MANUAL
OF THE
APIARY.
By A. J. COOK,
OF TIlE
MICHIGAN STATE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE.
W. S. GEORGE & CO., PRINTERS AND BINDER@, LANSING, MICH.




Kind Reader if you are in any way interested in
BEES   - HONEY.
we will with pleasure send you a sample copy of our Monthly
"GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE."
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OUR PHOTOGRAPHI IEDLEY OF BEE-KEEPERS,
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PiPof. A. J. Cook; C. P. Dadant; G. M. Doolittle; E. Gallup; Mrs. Geiseler nee Katie
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OF THB]
0A Tt I 
MICHIGAN STATE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE.








TO THE
REVEREND) L. L. LANGSTROTH,
]NVEtTOP O[F THE MOVABLE FRAME HIVE,
THE
ILNVENTOIR OF THE MOVABLE ERAM I HIVE,
CUBER 0F AMERICA, AND'THE GREATEST MASTER OF PURE AND APPLIED
SCIENCE AS RELATING TO APICULTURE IN THE WORLD, THIS
LITTLE IMANU.iAL IS GRATEFULLY DEDICATED
13 t
THE AIUTHOR,








PREFACE.
THE APIARY.
Why another treatise on this subject?  Have we not Langstroth, and Quinby,
and King, and Bevan, and lHunter?  Yes, all of these.  Each of which has
done excellent service in promoting an important industry.  Each of which
possesses peculiar and striking excellences.  Yet none of these combine all of
the qualities desirable in a popular manual.  Hence the excuse for another
claimant for public favor.  Every cultured apiarist laments that there is no text
book which possesses all of the following very desirable characters: Simple
style, full in its discussions, cheap, disinterested, up with the times.  It is for
the bee-keeping public to decide whether this treatise meets any more fully the
demands made by the latest discoveries and improvements, by the wants of those
eager to learn, and by the superior intelligence which is now enlisted in the
interests of the Apiary.
The following is, in substance, the same as the course of lectures which I have
given each term to the students of the Michigan Agricultural College, and their
desire, as expressed in repeated requests, has led to this publication.
It will be my desire to consider subjects of merely scientific interest and value,
as fully as scientific students can reasonably desire; and, that such discussions
may not confuse or perplex those who only read or study with practical ends in
view, a very full index is added, so that the whereabouts of any topic, either of
practical or scientific value, can be easily ascertained.
In considering the various subjects of interests to the bee-keeper, I am greatly
indebted to the authors mentioned above, and also to the following journals, all
worthy of high commendation: Gleanings in Bee Culture, American Bee Journal, Bee-keepers' Magazine, and Bee World.
The illustrations for this manual were nearly all drawn by the author from
the natural object.  The engravings were made by Miss S. E. Fuller, of New
York, whose great skill is very worthy of high praise.
Figs 1, 3, 4, 17, 18 and 19 were kindly loaned by Luther Tucker & Son, of
the Country Gentleman, and are from those volumes so valuable in every practical library: The Illustrated Annual of Rural Affairs.








CONTENTS.
CHAPTER 1.   Introduction.
Who may keep bees?
Inducements to bee keeping.
What success demands of the Apiarist.
CHAPTER II.  The Bee's Place in the Animal Kingdom.
The Branch of the Honey Bee.
The Class of the Honey Bee.
The Order of the Honey Bee.
The Family of the Honey Bee.
The Genus of the Honey Bee.
The Species of the Honey Bee.
CHAPTER III. Natural History of the Honey Bee.
The Neuter Bees.
The Drone Bees.
The Queen Bee.
CHAPTER IV. Swarming, or natural method of increasing Colonies.
CHAPTER V.  The Products of Bees.
Honey.
Wax.
Comb.
Pollen.
Propolus.
CHAPTER VI. Races of Bees.
Egyptian.
German, or Black.
Italian, or Ligurian.
CHAPTER VII. Requirements of successful Apiculture.
Must Secure Natural Swarms.
Empty cells demanded.
Honey extractor.
Continuous breeding.
Feeding.
Colonies never without queens.
Rearing queens.
Nuclei.
Dividing colonies, or making artificial colonies.
Handling Bees.
Bee Veil.
To Quiet Bees.
Quinby Smoker.
Room for Storing.
Surplus Comb Honey.
Position of Hive.
Honey Plants.
Wintering.
Foul Brood.
Italian Bees.




$                                  CONTENTS.
CHAPTER VII. Requirements of successful Apiculture.
Italianizing the Apiary.
Introducing Queens.
Hives.
Frames.
Quilt.
Division Board.
Boxes.
Transferring.
Clipping Queen's Wing.
Robbing.
Enemies of Bees.
Bee's Wax.
Calendar.




MANUAL OF THE APIARY.
CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTION.
WHO IMAY KEEP BEES?
Those of aly profession or business,-who can give a little time in spring,
summer, and autumn, who may desire to be associated with, and study natural
objects, and supplement their present means of increasing their income,-provided, they have a little ground three or four rods from the street.  Thus, citizens of country, village, or city, nale or female, who wish to add to the pleasures
and profits of life, will here find an ever-waiting opportunity.  To the ladies,
so often shut out from fresh air and sunlight, till paler and languor point sadly
to departing vigor, and to those men, the nature of whose business precludes
air and exercise, the apiary offers special attractions.
INDUCEMENTS TO BEE-KEEPIN(G.
This has been called the poetry of rural pursuits, and very properly too.
There is a fascination about the apiary that is indescribable. Nature is always
presenting the most pleasurable surprises to those'on the alert to behold them.
And among insects, especially bees, the instincts and habits are so inexplicable
and marvelous, that the student of this department of nature never ceases to
meet with exhibitions that startle him, no less with wonder than with admiration.
Show me a scientific bee-keeper, and I will show you an enthusiast. A thorough
study of the wonderful economy of the hive, must from its very nature go hand
in hand with delight and admiration.  Said I, a short time since, to an extensive apiarist who also owns a fine large farm, "Why do you keep bees?"  The
reply was characteristic: "Even could I not make a good deal the most money
from my bees, I should still keep them for the real pleasure they bring me."
Again, there is no other manual labor pursuit in which the returns are so
large, compared with the labor and expense.  An experienced apiarist may
invest in bees any spring in Michigan, with the absolute certainty of more than
doubling his investment the first season, while a net gain of four hundred per
cent. causes no surprise to the bee-keepers of our State.  During the past season
an investment in bees has returned to me five hundred per cent., and though
this has been a good season for honey, yet I have done better than this several
times.  No less than three farmers of our State who possess good improved
farms, and also keep about one hundred colonies of bees, have told me within
a few weeks that their income from  their bees far exceeded that from  their
farms.  What greater recommendation has any vocation? Money getting, even
with the greatest privations is attractive, and is slighted by no class.  Money
2




10                        MANUAL OF THE APIARY.
getting, with labor that brings, in it tse   constant delight, leaves little to be
desired.
Bee-keeping, too, on a limited scale, demands very little time; and since the
pleasures would be just as great with but few colonies, no one would object to
thus add to his income.  I know, in fact, of no business (and I speak from
experience) that is so convenient and desirable as an avocation.  To the man
with sedentary habits, it brings wholesome exercise; to the man tied to an
office, air and exercise; to the clerk and factory hand, or others, whose lives
are monotonous and machine-like, it gives occasion for intellectual effort; and,
in inciting to thought and study, makes them  feel more truly that they are
men.  To our sisters, it offers all the above attractions, and, more, may serve
to drive the wolf from the door.  To all of us, who become successful apiarists,
it spreads an intellectual feast that the old philosophers would have envied, furnishes the rarest food for the observing faculties, and brings us into that intimate communion with nature which is never-failing in its tendency to refine the
tastes, elevate the feelings, and ennoble manhood.
WHAT SUCCESSFUL BEE-KEEPING REQUIRES.
No one should commence this business who is not willing to read, think, and
study.  To be sure, the unthinking may stumble on success for a time, but
sooner or later failure will set her seal upon his efforts.  Those of our apiarists
who have studied the hardest, observed the closest, and thought the deepest,
have even passed the late terrible  ite w inters with but slight loss.
Prompt attention to the needs of his industrious little servants, is another
absolute requirement.  To be sure, this attention is slight, and so is apt to be
neglected; but always with loss,-often with disaster.  That "bees work for
nothing and board themselves" is only comparatively true.  Their demands
are indeed light; but they mzuast be met.
Enthusiasm, or real love for the business, is another requisite.  This is a
plant whose growth, with the least opportunity, is sure.  It only demands persistence.  The beginner, without either experience or knowledge, may meet
with discouragements,-undoubtedly will.  Swarms will be lost, others will fail
to winter, the young apiarist will become nervous,-which will disgust the bees in
so much that they will essay to administer reproof of a sharp and pointed kind.
Yet, with persi'stence all of these difficulties will fade away.  Every contingency
will be foreseen and provided against, and the myriad little workers will become
as manageable and may be fondled as safely as a pet dog or cat.  And the
apiarist will minister to their needs with the same fearlessness and self-possession that he would attend to his gentlest cow or favorite horse.  Persistence in
the face of those discouragements, which are so apt to confront inexperience,
will surely triumph.  For he who has one jot of appreciation of the beautiful
and the m1arvelous in his character will soon grow to love his insect pets, and
the labor attendant upon their care and management, and this love will soon
kindle into enthusiasm.




MANUAL OF THE APIARY.                               11
CHAPTER  II.
THE BEE'S PLACE IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM.
THE BRANCH OF TIE HONEY-BEE.
The Honey-bee belongs to the great branch of animals known as Articulates,.
a very appropriate name given by the great French naturalist Cuvier, as it
refers to the ring or jointed structure which characterizes all the animals of the
group, whether worms, crustacea-which includes the lobsters, sow-bugs, and
barnacles-or true insects.  These rings form  a skeleton, which, unlike thati
of the higher vertebrate branch, is external, and this serves to protect the softer
inner parts, as well as to give strength and solidity.  An examination of a bee
will quickly reveal these rings, while in our beautiful Italians coloration makes
them show even more plainly.
CLASS OF THE HONEY-BEE.
Our subject belongs to the class Insecta, which is characterized by breathing
air usually through a very complicated system  of air tubes.  These tubes are
very peculiar in their structure, as they are formed of a spiral thread, and thus
resemble a hollow cylinder which might be formed by closely winding a fine
wire about the finger, and then withdrawing the latter, the wire remaining
unmoved.  These tubes are constantly branching and are almost infinite in
number.  Nothing is more surprising and interesting than this labyrinth of
beautiful tubes as seen in dissecting a bee under the microscope.  I have frequently detected myself taking long pauses in making dissections of the honeybee, as my attention would be fixed in admiration of this beautiful breathing
apparatus.  Doubtless all of my readers have associated the quick movements
and surprising activity of birds and most mammals with their well developed
lungs.  So, too, in such aninals as the bee we see the relation between this
intricate system of air-tubes-their lungs-and the quick, busy life which has
been proverbial of them since the earliest times.
ORDER OF THE HONEY-BEE.
Our bees belong to the order HIexapods, or true Insects.  The first term  is
appropriate, as all have in the imago or last stage, six legs.  Nor is the second
term less applicable, as the word insect comes from the Latin and means to cut
in, and in no other articulates does the ring structure appear so marked upon
merely a superficial examination.  More than this, the true insects when fully
developed, have unlike all other articulates, three well marked divisions of the
body, namely: the head, which contains the antenna —the horn-like appendages
common to all insects; eyes and mouth organss; the thorax, which bears the
legs, and wings, when they are present; and lastly, the abdomen, which,
though usually memberless, contains the ovipositor, and when present, the sting.
Insects, too, undergo a more striking metamorphosis than do most animals.
When first hatched they are worm-like and called larvm, which means masked;.
afterward they are frequently quiescent, and would hardly be supposed to be
animals at all. They are then known as pupae. At last there comes forth the'
imago with compound eyes, antelnna, and wings.  In some insects the transfor



12                       MANUAL OF THE APIARY.
mations are said to be incomplete, that is the larva, pupa, and imago differ little
except in size, and that the latter possesses wings.
SUB-ORDER OF THE HOTNEY BEE.
The honey bee belongs to the sub-order Hymenoptera, which also includes
the wasps, ants, ichneumon-flies and saw-flies.  This group contains insects
which possess a tongue by which they may suck (see Fig. 12 a), and strong
jaws (see Fig. 12 c) for biting.  Thus the bees can sip the honeyed sweets of
flowers, and also gnaw away mutilated comb.  They have, besides, four wings,
and undergo complete transformations.
FAMIILY OF THE HONEY BEE.
The honey bee belongs to the family Apida.  Insects of this family have
robust bodies, usually very hairy, large heads, prominent eyes,-which in the
males meet above, — elbowed antenne, and very long tongues.  Many of these
are social, and besides the true females, every colony possesses those with abortive ovaries, which are called neuters or workers.  This group includes the
wax-secreting bees, and the humble-bees, which do not build wax cells, but
simply lay their eggs in the pollen masses, and the larva, by feeding on the
pollen, hollow  out egg-shaped cavities, which become the honey cells.  Thus
some larvae feed only on pollen.  Others of this family are solitary, like the
carpenter bee, which bores in wood; the sand-bee, which digs in the earth; and
the tailor bee, which cuts those regular pieces, circular or oblong, from  our
rose-leaves or rose-petals, and from which it forms its wonderful thimble-shaped
cells.  Thus we see that all the insects of this family possess strange instincts,
and habits so curious that few subjects of study yield more real pleasure and
gratification.
GENUS OF THE IONlEY-BEE.
The genus Apis is characterized by the peculiar structure of the mouthparts and the venation of the wings.  But to particularize would lead me too
deeply into the details of structure..SPECIES OF THE HIONEY-BEE.
The scientific name of the honey-bee is Apis mellifica, and the species will
be fully described as we proceed to explain its natural history and habits.  The
Taces of the honey-bee will also be more appropriately considered in the sequel.




MANUAL OF THE APIARY.                              13
CHAPTER  III.
NATURAL HISTORY OF THE HONEY-BEE.
Close examination of any prosperous colony of bees, in the summer season,
will discover a marked difference in the individuals composing it.  A large
majority will appear small, a few hundred large and heavy, while a single one
will fix attention by her long, tapering abdomen.  Thus we have the workers,
drones, and queen: the first being undeveloped females, called neuters; the
second, males; and the last the fully developed female.  Let us examine these
in detail.
THE NEUTERS, OR WOARKER-BEES.
These (see Fig. 1) are by far the most numerous individuals of the hive,
there being from  20,000 to 40,000 in every good colony.  They are also the
smallest members of the colony, measuring but little more than one-half inch
in length, and being only two-thirds the length of the queen. They
also possess peculiarities of structure which at once distinguish
them  from both the queen and drones.  Their tongues (see Fig.
12) are almost twice as long as in either the drone or queen; their
jaws are much stronger; their wings, like the wings of the drone,
FIG. 1.  attain the extremity of the body, while the tibia and tarsi-names
given to the last joints of the legs-of the posterior legs are hollowed out,
FIG. 2.
forming pollen-baskets, in which respect they differ from both the drones and
the queen; the eyes do not differ from  the same in the queen, but are smaller
than those of the drone, and do not meet above.




