

is r r<j 



Or how to Realize the Most Money with the Smallest Expenditure of Capital 

 and Labor in the Care of Bees, Rationally Considered. 



T»\JT53L,I©rn:T> MONTHLY 



Vol. I. 



MEDINA, O., OCT. 1, 1S73. 



No. 10. 



STARTING AN APIARY. 



No. 10. 



g£«gEEPING AN APIARY'' instead 

 sJ^si of the above heading would 

 probably be more appropriate for the next 

 six months ; yet we do feel confident, 

 kind reader, that, withproper precautions, 

 all stocks in good condition now, may be 

 preserved without deterioration until 

 April, 1874. 



In giving directions for wintering we 

 are obliged to bear in mind that our read- 

 ers are, many of them, placed under cir- 

 cumstances widely differing, and that to 

 have our remarks equally applicable, 

 these varying circumstances must be con- 

 sidered. 



To illustrate : How many of our read- 

 ers have only one colony to pilot safely 

 through the winter ? But few, we trust, 

 yet we will briefly consider the duties of 

 such. If no dysentery or bee disease has 

 been known in your vicinity, and you pre- 

 fer to run some risk of losing them rather 

 than to remove their natural stores, or if 

 they are only in box hives, perhaps you 

 may leave them on their summer stands. 

 We would not undertake to protect them 

 from the cold in any way that would de- 

 prive them of the sunshine, for that is 

 one of the great essentials for out-door 

 wintering. Protect them on the north, 

 east and west, by fences, walls or build- 

 ings, from cold winds all you can, but 

 don't intercept the sunshine ; if they have 

 no such protection, give it them now, and 

 let it remain the year round. Such a 

 a fence can quickly be made of cheap 

 lumber, and it will be an excellent idea to 

 have it extend on the south side also ; but 

 far enough away to cast no shadow on 

 the hives. If you contemplate building 

 up an apiary, make it hexagonal all 

 around your apiary, and it may run as 

 close as within three feet of the row of 

 hives furthest north, a little more than 

 that on the other sides, and perhaps ten 

 feet from the southern row. This fence 

 should be at least eight feet high, and if 



you secure it from being blown down, 

 more would be still better. If you have 

 plenty of ground, a hedge of evergreens 

 will cost no more than a board fence, and 

 will continually grow better. Consult 

 your nearest nurseryman for particulars ; 

 you are sure to be humbugged if you even 

 consent to talk with "tree peddlers. 



These wind breaks are wauled even if 

 your bees are wintered iti-doors, and 

 should not be neglected. In regard to 

 ventilation, for out-door wintering noth- 

 ing need he changed from their usual 

 summer condition, unless it be to nearly 

 close their entrance ; but as this is liable 

 to become stopped with ice or sleet, some 

 upward ventilation should be given in 

 such a way that it cannot become closed 

 with snow or ice. A quilt made on pur- 

 pose or any woolen blanket or clothing 

 spread over the frames seems to answer 

 best, for it prevents a strong current of 

 air through the hive and yet allows them 

 all they need; of course this covering 

 must be well protected from the rain. 

 Should the sun come out at anytime very 

 warm and bright after snow has just, fall- 

 en, it may be well to shade the entrance 

 with a broad board, as has been oftiimes 

 recommended. 



Now when we consider that out-door 

 wintering is almost, always unsafe, can we 

 not, with less trouble, put even one colo- 

 ny in the cellar? Where a dark, dry 

 warm cellar is at hand we should have no 

 doubt in the matter. 



Much has been said about double wall, 

 for hives, and hives packed on all sides; 

 but aside from our own observation I we 

 have just gone over the whole file of Amer- 

 ican Bee Journals for the past seven 

 years, as in fact, we have all the other 

 bee journals published as well, but their 

 evidence is so meager compared with that 

 >>\' the A. 11. ./., we hardly consider them 

 worthy of mention in order to r/lean 

 facts on this subject particularly,) the 

 evidence seems to be that hives of thin 

 lumber placed in the sun do as well or 

 better than the double or packed walls. 



We should bear in mind that strong col- 

 onies winter well (or have in former 

 year.-: under almost all eircumatanc es 



