The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-11-28
WintcrfrC Bees.

Among timely topics discussed at the
recent convention of North American
Beekeepers, at Columbus, O., was that
of wintering bees. The use of chatf hives
was discussed. E. R. Root claimed that
they afford protection from cold. also
from the direct heat of the suns rays.
The bees are always ready for winter as
4 far as protection is concerned, and the
cool nights of late summer do not drive
the bees from the supers. With chaif
hives there is no laborious carrying Of
bees in and out of the cellar. Another
member affirmed that the trouble is that
chaff hives do not do what is cia med for
them. "They do not winter the bees.
A single-walled hive is .ust as good for
wintering bees. With it the sun can
warm up the bees; with chaff hive
it does not" Dr. Mason said that he
valued protection for the bees in spring.
If he wintered his Lees out OF doors,
would do so in chnff hives, but preferred
to winter in the cellar. Another member
thought there might be a saving of honey
by protecting the bees early in the
spring, but urged against chaff hives
their limited capacity also that they are
heavy, unwieldy and hard to move when
change Of pasturage IS desirable.
AS to the best a.e for bees to go into
winter quarters, A. |. Root said it was
once thought that we must have young
bees for winter, and must feed ii neces-
sary. They mad tried taking away the
queen in the fall and the bees wintered
we'll. E. r. Foot added that in 1865;
they wntered 200 colonies without loss
and that they were almost al old bees.
They had foul brood in the apiary and
but little brood was reared. Pref. A.
J.Cook thought we ought to have brood
up to September. Gin 1871" he said,
eve had no brood in July and August
and the bees wintered poorly. do not
care to have the bees begin to breed be-
fore the 1st of April" DR.. Lincker
advocated young bees-those that had
had one flight.
Opinion seemed to be pretty equally
divided upon the proper time for bees to
commence to breed III the spring. Two
months before white clover was the
earliest limit with many. While others
thought it best for them to begin sooner.
Experiments in Strawberry Culture.
When strawberry plants are trans
planted in midsummer it often happens
that dry spell fellows, and moth NJ
but liberal irr cation will save them
from dying out, even when pot'ed plants
are used. This means a good deal of ex-
trs labor for the grower aud often the
plants get such an unsatisfactory start
that they are not of much account the
following year. Still there are advantages
in summer planting. At the Ohio En-
pertinent Station last year, The season
being an uufavorable oHe on account Of
the extremely dry weather. the expert
ment was tried of planting few rows
of Crescents in close order, about six
inches apart in the rows. The yield
proved to be nearly equal to that of the
spring plants, while the fru:s was timer
in appearance. The balance Of the sum
mer plants set out late in ..uly or August
only Yielded about half as much as the
spring set plants. Professor Greer sug-
ge$ts that by adopting this method OF
close planting market gardeners might
pro6tably grow strawberries as second
crop, even if the Weld is not as great as
on plants that have had whole year to
grow IN.
Another experiment with strawberry
plants at the Ohio Station was conducted
with view to ascertaiulug the etfe,:t OF
various fertilizers upon the growth OF
the plants and the possible effects upon
the composition and quality Of the fruit.
Plots were treated respectively with su.
perphospha;e at the rate of % pounds
per acre: nitrate potash. >G0 pounds per
acre. and ba-nyard uianure. y fifth plot
for comparison WAS rot !e :iIizea. The
variety used was the Crescent seeding.
A careful analysis showed that the va,
rious fertilizers applied to the different
plots had no effect whatever in chang
ing the composition of the fruit Neithe'
could any difference be detected in the
appearance or taste of samples gathered
from the several plots. 1t was noted,
however, that the fruit ripened earlier on
the plot dressed with superphosphate
than on the one treated with nitrate OF
soda, while, on the other hand, the last
named plot produced the most luxuriant
plants. The plants on the unfcrtilized
plot could not be distinguished from
those treated with superphosphate.
Nitrate of soda stimulated the growth OF
:, the plants, which were dark and lux