Page:Willich, A. F. M. - The Domestic Encyclopædia (Vol. 1, 1802).djvu/257

Rh the depth of half a foot of very dry earth, powdered, and pressed down hard. On this, place the stool with the hive; and, to preserve a communication with the air, cut a hole in the cask, opposite to the entrance of the hive, in which fix a piece of reed, or hollow alder, and then cover the whole with dry earth.

In Britain, it is usual, in taking the honey, to deprive the bees of their lives. The common method is, to suffocate them with the smoke of brimstone; but Mr. has adopted a more humane and judicious plan: he says, "I never destroy the old stock of bees; but after lifting them, to examine what honey there is, if I think the hive is full, I put another under it with a flat top, having a square hole in the centre. When the bees are in the under hive, I place a shutter, which is of wood, in the hole at the top; and that prevents them from going into the upper hive. I then invert it in a bucket, and strike it with a rod till I think they are all out, after which they go into the under hive."

Mr. gives the following instructions for taking the honey and wax: Remove the hive into a darkened room, that it may appear to the bees as if it was late in the evening; then gently invert the hive, and place it between the frames of a chair, or any other steady support, and cover it with an empty hive raised a little towards the window, to give the bees sufficient light to guide their ascent. Hold the empty hive, steadily supported, on the edge of the full hive, between the left side and arm, and continue striking with the right hand round the full hive, from the bottom upwards, and the bees being frightened by the noise, will ascend into the other. Repeat the strokes, rather quick than strong, round the hive, till all the bees are gone out of it, which will be in about five minutes. As soon as a number of the bees have got into the empty hive, it should be raised a little from the full one, that they may not return, but continue to ascend. When they are all out of the full hive, that in which they are must be placed on the stand, to receive the absent bees as they return from the fields.

If this is done early in spring, the royal cells should be examined, that any of them which contain young bees, as well as those in the other combs, may be preserved. These should on no account be injured; though, by sparing them, a good deal of honey be left behind. The combs should be cut from the sides and top as clean as possible, to save the future labour of the bees. During this operation, the hive should be placed, reclining to the side from which the combs are taken, and afterwards put for some time upright, that the remaining honey may run out.

Having finished the taking of the wax and honey, the next business is to return the bees to their old hive, for which purpose we must refer the reader to the directions already given, when we stated the usual method of uniting swarms.

By inverting the hive which contains the bees, and placing their own over it, they will immediately ascend, especially if the lower hive be struck on the sides to alarm them.

With regard to the increase of bees, Mr., of Bury St. Edmunds, advises the owner to