THE AMERICAN BEE-KEPPER. 



The Secret of Out-door 

 Wintering. 



BY E. L. TRATT. 



Very few bee-keepers seem to un- 

 derstand the principle of wintering- 

 bees out of doors successfully. I am 

 decidedly in favor of double walled 

 hives, but not as generally made. I 

 am not a Chaff hive man, never was, 

 and doubt if I ever will be. They are 

 too ponderous, too expensive and not 

 what is claimed for them. We want 

 hives that not only Winter the bees 

 but Spring them also, and this cannot 

 always be said of a Chaff hive. The 

 Chautauqua hive has the correct prin- 

 ciple, but I want a hive that I can 

 work single or double as I choose, 

 therefore there is nothing that suits 

 me so well as a thin Winter case with 

 gable cover made to telescope over the 

 case, allowing about § of an inch ven- 

 tilation at each gable end. As cold 

 weather comes on, the outside cases 

 can be slipped on over the hives and 

 they are safe until Thanksgiving, 

 when final preparations are usually 

 made. There should be no packing 

 material used between brood chamber 

 and case until breeding commences in 

 the Spring, as the heat generated by 

 the (duster is not sufficient to throw 

 off the moisture until then, and the 

 sun does not get a chance to dry and 

 to warm up the hive so thoroughly 

 when packed at the sides as it does 

 with no packing. A good, thick 

 cushion made oi cut hay or straw, 

 large enough to fit snugly inside the 

 case should be provided for each col- 

 ony. Lay a section box, or a small 

 block of some kind, on the top-bars 

 where the bees are clustered the thick- 

 est, throw over that a piece of burlap 



or old cai'pet, and crowd the cushion 

 snugly down over all, put on the Win- 

 ter roof, and either nail or screw it 

 kown so as to be sure the wind cannot 

 remove it, and I warrant the bees in 

 that hive to come out sweet and clean 

 in the Spring, and all alive, provided 

 they have had stores enough. 



When breeding commences is the 

 time to pack at the sides, as then the 

 cluster has expanded and the heat is 

 sufficient to throw off all dampness. 

 At the time the packing is put at the 

 side the cushion should be raised and 

 a thin board laid over to cover the 

 brood chamber, as now we wish to re- 

 tain all the heat possible so that brood 

 rearing will progress very rapidly. 

 There is no fear but what they will be 

 strong enough for clover if these 

 directions are followed. 



Feeding to stimulate brood-rearing 

 should be practiced during the dull 

 weather, soon after fruit bloom. 



Beverly, Mass. 



We cannot impress it too fully on 

 your minds, the advisability of order- 

 ing your supplies at the earliest possi- 

 ble moment. There are indications 

 that supply dealers will be almost or 

 quite as hard pressed the coming season 

 as last. 



The 22d Annual meeting of the 

 New York State Bee -Keeper's Associ- 

 ation will be held in Agricultural Hall, 

 Albany, N. Y., January 22 24th, 1891. 

 You will have to pay full fare going, 

 but we will give you return certificates 

 over any road running into Albany, 

 (except Boston & Albany,) at one-third 

 regular fare. Come and bring your 

 friends with you. If you want a pro- 

 gram send your address on a postal to 

 the Secretary, 



G. H. Knickerbocker, Sec'y-, 



Pine Plains, N. Y. 



P. H, Elwood, Pres. 