14                       IMANUAL OF THE APIARY.
The workers also possess a natural weapon of defense, the sting (see Fig.
2), which they are free to use as occasion requires.  The mechanism  of this
organ is very interesting.  At its base is a double gland, which secretes the
poison; which, when secreted, is poured into an ample poison sack (Fig. 2, c),
which is as large as a flax seed.  The sting proper is a triple organ, consisting
of three sharp spears, very smooth and of exquisite polish, which lie side by
side, and make up the sting as seen by the naked eye.  The central lance (Fig.
2, a) is hollow,-a little shorter than the others. The central opening connects
with the poison sack, so that the poison all passes through this part of the sting.
The side pieces (Fig. 2, b b) are marvelously sharp, and each barbed at the end
with teeth, of which seven are prominent, and which extend out and back like
the barb of a fish-hook, so that the sting cannot be withdrawn when once fairly
used, and with its loss the bee's life is sacrificed.  These side pieces are worked
alternately by small muscles (Fig. 2, d) at the base of the sting, and when
fairly inserted the poison is intruded through the central piece.  The workers
also possess a honey stomach (Fig. 3), or crop, in which the honey is carried to
the hive.
) b
~o<~~~~'
FIG. 3.
Alimentary Canal.-a, honey stomach; b, true stomach; c, urinary tubes; d, intestine.
The workers always hatch from  an impregnated egg, which can only come
from  a fertile queen, and is always laid in the small horizontal cells (see
description of comb and Fig. 11). The eggs are in the form of a short, slightlycurved cylinder, and are fastened by one end to the bottom of the cell.  They
can be easily seen by holding the comb so that the light will shine into the cells.
The eggs hatch in about four days.  The larva (Fig. 4) is white and
footless, and lies coiled up, floating in the whitish fluid previously placed
in the cell. This food is composed of pollen and honey, and is all
consumed by the larva.  In about five days the cell is capped
FIG. 4. over by the bees.  The cap is composed of pollen and wax, so
that it is darker, more porous, and more easily broken than the honey
caps.  It is also more convex.  The larva, now full grown, commences
to surround itself with a thin cocoon made of fine silk, and in three days
assumes the pupa state (Fig. 5), when it is called a nymph.  It now  FIG..
looks like the imago or fully developed bee, except that the legs, wings, and
tongue are folded on the breast, and the insect is now colorless.  Ipon the
twenty-first day the bee emerges from tlhe cell.




MIANUAL OF THE APIARY.                                15
The worker bees never attain a great age.  Those reared il autumn may live
for nine months, while those bred in spring will wear out in three.  None of the
worker bees survive the year through.  So there is a limit to the number which
may exist in a colony.  Their longevity depends upon their activity, and hence
upon the time of year in which they live.
The function of the worker bees is to do all the manual labor of the hive.
They secrete the wax, which forms in small pellets beneath the abdomen, build
the comb, feed the young bees, or, rather, the larva, and cap the cells, whether
they be brood or honey cells. Thus far the work is done by the younger bees.
The older bees gather the honey, collect the pollen, or bee-bread, as it is generally called, bring in the propolis, or bee-glue, which is used to close up openings, and as a cement, supply the hive with water, defend the hive from  all
improper intrusion, destroy drones when their day of grace is past, kill and
arrange for replacing worthless queens, and lead forth a portion of the bees
when the conditions impel them to swarm.
THIE DRONES.
The male bees (Fig. 6) are only found in. the hive from  May till November,
w hen here will be a few hundred, though the number may be
controlled by the Apiarist, and should be greatly reduced.
These are longer than the workers, being nearly I of an inch
in length and more bulky than either the queen or neuters.
Their flight is heavy, and they may be known by their deep,
low hum.  Their tongue is short, jaws weak, and their posterior
FIG. 6.    iCmembers destitute of pollen baskets.  The eyes meet above, and
are very prominent.  The drones, too, have no defense organ, the sting being
absent.
The male bees come from unimpregnated eggs, a fact which, though it almost
staggers credulity, is easily proved, and beyond question.  These eggs may come
from an unimpregnated queen, a fertile worker, —for very rarely a worker bee
will deposit eggs, such bees doubtless meeting in part the conditions which we
shall see in the sequel produce queens, -or from an impregnated queen, which may
voluntarily prevent impregnation.  Such eggs are placed in the larger horizontal
cells (Fig. 11) in the same ma.nner as the worker eggs are placed in the smaller
cells.  The capping of the drone cells is very convex, and protrudes beyond the
general level of the comb, so that drone brood is very easily distinguished from
worker, and, from the darker color of the capping, both drone and worker brood
are very readily distinguished from  honey.  The development of the drones
from egg to larva, to pupa, and to imago, is essentially like that of the workers;
though they do not come forth till the twenty-fourth day from the layinmg of the
egg.  Of course difference of temperature and other conditions may slightly
advance or retard the development of any brood in the different stages.  The
drones,-in fact all bees,-when they first emerge from the cells, are gray, soft,
and appear unsophisticated generally.
Just what the longevity of the male bee is I ant unable to state.  They
appear in May and are destroyed in October and November.  It is not improbable that some may live during the entire time.
The function of the drones is solely to impregnate the queens.  This is done
on the wing, outside the hive, usually during the heat of warm, sunshiny days.
After mating, the drone omgans adhere to the queen, and their abstraction is
fatal to the life of the drone.  As a queen never lmeets but a single drone, and




16                         iMANUAL OF  THE  APIARY.
that only once, it might b3 alsked why natture was so improvident las to decree
hundreds of drones to an apiary.or colony, whereas a score would suffice as
well.  Yet nature takes cognizance of the importance of the queen, and as she
goes forth amidst the myriad dangers of the outer world, it is safest and best
that her stay abroad be not protracted; hence the superabundance of drones,
-especially under natural conditions, isolated in forest homes, where ravenous
birds are ever on the alert for insect game,-is most wise and provident.  Artificial circumstances require no such conditions, nor are they then enforced.
THE QUEEN.
The queen (Fig. 7) is the true mother bee, or in other words a perfectly
developed female, with large, full-formed ovaries, which occupy the larger part of her abdomen.  These organs (Fig. 8),
one on either side of the back, are multitubular, each consisting
of many tubes (Fig. 8, a a), in which grow the eggs, for the
eggs of all animals are a growth, not a secretion.  From  each
FIG. 7.    ovary leads a special duct (b, Fig. 8), which ducts finally unite
into the conmmon oviduct (c, Fig. 8), through which all the eggs pass.  By the
d49
FIG. 8.
side of this oviduct is a little pea-shaped sock (e, Fig. 8), called the spermiatheca, which, during copulation or mating, is filled with the seminal or male
fluid.  About this sock are voluntary muscles, so that the queen can bring the
fluid, if she desires, in contact with the eggs as they pass.  This, of course, is
the most important structural peculiarity of the queen, as this makes her a
female, but she has other differences worthy of mention: she is longer than
either drone or worker, being over seven-eighths of an inch long, and with her
long, tapering abdomen is not without real grace and beauty.  The queen's
tongue (Fig. 9) is short, her jaws weak, eyes like the neuter's, wings short,
hardly more than half the length of the abdomen.  She has no pollen-baskets,
but possesses a sting which resembles that of the humble-bee, in being curved
(see d, Fig. 8), yet, strange as it mlay appear, she can seldom  be induced to
make use of it.  I have often tried to provoke a queen's anger, but lnever with
any evidence of success.
The queen, like the neuters, is developed from an impregnated egg, which of
course could only come from  a fertile queen.  These eggs are not placed in a
horizontal cell, but in one specially prepared for their reception.  These queen
cells (Fig. 11) are usually built on the edge of, or around an opening in the




MANUAL OF THE APIARY..                                 1
FIG. 9.
a, tongue, or ligula; b, labial palpi; d, paraglosse.
comb, extend either vertically or diagonally downward, and much resemble a
thimble or a pea-nut in form  and size.  The eggs are placed in these cells,
either by the worker bees, which transfer them from worker cells, or else by the
queen.  Some apiarists doubt that the queen ever places an egg in a queen cell,
but I have no doubt of the fact, though I never witnessed the act.  I have frequently seen the eggs in these cells in exactly the position which the queen
always places her eggs.  Nor have I much respect for the arguments which are
built on an inferred discord between the queen and neuters.  I believe there is a
better understanding between the inmates of the hive than is generally believed
by apiarists.  It is probably true that the actions of the bees are influenced and
controlled by circumstances or conditions, but I have yet to see satisfactory
proof that these conditions differently impress the queen and workers.  The
conditions which usually lead to the building of queen cells and the peopling of
the same, are loss of queen, inability of queen to lay fertile eggs, and too great
numbers of bees, or too little room in the hive, which is likely to be true in times
of great honey secretion.  The queen may be developed from an egg or from  a
worker larva less than three days old, which will then be transferred from a
worker to a queen cell.  The development of the queen is much the same as
that of a worker, though she is fed richer and more plenteous food, called royal
jelly.  So abundant is this royal pabuluni that there is always some remaining
itl the cell after the cqeen issues.  It is probable that the tmore profuse and
sumptuous diet, perhaps aided by a more ample habitation, is what accelerates
and perfects the development of her royal highness.  Yet the fact of fertile
workers, and the easy probability of their having received a little richer and more
plenteous diet than their sisters, would lead us to suppose that the food, both as
to quality and quantity, is what had most influence.  The cocoon surrounding
the queen nymph or pupa is imperfect next the outer end of the cell.  It has
been supposed by some that this was an act of thoughtfulness on the part of the
queen larva, thus to render her own destruction more easy, should the welfare
of the colony demand it.  In sixteen days from the laying of the egg, or from
3




18                     MANUAL OF TIlE APIARY.
ten to twelve days from the starting of a queen from the worker larva the queen
issues from  her cell.  As the queen's development is probably mainly due to
superior character and quality of food, it would stand to reason that queens from
the eggs are preferable; and under normal circumstances I believe the bees in
nature thus start them  nearly always.  The best experience sustains this conclusion.  As the proper food and temperature could best be secured in a full
colony-and here again the natural economy of the hive adds to our argumentwe should infer that the best queens would come from strong colonies.  Experience also confirms this view.
Five days after issuing from the cell, if the day is pleasant, the queen goes
forth on her "marriage flight," otherwise she will improve the first pleasant
day for this purpose.  If she fails to find an admirer the first day, she will go
forth again and again till she succeeds. If the queen is observed upon her
return from the wedding tour, it may be easily determined whether or no she
has been successful, for if she has she will bear suspended to her body the
organs of the drone.  If the queen lays any eggs before meeting the drone, or
if for any cause she fails to meet the drone, the eggs will of course only produce
drone bees.  About two days after fertilization takes place the queen commences
under normal circumstances to lay worker eggs, and the first year lays few
others.
The queen, when considered in relation to the other inhabitants of the colony, possesses a surprising longevity.  It is not uncommon for her to attain the
age of three years in the full possession of her powers, while queens have been
known to live even five years.  Queens, often at the expiration of one, two,
three, or four years, depending upon their vigor and excellence, either cease to
be fertile or else become impotent to lay any but drone eggs, the spermatheca
having become emptied of the seminal fluid.  In such cases the workers usually
supersede the queen; that is, they destroy the old queen and start queen cells
for the purpose of rearing young, fertile, and vigorous queens.
The function of the queen is simply to lay eggs, and thus keep the colony
populous; and this she does with an energy that is fairly startling.  A good
queen in her best estate will lay two or three thousand eggs a day.  Yet with
even these figures as an advertisement, the queen bee can not boast of superlative fecundity, as the queen white-ant-an insect closely related to the bees
in habits, though not in structure, as the white-ants are lace-wings and belong
to the sub-order INeuroptera, which includes our day-flies, dragon flies, etc.-is
known to lay over 80,000 eggs daily.  Yet this poor helpless thing whose abdomen is the size of a man's thumb, and composed almost wholly of eggs, while
the rest of her body is not larger than the same in our common ants, has no
other amusement.  She cannot walk, she can not even feed herself or care for
her eggs.  What wonder then that she should attempt big things in the way of
egg-laying?  She has nothing else to do or to feel proud of.  Different queens
vary as much in fecundity as do different breeds of fowls.  Some queens are so
prolific that they fairly demand hives of india rubber to accommodate them,
keeping their hives fairly gushing with bees and profitable activity, while others
are so inferior that the colonies make a poor sickly effort to survive at all, and
usually succumb early, before those adverse circumstances which are ever waiting to confront all life on the globe.
The old poetical notion that the queen is the revered and admired sovereign
of the colony, whose pathway is ever lined by obsequious courtiers, whose person is ever the recipient of loving caresses, and whose will is law in this bee-hive




MANUAL OF THE APIARY.                              19
kingdom, controlling all the activities inside the hive, and leading the colony
whithersoever they may go, is unquestionably mere fiction.  In the hive, as in
the world, individuals are valued for what they are worth.  The queen, as the
most important individual, is regarded with solicitude, and her removal or loss
noted with consternation, as the welfare of the colony is threatened; yet, let
the queen become useless, and she is despatched with the same absence of emotion
that characterizes the destruction of the drones when they have become supernumeraries.  It is very doubtful if emotion or sentimentality are ever moving
forces among the lower animals.  There are probably certain natural principles
that govern in the economy of the hive, and aught that conspires against, or
tends to intercept the action of these principles, becomes an enemy to the bees.
All are interested, and doubtless more united than is generally believed, in a
desire to promote the free action of these principles.  No doubt the principle of
antagonism among the various bees has been overrated.  Even the drones when
they are being killed off in the autumn make a sickly show of defense, as much
as to say, the welfare of the colony demands that such worthless vagrants should
be exterminated; "so mote it be, go ahead."  The statement, too, that there
is often serious antagonism  between the queen and workers, as to the destruction or preservation of inchoate queens, yet in the cell, is a matter which may
well be investigated.  It is most probable that what tends most for the prosperity of the colony is well understood by all, and without doubt there is harmonious
action among all the denizens of the hive, to foster that which will advance the
general welfare, or to make war on whatever may tend to interfere with it.  If
the course of any of the bees seems wavering and inconsistent, we may rest
assured that circumstances have changed, and that couldiwe perceive the bearing of all the surrounding conditions, all would appear consistent and harmonious.
CHAPTER IV.
SWARMING, OR NATURAL METHOD OF INCREASE.
The natural method by which an increase of colonies among bees is secured
is of great interest, and though it has been closely observed cand accurately
studied for a long period, and has given rise to theories which were as often
absurd as sound, yet, even now, it is a fertile field for investigation, and will
surely repay any who may come with the true spirit of inquiry, for there is
much concerning it which is involved in mystery.  Why do bees swarm. at
unseemly times?  Why is the swarming spirit so excessive at times and so
restrained at other seasons?  These and other questions we are too apt to refer
to erratic tendencies of the bees, when there is no question but that they follow
naturally upon certain conditions perhaps intricate and obscure, which it is the
province of the investigator to discover.  Who shall be first to unfold the prin-ciples which govern in these as in all other actions of the bees?
In the spring or early summer, when the hive has become populous and
storing very active, the queen, as if conscious that a home could be overcrowded,
-and forseeing such danger, commences to deposit drone eggs in drone cells,




20                     MANUAL OF THE APIARY.
which the worker bees, perhaps moved by like considerations, begin to construct,
if they are not already in existence.  In fact, drone comb is almost sure of construction at such times.  No sooner is the drone brood well under way than the
large awkward queen-cells are commenced, often to the number of ten or fifteen,
though there may be not more than three or four.  In these eggs are placed,
and the rich royal jelly added, and soon, often before the cells are even capped,
some bright day, usually about ten o'clock, after an unusual disquiet both inside
and outside the hive, a large part of the worker-bees, having previously loaded
their honey-sacks, rush forth from the hive as if alarmed by the cry of fire, the
queen among the number, though she is by no means among the first, and frequently is quite late in her exit.  The bees thus started on their quest for a new
home, after many uproarious gyrations about the old one, dart forth to alight
upon some bush, limb, or fence, though in one case I have known the first
swarm of bees to leave at once for parts unknown without even waiting to cluster. After thus meditating for the space of from one to three hours upon a
future course, they again take wing and leave for their new home, which they
have probably already sought out.  If for any reason the queen should fail to
join the bees, and perhaps rarely, when she is among them, they will, after
having clustered, return to their old home.  The youngest bees will remain in
the old hive, to which those bees which are abroad in quest of stores will return.
The presence of young bees on the ground,-those with flight too feeble to join
the rovers,-will always mark the previous home of the emigrants.  Soon, in
about eight days, the first queen will come forth from her cell, and in two or
three days she will or may lead a new colony forth, but before she does this the
peculiar note, known as the piping of the queen, may be heard.  At successive
periods of one or two days one, two, or even three more colonies may issue fron
the old home.  These last swarms will all be heralded by the piping of the
queen.  They will be less particular as to the time of day when they issue, and
as a rule will cluster farther from the old hive.
The cutting short of swarming preparations before the second, third, or even
the first swarm issues is by no means a rare occurrence.  This is done by the
bees destroying the queen cells, and sometimes by a general extermination of
the drones, and is generally to be explained by a cessation in the honey yield.
CHAPTER V.
THE PRODUCTS OF THE HIVE, WHERE AND HOW  OBTAINED, AND FOR
WHAT PURPOSE.
HONEY.
Of course the first product of bees, not only to attract attention, but also in
importance, is honey.  And what is honey?  We can only say that it is a
sweet substance gathered from flowers and other sources by the bees. We cannot, therefore, give its chemical composition, which would be as varied as the
sources from which it comes. We cannot even call it a sugar, for it may be, and
always is composed of various sugars, and thus it is easy to understand why




