giving off moisture, which of course will be accelerated if the bees become disturbed, and are thus led to eat more. This moisture not only acts as explained above, but also induces fungus growths. The mouldy comb is not wholesome, though it may never cause death. Hence another necessity of sufficient warmth to drive this mois- ture from the hive and some means to absorb it without opening the hive above and permitting a current, which will disturb the bees, and eause the greater consumption of honey. THE REQUISITE TO SAFE WINTERING. To winter safely then demands that the bees have thirty pounds of good capped honey (coffee A sugar is just as good). If desired this may be fed as previously explained, which should be done so early that all will be capped during the warm days of October. I prefer too that some of the comb on the centre of the hive has empty cells, to give a better chance to cluster, and that all the combs have a small hole through the centre, that the bees may pass MANUAL OF THE APIARY. 39 freely through. This hole may simply be cut with a knife, or a tin tube the size of one’s finger may be driven through the comb, and left in if desired, in which case the comb should be pushed out of the tube, and the tube be no longer than the comb is thick. Keep the bees breeding till the first of October. Except in years of excessive drouth, this will occur in many parts of Michigan without extra care. Failure may result from the presence of worthless queens. Any queens which seem not to be prolific should be superseded whenever the fact becomes evident. regard this as most important. Few know how much is lost by tolerating feeble, impo- tent queens in the apiary, whose ability can only keep the colony alive. Never keep such queens about. Here, then, is another reason for always keeping extra queens on hand. ven with excellent queens, a failure in the honey yield may cause breeding to cease. In such cases, we have only to feed as directed under the head of feeding. We ought also to provide against extremes of temperature. If no cellar or house is at hand, this may be accomplished as follows: Some pleasant dry day in late October or early November raise the stand and place straw beneath ; then surround the hive with a box a foot outside the hive, with movable top, and open on the east; or else have a long wooden tube, which will permit the bees to fly. The same end may be gained by driving stakes and putting boards around. Now crowd between the box and the hive either straw, chaff, or shavings. After placing a good thickness of straw above the hive, lay on the cover of the box, or cover with boards. This preserves against changes of temperature during the winter, and also permits the bees to fly if it becomes necessary from a protracted period of warm winter weather. I have thus kept all my bees safely during two of the disastrous winters. With large apiaries the above method is too laborious, and a cellar or special depository is necessary. After my experience last winter, losing all my bees by keeping them in a house with double walls filled in with saw-dust, in which the thermometer indicated a temperature below zero for several weeks, in which time my strongest colonies literally starved to death in the manner already described, J hesitate to recommend a house above ground for Michigan, though with very numerous colonies it might do. Such a house must, if it answer the purpose, keep an equable temperature, at least 3° above freezing, and not more than ten, be perfectly dark, and ventilated with tubes above and below, so arranged as to be closed or opened at pleasure, and not admit a ray of light. A cellar in which we are sure of our ability to control the temperature, needs to be also dry, dark, and quiet, and ventilated a3 described above. My cellar is grouted throughout, which makes it more dry and neat. Of course it should be thoroughly drained. The colonies should be put into the depository when the hive is dry, before cold weather, and may remain with good results till April; though in January and March, if there are days that are warm, they should be taken out and the bees permitted to fly, especially if they seem uneasy and soil the entrance of their hives. Always when taken out they should be placed on their old stands, so that no bees may be lost. Towards night, when all are quict, replace them in the cellar. In moving the hives, great care should be exercised not to jar them. It were better if the bees should not know that they were being moved at all. That the moisture may be absorbed, I cover the bees with a quilt, made of coarse factory cloth, enclosing a layer of cotton batting. Above this I fill in with straw which is packed in £o closely that the cover may be removed without 40 MANUAL OF HE APIARY. the straw falling out. This is not only an excellent absorbent, but preserves the heat, if allowed to remain, till the following June. I have found it advantageous, when preparing my bees for winter, in October, to contract the chamber by use of a division board. This is very desirable if wintered out doors, and with frames a foot square is very easily accomplished. By use of eight frames the space (one cubic foot) is very compact, and serves to economize the heat, not only in winter, but in spring. Perhaps I ought to say that all colonies should be strong in autumn. But I have said before, never have weak colonies. Yet for fear some have been neg- ligent, I remark that weak colonies should be united in preparing for winter. To do this, approximate the colonies each day four or five feet till they are side by side. Now remove the poorest queen, then smoke thoroughly, sprinkle both colonies with sweetened water scented with essence of peppermint, putting a suf- ficient number of the best frames and all the bees into one of the hives, and. then set this midway between the position of the hives at the commencement of the uniting. The bees will unite peaceably, and make a strong colony. Uni- ting of colonies may pay at other seasons. It may seem rash to some, yet I fully believe that if the above suggestions are carried out in full, I may guaran- tee successful