Humanity to Honey-Bees: or, Practical Directions for the Management of Honey-Bees Upon an Improved and Humane Plan, by Which the Lives of Bees May Be Preserved, and Abundance of Honey of a Superior Quality May Be ObtainedNutt, Thomas
Science
Humanity to Honey-Bees: or, Practical Directions for the Management of Honey-Bees Upon an Improved and Humane Plan, by Which the Lives of Bees May Be Preserved, and Abundance of Honey of a Superior Quality May Be Obtained
easy, to keep Bees at work, and to prevent their swarming, by giving
them plenty of room, and by proper ventilation. After my Bees had thrown
off the swarm, as above mentioned, the work in the glass progressed but
slowly, indeed it was for some time almost deserted, owing, I presume, to
the room made in the pavilion by the absence of the thousands that had
left it: for, whenever the weather was such that they could get abroad,
they were always busy. The season, however, it is well-known, was so wet
as to be very unfavourable for Bees:--the summer of 1830 was not by any
means what is called a Bee-year; and early in the autumn I could see
that, instead of adding to their store, they were under the necessity of
living upon it. They were, however, abundantly provided for the winter,
and lived through it almost to a Bee. In the spring of this year (1831)
they appeared to be strong and in excellent condition. As early as the
middle of May they had replenished the emptied combs in the glass, and,
it may be presumed, in the pavilion too. In the first week of June, the
glass was completely filled in the most beautiful manner. I therefore
opened the communication to one of the end or collateral-boxes, and two
or three days afterwards, viz. on the 10th of June, I took off the glass
and replaced it with another. So rapidly did those industrious little
insects proceed with their work, that in about six weeks they completely
filled the end-box. I then opened the way to the empty box at the other
end of the pavilion: and a few days afterwards had the full box taken off
by Mr. Nutt himself (who happened to call upon me, and who handsomely
volunteered his services on the occasion), without any stifling of any
sort--without the destruction, or the loss, of--scarcely a Bee,--as
nearly in the manner described in your last No. as circumstances would
permit; for the Queen-Bee being in the box taken off made it necessary
for Mr. Nutt to vary the operation a little;--not a person was stung,
though ladies, very timid ladies, and children too, were among the
admiring lookers on; only, in returning the Queen-Bee, found in the box,
to the pavilion, I myself was stung, owing to my over-anxiety to see
how she would be received by the Bees in the pavilion. Her majesty's
presence in that box (the box taken off) at that time might probably
have puzzled me; but to Mr. Nutt it presented no difficulty; and to
witness his operation was to me a most instructive lesson, and would have
delighted any friend of humanity. It was performed in the middle of a
fine day. That box contained, as nearly as we could estimate, about 35
lbs. of honey, incomparably purer and finer than any I ever saw, except
from Mr. Nutt's boxes. The glass beforementioned contained 12 lbs.--so
that I have this year taken _forty-seven pounds_ of the very finest
honey from one stock of Bees;--I have all my Bees alive--and they are
at this time abundantly provided for the ensuing winter; nay, without
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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