In the spring of ’73 bought two colonies of bees, having poor health
thought the attention to them in the open air would be beneficial;
finding the business so pleasant and profitable concluded to make it a
permanent business, and have given my whole attention to it. Increased
my two colonies to ten, bought 12 more, making in all 22. All came out
good in the spring of ’74, and I got 2100 lbs. box honey and 400 lbs.
extracted, and increased to 47. I have now 65 colonies in my cellar all
in good condition except one, which showed signs of dysentery. I gave
them a fly, and this is how I did it. Took pine strips one inch square,
made a frame 4 feet square and 2½ deep; covered sides with news-papers
tacked on, spread papers on the carpet of sitting room near south
window. Set my frame on it covering the top with mosquito bar, set hive
outside with entrance opening into it through a hole cut in paper.
Waited until bees were all quiet then warmed up room to 65°, standing
thermometer against hive; all flew well for five hours, cleaned out
their hive, and as darkness came on, all returned to hive again, making
it a perfect success. The papers were badly soiled. Shall serve the rest
the same if necessary. By flying them this way with but a trifling
expense you need not lose a bee. Winter my bees in cellar with dirt
walls, temperature 40 to 45°, cellar very dry. I use Langstroth hive,
got most of my honey in 20 lb. boxes, two boxes cover a hive—not quite
as salable but I get good deal more honey in large boxes. Box honey
averaged me 24c. per lb., extracted 20c. per lb. Extracted only to give
room for the Queens to lay.