> Maximum honey production IS obtained by maximum hive population.

In my experience, my shift from other hybrids to NWCs proved the above
statement wrong.  The crucial factor here is that NWCs produce more honey
for several reasons:

1) They explode in spring.  Toss a pollen patty and some feed on an NWC
colony when snow is still on the ground, and you'll be splitting it before
the apple bloom.

2) They are very sensitive to environmental inputs.  When a death comes, the
queen slows down laying dramatically.  Not so many mouths to feed when there
was no forage.  In  fall, brood rearing shuts down long before Italians or
mongrels, and again, fewer mouths to feed result.

3) They overwinter in tiny grapefruit-sized clusters.  It is scary to look
at, but they overwinter on far less, which means that you get more.

NWCs are rarely the most populous colonies, as one gets in the habit of
making splits rather than seeing them put out swarms.  But they certainly
are productive, as long as you stay ahead of them.

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