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.
Geo E. Hilton.