48 



THE Bj^E-KEEPERS' REVIEW. 



ILL.USTBATION3 FOB OOMPABISON. 



1st, a weak colouy. The flow slow and 

 the temperature low would confine the col- 

 ony to the brood-cliainber almost exclusive- 

 ly. Raise the temperature and still they 

 would be loth to leave the brood-chamber. 

 Increase the temperature and flow both, and 

 they would do fair to good super work, 

 either for comb or extracted. A t;ood flow 

 and low tempeature would give some honey 

 in extractitig-combs, and but little or none 

 in sections; but the colony with sections 

 would paf/c the brood-chamber more solidly 

 than the one having the extracting-combs. 



2ud, a strong colony. Flow slow and 

 temperature low would pack the brood- 

 combs and put some, possibly, in the ex- 

 tracting-combs. Flow slow and tempera- 

 ture high would be apt to put nearly all 

 honey in the extracting-combs, and possi- 

 bly a little in the sections. Flow good and 

 temperature high would rapidly till the 

 extractitig-supers and sections, both: and if 

 unlimited room in both, nearly all the hon- 

 ey would go into the extracting-combs, 

 while the comb-honey colony would pack 

 the brood-combs and put the balance in 

 the sections. Flow good and temperature 

 low would fill the brood-combs well and do 

 good work in the extracting-combs, and 

 fair in the sections. 



Now while the weak colony cannot build 

 comb with the temperature low, they can 

 and do pack the brood-chamber solid. If 

 sections were on they would not work them, 

 because they cannot: but the same colony 

 having "xtractiug-combs would put some in 

 near the brood-nest. A rapid flow and tem- 

 perature high enough so they can build comb 

 rapidly, or go to any part of the hive, the 

 comb-honey colony will put all they can in 

 the brood-combs, and work a corner or end 

 of a super of sections; but if it had extract- 

 ing combs it would put the honey mainly 

 above and the brood below. 



If one keeps only weak colonies he may 

 expect the percent of extracted to be much 

 above that of comb honey; but if good to 

 strong colonies, they can preserve heat 

 enough to build comb to receive tl e honey 

 as it eorne' in and wi'l always ppck the brood- 

 chamber; hut, on the other hand, if they 

 have combs ready-built they will — when 

 given unlimited room — put nearly all the 

 honey above and fill the brood combs with 

 brood and pollen. 



If the honey-flow be in the snmmer — 

 basswood or clover — the weather will nearly 

 always be warm enough for comb-building, 

 hence strong colonies at such times will 

 gather about as much when run for comb as 

 for extracted. I admit there will not be as 

 much in the sections as in extracting-combs; 

 but right here is where nearly all are at 

 fault in their estimates. Only the honey in 

 the super is counted, yet the comb- honey 

 colony has usually from 10 to 20 pounds 

 more honey in the brood-combs than has 

 the other. The more room with full sets of 

 extracting-combs, the more the super will 

 get the honey to the disadvantage of the 

 brood-chamber. The stronger the colony 

 and the warmer the weather, the more the 



tendency to store in the extras and have the 

 brood-combs light. If the weather be so 

 cool as to interfere with wax-work and still 

 have a good flow, the ready-built store- 

 combs give the colony quite an advantage 

 over the one that has to build, hence in such 

 case the extracted-honey colony would do 

 much the best. I think right here is where 

 my experience has been so different from 

 that of others. It lies in two facts: I keep 

 8trou.:jcolouies— stronger than the average 

 apiarist— and my honey season has been in 

 the midsummer when the weather was hot. 

 My basis of calculation has been hot weather 

 and strong colonies. 



While at the Lincoln convention I learn- 

 ed from the Nebraska people that their flow 

 comes in the fall, with generally cool 

 weather, and especially cool nights. These 

 cool days and nights would make it difiB- 

 cult to build comb, yet the secretion of 

 nectar went on and the davtime was warm 

 enough to let the bees gather. I remem- 

 ber a little exiierience in Iowa on that line, 

 when the cold at night drove the bees from 

 the sections or stopped work in them. 



There is also another condition that favors 

 a larger yield of extracted honey, and that 

 is when the flow comes very suddenly, and 

 to some extent when it continues very freely. 

 An abrupt flow that would fill the brood- 

 combs in two or three days before wax-se- 

 cretion gets fully started, would result in 

 loss because there would be no place to store; 

 but I have never but once had such experi- 

 ence. That one time filled the brood-combs 

 and IG drawn sections, and the foundation 

 in the other sections, was being worked, 

 and new wax beginning to be added. It is 

 clear that in this case the ready bnilt combs 

 were a gain. It is now conceded by many 

 that unfinished sections are good property. 

 I consider them valuable to use even if the 

 honey in them were to be extracted. There 

 are times when the flow is abrupt and free, 

 that they would be of service: but the great- 

 est gain to be derived from them is in get- 

 the bees started in the sections. 



Keeping a colony on scales and taking a 

 daily record is a very good way to find ont 

 many things about results under the various 

 conditions. I have for many years kept a 

 scile hive, but I have lost much of the ben- 

 efit by not keeping a permanent record in 

 a book. The season of 189.T I had three 

 apiaries. f)ne was run for comb, and one 

 for extracted only. The scale hive showed 

 a da^lv crain during the flow of a little less 

 than 2'^4 pounds. The total gain was G2 

 pounds, and the time 2G days. In 1897 the 

 flow 'asted 2'> days, and the average pain 

 was two pounds per day. In 1894 the flow 

 lasted .SO days, and gavp a total gain of 60 

 pounds— 2 pounds per day. 



Now right here I want to give my experi- 

 ence for seven years with three apiaries of 

 200 to 300 colonies, and with both comb and 

 extracted honey produced. The year 1890 

 was a good year. The average yield was l.TO 

 pounds per colony. 1 have not now the 

 figures, though I have a rather clear remem- 

 brance of general results. This year was 

 the one experience previously referred to in 



