WINTERING 



498 



WINTERING. 



queen. It would seem to be goo 1 policy to 

 unite all these weak colonies into one good 

 strong one; but experience shows that but 

 very little good comes from so doing— main- 

 ly because most of the bees from the several 

 forces go back to their old stands and perish. 

 Better tlian a cure for spring dwindling is 

 prevention, by having a large force of young 

 bees early in the fall; then just about the 

 time they are taken out of the cellar, when 

 indoor wintering is practiced, weak colonies 

 may be united on the "Alexander plan" by 

 patting them on top of strong ones. See 

 UxiTiNCi. If practiced early enough it will 

 anticipate and prevent spring dwindling. 



One who has outyards can unite several 

 nuclei into one strong colony, then move 

 that whole aggregation to another yard, 

 where, of course, the united forces will re- 

 main in the new location. 



WHAT TO DO "WITH COMBS FROM HIVES 

 WHERE THE BEES HAVE DIED. 



Put them safely out of the way of bees, 

 either in tight hives or in a bee-proof room ; 

 and if you have not bees enough to cover 

 them by the middle of June, or at such a 

 time as you shall find moth- worms at work 

 among them, be sure that all the combs are 

 spread at least two inches apart, as recom- 

 mended under Bee-moth. Now, whatever 

 other precautions you take, you 77iust look 

 after these empty combs occasionally. They 

 are very valuable, and should not be allowed 

 to be destroyed. A very good way is to keep 

 them in regular hives, piled one over the 

 other. This keeps them perfectly protected, 

 and yet you can quickly look them all over 

 as often as once a week at least, until they 

 are used. 



WIN TEEING IN THE SOUTHERN 

 STATES. 



The directions so far given apply particu- 

 larly to localities that are subject to zero 

 weather at times, that have more or less of 

 snow, and, during the greater portion of the 

 year, a large amount of frost in the ground, 

 extending down perhaps two feet. 



AVbere bees can fly almost every day in 

 the year, and for ten months are able to 

 gather a little honey or pollen, outdoor win- 

 tering in single-walled hives is recommend- 

 ed. Double walled hives would do no harm, 

 and might, during the coldest of the wea- 

 ther, save a little brood; but it is doubt- 

 ful whether the added expense for the extra 

 walls and packing will compensate for the 

 possible slight loss of brood and bees during 

 a few cold days. While we r^corowend sin- 



gle hives for the southern portions of our 

 country, and for some parts of the West, 

 we always urge that the same be located in 

 an inclosure of trees, a tight high board 

 fence, a hedge, or any thing in the way of 

 buildings that will break the prevailing 

 winds. To establish windbreaks is one of 

 the most important requisites in either the 

 northern or southern portions of the country. 



While no great skill is needed to winter 

 bees in such localities as are found in Flori- 

 da, South Carolina, Texas, liOuisiana, Geor- 

 gia, Alabama, and Southern C'alit'ornia, yet 

 one must be careful to see that his bees do 

 not run short of stores, as it seems to be a 

 generally acknowledged fact that bees win- 

 tered in the South consume much more 

 stores, according to the size of the colony, 

 than in the North. Those in cold climates 

 are compelled to contract into a very small 

 ball for the purpose of concentrating the ani- 

 mal heat; and while in that condition they 

 are in a semi dormant state, and consume a 

 comparatively small quantity of food. On 

 the other hand, bees in the South, especially 

 in the warmest portions, can have access to 

 all parts of the hive, rear more or less brood, 

 and, as a consequence, when natural flora 

 does not secrete nectar they are liable to run 

 short of stores, and starve. To the South- 

 lander let us urge that the greatest danger is 

 starvation, and the next greatest is more or 

 less of robbing during a dearth of honey. In- 

 deed, all things considered, we believe South- 

 ern bees require more watching than those 

 of the North. 



In localities like Virginia, Tennessee, and 

 other States lying in about the same lati- 

 tude, it might be advisable to use double- 

 walled hives; yet we know that the majority 

 of bee-keepers in that latitude winter their 

 bees successfully in single-walled hives; but 

 we believe it is the general practice to place 

 on top of the hive a super containing chaff, 

 leaves, planer-shavings, or some good warm 

 packing-material; moreover, when the col- 

 ony is not very strong it is advisable to place 

 a chaff division-board on each side of the 

 cluster. In all cases there should not be 

 given a larger cubic capacity than the bees 

 can comfortably fill, spread out as they usual- 

 ly are on a day when the temperature is not 

 below 70 r. 



In Colorado it is customary to winter in 

 single-walled hives. A shallow cap or tray 

 containing a few inches of packing is placed 

 on top of the hive. Very often, for further 

 protection, a sort of shed or roof, with its 

 back to the prevailing winds, is built over a 



