The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1873-04-18

hive without spelling till spring.
Sd. At what age will queens become fertile2
Answer-Between three and five days.
4th. How should honey in the comb be pre-
served from spelling, when not occupied by
bees?
AnsWer-It should be removed and kept in
a dark room. Paper pasted over the holes in
the box will assist in preserving it.
5th. What should do if have good stock
with four queen sells capped2
Answer-Mr. Bair preferred to have some
one else answer as he had a case of that kind.
Mr.. Irish thought it would be best to divide
the swarm into four nucleus hives giving each
one of the queen cells. Had noticed it in the
case of Black Bees.
Mr.. Bair had observed it on examining a
stock Of Black Bees. Thought it resulted
from an effort to supercede the queen bee.
Had not noticed queen bee in the swarm,
but it was late in the evening when he made
the discovery. Thought that dividing the
stock would weaken and impoverish all SO
that all would be lost Thought it would be
best to supply the stock with queen. Had
weak stock of italian Bees which he purposed
givingto the stock in which he had observed
the capped queen cells.
9Th. Does the compression of the queens alb
domen cause the fertilization of the egg2
Answer-No. Mr. Hodgson took excep-
ton to the answer, and asserted the reverse
to bo the case. He knew that the contrary
opinion had prevailed, but he was prepared to |
dispute it. When young tho queens never
raised drones in workers cells.
7th How should hives be placed when two
hives are made of one to keep them equal?
Answer-They should be placed at equal |
distances from the place where the old one
had stood, when the bees will naturally di-
vide, part going into each hive.
9Th. If you should divide your stock with the
four capped queen cells, where would you get |
your drones to mate with them IN five days
after they had hatched?
Answer-Did not believe they could be pre-
served, and as a consequence he proposed to |
give them queen already .fertiIized.
The Secretary having arrived the minutes
of last meeting were read and the regular or
der proceeded:
lst Topic for discussion. Best method Of |
transferring bees.
Mr.. Bair said his method was to blow few |
whiffs of smoke into the hive and then invert |
it, when the bees would collect in the upper |
portion. Then removing the side he covered.
with a sheet on which tho bees collected. He
then cut THO comb to fit the hive and fastened |
it in, when he proceeded in the same manner
as in swarming'
Mr.. Rice and Mr.. Ovormyor, agreed with
Mr.. Bair
Mr.. Fink pursued little different course |
He first fumigated, then wrapped the hive,
and got the bees excited. When they were |
excited they would fill themselves with honey
and could not fy. He then removed them
from them to distance, and covered with |
tranfer box, cut the comb not putting in much |
drOne comb if the stock was strong, adjusted
it in the hive which was put in its proper
place, and then emptied the bees near enough |
so they could crawl in.
Mr.. Bair thought it best not to transfer too |
much drone comb.
Mr.. Irish transferred bees as soon as posi-
bic after getting some comb in the hive so as
to protect the brood.
ID Topic. When was the best time to trans
fer bees?
Mr. Bair and Mr.. Rice agreed in opinion
that the best time was when the flowers
yielded honey plentifully.
Mr.. Fink had transferred early, when the
flowers yielded but little honey, and had good
success.
Mr.. Irish thought it best to transfer when
ready, if prepared to feed them. He had had
good success.
Mr.. Bair thought it would not be profitable
to transfer carly.
Mr.. Hudgson thought the answers were not
satisfactory. People wanted to know when
was the best time to transfer, not tie individ-
ual practice, or when would they do best if
transferred.
Mr.. Irish believed that less risk was incur
red by transferring when apple frees were in
blossom than at any other time.
MrHodgson said he knew that was believed
to be the best time, but he had reason to be-
lieve 1t was safest not to transfer till white
clover was in blossom.
Sd Topic. Is bee-koeping profitable in this
locality?
Mr. Bair thought that if bookkeeping re-
ceived the care and attention bestowed on
other stock, it could not be otherwise If |
stock growing was not pursued carefully it |
would not prove profitable Thought he had |
derived as much profit from that source as
from any other on his farm the past year
DR.. Rice did not think his experience would
warrant him in giving an opinion. His OBJ
servation led him to think the profits unccr-
tain. 1t depended much on the season. In
good seasons the profits were good, and the re-
verse was the case in poor seasons.
Mr.. Engler had always owned few colo
nies, but not given much attention to them
until the past two years. Last year was not
profitable.
Mr.. Irish thought proper care and attention |
would secure profitable returns.
Mr.. Loose thought them as profitable as
anything else.
Mr. Hodgson said he had kept bees for years
and thought he understood whether they were
profitable or not. Had never lived where it |
was not profitable. In Herkimer County, |
New York, where 1t was colder than here, and
season not SO early, the experience of promi-
nent bee-keepers was that they were profit
able. Mr.. Ford had in one year secured 10 |
swarms from l30 stocks, and had sold 600
pounds of honey from the same, and all this
on capital of 5000 to 500. In the last
twelve years his experience here was that each
stock was worth 5000 at interest. The last |
two years he had doubled his money in new
swarms and sold an average of SO worth of /
honey from each stock. The general average
was the best way to determine. Last season
and the season one year ago were hard on
bees and about 20 per cent Of the stocks per-
ished, yet compared with other stock he
thought bee keeping very profitable.
Mr.. Bair remarked that the profitable char
acter Of beekeeping in this locality was DOM
strated by the fact that while the loss in the
State averaged Is per cent of the whole stock,
one year ago, the loss in this portion of the
State did not exceed 20 per cent.
4th Topic. Do bees gather honey from hon
ey daw?
Mr.. Bair had never seen, what was called !
honey dew, and could not give an opinion.
Mr.. Irish had seen very heavy honey dew |