MillerThousand AnswersBeekeepingQuestions.pdf - BioBees

. little130 DR. MILLER^SQ. Give your opinion as to bees wintering in cellar on honeydew.My bees used up a large portion of this honeydew whichthey gathered earlier in the season in summer breeding, but,while they have a good quantity of honey to winter on, much ofit seems to be dark and of a strong, almost sourish taste.A. A small amount of honeydew in winter stores seems to door no harm, but in large quantities it is likely to do muchharm. Of cotirse, there is a difference in honeydew in taste, andthere may be kinds not so bad for wintering as others, but it isnot safe to count on that. Although the honey crop was a failure,it is just possible that you had a pretty fair fall flow, and that asthe brood-nest became less the vacant cells were filled with honeyof good quality for wintering. If you had extracted in September,or even early in October, and fed sugar syrup, it might have beensafer. You might, however, lay a cake of candy, say an inch thick,over top-bars, if you think you dare not risk what is in the combs,as the bees would be likely to use the candy first.Honey Locust.—Q. How does the honey locust compare withthe linden in yielding nectar?A. Not nearly so good. But it comes earlier, when it may helpgreatly in brood-rearing. The black locust is better.Honey-Plants.—Q. I would be pleased to know if there areworks on honey-plants. I have a couple of acres to devoteto artificial pasture just for the honey, if it is probable that successmight come of it in any way.A. There is probably no work published that treats particularlyof honey-plants, although the te.xt-books on bee-culture givesome information regarding them. It is not likely that you willfind any plant that will yield sufficient honey to make it profitablefor you to occupy land with it unless it yields a profit in someother way. Sweet clover will probably come as near it as anythingyou can find. If stock in your locality has learned to eatsweet clover, either green or dry, it will pay to occupy good landwith it.Horsemint.—Q. I have some horsemint plants on my place.Will they yield honey, and if so will this honey hurt the grade ofmy other honey?A. Horsemint is not usually abundant enough in the northernsections of the United States to produce surplus quantities sufficientto make the taste noticeable. However, in Texas, horseminthoney is a regular crop. I should say that if you had horsemintin sufficient quantities it would probably give a mint flavor