CHAPTER XIX.MONTHLY DUTIES.
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THE successful management and care of bees requires forethought and preparation for all labor and care bestowed on them, if we desire to bestow it at the proper time, and in the most judicious manner. I have in this chapter given only brief hints as to the work to be performed. Such of my readers as are located in a climate essentially differing from that of the New England States, will perceive the necessity of varying their management to correspond with the difference in climate, etc.
I shall repeat some of the statements already made, in order to impress them more thoroughly upon the bee-keeper. The object of this chapter is to bring to the mind of the bee-keeper the more important duties required in the successful use of the system recommended in this work.
We will commence with January as it is the first month in the year.
In this month construct hives, honey boxes, etc. Give the new hives a good coat of paint. They will last longer, and as they are to remain out of doors the yeararound, it is very essential that they be preserved against the weather. A good, heavy coat of paint, spread over good lumber, will prevent cracking and warping. Employ the time, in this month of comparative leisure, in getting everything in readiness for the approaching honey season.
February like January is not a busy month with bees in the Northern States, neither do they require much care. If not finished last month, continue the work of January by making hives, honey boxes, and all fixtures required in the management of the bees in the coming season. In some sections bees will fly briskly the last of the month. Clear away the snow from the front of the hives at that time. Set out meal food for the bees, provided they fly briskly.
At the commencement of this month, clear the snow away from the front of the hives; raise the hives up on blocks at the corners, remove the bottom board under the brood section, and brush out all accumulations, which might invite the bee moth to deposit her eggs, if suffered to remain through the summer. This accomplished, set the hive back in its place. The first day that the bees fly, set out the meal as heretofore directed. Commence to feed liquid food as early as the bees will take it. Feed regularly every day, or every other day, at evening. When you commence to feed, remove the packing fromthe cap, and also take off the ventilator. The space over the comb frames not covered with the feeder, cover with a small honey board. Let the packing remain at the sides until you have put on the side boxes, or until some time in May, as it keeps the brood chamber warm, which is essential in forwarding breeding. Open a small portion of the upper entrance (about one-third) and keep the passage open at the bottom, the same as during the winter.
Early in April—the first warm, sunny day—examine your stocks, and see if they have fertile, laying queens. If the queen is all right, there will be eggs and brood in the brood cells. Don't keep the hives open any longer than is necessary, as the cold air might chill the brood. At this time, if some stocks have a large amount of honey in the combs of the brood section, exchange such with some stock that has but little; as it is a disadvantage to have too much sealed honey in the brood combs in the spring. It sometimes happens that all the brood combs will be filled with sealed honey nearly down to the bottom, leaving but a very small place on two or three combs near the bottom for breeding purposes. In such cases, take out two or three combs, and exchange with other stocks having empty combs, leaving in each such as have brood and eggs, in every stock. Don't take out any bees. In this manner equalize your stocks, and all will be benefited. If any stocks are found queenless, or with diseased or worthless queens, take means to furnishthem with a fertile, laying queen, as soon as possible. In the meantime, keep the entrances to such hives contracted very small, so but very few bees can pass at one time, to prevent attacks from robbers. Queenless stocks, or those which have diseased or drone-laying queens, will not resist an attack from robber bees with as much vigor as a stock having a fertile and prolific queen. .
If surplus honey is our object the coming season, early in this month put on the boxes at the sides, and the last of the month, or as soon as the bees commence work in the side boxes, put on the top boxes, except at the place occupied by the feeder. It may be well to feed liberally for about ten days before fruit blossoms appear, in order to get the bees at work in the boxes. You can judge what is best. If the stocks are backward in breeding, the comb not filled with eggs and brood in nearly every part, it will be best to defer liberal feeding until a little later. You should have the brood combs filled with brood and eggs before liberal feeding is begun, else the bees will fill with honey what should be filled with eggs and brood; and thus the number of bees will be reduced from what there would be if the queen deposited eggs in all the cells. You want all the bees possible to gather the honey harvest of June, July, August and September.
