Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-03-25

he CONSIDERED the various fruits ana
berries. stating whether they are
self-fertile or self-sterile. and ex-
planning how they are dependent up
on the bee, the only polarization
agent that man has domesticateG.
He said that some orchardists pay
as high as IS hive to beckeepers for
putting bees in orchards during the
poisoning season.
"Outdoor and Indoor Wintering Of
Beef. L. Mason, Mechanic
Falls"
Unfortunately the average beekeep-
err considers that his Bookkeeping year
closes when he removes that honey
the latter part Of July. Too often
there is no honey to remove. and the
discouraged beekeeper hesitates to
give time and attention to an unpro-
fitable venture. Could he come to
realize that the 1921 honey producing
year begins in the latter part Of July,
1920. he would find his efficiency as a
honey producer doubled. The honey
crop is so largely dependent upon the
condition in which bees are wintcra1.
that. although we may not say that
good wintering guarantees a good
honey crop, we may with certainty
say that poor wintering guarantees
a poor honey crop.
Strong colonies, abundant stores Of
good quality, ample breeding room.
and sufficient protection from the
cold. are the essentials Of good win
tering. Consider these essentials as
! chain Of four links. The strength
of a chain is determined by he
strength Of its weakest link. 1t is
. the same with wintering. Improper
attention to any essential may jeop-
ardize the success of the whole pro-
cedure.
Strong colonies are secured by the
introduction Of young, prolific
queen and\by uniting Requeening
should be an established process, and
should be done Immediately after re-
moving the honey. Do not hesitate
TO discard a queen that has done good
work. Since the life of a queen de-
ponds upon the number of eggs laid,
1t is very likely that your best queen
this season is least fitted to lead your
strongest colony next. A queen
should not be depended upon for more
than two seasons. Consider carefully
before you give the price Of queens
as reason for not requeening. Four
pounds of comb honey in our city
markets will"buy a very good queen.
and this is as cheaply as queens have
been bought in several years. The
minimum strength Of colony which
! it is profitable to winter is difficult
to determine but any colony not hav-
! ing three frames of brood, Lang
stroth size. at the time when honey
is removed, should be marked for
! uniting.
Colonies should have a minimum Of
So pounds OF stores of good quality
available, in addition to any honey
gathered in early spring. Bees win
tered outdoors should have these
stores with them at time of packing.
Those wintered in cellar should have
! from Is to 20 pounds in hive and 'c-
mainder at hand for spring feeding.
Tho fall honey flow in this state Is
generally considered good quality for
| wintering. Occasionally honey dew
is gathered. This should be removed.
A cover. bottom. and two hive bod
les should be considered hive tcr
one colony of bees instead of one
body. Two bodies should be with
| bees during fall. and during the win
ter with bees wintered outdoors as
shortage space. For cellar winter
ing it may be removed after brood
rearing and returned early in spi lg.
For outdoor wintering bees should
have four inches bottom packing,
eight inches on the walls. and twelve
inches on top. Bees should be packed
Sept. Is and unpacked June /. A eel
lar for bees should have inner roof
below frost line, and a temperature
Of approximately so degrees should
be maintained. Bees should be placed
in cellar early in November, and re-
moved when red naples are in bloom.
Other speakers and their subjects
We're:
Control Of Brood Diseases" DR..
Burton n. Gates, Massachusetts in
spector OF apiaries; THE Hotbed a. q
Crop-forcer on the General Farm"
H. p. Sweetser. associate professor
of horticulture: Crop Reports Worth
Money to Farmers" v. A. Sanders,
field agent. U. s. Dept. Of Agri.:
Farm Records in franklin County,"
County Agent A. X. Gardner; Home
Economies at the University Of
Maine." Miss Frances r. Freeman.
professor Of home economics, U. Of
NJ; Annual and Perennial Flowers,"
r. +. Muller. Asst. Prof. OF Horticul-
ture; Home Furnishings" Mics
Laura Anderson. Asst. Prof. OF Home
Economics; Fitting and Feeding
Test Cows" HarhArf Il Rnilou Gun.