wintering. But if we do lose our bees, with all our hives, combs, and honey, we can buy colonies in the spring, with a perfect certainty of making 800 or 400 per cent. on our investment. Even with the worst condition of things, we are still ahead, in way of profit, of most other vocations. FOUL BROOD. Just here it is very proper to speak of this dreaded disease. This disease, though it has occurred in our State as well as in States about us, is not familiar to me, I having never seen but one case, and that on Kelly’s Island, the past summer, where I found it had reduced the colonies on that Island to two. The symptoms are as follows: Decline in the prosperity of the colony, be- cause of failure to rear brood. The brood seems to putrefy, becomes black and gives off a stench which is by no means agreeable, while later the caps have a little hole through them. So far, the cause is obscure, though the disease seems to be gendered by feeding upon the honey. It is stated by some that transferring the bees to an empty hive, and prevent- ing brood-rearing till all the honey conveyed in the bees’ stomachs is consumed, isacure. In this case the honey from the old hive must be kept from all the bees, or the spread of the disease will be certain. Others advise total destruc- tion of affected colonies, honey, hives, and all. The disease is a very serious one, and the symptoms should be understood by all, that its spread may be pre- vented. More, the whole subject should be investigated by the most competent scientific authorities. What better work for the bee-keepers of our country than to memorialize Congress on this subject. ALL SHOULD KEEP ONLY ITALIANS. The advantages of the Italians, which have been already considered as fully as necessary, are more than sufficient to warrant the exclusion of any other bees from the apiary. Truly no one need to be urged to a course that adds to the ease, profit, and agreeableness of his vocation. HOW TO ITALIANIZE, From what has been already explained as to the natural history of bees, it MANUAL OF THE APIARY. 4] Hence to Italianize a colony we have only to procure and introduce an Italian queen. HOW TO INTRODUCE A QUEEN. In dividing colonies, where we give our queen to a colony composed wholly of young bees, it is safe and easy to introduce a queen in manner as explained in the section on artificial swarming. To introduce a queen to a colony composed of old bees more care is required. First, we should seek out the old queen and destroy her, then cage our Italian queen in a wire cage, which may be made by winding a strip of wire cloth, three and one-half inches wide, and containing fifteen to twenty meshes to the inch, about the finger. Let it lap each way one- half inch, then cut it off. Ravel out the half inch on each side, and weave in the ends of the wires, forming a tube the size of the finger. We now have only to put the queen in the tube, and pinch the ends together, and the queen is caged. The cage may now be inserted between two adjacent combs con- taining honey, each of which will touch it. The queen can thus sip honey as she needs it. If we fear the queen may not be able to sip the honey through the meshes of the wire, we may dip a piece of clean sponge in honey and insert it in the upper end of the cage before we compress the end. This will furnish the queen with the needed food. In 48 hours we again open the hive, after a thorough smoking, also the cage, which is easily done by pressing the upper end, at right angles to the direction of the pressure when we closed it. In doing this do not remove the cage. Now keep watch and if as the bees enter the cage or as the queen emerges the bees attack her, secure her immediately and recage her for another 48 hours. I usually let some honey drip on the queen as soon as the cage is opened. Some think this renders the bees more amiable. I have introduced many queens in this manner, and never lost one, and never had to recage but one. A young queen just emerging from a cell can almost always be safely given at once to the colony, after destroying the old queen. A queen cell is usually received with favor. If we adopt this course we must be careful to destroy all other queen cells that may be formed ; and if the one wwe supply is destroyed, wait seven days, then destroy all their queen cells, and they are sure to accept a cell. But to save time I should always introduce a een. : If we are to introduce an imported queen, or one of very great value, we might make a new colony, all of young bees, as already described. Smoke them well, sprinkle with sweetened water, daub the queen with honey, and introduce immediately. This method would involve really no risk. By having a colony thus Italianized in the fall, we may commence the next spring, and, as described in the section explaining the formation of artificial swarms, we may control our rearing of drones, queens, and all, and ere another autumn have only the beautiful, pure, amiable, and active Italians. I have done this several times, and with the most perfect satisfaction. I think by making this change in blood we add $5 to the value of each colony, and I know .of no other way to make money so casy and pleasantly. WHAT STYLE OF HIVES SHALL WE USE? I feel free to say that no person who reads, thinks, and studies,—and success ' 4n apiculture can be promised to no other,—will ever be content to use the old box hives. In fact, thought and intelligence, which imply an eagerness to a 42 . MANUAL OF THE APIARY. investigate, are essential elements in the apiarist’s character. And to such an one a box hive.would be valucd just in proportion to the amount of kindling- wood it contained. A very serious fault with one of our principal bee books which otherwise is mainly excellent in subject matter and treatment, is the fact that it presumes its readers are box-hive men. As well make emperors, kings, and chivalry the basis of good government, in an essay written for American readers. I have entirely ignored box-hives in the previous discussions, for I believe no sensible, intelligent apiarist, such as read books, will tolerate them, and that, supposing they