ALBERT R. MANN LIBRARY New York State Colleges of Agriculture and Home Economics AT Cornell University EVERETT FRANKLIN PHILLIPS BEEKEEPING LIBRARY DATE DUE — — GAYLORD PRINTED IN U S A. MYSTEKIES OF BEE-KEEPING EXPLAINED : BEING A COMPLETE ANALYSIS OF THE WHOLE SUBJECT; CONSISTING OF THE NATURAL HISTORY OP BEES, DIRECTIONS POR OBTAINING THE GREAT- EST AMOUNT OP PURE SURPLUS HONEY IVITH THE LEAST POSSIBLE EXPENSE, REMEDIES FOR LOSSES GIVEN, AND THE SCIENCE OP “ LUCK ” FULLY ILLUSTRATED — THE RESULT OP MORE THAN TWENTY YEARS’ EXPERIENCE IN EXTENSIVE APIARIES. BY M. QUINBY, PRACTICAL BEE-KEEPER. NEW YORK: C. M. SAXTON, AGRICULTURAL BOOK PUBLISHER 152 PULTON gTREET. 1 854 . SF 5 “ < 3^3 ^7/ /e'^¥ £18691 Entered according to the Act of Congress, in the year 1853, by M. QUINBY, in the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern District of New York. 8. O. JIDKINH, PKIkTBfl AND ITIRIOTYPH, 114 NASSAU UTRBET, M. YORK. ( CONTENTS CHAPTER I. BRIEF HISTORY. Three kinds of Bees, ... 9 Queen described, .... 9 Description and Duty of Workers, . 10 Description of Drones, . 11 Most Brood in Spring, . 11 Their Industry, . . . . 12 CHAPTER II. HIVES. Hives to be thoroughly made, . 13 Different opinions about them, . 14 The Author has no Patent to recom- mend, 14 Speculators supported long enough, 15 Prefix of Patent a bad recommen- dation, 15 Ignorance of officers and commit- tees, 15 Opposition to simplicity, . . .16 By gaining one point produce ano- ther evil, . ... 16 First Delusion, . . . .17 Chamber Hive, . . .17 Mrs. Griffith’s Hive, . .18 Weeks’ Improvement, . . .18 Inclined Bottom-boards do not throw out all the worms, 19 Objections to suspended hives, . 19 See bees often, . .20 Hall’s Patent, 21 Jones’s Patent, . . .21 An Experiment, . . .21 Reason of failure in dividing hive, . 22 Cause of starving in such hives, . 23 Advantages of the changeable hive considered, . . . .24 Variation of these hives, . 25 Expense in constructing change- able hives, .... 26 The surplus honey will contain bee- bread 26 Description of Cutting’s changeable hive, 26 First objection cost of construction, 28 Hives can be made with less ex- pense, 29 Old breeding cells will last a long time, 29 Cells larger than necessary at first, 30 Expense of renewing combs, . SO Best to use old combs as long as they will last, . . . .31 Driving and Pruning when neces- sary, . . . • . 81 Tools for Pruning, . . . .32 Use of Tobacco Smoke, . . .33 Further objections to a sectional hive, 34 Non-Swarmer8, . . . .85 Contrast of profit, . . . .35 Principle of swarming not under- stood, 36 Not to be depended upon, . . 37 ki ves not always full before swarm- ing, 87 3 4 C ONTENTS. Size of hives needed, 37 Kind of Wood, width of Board, &c., 46 An Experiment, .... 37 Shape of little consequence, . 46 Bees do not increase if full after the Directions for making hives, . 47 first year in same hive, . 38 Size of cap and boxes, . 48 Gillmorc’s system doubted, . 38 Miner’s Hive, ..... 48 Utility of moth-proof hives doubted, 39 Directions for making holes, . 49 Instincts of the bee always the A Suggestion 50 same, 40 Glass boxes preferred, . 51 Profit the object, .... 41 Glass boxes — how made, 51 Common hive recommended, . 42 Guide-combs necessary, . 52 Size Important, .... 42 Wood Boxes, 58 Small liives most liable to accidents, 42 Cover for Hives, .... 54 Apt to deceive, .... 43 Jars and Tumblers — how prepared, 54 Unprofitable if too large, 43 Perfect Observatory Hive descri- Correct size between two extremes, 43 bed, 55 Size for warm latitudes, 44 One like Common Hive preferred, . 56 Larger hives more safe for long What may be seen, 56 Winters or backward Spring, . 44 Directions for making Glass Hive, . 57 2000 inches safe for this section, m . 45 Plate for Hive, ... 61 CHAPTER III. BREEDING. Imperfectly Undcrlsood, 62 A test for the presence of a Good stocks seldom without brood, 63 Queen, . 73 How small stocks commence, 64 When Drones arc reared, 74 Different with larger ones, 65 When Queens, .... 74 How Pollen is stored in the breeding Liability of being destroyed, . 76 season, 65 Drones destroyed when honey is Operation of Laying, and the Eggs scarce, 77 described, .... 66 Old Queen leaves with the first Time from the Egg to the perfect Bee, 67 swarm, 78 Rough treatment of the young Bee, 67 A young Queen takes the place of Guess-work, 68 her mother in the old stock, 79 Terms applied to young Bees, 69 Other Theories, .... 80 Discrepancy in time in rearing brood Subject not understood, . 80 as given by Huber, . 70 Necessity for further observa- The number of Eggs deposited by tion, 84 the Queen guessed at, 71 Two sides of the question, 85 CHAPTER IV. BEE PASTURAGE. Substitute for Pollen, 88 Red Raspberry a favorite, 91 Manner of packing it, . 89 Catnip, Mother-wort, and Hoar- Alder yields the first, 89 hound, are sought after, . 92 Fruit Flowers important in good Singular fatality attendant on Silk- weather, 91 weed, 93 CONTENTS. 5 Large yield from Basswood, . . 96 Garden Flowers unimportant, . 97 Honey-dew, 97 Singular Secretion, . . . .98 Secretions of the Aphis, . . .98 Advantages of Buckwheat, . . 101 Amount of honey collected from 101 Do Bees injure the crop ? . . . 102 Are not Bees an advantage to vege- tation? 103 A test for the presence of Queen doubted, 106 An extra quantity of Pollen not always detrimental, . . 107 What combs are generally free from Bee-bread, . . . 108 Manner of packing stores, . . 108 Philosophy in filling a cell with honey, 109 Long cells sometimes turned up- ward, no Is a dry or wet season best for honey? m How many Stocks should be kept, . 112 Three principal sources of honey, . 112 CHAPTER V. WAX. Is Pollen converted into Wax ? . 116 How is it obtained ? 115 Huber’s account of a commence- ment of comb, .... 117 Best time to witness comb-making, 118 Manner of working Wax, . . 119 Are crooked Combs a disadvantage ? 120 Uncertainty in weight of Bees, . 122 Some wax wasted, . . . 124 Water necessary in Comb-mak- ing, 124 Remarks, 126 CHAPTER VI. PROPOLIS. What used for, .... 128 Is it an elaborate or natural sub- stance ? 129 Huber’s Opinion, Further Proof, Remarks, . 129 . 129 . 132 CHAPTER VII. THE APIARY. Its location, 132 Decide Early, 133 Bees mark their location on leaving the hive, 134 Changing stand attended with loss, 134 Can be taken some distance, . . 135 Danger of setting Stocks too closo, 185 Space between Hives, . . .136 Small Matters, .... 136 Economy, 137 Cheap arrangement of stands, . 138 Canal Bottom-board discarded, . 139 Some advantage in being near the earth 139 Utility of Bee-Houses doubted, . 