MANUAL OF THE APIARY.                                   21
honey varies so miuch in richness, color, flavor, and effects in digestion.  In
fact, it is very doubtful if honey is a manufactured article at all.  It seems
most likely that the bees only collect it as it is distilled by myriad leaves and
flowers, and store it up that it may minister to their and our necessities.  To be
sure, some writers contend that it undergoes some change while in the bee's
stomach; but the rapidity with which they store, and the seeming entire similarity between honey and sugar fed to them, and the same immediately extracted
from the comb has led me to believe that the transforming power of the stomach is very slight, if indeed it exists at all.  The method of collecting the honey
is for the bee to insert her long tongue into the flower till it reaches the honey,
which, by suction, is drawn into the sucking stomach.  When the stomach is
full the bee repairs to the hive and regurgitates its precious load, storing it in
the cells.  When there are no flowers, or when the flowers yield no sweets, the
bees, ever desirous to add to their stores, frequently essay to rob other colonies,
and often visit the refuse of cider mills, or suck up the oozing sweets of various
plant or bark lice, thus adding, may be, unwholesome food to their usually
delicious and refined stores.  It is a curious fact that the queen never lays her
maximum  number of eggs except when storing is going on.  In fact, in the
interims of honey-gathering, egg-laying not infrequently ceases altogether.  The
queen seems discreet, gauging the size of her family to the probable means of
support.
Again, in times of extraordinary yields of honey, the storing is so rapid that
the hive becomes filled, thus depriving the queen of opportunity to lay eggs,
and of necessity depleting the colony.  This might be called ruinous prosperity.
The natural use of the honey is to furnish the mature bees with food, and
when mixed with pollen to form the diet of the young bees.
VAX.
The product of the bees second in importance is wax.  As already remarked,
this is a secretion, formed in pellets (Fig. 10, a a, etc.) underneath the abdomen.  This wax is mixed with a sort of saliva in the,/-  l —-bee's moutth, and after the proper kneading, is formed
4I   I=   K 1  into that wondcerful and exquisite structure, the comb.
Honey-comb (Fig. 11), so wonderfully delicate, and so
formed as to combine the greatest strength with the least
FIG. 10.       expense of material, has been a subject of admiration
since the earliest time.  The character of the cells, whether drone or worker,
seems to be determined by the relative abundance of bees and honey.  If the
bees are abundant and honey needed, or if there is no queen to lay eggs, drone
comb (Fig. 11, below to the left), is invariably built, while if there are few
bees, and of course little honey needed, then worker comb (Fig. 11, above and
to right), is almost as invariably formed.
All comb when first formed is clear and transparent.  The fact that it is
often dark and opaque implies that it has been long used as brood-comb, and
the opacity is due to the innumerable thin cocoons which line the cells.  Such
comb need not be discarded, for if composed of worker-cells, it is still very valuable for breeding purposes, and should not be destroyed till the cells are too
small for longer service, which will not occur till after many years of use.
The function then of the wax is to make comb and caps for the honey cells,
and, combined with pollen, to form  queen cells (Fig. 11, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5)
and caps for the brood cells.




22                      MANUAL OF THE APIARY.
FIG. 1].
The comb furnishes cells for the storage of honey, and in which to rear brood.
POLLEN OR BEE-BREAD.
This substance, like honey, is not secreted, nor manufactured by the bees,
only collected.  The bees usually obtain it from the stamens of flowers.  But if
they gain access to flour when there is no bloom, they will take this in lieu of
pollen, in which case the former term used above becomes a misnomer, though
usually the bee-bread consists almost wholly of pollen.
As already intimated, the pollen is conveyed in the pollen baskets of the posterior legs, to which it is conveyed by the other legs, and compressed into little
oval masses.  The motions in this conveyance are exceedingly rapid.  The bees
not infrequently come to the hives, not only with replete pollen baskets, but
with their whole under surface thoroughly dusted.  Dissection will also show
that the same bee may have her sucking stomach distended with honey.  Thus
the bees make the most of their opportunities.  It is a curious fact that the bees,
during any trip, gather only a single kind of pollen, or only gather from one
species of bloom.  Hence, while different bees may have different colors of pollen, the pellets of bee-bread on any single bee will be uniform in color throughout.  It is possible that the material is more easily collected and compacted
when homogeneous.
The pollen is usually deposited in the small or worker cells, and is unloaded
by a scraping motion of the posterior legs, the pollen baskets being first lowered
into the cells.  The bee thus freed leaves the wheat-like masses thus deposited
to be packed by other bees.  The cells, which may or may not have the same




MANUAL OF THE APIARY.                                 23
color of pollen throughout, are never filled quite to the top, and not infrequently
the same cell may contain both pollen and honey,  Sucl a condition is easily
ascertained by holding the comb between the eye and sun.  If there is no pollen
it will be wholly translucent; otherwise there will be opaque patches.  A little
experience will make this determination easy, even if the comb is old.  It is
often stated that queenless colonies gather no pollen, but this is not true, though
very likely they gather less than they otherwise would.  It is probable that pollen, at least when honey is added, contains all the essential elements of animal
food.  It certainly contains the very important principle, which is not found in
honey: nitrogenous material.
The function of bee-bread is to help furnish the brood with proper food.  In
fact, brood-rearing would be impossible without it.  And though it is certainly
not essential in the nourishment of the bees themselves, it still may be so in
time of wax secretion.
PROPOLIS.
This substance, also called bee-glue, is collected, not made nor secreted.  It
is the product of various resinous buds, and may be seen to glisten on the opening buds of the hickory and horse-chestnut, where it frequently serves the entomologist by capturing small insects.  From such sources, from the oozing gum
of various trees, from varnished furniture, and fronm  remaining propolis about
unused hives, that have previously seen service, do the bees secure their glue.
This substance has great adhesive force, and though soft and pliable when
warm, it becones very hard and unyielding when cold.
The use of this substance is to cement, to fill up all rough places inside the
hive, to seal up all crevices except the place of exit, and even to cover any foreign substance that cannot be removed.  Intruding snails have thus been imprisoned inside the hive.
CHAPTER VI.
THE RACES OF BEES.
There are three races or breeds of the species Apis mellifica, viz.: The Egyptian, German or black, and the Italian or Ligurian.
As the Egyptian bee is not kept either in Europe or our own country, and as
I have no authentic description of its habits or character, I will only dwell on
the other races.
GERMAN BEES.
These are the commlon bees of Europe, and were those first imported to our
country, and so became common here.  The queen and drones are of a deep
black hue, while the neuters are more obscure, though still black, with a very
slight grayish cast.  As these are so well known, I will not stop to consider their
habits, but wait and contrast thein in this respect with the Italians.
ITALIAN BEES.
These bees take their name from the fact that they were first discovered in
the mountain basin of northern Italy and Switzerland, shut in, as it were, by




24                      XMANUAL OF THE APIARY.
-the Alps.  Without imuch doubt they are a climatic variety, with characters of
~coloration and habits so inbred that they are a fixed race.  It may be, as has
been asserted, that the original stock was a cross between the black and the Egyptian races.  The queen. varies much in color.  She may be almost entirely yellow, is rarely almost as black as the German queen, but is generally irregularly
imarked with black and yellow.  The drones are also black, annulated, or spottedd with yellow, while the neuters will without exception, if the stock is pure,
possess three yellow bands about the base of the abdomen.  I repeat, every bee in
the colony must be thus marked.   The first ring is close to the thorax, and
very narrow.  The second is quite broad.  These two rings are usually quite
distinct in hybrids.  The third ring is narrower, and may be obscured in old
bees, especially if not distended with honey.  When this ring is absent in any of
the bees there is "something rotten in Denmark.'
The able agricultural editor of one of our leading State papers has unwisely
invaded the apiary in one or two editorials; and, wise beyond what is written,
has stated that the Italians were in no wise superior to the black bees; and, further, that this point was conceded by all disinterested apiarists.  le might as
well say that a Duchess among Short-horns was in no wise superior to the lean,
bony kine of Texas; or that our Essex and Berkshire swine are no whit better
than the cadaverous lank breeds, with infinite noses, that happily are now so
rare among us.  The Italians are far superior to the German bees in many
respects, and more,-though I am acquainted with all the works on apiculture
printed in our language, and have an extensive acquaintance with the leading
apiarists of our country from Maine to California, yet I know of only one man
who holds that the Italians are no better than the Germans, and he is proverbial
for opposing any and every thing which any other person may present.  I have
yet to conceive how so able, careful, and conscientious a writer could have been
so misled as to nmake so glaring and mischievous an error.
FIG. 12.
Italian wcrlker's mouth parts; a, tongue; b, labial palpi; c, mandibles; d, paraglossxe..A black
worker bee's tongue compared with this would reach only to a by accurate measurement.




MANUAL OF THE APIARY.                                25
The Italians certainly possess the following points of superiority:
First, They possess longer tongues (Fig. 12), and so call gather from flowers
which are useless to the black bee.
Second, They are more active, and with the same opportunities will collect a
good deal more honey.
Third, They work earlier and later.
Fourtri, They are far better to protect their hives against robbers.  Robbers
that attempt to plunder Italians of their hard-earned stores soon find that they
have "'dared to beard the lion in his den."
Fiftfl, They are almost proof against the ravages of the bee-moth's larvae.
Sixth, The queens are decidedly more prolific.  This is probably in part due
to the greater and more constant activity of the neuters.
Seventh, Brood-rearing commences earlier in the season.
Eighth, The queen is more readily found, which is a great advantage.
Ninth, The bees are more disposed to adhere to the comb while being handled, which some might hold as a doubtful compliment, but which I consider a
desirable quality.
Tenth, They are far less apt to attempt to rob other hives.
Eleventh, And in my estimation, a sufficient ground for preference, did it.stand alone, the bees are far more amiable.  Years ago I got rid of my black
bees, because they were so cross.  This year I got two or three colonies, that
my students might see the difference, but to my regret; for, come to remove
the honey this autumn, they seemed perfectly furious, like demons, seeking
whom they might devour, and this, too, despite the smoker, while the far more
numerous Italians were safely handled, even without smoke.  The experiment
at least satisfied a large class of students as to superiority.  No, I have kept
these two races side by side for years, I have studied them  most carefully, and
I know that none of the above eleven points of excellence are too strongly
stated.
The black bees are superior in one, and in perhaps two respects.  They certainly will go into boxes more readily, to make box-honey, and I have some
reason to think that they are more hardy, yet many claim that the Italians are
superior in point of hardiness.
CHAPTER  VII.
WHAT  CONDITIONS  ARE  REQUISITE  TO  ENSURE  THE  GREATEST
ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN  THE APIARY.
The most important demand, in fact, it is the very key to all success, is, that
the bees be kept strong.  This fortifies against robbers, is an impregnable wall
of defense against the bee-moth, helps to make the apiarist merry despite the
disastrous winters, and insures a yield of precious nectar, which makes glad the
heart, and full the pocket.
This demands, of course, that if swarming be allowed at all, such swarms
should be secured, and that excessive swarming be prevented.  It also demands
that the queen should never cease laying for want of room, or empty cells in
4




26                      MANUAL OF THE APIARY.
which to deposit.  That the workers should not have too long intervals of idleness, even though flowers are wanting or fail to yield honey, for as we have seen
idleness of the queen follows, and of course depletion of worker bees.  That
colonies should never be queenless, or at least that such a condition should be
very rare, and very brief; that colonies should be increased so as to involve the
least loss, and least disturbance; that storing should never cease for want of
room in which to store; that indolence should never be necessitated fronm  a too
high temperature inside the hive; that the bees should be in a locality where
honey plants are abundant; that the bees should be so wintered as not to dwindle; that foul-brood should be known and prevented; that only the best
bees.should be kept; and, last, but perhaps most important of all, that the
hives, though cheap and simple, should be so constructed as to secure honey in
the most desirable condition, and admit the most free and easy access to the
bees, so that the apiarist may know the exact condition of all his colonies at all
times, and be able to administer timely aids whenever circumstances shall
require it.
TO SECURE -NATURAL SWARMS.
To prevent anxiety and. constant watching, and to secure a more equable division
of bees, and as I know more honey, it is better to provide against natural swarming entirely by use of means which will appear in the sequel.  But as this requires some experience, and as often through neglect, either necessary or culpable, swarms may issue, every apiarist should be ever ready with both means
and knowledge for immediate action.  The means are good hives in readiness,
a good jack-knife, some kind of a brush-a turkey wing will do-and a bag or
basket, with ever open top, which should be at least eighteen inches in diameter, and this receptacle so made that it may be attached to the end of a pole.
Two such poles, one very long, and the other shorter, and either a sheet, or
light thin board platform, three by five feet, planed and strengthened by cross
strips.
Now let us attend to the method: As soon as the cluster conmmences to form,
place the sheet or platform on the ground near by, with the hive upon it, near
one end.  The side of the hive facing the vacant space, of either platform  or
sheet, should be raised a half inch, by inserting two blocks underneath, so the
bees can have a good chance to enter. As soon as the bees are fully clustered,
we must manage as best we can to empty the whole cluster in front of the hive.
As the bees are full of honey we need have little fear of stings.  Should the
bees be on a twig that could be sacrificed, this mlight be easily cut off with
either the knife or saw, and so carefully as hardly to disturb the bees; then
carry and shake the bees in front of the hive, when with joyful hum  they will
at once proceed to enter.  If the twig must not be cut, shake them  all into the
basket, and empty before the hive.  Should they be on a tree trunk, or a fence,
then brush them with the wing into the basket, and proceed as before. If they
are high up on a tree, take the pole and basket, and perhaps a ladder will also
be necessary.
Always let ingenuity have its most perfect work, not forgetting that the object to be gained is to get just as many of the bees as is possible on the platform
in front of the hive.  Carelessness as to the ciuantity might involve the loss of
the queen, which would be serious.  The bees will not remain unless the queen
enters the hive.  Should a cluster form where it is impossible to brush or shake
them off, they can be driven into a basket, or hive, by holding it above them