would, it would be an expensive mistake, which I have no right to encourage, in fact, am bound to discourage, not only for the benefit of individuals, but also for the art itself. For the movable frame hive, the world is indebted to the Rev. L. L. Lang- stroth, and for this gift, as well as his able researches in apiculture, as given in his invaluable book, ‘‘The Honey Bee,’’ he has conferred a benefit upon our art which cannot be over-estimated, and for which we, as apiarists, cannot be too grateful. It was his book, one of my old teachers for which I have no word of chiding, that led me to some of the most delightful investigations of my life. It was his invention that enabled me to make those investigations. For one, I shall always revere the name of Langstroth, as the great leader in scientific apiculture, not only in America, but throughout the world. His name must ever stand beside that of Dzierzon and the elder Huber. To be sure of success, the apiarist must be able to inspect the whole interior of the hive at his pleasure, must be able to exchange combs from one hive to another, to regulate the movements of the bees: by destroying queen cells, by giving or withholding drone comb, by extracting the honey, by introducing queens, and by many other manipulations already explained, which are only practicable with a movable frame hive. CHARACTER OF THE HIVE. The main feature of the hive should be simplicity, which would exclude doors, drawers, and traps of all kinds. The body should be made of good pine or white-wood lumber, one inch thick, thor- oughly seasoned, and planed on both sides. It should be simply a plain box (Fig. 15) without top or bottom, though some pre- fer to have a bottom, and of a size and form to suit the apiarist. The size will depend upon our purpose. If we desire no comb honey, or desire comb honey in frames, the hive may contain 4,000 cubic inches. If we desire honey in boxes, it should not contain over 2,000, and may ‘be even smaller. A one-inch rabbet should be cut from the top of the sides or ends, as the apiarist prefers, on the in- side. (Hig. 15¢.) The rabbet may equal one-half the thicknes of the board. Heavy tin strips 2 of an inch wide should be Fic. 15 tacked to the side below the rabbet, so as to reach one-fourth of an inch above the shoulder. For a bottom board (Fig. MANUAL OF THE APIARY. 43 16), or stand, we should have a single one-inch board (6, Fig. 16) four inches wider than the hive, and six inches longer. his is nailed on to two pieces of two-by-four-inch scantling (a a Fig. 16), thus raising the hive five inches from Fie. 16. the ground. ‘These scantling should extend at one end eight inches beyond the board, and this projection beveled from the edge of the board to the lower outer corner of the scantling. Upon this bevel nail a board (d Fig. 16), which shall reach from the edge of the bottom board to the ground. The upper edge of this board should be so beveled as to fit closely to the bottom board. For an open- ing (¢ Fig. 16) to the hive, I would bevel the middle of the edge of the bottom board, néxt to the inclined board. At the edge, this bevel should be 2 of an inch deep and four inches wide. It may decrease in*both width and depth as it runs back, till at a distance of five inches it is one-half inch wide and 5-32 of an inch deep. This may terminate the opening, though the shoulder at the end may be beveled off, if desired. With this bottom board the bees are near the ground, and with the slanting board in front, even the most tired and heavily laden will not fail to gain the hive as they come in with their load of stores. No hive should be more than Sour inches from the ground, and no hive should be without the slanting alight- ing-board. With this opening, too, the entrance can be contracted in case of robbing, or entirely closed when desired, by simply moving the hive back. If desired, the alighting-board may be separate from the bottom board or stand, and fastened to it by small hooks and staples, so in winter they can be removed, and the hives take less room in the cellar. If we only purpose to have our surplus in boxes, or if we prefer a long hive, styled the ‘‘ New Idea,’’ we have only to make a coyer about seven inches high, like the lid of a trunk. This may be the same size as the body of the hive, and fit on with beveled edges, and fastened with hook and staple, the body of the hive having the outer edge beveled, while the cover has the inner edge beveled. Or it may be enough larger to shut over the body, and rest on shoulders formed by nailing inch strips around the body, two inches from the top. Some prefer the upper part to be just like the lower, and occupied by a similar frame. In this case the two should unite with a bevel, as explained above, while the cover may be as just described, except that it need not be more than two inches deep. THE FRAMES. The form and size of frames, though not quite as various as the persons who use them, are still very different. Some prefer large frames. I first used one 10 by 18 inches, and afterward a shallow frame about 7 by 18. The advantage 44, MANUAT. OF TIE APIARY. claimed for such large frames is that there are less to handle, and time is saved. The advantage of the shallow frame is, as claimed, that the bees will go into boxes more readily ; yet they are not considered so safe for out-door wintering. Another frame in common use is one about one foot square. I use one 114 inches square. The reasons that I prefer this form are, that the comb seldom breaks from the frame, the frames are convenient for nuclei, and save the expense of constructing extra nucleus hives, and that these frames permit the most com- pact arrangement for winter and spring, and thus enable us to economize heat. By use of a division board we can, by using eight of these frames, occupy just a cubic foot of space in spring, and by repeated experiments I have found that a hive so contracted that the bees always cover the combs during the early cold weather, always gives the best results. NOW TO CONSTRUCT THE FRAMES. In this description I shall suppose that the frames desired, are of the form and size (Fig. 17), which I use. It will be easy for any who may desire, to change the form at pleasure. For the top bar (a Fig. 17) of the frame, use a triangular strip 124 long, with each face of the triangle 1’ across. One-half an inch from each end of this, form a shoulder, by sawing from one angle to within 2 of an inch of the opposite face, so that when the piece is’ split out from the Fic. 17. end, these projections shall be just 2 of an inch thick throughout. For the side pieces take (4 6 Fig. 17,) strips 112 inches long by ? by 3-10’. Tack with small brads the end of two of these strips firmly to the shoulder of the top-bar, taking pains that the end touches squarely against the projection. Now tack the opposite ends or bottoms to the ends of a similar strip (d Fig. 17,) 114 long. Weshall thus have asquare frame. The timber should be thoroughly seasoned, and of the best pine or white-wood. Care should be taken that the frame be made so as to hang vertically, when suspended on the rabbets of the hive. In making frames a good mitre box is indispensable. The projecting ends of the top-bar will rest on the tins, and thus the frame can be easily loosened at any time without jarring the bees, as the frames will not be glued fast, as they would in case they rested on the wooden rabbets. COVER FOR FRAMES. Nothing that I have ever tried is equal to a quilt for this purpose. It is a good absorbent of moisture,. preserves the heat in spring and winter, and can be used in summer without jarring or crushing the bees. This should be a real quilt, made of firm unbleached factory, enclosing a thick layer of batting, and hemmed about the edges. My wife quilts and hems them on a machine. The quilting is in squares, and all is made in less than fifteen minutes. The quilt should be a little larger than the top of the hive, so that after all possible shrinkage, it will still cover closely. Thus when this is put on no bees can ever get above it. When we use the feeder, it may be covered by the quilt, and a flap cut in the latter, just above the hole in the feeder, enables us to feed with- out disturbing the bees, though I place the feeder at the end of the chamber, wherein are the bees, and have only to double the quilt back when I feed. DIVISION BOARD. A close fitting division board, for contracting the chamber, is very important, and though unappreciated by many excellent aniarists: still na hive is eomnlete MANUAL OF THE APIARY, 45 without it. I find it especially valuable in winter and spring, and useful at all seasons. ‘This is made the same form as the frames, though all below the top bar—which consists of a strip 123’ by 1’ by #’, and is nailed firmly to the board below—is a solid inch board which is exactly one foot square, so that it fits closely to the inside of the hive. When this is inserted in the hive it entirely separates the chamber into two chambers, so that an insect much smaller than a bee could not pass from the one to the other. BOXES. These are for surplus comb honey in the most salable form. They may be of any size that best suits the taste of the apiarist, and the pulse of the market. It is well that the sides of these be of glass. Such (Fig. 18) may be made as gee, follows: For top and bottom procure soft wood boards }inch thick ‘| and of the size desired, one for the bottom and the other for the top of the box. Take four pieces $ inch square, and as long as S desired height of the honey-box. In two adjacent sides of these Fie. 18. saw grooves in which may slip common glass. These are for corner pieces. Now tack with small brads the corners of the bottom board to the ends of these pieces, then slide in the glass, and in similar way tack the top board to the other ends. Through the bottom board holes may be bored so the bees may enter. Another form which I find very desirable, and which I used in California more than ten years ago, is made as follows: Dress off com- mon lath so that they are smooth, cut off two lengths the desired height of the box and one the desired width, tack this last piece to the ends of the other two, and to the other end tack a similar strip only half as wide. We now have a square frame. Place such frames side by side till a box is made of the desired length. To hold these together, we have now only to tack on either side one or two pieces of tin, putting a tack into each section, thus forming a compact box without ends. The end frames should have a whole piece of lath for the bot- tom, and groves should be cut in the bottom and top laths, so that a glass may be put in the ends. Of course there is ample chance for the bees to enter from below. Now by placing small pieces of comb, or artificial comb foundations, which rank as a discovery with the movable frame hive and honey extractor, on the top of each frame, the bees will be led to construct a separate comb in each frame, and each frame may be sold by the retail dealer separately, by simply drawing the tacks from the tins. Barker and Dicer, of Marshall, make a very neat sectional honey-box, which is quite like the above, except that paper pasted over the frames takes the place of the tins. The honey-boxez may be placed directly on the frames, or in case the queen makes trouble by entering them to deposit eggs,—a trouble which I have seldom met, perhaps because I give her enough to do below,—we can place strips 4 inch square between the frames and boxes, thus placing that much space between them. In case we work exten- sively for box honey, we should have a rack so attached to the cover, that when we raise the cover, we shall remove all the boxes. Thus to examine the bees we would not have to remove all the boxes separately. SURPLUS COMB HONEY IN FRAMES. For our market, here at Lansing, we find a more ready sale for comb honey in frames. These frames sell best when about six by twelve inches in size and weigh about three pounds. In this case the purchaser sees all of the honey, and. if nice it is very tempting. Mr. John Davis, of Delhi, Michigan, secures all of 46 MANUAT OF THE APIARY. his comb surplus in this form. If we use a two-story hive, these frames may be put in above, two deep, by