The Italian Alp-bee; or, The gold mine of husbandry: short and practical instructions to breed genuine prolific Italian queens; to multiply them by hundreds in a few months and how to change German hives into ItalianHermann, H. C. (Heinrich C.)
Science
The Italian Alp-bee; or, The gold mine of husbandry: short and practical instructions to breed genuine prolific Italian queens; to multiply them by hundreds in a few months and how to change German hives into Italian
Hermann, H. C. (Heinrich C.)
Bee culture; Bees
But as soon as the queen, intended for the drone-breeding hive, is
again impregnated, the drones would be in danger of being turned out
again, for in particular, fresh impregnated queens do away with the
drones very quickly, therefore the impregnated queen must be taken from
the drone-hive; in that way drone hives may be kept until late in the
autumn. The queens intended for drone production, particularly in bad
weather, must be stimulated with food; so that they do not relax in
laying eggs.
§ 9.
THE QUEEN-BREEDING-HIVE.
This is a small box with moveable parts, more or less large does not
matter. The principle thing is, that they are made of equal widths that
every comb of each hive fits into any other hive.
About twelve inches long and six inches broad and high (that is square)
might be about the right size. Lengthwise, on the top of the inner
sides, fix two pieces of wood, each about three-eights of an inch
broad. These are the supporters of the combs, on which the combs or
chips rest, to be able to take out easily, and to replace each comb
separately. Better still, if small frames instead of chips are used.
The top opens upwards, and to make it fit tight, nail or paste soft
cloth or paper round the edges. In the top make a hole about two inches
in diameter, which serves as a feeding hole; for such little people
want frequent feeding, else they will often entirely go away.
§ 10.
SUPPLYING OF THE QUEEN-BREEDING-HIVES.
No. 1. That mother which has been picked out as breeding bee must be
taken with part of her people and some brood-combs, honey-combs, and
empty ones, until the little box is quite full, and is then placed on
the stand where the Italian bees and drones are kept. After a few days,
the queen is taken with a few combs of brood and their bees, and is put
into a breeding-box.
No. 2. This also should well supplied with honey, empty combs and a few
ripe breeding-combs. After a few days, when the queen has established
herself well and has filled the cells with brood she is to be again
taken out with a few combs and some people, and form a new colony.
No. 3. And so on, until you have enough. But never neglect to feed
these little people well,[3] particularly the one which contains the
queen.
[Footnote 3: Else it is to be expected that some fine day they will
take their departure, when generally every one of them will leave, for
such little colonies cannot keep themselves unless it be in the high
honey season.]
Meanwhile the breeding-box, No. 1, deprived of its queen, has prepared
queen-cells, which on the tenth day are cut out, except one or two,
and form likewise new colonies,[4] It must be observed that the bees
which adhere to the combs or the brood, and which guard the cells, are
taken out with them. The strengthening of such colonies is done best by
hanging in of ripe brood near their development, or by young bees which
always set on the combs, and who attend to the real brood business.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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