If you want swarms, put on boxes early and continue feeding, and you can have swarms and a good crop of surplus honey also.
About the time fruit blossoms appear, or a little before, open both entrances to their full extent, in all strong and healthy stocks.
This is the month for swarms. It is also the month, in most localities, when the best quality of box honey is collected. If you have arranged for swarms to appear this month, have everything in readiness for them. If you are arranging for surplus honey, remove the boxes as fast as filled, and replace with empty ones. Hive the swarms as soon as clustered. Be sure not to let them remain in the hot sun for any length of time. Have your hives all ready. This month is a good time to rear queens in the miniature hives. Keep the grass and weeds about the hives cut down. They harbor the moth miller, when suffered to grow about the hives.
Continue to take off boxes as fast as filled. Keep a sharp lookout that the moth worms do not get in and injure the honey in the boxes which you have removed. If the supply of honey fails when the boxes are only partially filled, feed the bees liberally, until the boxes are finished. Do this as soon as honey fails, as the bees will store faster in boxes if fed as soon as the natural supply of honey ceases. It will be well to put on a few boxes—say, one side to each new swarm which has been hived early; and also on old stocks that swarmedearly. Put the boxes on one side first; then if the bees go to work in them, put in the other side.
If you have a market near home, the surplus honey in boxes will sell very well the last of this month, before honey is brought from away; but if you are to ship a great distance, the weather will be too warm in this month. Keep a close watch that the boxes you have taken off do not get wormy. Eternal vigilance is the price of success.
Keep boxes on your hives through this month and next for surplus honey. Keep down the grass and weeds from about the hives.
In some localities September gives a very good yield of honey. I recollect one season in particular, since I adopted my present system of bee management, when the yield of box honey in September was very remarkable. Some of my hives of bees filled their full sets of boxes almost entirely in a few days. I think that it was in considerably less than two weeks, that they finished them up, and they had only a slight start—a few small pieces of comb in some of the boxes, and in the others none at all.
Feed at the last of the month to complete all partially filled boxes, and at the very last of the month, or first ofOctober, feed such swarms as may be deficient of stores for winter, if you prefer to do this rather than to equalize by exchange of comb frames, as directed in another place. If you decide to thus equalize, do it the last of October or the first of November.
At the commencement of this month, continue to feed such stocks, if any, as are short of honey, yet are supplied with a good amount of comb in which to store honey. As the yield of honey from flowers closes this month at its end remove all boxes from the hives. Such as are partially filled with comb or honey may be set in a cold, dry place, and remain for use another year. If placed where they will freeze, and then sealed up carefully so the moth miller cannot get in, they will be in good condition when wanted next season. Boxes that have comb about a third full or even less, are finished very quickly by the bees. Be sure to keep all such boxes for the next season. You probably have a few queens in your miniature hives. Look over your stocks, and if any are found queenless, or with diseased queens, give them a new and prolific one.
The first of November, if not already done, exchange comb frames, from stocks deficient in stores to winter, with such as can spare a frame of honey. Do this until all have stores sufficient for winter. Twenty pounds ofhoney will render them safe until you begin to feed in the spring. From the middle to the last of November is usually the time to prepare the hives for winter, by packing with hay or straw as directed in another place. This should not be done until a few days before steady cold weather sets in. Care should be exercised not to put it off until it is too cold; neither should it be done too early. Be sure to pack thoroughly. Success in wintering depends in a great degree upon thorough work in packing the hives.
In this month procure your lumber and all material for making hives, boxes, etc., to be worked up during the winter. If there are small villages or large cities near by, you will find this month a good time to market your honey, if you have any on hand. With a little effort you can have ready customers for your goods, or at least a portion of it. Honey in glass boxes is in such nice shape, that any one who likes a fine article, will pay a liberal price for it, after they have once tested its quality. In a few years you will have established a trade with ready customers, near home, at remunerative prices.