plowing a horizontal groove in the centre of the side- boards, one-half inch wide, and of equal depth. The lower frames can be easily adjusted by turning them diagonally till lowered to the groove. I think it is generally better to rest content with one row of these frames, in which case we need only to haye our wpper story half as deep as the lower one, and arranged to take frames only half as deep. I have foynd that I can get much more honey in such frames than I can in boxes. GUIDE COMB. T have spoken of placing guide comb in the boxes. Small pieces of worker comb or comb foundations may well be placed as a start in the top of the frames, and boxes should always haye these guides. Yor the latter, drone comb is as good a3 worker. ‘To fasten these we have but to dip the edges into melted bees- wax. Strips of comb one-half inch wide are sufficient. We thus see that pieces of worker comb, and bright pieces of drone comb should never be suffered to go to waste or melted into wax. Many people have not the ability to readily understand a word painting as to any implement, machine, or structure. Should any such wish a hive or any of the above described articles, they had better take the descriptions to a good car- penter, who will haye no difficulty in following the-advice. Leave orders that the hives be thoroughly painted. After seeing a hive, any one will be able to make his own. It would be still better to visit some good apiary, or if that is impossible, to send for a pattern hive, box, etc., to some reliable apiarist. Letters of inquiry sent to me will always receive prompt attention. TO TRANSFER BEES FROM A COMMON BOX TO A MOVABLE COMB ITIVE. As many have bees already in common hives, and of course will desire to transfer them immediately into a movable-frame hive, I will now proceed to describe the process. The best time to transfer is early in the season, when there is but little honey in the hives, though it may be done at any time, if sufficient caution is used. This should never be done except on warm days, when the bees are actively engaged in storing. After the bees get busy at work, approach the old hive, blow a little smoke into the entrance to quiet’ the bees, then carry the hive off four or five rods, and turn the hive bottom up. Place another hive or box, pre- viously prepared, over the old one, and wind a sheet about where the hives come together, so that no bees can possibly get out. Place a box on the old stand, in which the bees that are out can cluster when they return. Now with a stick rap on the lower hive for about twenty minutes. The bees will fill with honey, and go with the queen into the upper hive and cluster. A few young bees will still remain in the old hive, but these will do no harm. Now put the top hive down, leaving the edge raised so the bees can get air. If other bees do not trouble, as they usually will not if busily gathering, we can proceed in the open ar. If they do we must go into some room. I haye frequently transferred the comb in my kitchen, and often in abarn. Now knock the old hive apart, cut the combs from the sides, and get the combs out of the old hive with just as little breakage as possible. We now need a barrel, set on end, on which we place a board fifteen to twenty inches square, covered with several thicknesses MANUAL OF THE APIARY. 4 of cloth. We now place a comb on this cloth, and a frame on the comb, and cut out the comb the size of the inside of the frame, taking pains to save all the brood. Now crowd the frame over the comb, so that the latter will. be in the same position that it was when in the old hive; that is, the honey will be above; then fasten the comb in the frame, by winding about all one or two small wires or pieces of wrapping twine. To raise the frame and comb before fastening, raise the board beneath till the frame is vertical. Set this frame in the new hive, and proceed with the others in the samo way till we have all the worker comb—that with small cells—fastened in. ‘To secure the pieces, which we shall find abundant at the end, take thin pieces of wood, one-half inch wide and a trifle longer than the frame is deep, place these in pairs either side the comb, extending wp and down, and enough to hold the pieces secure till the bees shall fasten them, and secure the strips by winding with small wire, just above and below the frame, or these may be tacked to the frame with small tacks. Laving fastened all the worker comb that we can fasten into the frames, —of course all the other, and all bright drone comb, will be preserved for use as guide-comb,—-and placed the frames in the new hive, we now place our hive on the swarming-board or sheet, with its front raised, and shake all the bees from the cluster, from the box which we set on the old stand, and any that may have clustered where we transferred the comb, in front just as before explained when describing the method of hiving in natural swarming. After the bees have all gone in, set the hive where the old one sat. In two or three days go and remove the wires or strings and sticks, when we shall find the combs all fastened and smoothed off, and the bees a3 busily engaged as though their pres- ent home had always been the seat of their labors. SHALL WE CLIP THE QUEEN’S WING? In the above operation, as in many other manipulations of the hive, we shall often gain sight of the queen, and can if we desire clip her wing, if she has met the drone, that in no case she shall lead the colony away to parts unknown. This does not injure the queen, as some have claimed. Yet if she essays to go with a swarm, and if the apiarist is not at hand, she will very likely be lost, never regaining the hive; but in this case the bees will be saved, as they will return to the hive. I always mean to be so watchful, keeping my hives shaded, giving ample room, and dividing or increasing, as to prevent natural swarming. But in lieu of such caution I see no objection, and would advise clipping the queen’s wing. ROBBING. In transferring, extracting, and in various other labors of the apiary, espe- cially if there is a dearth of honey secretion, we are apt to induce robbing. Black bees