THE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEW. 



375 



EXTRACTED 



UPWARD VENTILATION. 



Some of the Reasons Why it May he Advan- 

 tageous in Winlerinjf Bees 



A few years ag'o there was much dis- 

 ciissioii ill rofjt'ard to the advisability of 

 loa\ iiii;- tlic covers to bee hives sealed 

 down in winter, but, if I remember 

 rig"ht, no positive decision was reached. 

 Witli a view to introducinjj;- the subject, 

 I copy from Frank Cheshire's work his 

 remarks on tliat jioint. He say^s: 



I prefer slocu upwanl ventilation and 

 earnestly advocate a chaff-tray, re- 

 g"arding- the splendid covering it af- 

 fords as far more important than the 

 hive side itself, esxtecially if we give 

 space above the frames, when notions 

 of portjibility and cheapness may make 

 us content with single sides, notwith- 

 standing their inferiority to cork-pack- 

 ed ones. For wintering the chaft-trtij' 

 should hold 4 in. or vS in. of chaff', well 

 patted down. The sacking should be 

 loose, so that it maj' fit the hive top ac- 

 curately, for small crannies allow most 

 damaging leaks of heat. A calico first 

 goes over the candy or section box, as 

 previously explained, and then a thick- 

 ness of flannel — but this may be omit- 

 ted — and the chaff'-box follows. Car- 

 peting fits badly; if creased at all, a 

 direct through current, which punishes 

 the bees severely, is permitted; and on 



tlie usual thin hive side it is hardly 

 possible to avoid those gajis which have 

 made many denounce all top ventila- 

 tion, quite overlooking how often this 

 lias been g^iven in a manner all must 

 condemn. 



Damjiness is a great enemy to win- 

 tering bees. Prof. McLain noted the 

 critical temperature to be less in a 

 tlamji than dry air, the reason being 

 that water has an enormous capacity 

 for heat (specific heat), whether in the 

 licpiid or v.aporous form; the latter ab- 

 stracts heat from the bees, and intensi- 

 fies their struggle. The water pro- 

 duced by the Iioney is thrown ofli" in 

 va]X)r, because the cluster is warm. If 

 the hive is thin or the bees small in 

 niunliers, and, in consequence, distant 

 from the sides, or if the top jirotection 

 is scanty, the heated vapor is immedi- 

 ately deposited as dew and the interior 

 of the hive is wetted. When the sides 

 are so non-conductive that the inner 

 faces are not below the dew point of 

 the interior air, the hive remains dry; 

 and since wood conducts mc^re freeU' 

 than cork-dust, the inner lining should 

 be as thin as notions of strength will 

 allow. In gentle top ventilation, the 

 heat of the ckister just beneath the 

 roof keeps the part in conflict with the 

 bees both warm and free from damp, 

 and the air passes off, carrying the 

 moisture with it. The combs below are 

 not mildewed, nor do they run with 

 dew. If dampness appear at all, it is 

 behind the runners, beneath the ears, 

 where the temperature commonlj' falls 

 to the lowest point; this however, causes 

 neither damage nov inconvenience. 



General Index to Volume XVI. 



INDEX TO SUBJECTS. 



.■\bbott Behaves Unseemly, Emerson Taylor. 275 



Adulteration, the National Combating 338 



Air From the Bees. Keep Fresh 46 



Alley's New Book on Queen Rearing 109 



.Amendments to National Const tution 



84. 121, 210, 276, 313 



Appropriation for Illinois Bee-Keepers 173 



Artificial Heat for Wintering Bees 332 



Attempt too Much Don't 209 



Automobiling.the Pleasures and Penalties of 145 



Autumn Weather 329 



Ree Brush, a Good 280 



Bees in Cities 183 



Bees Versus Manipulation 53 



Benefi' from new Blood with but I„ittle I^abor 238 

 Black Brood and Foul Brood Possibly the 



Same 237 



Black Brood in Michigan, Po.ssibly 269 



Bottling Honey 236 



Bottom-Starters not Needed ,334 



Bottom Board, a "Dirt Cheap" 333 



Business, a Man Can't Know too Much About 



His 79 



Bnsiness, Bee-Keeping and Prosperity 143 



Bulk Comb Honey 74 



Candied Honey, Selling 339 



Canyon, the Grand 213, 244, 274 



Care of Yourself, Take Good 335 



California as a Bee Keeping .State 302 



Cans with Honey, how to fill tin 53 



Caging of a (jueeu, three months 137 



Carload of Bee-Keepers Crossing the Conii- 



nent 206,273 



Cellar Wintering of Bees 295 



"Chunk Honey" 74 



Close the Season by Keeping in View the 



Future 233 



Closing up the .Season 229 



