168 BEGINNER'S BEE BOOK 



the following season opens. Many beekeepers 

 make a practice of leaving a super of extract- 

 ing combs on the hive for a reserve supj^ly, in 

 addition to the honey in the brood nest. 



l^Hiere the bees are wintered outside, the 

 necessary packing should be done early. It is 

 better to pack late than not to pack at all, but 

 there is a decided advantage in favor of finish- 

 ing the winter preparations as soon as con- 

 venient after the nights begin to be frosty. 



All of the beekeeper's activities center in 

 the queens which head his colonies. Without 

 good queens no matter how careful the man- 

 agement there can be no satisfactory degree of 

 success. Given Wgorous young queens, the 

 other essentials are not many. Mr. George 

 Demuth of the U. S. Department of Agricul- 

 ture sums up as follows : stores, room and pro- 

 tection. Given plenty of stores, an abundance 

 of room for colony activities at the proper time, 

 and suitable protection, success is assured. 