MANUAL OF THE APIARY.                                27
anzd blowing smoke among them.  As soon as they are nearly all in —a few may
be flying around, but if the queen is in the new hive they will go back to their
old home-remove the hive to its permanent stand.  All washes are useless, it
is better that the hive be clean and pure.  In such, if they are shaded, bees
will scarcely ever leave.  But assurance will be made doubly sure by giving
them a frame of brood, in all stages of growth, from  the old hive.  This may
be inserted before the work of hiving is commenced.
HIOW TO PREVENT SECOND SWARMS.
In the sequel it will appear that the wise apiarist will always have on hand
extra queens.  Now, if he does not desire to form  nuclei (in manner to be explained), and thus use these queen cells, he will at once cut them  all out, and
destroy them, and give the old colony a fertile queen.  The method of introduction will be given hereafter, though in such cases there is very little danger
of giving them  a queen at once.  And by thoroughly smoking the bees, and
sprinkling with sweetened water, and daubing the new queen with honey, we
may be almost sure of success.  If desired, the queen cells can be used in forming nuclei, in manner to be hereafter described.  In this way we save our colony
from being without a fertile queen for at least thirteen days, and that, too, in
the very height of the honey season, when time is money.  If extra queens are
wanting, we have only to look carefully through the old hive and remove all but
one of the queen-cells.  A little care will certainly make sure work, as, after,
swarming, the old hive is so thinned of bees, that only carelessness will overlook
queen-cells in such a quest.
HOW  TO  SECURE EMPTY CELLS FOR THE QUEEN, EVEN  IN  TIMES OF THE
GREATEST HONEY-HARVEST.
Although some of our most experienced apiarists say nay, it is nevertheless a
fact, that the queen often remains idle, or extrudes her eggs only to be lost,
simply because there are no empty cells.  The honey yield is so great that the
workers occupy every available space, and sometimes even they become unwilling idlers simply because of necessity.  Seldom  a year has passed but that I
have noticed some of my most prolific queens thus checked in duty.  And when
I have relieved such queens from this state of enforced idleness they have always
showed an activity which seemed at least to betoken great warmth of gratitude.
In such cases the apiarist finds an invaluable aid in the
HONEY EXTRACTOR.
No doubt that some have expected and claimed too much for this machine.
It is equally true that some have blundered quite as seriously in an opposite
direction.  For since Mr. Langstroth gave the movable frame to the world, the
apiarist has not been so deeply indebted to any inventor as to him, who gave us
the principle of the MAell Extractor Herr Von Hlruschka, of Germany.  Even if
there was no sale for extracted honey,-aye, more, even if it must be thrown
away, which will never be necessary, as it may always be fed to the bees with
profit, even then I would pronounce the extractor as invaluable to every beekeeper.
WHAT STYLE TO BUY.
The machine should be as light as is consistent with strength.  It is best that
the can lbe stationary and that only a light frame be made to revolve with the




28                      MANUAL OF THE APIARY.
comb.  It is desirable that the machine should run with gearing, not only for
ease, but also to insure or allow an even motion, so that we need not throw even
drone larve from  the brood cells.  The arrangement for exit of the honey
should permit a speedy and perfect shut-off.
WHEI; TO USE THE EXTRACTOR.
If extracted honey can be sold for twenty, or even fifteen cents, the extractor
may be used profitably the summer through; otherwise use it sufficiently often
that there may always be empty worker cells in the brood chamber.
It is thus required with us during the two great honey harvests,-the whiteclover and bass-wood.  I have always extracted the honey at such times before
it was capped, in fact, as fast as the cells.were filled, and never yet found it so
thin that it was not agreeable and wholesome. If it granulates it can be reduced
with no injury to fluid again by heating, which is best done by placing the vessel
containing it in boiling or heated water.  When once brought to a boiling temperature it will seldom granulate again if kept in a dark place.
Many bee-keepers will be able to create a demand for their extracted honey.
Those who cannot will find it very advantageous to feed it to their bees, at times,
and in the manner described in what follows.
HOW TO INSURE CONTINUOUS BREEDING.
As already stated it is only when the worker bees are storing that the queen
deposits to the full extent of her capability, and that brood-rearing is at its
height.  In fact, when storing ceases, general indolence characterizes the hive.
Hence, if we would achieve the best success, we must keep the workers active,
even before, and in the interims of honey secretion by the flowers, and to do
this we must feed sparingly before the advent of bloom  in the spring, and
whenever the neuters are forced to idleness during any part of the season, by the
absence of honey-producing flowers. For a number of years I have tried experiments in this direction by feeding a portion of my colonies early in the season,
and in the intervals of honey-gathering, and always with marked results in favor'of the practice. The past season three of our students tried similar experiments,
between the bass-wood bloom and the fall flowers, and with as striking evidence
in favor of the practice.  Early feeding also fills the necessary space in the
brood chamber, so that at the dawn of the white clover era, the delicious nectar
then gathered will, of necessity, be stored in the boxes or frames set apart for
this delightful harvest.
HOW MUCH TO FEED.
In such cases the amount fed need not be great.  A half pound a day, or even
less, will be all that is necessary to encourage the bees to active preparation for
the good time coming.
WHAT TO FEED.
For this purpose I would feed coffee A sugar, reduced to the consistency of
honey, or else extracted honey kept over from the previous year. The price of
the latter will decide which is most profitable.  Many advise feeding the poorer
grades of sugar in spring.  My own experience makes me question the policy of
ever using such feed for bees.
HOW TO FEED.
The feeder (Fig. 13) which I have used with the best satisfaction is much the




MANUAL OF THE APIARY.                                29
form of a frame of comb with the lower half cut off.  The'~'ti,     \ top bar (b, Fig. 13) is two inches wide and one-half inch, l "g-   thick, with a central hole (c, Fig. 13) one inch wide by
three long.  Tacked to the edge of this top-bar is a bag
l-j,_ ~i.l,  made of drilling, which should not reach nearer the ends
FIG. 13.    than one inch, and should not be more than half as deep as
the hive.  This is put into a hive either at the end or between the frames.  If
at the end and a quilt is used to cover the frames the quilt need not extend
over the feeder, but tuck in closely beside it, thus precluding any bees gaining
entrance to the feeder.  If it is placed between other frames the quilt should
be stuck to the top bar of the feeder, and a hole or flap cut in it immediately
above the hole in the bar.  If a honey board is used, the bar of the feeder can
be fastened to the honey board, with the hole immediately beneath the same in
the honey board.  Now, to feed we have only to raise the top of the hive, and
with a tin pail with a long spout turn in our feed.  As the bees can not get
above they cause us no trouble.  And the feeding becomes a matter of great
ease and rapidity.  The drilling should be just fine enough to permit the syrup
to ooze through.  I have even used very closely woven unbleached factory.
These feeders can be washed out when not in use, and can be used for feeding
whenever it is desired, for whatsoever purpose.
COLONIES SHOULD NEVER BE QUEENLESS.
Suppose the queen is laying 2,000 eggs a day, and that the full number of
bees is 40,000, then it will be seen that each day that a colony is without a
queen there is a loss equal to one-twentieth of the working force of the colony,
and this is a compound loss, as the aggregate loss of any day is its special loss,
augmented by the several losses of previous days.  Now, as queens are liable
to die, to become impotent, and as the act of increasing colonies demand the
absence of queens, unless the apiarist has extra ones at command, it is imperative, would we secure the best results, to ever have at hand extra queens.
HIOW TO REAR QUEENS.
As queens may be needed by the last of May, preparations looking to the
early rearing of queens must commence early.  When preparing the colonies
for winter the previous autumn, be sure to place some drone comb somewhere
near the centre of the colony that has given the best results the previous season.
In March, and certainly by the first of April, see that all colonies have plenty
of bee-bread.  If necessary, place unbolted flour, rye is best, in shallow
troughs near the hives.  It will be well to give the whole apiary the benefit of
such feeding before the flowers yield pollen, but the colony under consideration
should be given frames containing bee-bread which was stored the previous year.
At the same time, March or April, commence stimulative feeding.  If you have
another colony equally good with the first, also give that the pollen, and commence giving it feed, but only worker comb should be in the brood chamber.
Very likely in April drone eggs will be laid in the drone comb.  I have had
drones flying the first of May.  As soon as the drones commence to hatch out
remove the queen.  If two equally good colonies are being fed, remove the queen
from the one that is without drone comb.  This queen may be used in making
a new colony, in manner soon to be described under artificial swarming, or increasing the number of colonies.  This queenless colony will immediately commence forming queen cells.  (Fig. 11.)  Sometimes these are formed to the
number of fifteen or twenty, and they are started, too, in a full vigorous colony,




30                      MANUAL OF THE APIARY.
in fact, under the most favorable conditions.  Cutting off edges of the comb,
or cutting holes in the same where there are eggs or larwve just hatched, will
almost always insure the starting of queen cells in such places.  There is one
disadvantage in this course which would not have been true had the bees been
left till they prepared to swarm: the queens are almost sure to be started from
worker larva two or three days old, yet if left till preparation for swarming was
made, the number of queen cells is apt to be very small.  We could wait, at
quite an expense of time, and after six days cut out all queen cells then started,
and insert fresh eggs from our favorite queen, and remedy both evils.  If this
is deemed best, we can cut out small pieces of comb, containing eggs or larvse
just hatched, and insert in holes cut in the brood comb of the colony where we
are to rear our queens.  Thus we meet every possible requisite for raising the
most superior queens.  In fact, we exercise a care in our breeding that even the
best horse or cattle breeders cannot surpass.  In a week these cells are capped,
and the apiarist is ready to form his
NUCLEI.
A nucleus is simply a miniature colony of bees-a hive and colony on a small
scale, for the purpose of rearing and keeping queens.  We want the queens, but
can afford to each nucleus only a few bees.  The nucleus hive, if we use frames
not more than one foot square, need be nothing more than an ordinary hive,
with chamber confined by a division board (see section on hives) to the capacity
of three frames.  If our frames are large, then we shall be obliged to construct
special nucleus hives.  These are small hives, need not be more than six inches
each way, that is, in length, breadth, and thickness, and made to contain from
four to six frames of corresponding size.  These frames are filled with comb.
I have for the last two or three years used the first named style of nucleus hive,
and have found it advantageous to have about two long hives made, each to contain five chambers, each of which is entirely separate from the one next to it,
and five inches wide.  Each chamber is covered by a separate, close-fitting
board, and the whole by a common cover. The entrance for the two end chambers is at the ends near the same side of the hive.  The middle chamber has its
entrance at the middle of the side near which are the end entrances, while the
other two chambers open on the opposite side, as far apart as is possible.  The
outside might be painted different colors to correspond with the divisions, if
thought necessary, especially on the side with two openings.  Yet I have never
taken this precaution, nor have I been troubled by losing queens.  They have
invariably entered their own apartments when returning from  their wedding
tour.  These hives I use to keep queens during the summer.  In spring I make
use of my hives which are prepared for prospective summer use, for my nuclei.
Now go to different hives of the apiary, and take out three frames for each nucleus, at least one of which has brood, and so on, till there are as many nuclei
prepared as you have queen cells to dispose of.  The bees should be left adhering to the frames of comb, only we must be certain that the queen is not among
them, as this would take the queen from  where she is most needed, and would
lead to the sure destruction of one queen cell.  I usually shake off into the nucleus the bees from  one or two more frames, so that, even after the old bees
have returned, there will still be a sufficient number of young bees left in the
nucleus to keep the temperature at a proper height.  If any desire the nuclei
with smaller frames, these frames must of course be filled with comb, and then
we can shake bees immediately into the nuclei, as given above, till they shall
have sufficient to preserve a proper temperature.  In this case the queen cell




MANUAL OF THE APIARY.                                31
should be inserted just before the bees are added; in the other case, either before or after.  To insert the queen cell-for we are now to give one to each
nucleus, so we can never form more nuclei than we have capped queen cellswe first cut them out, commencing to cut on either side the base of the cell, at
least one-half inch distant, we must not in the least compress the cell, then cutting up and out for two inches, then across opposite the cell.  This leaves the
cell attached to a wedge-shaped piece of comb, whose apex is next the cell.  A
similar cut in the middle frame of the nucleus, which in case of the regular
frames, is the one containing brood, will furnish an opening to receive the wedge
containing the cell.  The comb should also be cut away beneath so that the cell
cannot be compressed.  After all the nuclei have received their cells and bees,
they have only to be set in a shady place and watched to see that sufficient bees
remain.  Should too many leave, give them  more by removing the cover and
shaking a frame loaded with bees over the nucleus; keep the opening nearly
closed, and cover with a quilt.  The main caution in all this is to be sure not to
get any old queen in a nucleus.  In two or three days the queens will hatch, and
in a week longer will have become fertilized, and that, too, by selected drones,
for as yet there are no other in the apiary, and the apiarist will possess from ten
to thirty-five queens, which will prove his best stock in trade.  I cannot overestimate the advantage of ever having extra queens.  By keeping empty frames
and empty cells in the nuclei, the bees may be kept active, yet with so few bees
one cannot expect very much of them.  After cutting all the queen cells from
our old hive, we can again insert eggs and obtain another lot of cells, or if we
have a sufficient lnumber, we can leave a single queen cell, and this colony will
soon be the happy possessor of a queen, and just as flourishing as if the even
tenor of its ways had not been disturbed.
IOW TO MULTIPLY COLONIES WITII THE BEST RESULTS.
We have already seen the evils of natural swarming, which, even though no
stock is too much reduced in numbers, no colony lost by not receiving prompt
attention, no Sunday quiet disturbed, and no time wasted in alxious watching,
yet, at best, the old colony is queenless for about two weeks, a state of things
vwhich no apiarist can or should afford.  The true policy, then, is to practice
ARTIFICIAL SWARMIGG.
This method of procedure will divide evenly, will increase our number of colonies just to our liking, and with the least possible disturbance, will prevent loss
of time, and is in every respect safer and to be preferred to natural swarming.
I have practiced artificial swarming ever since keeping bees, and never without
the best results.
IIOW TO DIVIDE.
By the process already described, we have secured a goodly number of fine
queens, which will be in readiness at the needed time.  Now, as soon as the
white clover harvest is well commenced, early in June, we may commence operations.  If we have but one colony to divide, it is well to wait till they become
pretty populous, but not till they swarm.  Take one of our waiting hives, which
now holds a nucleus and fertile queen, and remove the same close along side the
colony we wish to divide.  This must only be done on warm days when the bees
are active, and better be done while the bees are busy, in the middle of the day.
Remove the division board of the new hive, and then remove five combs, well
loaded with brood, and of course containing some honey, from the old colony,
bees and all, to the new hive.  Also take the remaining frames and shake the
bees into the new hive.  Only be sure that the queen still remains in the old hive.




32                      MANUAL OF THE APIARY.
Fill both the hives with empty frames, and return the new hive to its former
position.  The old bees will return to the old colony, while the young ones will
remain peaceably with the new queen.  The old colony will now contain at least
seven frames of brood, honey, etc., the old queen, and plenty of bees, so that
they will work on as though naught had transpired, though perhaps moved to
a little harder effort by the added space and five empty frames.  The empty
frames may be all placed at one end, or placed between the others, though not
so as to divide brood.  The new colony will have eight frames of brood, comb,
etc., three from the nucleus and five from the old colony, a young fertile queen,
plenty of bees, those of the previous nucleus and the young bees from the old
colony, and will work with a surprising vigor, often even eclipsing the old colony.
If the apiarist has several colonies, it is better to make the new colony from
several old colonies, as follows:  Take one frame of brood comb from each of
six old colonies, or two from  each of three, and carry them, bees and all, and
place with the nucleus.  Only, be sure that no.queen is removed.  Fill all the
hives with empty frames, as before.  In this way we increase without in the least
disturbing any of the colonies, and may add a colony every day or two, or perhaps several, depending on the size of our apiary, and can thus always, so my
experience says, prevent swarming.  These are unquestionably the best methods
to divide, and so I will not complicate the subject by detailing others.  The
only objection that can be urged against them  is that we must seek out the
queen in each hive, or at least be sure that we do not remove her, though this is
by no means so tedious if we have Italians, as of cours e e all will.  I might
give methods which would  render unnecessary this caution, but they are
inferior, and not to be recommended.  If we proceed as above described, the
bees will seldom prepare to swarm at all, and if they do they will be discovered
in the act, by such frequent examinations, and the work may be cut short
by at once dividing such colonies as first explained, and destroying their
queen cells, or, if desired, use them for forming new nuclei.
HOW TO HANDLE BEES.
But, says one, Shall we not be stung to death?  NVo one need be stung.  Bees
should never be jarred, nor irritated by quick motions.  Those with nervous
temperaments-and I plead very guilty on this point-need not give up, but at
first better protect their faces, and perhaps even their hands, till time and
experience show them that fear is vain; then they will divest themselves of all
such useless encumbrances.
THIE BEST BEE-VEIL.
This should be made of black tarlatan, sewed up like a bag,
a half yard long, and with a diameter of the rim of a comm on straw hat, without top or bottom.  Gather the top with
u  braid, so that it will just slip over the crown of the hat, and
t  the bottom with rubber cord or rubber tape, so that it may
be drawn over the hat rim, and then over the head as we
i  adjust the hat.  When in use (Fig. 14), the rubber cord
dralws the lower part close about the neck, anld we are safe.
T'his kind of a veil is cool, does not impede vision at all, and
can be made by any woman at a cost of less than twenty
cents.  Common buckskin or sheepskin gloves can be used,
as it will scarcely pay to get special gloves for the purpose,
for the most timid person,-I speak from  experience,FIG. 14.     will soon consider gloves as an unnecessary nuisance.




