Jan. 25, 1906 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL 



71 



usually only starters at that. So, after all, there is not so 

 much difference as one would think at first. So I decided to 

 put the entrances above, opening directly outside. By that 

 time the only flow we had last year, and a very poor one at 

 that, came to an end, and of course that ended the experiment 

 so far as the increase of surplus honey is concerned. 



I suppose that most, if not all, of the readers of this 

 paper know that when there is no flow, more or less bees 

 will (at least during the warm days) go into the supers, loaf, 

 gnaw the foundation, chink propolis anywhere and every- 

 where, and do more or less mischief. 



I soon discovered that while there was the usual number 

 of bees in the supers of the hives with the entrances i 

 there were none, or practically none, in those with the en- 

 trances above. An inspection disclosed the fact that if there 

 were no bees in the supers, there was, on the other hand, a 

 big, compact cluster right at the entrance ; thai is, inside of it. 

 That was quite a puzzle to me. 



The warm air contained in the hive has a strong tendency 

 to go upward. To bring it down to the bottom through the 

 combs and a mass of bees requires a large number of 

 fanning bees and a large entrance. With the entrance above, 

 the warm air will go out of itself, perhaps much faster than 

 needed for the best results. 



Without thinking any further, I had made the upper 

 entrances as big, or nearly as big, as I usually make them 

 when at the bottom of the hives. I then realized, that for the 

 reason just given, they were entirely too large, and that those 

 big bunches of bees were there to prevent a too free escape 

 of the warm air needed for the brood. What is the exact 

 size for the best results, I do not know yet. 



Knoxville, Tenn. 



Cellar-Wintering — Hershiser Bottom -Board 



BY OREL L. HERSHISER. 



MR. MORLEY PETTIT. in 'Canadian Beedom" (page 

 904 — 1905), makes some criticisms of the Hershiser 

 Combined Hive Stand and Bottom-Board, shown at the 

 late Ontario Convention at Toronto, which should not stand 

 unchallenged. 



Is it "too much machinery to be carried under the hive"? 

 It is a device so simple that a one-armed man or a child can 

 make every adjustment without the least difficulty. Its con- 

 struction is such that the simplicity and ease of operating it 

 cannot in the least be affected by moisture or swelling, and it 

 is absolutely impossible for the bees to propolize its edges or 

 hinder its easy working. It is very strong, although the device 

 for the 10-frame dovetail hive weighs but 8 pounds. 



It enables the apiarist to have his bees practically prepared 

 at all times for removal to or from out-apiaries, for confine- 

 ment within the hive while in the cellar, or for shipment ; the 

 simple adjustment to confine the bees or admit them to flight 

 being made at the rate of 100 colonies in less than one-half 

 hour. Added ventilation can be given in a moment, if needed, 

 during a heavy honey-flow, or in hiving a large swarm ; and 

 when combs are melting down, or likely to melt down, because 

 of excessive heat, relief can be quickly afforded. 



Colonies being robbed can be instantly and perfectly pro- 

 tected. In fact, the device is complete in itself for all pur- 

 poses to which a bottom-board or a ventilating scheme below 

 the hive-body may be put. There are no extra parts to be 

 used for special purposes, such as blocks and wedges for 



Fig. 1.— Bottom-Board— Sectional View. 



giving ventilation ; and no bottom-boards to be left on the 

 summer stand or stowed away, as is necessary with most 

 hives and practiced by nearly all apiarists who winter bees in 

 the cellar; all such objects being perfectly comprehended in 

 this one device. It presents to me not a single disadvantage, 

 but its advantages are manifold. Its use to me in cellar- 

 wintering alone, to say nothing of its convenience in moving 

 bees, has been highly profitable. 



Further and more careful observation and investigation. I 

 believe, will convince my critic that he is all wrong in de- 

 claring that "he finds it is not practical to confine bees to the 



hive while in the cellar." He is doubtful as to whether "weak 

 colonies and nuclei may be confined without serious loss." I 

 have no doubts on these points, having proven the prac- 

 ticability of such wintering, in my own case, beyond any doubt. 

 Ami. further, tl' 4 of strong colonies is as practical 



as it is with weak colonies or nuclei, as proven by my ex- 

 perience. 



I desire to take an exception to the statement that "when 

 strong colonies are so confined there are sure to be some bees 

 that fly to the screen, try h> get out. and make noise enough 



Fig. 2.— Hershiser Hive-Stand— Bottom-Board Detached— Patent 

 Applied For. 



to rouse the whole cellar.' Mr. Pettit's bees may behave in 

 this unseemly fashion, i. e.. all want to go out because one or 

 a few individual bees have asked that privilege. My bees be- 

 have properly and attend strictly to the business of wintering 

 quietly, and. if once in a while a stray bee leaves the cluster 

 and buzzes a bit, very likely for some good and sufficient 

 they do not all fall to and do the same. They are so 

 accustomed to humming and buzzing that such sounds have 

 ceased to irritate them. To be sure, they hum and buzz if 

 they get too warm, and would undoubtedly go in search of 

 cool air if allowed their liberty, but they become quiet and con- 

 tented as soon as such need is supplied. 



If the temperature of the cellar becomes too warm, the 

 more sensitive colonies will be the first to show it by their 

 activity; and in case of such unsatisfactory conditions there 

 is no doubt that the colonies first aroused would have a 

 tendency to hasten the awakening of those in a deeper state 

 of repose. In such an emergency, if the bees are properly 

 confined to their hives, "it is a positive advantage, as otherwise 

 many strong and vigorous bees would perish on the cellar 

 floor, or at the windows, if there was a ray of light. But 

 where temperature and ventilation are satisfactory the mere 

 buzzing of a few restless bees, now and then, will not "rouse 

 the whole cellar" or cause unusual activity. 



Disturbances occasioned by insufficient or impure air or 

 high temperature, are not likely to occur in the cellar or 

 repository specially constructed or fitted for the purpose of 

 wintering bees; but, even in these, disastrous failure has some- 

 times been the result. Such failures are probably more fre- 

 quent than most of us imagine, for the reason that people 

 take little pride in recounting mistakes or disasters, but oc- 

 casionally one who has learned wisdom with passing years 

 becomes reminiscent, as did Harry Lathrop, of Wisconsin, 

 where he recalls a case in his own experience of 35 good, 

 strong colonies placed in a specially built repository about Dec. 

 1, About Jan. 15 following, the door was opened, and in one 

 of the upper front corners of the room was a bunch of 

 bees about the size of a bushel basket, and upon the floor was 

 about an inch in depth of dead bees. The live bees were 

 divided as well as possible and their wintering was finished 

 in clamps outside. Fifteen weak colonies in the spring was 

 the result. Want of air was ascribed as the cause of the 



