Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1890-03-14
SOME FARM NOTES.
HINTS AND SUGGESTIONS OF VALUE.
TO THRIFTY AGRlCULTURlSTS.
Expressions Made bv Michigan Bee KccpA
ers at Recent state Meeting How to
Build up Colonies for the Honey
Harvest.

AT the annual Michigan state convon-
ton of bee keepers, Mr.. G. NJ. Doolittlc,
of New York, contributed an essay ON
GLOW to build up colonies in the spring
for the honey harvest" In this he said
In 1876 and 1871 Mr.. j. II. Townly, of
jackson, Mich, pressed upon the bee
Keepers Of the land the necessity Of keep
ing bees warm, as soon as out Of winter
quarters, y means of some extra pro-
lection ON the outside of single walled
hives, il we would have our bees build
up 50 as to take advantage of the first
honey flow, recommending that the hives
be put in rough boxes somewhat larger
than the hives, the space between being
filled with ChafT or fine straw. Ten years
later Mr.. w. 4. Hutchinson, Of tie same
state, emphasized the matter i'll his book,
'Production of Comb Honey and | so
far agree with them that lay down this
proposition, viz: No bee keeper residing
north of latitude 40 dogs. can secure the
best results in dollars and cents from his
bees unless he so protects them in the
spring, whether wntered in the cellar or
on the simmer stand.
Professor \. j. Cook and others say
chat, in addition to all other favorable
circumstances, bees must be fed, by way
of stimulativc feeding, at all times when
they are not gathering honey, in order
to build colonies up rapidly in the spring.
Without contradicting the above state
ment, | wish to say that the daily feed
ing of colonies is IA task that most bee
keepers do not relish. and for this reason
it is to be avoided, if possible. That it
may be avoided. | make this statement:
Bees having large supply of honey in
their hives Will build up just us fast,
without any stimulative feeding. as will
u colony having little or no stores. under
daily feeding; and if the full combs OF
honey are placed ON one side Of a division
board, and the brood on the other. so
that the bees have to carry their food
around this board, they will build up
faster than they will in either OF the
other cases. When any colony becomes
strong enough. to have brood in five
combs, so that these combs average two
thirds full, Il gain is TO be made which
will much more than pay for the time
employed, by reversing the brood nest,
regardless of the style of the hive or
frame used.
BY reversing the brood nest 1 mean
the putting of the center combs, which
are full of brood, on the outside. and
putting those having the least brood
that were on the outside, in the center
Now leave them until the hive is so well
filled with bees that they have brood in
all but the two outside combs Ohe center
combs being filled out To the frame on
all Sides, when the brood is to be re
versed again, putting the combs that are
entirely filled with brood out next to
these outside combs, and those having
the least in them in the center. y gain
of week at least is made in this way 10
each hive, and this week OF honey
gathering will more than pay for the
necessary trouble and time.
On a vote being taken, large ma jOr-
ity voted in favor of single walled hives,
with outer case, packed III the spring.
\. I. Root, NJ. II. Hunt and several
others were in favor Of chafT packed
hives the entire year. DIR. A. b. Mason
was in full accord with Mr.. DoOlittle,
and strongly advocated spring protec-
ton. w. L. Hutchinson did not believe
it best to disturb the brood at all. \. l..
Root was against spreading brood. VI.
II. Hunt had, on the contrary, seen
great benefit from it.