141 6 CONTENTS CHAPTER VIII. ROBBERIES. Not properly understood, Improper Remedies, Difficulty in deciding, Weak families in most danger, Their Battles, . Bad policy to raise the Hives, Indications of Robbers, . A Duty, A Test, 142 Robbing usually commences on a 143 warm day, . 148 144 Remedies, . , . 149 144 Common Opinion, . . 149 145 A case in point, . 149 146 Further Directions, . . 150 146 Common cause of commencing, . 151 147 Spring the worst time, . . 152 147 No necessity to have Bees plun- dered in the fall, . 153 CHAPTER IX. FEEDING BEES. Should be a last resort, . .154 Whole Families may Care needed, 154 Hive, Apparent contradiction when feed- Objections to general feeding, . 159 ing causes starvation, . . 155 Arrangement for feeding, . .159 How long it will do to wait before Feeding to induce early swarms, . 161 feeding, 156 What may be fed, .... 162 Directions for feeding, . . .157 Is candied honey injurious? . .162 desert the . 158 CH APT DESTRUCTION Some in the best Stocks, . . 164 How Found, 165 A tool for their destruction, 165 Mistaken Conclusions, . . . 167 Objections to suspended Bottom- board, ..... 167 Advantage of the Hive close to the board, 168 ER X. OF WORMS. Objection Answered, . . . 169 Insufficiency of inclined Bottom- board, 169 A Moth can go where Bees can, ...... 170 Trap to catch Worms, . . . 170 Box for Wren, .... 171 CHAPTE R XI. PUTTING ON AND TAKING OFF BOXES. Advantage of the Patent Vender, . 172 Time of putting on — Rule, . . 172 Making holes after the Hive is full, 174 Advantage of proper arrangement, 174 Directions for boring holes in full Stock, 176 To bo taken off when filled, . .177 Time taken to fill a box, . . . 178 When to take off boxes part full, . 178 Tobacco Smoke preferred to Slides, 178 Manner of disposing of the Bees in the boxes, . . . ’ . 179 Bees disposed to carry away honey, 179 Not disposed to sting, . . .180 Rule, 181 CONTENTS. 7 CHAPTER XII. SECURING HONEY FROM THE MOTH. Two things to be prevented, . . m Method of killing Worms in boxes, . 185 Apt to be deceived about the Worms, 182 Freezing destroys them, . 180 Their progress described, . . 182 Objection to using Boxes before the A Solution offered, . . . . i 8 3 Hive is full CHAPTER XIII. SWARMING. Time to expect them, . . . 187 All Bee-Keepers should understand it as it is, 188 Means of understanding it, . . 188 Inverting a stock rather formidable'' at first, Requisites before preparation of Queen’s cells, . . . .189 State of Queen-cell when used, . 190 State when swarms issue, . . 190 Clustering outside not always to be depended upon, . . .191 Examinations — the result, . .191 Remarks, Conflicting Theories, . . . 192 Both Old and Young leave with swarms, 192 Cause of the Queen’s inability to fly suggested, . . . .193 Evidence of the Old Queen’s leaving, 193 Mr. Weeks’s Theory not satisfac- tory, 194 Mr. Miner not correct, . . 195 Particular directions for testing the matter, 198 Empty Hives to be ready, . 197 Bottom-boards for hiving, . . 197 Description of swarm issuing, . 198 Manner of hiving cun be varied, . 199 Usual Methods, .... 199 When out of reach, . . .200 When they cannot be shaken off, . 202 All should be made to enter, . . 203 Should be taken to the stand imme- diately 203 Protection from the Sun neces- sary, 203 Clustering Bushes, . . . .201 How swarms are generally man- aged that leave for the woods, 205 Nothing but Bees needed in a Hive, 206 Seldom go off without clustering, . 207 Do swarms choose a location before swarming? .... 207 Means of arresting a swarm, . . 208 Some Compulsion, .... 208 How far will they. go in search of a home ?...,, 209 Two or more swarms liable to unite, 211 Disadvantage, .... 211 Can often be prevented, . . . 212 Indications of swarming inside the Hive, . . . .212 Preventing a swarm issuing for a lime, . . .' . .213 To prevent swarms uniting with those already hived, . . 213 When two have united— the method of separating, .... 214 No danger of a sting by the Queen, 215 Some precautions in hiving two swarms together, . . . 216 How to find Queen when two stran- gers are together, . . .217 Boxes for double swarms imme- diately, 218 Returning a part to the old stock, . 218 Method of uniting, . . . .219 When caro is necessary, . 219 8 CONTENTS , 220 , 222 . 222 . 223 Swarm-Catcher, Swarms sometimes return, Repetition prevented, Liability to enter wrong stocks, First issues generally choose fair weather, After Swarms, .... Their Size Time after the first, .... Piping of the Queen, May always be heard before an after swarm, . Time of continuance varies, Time between seoond and third is- sues, 227 Not always to be depended upon, . 227 A Rule for the time of these issues, 228 22-4 225 225 225 225 . 226 . 226 When it is useless to expect more swarms, Plurality of Queens destroyed, The Manner, Theory doubted, .... After-swarms different in appear- ance from the first, when about 229 229 230 231 232 233 233 to issue, Time of day, weather, &c., . Swarms necessary to be seen, Returning after-swarms to the old stock, .... 235 When they should be returned, . 235 Method of doing it, ... 235 More care needed by After-swarms when hived, .... Two may be united, 237 237 CHAPTER XIY . LOSS OF 238 239 240 241 Of swarms that lose their Queen, . A suggestion and an answer, . • A disputed question, A multitude of Drones needed, The Queen liable to be lost iaher ex- cursions, 243 The time when it occurs, . • 243 Indications of the loss, . • 244 QUEENS. The Result, Age of Bees indicated, Necessity of care, . Remedy, . 245 . 246 . 246 . 247 xwiiieuy, • Mark the date of swarms ou the Hive, 248 Obtaining a Queen from worker brood, 249 They are poor dependence, . • 249 CHAPTER XV . ARTIFICIAL SWARMS. Principles should be understood, • 2o2 Some Experiments, The result unsatisfactory, Further Experiments, A successful method, Advantages of this method, Artificial swarms only safe near the swarming season, . • 259 253 253 254 258 257 Sometimes hazardous, . • -259 Some Objections, .... 259 Natural and artificial swarms equally prosperous, . . • 260 This matter too often delay- ed, 261 Is the age of the Queen impor- tant 261 Different opinions as to tune, Another time preferred, . Should not be delayed, CHAPTER XVI. PRUNING. , 262 Objection to Pruning, . 264 . 263 . 263 Stocks pruned now are better for winter, ...» 265 CONTENTS. 9 CHAPTER XVII. DISEASED BROOD. Not generally understood, . . 266 My own experience, . . . 267 Description of Disease, . . . 267 The cause uncertain, . . . 268 Remedial Experiments, . . . 268 Public inquiry and answers, . . 268 Answers not satisfactory, . . 270 A cause suggested, . . .270 Reasons for the opinion, . . . 272 Cause of its spreading, . . 273 CH APTE Not easily detected at first, . . 274 Symptoms to be observed, . . 