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A MONTHLY JOURNAL 



Devoted to tl^e Interests of Horiey Producers. 



$L00 A YEAR. 



W. Z. HUTCHINSON, Editor and Proprietor. 



VOL XII, FLINT. MICHIGAN, APRIL 10, 1900. NO, 4. 



^ r^ HE PRODUCTION OF COMB 

 HONEY WITH THE HED- 

 DOX HIVE. BYJ. E. OTTO. 



To liave strony colonies at the 

 opening of the honey-flow, and to keep 

 them strong during sucli flow, is one of 

 the most important things connected with 

 comb honey production. A weak colony 

 may give us some extracted honey, but 

 we must not expect any fancy comb hon- 

 ey from a weak colony. I have made bee- 

 keeping my exclusive business for four- 

 teen years, and in all that time I have 

 never been fortunate enough to get any 

 fancy comb honey from a weak colony. 



I keep from 250 to 300 colonies, mostly 

 all pure Italians, in one yard, and have 

 no out-apiaries. In order to tell how I 

 manage my bees, to make a long story 

 short, and to tell it right, I shall have to 

 begin with the fall of the previous year. 



It is important thai bees are in good 

 condition in the fall of the year. To ac- 

 complish successful wintering two things 

 are absolutely necessary. First. A good, 

 dry, clean cellar. Second. Colonies that 

 are populous and have an abundance of 

 good honey. In order to accomplish 

 this, I unite all weak colonies, and those 

 having poor queens, with medium colo- 

 nies. This I do in August, or in Septem- 



ber, according to the condition of the 

 colonies. If any feeding is necessary it 

 is done at the same time. I do not be- 

 lieve in late feeding; unless it is in giving 

 coniljs that were filled with honey and 

 well sealed during the honey-flow, and 

 then kept in a nice, dry place. The con- 

 dition of the colonies in the fall is of the 

 greatest importance. If this is what it 

 ought to be, the temperature is not so im- 

 portant, as long as it does not go below 

 35°, nor above 60°. 



I alvva^-s leave my btes outside until it 

 freezes up for good. They have been left 

 outside as late as Dec. 17th; but, asagen- 

 eral rule, they are put in the cellar the lat- 

 ter part of November or fore part of De- 

 cember. I put them in the cellar in four 

 rows; one on each side and two in the 

 center. This leaves a walk on each side 

 between the rows. 



I go into the bee cellar once in two 

 weeks until about March first, after 

 which I watch the bees more closely. It 

 sometimes gets as hot as 80° in my bee- 

 cellar. Then I open the doors during 

 the night. The next morning the bees are 

 all quiet and good natured. 



All of my colonies in Heddon hives are 

 wintered in two brood -cases. I have tried 

 some in one case, but found it too small a 

 hive to winter bees iu. 



