Ai'RiU 1919 



GLKANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



217 



Spring Protection. 



L. L. Laiigstroth - Dadaiit. — ''The hives 

 shouhl be loeated in a warm, sunny, well- 

 sheltered place." * * * "The heat 

 should be concentrated in the brood-apart- 

 ment, by all means, and not allow'ed to es- 

 cape above. ' ' 



Dr. E. F. Phillips. — "It is preferable to 

 provide packing for these colonies even if 

 it is only a wrapping of waterproof i)aper 

 over the hives. ' ' 



M. Quinby. — ^" Shut off all ujjward venti- 

 lation to retain the warmth. ' ' 



W. Z. Hutchinson.- — ' ' A sheet of tarred 

 building-paper folded down over the hive, 

 and fastened at the low-er edges by tacking 

 on strips of lath, will answer every pur- 

 pose." * * * "It will save the loss of 

 brood and weak colonies if there comes a 

 ' squaw winter ' in the month of May. ' ' 



E. W. Alexander. — "I wish to call your 

 attention to the importance of keeping your 

 bees as w^arm as possible all thru the spring. 

 If you can, try to have them set where they 

 will have a natural windbreak of some 

 kind." (See Entrances.) "Also cover 

 your hives with tarred building-pajjer. ' ' 



* * * "If you will do as I advise, ' ' 



* * * "so far as keeping them warm is 

 concerned, they will gain fully three weeks' 

 time, over the way thev are generally cared 

 for. ' ' 



A B C and X Y Z of Bee Culture.— "It 

 may be necessary in some climates, after 

 the bees are set out of the cellar on their 

 summer stands, to provide some sort of pro- 

 tection." * * * "If 

 they are in winter pack- 

 ing-cases" * * "leave 

 the packing on until set- 

 tled warm weather has 

 arrived. ' ' 



When to Examine the 

 Colonies. 



L. L. Langstroth. — I)a- 

 dant. — ' ' In early spring. ' ' 



Dr. C. C. Miller. — "I 

 do not want to open up de. e. f. i-hillii'S. 

 the hives except at a time 

 when it is warm enough for bees to fly free- 

 ly. Too much danger of chilling the brood." 



Dr. E. F. Phillips. — "On a fine warm day 

 w^hen the bees are flying freely, he should 

 make a first general examination. ' ' 



M. Quinby.— " After the first flight, the 

 queen will commence depositing eggs. Each 

 hive should now be examined to ascertain 

 its exact condition." 



E. W. Alexander. — "Shortly after taking 

 them from their winter quarters. ' ' 



ABC and X Y Z of Bee Culture.— "All 

 colonies should be gone over very carefully 

 as soon as bees can fly." 



Required Stores. 

 L. L. Langstroth - Dadant- — ' ' The bees 

 should be provided with sufficient stores of 

 honey, pollen, and water," « * * "The 

 Ijest way to feed destitute colonies in spring 

 is to give them combs of honey." 



Dr. C. C. Miller. — "Theoretically at least, 

 I see that every colony as soon as it comes 

 out of the cellar has plenty of stores to last 

 it for some time." * * * "for the ordi- 

 nary colony, the equivalent of two full 

 combs of stores." 



Dr. E. F. Phillips.— " Whether the bees 

 have sufficient stores he can determine by 

 lifting the hives. " * * * "If food is 

 needed, it may be given rapidly in the form 

 of a thick sugar syrup, or it is even better 

 to give combs of honey." 



M. Quinby. — ' ' Look well to any scarcity 

 of honey that may occur, and supply all de- 

 ficiencies by feeding." * * * "If any 

 are found destitute of sealed honey, supply 

 them from such as have a surplus, or with 

 combs reserved for the purpose." 



W. Z. Hutchinson. — "'If the hives are 

 well protected and the bees supplied with 

 an abundance of sealed stores, natural 

 brood-rearing will proceed with sufficient 

 rapidity, early in the spring." 



E. W. Alexander. — ' ' In the spring, if the 

 bees have little or no honey they should be 

 fed at once five or six barrels to prevent 

 starving . This syrup should be about the 

 consistency of good honey." 



ABC and X Y Z of Bee Culture.—' ' Un- 

 less they have two or three combs of honey, 

 stores should be taken from some other colo- 

 nies that can spare them. If no hives have 

 the surplus, the needj' should be fed a thick 

 syrup consisting of two i)arts of sugar to 

 one of water. ' ' 



The Need of Water in Spring. 



L. L. Langstroth - Dadant. — ' ' Apiarists 

 ill general do not attach enough importance 

 to the necessity of furnishing water to bees 

 in cold springs, in order that they may stay 

 at home in quiet. " * * * " That bees 

 can not raise much brood without water un- 

 less they have fresh-gathered honey, has 

 been known from the time of Aristotle. ' ' 



Dr. C. C. Miller. — ' ' It is important to 

 start the watering-place early in the season, 

 before the bees make a start at some jjump 

 or other place where they will be trouble- 

 some." * * * " (I use a half -barrel), put 

 in as mvich water as you like, and on this 

 put so much of the cork- 

 chips that the water will 

 barely come up enough 

 for the bees to reach." 



Dr. E. F. Phillips.— 

 ' ' Bees need water for 

 brood -rearing and it 

 sometimes happens in the 

 spring that bees are lost 

 trying to obtain it. If 

 there is no water close at 

 hand, it is often advan- ^^ ouinbv 



tageous toprovidea 

 watering place in a warm sheltered spot, or 

 near the apiary. ' ' 



E. W. Alexander. — ' ' They require water 

 at that season as much as they do honey. ' ' 

 ^■' " * " This syrup furnishes both food 

 and water mixed together, which is very 

 necessary to encourage early breeding. ' ' 