MANUAL OF THE APIARY.                                  33
TO QUIET BEES.
In harvest seasons the bees, especially if Italians, can almost always be handled
without their showing resentment.   But at other times, and whenever they
object to necessary familiarity, we have only to cause them to fill with honey to
render them harmless, unless we pinch them.  This can be done either by closing the hive, so that they cannot get out, and then rapping on the hive for
four or five minutes.  Those within will fill with honey, those from  without
will be tamed by surprise, and all will be quiet.  Another method, more convenient, is to smoke the bees.  A  little smoke blown among the bees will
scarcely ever fail to quiet them, though I have known black bees in autumn to
refuse to yield.  Dry cotton cloth, closely wound and sewed or tied, or, better,
pieces of dry rotten wood, are excellent for purposes of smoking.  These are
easily handled and will burn for a long time.  But best of all is a
QUINBY SMOKER.
This is a tin tube attached to a bellows.  Cloth or rotten wood can be burned
in the tube, and will remain burning a long time.  The smoke can be directed
at pleasure, the bellows easily worked, and the smoker used without any disagreeable effects or danger from fire.  It can be got of any dealer in bee apparatus, and only costs $1.50.  I most heartily recommend it to all.  It was
patented by the late Mr. Quinby, to whom American bee-keepers are so greatly
indebted, and I think he reserved the entire right to manufacture.
nR00O3  OR STORING SHOULD ALWAYS BE PROVIDED.
Every apiarist has observed with uneasiness the frequent clustering of the
bees outside the hive, in strange indolence, even when every flower is fragrant
with sweet.  A prolific cause of such expensive idleness is a too confined space
within the hive, and no room for further storing.  The evil may be prevented
or removed in three ways:
First-By dividing the bees as already described, we shall remove a portion of
the bees, give empty frames, and by removing the cause, prevent or overcome
the evil.
Secondly-We may give more room for storing by using the extractor, whenever extracted honey is profitable, and as we have already seen, we must do this
if the queen has not room for egg-laying.
Thirdly-We can add more frames, either at the side or above, as our hive
permits (see section on hives), or add surplus honey boxes if we desire our surplus in comb and in the best form to suit the market.
IN WHAT FOaRM TO SECURE OUR SURPLUS COMB IONEEY.
As before stated, if we can get fifteen or twenty cents for extracted honey,
we shall not care to work for that in the comb, and only allow surplus in those
drone combs, a few of which will steal in, despite the most wary apiarist.  Otherwise we will arrange for comb-honey.  This will be most readily and abundantly secured in frames, which may be suspended at the side of, or above, the
brood frames.  These flrames may be the usual size, or half, or quarter size.
The method of construction will be described in the sequel.  The objection that
some urge to this arrangement is, that the frame honey does not meet such
ready sale or receive as high prices as that in boxes, yet the retail dealers in
Lansing prefer it.  Whether the extra amount will compensate for the lower
5




34                       MANUAL OF THE APIARY.
price munzst be decided by each apiarist, as it will depend wholly on the locality.
If boxes are preferred, they should be so mlade as to best attract the buyer, and
put in place as soon as the brood chamber is well filled, which, with  proper
managemelnt, will be at the opening of the white clover harvest.  As soon as
storing ceLses, the boxes or frames should be removed, as the comb will keep
brighter, and the boxes freer from bee-glue.  If not full they can be returned
as storing is resumed.  To free the boxes of bees when removed, they should be
placed in a close box, which should be all covered from the light except one little opening, and through this the bees will escape to their hive..Should robbers
enter, leave the large box uncovered except -by a thin sheet, which can be turned
over as the bees collect on it.
Boxes containing honey should be placed in dry, cool rooms1, scure from mice
and moths, and it would be wTell to placec them in a close box the third day after
their removal from the hive, and burn some sulphur in the box.  The fumes
would do no injury to the honey, and would destroy any inchoate moths.  (The
method.s of nmaking, preparing, and adjusting boxes will be described under
hives.)
H1IYES SHA.DED.
Bees are also forced to cluter outside the hive, where the hives are subjected
to the fall force of the sun's rays.  By the intense heat the temperature inside
becomes like that of an oven, and the wonder is that they do not desert entirely.
I have known hives thus unprotected to be covered by bees idling outside, when
by simply shading the hiyes all would go merrily to work.  The combs, too, are
liable, in unshaded hives, to melt and fall down, which is very damaging to the
bees, and very vexatious to the apiarist.  The remedy for all this is to always
have the hives so situated that they will be entirely shaded all through the heat
of the day.  This might be done by constructing a shed or house, but these are
expensive and inconvenient, and therefore to be discarded.  Perhaps the Coe
house apiary niay prove an exception; but, as yet, we have no reliable assurance
of the fact.  If the apiarist has a convenient grove, this may be trimmed high,
so as not to be damp, and will fulfill every requirement.  So arrange the hives
that, though they are shaded through all the heat of the day, they will receive
the early and late rays, and thus work more hours.  I always face my hives to
the east.  If no grove is at command, the hives may be placed on the north of
a Concord grape vine, or evergreen, which may soon be secured for the purpose.
Norway spruce is the best. These should be at least six feet apart.  A. I. Root's
idea of having the vines of each succeeding row divide the spaces of the previous
row, in quincunx order, is very good; though I should prefer the rows in this
case to be four, instead of three feet apart, especially with evergreens.  The
same gentleman's idea of having sawdust under and about the hives is a good
one.  The hives of the Michigan Agricultural College are protected by evergreens, trimmed close on the north side.  A space four feet by six, north of the
shrubs, was then cdug out to a depth of four inches, and filled with sawdust,
underlying which were old bricks, so that nothing would grow  up through the
sawdust.  The sawdust thus extends one foot back, or west of the hive, three
feet north, and the same distance east, or in front.  This makes it neat about the
hive, and largely removes the danger of losing the queen in handling the bees;
as should she fall outside the hive, the sharp-sighted apiarist would be very
likely indeed to see her.  Until protecting  shade can  be thus permanently
secured, boards should be arranged for temporary protection.  Many apiarists




MANUAL OF THE APIARY.                                    35
economize by using fruit trees for this purpose, which, from  their spreading
tops, answer very well.
THE APIARY SHOULD BE IN  MIDST OF HONEY PLANTS.
As bees do not make honey, but only gather it, and as honey is mainly
derived from  certain flowers, it of course follows that the apiarist's success will
depend  largely upon the abundance of honey-secreting plants in the vicinity
of his apiary.  True it is that certain bark and plant lice secrete a kind of
liquid  sweet-honey of doubtful reputation-which, in the dearith of anything better, the bees seem. olad to appropriate.  I have thus seen the bees thick.about a large bark-louse which attacks the tulip tree, and thus often destroys
-one of our best honey trees.  This is an undes;cribecd species of the genus Leca-iu,612b.  I have also seen them thick about three species of plant lice.  One, the
Pempl/higus iiibricator, F itch, works on the beech tree.  Its abdomen is thickly
-covered with long wool, and it makes a comical show as it wags this up and
down upon the least disturbance.  The leaves of trees attacked by this louse,
as also those beneath the trees, are fairly gummed with a sweetish substance.  I
have found that the bees avoid this substance, except at tinmes of extreme drouth.and long protracted absence of honeyed bloom.  It was the source of no inconsiderable stores during the terribly parched autumn  of Chicago's great disaster.
Another species of Pempiiygus gives rise to certain solitary plum-like galls,
which appear on the upper surface of the red elm. These galls are thin-skinned,.and within the hollows are the lice, and their abundant sweet often attracts the
bees, as to a feast of fat things, as the gall is torn apart, or cracks open, so
that the sweet exudes.  This sweet is anything but disagreeable, and may not
be unwholesome to the bees.  Another, black aphis, works on the branches of
our willows, which they often entirely cover, and thus greatly damage another
tree valuable for both honey and pollen.  Were it not that they seldom are so
numerous two years in succession, they would certainly banish fronm  anmong us,one of our most ornamental and valuable honey-producing trees.  These are
fairly thronged in September and October by bees, wasps, ants, and various
two-winged flies, all eager to lap up the oozing sweets.  This louse is doubtless
the Lacchinus clentahts, of Le Baron, and the Aptis sacicti, of Harris.  Bees also
get, in some regions, a sort of honey-dew, which enables them. to add to their;stores with surprising rapidity. I remember one morning while riding on horseback along the Sacramento River, in California, I broke off a willow twig beside
the road, when, to my surprise, I found it was fairly deckied with drops of honey.
Upon further exanmilnation I found the willow foliage was abundantly sprinkled
by these delicious drops.  These shrubs were undisturbed by insects, nor were
they under trees.  -Here then was a real case of honey-dew, which must have
been distilled through the night by the leaves.  I never saw any such phenomenon in Michigan; still honey-dew may be a product even of our State.  Has
ntyono undoubted evidence on the subject?  Bees also get some honey from
oozing sap, somie of cuestionable repute from about cider mills, some from grapes
and other flruit which have been crushed, or eaten and torn by wasps and other
inmsects.  That bees ever tear the grapes is a question of which I have failed to
receive any personal proof, though for years I have been carefully seeking it.
I have lived among the vineyards of California, and have often watched bees
about vines in Michigan, but never saw bees tear open the grapes.  I have laid
crushed grapes in the apiary, when the bees were not gathering, and were ravenous for stores, which, when covered wvitlh sipping  Qees, ere replaced with sound




36                      MANUAL OF THE APIARY.
grape clusters, which in no instance were mutilated.  I have thus been led to
doubt if bees ever attack sound grapes, though quick to improve the opportunities which the oriole's beak and the stronger jaws of wasps offer them.  Still,
Prof. Riley feels sure that bees are sometimes thus guilty, and Mr. Bidwell tells
me he has frequently seen bees rend sound grapes, which they did with their
feet.  Yet, if this is the case, it is certainly of rare occurrence, and is more
than compensated by the great aid which the bees afford the fruit-grower in the
great work of cross-fertilization, which is imperatively necessary to his success,
as has been so well shown by Dr. Gray and Mr. Chas. Darwin.  It is true that
cross-fertilization of the flowers, which can only be accomplished by insects, and
early in the season by the honey-bee, is often, if not always necessary to a full
yield of fruit and vegetables.  Even then, if Mr. Bidwell and Prof. Riley are
right, and the bee does, rarely-for surely this is very rare, if ever-destroy
grapes, still they are, beyond any possible question, invaluable aids to the
pomologist.
But the principal source of honey is still from the flowers.
WHAT ARE TIE VALUABLE HONEY PLANTS?
In the northeastern part of our country the chief reliance for May is the fruitblossoms, willows, and sugar maple.  In June white clover yields largely of the
most delicious honey, both as to appearance and flavor. In July the incomparable bass-wood makes both bees and apiarist jubilant.  In August buckwheat
offers its tribute, which we welcome, though it be dark, and pungent in flavor,
while with us in Michigan, August and September give us a profusion of bloom
which yields to no other in the richness of its capacity to secrete honey, and is
not cut off till the autumn frosts, —usually about Sept. 15.  Thousands of acres
of golden rod, boneset, asters, and other autumn flowers of our new northern
counties, as yet have blushed unseen, with fragrance wasted.  This unoccupied
territory, unsurpassed in its capability for fruit production, covered with grand
forests of maple and bass-wood, and spread with the richest of autumn bloom,
offers opportunities to the practical apiarist rarely equalled except in the Pacific
States, and not even there, when other privileges are considered.  In these
localities two or three hundred pounds to the colony is no surprise to the apiarist, while even four or five hundred are not isolated cases.
In the following table will be found a list of valuable honey plants.  Those
in the first column are herbaceous or perennial, the herbaceous being enclosed
in a parenthesis thus: () while those in the second are shrubs or trees, the
names of shrubs being enclosed in a parenthesis.  The date of commencement
of bloom is, of course, not invariable.  The one appended is about average for
Central Michigan.  Those plants whose names appear in small capitals yield
very superior honey.  Those with a line beneath are useful for other purposes
than honey secretion.  Those with a * are native or very common in Michigan.
Those written in the plural refer to more than one species, while those followed
by a f are very numerous in species.  Of course I have not named all, as that
would include some hundreds which have been observed at the college, taking
nearly all of the two great orders Composite and Rosaciae.  I have only aimed
to give the most important, omitting many foreign plants of notoriety, as I have
had no personal knowledge of them:




MANUAL OF THE APIARY.                                    37
DATE.    ANNUALS OR PERENNIALS.    DATE.                  SHRUBS OR TREES.
May.       * Strawberry                   May__....    (Willows.) t
May to June * Dandelion.                       -- -       taples-Sugar  aple.
June ------- * WHITE CLOVER.                           * Crab Apple.
-^  C~atn          ~ —---— ip.                    * Hawthorns.
--        Hoarhounip   -  - - *  Fruit Trees. Apple, Plum,. - -     o —-- ther-wort.                            Cherry, Pear, etc.
- --—: ALSIKIE  LOVER.                     - |  — " - * (Currant and Gooseberry.)
-" -_  _   * Borage.                     May to June * Tulip-tree.
" —-----  Sage.                           "'"* (Grape-vine.)
June to July * Ox-eyed Daisy-bad weed. June.           * Wild-plum.
"    Aug. * Bush Honeysuckle.                         * (Black Raspberry.)
"      "    (MELILOT.)                        -        -- -Lout
~      ~    RaMse.                            - - ~* (RED RASPBERRY.)'"     "    Rape.
"    Sept. * St. John's Wort.              "  -------  (Sulnach.) 
July to Aug. * Silk or Milk weeds.              ---    * Blackberry.;''*  JBoneset.                  July          * BAss-WOOD.
August-.    * (Buckwheat.)                 *"  (Virginia Creeper.)
-".-. — * Asparagus.                   July to Sep. (St. John's Worts.
"   ---  * Snap-dragon.
Aug. to Sep. * GOLDEN ROD. t
r      CC l* " Asters. t
"       I:'* Stick-tights — Coreopsis.;      "    (I(Minnesota bee-plant) -Polanisia.
HOW  TO WINTER.
This is the. subject, of course, of paramount importance to the apiarist, as
this is the rock on which some of even the most successful have recently split.
Yet I come fearlessly to consider this question, as from  all the multitude of disasters I see no occasion for discouragement.  If the problem of successful wintering has not been solved already, it surely will be, and that speedily.  So important an interest was never yet vanquished by misfortune, and there is no
reason to think that history is now going to be reversed.  Even the worst aspect
of the case, in favor of which there is no proof, and but few suggestions even,
that these calamities are the effects of an epidemic, would be all powerless to
dishearten men trained to reason from  effect to cause.  Even an epidemicwhich would by no means skip by the largest, finest apiaries, owned and controlled by the wisest, nost careful, and most thoughtful, as has been the case
in the winters of our late discontent-would surely yield to man's invention.'IWHAT THEN IS THE CAUSE?
Epidemic then, being set aside as no factor in the solution, to what shall we
ascribe such wide-spread reverses.  I fully believe, and to no branch of this subject have I given more thought, study, and observation, that all the losses may
be traced either to unwholesome food, failure in late breeding of the previous
year, extrenes of temperature, or to protracted cold with excessive dampness.
I know from actual and wide-spread observation, that the severe loss of 1870
and 1871 was attended in this part of Michigan with unsuitable honey in the
hive.  The previous autumn was unprecedentedly dry.  Flowers were rare, and
storing was largely from insect secretion, and the stores unwholesome.  I tasted




