GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



Chrj>lL-i- 



laving loose boards that are removed during tlu 



more vontiiiitioii. 



dividual hive. Moreover, it gives a greater 

 protection than any single hive could af- 

 ford, because the bees of the several hives 

 conti'ibule their individual heat to the en- 

 tire bunch. For very cold climates, the 

 arrangement here described, or the one by 

 Mr. France next described, or yet the one 

 used by Mr. R. F. Holtermann, as shown 

 in Gleanings for Nov. 15 last, may be 

 used to very good advantage. It is a good 

 time now to make up the tenement-hive 

 I'.anels, and thus be ready when cold 

 weather comes. 



Mr. Cavanagh in his article in this issue 

 (page 556) says that in an arrangement 

 that he used similar to this, the strong 

 colonies drew from the weak. It would 

 seem as if there might be a difficulty right 

 here. How is it with you? — Ed.] 



WINTER CASES FOR ONE OR FOUR HIVES 



The France Quadruple Hive for Wintering 



BY FRANK P. FRANCE. 



Here in the North, where we have cold 

 piercing winds, lots of snow and atmos- 

 pheric changes, we must find some way to 

 protect our single-Avalled hives. Nearly 

 every winter we have from five to eight 

 weeks of cold weather before the bees have 



a chance to have a small flight — some of 

 the time when it is thirty to forty below 

 zero. If a colony in a single-walled liive 

 is left out exjjosed to all these changes it 

 is almost sure to perish. 



Our single cases have two inches of 

 space around the sides, and about a foot 

 of space above the hive, all of wliich is 

 I'acked either with leaves or fine straw. 

 Over the top of the hive is jjlaced a cap 

 having about an inch space underneath, 

 so that the bees can secure honey in out- 

 side combs with ease. In putting this to- 

 gether', notice that the sides are held to- 

 gether by pins at each corner. The en- 

 trance is provided with an entrance-block 

 and storm-door to keep out the driving 

 snows and winds. Over all is placed a 

 large cover to keep both packing and hive 

 perfectly dry. This I find to be a very 

 practical and successful winter case for 

 single-walled hives. 



The larger hives hold four colonies each, 

 with an entrance at each corner. This hive 

 is used throughout the year, as it is double- 

 walled and packed with chaff. It is divid- 

 ed into four equal parts, each colony by 

 itself, and can have supers and standard 

 Langstroth frames according to the re- 

 quirements of the indi^^dual colonies. Over 

 the honey-boards of all the colonies there 

 is room for six to ten inches of leaves or 



