Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-12-05
Daily Nennrbrt sournal.
THE BUSY BEE,
BEES IN MAINE IN THE SUMNER OF 1874.

Possibly brief report of the honey pro-
duct In this State might be interesting to
your readers have gathered from diff
ierent parts of the State, such information
as will enable me to give some idea of the
honey crop for 1874.
The State this year has produced rather
a small yield in box honey, less than two
thirds OF the amount produced IN 1865:
But as general thing the hives are well
stored. In the months of May and June
and as late as the 10Th of July the bees did
but very little. in many cases killing of
their drones which is il sure indication that
honey is scarce. The last of July and
through August and September the bees
in some localities stored considerable
honey in boxes. But it was of a dark
color and tasted rank of the yellow weeds
from which they obtained it. | have new
er known bees to gather so much honey
through the months of August and Septem-
Der as they have this season. And 1t Will
be likely to cause the destruction of many
a colony the coming winter. Some bee
keepers think hive of bees that have
filed their combs with honey clear to the
bottom of their hives are in an excellent
condition for wintering. But they labor
under a gross mistake. especially if the
bees are wintered in cold place. which,
by the way, consider the best place to
winter them, provided they have plenty OF
empty comb to cluster in. l am well
aware that large majority Of our modern
Apiarians recommend warm place to put
bees in during the winter months. Exper-
fence teaches me the contrary, and at
some future time (if your columns are not
too fulD will give you my mode of win
tering these Industrious little workers. 1t
is not good for the bees to gill all their
combs with honey. If they do they are
obliged to cluster amongst their honey.
ice itself, and as the bees are obliged to
generate all the warmth they have
in the cold winters here in Maine they
are unable to keep from freezing. Be
sides. the comb in which they rear
their young brood being filed with
honey, the queen has no place to deposit
her eggs and the swarm dwindles to
n handful before spring and not unire-
quenily entirely die. leaving in many
cases hive full of honey. | have often
heard the bee keepers say they lost their
best hive of beess. Why was it their best
hive of bees? Because it was filled with
honey, clear to the bottom board. Well,
my friend, that was the probable cause OF
your loss. Those who have their hives
filled to the bottom with honey | should
advise not to winter them in too cold
place. Any hive that is filled with comb
to the bottom should be raised up from
the bottom board six inches and box
without top or bottom put under it leaving
a space OF six inches under the combs.
This space under the combs in winter has
several advantages. First, a free circula-
ton of air under the combs, which Is OF
considerable Importance. Second, II al
lows, the dead bees filth and the caps re-
moved from the cells as they eat the honey
to fall clear from the combs, which other
wise would lay between the combs and
gather moisture and literally ruin their
brood comb. A colony of bees can CON
struct three sheets OF comb while they
would be cleaning one sheet of mouldy
comb. r. ). TORREl.
BduuOr Nor 1874