It is a principle in beekeeping if one desires to derive a benefit from
his bees, to see that one keeps very populous colonies. The mere number
of colonies has nothing to do with amount of value; but their strength,
the number of inhabitants in a hive, is the measure of its worth. One
single populous colony is worth more and will store more honey than four
weak ones. In fourteen days the one will bring in more honey than the
four will in four weeks.
I place a strong colony at 40,000 working bees; of these 13,000 to
16,000 can daily fly out and bring in stores; the remainder stay at home
to care for the brood, to build comb, and to perform such other duties
as may be required of them.[5]
Of four weak colonies, however, each calculated at 12,000 workers, only
4,000 can fly out leaving 8,000 at home. These four colonies together
not only cannot send to the fields as many workers as the one strong
one, but they also labor under many disadvantages.
It may be good weather for eight days and the flow of honey abundant and
the strong colony may in that time gather all its winter stores, but the
weak ones can take only sufficient advantage to gather at most
one-fourth of the required stores. If unfavorable weather should follow,
and the flow of honey cease, the strong colony is supplied and the four
weak ones are lost in the winter if they be not fed, which latter is
associated with much expense, trouble and inconvenience and even then
often fails, not to mention the facts that the weaker ones cannot depend
upon themselves as well against robbers, moths, ants, etc.; and in
winter they cannot maintain the proper warmth as well, are more liable
to be frozen, and are less able to stand the changes in temperature.
They cannot rear brood as early as the strong one and there are many
advantages the strong one has over the weaker, one of the most prominent
of which is that the strong one displays more energy and is more
industrious than the weaker.
IN THE ORDINARY STRAW SKEPS ONE CANNOT CARRY OUT ONE’S DESIRES
COMPLETELY IN MANAGING BEES.
As important and well known as the fact now is of having the colonies
strong, one cannot make them so if they are kept in the common, simple
straw basket where one does nothing but destroy in a slovenly way,
especially farmers. In the fall they take the heaviest and lightest
colonies and in a sinful and thoughtless manner kill and smother its
inhabitants thus doing themselves a deliberate injury, as if they
permitted these useful creatures, these patterns of industry, to live,
they would gain far more.
I once saw a beekeeper take a very heavy colony consisting of two
colonies which in swarming clustered together, and smother them, because
he thought that owing to the large number of bees the colony might not
have enough winter stores. Yes! a clown of a fellow actually burned with
straw his young swarms, because they came rather late. But I do not
intend to occupy my time describing the wrong mode of keeping bees, as
through the length and breadth of the land this has been so passionately
spoken of and they will learn, only as matters progress, to adopt a
better mode of beekeeping.
THE MAGAZINESTOCK[6] ARE CONVENIENT, PARTICULARLY WITH THE WOODEN TOP
BOXES WITH A GLASS SIDE.
If one wishes to build up populous colonies, one must commence by
controlling swarming: namely, swarming often. To do this, one must
provide roomy dwellings and those that can be enlarged gradually;
without this the object would fail. If one should give the bees a large
dwelling at once they would become discouraged and would not half fill
the hive and there would be many other disadvantages.
The dwelling must also be arranged in such a manner that the bees can be
handled with ease and without damage to the bees, or ever to have to
destroy the latter to enjoy the product of their industry and control
their surplus in honey and wax.
All this is required; but now as to the care of the “magazine.”
As the bees conduct their domestic affairs within a limited space and
they from time to time according to the demands of time, attentions,
etc., are increased or diminished, one generally makes them of straw (at
least I have seen no others) and lathes which are very useful, if not
too large (as they generally are); nevertheless, these straw “storing
cases” have several drawbacks which I have found by observation and
manipulation. Thus, some years ago, I conceived the idea of making, as
far as possible, those that were more complete and convenient; to that
end I made wooden four-cornered hives of boards and put in the same at
least one pane of glass which, although only costing but little, is of
inestimable value.
I improved on these until I found the most useful and convenient to
handle.
The samples that I have I not only had myself for several years, but I
also made some for good friends, and others made copies of them and
their great value makes me recommend them unhesitatingly. These hives
are very little more expensive than straw (if they are made plain and
cheap), they last longer, are better and more convenient and can be made
anywhere, while men who can make straw hives are often difficult to get.
One should not allow himself to be frightened into thinking they are too
expensive, when conducting an extensive bee business; or that, if one
begins with them, the profits will soon disappear.
I will just describe their completeness and their general utility and
their advantages over the straw hive, more especially for the purpose of
giving guidance how to make them of the greatest use in beekeeping.
_Rodheim, Germany, July, 1783._
[_To be continued._]
_IS BEEKEEPING PROFITABLE._