especially are yery apt to rob, and to be robbed. Italians almost always, and always if strong, will defend their stores. Should we find our bees robbing, we have only to contract the opening of the hive which is the scene of pillage, so that but one bee can pass at a time, to put a stop to all further trespass. But the thoughtful apiarist will never fear rob- bers, as his colonies will be so strong that it will be asorry day for the “tramp” that attempts to gain an entrance. BEE MOTH—GALLERIA CEREANA—FAB. It might be expected that this enemy would receive attention at this time, and in ench no treatise. Yet if Italian bees are kept, or if the bees are kept strong, 48 MANUAL OF THE APIARY. we nced have no fears of this enemy. Yet even then caution as to handling and storing comb is requisite, and so I will speak of this enemy of the apiarist. It is certain that larve, the so-called worms, chrysalids, or pup, and the fully matured moths, and possibly eggs, exist through the winter. In April and May, and even into June, the moths will come forth. Those which survive the winter appear first, then those which develop from the pupa, afterwards those which come from the larve, and, lastly, those which come from eggs, pro- yiding eggs are laid in autumn. ‘These moths (Fig. 19) are gray, with a dark stripe on their backs, and while at rest their wings are folded roof-like on their backs. The female is the larger, and has the more projecting snout, more properly palpi. (These moths belong to the family of snout moths—Pyralde.) ca: an After pairing, the female lays her one or two hundred eggs, PIG. 19. probably on the comb, though some think any where about the entrance of the hives, or along the bottom. In a week or two, depending on the temperature, these eggs hatch. The larva (Fig. 20), which is a dirty white with a brown head, constructs a silken gallery, — = which it extends as its growth and needs.require, and in which it feeds upon the comb or wax, which serves it for food. In from three to five weeks it attains its full Frc. 20, growth and changes to a chrysalis in a cocoon of dirty silk, which it has previ- ously spun. In about two weeks the moth again comes forth, and prepares for asecond brood. So, while I think there are really but two broods a season, still the moths may be seen during every month of the season from April to winter. The moths are nocturnal, and are attracted both by lights and sweets. Dur- ing the day they may be seen about the hive or store rooms, and though not concealed, are often quite unobserved, owing to their obscure colors. The fact that frames and honey-boxes of comb removed from the hives-of strong colonies to a secure place are often attacked by the larve, has led some to suppose that the eggs of the moth are laid about the hive, and carried, by adhering to the bees, to all parts. Unless an occasional moth steals in and plants her seeds of mischief, despite the most strong and wary colony, it would seem that this must be true. REMEDIES. Pay no heed to moth-proof hives. They are worse than useless. Make the hives well, so that there shall be no crevices in which the insects can pupate. But the sure preventive is to keep strong colonies, always possessed of queens; yea, of good, fertile, prolific queens, and no one need fear. As we have seen, this is the only wise course for many other reasons. Vessels of syrup placed about the hives at night will catch the moths. Combs not in use should be kept in moth-proof boxes, closely watched, and if attacked, should be exposed to the fumes of burning sulphur. Honey-boxes containing honey, though not often disturbed, may need similar treatment. OTHER ENEMIES, The kingbird or bee-martin often preys upon both drones and neuters. Yet these birds are very valuable as insect-destroyers, and, so far as I have observed, never do sufficient harm to the apiarist to merit the death warrant. The same may be said of the toads, which may often be seen sitting demurely at the entrance of the hiyes, and lapping up the full-laden bees with the light- MANUAL OF THE APIARY. 49 ning-like movement of their tongues, in a manner which can but be regarded with. interest, even by him who suffers the loss. Mr. Moon, editor of the Bee-World, made this an objection to low hives; yet the advantages of such hives far more than compensate, and with the bottom-board, such as described in the chatter on hives, we shall find that the toads do us but very little damage. In the south-west of our country, from Missouri to Texas, there is a large two-winged fly, belonging to the family Asilide, which does some mischief. Never having seen its evil work, I can suggest no remedy. During the past season I also learned from various apiarists of a parasite, probably a tachina fly, that was preying upon the bees. It is to be hoped that this will give no serious anxiety. If it should become a troublesome pest, no doubt but a remedy will be discovered. Man’s intelligence has always proved equal to his needs. BEES-WAX. Of course the prudent apiarist will desire that nothing be lost. So soiled drone comb, and very old worker comb, may and should be melted into wax. All other comb is far too valuable to be destroyed. The best method to separate the wax is to put it into a strong, rather coarse bag, then sinking this in water and boiling. At intervals the comb in the bag should be pressed and stirred. The wax will collect on top of the water. It large quantities of wax are to be extracted, it is better to procure a wax ex- tractor. WORK VOR DIFFERENT MONTHS. Though every live apiarist will take one, at least, of the four or five excellent journals relating to this art, printed in our country, in which the necessary work of each month will be detailed, yet it .may be well to give some brief hints in this place. JANUARY. During this month the bees will need little attention. Should the bees in the cellar or depository become uneasy, which will not happen if the requisite pre- cautions are taken, and there come a warm day, it were well to set them out on their summer stand, that they may enjoy a purifying flight. At night when all are again quiet return