Mysteries of Bee-keeping ExplainedQuinby, M. (Moses)
Science
Mysteries of Bee-keeping Explained
Quinby, M. (Moses)
Bees
Mr. A.--"I would like to see that made plain; I can't understand how
they could starve when there was honey!"
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; consequently, 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 exhausted 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 intervals of warm weather to melt all frost on the combs, and
allow the bees to go into the other apartment for honey, they _must_
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 HIVE CONSIDERED.
The value of changeable hives is based upon the following
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 thinnest 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 manner, 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 off your head, to get a good chance to
tie a small artery according to system; or would show you a roundabout
way of half a dozen miles to accomplish what the same number of rods
would do. Had we not ocular demonstration of the fact, we could not
suppose so many variations for the same end could be invented. But if
we reward ingenuity, it will be stimulated to great exertions. Perhaps
if we describe the merits of one or two of this class, the utility of
this principle may be comprehended.
VARIATION OF THESE HIVES.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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