GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



September, 1919 



FROM THE FIELD OF EXPERIENCE 



glad experiences in wintering and trying to 

 winter bees in cellars and on winter stands. 

 Then there came across my path a beekeeper 

 named Jacob Alpaugh, who had been using 

 the case for eight or nine years. He gave 

 me many good ideas, among which was that 

 of wintering bees on their summer stands in 



Mr. Wallace with liis fur cape of bees. (See page 

 583.) 



a quadruple case with forest leaves as pack- 

 ing. The case was made of half-inch lum- 

 ber. The bottom, sides, and cover-pieces 

 were held together with cleats made of 

 heavier material. The cover was made 

 water-tight by means of roofing-paper. 

 There was only about an inch or two of 

 packing under the hives, and six inches at 

 the sides, and, I think, eight inches of pack- 

 ing over the hive. 



Since first trying these cases I have seen 

 fit to make some changes. Others have also 

 made changes; and of these I would men- 

 tion one made by a well-known and skillful 

 beekeeper, H. Sibbald of Toronto. He makes 

 the side of the case in two parts. The di- 

 vision in the sides is level with the top of 

 the hive as it stands in the outer case. The 

 upper portion has tacked to the bottom of 

 it a piece of burlap, making a receptacle for 

 all the top packing, which can be removed 

 by one movement. This is cleanly, saves 

 time, and preserves the packing; but, in 

 my estimation, there are serious objections. 



First, I like the case deep enough to al- 

 low ample room for a super on top of the 

 brood-chamber. Next, in cold or cool wea- 

 ther the packing has to be kept off from 



all four sides until an examination of the 

 entire group has been made. Some one may 

 tell me that tha.t is no time to examine bees. 

 We can not always pick our time, and this 

 is particularly true of the large beekeeper. 

 When the diagnosis is made quickly I have 

 never seen any harm done. 



Moreover, feeding in the winter cases can 

 not readily be carried on, for there is no 

 room for the feeders and I find it an ad- 

 vantage to feed after packing. The later 

 one feeds, the better; for then the bees have 

 sugar syrup for winter stores, as the last 

 food given is the first consumed. The wea- 

 ther is then cool, and the packing makes it 

 necessary for the bees to utilize less stores 

 to produce the heat necessary for storing 

 and ripening the syrup'than would be neces- 



4'' 



Such stunts draw large crowds. 



sary if no packing were used. And do not 

 forget that packed colonies are rarely rob- 

 Vjcd. The ten-pound pail with perforated 

 cover can be turned on top of the frames, 

 and the leaves drawn about the pails or tins. 

 I consider it an improvement to nail to- 



