PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY THE W T FALCONER MANPG CO 



VOL. I. 



DECEMBER, 1891. 



ISO. 12. 



Wintering Bees. 



BY MRS. Ei. HARRISON. 



What I have to say on this subject 

 is for the benefit of those who are be- 

 ginners, and have only a small num- 

 ber of colonies. My first experience 



iug the cellar at the bottom. Before 

 this ventilator was put in, honey stored 

 there would soon be bursting from the 

 cells, but now it does not, and I con- 

 sider it as healthy as any room in the 

 house. When the bees are put in 



in keeping bees over the winter was there the hives are filled one above 

 one which wiped out many large another, with pieces of board an inch 

 apiaries. I had only four colonies, in thickness between them. There is 

 and at the approach of cold weather a window, hung on hinges, which can 

 they were placed closely on the east be opened at will. Bees have winter- 

 side of the house, and leaves stuffed ed for seven seasons in this cellar sue- 

 all around, except in front, leaves be- cessfully, not being removed until all 

 ing stufffd between the hives and the danger of freezing is past. I would 

 house, and between each other, and not advise putting a few colonies into 

 boards being placed at the ends of the a large cellar. I have a friend who 

 rows and leaves between them and the wintered four colonies in a very large 

 hives. The upper stories were also cellar in this way. He built a cup- 

 filled with leaves. These colonies all board in the cellar, beside a chimney, 

 came through the winter in fine con- and put them in, closing the door, 

 dition, while large apiaries in this lo- During mild days the outside doors of 

 cality were nearly destroyed. the cellar were opened, changing the 

 Several years later, when I neglect- air - The bees were in splendid con- 



ed to protect my bees in this way, 

 merely covering them with a chaff 

 cushion, I lost nearly one hundred 

 colonies. 



Of late years I have wintered from 



dition in the spring. 



WINTERING IN BARRELS. 



I wintered for two seasons a few- 

 colonies as follows: I put on a "Hill's 

 Device" above the combs, and then 



fifty to sixty colonies in the cellar, spread over new Indian head muslin, 



which is 7x12 feet, partitioned off and fastened it to the hive all around 



from the main one, and has sub-earth by tacking on little strips of wood, 



ventilators made of six-inch tile enter- and fastened up the fly entrance. 



