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A MONTHLY JOURNAL 



Devoted to the Interests of Honey Producers. 

 $L00 A YEAR. 

 W. Z. HDTCHiNSON. Editor and Proprietor. 



VOL. XVII. FLINT, MICHIGAN, NOV. 15, 1904. NO. 11 



^c^lnts to foe Heecdlecd in "Wiimteirlinitf 



Bees Sim Mlclil^aimc 



BY E. D. TOWNSEND. 



rr/ HKRE are so many things to 

 ^ take into consideration in winter- 

 ing' our bees herein northern Michi- 

 gan, that I scarcely know whereto be- 

 gin, when writing on this subject, but 

 there are two essentials, that seem to 

 stand out in my mind's eye, quite a 

 little more prominent than anything 

 else, no matter whether we winter the 

 bees in chaff, in the cellar, or in a 

 clamp, and these are outside protec- 

 tion and winter stores. I hardly know 

 which is the more important. Perhaps 

 I would not be far out of the waj' if I 

 should say winter stores, if we winter 

 indoors; and outside protection, if 

 wintered in chaff. But they should, by 

 all means, both get together if we ex- 

 pect fair success in wintering. 



ADVANTAGE OF A SHELTERED LOCATION. 



We are starting a new yard three 

 miles north of town, and have selected 

 a place for it, where there is quite a 

 bluff on the north, east and west sides, 

 leaving an acre or so, where we are 

 setting the bees, that is nearly level. 



and open to the south. These hills 

 will furnish ideal outside protection 

 for this 3'ard. In selecting a protected 

 place, as above, it is essential that the 

 inclosure be not too large, just room 

 enough for the bees, and honey house. 

 With this nook of an acre, the wind 

 will blow over it and not cause a 

 draft through it, as a larger opening 

 would. Then these hills are loose 

 sand, and I have another use for them, 

 but more anon. We consider this out- 

 side protection essential, no matter 

 whether we winter indoors or out. 

 With chaff packed bees in this inclos- 

 ure they will have manj' chances to fly 

 during sunny days in winter, when it 

 would be suicidal for them to venture 

 out where they have no protection from 

 the wind; and these little chances to 

 fly during the winter, giving uneasy 

 colonies a chance to have a cleansing 

 flight, coupled with good stores, appear 

 to be the key to successful wintering- 

 in chaff. Then the bees we winter in- 

 side need this same protection, espe- 

 cially during the cold bad weather of 