274 Scalding the honey to destroy the poison for feeding, . . .275 When to examine stocks that have swarmed, .... 275 Care in selecting stock-hives for winter, 276 Accusations not always right, . 676 XVIII. IRRITABILITY OP BEES. Their means of defence, . . 277 Time of greatest Irritability, . . 278 Proper Conduct, .... 278 How to proceed when attacked, . 279 A person’s breath offensive, and other causes, . . . 279 Their manner of attack, . . 279 Smoker described, . . 280 Effect of Tobacco Smoke, . 281 Sling described, . . v . 282 Does its loss prove fatal f . 283 Means of protection, . 284 Remedies for stings, . 285 CHAPTER XIX. ENEMIES Are they all guilty ? . . .286 Rats and Mice, .... 287 Are all the Birds guilty? . . 288 King-bird— one word in his favor, . 288 Cat-bird acquitted, . . . 289 Toad got clear, .... 290 Wasps and Hornets not favored, . 290 Ants — a word in their favor, . . 291 Spider condemned, . . . 292 Wax-Moth unrivalled for mischief, 293 Indications of their presence, . 296 Management, 296 Care in turning over Hives, . . 297 OF BEES. Other symptoms of Worms, . . 298 When they grow larger than usual, 299 Time of Growth, .... 299 Time of Transformation, . 300 Freezing destroys Worms, Cocoon, and Moth, .... 300 How they pass the Winter, . . 301 Stocks more liable to be destroyed last of Summer, . . . 301 When Bees are safe, . . . 302 Means to destroy them, . . .302 Making them drunk and their execu- tion by Chickens, . . .303 CHAPTER XX. The Cause, Effects, . MELTING DOWN OF COMBS. . . 804 First Indications, . . . 304 Prevention, . . 305 . 305 10 CONTENTS. CHAPTER XXI. FALL MANAGEMENT. First Care, 307 Strong Stocks disposed to plunder, 307 Bees Changeable, .... 308 Requisites for good Stocks, . . 308 Great disadvantage of killing the Bees, ..... 309 Section of country may make a dif- ference in what poor stocks need, . . . • • 309 When Bees are needed, . . .310 Caution, 311 Principal Difficulty, . • • 311 How Avoided, .... 311 Advantages of making one good stock from two poor ones, . 312 Two families together will not con- sume as much as if separate, . 312 An Experiment, 312 Season for operating, . • 313 Tile Fumigntor, .... 314 Directions for uniting two families, 315 Uniting with Tobacco Smoke, . 317 Condition of Stocks in 1851, . .318 How they were managed, . . 318 Cause of their superior Thrift, . 319 Swarms partly filled pay better than to cut out the honey, . . 320 Advantages in transferring, . . 320 Another method of uniting two families, 321 Uniting Comb and Honey as well as Bees, 322 When feeding should be done for Stock Hives, ...» 323 CHAPTER XXII. WINTERING BEES. Different methods have been adopt- ed, 325 The idea of Bees not freezing has led to errors in practice, . • 326 Appearance of Bees in cold wea- ther, 326 How part of the swarm is frozen, . 327 How a small family may all freeze, 327 Frost and Ice sometimes smother Bees, 328 Frost and Ice in a Hive accounted for, 329 The effect of Ice or Frost on Bees and Comb, .... 330 Frost may cause starvation, . . 330 Other Difficulties, ...» 330 Further Illustrations, . . .332 Accumulation of Faices described by some writers as n disease, . 336 The Author’s remedy, . . .337 Burying Bees 337 Experiments of the Author to get rid of the Frost, . . .338 Success in this matter, . . .338 Bees when in the house should be kept perfectly dark, . . . 339 A room made for wintering Bees, . 339 Manner of stowing away Hives, . 340 Temperature of room, . • • 341 Too much Honey may sometimes be stored, 342 Management of room towards Spring, 342 Time for setting out Bees, . . 343 Not too many stocks taken out at once, 343 Families may be equalized, . . 344 Snow need not always prevent car- rying out Bees, . . « 344 Does not Analogy prove that Bees should be kept warm in Winter ? 345 The next best place for wintering Bees, 346 Evils of wintering in the open air considered, .... 347 But little risk with good stocks, . 348 Effect of keeping second-rate stocks out of the sun, . . * 348 11 CONTENTS. Effects of Snow considered, . 3)9 Slocks to be protected on some oc- casior18 . ■ ■ . .350 Do the Bees eat more wnen allowed to come out occasionally in Win- ter? . CHAPTER XXIII. SAGACITY OP BEES. Are not Bees directed alone bv in- , e ,n Mending broken Combs, stinct? WJiat they do with Propolis, . 353 . 353 , ri . - - -> • • -354 Making passages to every part of their Combs, , . # gg- chapter XXIV. STRAINING nONEY AND WAX Methods^f ^emoeing Combs from Different mode, of straining Honey, 358 ■ • • 367 Getting out Wax— diflfcront motlsAs*. Don . S57 unking auuejr, 000 Getting out Wax — different methods, 300 CHAPTER XXV. PURCHASING STOCKS AND TRANSPORTING BEES. Size of Hive, important, . . 397 How large Hive, can lie made * mal| w Moderate weather best to remove JJucs > Preparations for transporting Bees, 370 Securing Bees in the Hive, . . 370 Why the word luck is applied to Bees, Rule in taking Bees for a share, A man may sell his “luck,” . First-rate stocks recommended to begin with, Old stocks are good as any if health y. Caution respecting diseased brood, 3G0 Result of ignorance in purchasing, 366 362 364 364 365 Best Conveyance, Ilivc to be inverted, Conclusion. . 370 . 371 . 372 PREFACE. Before the reader decides that an apology is ne- cessary for the introduction of another work on bees into the presence of those already before the public, it is hoped that he will have the patience to examine the cerftents of this. The writer of the following pages commenced bee- keeping in 1828 , without any knowledge of the busi- ness to assist him, save a few directions about hiving, smoking them with sulphur, &c. Nearly all the in- formation to be had was so mingled with erroneous whims and notions, that it required a long experience to separate essential and consistent points. It was impossible to procure a work that gave the information necessary for practice. From that time to the present, no sufficient guide for the inexperienced has appeared. European works, republished here, are of but little value. Weeks, Townley, Miner, and others, writers of this country, within a few years, have given us treatises, valuable to some extent, but have entirely neglected several chapters, very important and essen- tial to the beginner. Keeping bees has been, and is 2 PREFACE. now, by the majority, deemed a hazardous enterprise. The ravages of the moth had been so great, and loss so frequent, that but little attention was given to the subject for along time. Mr. Weeks lost his entire stock three times in twenty-five years. But soon after the discovery was promulgated, that honey could be taken from a stock without destroying the bees, an addi- tional attention was manifest, increasing to a rage in many places. It seems to be