146 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



[Jan., 



on first observincj their well furnished garners, 

 the population had come to sober second thonoht 

 and grown suddenly abstemious, for singularly 

 enougli from the 15th of September to the first 

 cleansing tiight about the middle of Febi-uary — 

 or during nearly live full months— scarcely four 

 pounds more were consumed. 



The Bee Yeac, in this country, might accor- 

 dingly be sub-divided into four periods, which, 

 though varying much in duration, would still be 

 sharply enough defined by the increase and the 

 decrease in the weight of the hives. 



The first period begins when spring has fairly 

 opened and its genial influence is a])parent on 

 trees and plants, towards the end of April in 

 this climate, and beginning of May, and con- 

 tinues till the first days in June— lasting about 

 four weeks. It supplies the bees with the 

 golden tinted nectar, which, especially where 

 locusts and lindens abound, rejoices the eye and 

 the palate. This might therefore be appropria- 

 tely called the vernal vintage, for even in (luantity 

 it does not fall short of the autumnal gatherings. 

 In 18C7, commencing with the 11th of May, it 

 amounted to 21 lbs. in the hive then subjected to 

 our observation ; and in 1S68, it reached 24 lbs. 

 12 oz. 



Between the 4th and the 8th of June com- 

 mences the second period, during which, not- 

 withstanding the large supplies of pollen car- 

 ried in for the nourishment of the brood, the 

 diminution of w^eight is strikingly great. This 

 period continues till heather comes into bloom, 

 or about nine weeks, and i-educed the weight of 



my hive 9 lbs. 1807 ; and in ISGS, when the popu- 

 lation had greatly increased, without producing 

 a swarm, the falling off was 12 lbs. 9 oz. 



The tMrd period, which includes the blooming 

 heather, is much the shortest, lasting scarcely 

 three weeks. It begins, with us, after the first 

 week in August, and closes before the end of 

 that month. It yielded last year an increase of 

 24 lbs. 14 oz. and was considered pretty fair. 

 This year the increase was only 19 lbs. and must 

 be ranked in the medium class. 



The fourth the longest— continues from the 

 beginning of September to the end of April, or 

 thirty-five weeks. In this period, last winter, 

 my hive lost 14 lbs. 14 oz. ; and as the diminution 

 continues in the same line to the present day, and 

 there seems to be no reason for expecting any 

 deviation, unlers the weather produces a change, 

 the conclusion will be allowable that the con- 

 sumption of hon<'y will not this season exceed 

 that of the preceding year. Should this prove 

 to be the case, we shall be justified in noting tlie 

 decrease as well as the increase of the weight 

 of the hive in figures, which might serve the 

 intelligent beekeeper as a guide, slu)wing of how 

 much honey he may deprive his stocks in 

 autumn ; and, on the other hand, whether and 

 when it behooves him to feed his bees, if he 

 would guard them from want. 



In the subjoin I'd table, the beekeeper will find, 

 as the result of carefully conducted observations, 

 a statement which, attentively scanned and care- 

 fiilly heeded, may serve as a useful directory in 

 the management of his colonies. 



Tabular Statement sTioxcing the Variations in the Weight of a Hive. 



