=Advantages of Northern Michigan for Honey-Production.=
That Northern Michigan has advantages over the southern or older
portions of the State, none familiar with the productions of honey can
deny. But to know the advantages of any locality one must be familiar
with the flora. The first advantage to be derived from these newer
localities is the early flow. In springs following winters of deep
snows our bees are bringing in pollen and some from the willows before
the snow is all gone. The soft maples soon follow, then the hard or
sugar maple, from which we get large quantities of honey. I have said
that I believed were the bees in as good condition to store honey as
during the basswood flow, it would come in nearly as fast. The honey
very much resembles maple syrup. I think, however, that it gets its
color from the mixture of dandelion that comes in at the same time. As
I prefer to have this all used in the brood-nest, I do not put on the
surplus cases until the raspberry bloom opens, but I have extracted
from the stronger colonies' brood-nests to give the queen room, and
fed to the weaker ones, and if you have never tried it you would be
surprised at the results with the weak colony.
From what I have already written, you will readily see that our bees
are in the very best possible condition to store surplus at the opening
of the raspberry bloom. The blackberry comes before this is gone, and
lasts until clover, and clover lasts until basswood, so you see it
gives a continuous flow of white honey from berry bloom to close of
basswood.
Some years ago one of the oldest honey-producers in the State (one
who lives in the village where they keep the insane and raise celery,
and who wintered his bees in a damp cellar, and brought them out in
the spring reeking with mold, and declared they wintered splendidly),
came to make me a visit during the berry bloom, before clover was in
blossom. We went into the yard, and he remarked that my bees _seemed_
strong. "Oh, yes," I said, "they are doing very nicely."
I raised the cover to one of my chaff hives—"What!" he said, "_got
surplus cases on?_" "Oh, yes," I said; and stepping to the next hive I
showed him one tiered up, and the top one nearly finished.
"Well, if that don't beat me! Why, I had not thought of putting on a
super yet," he further remarked. On looking further, he admitted there
were more bees in one of my hives than in any three of his.
That year I took 1,500 pounds of berry bloom honey from 65 colonies,
but I never knew blackberry to produce so much honey as in that year.
My average, that year, was 80 pounds per colony, comb honey.
Two years ago last September, I was sick the entire month. As soon
as I could safely get out, I commenced a trip among the bee-keepers,
partially for a visit, but principally to buy honey. The most promising
fields I found were in Mecosta, Clare, Isabella, Montcalm, Osceola
and Lake counties, and the honey I found, as a whole, was of the best
quality I ever bought. At Martiney, in Mecosta county, I found a fine
lot produced by a young lady. In Clare county I found nice lots,
also in Osceola county. In all these counties they get their honey
principally from raspberry and willow-herb. The willow-herb coming soon
after the berry bloom, and lasting until frost. In all these counties
I did not see a section of dark honey, and here comes the sequel to
their successful wintering—the brood-chambers are well filled with
this white, well-ripened honey, and very little pollen (the willow-herb
produces but little pollen); the bees breed up so fast, and the hives
are teeming full of good, healthy bees.
In these counties, in the spring and early summer, there are thousands
of acres of wild berries, and in the latter part of the summer and
fall just as many of the willow-herb.
In Lake county there was less timber, and the golden-rod predominates
in the fall, and there is not so much willow-herb. From Baldwin north
there are acres and acres of golden-rod, that resemble fields of wheat.
If I could be with you, I could tell you much more about this country
than I can write, and it is the first time, I think, in 14 years, that
I have missed a State convention.
I wish you all a pleasant and profitable time, which I know you will
have.