38                       MANUAL OF THE APIARY.
of honey from many hives only to find it most nauseating.  I fully believe that
had the honey been thoroughly extracted the previous autumn, and the bees fed
good honey or sugar, no loss would have been experienced.  At least it is significant that all who did so, escaped, even where their neighbors all failed.  Nor
less so the fact that when I discovered eight of my twelve colonies dead, and
four more just alive, I cleaned the remaining ones all out, and to one no
worse nor better than the others I gave good capped honey stored early the
previous summer, while the others were left with their old stores, that that one
lived and gave the best record I have ever known, the succeeding season, while
all the others died.
Again, suppose that after the bass-wood season in July, there is no storing of
honey, either from want of space, or from lack of bloom.  In this case broodrearing ceases.  Yet if the weather is dry and warm, as of course it will be in
August and September, the bees continue to wander about, death comes apace,
and by autumn the bees are reduced in numbers, old in days, and illy prepared
to brave the winter and perform the duties of spring.  I fully believe that if all
the colonies of our State and country had been kept breeding by proper use of
the extractor, and feeding even till into October, we should have had a different
record, especially as to spring dwindling, and consequent death.  In the autumn
of 1872 I kept my bees breeding till the first of October.  The following winter
I had no loss, while my neighbors lost all of their bees.
Extremes of heat and cold are also detrinental to the bees.  If the temperature of the hive becomes too great the bees become restless, eat more than they
ought, and if confined to their hives are distended with their foeces, become.
diseased, besmear their comb and hives, and die.  If when they become thus
disturbed, they could have a purifying flight, all would be well.
Again, if the temperature becomes extremely low, to keep up the animal heat
more food must be taken; they are uneasy, exhale much moisture, which may
settle and freeze on the outer combs about the cluster, preventing the bees from
getting the needed food, and thus in this case both dysentery and starvation
confront the bees.  I have little doubt, in fact I know from actual investigation
that in the past three severe winters, those bees which under confinement have
been subject to severe extremes, are the ones that have invariably perished.
Had the bees been kept in a uniform temperature ranging from  35~ to 45~ F.,
the record would have been materially changed.
Excessive moisture, too, especially in cases of protracted cold, is always to be
avoided.  Bees, like all other animals, are constantly giving off moisture, which
of course will be accelerated if the bees become disturbed, and are thus led to
eat more.  This moisture not, only acts as explained above, but also induces
fungus growths.  The mouldy comb is not wholesome, though it may never
cause death.  Hence another necessity of sufficient warmth to drive this moisture from the hive and some means to absorb it without opening the hive above
and permitting a current, which will disturb the bees, and cause the greater
consumption of honey.
TIHE REQUISITE TO SAFE WINTERING.
To winter safely then demands that the bees have thirty pounds of good
capped honey (coffee A  sugar is just as good).  If desired this may be fed as
previously explained, which should be done so early that all -will be capped
during the warml  days of October.  I prefer too that some of the comb on the
centre of the hive has empty cells, to give a better chance to cluster, and that
all the combs have a snall hole through the centre, that the bees may pass




MANUAL OF THE APIARY.                                    39
freely through,   This hlole may simply be cut withd   t 1a ife, or a tin tube tire
size of one's finger may be driven through the comb, and left in if desired, in
which case the comb shoulc  be pushed out of t t tube, and the tub  e b  no
longer than the comb is thick.
Keep the bees breeding till the first of October. Except in years of excessive
drouth, this will occur in maniy parts of Michigan without extra care.  Failure
Imay result from the presence of worthless queens.  Any queens which seem not
to be prolific should be superseded whenever the fact becomes evident.  I'regard
this as most impwtortant.  FIewA know how mIuch is lost by tolerating feebDle, impotent queens in the apiary, whose ability can only keep the colony alive.  Never
keep such queens about.  Here, then, is another reason for always keepilng extra
queens on hand.  Even with excellent queens, a failure in the honey yield may
cause breeding to cease.  In such cases, we have only to feed as directed unlder
the head of feeding.
We ought also to provide against extremes of temperature.  If no cellar or
house is at hand, this nay be accomplished as follows: Some pleasant dry day
in late October or early November raise the stand and place straw beneathl; then
surround the hive with a box a foot outside the hive, with movable top, and open
on the east; or else have a long wooden tube, which will permit the bees to fly.
The same end may be gained by driving stakes and putting boards around.
Now crowd between the box and the hive either straw, chaff, or shavings.  After
placing a good thickness of straw above the hive, lay on the cover of the box, or
cover with boards.  This preserves against changes of temperature during the
winter, and also permits the bees to ily if it becomes lncessary from a protracted
period of warm winter weather.  I have thus kept all my bees safely during two
of the disastrous winters.
With large apiaries the above method is too laborious, and a celar or special
depository is necessary.  After my experience last winter, losing all my bees by
keeping them  in a house with double walls filled in with saw-dust, in which the
thermometer indicated a temperature below zero for several weeks, in which time
my strongest colonies literally starved to death in the mananer already described,
I hesitate to recommend a house above ground for M1ichigan, though with very
numerous colonies it might do.  Such a house must, if it answer the purpose,
keep an equable temperature, at least 30 above freezing, and not mnore than ten,
be perfectly dark, and ventilated with tubes above anld below, so arralnged as to
be closed or opened at pleasure, and not admit a ray of light.
A cellar in which we are sure of onu  ability to control the temperature, neelds
to be also dry, dark, and quiet, and ventilated a, describled above.  /My cellar
is grouted throughout, which makes it more dry Cnld ne.at.  Of course it should
be thoroughly drained.
The colonies should be put into the depository when the hive is dry, before
cold weather, anld may remlain with good results till' April; though in January
and March, if there are days that are warm, they should be taken out and the
bees permitted to fly, especially if they seem  uneasy and soil the entrance of
their hives.   Always whean taken out they should be placed on their old stands,
so that no bees may be lost.  Towards night, when all are quiet, replace them
in the cellar.  In moving the hives, great care should be exercised not to jar
them.  It were better if the bees should not know that they were being moved
at all,
That the moisture may be abslorbed, I cover the bees with a quilt, nade of
coarse factory cloth, enclosing a layer of cotton batting.  Above this I fill in
with straw which is packed in so closely that the cover may be reimoed without




40                       MANUAL OF THE APIAtY.
the straw falling out.  This is not only an excellent absorbent, but preserves
the heat, if allowed to remain, till the following June.
I have found it advantageous, whenl preparing my bees for winter, in October,
to contract the chamber by use of a division board.  This is very desirable if
wintered out doors, and with frames a foot square is very easily accomplished.
By use of eight frames the space (one cubic foot) is very compact, and serves
to economize the heat, not only in winter, but in spring.
Perhaps I ought to say that all colonies should be strong in autumn.  But I
have said before, never have weak colonies.  Yet for fear some have been negligent, I remark that weak colonies should be united in preparing for winter.
To do this, approximate the colonies each day four or five feet till they are side
by side.  Now remove the poorest queen, then smoke thoroughly, sprinkle both
colonies with sweetened water scented with essence of peppermint, putting a sufficient number of the best frames and all the bees into one of the hives, and
then set this midway between the position of the hives at the commencement of
the uniting.  The bees will unite peaceably, and make a strong colony.  Uniting of colonies may pay at other seasons.  It may seem  rash to some, yet I
fully believe that if the above suggestions are carried out in full, I may guarantee successful wintering.  But if we do lose our bees, with all our hives, combs,
and honey, we can buy colonies in the spring, with a perfect certainty of making
300 or 400 per cent. on our investment.  Even with the worst condition of
things, we are still ahead, in way of profit, of most other vocations.
FOUL BROOD.
Just here it is very proper to speak of this dreaded dieaase.  This disease,
though it has occurred in our State as well as in States about us, is not familiar
to me, I having never seen but one case, and that on Kelly's Island, the past
summer, where I found it had reduced the colonies on that Island to two.
The symptoms are as follows: Decline in the prosperity of the colony, because of failure to rear brood.  The brood seems to putrefy, becomes black and
gives off a stench which is by no means agreeable, while later the caps have a
little hole through them.  So far, the cause is obscure, though the disease seems
to be gendered by feeding upon the honey.
It is stated by some that transferring the bees to an empty hive, and preventing brood-rearing till all the honey conveyed in the bees' stolmachs is consumed,
is a cure.  In this case the honey from the old hive must be kept from  all the
bees, or the spread of the disease will be certain.  Others advise total destruction of affected colonies, honey, hives, and all.  The disease is a very serious
one, and the symptons should be understood by all, that its spread may be prevented.  More, the whole subject should be investigated by the most competent
scientific authorities.  What better work for the bee-keepers of our country
than to memorialize Congress on this subject.
ALL SHOULD KEEP ONLY ITALIANS.
The advantages of the Italians, which have been already considered as fully
as necessary, are more than sufficient to warrant the exclusion of any other bees
from the apiary.  Truly no one need to be urged to a course that adds to the
ease, profit, and agreeableness of his vocation.
How  TO ITALIANIZE.
From what has been already explained as to the natural history of bees, it
will be seen that all we have to do to change our bees, is to change our queens.




MANUAL OF THE APIARY.                                41
-ence -to Italianize a colony we have only to procure and introduce an Italian
HOW TO INTRODUCE A QUEEN.
In divicding colonies, where we give our queen to a colony composed wholly of
young bees, it is safe and easy to introduce a queen in manner as explained iln
the section on artificial swarming.  To introduce a queen to a colony composed
of old bees more care is required.  First, we should seek out the old queen and
destroy her, then cage our Italian queen in a wire cage, which may be made by
winding a strip of wire cloth, three and one-half inches wide, and containing
fifteen to twenty meshes to the inch, about the finger.  Let it lap each way onehalf inch, then cut it off.  Ravel out the half inch on each side, and weave in
the ends of the wires, forming a tube the size of the finger.  We now have only
to put the queen in the tube, and pinch the ends together, and the queen is
caged.   The cage may now  be inserted between two adjacent combs contailning honey, each of which will touch it.  The queen can thus sip honey as
she needs it.  If we fear the queen may not be able to sip the honey through
the meshes of the wire, we may dip a piece of clean sponge in honey and insert
it in the upper end of the cage before we compress the end.  This will furnish
the queen with the needed food.  In 48 hours we again open the hive, after a
thorough smoking, also the cage, which is easily done by pressing the upper
end, at right angles to the direction of the pressure wihen we closed it.  In doing
this do not remove the cage.  Now keep watch and if as the bees enter the cage
or as the queen emerges the bees attack her, secure her immediately and recage
her for another 48 hours.  I usually let solme honey drip on the queen as soon
as the cage is opened.  Some think this renders the bees more amiable.  I have
introduced many queens in this nanner, and never lost one, and never had to
recage but one.
A young queen just emerging fromn  a cell can almost always be safely given at
once to the colony, after destroying the old queen.
A queen cell is usually received with favor.  If we adopt this course we must
be careful to destroy all other queen cells that mnay be formed; and if the one
we supply is destroyed, wait seven days, then destroy all their queen cells, and
they are sure to accept a cell.  But to save time I should always introduce a
queen.
If we are to introduce an imported queen, or one of very great value, we
might make a new colony, all of young bees, as already described.  Smoke them
well, sprinkle with sweetened water, daub the queen wlith honey, and introduce
immediately.  This method would involve really no risk.
By having a colony thus Italianized in the fall, we may commence the next
spring, and, as described in the section explaining the formation of artificial
swarms, we may control our rearing of drones, queens, and all, and ere another
autumn have only the beautiful, pure, amiable, and active Italians.  I have
done this several times, anld with the most perfect satisfaction.  I think by
making this change in blood we add 85 to the value of each colony, and I know
of no other way to nake money so easy and pleasantly.
WHAT STYLE OF HIVES SHALL WE USE?
I feel free to say that no person who reads, thinks, and studies, —and success
in apiculture can be promised to no other, —will ever be content to use the old
box hives.  In fact, thoulght and intelligence, which imply an eagerness to
6




42                        iALNUAL OF THE APIARY.
investigate, are essential elements in the apiarist's character.  And to such an
one a box hive would be valued just in proportion to the amount of kindlingwood it contained.  A  very serious fault with one of our principal bee books
which otherwise is mainly excellent in subject matter and treatment, is the fact
that it presumes its readers are box-hive men.  As well make emperors, kings,
and chivalry the basis of good government, in an essay written for American
readers.  I have entirely ignored box-hives in the previous discussions, for I
believe no sensible, intelligent apiarist, such as read books, will tolerate them,
and that, supposing they would, it would be an expensive mistake, which I have
no right to encourage, in fact, am bound to discourage, not only for the benefit
of individuals, but also for the art itself.
For the movable frame hive, the world is indebted to the Rev. L. L. Langstroth, and for this gift, as well as his able researches in apiculture, as given in
his invaluable book, "The Honey Bee," he has conferred a benefit upon our art
which cannot be over-estimated, and for which we, as apiarists, cannot be too
grateful.  It was his book, one of mly old teachers for which I have no word of
chiding, that led nme to some of the most delightful investigations of my life.
It was his invention that enabled me to make those investigations.  For one, I
shall always revere the name of Lanigstroth, as the great leader in scientific
apiculture, not only in America, but throughout the world.  Hils name iust
ever stand beside that of Dzierzon and the elder I-Tuber.
To be sure of success, the apiarist must be able to inspect the whole interior
of the hive at his pleasure, must be able to exchange combs from  one hive to
another, to regulate the movemenlts of the bees: by destroying queen cells, by
giving or withholding drone comb, by extracting the honey, by introducing
queens, and by miany other manipulations already explained, which are only
practicable with a movable frame hive.
CLIARACTER OF THE HIVE.
The main feature of the hivo should be simplicity, which would exclude doors,
~/^.~ ~            drawers, and traps of all kinds.  The
body should be made of good pine or
white-wood lumber, one inch thick, thor/ |  ogugllgy s.easoned, an1 planed on both sides.
i//HI / ~/ 2i i~.N.        It should be simply a plain box (Fig. 15)
-l 11^^',    i, Sl^            te Iwithout top or bottom, though some pre^^I~   llhl! /                   fer to have a bottom, and of a size and.!               form to suit the apiarlist.  The  size will
tf l Sl   depend upoon our purpose.  If we desire
iifill       noII     ll   comb honey, or desire comb honey in'Jvl -5,Ykl frames, the hive may contain 4, 000 cubic
{or'(ti  o      i     zl'll III              inches.  If we desire honey in boxes, it
Ishould not cota    over 2,000, and ma,,!!Sli lJ'l [/l /ll[i' 4/I,!be  even  smaller.'A  one-inch  rabbet
S1 ii t111  I,ll ii,,,i',-    sh_,ho'uld be cu fLot m the top of the sides or
ods, as the apiarist prefers, on the inside.  (Fig. 15 c.)  The rabbet niay equal
11  ~lllll  one-half the thicknes of the board. Heavy
I.ff1f          tin strips  - of an inch wide should be
FIG..5                 tacked to the side below the rabbet, so as
to reaclh one-fourth of an inch above the shoulder.  For a bottom  board (Fig..




