192 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 
2-3 EDWARD VII, A. 1903 
REPORT OF MR. JOHN FIXTER. 
SEASON oF 1902. 
The honey fiow of 1902 has been below the average in many parts of the Dominion, 
but in some localities in Ontario and Quebec fair crops have been secured. Stocks have 
been strong and active ; swarming has been good, in some cases excessive. The cool 
damp weather of the past season has been unfavourable, though some apiarists had a 
fairly good honey crop. The yicld, however, will not average over.40 pounds per 
colony. 
The season opened very early ; the colonies were set out on their summer stands on 
March 22, the temperature on that date being 55° and the day clear, bright and mild. 
There followed about ten days of very fine weather for the bees to fly and cleanse 
themselves and their hives. Pollen was gathered about April 1, and all colonies built 
up rapidly and were in excellent condition when clover bloomed. May 25, many colonies 
were showing signs of clustering ; so, supers were put on to keep them working and 
keep down swarming. June 18, considerable honey was stored in supers and brood 
chambers. On June 18 the first swarm of the season issued. During the swarming sea- 
son many swarms came off at the same time and were hived two or three together, so as 
to keep down the number of swarms. There being very little buckwheat grown in this 
district and no fall flow from any other source, all supers were removed on August 15. 
September 1 all colonies were weighed ; any that did not weigh 50 pounds and over 
were given sugar syrup made with granulated sugar fed in a Miller feeder. On 
November 18 all colonies were weighed and found to be in good condition. They 
were then put into their winter quarters. 
Returns from the Central Experimental Farm apiary averaged 40 pounds per 
colony. 
EXPERIMENTS WITH DIFFERENT KINDS OF HIvEs. 
The experiments commenced last year with different kinds of hives for comb and 
extracted honey, have been continued. ‘Two hives of each of the following sorts were 
used, one being arranged for section honey the other for extracted honey, the Lang- 
stroth, the Hedden and two other kinds more or less used in Canada, one measuring 15 
x 15 x 12 inches, the other 15 x 20 x 15 inches. Eight colonies of bees were selected 
all of about the same strength and having good laying queens. The results from the 
four kinds of hives are shown in the following table. The hives are tabulated in the 
order of the returns they gave. 
~~ 
Section Extracted 
Hive. Season. Swarms. Honey ena 
Sections. Lbs. 
ILETAGR AOI ab ados ace bac code beac oacddom seco meas LOO eee 1 67 0 
AN ee Ae Ree Pe Ae tah, eee hanes Loe ayn te ATA 1902 = ee al 0 79 
TGA UE eetictateRel states iva ateeetern) or sacle teres Yavatetarsieyis|/chenalleiolsicohate LOOM eee oe ; 1 42 0 
Tey cae rape tey es A ater eae nr ths Gi ORY HER eR RE Cll ITEMS M902 Fee 1 0 48 
[pax pact Oun chester ae ees sic cant roruens 190, See i 56 0 
Sak Aan RSM Fett NS oh ne WA he A A RU HODDER al 0 63 
aoe ate on BAe Pees on te et kena, Oar Ce TE 1901 eee u 36 0 
BE eg Rass ee choke Oe Rta re ces 19022258 1 0 42 
TT OAGENs ists sori ACOs SEO eee echt eee TOOT Rees a 0ee 0 54 0 
i? nate eee Ne mit eianup lire beret tr cr Neuter S02 ee nee 0 0 62 
Ae REE Aaah Pamir ae tah Seed iA R Ne one 1901 . il 88 0 
BPA ites RG cin tin ESOL. eg ONE ASS 1902: 6s 1 0 43} 
Aiea ORs Sam Ghes::. sae ee eee Ee eee TOOLS. sor oe 0 0 0 
u Pere (rae ee AE AO Serre an 1, Ue 0 0 23 
The ee a RSS raiin eachdtins gutta Ottarecal CEN EERIE PSE enters ISTO) haere 1 *16 Pa 
Mis ate Tage ekg ela ees EE eres WW So seve 1 .oith aes 463 
* The 16 sections were only partly filled. 
