desiimiinigg am Bee CimlltiiiLre 



Published by The A. I. Root Co., Medina, Ohio 



A. I. Root, Editor Home Department J. T. Calvekt, Business Manager 



H. H. Root, Manau;ing Editor E. R. Root, Editor A. L. Bovuen, Advertisiing Manager 



Entered at the Postoffice, Medina, Ohio, as second-class matter 



VOL. XLIII. 



MAY 15, 1915 



NO. 10 



EDITOEEAL: 



Various Methods of Wintering in 

 Idaho 



We hope to show next fall the methods 

 used by J. J. Anderson, of Salem, Idaho, 

 in wintering his bees in eastern Idaho. He 

 is one of the best beekeepers in the valley, 

 and there are many of them there. In this 

 connection it is fair to say that this terri- 

 tory is already well stocked with bees. 



Our Cover Picture 



WiiE.v the total number of apiaries in 

 cities is considered, the proportion of com- 

 plaints because of the bees is seen to be 

 very small. If the beekeeper is careful 

 where he locates the bees, and if he handles 

 them intelligently, there is really no reason 

 for their becoming a nuisance at any time. 

 A good deal depends upon where the hives 

 are placed. If there is an alley or passage- 

 way directly in the line of flight the bees 

 at certain times of the year are sure to 

 make trouble. 



The picture on our cover for this issue 

 shows a well-placed city apiary belonging 

 to ('has. Y. Hake, of York, Pa. 



How Bees Have Wintered 



Late reports show that bees have winter- 

 ed unusually well, taking the country as a 

 whole ; but there were quite severe losses in 

 Pennsylvania, New York, northern Ohio, 

 southern Michigan, and a 10 to 25 per cent 

 loss in and about Denver, Colo. There 

 seems to have been some unfavorable weath- 

 er or fall flora, or something in the regions 

 mentioned, that caused a loss of anywhere 

 from 10 to 50 per cent of the bees. The 

 losses seem to have been heaviest in parts of 

 Pennsylvania and New York, ranging any- 

 where from 25 to 50 per cent. Most of the 

 reports from Michigan are unusually good, 

 and the prospects for clover in both Michi- 

 gan and Wisconsin are excellent. 



In some of the southern states the bees 

 have not built up quite as well as usual. 



Wintering Outdoors in Single-walled 



Hives 



A FEW^ days ago Ave looked over a couple 

 of apiaries some fifteen miles east of Medi- 

 na. The bees were in single-walled hives, 

 exposed to the north and west; and yet, 

 remarkable to relate, they wintered in good 

 condition. Fortunately there was no aster 

 nor other fall sources of honey in the vicin- 

 ity. The hives were filled with the best 

 grades of honey. One owner said he had 

 not touched the brood-nests for over a year. 

 He just let them alone. He had taken no 

 honey from them, because he said he thought 

 they would need all they had. He was wise. 



The other man had taken quite a little 

 crop of honey, but left enough in the hives, 

 for he likewise had not disturbed their 

 brood-nests. The colonies were strong when 

 they went into winter quarters ; and the fact 

 that they had not been tampered with was 

 probably one strong reason why they win- 

 tered so well. 



A few colonies in double-walled hives, 

 however, showed up stronger than those in 

 the single-walled. This only goes to prove 

 that with good stores, young queens, and 

 strong colonies, bees will winter sometimes 

 in spite of wind exposui-e and only a single 

 tliickness of wood between them and the 

 weather. That they will do better in double- 

 walled hives was also proven. 



Is a Pair of Frame - tongs a Necessa- 

 ry Tool for a Foul-brood Jnspect- 

 or? Some of the Troubles of a 

 Bee Inspector 



One of our state inspectors, Mr. A. C. 

 Ames, of Peninsula, Ohio, is using frame- 

 tongs for pulling frames out of hives. 

 While this tool is not particularly needed in 

 modern apiaries, it is almost a necessity 

 among the old-fashioned or farmer beekeep- 

 ers who do not disturb their brood-nests 

 from one year's end to the other. Frames 

 are often badly spaced, too far apart or too 

 close together, or, even when properly 

 spaced, so tightly glued down that it is 



