The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1919-05-22

prepared by the United States Depart.
ment OF Agricuiture)
For Increased production of honey II
Is not necessary to have more bee.
keepers. II Is necessary only for those
beekeepers the country now has TO i'm.
prove their knowledge OF honey pro-
qlncilon and TO devote themselves more
seriously TO the care of their bees, say
experts of the United States depart
nenl of agriculture. Statistics show
tiint the ANIMAL average yield of sur
plus honey to the colony Is exceedingly
low, and when compared with the av-
erages of the better beekeepers II Is
inexcusably low and indicates unsatls-
factory management due to neglect or
10 ignorance.
A casual survey Of beekeeping prac-
fices makes 1t evident that the greatest
cause OF this low production is lack Of
care during the critical periods of the
year. Broadly. the Bookkeeping year
may he divided Into two distinct
periods-the period of preparation for
the honey flow and the period of the
honey 0ow. During each the problems
fined Usually there Is only one period
of preparation. which begins ut the
end Of the honey flow In the fall and
lasts until the main honey flow the sue
ceeding year. However. where there
is more than one main honey flow,
there is period OF preparation Of
varying length between ench one. The
bookkeeping problem is the same, how
;ever. and 1t consists In securing n
colony overfowing with bees ready for
the field when the honey flow starts.
Must Be Ready for Work.
} In the North this problem Is called
wintering. and to the average bee
keeper the chief concern Is to care
for epch colony of bees so that II Will
be In condition to pass successfully
through the winter period. This. how
ever, Is but a small and easy part Of
the problem. Bringing bees, through
the winter will not In Itself accom-
pllsh the main object 0f the preparation
period. that of securing colony over
po,,i,a, with haas nj tho time of the
honey flow. In IA large measure the
strength of the colony il n direct gauge
of the amount of surplus secured and
II isfto the beekeeper's advantage to
do everything which will In lnny way
favor rapid brood rearing during the
two months preyims TO the main flow.
This means not only that bees must be
>vintered Int they must be I'm such con.
,ljtion I'm the fnll that sprIng will find
Them ready and able to undertake this
tremendous increase In population.
II viii he seen. therefore. that the
prepnrntiop of bees for the harvest be-
gins NOT when winter threatens. hut
Immediately after the last main honey
How and continues TO the beginning Of
the drst main flow the succeeding year.
n IN IMPERATIVE that during all this
period each colony have stores In ad-
vance of its needs at all times. room
for brood rearing and protection from
low temperatures aud winds. These
things are discussed In the bee publi-
cations of the United States depart.
mcnt OF agriculture.
swarmino Must Be Stopped.
Toward the beginning OF the main
honey flow the problem changes. II
is now essential that each colony be
prevented from reducing it's working
force by swarmlng and that it's Instinct
10 store and gather honey he kept
dominant. During the period of prep
aration, the instincts of the bees are
in harmony with the desires of the
bcekeeper. hut during the swarming
season the Instincts of the bee are
directly opposed to his Interests. Any
brcaklng up of the colony and reduc-
tion OF the working force by swarm.
ing brings n corresponding reduction
In the amount OF surplus which may
be obtained from that colony. There
fore II is to the beekeeper's advantage
20 prevent swarmlng In every possible
way. and II swnrming stlll occurs. TO