652 



here given, they should 

 arrive at these places 

 Avithout the loss of a 

 single bee. 



As I said before, I 

 begin preparations for 

 the winter arrange- 

 ment as early as the 

 season's work will per- 

 mit, aiming to give the 

 bees one or two weeks 

 of open flying weather 

 before they are housed 

 for the winter. Then 

 when the sheds are 

 brought into requisi- 

 tion, every colony re- 

 mains on the identical 

 spot it occupied before 

 the transfor m a t i o n 

 took place. Although 

 the appearance of their homes is completely 

 changed, they are so well acquainted witli 

 their location that their first flight from 

 the sheds is as normal as any flight dur- 

 ing a honey-flow from their summer posi- 

 tion. 



The photograph shows the same bees in 

 winter quarters, of which a summer view 

 was given on page 430, July 15, 1911. 



It will be noticed that my bees have no 

 protection in the line of windbreaks out- 

 side of the sheds; but I am surrounded 

 by orchards, groves, and shade-trees that 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



Fig. 1. — Detail of the France outside winter case for single-walled hives. 



form at least a partial jirotection against 

 our northern climate. However, I have 

 great confidence in my sheds. They are 

 positively water and frost proof, allow- 

 ing from two to three inches of chaff 

 packing at the sides, and from six to 

 eight on top over the sealed cover. I can 

 not say that I never lose any bees in these 

 sheds. I do lose more than I wish I did; 

 but I never have frosty or moldy combs, 

 except as I find them occasionally in de- 

 populated hives. 



It will be noticed that the summer stands 

 are placed on the roofs 

 of the sheds. This is 

 done to keep the ground 

 picked up, to furnish 

 an out-of-the-way place 

 for storing, and as a 

 precaution to prevent 

 the roofs from blowing 

 off. The latter are in 

 no way fastened to the 

 side wall, being held in 

 place only by close- 

 fitting cleats. 



On the morning of 

 Jan. 5, 1912, with the 

 thermometer at 3 below 

 zero, I examined a few 

 of my sheds, with grati- 

 fying results. By sim- 

 ply raising the roofs 

 and pushing my hand 

 through the chaff un- 

 til it came in flat con- 

 tact with the hive-cover, 

 I found the tempera- 

 ture of the latter far 

 enough above the freez- 

 ing-point to prevent 

 any formation of ice on 



Fig. 2. — Tlie winter case in use. 



