Osakis, Minn., Nov. 29, 1893.
Extracted Honey for Farmers, Etc.
The past year has been one of the poorest of all the poor years of the
past, in my locality. The bees were so weak from poor wintering, and
the cold, wet, backward spring made it impossible to get them ready for
the harvest from clover. The flow from clover was very good; basswood
was only fair, the bloom not being very profuse. At the close of the
basswood season a long and protracted drouth set in, which “done up”
everything brown. Bees here are very light in stores.
I worked a part of my colonies for extracted honey the past season.
I used up all my empty combs that were vacated the past winter and
spring. It was my first experience with extracted honey. I think it is
just the way when the bees are not up to the required pressure for comb
honey. If the farmers who keep bees would use the extractor, and give
their bees plenty of combs at the right time, they would get more from
their bees than they do. It requires a specialist to make a success at
comb honey.
My best colony gave me 150 pounds of extracted honey, and my average of
comb and extracted was about 20 pounds per colony, spring count. The
increase was about 25 per cent.
I have some of the extra-light colored bees, and I like them. My queens
are prolific, their colonies are just as populous as any of my dark
ones--they are rustlers to work. If honey is left exposed, they will
find it first, and get the lion’s share, too. I think they are just a
little inclined to steal from the blacks. They are very easy to handle,
stick right to the combs, and protect them from robbers. If they prove
to be hardy to winter, I will requeen all my colonies in the spring.