easily understood, that profit must attend success, in this branch of the farm- er’s stock ; inasmuch as the “ bees work for nothing and find themselves.” This interest in bees should be encouraged to continue till enough are kept to collect all the honey now wasted ; which, compared with the present collections, would be more than a thousand pounds to one. But to succeed, that is the difficulty. Some eighteen years since, after a propitious season, an aged and esteemed friend said to me, “ It is not to be expected that you will have such luck always , you must expect they will run out after a time. I have always noticed, when people have first-rate luck for a time, that the bees generally take a turn, and are gone in a few years.” I am not sure but, to the above remarks, may be traced the cause of my subsequent success. It stimu- lated me to observation and inquiry. I soon found that good seasons were the “lucky” ones, and that many lost in an adverse season, all they had before gained. Also, that strong families were the only ones on which I could depend for protection against the moth. This induced the effort to ascertain causes 1’REFACE. 3 tending to diminish the size of families, and the appli- cation of remedies. Whether success has attended my efforts or not, the reader can judge, after a perusal of the work. It is time that the word “ luck ,” as applied to bee- keeping, was discarded. The prevailing opinion, that bees will prosper for one person more than another, under the same circumstances, is fallacious. As well might it be applied to the mechanic and farmer. The careless, ignorant farmer, might occasionally succeed in raising a crop with a poor fence; but would be lia- ble, at any time, to lose it by trespassing cattle. He might have suitable soil in the beginning, but without knowledge, for the proper application of manures, it might fail to produce ; unless a chance application hap- pened to be right. But with the intelligent farmer the case is different: fences in order, manures judiciously applied, and with propitious seasons, he makes a sure thing of it. Call him “ lucky ” if you please; it is his knowledge, and care, that render him so. So with bee-keeping, the careful man is the “ lucky ” one. There can be no effect without a preceding cause. If you lose a stock of bees, there is a cause or causes producing it, just as certain as the failure of a crop with the unthriftv farm- er, can be traced to a poor fence, or unfruitful soil. You may rest assured, that a rail is off your fence of management somewhere, or the proper applications have not been made. In relation to bees, these things may not be quite so apparent, yet nevertheless true. Why is there so much more uncertainty in apiarian 4 I’KKFACE. science than other farming operations? It must be attributed to the fact, that among the thousands who are engaged in, and have studied agriculture, peihaps not more than one has given his energies to the nature and habits of bees. If knowledge is elicited in the same ratio, we ought to have a thousand times more light on one subject than the other, and still there are some things, even in agriculture, that may yet be learned. It is supposed, by many, that we already have all the knowledge that the subject of bees affords. This is not surprising ; a person that was never furnished with a full treatise, might arrive at such conclusions. Unless his own experience goes deeper, he can have no means of judging what is yet behind. In conversation relative to this work, with a person of considerable scientific attainments, he remarked, “You do not want to give the natural history of bees at all ; that is already sufficiently understood.” And how is it understood; as Huber gives it, or in accord- ance with some of our own writers ? If wo take Ilubcr as a guide, we find many points recently contradicted. If we compare authors of our day, we find them con- tradicting each other. One recommends a peculiarly constructed hive, as just the thing adapted to their nature and instincts. If a single point is in accordance with their nature, he labors to twist all the others to his purpose, although it may involve a fundamental principle impossible to reconcile. Some one else suc- ceeds in another point, and proceeds to recommend something altogether different, halse and contradic- PREFACE. 5 tory assertions are made either through ignorance, or interest. Interest may blind the judgment, and spu- rious history may deceive. It is folly to expect success in bee-keeping for any length of time, without a correct knowledge of their nature and instincts; and this we shall never obtain by the course hitherto pursued. As much of their labor is performed in the dark, and difficult to be ob- served, it has given rise to conjecture and false rea- soning, leading to false conclusions. When I say a thing is so, or say it is not so, what evidence has the reader that it is proved or demon- strated ? My mere assertions are not expected to be taken ingreference to another’s ; of such proof, we have more than enough. Most people have not the time, patience, or ability, to set down quietly with close ob- servation, and investigate the subject thoroughly. Hence it has been found easier to receive error fox truth, than to make the exertion necessary to confute it ; the more so, because there is no guide to direct the investigation. I shall, therefore, pursue a differ- ent course ; and for every assertion endeavor to give a test, that the reader may apply and satisfy himself, and trust to no one. As for theories, I shall try to keep them separate from facts, arid offer such evidence as I have, either for or against them. If the reader has further proof that presents the matter in another light, of course he will exercise the right to a differ- ence of opinion. I could give a set of rules for practice, and be very brief, but this would be unsatisfactory. When we are 1 * 6 PREFACE. told a thing must be done , most of us, like the “ inquis- itive Yankee,” have a desire to know why it is neces- sary ; and then like to know hoiv to do it. This gives us confidence that we are right. Hence, I shall en- deavor to give the practical part, in as close connec- tion with the natural history, that dictates it, as pos- sible. This work will contain several chapters entirely new to the public : the result of my own experience, that will be of the utmost value to all who desire to realize the greatest possible advantages from their bees. The additions to chapters already partially discussed by others, will contain much original matter not to be found elsewhere. When many stocks are kept, the chapter on “ Loss of Queens,” alone, will, with atten- tion, save to any one, not in the secret, enough in one season to be worth more in value than many times the cost of this work. The same might be said of those on diseased brood, artificial swarms, wintering bees, and many others. If such a work could have been placed in my hands twenty years ago, I should have realized hundreds of dollars by the information. But instead of this, my course has been, first to suffer a loss, and then find out the remedy, or preventive ; from which the reader may be exempt, as I can confidently recommend these directions. Another new feature will be found in the duties of each season being kept by itself, commencing with the spring and ending with the winter management. PREFACE. 