564 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



Sept. 15 



Guernsey, of Ionia, Mich., when asked to 

 tell what percentage of loss they have in the 

 winter, reply by saying that they never lose 

 good colonies during winter, although they 

 admit that they, like other bee-keepers, oc- 

 casionally have colonies that for some reason 

 or other are not in good condition in the fall, 

 and that these make up their only loss. 



Mr. Bartlett has elaborated a winter case 

 for holding four ten-frame hives, which, in 

 my judgment, is superior to all the others, 

 althougn it retains the main principles of all 

 good cases. The illustrations show this case 

 so plainly that but little description is neces- 

 sary; but in referring to the dimensions of 

 the case, Mr. Bartlett has the following to 

 say: 



The sides are 24 inches high and 52 inches long, the 

 ends being, of course, the same height, and 44 inches 

 long. The bottom is 44 inches wide and 50 inches long, 

 nailed to two 2x4's, 50 inches long, these latter form- 

 ing the stand for the case. The cover extends down 



and then puts in the packing material just as I do; that 

 is, he puts the paper above the cloths, and he has 

 very good success. 



I use hemlock lumber, for which I pay $16.00 per 

 1000 feet. I believe that matched lumber would be 

 better in every way, as I am obliged to lath over the 

 cracks, as I make them now. Either planed and 

 matched lumber or block siding put on horizontally 

 would be preferable to this plan of boarding up and 

 down. There is about 90 feet of lumber in one of these 

 cases, which, at $16.00 per 1000, will amount to about 

 $1.44. There is also 22^ feet of roofing at $1.85 per 

 square, so that the total amount for the material is 

 $1.90. I had the cases made at a factory for less than 1 

 could have made them by hand. I should put the 

 total cost of one of these cases, which holds four ten- 

 frame colonies, at from $2.50 to $3.00. 



I do not think that 4 or 6 inches of packing over the 

 top of a colony is sufficient when the temperature gets 

 down to 30 below zero. I want enough packing so 

 there will be no condensation of moisture under the 

 quilt as the result of the warm air coming in contact 

 with a cold cover. With ten inches of packing over 

 the bees I have had very little if any trouble from this 

 cause. If the case is tight and the packing material 

 dry, I would not hesitate in saying that 10 inches is 

 sufficient; but more than 2 inches is needed in front. 

 I believe that 3 inches in front of the hives in my loca- 



FIG. 2.— BARTLETT'S WINTER CASE, SHOWING INTERIOR. 



over the sides of the case 5 inches, and 2^ inches over 

 the ends. The four supports for the hives, as shown 

 at No. 5, Fig. 2, are 40 inches long, 3 inches wide, and 1 

 inch thick. 



No. 4, Fig. 1, shows the bridge standing on end, which 

 forms the passageway from the entrance of the hive to 

 the opening in the outside case, which opening is !^x6 

 inches. The distance between the entuance of the hive 

 and this opening in the case is 4 inches, which is the 

 proper thickness for the packing material to be u.sed 

 in front of the hives. 



No. 2, Fig. 1, shows the vestibuled entrance of the 

 winter case. The board shown by No. 1 fits into this 

 vestibuled entrance and closes it during the winter. 

 It is not put on until after the bees are through flying 

 in the fall, and it must be removed in the spring, or, 

 for that matter, at any time when the bees need to fly. 



There is 3 inches of packing material under the 

 hives, 6 inches at the sides, 4 inches in front, 10 inches 

 over the tops. The material which I use is dry pla- 

 ner-shavings and fine sawdust. 



When I prepare my colonies for winter I remove the 

 covers of the hives and place cloths over the tops of 

 the frames, first putting some pieces of lath across 

 for a passageway for the bees during the winter. 

 When possible I put several thicknesses of cloth over 

 the frames, allowing the edges to hang down over 

 the side of the hive before the packing is put in. 

 One of my neighbors puts newspapers over the hives 



tion is a very safe amount; but 4 inches is better. In 

 the spring, after brood-rearing has started in good 

 shape, I find that in most cases the brood is nearer the 

 side of the hive adjoining the next colony. I keep 

 snow banked in front of the cases, which helps to 

 keep the fronts warm; and, besides, the bees are 

 more often clustered near the back ends of the hives 

 than they are in the fronts. 



In a location where there are occasional warm days 

 during winter, the vestibule entrances will require 

 some attention; but in our location the bees are con- 

 lined to the hives nearly five months. I pack the col- 

 onies about the last of September, and leave them in 

 the cases in the spring as long as the bees will stay 

 quiet, or until they begin to hang out, showing that 

 they are abundantly able to take care of themselves. 



It is of importance to know that East Jor- 

 dan is in a lumber location, and it is easy 

 to secure planer shavings and sawdust, 

 while it would be almost impossible to get 

 any kind of chaff in sufficient quantities. 

 On the other hand, the majority of bee-keep- 

 ers could get chaff much more conveniently 

 than they could sawdust and shavings. 



Mr. Guernsey and Mr. Palmer, who are 