MANUAL OF THE APIARY.                                43
16), or stand, we should have a single one-inch board (l, Fig. 16) four inches
wider than the hive, and six inches longer. This is nailed. on to two pieces of
two-by-four-inch scantling (a a Fig. 16), thus raising the hive five inches from
FIG. 16.
the ground.  These scantling should extend at one end eight inches beyond the
board, and this projection beveled from the edge of the board to the lower outer
corner of the scantling.  Upon this bevel nail a board (d Fig. 16), which shall
reach from the edge of the bottom board to the ground.  The upper edge of this
board should be so beveled as to fit closely to the bottom board.  For an opening (c Fig. 16) to the hive, I would bevel the middle of the edge of the bottom
board, next to the inclined board.  At the edge, this bevel should be 4 of an
inch deep and four inches wide.  It may decrease in both width and depth as it
runs back, till at a distance of five inches it is one-half inch wide and 5-32 of
an inch deep.  This may terminate the opening, though the shoulder at the end
may be beveled off, if desired.
With this bottom board the bees are near the ground, and with the slanting
board in front, even the most tired and heavily laden will not fail to gain the
hive as they come in with their load of stores.  XVo hive shouldl be nore thanc
four inches from the ground, and no hive should be without the slanting alighting-board. With this opening, too, the entrance can be contracted in case of
robbing, or entirely closed when desired, by simply moving the hive back.  If
desired, the alighting-board may be separate from  the bottom board or stand,
and fastened to it by small hooks and staples, so in winter they can be removed,
and the hives take less room in the cellar.
If we only purpose to have our surplus in boxes, or if we prefer a long hive,,
styled the " New Idea," we have only to make a cover about seven inches high,
like the lid of a trunk.  This may be the same size as the body of the hive, and.
fit on with beveled edges, and fastened with hook and staple, the body of the
hive having the outer edge beveled, while the cover has the inner edge beveled.
Or it may be enough larger to shut over the body, and rest on shoulders formed
by nailing inch strips around the body, two inches from the top.  Some prefer
the upper part to be just like the lower, and occupied by a similar frame.  In
this case the two should unite with a bevel, as explained above, while the cover
may be as just described, except that it need not be more than two inches deep.
THE FRAMES.
The form and size of frames, though not quite as various as the persons who
use them, are still very different.  Some prefer large frames.  I first used one
10 by 18 inches, and afterward a shallow frame about 7 by 18.  The advantage




44                       MANUAL OF THE APIARY.,claimed for such large frames is that there are less to handle, and time is saved.
The advantage of the shallow frame is, as claimed, that the bees will go into
boxes more readily; yet they are not considered so safe for out-door wintering.
Another frame in common use is one about one foot square.  I use one 11I
inches square.  The reasons that I prefer this form  are, that the comb seldom
breaks from the frame, the frames are convenient for nuclei, and save the expense
of constructing extra nucleus hives, and that these frames permit the most conzpact arrangement for winter and spring, and thus enable us to economize heat.
By use of a division board we can, by using eight of these frames, occupy just a'cubic foot of space in spring, and by repeated experiments I have found that a
hive so contracted that the bees always cover the combs during the early cold
weather, always gives the best results.
HOW  TO CONSTRUCT THE FRAMrES.
In this description I shall suppose that the frames desired, are of the form..._    _  -_  and size (Fig. 17), which I use.  It will be easy for any'ljjI  ~      who may desire, to change the form at pleasure.
l  For the top bar (a Fig. 17) of the frame, use a triangular
Z1 I                strip 12   long, with each face of the triangle I' across.
One-half an inch from each end of this, form  a shoulder,
d    -    --'by sawing from  one angle to within - of an inch of the! L      " —-    opposite face, so that when the piece is split out from  the
FIG. 17.     end, these projections shall be just X of an inch thick
throughout.  For the side pieces take (b b Fig. 17,) strips 11- inches long by'
by 3-10'.  Tack with small brads the end of two of these strips firmly to the
shoulder of the top-bar, taking pains that the end touches squarely against the
projection.  Now tack the opposite ends or bottoms to the ends of a similar strip
(cd Fig. 17,) 111' long.  We shall thus have a square frame.  The timber should
be thoroughly seasoned, and of the best pine or white-wood.  Care should be
taken that the frame be made so as to hang vertically, when suspended on the
rabbets of the hive.  In making  frames a good mitre box is indispensable.'The projecting ends of the top-bar will rest on the tins, and thus the frame,can be easily loosened at any time without jarring the bees, as the frames will
not be glued fast, as they would in case they rested on the wooden rabbets.
COVER FOR FRAMES.
Nothing that I have ever tried is equal to a quilt for this purpose.  It is a
good absorbent of moisture, preserves the heat in spring and winter, and can be
used in summer without jarring or crushing the bees.  This should be a real
quilt, made of firm unbleached factory, enclosing a thick layer of batting, and
hemmed about the edges.  My wife quilts and hems them on a machine.  The
quilting is in squares, and all is made in less than fifteen minutes.  The quilt
should be a little larger than the top of the hive, so that after all possible
shrinkage, it will still cover closely.  Thus when this is put on no bees can ever'get above it.  When we use the feeder, it may be covered by the quilt, and a
flap cut in the latter, just above the hole in the feeder, enables us to feed with-,out disturbing the bees, though I place the feeder at the end of the chamber,
wherein are the bees, and have only to double the quilt back when I feed.
DIVISION BOARD.
A close fitting division board, for contracting the chamber, is very important,
~and though unappreciated by many excellent apiarists; still no hive is complete




MANUAL OF THE APIARY.                                45
without it.  I find it especially valuable in winter and spring, and useful at all
seasons.  This is made the same form as the frames, though all below the top
bar-which consists of a strip 12' by 1' by V', and is nailed firmly to the board
below-is a solid inch board which is exactly one foot square, so that it fits
closely to the inside of the hive.  When this is inserted in the hive it entirely
separates the chamber into two chambers, so that an insect much smaller than
a bee could not pass from the one to the other.
BOXES.
These are for surplus comb honey in the most salable form.  They may be
of any size that best suits the taste of the apiarist, and the pulse of the market.
It is well that the sides of these be of glass.  Such (Fig. 18) may be made as
follows:  For top and bottom procure soft wood boards ~ inch thick
and of the size desired, one for the bottom  and the other for the
top of the box.  Take four pieces' inch square, and as long as
desired height of the honey-box.  In two adjacent sides of these
FIG. 18.  saw grooves in which may slip common glass. These are for corner
pieces.  Now  tack with small brads the corners of the bottom  board to
the ends of these pieces, then slide in the glass, and in similar way tack the
top board to the other ends.  Through the bottom board holes may be bored so
the bees may enter.  Another form  which I find  very desirable, and which I
used in California more than ten years ago, is made as follows: Dress off common lath so that they are smooth, cut off two lengths the desired height of the
box and one the desired width, tack this last piece to the ends of the other two,
and to the other end tack a similar strip only half as wide.  We now have a
square frame.  Place such frames side by side till a box is made of the desired
length.  To hold these together, we have now only to tack on either side one or
two pieces of tin, putting a tack into each section, thus forming a compact box
without ends.  The end frames should have a whole piece of lath for the bottoml, and groves should be cut in the bottom and top laths, so that a glass may
be put in the ends.  Of course there is ample chance for the bees to enter from
below.  Now by placing small pieces of comb, or artificial comb foundations,
which rank as a discovery with the movable frame hive and honey extractor, on
the top of each frame, the bees will be led to construct a separate comb in each
frame, and each frame may be sold by the retail dealer separately, by simply
drawing the tacks from the tins. Barker and. Dicer, of Marshall, make a very
neat sectional honey-box, which is quite like the above, except that paper pasted
over the frames takes the place of the tins.  The honey-boxes may be placed
directly on the frames, or in case the queen makes trouble by entering them to
deposit eggs,-a trouble which I have seldom met, perhaps because I give her
enough to do below,-we can place strips 1 inch square between the frames and
boxes, thus placing that much space between them.  In case we work extensively for box honey, we should have a rack so attached to the cover, that when
we raise the cover, we shall remove all the boxes.  Thus to examine the bees we
would not have to remove all the boxes separately.
SURPLUS COMIB HONEY IN FRAMIES.
For our market, here at Lansing, we find a more ready sale for comb honey in
frames.  These frames sell best when about six by twelve inches in size and
weigh about three pounds.  In this case the purchaser sees all of the honey, and
if nice it is very tempting.  Mr. John Davis, of Delhi, Michigan, secures all of




46                      MTANUAL OF THE APIARY.
his comb surplus in this form.  If we use a two-story hive, these frames may be
put in above, two deep, by plowing a horizontal groove in the centre of the sideboards, one-half inch  wide, and of equal depth.  The lower frames can be easily
adjusted by turning them  diagonally till lowered to the groove.  I think it is
generally better to rest content with one row of these frames, in which case we
need only to have our upper story half as deep as the lower one, and arranged
to teake frames only half as deep.
I have found that I can get much more honey in such frames than I can in
boxes.
GUIDE COMB.
I have spokoen of placing guide comb in the boxes.  Small pieces of worker
comb or comb foundations mayn well be placed as a start in the top of the frames,
and boxes should always have these guides.  For the latter, drone comb is as
good as worker.  To fasten these we have but to dip the edges into mlelted beeswax... Strips of comb one-half inch wide are sufficient.  We thus see that pieces
of worker comb, and bright pieces of drone comb should never be suffered to go
to waste or mnelted into wax.
Many people have rnot the ability to readily unlderstand a word painting as to
any implement, machine, or structure.  Should any such wish a hive or any of
the above described articles, they had better take the descriptions to a good carpenter, who will have no difficulty in following the advice.  Leave orders that
the hives be thoroughly painted.  After seeing a hive, any one will be able to
make his own.
It would be still better to visit some good apiary, or if that is impossible, to
send for a pattern hive, box, etc., to some reliable apiarist.  Letters of inquiry
sent to me will always receive prompt attention.
TO TRANS-SFER BEES FRO31 Ak COMM33ON BOX TO A MOVABLE COMB HIVE.
As many have bees already in common hives, and of course will desire to
transfer them  immediately into a movable-frame hive, I will now proceed to
describe the process.
The best time to transfer is early in the season, when there is but little honey
in the hives, though it may be done at any time, if sufficient caution is used.
This should never be done except on warm  days, when the bees are actively
engaged in storing.  After the bees get busy at work, approach the old hive,
blow a little smoke into the entrance to quiet the bees, then carry the hive off
four or five rods, and turn the hive bottom up. Place another hive or box, previously prepared, over the old one, and wind a sheet about where the hives come
together, so that no bees can possibly get out.  Place a box on the old stand,
in which the bees that are out can cluster when they return.  Now with a stick
rap on the lower hive for about twenty minutes.  The bees will fill with honey,
and go with the queen into the upper hive and cluster. A few young bees will
still remain in the old hive, but these will do no harm.  Now put the top hive
down, leaving the edge raised so the bees can get air.  If other bees do not
trouble, as they usually will not if busily gathering, we can proceed in the open
air.  If they do we must go into some room. I have frequently transferred the
comb in my kitchen, and often in  a barn.  Now knock the old hive apart, cut
the combs from the sides, and get the combs out of the old hive with just as
little breakage as possible.  We now need a barrel, set on end, on which we
place a board fifteen to twenty inches square, covered with several thicknesses




MAN UAL OF THE APIARY.                                      7
of cloth.  We now place a comb on this cloth, acnd a frame on the comb, and
cut out the comb the size of the inside of the frame, taking pains to save all
the brood.  Now crowd  the frame over the comb, so that the latter will be in
the same position that it was when in the old hive; that is, the honey will be
above; then fasten the colmb in the frame, by winding about all one or two
small wires  or pieces of wrapping twine.  To raise the frame and comb before
fastening, raise the boacrd beneath till the frame is vertical.  Set this frame in
the new hive, and proceed with the others in the same way till we have all the
worker comlb Ithat with small cells-fastened in.  To secure the pieces, which
we shall find abunndan at t the end, take thin pieces of wood, one-half inch wide
and a trifle longer than the frame is deep, place these in pairs either side the
comb, extending up and down, and enough to hold the pieces secure till the
bees shall fasten them, and secure the strips by winding with small wire, just
above and below the frame, or these may be tacked to the frame with small
tacks.  fHaving fastened all the  orkercomb that we can fasten into the frames,
-of course all the other, and all bright drone comb, will be preserved for use
as guide-comb,-and placed the frames in the new hive, we now place our hive
on the swarming-board or sheet, with its front raised, and shake all the bees
from the cluster, from  the box which we set on the old stand, and any that may
have clustered where we transferred the comb, in front just as before explained
when describing the method of hiving in natural swarmingo.  After the bees
have all gone in, set the hive where the old one sat.  In two or three days go
and remove tlhe wires or strings annd sticks, when we shall find the combs all
fastened and smoothed oT, and the bees as busily engaged a, though their present home had always been the seat of their labors.
SHA.LL WtE C(LIP THIE QUETEN'$S WING?
In the above operiaLion, as iln many other Imanipulations of the hive, we shall
often gain sigh-t of the queen, and can if we desire clip l'er ning, if she has met
the drone, that in no case she shall lead the colony away to parts unknown.
This does not injure thle queen,l aos some have claimed.  Yet if she essays to go
with a swarm, and if the apiarit is is not at hand, she will very likely be lost,
never regaining the hive; but in this case the bees will be saved, as they will
return to the hive.  I always mean to be so vatchful, keeping my hives shlade,
giving laple room, alnd dividinog or increasing, as to prevent natural swarming.
Bnt in lieu of such caution I see no objection, and would advise clipping the
queen's wing.
ROBBIN-G.
In transferritng  extracting, and in various other labors of the apiary, especially if there is a dearth  of honey secretion, we are apt to inldue robbing.
Black bees especially are very apt to rob, and to be robbed.  Italians almost
always, and always if strong, will defend their stores.
Should we find our bees robbing, we have only to contract the opening of the
hive which is the scene of pillage, so that but one bee can pass at a time, to put
a stop to all further trespass.  But tlhe thoughtful apiarist will never fear robbers, as his colonies will be so strong that it will be a sorry day for the "tramp"
that attempts to gain an entrance.
BEE IMOT-II-GXALLERnIX  CEREA^NA-rA-B.
It nlight be expected that this enemy would receive attention at this time, and
in such a treatise.  Yet if Italian bees are kept, or if the bees are kept strong,




48                      MANUAL OF THE APIARY.
we need have no fears of this enemy.  Yet even then caution as to handling
and storing comb is requisite, and so I will speak of this enemy of the apiarist.
It is certain that larva, the so-called worms, chrysalids, or pupan, and the
fully matured moths, and possibly eggs, exist through the winter.  In April
and May, and even into June, the moths will come forth.  Those which survive
the winter appear first, then those which develop from the pupa, afterwards
those which come from the larva, and, lastly, those which come from eggs, pro-I^ f.t  v'iding eggs are laid in autumn.  These moths (Fig. 19) are
gray, with a dark stripe on their backs, and while at rest their
wings are folded roof-like on their backs.  The female is the
larger, and has the more projecting snout, more properly palpi.
(These moths belong to the family of snout moths-Pyrcalice. ).  After pairing, the female lays her one or two hundred eggs,
FIG. 19.    probably on the comb, though some think any where about the
entrance of the hives, or along the bottom.  In a week or two, depending on
the temperature, these eggs hatch.  The larva (Fig. 20), which is a dirty
white with a brown head, constructs a silken gallery,
which it extends as its growth and needs recluire, and in
which it feeds upon the comb or wax, which serves it for
food.  In from  three to five weeks it attains its full         FIG. 20.
growth and changes to a chrysalis in a cocoon of dirty silk, which it has previously spun.  In about two weeks the moth again comes forth, and prepares for
a second brood.  So, while I think there are really but two broods a season,
still the moths may be seen during every month of the season from April to
winter.
The moths are nocturnal, and are attracted both by lights and sweets.  During the day they may be seen about the hive or store rooms, and though not
concealed, are often quite unobserved, owing to their obscure colors.
The fact that frames and honey-boxes of comb removed from the hives of
strong colonies to a secure place are often attacked by the larve, has led some
to suppose that the eggs of the moth are laid about the hive, and carried, by
adhering to the bees, to all parts.  Unless an occasional moth steals in and
plants her seeds of mischief, despite the most strong and wary colony, it would
seem that this must be true.
REMEDIES.
Pay no heed to moth-proof hives.  They are worse than useless.  Make the
hives well, so that there shall be no crevices in which the insects can pupate.
But the sure preventive is to keep strong colonies, always possessed of queens;
yea, of good, fertile, prolific queens, and no one need fear.  As we have seen,
this is the only wise course for many other reasons. Vessels of syrup placed
about the hives at night will catch the moths.
Combs not in use should be kept in moth-proof boxes, closely watched, and if
attacked, should be exposed to the fumes of burning sulphur.  Honey-boxes
containing honey, though not often disturbed, may need similar treatment.
OTHER  ENEMIES.
The kingbird or bee-martin often preys upon both drones and neuters.  Yet
these birds are very valuable as insect-destroyers, and, so far as I have observed,
never do sufficient harm   to the apiarist to merit the deathl warrant.
The same may be said of the toads, which may often be seen sitting demurely
at the entrance of the hives, and lapping up the full-laden bees with the light



