Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-07-09
Req uisites of q Hive.

Jasper Hazen, Of Windsor county, Vt.
writes the Country Gentleman that it is im.
portant to the greatest success Of the colony,
and the largest product Of surplus to the
keeper, that proper division be made be-
tween the principal apartment for the home
Of the colony, and that for placing the boxes,
or other receptacles for surplus honey. The
breeding apartment should give room for all
the eggs which the queen may be able to de-.
posit, and the stores necessary for winters
support Of the colony. Any more room than
this is an injury. Place a colony of bees in
an empty -four barrel, or in box Of the same
size, and there will be little chance for sur
plus. large, prosperous colony ght
possibly fill the barrel; but it would be in
such shape as to be very much reduced in
value for surplus and in the portions Of
the year when tho members are reduced in
numbers, unable to guard SO large mass,
the moth would be likely to destroy them.
II oil the room, except suitable amount for
the nursery in the breeding season, and snug,
warm room for winter, is given to surplus
boxes, all the honey but that required for
the sustenance of the colony may be secured
in the best shape for market.
The room that will be required for the
permanent home of the bees, will come
much short Of barrel. DR.. Bevan, an
English writer, recommends 1916 cubic
inches. Mr.. Miner, in his work. says about
one foot square in the clear THAT is in the
inside) conforms moro to the natural habits
and requirements Of the bees than any OF her
size" Probably he means a cubic foot
l,72S inches Mr.. Quimby recommends
1000 cubic inches. DR.. Bevan's 1916
inches, If filled with honey, as surplus boxes
weigh when filed, would contain 33i pounds.
DIR, Miners l,728 inches would weigh 48
pounds. Mr.. Quimby's 1000 inches would
hold 65A pounds. In little time the cells
would, SO many of them, be filed with bee
bread, and SO many occupied by brood, that
not more than halt the space would be filled
with honey, reducing the honey to about l6,
"a and 28 pounds. should have no hSsita-
tion in placing hives with 16 pounds, and
even less, in dry cellar, secured from frost
and in feeding them with white sugar syrup,
encouraging early breeding and securing a
strong colony early in the honey season.
While l encourage small hive for the
home Of the bees, l would recommend
bountiiul supply Of surplus boxes, In very
close connection with the breeding apartment.
l find there is no difficulty in constructing
hives within the limits Of 1000 inches or
even l,2l6 inches in the breeding apartment
and bringing surplus boxes, six inches square,
Of the aggregate capacity OF 400 pounds, in
more Intimate connection with the breeding
apartment than If the boxes we're placed upon
the top Of the small box hive, recommended
in the first edition Of Mr.. Quimbys "Mys-
teries Of Bookkeeping Explained" Boxes
OF the aggregate capacity Of four hundred
pounds may be applied at once, or from SO
up to 300 or 400 pounds, may be placed on
the hive at time, as the prosperity Of the
colony, or the abundance Of the field or sea.
son may authorize.
think the considerations of the abun-
dant room for storing surplus honey, the
ready access Of the laborers to the hive, and
the intimate connection of the surplus boxes
with the breeding apartment are all impor-
tAnt elements Of success in the business of
the apiarian. And am not able To discover
why, in good field and good season, 200
pounds Of surplus in boxes may not be aver
aged. think it well at least 10 make the
effort. 1t is possible, even probable, that
there is room yet for important improvements
In the business Of the apiarian.