The apiary; or, bees, bee-hives, and bee culture [1866]: Being a familiar account of the habits of bees, and the most improved methods of management, with full directions, adapted for the cottager, farmer, or scientific apiarianNeighbor, Alfred
Science
The apiary; or, bees, bee-hives, and bee culture [1866]: Being a familiar account of the habits of bees, and the most improved methods of management, with full directions, adapted for the cottager, farmer, or scientific apiarian
The box B must be left open at the interstices that correspond with the
box A, placed above, the little openings being closed by the insertion
of the ten sections of slides, thus leaving free communication inside
with the upper box A, and admitting of no outlet for the bees, except
at the entrance.
When the four boxes are placed above each other, the structure measures
twenty-two inches high.
The Scotch carpenters send no floor-board, and no covering or roof for
the top to shoot off the rain; they evidently expect that the purchaser
is provided with a shed or bee-house of some kind, and also with a
floor-board. Should the apiarian, however, not have these necessaries,
we can supply the deficiency.
The sides of the boxes are furnished with wooden buttons, which, when
turned round, keep each box exactly in its place above the other: there
are also projecting irons or screw heads for tying the two boxes A and
B together, preparatory to hiving the swarm; or if the boxes stand out
exposed, all may be thus secured, to prevent their being blown over by
high winds.
_Directions for Management._
Take the two boxes A and B, made one by the junction before mentioned,
and similarly inside by the free communication afforded. Shake the
swarm in as described at page 28, just as with a common cottage hive.
If the weather be favourable, these two boxes will be nearly filled in
ten days. To get the full advantage of the Stewarton hive the first
year, put two swarms into two body boxes, A and B; if the two are too
small, then add the other box C. Allow the bees to remain there till
they have nearly filled the body boxes with comb, which (with this
increased number of workers, and in favourable weather) should be from
five to ten days. Two swarms are seldom procurable the same day, so as
then to be joined together, and even if they were, there is a doubt
whether greater progress may not be attained by hiving a swarm a week
or so earlier than the other, so as to build comb and raise brood ready
for the reception of the new comers.
The second swarm is added best in the evening, after the bees have
ceased working. For this purpose spread a sheet on the ground, place
two sticks so as to prevent the box being close to the ground, then,
with a sudden knock, eject the bees of the second swarm on to the
cloth, and place the two body boxes that contain the earlier swarm over
the dislodged bees; these will, in the course of an hour or so, ascend
and become one family, and one of the queens will be speedily destroyed.
In the meantime, prepare the shallow honey-box D, by fixing small
pieces of worker guide-comb, of pure white colour, on the centre of
each side bar. If, however, a box of honey with neatly made, straight,
and quite regular comb be desired, a piece of this guide-comb must be
fixed to the centre of each bar. If guide-comb be unobtainable, strips
of the impressed wax sheets or artificial comb (hereafter described)
will be found excellent substitutes.[12]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account