7 In my anxiety to be understood by all classes of readers, I am aware that I have made the elegant con- struction and arrangement of sentences of secondary importance; therefore justly liable to criticism. But to the reader, whose object is information on this sub- ject, it can be of but little consequence. M. QUINBY. Coxsackie, N. Y., June, 1853. CHAPTER I. A BRIEF HISTORY. THREE KINDS OF BEES. Every prosperous swarm, or family of bees, must contain one queen, several thousand workers, and, Q UEBN - WORKER. DRONE. QUEEN DESCRIBED. The queen is the mother of the entire family ; her duty appears to be only to deposit eggs in the cells. Her abdomen has its full size very abruptly where it joins the trunk or body, and then gradually tapers to a point. She is longer than either the drones or workers, but her size, in other respects, is a medium between the two. In shape she resembles the worker more than the drone; and, like the worker, has a sting, but will not use it for anything below royalty. 1 * 9 10 A BKIEF HISTORY. She is nearly destitute of down, or hairs ; a very little may be seen about her head and trunk. This gives her a dark, shining appearance, on the upper side — some are nearly black. Her legs are somewhat longer than those of a worker ; the two posterior ones, and the under surface, are often of a bright copper color. In some of them a yellow stripe nearly encircles the abdomen at the joints, and meets on the back. Her wings are about the same as the workers, but as her abdomen is much longer, they only reach about two- thirds the length of it. For the first few days after leaving the cell, her size is much less than after she has assumed her maternal duties. She seldom, per- haps never, leaves the hive, except when leading a swarm, and when but a few days old, to meet the drones, in the air, for the purpose of fecundation. The manner of the queen’s impregnation is yet a dis- puted point, and probably never witnessed by any one. The majority of close observers, I believe, are of opinion that the drones are the males, and that sexual connection takes place in the air, # performing their amours while on the wing, like the humble-bee and some other insects. It appears that one impreg- nation is operative during her life, as old queens are not afterwards seen coming out for that purpose. DESCRIPTION AND DUTY OF WORKERS. As all labor devolves on the workers, they are pro- * The objectors to this hypothesis will be generally found among those who are unable to give a more plausible elucidation. Those who oppose the fact that one bee is the mother of the whole family, will probably be in the same class. A BRIEF HISTORY. 11 vided with a sack, or bag, for honey. Basket-like cavities are on their legs, where they pack the pollen of flowers into little pellets, convenient to bring home. They are also provided with a sting, and a virulent poison, although they will not use it abroad when un- molested, but, if attacked, will generally defend them- selves sufficient to escape. They range the fields for honey and pollen, secrete wax, construct combs, prepare food, nurse the young, bring water for the use of the community, obtain propolis to seal up all crev- ices about the hive, stand guard, and keep out intru- ders, robbers, &c., &c. DESCRIPTION OF DRONES. When t|ie family is large and honey abundant, a brood of drones is reared ; the number, probably, depends on the yield of honey, and size of the swarm, more than anything else. As honey becomes scarce, they are destroyed. Their bodies are large and rather clumsy, covered with short hairs or bristles. Their abdomen terminates very abruptly, without the sym- metry of the queen or worker. Their buzzing, when on the wing, is louder, and altogether different from the others. They seem to be of the least value of any in the hive. Perhaps not more than one in a thousand is ever called upon to perform the duty for which they were designed. Yet they assist, on some occasions, to keep up the animal heat necessary in the old hive after a swarm has left. MOST BROOD IN SPRING. In spring and first of summer, when nearly all the 12 A BRIEF HISTORY. combs are empty, and food abundant, they rear brood more extensively than at any other period, (towards fall more combs are filled with honey, giving less room for brood.) The hive soon becomes crowded with bees, and royal cells are constructed, in which the queen deposits her eggs. When some of these young queens are advanced sufficiently to be sealed over, the old one, and the greater part of her subjects, leave for a new location, {termed swarming.) They soon collect in a cluster, and, if put into an empty hive, commence anew their labors; constructing combs, rearing brood, and storing honey, to be aban- doned on the succeeding year for another tenement. One in a hundred may do it the same season, if the hive is filled and crowded again in time to warrant it. Only large early swarms do this. THEIR INDUSTRY. Industry belongs to their nature. When the flow- ers yield honey, and the weather is fine, they need no impulse from man to perform their part. When their tenement is supplied with all things necessary to reach another spring, or their store-house full, and no neces- sity or room for an addition, and we supply them with more space, they assiduously toil to fill it up. Eather than to waste time in idleness, during a bounteous yield of honey, they have been known to deposit their surplus in combs outside the hive, or under the stand. This natural industrious habit lies at the foundation of all the advantages in bee-keeping ; consequently our hives must be constructed with this end in view ; IIIVES. 