Rensselaer Union, Volume 7, Number 36, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 May 1875 — Something About Bees. [ARTICLE]

Something About Bees.

Every suburban household may and should keep one or two swarms of bees. They are interesting and the danger of being stung is almost nothing if they are rightly managed —that is, are not abused —for bees do not sting unless frightened or roughly handled. Untii you get used to them and they to you covet; the head and neck with a shield of cotton lace when they are to be thoroughly examined, or procure a beedress—a loose gown reaching to the feet. Never be in any haste in any operation about the hive of bees. In the examination of the hives quiet them with a little smoke blown among them; give them five minutes to fill themselves with honey and they will be so docile that, if you do not crush them or get them pinched between the skin and clothing, there is no danger from their stinging ends. A person may even tear an old box hive to pieces with an ax, tie some of the pieces of honey and brood into the frames of a modern hive and transferee bees thereto without being stung. If you already have a swarm in some one of the mbdern frame hives, and suspect they are infested with moth, or that the comb is moldy from want of ventilation, then, when aDple-frees are in blossom, select another similar liive,and, quieting the bees with a little smoke, open the hive in which the bees are and, careful:y removing one frame after another, clean them and, rejecting all moldy comb or that infested with moth, put these frames into the new hives with as many of the bees as possible, by shaking what are left in the old hive into the new. Close it up, set it where the old one stood and take the old one away. Thus you have easily and without much trouble given the bees new and clean quarters—in fact, helped them to clean house. During the time of swarming, when a swarm issues from the hive, do uot hurrv and fume. >o not get tin pans and make the day hid* with the beating and shouting; i .ftener drives bees than otherwise. If hey seem inclined to go ofl, a little water .ashed among them or sand thrown into t. e swarm will often hasten their disposii nto cluster. In nine cases out of tea they will do this themselves * if left alone. When fairly settled, having provided a clean hive, cut the branch upon which the 6warm carefully so as not to jar the bees, and shake them into the hive; or shake them down upon and near the entrance, When,' bv brushing them slightly with >ome sow substance, as a feather brusu, they will quickly and quietly enter. If the swarm have clustered so low that the hlte can be held under them, they may be immediately shaken thence into the hive. If the bees cluster upon you do not be uneasy or afraid. If you do not hurt them they will soon leave. What causes stinging is fear and fighting. June and ,1 uly are the harvest-time for bees in the West. But in prairie regions they gather a good deal of honey from wild flowers in late August and the fore part of September. See that they are provided with cups for surplus honey as early as the middle of June, and keep a sharp watch for moth-millers— gallerea eereana—nx all times, and kill all you find. They are dusky gray, inclining to brown in color, aod deposit their eggs in the crevices of the hives, from which

the young larva;, when hatched, eat their way into the hives, living on the wax, spinning as they go, and sometimes entirely filling the hives with their webs, to the destruction of the bees.— Chicago Tribune.