316 



THE Bj^'E-KEEPERS' REVIEW. 



damp by reason of escaping moisture, 

 while the sawdust remains dry, the colonies 

 of each are equally dry. With sufficient 

 warmth no moisture is visible ; only the pass- 

 age of warm air through the cold shavings 

 causes condensation. Without sufficient 

 protection on all sides, including a vestibule 

 and dead air chamber to assist in maintain- 

 ing a proper temperature, moisture will 

 accumulate within the hive, necessitat 

 ing a slow upward current to carry it off ; in 

 which instance shavings would be preferable 

 to sawdust. Such an arrangement, however, 

 causes an expenditure of vital force of the 

 colony. A piece of muslin is placed over 

 the frames ; under it two small ^o inch sticks 

 are laid crosswise forming a passage way 

 for the bees. This is, practically speaking, 

 " Hill's device. " The muslin cover facili- 

 tates the removal of the tray for inspection 

 in early spring. I doubt very much the 

 value of a passage way above the frames, 

 with protection as afforded. Hope to test 

 both ways the coming winter. 



Below the hive is about three inches of 

 packing, preferably leaves, which are usual- 

 ly left from year to year. With tlie vesti- 

 bule entrance having a small outer opening, 

 strong winds cannot penetrate the hive, and 

 with an opening located below the entrance 

 proper, leading to the filth chamber, no 

 clogging can occur, to interfere with the 

 passage of pure air from without. This 

 combination enables the colony to maintain 

 a much higher temperature, and in conse- 

 quence remain perfectly dry the entire win- 

 ter. The dead bees which are dropped into 

 the dead air chamber are also free from 

 dampness. 



By reference to the illustration the reader 

 will observe I place my hives upon stands 

 with cast iron supports (wood will answer). 

 The stands are about nine inches alcove 

 ground and the vestibule entrance about It 

 inches. My system of wintering on the low 

 stands necessitated keeping the snow swept 

 from the entrance. As now arranged no 

 care is required through the entire winter. 

 High stands also facilitate a removal of 

 dead bees by the loose bottom in the hltli 

 chamber, (^wing to the contagion of bid 

 paralysis by reason of diseased bees crawl- 

 ing and entering neighboring hives I alf^o 

 prefer this arrangement. Furthermore, the 

 hives are much cleaner and dryer, and gr;iss 

 seldom interferes with the working of the 

 colony. 



By this method of wintering, the loss of 

 bees from the individual colony is exceed- 

 iny;!}' smill — scarcely a tea cup full will be 

 the average ; and what is most gratifying, 

 no cloanitig of the bottom boards becomes 

 necessary in the spring — all is contained in 

 the dead air chamber. 



This system is applicable to most hives. 

 The method of packing is unimportant, 

 provided ample security against rain is 

 afforded. A vestibule entrance can readily 

 be made with a passage way sufficiently in- 

 clined to prevent any clogging with dead 

 bees and attached by screws to the hive, A 

 dead air chamber can also be made with an 

 opening through the bottom board, partly 

 within the hive. We must understand the 

 arrangement of the inclined passage way 

 through the vestibule. It is located at one 

 side of the opening to the dead air chamber. 

 This arrangement enables the bees to pass 

 in and out without crossing the opening. 

 The bottom can readily be packed, and a 

 tray provided for the top. If I were to 

 choo-^e betsveeu side packing and a vesti- 

 bule with dead air chamber, especially in 

 closed-end frame hives, it would be in favor 

 of the vestibule. The question of a little 

 additional expense may arise. To this I re- 

 ply ; the additional security against loss 

 more than balances it ; to say nothing of 

 the superior condition of our colonies in 

 the apiary. 



Jackson, Mich. Nov., 13, 1895. 



Bee-Keepers' Review. 



PUBLISHED MONTHLY. 



W.Z.HUTCHINSOI, Editor and Proprietor. 



Teiims : — $1.00 a year in advance. Two copies 

 $l.ttO; threo for $2.70; live for $4.00; ten or more, 

 7 t cents e;ich. If it is desired to liave the Revi iw 

 Biopped at tlie expiration of the time paid for, 

 tjleaso say so when subscribing, otherwise, it 

 will be continued 



FL/VT, MICHIGAN. NOV. 10. 1895. 



Thk Weic^ht oe a bee, of the load of nec- 

 t ir It can carry, and similar topics may be 

 interesting in a seienlific way, but I fail to 

 see how a discussion of such questions, or 

 even a correct decision regarding them, can 

 be of any practical benefit to a honey pro- 

 ducer. 



