THE AMERICAN BEE-KEEPER. 



157 



The outer entrance might be pro- 

 vided with a very .simple and conven- 

 ient adjustable arrangement for open- 

 ing and closing the passage-way to the 

 hive, by means of a strip of wood one- 

 half inch thick by one and one-half 

 inches wide, and of convient length, 

 held in position by a wooden button 

 With this moveable strip the entrance 

 may be almost entirely closed in zero- 

 weather, or removed entirely in day 

 time during mild spells, when it would 

 be desirable to have the bees fly. The 

 case can be left on until the settled 

 weather of spring prevents any 

 probable return of disastrously cold 

 weat her. — Bee-Keeper^ Magazine. 



[The above article contains many 

 very good suggestions. Instead of 

 using a box for an outer case, our new 

 thin-walled outside case will be found 

 cheaper, neater and much more con- 

 venient. — Ed] 



WINTERING. 



There is hardly any doubt in my 

 mind but that the most successful win- 

 tering is attained by those bees winter- 

 ed on the summer stand in a good 

 chaff hive. There are many reasons 

 for my opinion, but will give only a 

 few, as the more space the beginner 

 has to go over in looking for advice, 

 the more difficult that advice seems to 

 be for him to follow. My principal 

 reasons are: There is no labor of mov- 

 ing bees in and out of the cellar; hives 

 being always on the summer stand 

 they can be reached at any time, and 

 if one or more is short of stores a comb 

 can be laid on top of the frames with- 

 out disturbing the bees in the least. 

 Bees wintered on the summer stands 

 are very seldom, if ever, troubled with 

 spring dwindling, and never with diar- 

 rhea, simply because if they require a 



fly there are many warm days on which 

 they can take the necessary flight. In 

 October the beginner should ascertain 

 the exact condition of every stock, 

 both in reference to their stores and 

 number of bees in each hive. Should 

 yon and any lacking in either or both 

 these, points supply them with food, or 

 if weak, unite two or more stocks to- 

 gether. Each and every stock should 

 have 25 lbs. of honey to insure them 

 food enough until " the flowers that 

 bloom in the spring," commence to se- 

 crete honey. You can generally rind 

 stocks with enough surplus to make 

 up the deficiency in other hives, and. 

 thus by changing around you equalize 

 your stocks and put tbem all in good 

 condition for the coming winter. 

 Should the lower part of your combs 

 be empty place them in the center, as 

 bees need empty cells to cluster on. If 

 they are full put one empty comb in 

 the center of the brood nest, especially 

 for the cluster, and be sure and make 

 the brood nest as small as possible as 

 the less space they have to keep warm 

 the better they winter. Now place a 

 stick about one inch square across the 

 the top of frame and then lay on your 

 chaff cushions. This stick allows a 

 free passage from one comb to the oth- 

 er and dots not expose the bees as it 

 does when they have to travel around 

 the end or down to the bottom to reach 

 the next frame. Set the board over the 

 entrance to keep out the sun, for 

 should the sun shine in too bright they 

 might fly out when the air is really so 

 cold that it would chill them. Do not 

 disturb your bees through the winter, 

 unless at the close of a long severe cold 

 spell, when, if it is warm, you may 

 remove the board and open the 

 entrance full and let them fly. Thus* 



