436 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



June 1. 



tilation. Of course, so long as the bees keep up 

 the proper balance of heat, no moisture can 

 be condensed upon the hives or combs; but 

 upon this balance hinges life or death to the 

 bees. 



Cold and moisture are destructive to the bees 

 when they meet as allies; but so long as they 

 do not come together they are comparatively 

 safe. Bees will endure severe cold if dry. They 

 will also withstand much moisture in a high 

 temperature. 



If you decide that you want to make your 

 bee-house so that it will be dry, make the walls 

 of material that will absorb moisture instead 

 of condensing it. Imitate the chaff hive. I 

 would suggest, as an improvement to walled 

 repositories that condense moisture, an inside 

 lining of matched ceiling, with an air-space 

 between it and the wall. This would prevent 

 the condensing of the moisture without inter- 

 fering with the requirements necessary for 

 wintering. I am quite sure that this would im- 

 prove the sanitary condition of such damp re- 

 positories. 



A great many bee-keepers are situated in a 

 level country where they could not build like 

 Mr. D., by burrowing into the side of a hill, if 

 they wished to: but they must build wholly 

 above ground. This requires an entirely dif- 

 ferent structure — one with double walls packed 

 with some kind of absorbing material like saw- 

 dust, or with dead-airspaces. 



Then I would say, as regards the conditions 

 desirable, according to my experience in a bee- 

 repository, I would have it frost-proof and dry; 

 dark when required. That it is necessary to 

 have a bee-repository always shut up from the 

 light is a very great error. If other conditions 

 are favorable, the light does not disturb the 

 bees in the least. When they are inclined to 

 fly out of the hive at a low temperature it is an 

 indication that something is wrong. With a 

 high temperature toward spring it is then nec- 

 essary that the bee-room be dark: but the fore 

 part of the winter it is not important. I leave 

 my bee-house doors open after the bees are put 

 in until the weather is quite cold. The bees 

 remain quiet. 



A valuable feature in a bee-house is an extra 

 room adjoining the bee- repository, which may 

 be used as an air-chamber to furnish air to reg- 

 ulate the temperature to some extent. It is 

 the sub-earth theory realized. If the bee-room 

 Is small and well filled it will be kept warm by 

 the bees during the coldest part of the winter; 

 and as the temperature rises in the bee-room at 

 the approach of warm weather or during a 

 warm spell, more room can be given by opening 

 into this room as required. In this room I 

 would also have a stove to furnish artificial 

 heat. After years of experience I would not 

 think of building a bee-house without provid- 

 ing the means of using artificial heat when 

 needed. There are times when an hour spent 



in warming up the bees just a few degrees 

 would improve their condition materially. 



I have been delaying this article a few days 

 in order that I might read it over again to see 

 how it would sound after I had set out my bees. 

 I have to-day, April 5, set out from my home 

 bee-house, 178 colonies without the loss of one 

 from any cause; although quite a number were 

 small and light in the fall, they all, so far as I 

 can see, are in as perfect condition as when 

 they were set in last November. They seemed 

 to start in right where they left off last fall. It 

 is not enough that bees come through the win- 

 ter alive. They may do so, and yet come far 

 short of being well wintered. 



East Townsend, O., Apr. 5. 



[A few days ago we received a card from Dr. 

 Miller, calling our attention to a few para- 

 graphs in Gravenhorst s journal, Deutsche II- 

 lustrierte Blcncnzeitung, and advising us to 

 translate and print them, i-'ortunaleiy, as it 

 turned out, we had no particular use lor them 

 till the reception ot the article above, from Mr. 

 Boardman; and iiuvv, lilve "" lUe sione which 

 the builders refused," it has a marked bearing 

 on the question, wiih a decidud inclination in 

 the direction of Borodino, N. Y. Mr. Schon- 

 fiild is held in the highest esteem by the best 

 bee men of Germany (,ur Europe lor tliat mat- 

 ter), and his inuujseaieuL oi Mi'. Czieselski's 

 views seems to be very enthusiastic. We give 

 it Itere for what it is worth; and we have no 

 doubt the experiments were performed with 

 tfiat great care wiiicU is characteristic of the 

 Germans.— W. P. K.j 



, Mr. Czieselskl says: 



"Bees use waler in winter. Tuey get iliis water 

 from uncapped iiouey, which absorbs It from the 

 surrounding moist air. J'liere is always found, in 

 wiuter, ill the upper part ul a bee-clusn;r, a g'reater 

 or less number ot uncappeU honey-cells, as the bees 

 always uncap them iti advance, without consuming- 

 the contents. These uncapped cells are designed to 

 absorb atmospheric moisture. The more tavorable 

 the circumstances may be for the honey to absorb 

 moisture, the smaller will be the number ol cells 

 uncapped. In clumps of bees, and in their imme- 

 diate vicinity, where a temperature of only from 53 

 to bi F. prevails, brood-rearing- can not go on. The 

 air which is breathed out by the bees, which is al- 

 ready somewhat moist, receives in addition, by the 

 condensation of the moisture in the cold outer air, 

 a considerable amount of wetness Now if, while 

 coudenstd, it comes in contact with an absorbent 

 body, it is clear that the latter will take from the 

 former a certain amount of moisture, or even make 

 it so dry that, when it impinges against the cold 

 walls ot the hive, it can .srive off but little more 

 dampness. A colony under such conditions will 

 winter well. Still, if the brood-nest is too small, 

 and crowded with bees, and the entrance not broad 

 and high enough, or if the colony stands in a warm 

 place, the temperature will rise, and hence tlie 

 honey can not absorb water enough from the ex- 

 pired saturated air to meet the requirements of the 

 bees. They will suffer from thirst, and winter badly. 

 If the air contains too little moisture, the honey 

 itself loses a part ot its own. It happens in sum- 

 mer that the bees try by fanning to introduce large 

 amounts of dry air into their hives, in order to ripen 

 the green honey." 



[Mr. Schonfeld continues:] 



That is a l^eautiful and intelligible view of bee- 

 life, which will be hailed with joy. It is the fruit 

 of n searching- and comprehensive investigation 

 into the economy of the hive, as well as a clear in- 

 sight into physical laws bearing- on the case, and an 

 e.xact and scientific examination, which the doctor 

 has given us. From the most careful experiments. 