13 and at the same time not interfere with other points of their nature ; but this subject will be discussed in the next chapter. Those peculiar traits in their na- ture, mentioned in this, will be more fully discussed in different parts of this work, as they appear to be called for, and where proof will be offered to sustain the positions here assumed, which as yet are nothing more than mere assertions. CHAPTER II. f HIVES. HIVES TO BE THOROUGHLY MADE. Hives should be constructed of good materials, boards of good thickness, free from flaws and cracks, well fitted and thoroughly nailed. The time of making them is not very particular, providing it is done in season. It certainly should not be put off till the swarming period, to be made as wanted, because if they are to be painted, it should be done as long as possible before, as the rank smell of oil and paint, just applied, might be offensive to the bees. But what kind of hive shall be made? In answer, some less than a thousand forms have been given. The advantages of bee-keeping depend as much upon the construction of hives, as any one thing; yet there is no subject pertaining to them on 14 HIVES. which there is such a variety of opinions, and I have but little hopes of reconciling all these conflicting views, opinions, prejudices, and interests. DIFFERENT OPINIONS ABOUT THEM. One is in favor of the old box, and the cruel prac- tice of killing the bees to obtain the honey, as the only means to obtain “luck “ they are sure to run out if they meddle with them.” Another will rush to the opposite extreme, and advocate all the extravagant fancies of the itinerant patent-vender, as the ne plus ultra of all hives, when perhaps it would be worth more for fire-wood than the apiary. THE AUTHOR HAS NO PATENT TO RECOMMEND. To remove from the mind of the reader all appre- hension that I am about condemning one patent to recommend another, I would say in the beginning, that I have no patent to praise , no interest in deceiving , and I hope no prejudices to influence me, in advocating or condemning any s}'stem. I wish to make bee-keeping plain, simple, economical, and profitable ; so that when we sum up the profit “it shall not be found in the other pocket.” It is a principle recognized by our statute, that no person is suitable as a Juror, who is biased either by interest or prejudice. Now whether I am the impar- tial Jurist, is not for me to say : but I wish to discuss the subject fairly. I hope some few will be enabled to see their own interest: at any rate, dismiss prejudice, HIVES. 15 as far as possible, while we examine wherein one clo,ss in community is unprofitable to bee-keepers. SPECULATORS SUPPORTED LONG ENOUGH. We have faithfully supported a host of speculators on our business for a long time ; often not caring one straw about our success, after pocketing the fee of successful “ humbuggery.” One is no sooner gone, than we are beset by another, with something altogether different, and of course the acme of per- fection. PREFIX OF PATENT A BAD RECOMMENDATION. This hajt been done until the very prefix of patent, or premium, attached to a hive, renders it almost certain that there must be something deleterious to the apiarian ; either in expense of construction or intricate and perplexing in management, requiring an engineer to manage, and a skilful architect to con- struct. What does the American savage, who without difficulty can track the panther or wolf, know- of the principles of chemistry ? What does the Chemist know of following a track in the forest, when nothing but withered leaves can guide him ? Each understands principles, the minutice of which the other never dreamed. IGNORANCE OF OFFICERS AND COMMITTEES. Thus it appears to be with granting patents and premiums, if we take what has been patented and 16 HIVES. praised by our committees and officers as improvements in bee-culture. These men may be capable, intelligent, and well fitted for their sphere, but in bee matters, about as capable of judging, as the Hottentot would be of the merits of an intricate steam-engine. Know- ledge and experience are the only qualifications com- petent to decide. OPPOSITION TO SIMPLICITY. I am aware that among the thousands whose direct interest is opposed to my simple, plain manner of get- ting along, many will be ready to contend with me for every departure from their patent, improved or pre- mium hives, as the case may be. BY GAINING ONE POINT, PRODUCE ANOTHER EVIL. I think it will be an easy matter to show that every departure from simplicity to gain one point, is attend- ed in another by a correspondent evil, that often ex- ceeds the advantage gained. That we have made vast improvements in art and science, and in every de- partment of human affairs, no one will deny ; conse- quently, it is assumed . we must correspondingly im- prove in a- bee-hive ; forgetting that nature has fixed limits to the instinct of the bee, beyond which she will not go 1 It will be necessary to point out the advantages and objections to these pretended improvements, and then we will see if we cannot avoid the objections, and retain the advantages , without the expense , by a sim- ple addition to the common hive ; because if we ex- HIVES. 17 pect to encourage bee-keeping, they must have better success than a neighbor of mine, who expended fifty dollars for bees and a patent, and lost all in three years ! Most bee-keepers are farmers ; very few are engineers sufficient to work them successfully. I would say to all such as do not understand the nature of bees, adhere to simplicity until you do, and then 1 am quite sure you will have no desire for a change. FIRST DELUSION. Probably the first delusion in the patent line ori- ginated with the idea, that to obtain surplus honey, it was absolutely necessary to have a chamber hive. To get rid of^the depredations of mice, the suspended hive was contrived. The inclined bottom-board was then added to throw out the worms. To prevent the combs from sliding down, the lower end was con- tracted. The principle of bees rearing queens from worker- eggs when destitute, gave rise to the dividing hive in several forms. Comb, when used several years, be- comes thickened and black, and needs changing; hence the changeable hives. Non -s warmers have been in- troduced to save risk and trouble. Moth-proof hives to prevent the ravages of worms, &c., &c. CHAMBER HIVE. The chamber hive is made with two apartments ; the lower and largest is for the permanent residence of the bees, the upper or chamber for the boxes. Its merits are these : the chamber affords all the protec- 18 HIVES. tion necessary for glass boxes ; considered as a cover, it is never lost. Its demerits are inconvenience in handling ; it occupies more room if put in the house in the winter ; if glass boxes are used, only one end can be seen, and this may be full when the other may hold some pounds yet, and we cannot possibly know until it is taken out. I know we are told to return such boxes when not full “ and the bees will soon finish them,” but this will depend on the yield of honey at the time ; if abundant, it will be filled ; if not, they will be very likely to take a hint, and remove below what there is in the box ; whereas if the chamber was separate from the hive, and was not a chamber but a loose cap to cover the boxes, it could be raised at any time without disturbing a single bee, and the precise time of the boxes being filled ascertained, (that is, when they are of glass.) mrs. Griffith’s hive. Mrs. Griffith, of New Jersey, is said to have invented the suspended chamber hive with the inclined bottom- board. One would suppose this was sufficiently in- convenient to use, and difficult and expensive to con- struct. weeks’ improvement. Yet Mr. Weeks makes an alteration, calls it an improvement, the expense is but a trifle more; it is sufficient to be sanctioned by a patent. From front to rear, the bottom is about three inches narrower than the top, somewhat wedge-shape ; it has the merit to HIVES. 