The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1900-03-15
BEEKE PING.
Things That Can Be Done Early, Be-
f0sv the Busy Season Comes.

Things That Can BE Done Early, Be-
fa.s the Busy Season Comes.
Early in the spring an estimate
should be made of what will be needed
for the coming season In the line Of bee
hives, surplus cases, honey boxes, comb
foundation and other fixtures that may
be needed for the bees during the hon
ley flow. If these goods are to be
bought, the list should be sent in early
to the one from whom the goods are to
be had, so that IL to be put up at home
the hives may be put together and all
complete ready for the bees. Each hive
should have two coats of good paint
md for which nothing equals good
white lead and oil. This Is durable and
just the color for beeLives. The max
Ing and putting up Of hives, supers and
brood frames should be accurately
done. The cutting out Of lumber for
hives cannot be satisfactorily done by
hand. Machinery is essential for this
work. and unless one has this at hand
he had better buy the material cut out.
This work can be done by most apia-
rists early In the spring before the busy
season for work comes.
One should be sure to be well sup
piled with hives. supers, honey boxes.
etc. 1t is far better to have a few left
at the close of the season than to run
short, for in the latter case much loss
in bees and honey will occur.
If one has no warm room in which to
work, the putting Of comb foundation
into brood frames and honey boxes
may be left until warm days come,
when it should be done at once. A one
inch guide should be placed in each
brood frame and honey box. This Sc
cures straight combs and an earlier
beginning of work in the surplus boxes.
If any repairing of empty hives on
hand is needed, this should now be
done. The bee yard can be cleaned of
leaves and tidied up. The bees Go not
early need a great deal of attention.
The hives should be kept clear Of dead
bees. If any are short of store, out of
doors, a supply Of honey should be Civ
en-, but if the bees were properly cared
| for in the fall such a condition will not
be present at this time. If any colonies
are found dead on removal from the
cellar their hives should be closed at
once or robbing may be started, very
undesirable thing at any time in the
apiary. The hive entrances should be
in size according to strength of the col
an inch.
All upward ventilation should be cut
off and the heat retained, thus aiding
in more rapid brood rearing. The ear
ly blooming trees and plants with fine
weather will yield pollen and honey
! freely, so our bees are stimulated to
greater activity and brood rearing.
From the opening of white willow.
cherry and plum bloom we have a con-
slant yield of pollen and honey for our
bees until the close of small fruit bloom
in May or usually from 18th to 25th of
month-occasionally later. With good
weather during this time of bloom,
above named, our bees rear brood rap
!! idly, and by the closing of 1t our hives
should be crowded with bees. The
combs not filed with honey will be
found to contain eggs in abundance
and brood in all stages. :
! We usually have light bloom be-
tween fruit and white clover bloom, SO
our bees gather but little honey. At
this time the bees use up their food
rapidly with so much brood on hand,
and the apiarist should keep a close
watch of the combs lest the bees run
short of honey. If any colonies are
found that have not a sufficient sup
ply they should be supplied at once,
for it is very essential that no short
age now occur. If it be allowed, brood
rearing will be slackened, and If on
the verge Of starvation the bees will
remove the maturing brood from the
cells and throw it out, resulting in
much loss. A good supply of stores
present will encourage constant breed
ing, so our bees will on the opening
Of white clover be very strong in num-
bers and able to store surplus honey,
which is so much desired by every bee
| raiser.
Before the close Of May all hives,
honey boxes, supers, etc., should be
ready for use, every brood frame
and honey box having the comb foun-
dation guides in and all ready for the
honey season. All apiarists should try
to be up with their work and never
behind, concludes one of the craft, who
gives the foregoing advice in Farm,
Field and Fireside.