A Manual or an Easy Method of Managing BeesWeeks, John M. (John Moseley)
Science
A Manual or an Easy Method of Managing Bees
Weeks, John M. (John Moseley)
Bees
Young swarms should be scattered as much as convenient during the summer
season, at least eight feet apart. They should be set in a frame and so
covered as to exclude the sun and weather from the hive.
It is not surprising that this branch of rural economy, in consequence of
the depredations of the moth, is so much neglected.--Notwithstanding, in
some parts of our country, the business of managing bees has been entirely
abandoned for years, I am confident they may be cultivated in such a
manner as to render them more profitable to their owners, than any branch
of agriculture, in proportion to the capital necessary to be invested in
their stock. They are not taxable property, neither does it require a
large land investment, nor fences; neither does it require the owner to
labor through the summer to support them through the winter.--Care is,
indeed, necessary, but a child, or a superannuated person can perform most
of the duties of an apiarian. The cobwebs must be kept away from the
immediate vicinity of the hive, and all other annoyances removed.
The management of bees is a delightful employment, and may be pursued with
the best success in cities and villages, as well as towns and country. It
is a source of great amusement, as well as comfort and profit. They
collect honey and bread from most kinds of forest trees, as well as garden
flowers, orchards, forests, and fields; all contribute to their wants, and
their owner is gratified with a taste of the whole. Sweet mignonette
cannot be too highly recommended.--This plant is easily cultivated by
drills in the garden, and is one of the finest and richest flowers in the
world from which the honey-bee can extract its food.
The Vermont hive is the only one I can use to much advantage or profit,
and yet there are some other improvements, which are far superior to the
old box. In the summer of 1834, I received in swarms and extra honey from
my best stock, thirty dollars; and from my poorest, fifteen dollars. My
early swarms afforded extra honey which was sold, amounting to from five
to ten dollars each hive; and all ray late swarms which were doubled,
stored a sufficient quantity of food to supply them through the following
winter.
The rules in the foregoing work, perhaps, may be deemed, in some
instances, too particular; yet, in all cases, they will be found to be
safe and unfailing in their application, though liable to exceptions, such
as are incident to all specific rules.
SUPPLEMENTARY REMARKS.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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