_Tolono, Ills._, Oct. 3, 1870.
[For the American Bee Journal.]
White Clover crop.--Buckwheat yielding no Honey.
MR. EDITOR:--I once more take up my pen to advocate bee-keeping. As I
said in my last article that my apiary was increasing, I have now ten
new swarms from eleven old colonies, and I am every day expecting some
second swarms to issue, as queens in the hives that sent out swarms, can
be distinctly heard uttering the word “peep! peep!” and according to
more able apiarians than myself, that is the true sign that second
swarms will issue in a few days, if the weather be favorable.
The other morning I was out where my bees are. I suppose you have a
strong idea of what I saw, when I raised up one of my stands. There were
a half dozen of the fattest full grown moth worms almost any one ever
saw. They were lying back in all their glory, after gorging themselves
with the rich feast on which they no doubt had luxuriated. I made short
work of them, however. Those round, plump, greasy-looking fellows seem
to think, from all appearance, that they are lords of creation. But I
soon dislodged them from their snug quarters, by means of a
sharp-pointed iron bar made for the purpose. “They slept rather late
that morning, and were caught up with.”
The piping of the young queen was something new to me. I told some of my
bee-raising friends of it, and they hooted at me, calling me a deceiver
and impostor. I referred them to Mr. Langstroth’s book, and Mr.
Quinby’s, and told them that they should subscribe for the American Bee
Journal, or even read it, and they would find that what I said in regard
to the young queen’s piping, was strictly correct. My friend Mr. K.
(whom I converted) in a conversation with Mr. S., asked him why he did
not take the American Bee Journal. “Why,” replied he, “they can print
anything in a paper, and there are fools enough to believe it.” I have
known Mr. S. for about fourteen years, and know that he has had bees all
that time. Yet he has not any more stands now, than he had ten years
ago. (It is no wonder.)
The honey product of this season seems to be good. Bees are storing
great quantities of surplus honey. The weather has been very favorable
for honey-gathering, for the past six weeks. White clover has been in
bloom for the last fifteen days, and will probably continue till the
middle of July. From it the best honey is gathered. In the spring the
early flowers were cut off by sleet, which fell about the 18th of
April.
I am now preparing to sow a large field with buckwheat, exclusively for
my bees, though some writers in different papers state that the bees do
not get any honey from this plant. Whether it is a honey-producing plant
or not, the bees seem to visit it as regularly when in bloom, as if
there was something about it they are very fond of. Perhaps I can throw
some light on this subject. Last fall I had three hives of bees, that
came late, while nearly all the other flowers were exhausted, and
buckwheat was their only resource for supplies for winter. They worked
like white-heads, as long as the blossoms lasted; and after that went
through the winter safely, though they were weak the following spring.
I will now give my opinion on ventilation, for the benefit of Mr. A.
Green. My mode is as follows: I leave the summer entrance open, and also
upward ventilation all winter. I have always, heretofore, wintered my
bees in the open air. If Mr. Green uses hives with movable caps, he can
close the summer entrance and take off the surplus honey-boxes,
substitute straw or fine shavings in their stead, and replace the cap as
before. This is the best way that I have yet tried. I intend this for
winter. In summer I give them all the ventilation needed--that is, I
leave all the ventilators open.
I have drawn out this article longer than I intended, and close with
greeting to all bee-keeping friends.