19 prevent the combs from slipping down, when they happen to be made, to have the edges supported. The objections are, that filth from the bees will not fall as readily to the bottom as if every side was perpendicu- lar, and the extra trouble in constructing. INCLINED BOTTOM-BOAKDS DO NOT THROW OUT ALL THE WORMS. Inclined bottom-boards form the basis of one or two patents, said to be good to roll out the worms. I can imagine a pea rolling off such a board ; but a worm is not often found in a rolling condition. Most of us know, that when a worm drops from the combs, it is like the spider, with a thread attached above. The only wajt that I can imagine one to be thrown out by these boards, is to have it dead when it strikes it, or so cold that it cannot spin a thread, and wind to shake the board, till it rolls off. The objections to these boards are coupled with the suspended hive, with which they are usually connected. OBJECTIONS TO SUSPENDED HIVES. All suspended hives must he objectionable to any one who wishes to know the true condition of his bees at all times. Only think of the trouble of unhooking the bottom-board, and getting down on your back, or twisting your neck till your head is dizzy, to look up among the combs, and then see nothing satisfactory for want of light ; or to lift the hive from its support- ers, and turn it over. The operation is too formida- ble for an indolent man, or one that has much other business. The examination would very probably be 20 HIVES. put off till quite sure it would do no longer, and some- times a few days after that, when you will very often find your bees past remedy. SEE BEES OFTEN. “ See your bees often," is a choice recipe, — it is worth five hundred dollars at interest, even when you have but few stocks. How necessary then that we have every facility for a close and minute inspection. How much easier to turn up a hive that simply rests on a stand. Sometimes it is necessary to turn the hive, even bottom up, and let the rays of the sun directly among the combs, to see all the particulars. By this close inspection, I have often ascertained the cause of some difficulty, and provided a remedy, thus saving a good many that in a short time would have been lost ; yet, with a little help, were as valuable as any by another year. hall’s patent. Mr. Hall has added a lower section to his hive, about four inches deep, with two boards inside, like the roof of a house, to discharge the worms, &c. ; but as these boards would interfere with close inspection, they are objectionable. Several other variations of inclined bottom-boards and suspended hives have been contrived, to obtain a patent, but the objections offered will apply to most of them. I shall not weary the reader by noticing in detail every hive that has been patented ; I think if I notice the principles of each /<~>W it •"dll test his patience sufficiently. HIVES. 21 Jones’ patent. Jones’ dividing hive was probably suggested by this instinctive principle of the bee, viz. : when a stock by any accident loses its queen, and the combs contain eggs or very young larva;, they will rear another. Now if a hive is constructed so as to divide the brood- combs, it would seem quite certain that the half with- out a queen, would raise one ; and we could multiply our stocks without swarms, the trouble of hiving, and risk of their going to the woods, &c. AN EXPERIMENT. Several yh&rs ago, I thought I had obtained a prin- ciple that would revolutionize the whole system of bee management. In 1840 I constructed such hives, and put in the bees to test by actual experiment, the utility of what seemed so very plausible in theory. It would appear that this principle suggested the same idea to Mr. Jones; perhaps with this difference: I think he did not wait to test the plan thoroughly, be- fore obtaining his patent in ’42. One vender of rights asserted that 63 stocks were made from one in three years ; but somehow a" great many that obtained the rights, failed in their expeditions. , From my ex- periments, I think I could guess at some of the rea- sons. Mr. A. — “Well, what are the reasons? give us your experience, if you please, I am interested ; I had the right for such a hive, and had a lot made to order, that cost more money in the end than I shall ever pay again for anything about bees.” 22 HIVES. Do not be too hasty, friend, I think I can instruct you to keep bees on principles in accordance with their nature, which is very single, so that if you can be induced to try again, we will have the hives cost but little, at any rate. REASONS OF FAILURE IN DIVIDING HIVES. The greatest difficulty with dividing hives, appeared to be here. It must be constructed with a partition or division to keep the combs in each apartment sep- arate ; otherwise, we make tearing work in the di- vision. When bees are first put into such hives, un- less the swarm is very large, and honey abundant, one apartment will be filled to the bottom before a commencement is made in the other. * . Mr. A. — “ What difference can that make? It is necessary to have the hive full ; if it cannot be all filled at once, why let them fill part.” The difference is this. The first combs built by a swarm are for brood, and store-combs afterwards, as needed ; one apartment will be nearly filled with all brood-combs, and the other with store-combs and honey. Now in the tv^i kinds of cells there is a great difference ; those for breeding are near half an inch in length, while those for storing are sometimes two inches or more ; totally unfit for breeding; until the bees cut them off to the proper length, which they will not do, unless compelled for want of room, con- sequently this side of store-combs is but little used for brood. When such hive is divided, the chances are not more than one in four, that this apartment will HIVES. 