MANUAL OF THE APIARY.                              49
ning-like movement of their tongues, in a manner which can but be regarded with
interest, even by him who suffers. the loss. Mr. Moon, editor of the Bee-World,
made this an objection to low hives; yet the advantages of such hives far more
than compensate, and with the bottom-board, such as described in the chapter
on hives, we shall find that the toads do us but very little damage.
In the south-west of our country, from  Missouri to Texas, there is a large
two-winged fly, belonging to the family Asilide, which does some mischief.
Never having seen its evil work, I can suggest no remedy.
During the past season I also learned from  various apiarists of a parasite,
probably a tachina fly, that was preying upon the bees. It is to be hoped that
this will give no serious anxiety.  If it should become a troublesome pest, no
doubt but a remedy will be discovered. Man's intelligence has always proved
equal to his needs.
BEES-WAX.
Of course the prudent apiarist will desire that nothing be lost.  So soiled
drone comb, and very old worker comb, may and should be melted into wax.
All other comb is far too valuable to be destroyed.
The best method to separate the wax is to put it into a strong, rather coarse
bag, then sinking this in water and boiling. At intervals the comb in the bag
should be pressed and stirred.  The wax will collect on top of the water.  If
large quantities of wax are to be extracted, it is better to procure a wax extractor.
WORK FOB  DIFFERENT MONTHS.
Though every live apiarist will take one, at least, of the four or five excellent
journals relating to this art, printed in our country, in which the necessary work
of each month will be detailed, yet it may be well to give some brief hints in
this place.
JA-N.UARY,
During this month the bees will need little attention.  Should the bees in the
callar or depository become uneasy, which will not happen if the requisite precautions are taken, and there come a warm day, it were well to set them out on
their summer stand, that they may enjoy a purifying flight. At night when all
are again quiet return them to the cellar.  While out I would clean the bottom
boards, especially if there are many dead bees.
FEBRUARY.
No advice is necessary further than that given for January, though if the
bees have a good fly in January, they will scarcely need attention in this month.
3MARCH.
Bees should still be kept housed, and those outside still retain about them the
packing of straw, shavings, etc.  Frequent flights do no good, and wear out the
bees. Colonies that are uneasy, and besmear their hives should be set out, and
allowed a good flight and then returned.
The colony or colonies from which we desire to rear queens and drones, should
now be fed, to stimulate breeding.
If from lack of care the previous autumn, any of our stocks are short of
V




50                     MTANUAL OF THE APIARY.
stores, now is when it will be felt.  In such cases feed either honey, sugar, or
place candy on top of the frames beneath the quilt.
APRIL.
During this month the bees may all be set out.  It will be best to feed all,
and give all access to flour, when they will work at it, though usually they can
get pollen as soon as they can fly out. Keep the brood chamber contracted so
that the frames will all be covered, and cover warm above the bees to economize
heat.
MAY.
Prepare nuclei to start extra queens.  Feed sparingly till bloom  appears.
Give room for storing.  Extract if necessary, and keep close watch, that you
may anticipate and forestall any attempt to swarm.  Now, too, is the best time
to transfer.
JUlNE.
Keep all colonies supplied with vigorous, prolific queens.  Divide the colonies,
as may be desired, especially enough to prevent attempts at swarming. Extract
if necessary or best; adjust frames or boxes, if comb honey is desired, and be
sure to keep all the white clover honey, in whatever form  taken, separate from
all other.  Now is the best time to Italianize.
JULY.
The work of this month is about the same as that of June.  Supersede all
poor and feeble queens.  Keep the bass-wood honey. by itself, and remove boxes
or frames as soon as full. Be sure that queens and workers have plenty of
room to do their best, and suffer not the hot sun to strike the hives.
AUGUST.
Don't fail to supersede impotent queens.  Between bass-wood and fall bloom
it may pay to feed sparingly.  Give plenty of room  for queen and workers as
fall storing commences.
SEPTEMBER.
Remove all surplus boxes and frames as soon as storing ceases, which usually
occurs about the middle of this month; feed sparingly till the first of October.
If robbing occurs, contract the entrance of the hive robbed. If it is desired to
feed honey or sugar for winter, it should be done the last of this month.
OCTOBER.
Prepare colonies for winter. See that all have at least thirty pounds of good
capped honey, and that all are strong in bees.  Contract the entrance by using
division board, and cover well with the quilt.  Be sure that one or two central frames of comb contain many empty cells, and that all have a central hole
through which the bees can go.
NOVEMIBER.
Before the cold days come, remove the bees to the cellar or depository, or
pack about those left out on the summer stands.




MANUAL OF THE APIARY.                             51
DECEMBER.
Now is the time to make hives, honey-boxes, etc., for the coming year. Also
labels for hives. These may just contain the name of the colony, in which case
the full record will be kept in a book; or the label may be made to contain a
full register as to time of formation, age of queen, etc., etc.
I know from experience that any who heed all of the above may succeed in
bee-keeping,-may win a double success: receive pleasure and make money.
I feel sure that many experienced apiarists will fnd advice that it may pay to
follow.  It is probable that errors abound, and certain that much remains
unsaid, for of all apiarists it is true that what they don't know is greatly in
excess of what they do know.








GENERAL INDEX.
A.
PAGE.
ALIGTING-BOARD,.............. 43
separate from bottom-board,............. 43
APICULTURE,
as an avocation,..10
fascination of,                                                                                9
profits of....................  9
requirements when successful,..........10, 25
enthusiasm,....10
persistence,.................10
prompt attention,.............. 10
strong colonies,............                                                              25
study and thought................  10
APIDJE FAMILY,.12
animals of,................... 12
characters of,.................12
instincts of................... 12
APIS ECA,...................12
characters of,                                                                                12
ARTICULATE BRANC,................II
animals of,.................. 11
characters of,..11
ARTIFICIAL COLONIES,................  31
advantages of,                                                                                31
how made,.31
one from one,.........31
one from several,.32
B.
BEES,
as fertilizers,...................36
injuring fruit,                                                                                35
kinds in each colony,.                                    13
place in the animal kingdom,...............                 11
quieted,                                                                                       33
by jarring,...33
by smoking,                                                                               33
Who may keep,..................  9
Why keep,...................9-10
BEE CALENDAR............49
BEE ENEMIES.....47
bee-killer,................... 49
bee-moth,....................47
figures of moths and larv,..............  48
description of,..................48
natural history of,.......                                             48
preventive,......  48
remedies,.                                                                                48
king.bird,....            o.....                  48
parasite,.....                                                                     49
toad,.............             48




05~~~4        ~INDEX.
PAGE.
BEE PLANTS,................... 36
necessary to success,.................36
list of,....................                                                        37
BEE-VEIL,............-........32
how made,...................32
figure of,...............32
BEES-WAX,..................                                                                   49
from what,....................49
how separated,                                                                                          49
BLACIKf BEES —See German es,.............. 23
BOTTO-M-BOABiD,............                                                                                42
figure of,..................                                                         43.how made,...43
BOXES,...................         45
figure of,...                                                           45
form,..45
how made,..................                                             45
special support for,...45
use,...............     45
Box HOEY,....................33
when to secure,                                                                                         34
where to keep,...............34
BRAXCIH,.................11
Articulata,................II
of the honey-bee,................                                                        II
C.
CLASS,.............11
Insecta,.................                       II
of the honey-bee,...........11
CLUTSTERING OUTSIDE TE  IVE,......                                                   33
cause of,..33
how prevented,.............                                         33
by dividing,.........33
by extending chamber,...........                                                                   33
by extracting,..33
by shading................ 33
COMB.
figure of,..22
for guide,..45-46
how made,..........                                                           21
transparency of,.................  21
use of,..22
what determines kind,...........   21
CO3B FOUNDATIONS,.....45
importance of................ 45
how made to adhere,..                                                                                  46
COMB-HONEY,..............                                                              33
freed of bees,...................34
in boxes,.................. 34
in frames,                                                                                             33
in what form,............                                                                   3
when removed,..34
when to secure................. 33
COXTINUOUS BREEDING,................28
importance of,.                                                                                        2
how secured,................
D.
DIvIDING BEES-See Artificial Colonies,.........                        31
DIVISION-BOARD,.............  4
how made,....                                                                                      45




INDEX.                                                  55
PAGE.
DRONES,...............                        15
figure  of,...............15
description of................... 15
development of,.15
eggQs..15
eyes of,                                                                                              15
function of,.................. 15
jaws of,..                                                                                            s15
longevity of,.................. 15
number of....................    15
tongue of,                                                                                           15
when in hive,...                                     15
why so num.erous,.                                                                                   16
EGYPTIAN BEES,...................23
EMnPTY CELLS,.....27
importance of..................  27
how secured,                                                                                         27
F.
FAMILY,..................12
ApidclE,.12
of the honey-bee,................. 12
FEEDER,...............23
figure of,....................29
how made................    29
FEEDING,................23
what to feed,.28
honey,...................  2
sugar,...................28
flour,.......29
FOUL-BROOD,..    40
remedies,.......
symptoms,                                                                                            40
FRkAMES,                                                                                                 43
arrangement for-to get surplus in,......    40
cover for,.............
figure of,                                                                                           44.
form of,................44
how to construct,.44
inventor of,............42
G.
GENERIC CHARACTERS,........ 12
GENUS,...12
Apis................ 12
of the honey-bee,........ 12
GERMAN OR BLACK BEE,'........ 23
description of,                                                                                       23
IH.
HANDLING BEES,....32
IIIYES,....................41
box hives not fit for use......41
character of,......42
figure of..................                                                                          42
cover of,..43
lumber for,..................                                                                       42
movable frames-a sine qua non,.                                      42




56                                                 INDEX.
PAGE.
HIVES.
near the ground,.                                                                                          43
nucleus,....................30
description of,..............                                                              30
rabbets for frames to hang on,..42
size of,.................... 42
HONEY,
collected, not secreted,.................21
defined,................... 20
extracted,..28
granulated-how reduced,..28
how collected,...................21
how deposited,..21
how transported,..................21
natural use of...........                                                                  21
source of,..................                                                                               35
bark lice,...................  35
honey dew,...................35
plants,...................                                          36
plant lice,...................35
other sources,..................  35
HONEY EXTRACTOR,..27
importance of,..................                                                  27
requisites of,...................27
when to use,.28
HONEY PLANTS,...................36
importance of,..36
list of.....................7
HYMENOPTEROITS INSECTS,..12
I.
INSECTA,.....................11
characters of,.................. 11
INSECTS, OR HElXAPODS,................ 11
abdomen of,                                                                                                 11
characters of,11.................
head of,....................                                                           11
imago of,                                                                                                   11
larva of,....................  11
pupa of,....................
significance of names,................                                                         II
thorax of,..11
transformations of,.................  12
complete,...................12
incomplete,..12
ITALIAN BEES,..................23
description of,..24
superiority of..25
ITALIANIZING,................... 40
how done,..41
M.
MULTIPLYING COLONIES,..............31
N.
NATURAL HISTORY OF THE HONEY BEE,.............               13
NATURAL METHOD OF INCREASE,..19
NATURAL SWARMS,.................. 26
means to save,...................26
implements required,..                                                                                 26
method to secure,..26
not desirable,.................   26
second swarms prevented,..27




INDEX.                                                                   57
PAGE.
NUCLEI,...................                  30
defined,.................... 30
use of,                                                                                                                             30
how made,.30
NEUTERS, OR WORKERS,                                                                                                                     13
figure of,....................13
description of,..................  13
development of,..................14
eggs..................... 14
eyes of,....................13
function of.................. 15
old workers,.................. 15
young workers,                                                                                                                 15
honey stomach of,.................. 14
figure of,................... 14
jaws of,.13
larvae,.................... 14
figure of,.14
longevity of,.                                                                                                                     15
number of,.13
pollen baskets of,.13
pupe,.....................14
size of.                                                                                                                            13
sting of,....................14
figure of.................... 13
tarsi of,                                                                                                                           13
tibia of,                                                                                                                           13
tongue of,                                                                                                                          13
figure of,............... 24
wings of,....................13
0.
ORDE,..................... 11
of insects, or hexapods,................. 11
of the honey-bee,...............                                                                                                   11
P.
POLLEN, OR BEE-BREAD,.................  22
function of,...................23
how carried,................... 22
nature of,                                                                                                                          23
source of,.................. 22
where deposited,..................22
PRODUCTS OF BEES,.................. 20
comb,..21
honey,..20
pollen, or bee-bread,..22
propolis, or bee-glue,...............   23
wax,.....................21
PROPOLIS, OR  BEE-GLUE,..                                                                                                            23
function of,..23
nature of,............... 23
source of,..23
Q.
QUEEN.....................  16
figure of,................    16
brood from eggs,..................18, 30
cages,                                                                                                                              41
how made,.................. 41
cell,.17
introduction of,.31
when started,.17
where built,.................. 16




8S                                                              INDEX.
PAGE.
QUEEN.
clipping wing of,.................         47
cocoon  of,                                                                                                                            17
described,....................16
development of,..................   16-17
eggs,....................1
fecundity of,..                                                                                                                         18
fertilization of,...................18
food of larva,..                                                                                                                       17
function of,.................18
introduction of..                                                                                                                   27-41
longevity of,.................               18
must have empty  cells,................      27
never to be absent,.................      29-31
never to be poor,..................       39
no sovereign,................... 18
ovaries of,................... 1
figure of,....................16
oviduct of,...................16
period of development of,                                                                                                              17
piping of,.                                                                                                                           20
rearing of,....................29
removal of,..................             -29
sex of,.....................16
size of,.................... 16
spermatheca, or seminal sack of,..............16
sting of,                                                                                                                              16
tongue of....................16
figure of,................... 17
wings of,............... 16
QUEEN  WHITE  ANT,..................       18
fecundity of,..................18
QUINBY  SMOKER,...........      33
g.
RACES OF  THE  HONEY  BEE,..............            12-23
Egyptian,............... 23
German, or Black,...............                                                                                                   23
Italian, or Ligurian,.................  23
ROBBING.....................47
how checked,...................   47
how prevented...................47
ROYAL JELLY,..................17
S.
SAW-DUST,
nse of,....................34
SHADE FOR THE HIVES,................. 34
bees less liable to cluster,                                                                                                           34
combs less liable to melt,................  34
evergreens for,.................34
houses for,.                                                                                                                            34
grape vines for,.................34
SPECIES OF THE HONEY-BEE,...............  12
SUB-ORDER,....................12
hymenoptera,.................. 12
of honey-bee,...................12
SWARMING,..19
after swarms,.20
clustering,...................       20
old colony —how   known,.........                                                  20
preparation for,.................19-20
drone brood started,.................19




INDEX.                                                         59
IPAGE.
SWARM3ING.
queen cells started,................                                                                             20
why premature,.................. 20
prevented,                                                                                                        19
when to expect,
T.
TRANSFERING,..................        4
method of,........... 146
when easiest,.................         46
U.
UNITING,...................40
how performed,.........                                                            40
when advisable,.....40
w.
WAX,.................                              21
source of,.........21
function of...................          21
WINTERIG,.................... 37
why disastrous,..............                        37
too early cessation of storing.......  38
excessive moisture,...............        38
extremes of temperature,......38
unwholesome food,.......  37-38
requirements to safe,...............38
colonies prepared,...............      38
depositories for,-house or cellar,.............39
protected if left out,.                                                                                      39
quilt or straw  to absorb moisture,...........                39








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