134 FIPTiT YEARS AMONG THE BEES 



The best colony gave 300 sections, and several colonies were 

 close on its heels. 



NUMBEB OF SECTIONS NEEDED PER 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 de- 

 termine 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, these 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 con- 

 servative 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 upset- 

 ting 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 

 fruit bloom closed. Two days later we began putting on supers, 

 and the bees were not long about occupying them. There was 

 a steady flow from clover for at least 11 weeks, and I don't 

 know how much longer, for about August 18 sweet clover and 

 heartsease began to mix in, continuing till Sept. 20, supers 

 being taken off Sept. 22. Thus there was a continuous flow, 

 with scarcely a break, for about 16 weeks. Timely rains oe- 



