1884.] THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 135 



The j^NTOMOLOGlST. 



Winter Management of Bees. — A correspondent of the Ameri- 

 can Bee Journal, writing from Battle Ground, Ind., furnishes that 

 pajjer with the following useful hints: — It is usual for the apiarist 

 to look after his colonies of bees and see that each one is in good 

 condition for wintering. We wUl suggest, as a rule, that from Novem- 

 ber 1 to the middle of December is a good time to look after the bees, 

 and see that they have a sufficiency of lioney to last them through 

 the winter. Perhaps in some seasons it should be attended to 

 earlier. A good colony of bees .should have at least 15 to 20 

 pounds of honey stored in the combs. It is now a mooted question 

 as to whether it is advisable for a colony to possess a very great 

 quantity of pollen in their winter stores. It has been asserted, and 

 we think very justly too, by some wlio profess to be well versed in 

 the science of apiculture, that pollen is the true cause of so much 

 disease among bees during the winter months ; and especially very 

 early in the spring do we often hear of complaints about the bees 

 having diarrhoea. As a remedy for this trouble, we further suggest 

 that salt water be placed in wooden troughs and set witliin a few 

 yards of the bees, and then we think there will be but little risk to run 

 in bees keeping perfectly healthy, if all other things are in proper 

 condition, such as ventilation, good, pure food, and a comfortable 

 shed, which should always be provided for them by the bee-keeper. 

 The shed should have an eastern front, but if it cannot be thus made, 

 our next choice would be a south front. All bee-sheds should have 

 a close-fitting back and a well-shingled roof. If these suggestions 

 are attended to at the right time, and prepared with as due regard 

 to comfort for the bees as any other stock on the farm, we would 

 have no cause for complaint. A good farmer never thinks that he 

 has done too much for his horses, cows, sheep, and hogs, by building 

 good barns, stables, and pens in which he can have all his farm stock 

 protected from inclement weather. The question has often been 

 asked : " Is it necessary to build good winter quarters for bees ? " 

 We answer that it is just as essential as it is for any other stock. 

 It is true that we do not pay as much for a colony of bees as we do 

 for a cow or a horse ; but it is no less the duty of the husbandman 

 to protect and care for the bees by providing the proper sheds for 

 them, when they " board themselves," and often return a large 

 surplus of honey. 



