The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1875-07-23
1ame, farm and garden
seasonabIe HInts 70 Ree-keepers.

seasonabIe Hints to Bee-Keepers.
This year the honey harvest is late. Il
bees have been fed and the hives kept
warm they will be as strong In number
now as in better seasons. Strong colo
MES will need no coaxing TO induce them
to gather honey All that the bee-keep
er has 10 do is to afford every help in
storing it. Combs may now be emptied
of honey every other day, with the ex.
tractor, in good weather; aud TO one
who never has witnessed it, the rapidity
with which the combs are filled, is almost
incredible.
We cannot too strongly impress upon
beginners the value of keeping the bees
well supplied with comb while honey is
abundant, If they have it or can get it.
Every square inch Of good worker comb
should be secured and given to them in
some way As an illustration of the val
ue Of empty comb to "A colony, we can
give the result of a recent experiment.
We put good, large swarm Of bees into
an empty hive, and tile same day, one of
equal size into hive with ten frames
full Of comb. At the end of ten days the
latter swarm had stored one hundred
and sixteen pounds Of honey, which we
took with the extractor, besides filling
several combs with brood, while the one
put into the empty hive Lad only filed
three frames with comb, and partially
filed them with brood.
We have put, in our old style bee-keep-
ing days, a swarm into an empty box
hive and had it barely fill the hive in the
course Of a season, while a swarm, put
the same dayi ahive, full Of old black
comb, not only filed that hive with
stores but gave us seventy-two pounds
ofhoneyi We regard this box honey as
really the valne Of the old comb in the
hive.
The trouble with beginners is that they
are not supplied with empty comb; in
deed old bee-keepers seldom have as
much as they can use to advantage. We
hope the time is close at hand when we
can buy comb or foundations for it, at
very low rates. This has long been con-
sidered the great thing to be desired in
successful Bookkeeping Mr.. Quinby had
been years experimenting without the
success he desired. Within a short time,
however, these artificial combs have been
made In perfection, and We hope cheap
enough to make them profitable.
The miller now will be at work, if al
lowed, and all must be on their guard.
Strong colonies that cover all their comb
are the best protection. Those that are
weak must be looked after, and the comb
examined A queenless colony, if al
lowed to remain so, becomes an easy
prey to the worms.
Keep in every hive room for the queen.
without the use of the extractor she is
often cramped for room, and therefore
there are not enough bees reared to
maintain requisite strength. Prepara-
tions for wintering really begin now in
securing plenty of brood, to keep up the
strength of the colony.
Those who wish to secme box honey.
must keep on plenty of boxes now. Set
them directly on the frames on any form
of hive, with no intervening honey
board, and put pieces of clean comb in
them You can in this way get any
strong colony to work in boxes when
there is any honey to gather.
Colonies may be divided all through
this month with profit, in any of the
Western States. New ones can be built
up late here, quite as well as in June.
They may need care, but it is quite easy
to give it,
Sow buckwheat, or have it sown for
you, at different times. 1t always paws
to have it, though there is great differ
ance in seasons as to its yield of honey.
Bee Journal.