23 have any young bees of the proper age from which to 1 aise a queen ; if not, and the old queen is in the part " ikh the brood-comb, where she will be ninety-nine times in a hundred, one half of the hive is lost for want of a queen. Mr. A. “ Ah ! I think I now understand how I lost one-half of nearly every hive I divided. I also lost some of them in the winter ; there was plenty of bees as well as honey ; can you tell the cause of this?” I will guess that they starved. Mr. A. “ Starved I why I said there was plenty oi honey.” / I understood it, but nevertheless feel quite sure. Mr. A.— “ I would like to see that made plain ; I can t understand how they could starve when there was honey 1” CAUSE OF STARVING IN SUCH HIVES. I said one apartment would be filled with brood- combs; this will be occupied, at least partially, with brood as long as the yield of honey lasts ; consequent- ly, there will be but little room for storing here, but the other side may be full throughout. The bees will take up their winter quarters among the brood-combs. Now suppose the honey in this apartment is all ex- hausted during a severe turn of cold weather, what can the bees do ? If one should leave the mass and go among the frosty combs for a supply, its fate would be as certain as starvation. Without frequent inter- vals of warm weather to melt all frost on the combs, 24 HIVES. and allow the bees to go into the other apartment for honey, they 'fust starve. The cost of construction is another objection to this hive, as the labor bestowed on one is more than would finish two, that would be much better. ADVANTAGES OF THE CHANGEABLE IIIVE CONSIDERED. The value of changeable hives is based upon the fol- lowing principle : — Each young bee when it first hatches from the egg, is neither more nor less than a worm ; when it receives the necessary food, the bees seal it over ; it will then spin a cocoon, or line its cell with a coating of silk, less in thickness than the thin- nest paper : this remains after the bee leaves it. It is evident, therefore, that after a few hundreds have been reared in a cell, and each one has left its cocoon, that such cell must be somewhat diminished, although the thickness of a dozen cocoons could not be measured , and this old cell needs removing, that the bees may replace it with a new one. But how shall it be done ? This is a feat for the display of ingenuity. A common man might go about it in a very sensible, simple man- ner, might possibly turn the hive over, and cut out the old'combs when necessary, without knowing perhaps that the patent-vender could sell a receipt to do the thing scientifically , the benefit of which would be many times on the principle of a surgeon cutting oil your head, to get a good chance to tie a small artery accord- ing to system ; or would show you a roundabout way of half a dozen miles to accomplish what the same num- ber of rods would do. Had we not ocular demonstra- HIVES. 25 tion of the fact, wo could not suppose so many varia- tions for the same end could be invented. But if we reward ingenuity, it will be stimulated to great exer- tions. Perhaps if we describe the merits of one or two of this class, the utility of this principle may be com- prehended. VARIATION OF THESE HIVES. First, then, the sectional hive of various patterns has been patented ; it consists generally of about three boxes, one above another; the top of each has one large hole, or several small ones, or cross-bars, about an inch wide, and half an inch apart ; these holes or spaces allowing the bees to pass from one box to the other. When all are full, the upper one is removed, and an empty one put under the bottom ; in this way all are changed, and the combs renewed in three years - very easily and quietly done. This is as far as a pa- tent-vender wishes the subject investigated ; and some of his customers have not gone beyond this point. As an offset for these advantages, we will first look at the cost of such hive. EXPENSE IN CONSTRUCTING CHANGEABLE HIVES. It is as much work to construct each separate sec- tion, as a commom hive ; consequently, it is three times the expense to begin with. It is ‘objectionable for wintering bees, on the same principle as the divid- ing hive. I object to it on another point : our surplus honey will never be pure, as each section must be used lor breeding, and every cell so used, will contain cocoons corresponding to the number of bees raised. 2 26 HIVES. SURPLUS HONEY WILL CONTAIN BEE-BREAD. Also pollen, or bee-bread, is always stored in the vicinity of the young brood ; some of this will remain mixed with the honey, to please the palate with its ex- quisite flavor. The majority will probably prefer all surplus honey stored in pure comb, where it will be with proper management. I will here give a full description of a hive on this principle, as I have the description from one of its advo- cates, in the Dollar Newspaper, Philadelphia: called Cutting’s Patent Changeable Hive. DESCRIPTION OF CUTTING’S CHANGEABLE IIIVE. “The size of the changeable hive most used in this section, has an outside shell, made of inch boards, about two feet high and sixteen and a half inches square, with a door hung in the rear. On the inside are three boxes or drawers, which will hold about one thousand cubic inches each, and when filled with honey, usually weigh about thirty-five pounds, which is a sufficient amount of honey to winter a large swarm. The sides of these drawers are made of boards, about half an inch thick ; the tops and bot- toms of the lower drawers and ends of the upper drawers should be three-fourths of an inch, and the drawers should be fourteen inches high, fourteen inches from front to rear, and six and three-fourths inches wide. Two of these drawers stand side by side, with the third placed flatwise upon the two, with a free communication from one drawer to another, by means of thirty three-fourth inch holes on the HIVES. 27 side of each drawer, and twenty-four in the bottom of the upper drawer, and holes in the top and bottom of the lower drawers, to correspond, and slides to cut oil the communication when occasion may require. Thus we see our hive may be one hive, with communication sufficiently free throughout, or we may have three hives combined. The drawers have tubes made in them, (for the bees to pass and repass), which are made to go through the front side of the hive. The back- side of the drawers are doors, with glass set in them. These drawers set up from the bottom of the hive, and rest on pieces of wood, closely fitted in such a way, as t