File:British bee journal and bee-keepers adviser (1901) (20229432289).jpg

Title: British bee journal & bee-keepers adviser
Identifier: britishbeejourna1901lond (find matches)
Year: 1873 (1870s)
Authors:
Subjects: Bees
Publisher: London
Contributing Library: UMass Amherst Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Boston Library Consortium Member Libraries

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May 9, 1901.) THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 185 occurrence. Later on, in the summer of 1881, while still a boy at school, I made a frame-hive from a pattern lent by a friend, and com- menced bee-keeping with a swarm, which, I am bound to add, promptly decamped the same day. A second swarm enjoyed the hospitality of the hive a little longer, re- maining over one evening, but taking flight the next morning. Not to be daunted, however, I later on secured some driven bees to stock my hive, and, after some lively times—in which the fortunes of war fluctuated between the bees and the would-be bee-keeper—I at last got my hive tenanted, and the next season secured forty-seven 1-lb. sections from the stock. My apiary gradually increased until it numbered thirteen hives, when foul brood appeared, and, being at that time ignorant of shire, Cheshire, Kent, and Sussex, Bristol, Somerset, South Gloucester, and Essex, being also local secretary and adviser for the Bridg- water district. Though my various engage- ments keep me away from home almost entirely through the summer months, I have occasionally managed to send to kthe honey shows in the county, having won over ninety prizes for honey, including the silver medal of the B.B.K.A. ; the bronze medal of the Bristol P..K.A., and also their championship prize, the only one ever offered by that Association, Referring to the photograph sent, the whole of the hives (numbering twenty-five in all) were with one exception made by myself in my spare time, and are mostly of the " Sandringham " pattern, but without porches. The figures appearing in the photo are :—On the left my
Text Appearing After Image:
MR. W. A. WITHYCOMBE S APIARY, BRIDGWATER, SOMERSET. its nature and treatment, twelve of my stocks succumbed to its ravages. This, however, proved to be the last of my misfortunes, as, determined not to be beaten, I set out to in- crease my apiary again, and at the same time studied all the literature about bees on which I could lay my hands. As a result of this, when about eighteen years of age, I entered for and secured the third class expert's certificate of the B.B.K.A., having to travel 100 miles each way to do so. The second class exami- nation I also entered for and passed in the same season ; but have not yet mustered con- fidence to attempt the first. " In 1895 I was appointed expert to the Kent B.K.A., and since then have acted as expert to the various Associations of Lanca- father, who hives any swarms which may come off during my absence from home; in the centre a young man who, I hope, will one day possess an expert's certificate ; and on the right the writer. The house in the background is over 400 years old, and has an interesting and eventful history, having been the headquarters of Monmouth's officers on the eve of the battle of Sedgemoor, and later having been used as a meeting place for the sect known as Princeites. At the present time it serves as a storehouse and extracting-room for me, and a nesting place for thousands of wild bees. Extending behind and on either side may be seen some of the famous apple orchards of Somerset, thtre being several hundreds of acres within easy flying distance of my bees."

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