1890 



GLEANINGS IN liEE CULTURE. 



883 



ovorstockod. or. at least, they think so. Now. 

 so much depends on the anioiintof honey-pi-o- 

 diK-iii}? phmts on ii gi\'en location, it is harci for 

 one to lay down any set rules as to how many bees 

 we can keep, or how far a|)ait Nve must locate 

 our apiaries to obtain the best results. In good 

 seasons w(» may be able to get good returns 

 from a crowded pasture. But seasons like the 

 last t(»ll very plainly when we are overstocked — 

 that is. for a poor season. 



C I have taken pains to make a correct diagram 

 of the territory that we occupy with our bees: 

 and I tuust say that I was siu-prised myself 

 when I saw the exact position of each yard. 

 They are clustered together more than I had 

 supposed. The acconi])auying diagram will 

 show how they staiul. and 1 will give some 

 facts and figures that will make quite an inter- 

 esting study about setting out out-apiaries and 

 overstocking our pasture. Of course, it is im- 

 possible to locate a set of out-apiaries Just so 

 far from the home apiary, in a circle, each one 

 in its proper place, just as nicely as we could 

 make it on paper. We have to take such places 

 as we can get. and many of the places that we 

 can get won"t do at all, for some reason or 

 other: and when you have six or eight yards 

 planted yoit will be likely to find, as in our case, 

 some of them badly crowded — too much so for 

 profit. 



Atkinson yai'd. Colonies, spr 

 Cravin •' 



Kliebenstcin yard " 

 Waters ■ '• 



Jones " " 



(iunlauch " '• 



Home " •' 



No increase to s[)eak of. 

 Honey extracted: 



Atkinson yard 



Cravin " " 



Kliebenstein '• 



Waters •' 



Jones ■' 



(Junlaiu'h " 



Home •• 



mg count. 



1(K) 

 '.10 



88 

 80 

 <)() 

 105 



()4V> 



.740 

 .497 

 .GOO 

 .358 

 .540 



Fed back: 



Atkinson ya 



Cravin 



Kliebenstein 



Waters 



Jones 



Gunlatich 



Home 



Total 



3125 



r<l 



.000 



.(MX) 

 .(K)0 

 .,-'10 

 .480 

 .900 



Surplus after feeding. 



1932 



1193 



FRAXCI-; s Ol 



The circles in the diagram are tliree miles 

 oach. or 11^ miles Jiom center to the outside, 

 which is a very short distance for a bee to go in 

 search of honey. If the;- bees fly three or four 

 iniles. as I think they do in pool' seasons, it 

 is plain to see how it works in a poor season. 

 The outside apiaries may be getting a fair liv- 

 ing, while the inside yards are nearly starving. 

 In first-class seasons, wlien honey is plentiful 

 everywhere, and very few lu es go over one mile, 

 there is enough for all. I here give the nuinl)er 

 of bees in each yaid this :-pring. the annuuit of 

 honey taken, and the amount of feeding this 

 fall to put the bees in liim lui' winter. 



T-AriAUlES. 



Now. notice the Kliebenstein yard, how it is 

 located, away by itself, as for (distance, from 

 other yards.' It has a great advantage: and 

 then there is jjlenty of basswood all around it. 

 It has no bees lielonging to other inirties on its 

 territory. It gave the most lion<'y. no feeding, 

 and is in the best condition of any yard for win- 

 ter stores. 



We will now notice the Atkinson yard. It is 

 pretty well hemmed in on the north and cast 

 sides i)y the other yards, b\it it has an unlimit- 

 ed field on the west, of gooti pasture. We took 

 but little honey there, but it is in good condi- 

 tion for winter, witlutut feeding. 



