FIFTY YEARS AMONG THE BEES 125 



pounds of comb honey (about 20,000 finished sections), increas- 

 ing to 284 colonies ; or an average of more than 146 pounds per 

 colony, with 129 per cent increase. As the storing was mainly 

 by one set of colonies and the increase by another, it would 

 perhaps be fairer to say that 100 colonies averaged 18iy2 

 pounds per colony with no increase, and that each of the re- 

 maining colonies was increased to 7 2-3 colonies with no sur- 

 plus. The best colony gave 300 sections, and several colonies 

 were close on its heels. 



NUMBER OF SECTIONS NEEDED PEK COLONY. 



Clearly, in such a season as 1903 it would not do to have 

 ready only 4 supers per colony, and I did some figuring to 

 determine what would be the right number. That average of 

 146 pounds per colony was equivalent to about 160 sections per 

 colony. With 24 sections to the super, those 160 sections would 

 lack 8 sections of filling 7 supers. There were probably more 

 than 8 unfinished and empty sections per colony, so it will be 

 readily seen that for another year like 1903 it will be a conser- 

 vative estimate to count on having 7 supers of sections ready in 

 advance for each colony. Such a year may never come again, 

 but then again it may. So remembering the old saw, " It is 

 better to be ready and not go than to go and not be ready,'' it 

 will be the wise thing to have 7 supers filled in advance each 

 year. If they are not needed they will keep over all right, even 

 if kept so long as 4 or 5 years. 



Perhaps it will be well, as a general rule, to have ready as 

 many as will be needed in your best year, and then an extra 

 super besides for each colony. That, of course, might make it 

 more, or it might make it less, than 7 supers to the colony. 



A PHENOMENAL SEASON. 



Just ten years later came the season of 1913, again upsetting 

 all figures. The season opened with 83 colonies; 11 of these 

 were devoted to extracting-combs, and 72 to sections, and these 

 72 had no help from the other 11. There was abundance of 

 fruit-bloom and dandelion, and colonies became strong. May 

 27 appeared the first bloom on alsike and white clover, just as 