them to the cellar. While out I would clean the bottom boards, especially if there are many dead bees. FEBRUARY. No advice is necessary further than that given for January, though if the bees have a good fly in January, they will scarcely need attention in this month. MARCH. Bees should still be kept housed, and those outside still retain about them the packing of straw, shavings, etc. Frequent flights do no good, and wear out the bees. Colonies that are uneasy, and besmear their hives should be set out, and allowed a good flight and then returned, The colony or colonies from which we desire to rear queens and drones, should now be fed, to stimulate breeding. If from lack of care the previous autumn, any of owr stocks are short of vd 50 MANUAL OF THE APIARY. stores, now is when it will be felt. In such cases feed either honey, sugar, or place candy on top of the frames beneath the quilt. * APRIL. During this month the bees may all be set out. It will be best to feed all, and give all access to flour, when they will work at it, though usually they can get pollen as soon as they can fly out. Keep the brood chamber contracted so that the frames will all be covered, and cover warm above the bees to economize heat. MAY. Prepare nuclei to start extra queens. eed sparingly till bloom appears. Give room for storing. Extract if necessary, and keep close watch, that you may anticipate and forestall any attempt to swarm. Nov, too, is the best time to transfer. JUNE. Keep all colonies supplied with vigorous, prolific queens. Divide the colonies, as may be desired, especially enough to prevent attempts atswarming. Lxtract if necessary or best; adjust frames or boxes, if comb honey is desired, and be sure to keep all the white clover honey, in whatever form taken, separate from all other. Now is the best time to Italianize. JULY. The work of this month is about the same as that of June. Supersede all poor and feeble queens. Keep the bass-wood honey by itself, and remove boxes or frames as soon as full. Be sure that queens and workers have plenty of room to do their best, and suffer not the hot sun to strike the hives. AUGUST. Don’t fail to supersede impotent queens. Between bass-wood and fall bloom it may pay to feed sparingly. Give plenty of room for queen and workers as fall storing commences. SEPTEMBER. Remove all surplus boxes and frames as soon as storing ceases, which usually occurs about the middle of this month; feed sparingly till the first of October. {f robbing occurs, contract the entrance of the hive robbed. If it is desired to feed honey or sugar for winter, it should be done the last of this month. OCTOBER. Prepare colonies for winter. See that all have at least thirty pounds of good capped honey, and that all are strong in bees. Contract the entrance by using division board, and cover well with the quilt. Be sure that one or two cen- tral frames of comb contain many empty cells, and that all have a central hole through which the bees can go. NOVEMBER. Before the cold days come, remove the bees to the cellar or depository, or pack about those left out on the summer stands. MANUAL OF ‘THE APIARY. 51 DECEMBER. Now is the time to make hives, honey-boxes, etc., for the coming year. | Also labels for hives. These may just contain the name of the colony, in whiclicase the full record will be kept in a book; or the label may be made to contain a full register as to time of formation, age of queen, etc., etc. I know from experience that any who heed all of the above may succeed in bee-keeping,—may win a double success: receive pleasure and make money. I feel sure that many experienced apiarists will find advice that it may pay to follow. It is probable that errors abound, and certain that much remains unsaid, for of all apiarists it is true that what they don’t know is greatly in excess of what they do know. GENERAL INDEX. ALIGHTING-BOARD, = ‘ separate from bottom-board, APICULTURE, as an avocation, - 7 fascination of, . profits of, * Zs e requirements when successful, enthusiasm, . ‘ persistence, e Z prompt attention, strong colonies, - & study and thought, APIDH FAMILY, animalsof, . characters of, . instinctsof . APIS MELLIFICA, characters of, és é ARTICULATE BRANCH, . . animals of, % “ characters of, . . 5 ARTIFICIAL COLONIES, . : i advantages of, . how made, ‘ one from one, one from several, BEES, as fertilizers, . 5 si injuring fruit, ‘ > kindsineachcolony, . A place in the animal kingdom, quieted, E 2 5 2 by jarring, a9 be by smoking, e Whomay keep, . a er? Why keep, . .- ‘ . a BEE CALENDAR, . . .- ‘ BEE ENEMIES, 5 is * * bee-killer, ° . i Ci . bee-moth, . . é i figures of moths and larve, description of, . 5 1 natural history of, preventive, . . % remedies, . . A ‘ i king-bird, . r a ‘ ‘ parasite, ee ‘ Poe toad, 2. ». «© © « + A. 10, 25 o4 BEE PLANTS, necessary to success, istof, . BEE-VEW, . P how made, a 4 x figure of, BEES-WAX, from what, how separated, BLAck BEES—See German Hees, Borrom-BoaRrpD, . . . - figure of, . F je how mace, 5 BOXES, figure of, form, . ‘ how made, special support fa, mSe;, « Be & Batis Cady ve Box HONEY, . . . when to secure, where to keep, BRANCH, Articulata, of the honey-bee, CLASS, Insecta, of the honey-bee, CLUSTERING OUTSIDE THE HIVE, cause of, a * = how prevented, . eo by dividing, by extending chamber, by extracting, by shading, Comp. figureof, . for guide, how made, transparency of, . use of, what determines iat, COMB FOUNDATIONS, importance of, how made to adhere, ComB-HONEY, z + freed of bees, inboxes, . . in frames, . i in what form, . when removed, . ? when tosecure, . CONTINUOUS BREEDING, importance of, < . how secured, DIVIDING BEES—See Artificial Colonies, DIVISION-BOARD, . . . . howmade, . me ¥ INDEX. 31 INDEX. Bi) DRONES, . . . ROD Oi IT Bh ame hy a te gt Oe 15 figure of, . < Z 4 5 ‘i i‘ 2 ; y description of, . . © “gy wR development of, . a : a ‘ se a a a ee tho ngs Seg eyesof, . « BA” as, Gh (& Ste oh Gees og lag eh ee om ae function of, : “ . Z ‘ . P c F ri : . , : c 7 » bb jaws of, . Ce ee es a me: er: 15 longevity of, Fi 5 ‘i 7 . 3 ‘ c 4 » 4b number of, : . . e é r r o » . ‘ ¥ ‘ 15 tongue of, . . ‘ c e ‘ 3 3 ‘ F me Ss ¢ . 