AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



191 



Topics o! Interest. 



Winter Protection for Bees. 



CHAS. F. MUTH. 



This much-discussed subject will re- 

 main before the bee-keeping fraternity 

 as long as there are bee-keepers, and 

 new recruits are enlisted. The matter 

 is simple, but many erroneous theories 

 persistently kept up by some zealous 

 brethren, confound the ideas of many, 

 and consequently Winter losses still 

 remain a serious drawback to beo- 

 culture. 



The only requisites to the safe winter- 

 ing of bees, in our latitude, are : An 

 abundant supply of food within easy 

 reach of the cluster, a dry habitation, 

 and, at least, a good medium colony of 

 bees. We need no cellars, nor double- 

 walled nor chaff hives. Single-walled 

 hives of 1 inch or % boards, are all that 

 is necessary. 



It is immaterial whether their Winter 

 stores are clover, basswood, or Fall 

 honey, or even honey-dew, or whether 

 the bees have had access to cider mills 

 or not. It makes no difference even if 

 most of their combs are capped or not. 



Each comb may have its share of 

 pollen. Pollen has injured a colony of 

 bees in Winter no more than " Pills- 

 bury's best" has injured the human 

 family. However, if we permit the best 

 wheat flour to get moldy or sour before 

 it is baked into bread, or afterwards, it 

 will be poison to us. Why should bees 

 not get diarrhea if we permit their 

 honey or pollen to get sour in their 

 combs ? Who ever saw diarrhea with- 

 out moldy combs ? Keep their food in a 

 healthy condition, then no diarrhea 

 need be feared. 



We have all read and heard long 

 arguments on the subject of wintering. 

 I will, therefore, not tire you with scien- 

 tific speculations, but I will tell you my 

 manner of wintering, and if I can prove 

 to you that I have had no bees Winter- 

 killed by any diseases for many years, it, 

 should be satisfactory evidence in favor 

 of my argument. 



I am aware of the fact that hives 

 about 10 or 12 inches square, with 

 frames 12, 14 or 16 inches deep, with- 

 out a bottom, are best for wintering. 

 The deeper the hives the better, because 

 by the time Winter approaches, about 

 two-thirds of the upper parts of their 

 combs are filled with honey. The bees 



cluster below, and more gradually 

 upward as the honey around their clus- 

 ter is consumed. They can still keep 

 moving upward, even if the Winter 

 should last a month longer than usual. 

 The lower parts of their combs being 

 exposed to the air, keep dry, the food 

 healthy, and the cluster is snugly hid 

 among the combs. They will not suffer 

 by the cold, even if the thermometer 

 keeps at 20*^' below zero for two weeks 

 in succession. Deep hives approach the 

 log-gum, and answer the purpose better 

 for rearing bees than honey. 



But as the profit of the apiary is the 

 end we are after, we use shallow hives, 

 with a large surface, for the honey 

 chamber. We know that we can winter 

 bees in the Langstroth hives as success- 

 fully as in any other hives, and their 

 preparations for Winter give us no more 

 trouble than others. 



About October or November the inside 

 upper story (.the honey chamber) is 

 taken off, and two combs one-thirds or 

 one-half filled with honey, are placed in 

 the middle of the brood-chamber ; next 

 to these are placed the heaviest combs ; 

 and lighter ones towards the sides of the 

 hives. The end ones may be empty. I 

 use 10-frame hives only, and need no 

 division-boards during Winter. Every 

 comb has a Winter passage through the 

 middle. The bees may fill 3, 4, 5 or 6 

 spaces, between combs, on a cold day. 

 The brood-chamber is covered up with 

 three third-covers, or, with one board, if 

 you please. Now, the outside upper 

 story is put on, and into it, on top of the 

 three third-covers, a straw mat is placed. 

 The roof of the hive turns the rain. I 

 consider no hive complete unless its 

 honey-chamber is an independent ar- 

 rangement. 



At any time, during a cold day, I can 

 raise the straw mat, and letting my hand 

 glide over the wooden cover, I can feel 

 the' spot below where the cluster rests 

 comfortably. 



The hives stand at a slant of about 

 two inches from rear to front, and the 

 entrance is left open its full width. The 

 bottom-boards remain dry, and what 

 few old bees fall down, have disappeared 

 by the time that Spring approaches. 

 The cleaning out of my hives in Spring, 

 is the exception with me, and not the 

 rule. 



When the cold weather is over, about 

 March, and it is time for the bees to 

 breed up, the entrances of their hives 

 are cQutracted to about an inch. Spring 

 is the time to look over their stores, and 

 to supply those that may need it. I 

 have discarded,- as of no value, all stim- 



