The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1925-08-06
Extension and Club Work
By Miss Gertrude Gage
pEEs IN BENTON COUNTY


BEES IN BENTON COUNTY
The following is another of MI
c,ocum's articles on 'The Bee Hive.
The following equation may b.
rnown as the beekeeper's equation
e. f spells his success or failure
Come of the factors of the equation
20 within his control, others he mus
,aave with God. Excessive population
weather, honey plants, morale
mean crop.
The beekeeper has control of tn.
fret and last but he must depend up
IN God for the second and third fac
TORS. By excessive population we NEAR
exceedingly strong colonies having
eighty to one hundred thousand bees
There are five thousand bees to q
nound. thus we must have sixteen tc
twenty quarts of bees within each
hive. It is such colonies that bring in
surplus honey if there is any to be
secured.
Honey plants yield the best when
there is plenty Of moisture in the
soil. the nights cool, and the days
warm. The beekeepef hasn't much cbn-
troll over his honey plants. The only
manner in which he can help is to
locate where they are abundant and
urge his neighbors to seed nectar
Welding plants, such as sweet clover,
white clover and alfalfa. He is doing
his neighbor favor when he does
this for such plants make excellent
forage and in addition build up the
plant food within the soil, adding the
much needed nitrogen.
The last factor, morale, is in the
control of the beekeeper. Morale is
that state among the bees that caus-
es them to work with vim and energy,
being satisfied and happy. There are
4 number of factors which must be
watched if one is to succeed in doing
this.
The main thing is to be sure the
bees have plenty Of room and that
the factors that bring about the
swarming impulse are not present. In
the matter of room a good rule to
follow is to give the bees another
super when half to two-thirds of
the honey is sealed or when the bees
are working upon the outside
frames or in the corners of the comb
section supers.
The manner of placing the supers
upon the hive is also important. Dur
ing the forepart of the main flow,
the new super should be placed next
to the brood chamber. After the mid
die of the flow, the new super should
be placed on top for the flows upon
the west side Of the mountains may
be cut short any time. The usual time
for the ending Of the clover flow is
the middle of July and the fireweed
the middle of August.
The rule mentioned, of the bees !
working upon the outside frames or
in the corner sections of a comb Sec
ton super, applies when the supers
are placed on top. The placing of a
new super next the brood chamber
entices the bees into it sooner and
assists in relieving the congested con-
dition which usually exists in the
brood chamber.
In extracted honey production it
is we'll to raise couple of frames
Of sealed brood into the new super.
Young bees will soon be emerging
from sealed brood and when such
frames are raised into the super the
bees emerge where they will do the
most good, furthermore, the colony is
prevented from weeling it's strength,
which is essential in keeping up the
morale of the colony.
In comb honey production it is i'm
1ossible and undesirable to raise
frames of brood into the supers. The
hing that must be done here is to
'e sure all the fixtures in the super
IRE tight. that the section boxes con-
ain thin super foundation and that ;
here are bait sections scattered thru
!. The idea is have one bait sec
ION in the center and one in each COR
Ter. bait section is one left from
ne previous year which is partially
rawn out.
About two weeks before the clover
7 alfalfa honey-flow ends is the
lme to requiem your colonies or to
make your increase if any is desired.
hose who have hens know there is
period in her life when her produc-
Ion begins to decrease. The same is
rue of the queen and we have found
nat period to be when she reaches
ne age of two years.
For that reason we recommend re-
ueening at least every two years
nd this should be done at this time.
lany beekhepers are finding it prof
IaDle to requiem every year for such
oionles come thru the winter in bet
er condition. are able to resist Eu-
opean Foulbrood, less apt to swarm
no are the strongest at the Begin