15 when in hive, . 5 ‘ . : . F ‘ 7 ‘ ? ‘ c i ‘ . < . . 1 why sonumerous, . Fi . 3 a a . “é a % é } 3 . 16 ist) EGYPTIAN BEES,. . . Hse a ee i a 49 . 23 EMPTY CELLS, . " e . : i ‘ ‘ ‘ : . i c . ‘ 2. OF importance of, . a 7 ‘i c ‘ . . : . 4 c : 27 how secured, . ci é e ‘ z i : ‘ f ‘ e “ - ‘ a Bi FAMILY, . si ‘. 6 5 : 2 . i ot i i ‘ ‘ ‘ 3 ‘ . J Apide, . A : 5 a A 7 7 r . . F . 2 of the honey-bee, . . : : 5 ; . » ‘ . 3 12 FEEDER, ‘ . : er , ‘ Be. tats a S26 - i x 28 figure of, . r : ‘ . Fi e ‘ 929 how made, . r ; é 3 5 c ‘ 29 FEEDING, . . x . z “ ms ¢ S ‘ . ‘ s 208) amount to feed, . i: : 7 s e , ‘ e S - 3 . 28 how to feed, ‘ : e a ‘ : : ‘ a ‘ - oo) what to feed, i é a z é é : 28 honey, . E . . a . ‘ ‘ c - 2 “sugar, * . . . . : . e . z é . ‘ 28 flour, . e ‘ ; : 5 ‘ ‘ ‘ . 29 FOUL-BROOD, * é * é c ‘ F : 3 5 . ‘ ‘ 40 remedies, . : : & sj . F ‘ ‘ 5 é » 40 symptoms, 5 a - a G 5 ec ry . é . z 2 40 FRAMES, . 2 : - A 2 : ‘ é , ‘ 2 43 arrangement for—to get surplus in, : : . 46 cover for, . , és * c q a . a c ‘ ‘ 7 44 figure of, % . o 4 4 ‘ ‘i ;: . . r 44 form of, o 5 : & zi : ‘ : . . ‘ ¢ < 44 how to construct, S ‘ - % inventor of, * JENERIC CHARACTERS, . . a CS i oss ie. ‘i BR 7ENUS, 7 F z . F F ‘ ‘ Ae «oe wo oe « & «2 «* & * 8 ofthe honey-bee, . . . . . Ce ee ee ne oS » 12 TERMAN OR BLACK BEE, Be Rep os ap v-seh he ae Se eo 8 : . 23 description of, . ‘ : [ANDLING BEES, A F A fi ‘ A i ; : és - . i 32 [IVEs, ca ee ae oe a ME % box hives not fit for use, . 5 3 é 7 a . 4 ‘ ‘ c x . 4 41 character of, s G z 7 ‘ figure of, . a , . ‘ a P cover of, a 7 ‘ 2 . s * 5 a : 3 lumber for, . ‘ i . ¥ : movable frames—a sine qua non, . mS 2 5 é 5 é e 56 HIVES. near the ground, . nucleus, c . ri description of,. ‘i rabbets for frames to hang sizeof, . - F ; HONEY, collected, not secreted, defined, . extracted, . s granulated—how eanged, how collected, how deposited, how transported, * natural use of, source of, ‘i bark lice, e js honey dew, plants, plant lice, other sources, . HONEY EXTRACTOR, importance of, requisites of, when to use, HONEY PLANTS, importance of, list of, . a 5 5 HYMENOPTEROUS INSECTS, INSECTA, . aes characters of, . . INSECTS, OR HEXAPODS, abdomen of, . characters of, head of, . imagoof, . larva of, . : pupa of, . significance of aie: s thorax of, . s transformations of, i complete, . ie x incomplete, ITALIAN BEES, « description of, superiority of . . ITALIANIZING, how done, . 4 MULTIPLYING COLONIES, NATURAL HISTORY OF THE HONEY BEE, . NATURAL METHOD OF INCREASE, NATURAL SWARMS, . . means tosave, . . 7 implements required, method to secure, . C not desirable, a . second swarms prevented, on, INDEX. NUGEEI; «© « & « defined, 5 ‘ use of, “ a how made, . . NEUTERS, OR WORKERS, figure of, . Fy description of, development of, eggs, : é ‘i eyes of, x % functionof . a old workers, young workers, honey stomach of, figure of, .. jaws of, Fi larve, zs = figure of, a longevity of, . . number of, pollen baskets of, pupe, . ‘ sizeof, . -) . sting of, 8 < figure of, tarsi of, a tibia of, . 7 ri tongue of, . i figureof, . . wings of, ORDER, « « « % of insects, or hexapods, of the honey-bee, POLLEN, OR BEE-BREAD, function of, a how carried, . é nature of, . é source of, * < where deposited, PRODUCTS OF BEES, . comb, . . z honey, « . pollen, or bee-bread, propolis, or bee-glue, wax, . . . PROPOLIS, OR BEE-GLUE, function of, nature of, a ‘ source of, QUEEN, . - - -; figure of, . . brood from eggs, - cages, . . « how made, . cell, . ‘ s introduction of, when started, where built, . INDEX. 38 QUEEN. clipping wing of, cocoon of, described, development of, . é x Zi eggs, . fecundity of, fertilization of, food of larva, . : 3 ‘ ‘ function of, introduction of, . longevity of, . ; must have empty cells, never to be absent, never to be poor, no sovereign, . ovaries of, figure of, oviduct of, . period of aeeclopriant of, piping of, rearing of, removal of, sexof, . ° size of, sporintiei, 6 or sominnd anil of, sting of, tongue of, z figure of, . : ‘ wings of, QUEEN WHITE ANT, . fecundity of, QUINBY SMOKER, RACES OF THE HONEY BEE, Egyptian, 5 German, or Black, Italian, or Ligurian, ROBBING, . Ky" ike how checked, . how prevented, . ROYAL JELLY, . a a SAW-DUST, use of, SHADE FOR THE HIVES, . bees less liable to cluster, combs less liable to melt, evergreens for, houses for, grape vines for, ‘ SPECIES OF THE HONEY-BEE, SUB-ORDER, é A 5 a hymenoptera, a d . of honey-bee, c SWARMING, . . . after swarms, clustering, . old colony—how isla, preparation for, . , < drone brood started, c . INDEX. R. INDEX. SWARMING. queen cells started, why premature, “i ; prevented, . . . when to expect, . F T. TRANSFERRING, 2. 4s method of, . s a when easiest, é U. UNITING, . ‘ 7 ele how performed, . . a ar) : when advisable, F ‘ a A W. Wax, 2: 5 oe oe source of, a . function of, . ‘ # 5 2 a z WINTERING, . . . $y “Mek, . why disastrous, . i too early cessation of stori ing, : excessive moisture, “i a 5 s % extremes of temperatire, és Z i = unwholesome food, y > 5 : S 7 requirements to safe, . & ‘ . 3 3 colonies prepared, . z s 8 +« depositories for,—house or pelay, a a ° protected ifleft out, . ayy e os . quilt or straw to absorb moisture, ee OS “.ITALIAN BEES! TEE BEST Iw TEta WORLD. ¢ ae We offer for sale Queens and Colonies of Italian Bees, imported and home. bred. Send for circular. We are the ONLY REGULAR IMPORTERS OF BEES IN AMERICA. We can furnish references from the best and most known. apiarists of the United States and Canada, and also of Europe. Address CH. DADANT & SON, Hamilton, Hancock Co., Tl. Every Beekeeper should subscribe for it. THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL, Established in 1861, by the late SaMUEL WAGNER, at Washington, D. C., ed. ae is now published Monthly at CHICAGO, ILL. It is the best Scientifie and Practical Journal of APICULTURE in the world. The most successful and experienced Apiarians in Europe, as well as in America, contribute to its pages. In fact it is the . COLDEST, BARGES, _~ AND — Most Reliable Bee Paper IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE. TERMS, $2 PER ANWNU™M. " Send a Stamp for a Sample Copy. » ADDRESS, THOMAS G. NEWMAN, : : 184 Clark St., Chicago, Ill.