Hi all

>From memory his yield figures were always between 40 lb
>and 45 lb per colony per year.
>But his figures were drived from total annual yield divided by the number
of
>colonies entering the previous winter and that included all queen rearing
>and drone rearing colonies
From:    Dave Cushman <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: 4.9 yield

I copied the below from a Central Science Laboratory report authored by
James Morton on yield in the SE England region in 2000:

"Honey Yield
26 replies ranging from 15lbs to 125lbs
2000 average = 52lbs (1999 = 51lbs)"

I doubt the colony no. used was the same as Dave suggested as the honest way
to do it, which would pull the figures further into line. Nice to agree with
something for a change! pg221 of Bees, Hives and Honey, published by the
Federation of Irish Beekeepers has a table of yields in Ireland over 7
years. The table was checking yield of split vs unsplit colonies. The
control (unsplit colonies) mean was 23.9kg. The combined splits mean was
40.7kg (!) Old queen averaging 21.9kg and new queen averaging 18.8kg. A 34
year period resulted in an average mean yield of 23kg "assuming efficient
management". My yield is better if I take 2nd year production colonies,
worse if I divide by all colonies. Is splitting as used in USA primarily
swarm control, or is it used as to increase honey yield too? Book can be
ordered from FIBKA website, or UK beebooksellers.

John Sewell
" In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities" Suzuki.