REPORT OF THE EWTOMOL0GT8T AND BOTANIST 207 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



On ISTovember 24 all colonies were weighed and found to be in good condition. 

 They were then put into their winter quarters. 



Returns from the Experimental Farm apiary averaged 23 lbs. per colony. 



Meetings were attended during 1903. The Ontario Bee Keepers' Association at 

 Earrie and Trenton; also farmers' and beekeepers' joint meetings at the following 

 places: Manotick, North Gower, Stittsville, Richmond, Malakoff, Lanark, Wellman's 

 Corners, Bell's Corners, Jockville, Carp, Kinburn, Smith's Falls, Leonard, Metcalf, 

 Balderson and Innisville, in Ontario; Grenville, Lachute, St. Andrews, Comp, Buck- 

 ingham and Templeton in Quebec. 



INSULATING HH'ES FOR OUTSIDE WINTERING. 



Two colonies of equal strength with good laying queens in Langstroth hives were 

 taken for this experiment. The hives were insulated against the winter cold by air 

 cushions in the following manner :— 



Slats 1 inch thick are nailed at intervals all round the hive, on these is packed 

 one layer of thick brown building paper and then a layer of oiled paper, which in- 

 creases the durability and keeps out vermin. In order to provide extra protection to 

 the hive, a box six inches wider and six inches longer was placed over it with an open- 

 ing cut at the entrance 1 inch by 2 inclies, all other openings being closed. 



The wooden cover of each hive was rem_oved and replaced with a chaff cushion 3 

 inches thick, the latter placed on the propolis quilt, and lapping over the sides of the hive ; 

 two layers of paper were then placed on the top of the cushion and a second cushion 

 added, with the top of the outside box over it. The bees were put into winter quarters 

 on ISTovember 18, 1902. ISTo sound could be heard from those colonies all winter, up to 

 JMarch 10, when a slight hum was perceptible. On March 20, 1903, the first bees made 

 their appearance; there were many dead bees at the entrance of the hives. On March 

 21, the outside cases were removed, leaving the paper and one chaff cushion on during 

 the cold spring. Upon examination one colony was found to be in fairly good condi- 

 tion, the other very poor, with many dead bees on the bottom board. A few days after- 

 v\'ard the latter was found to be deserted. The frames in both cases were all dry and 

 clean and had abundance of honey to carry them through from November to the clover 

 bloom. Weight, when put into winter quarters, 53 J lbs. each; in spring, 37i pounds 

 each. Owing to the cool, backward spring, the surviving colony did not build up until 

 May 1, when warmer weather set in ; the bees at once began gathering pollen and built 

 up very rapidly. The colony was in excellent condition for a honey flow, but during 

 May and the early part of June the weather was very dry and warm, keeping all bloom 

 backward; the bees, therefore, made but little surplus honey. 



Tliis experiment is to be tried again this winter. 



EXPERIMENTS TO TEST WHETHER DAISIPNESS OR MOISTURE WOULD BE INJURIOUS TO BEES IN 



THEIR WINTER QUARTERS. 



Three colonies were selected for this experiment, all of about equal strength, and 

 all in Langstroth hives, weighing on an average 55^ pounds each. The wooden covers 

 were removed from the hives and replaced with propolis quilts; the bottom of each 

 hive was loosened from the brood chamber and a block two inches square was placed 

 at each corner between the bottom board and the brood chamber, insuring free ven- 

 tilation from the bottom of each hive. Four pails of water were then put on a table 

 in such a way that the three hives were set resting on the edge of the pails, allowing 

 the full surface of water to be exposed. The cellar was kept at a very even temperature 

 of 42 to 48 degrees, and was well ventilated during the whole winter. The bees could 

 be seen hanging below this frame in a quiet cluster, and there were very few dead 

 bees on the bottom board, and no signs of dysentery. 



