MARCH 15, 1915 



229 



when llie beos have wiiitoicd with natural 

 stores. That is ray observation. For buihl- 

 ini-- up in the spring, whether the bees were 

 wintered out of dooi"S or in the cellar, noth- 

 ing equals sealed combs of natural stores. 



Here is my ideal way of ])repariiig a 

 colony for winter. We will say the hive 

 contains about fifteen or twenty pounds of 

 sealed stores. Some time during the last 

 of October (as late as we can) the colonj- 

 is given a ten-pound pail of two-to-one 

 svTup. Sometimes it is a little richer than 

 tlial. This will last the bees pretty well 



through the cold period, and they use the 

 natural stores to build up on in the spring. 

 This is by far the best plan for successfully 

 getting the bees over the winter period that 

 1 know of. Tins colony will probably con- 

 sume more than the ten pounds of syrup 

 before cold weather is over, when, of coui-se, 

 they would begin on natural stores, so if 

 they did not fly until March the residue 

 from the smaller amounts consumed would 

 not be gTeat enouiih to interfere witli their 

 health. 



Randolph, N. Y. 



BY S. H. BURTON 



When doctors disagree, it's time for plain 

 fellows to gel together. There is an inter- 

 esting dilTerence of opinion concerning what 

 the beekeeper should do in the way of using 

 sealed covers or absorbent cushions. Why 

 not let nature and the bees settle that them- 

 selves? ^lan tliinks himself pretty smart in 

 tliat he can improve on nature's laws, which, 

 to a cei'taiu extent, is true; but in some 

 cases it were better if we be not so self- 

 conceited. Why do the bees glue up every 

 tiling air-tight at the approach of cold 

 weather? I have cut a 

 good many bee-trees. 

 and have yet to find 

 one with any kind of 

 ventilation at the top. 

 I have bought and 

 transfeiTed a good 

 many colonies in old 

 box hives and gums, 

 and the colonies were 

 invariably strong. The 

 old 

 var- 

 bee- 



NEED FOR A LARGER PACKAGE. 



I wish some manufacturer w^ould turn out 

 a glass-front shipping-cas.e of just the right 

 dimensions to hold eight shallow extraeting- 

 frames 4V2 inches deep. The consumption 

 of honey can be more than doul)led by mar- 

 keting it in larger individual packages. I 

 have always maintained that the section box 

 is too small a package for the average 

 family. Place a section of honey on the 

 table where there are children, and what is 



inside of these 

 homes would be 

 nished over with 



glue an eighth of an 

 inch thick. 



It is jierplexing to 

 hear so many author- 

 ities disagree ; but it 

 is the man who goes to 

 the bees himself for 

 an answer who finds 

 success within h i s 

 grasp. 



Whether we gain by 

 heeding Gee or Haw 

 depends on how near 

 we are to what natun 

 intended, and we a' 

 least strike a happ\ 

 medium. 



Tlie framework is like that of a miniature house. 



