1870.] 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



J-3 



very light, and is, in fact, the only point in 

 whicli it differs from Apis dorsata. When 

 some years ago I compared the specimens in the 

 British Mnsenm, I became impressed with the 

 idea that those which represented Apis testacea 

 were nothing more than newly-hatched and im- 

 mature specimens of Apis dorsata, and so 

 strongly did I nrge my views upon Mr. Smith, 

 that I believe I almost induced him to doubt 

 the correctness of his own nomenclature, until 

 he was afterwards assured by Mr. "Wallace him- 

 self, that they were really mature and fully-de- 

 veloped adult bees. — A Devonsiiike Bee- 



KEEl'EK. 



Maiia?emeiit of Bees in Winter. 



T)ie following sddress on this subject was delivpred by Mr. 

 E. Rood, of W;iyne (M cli.), at tlie Michigan Bee-keeper's 

 Convention, held at Lansing, on the 2.3d of March last. 

 The crowded state of our columns and files at the time it 

 was received, vrevented an immediate insertion, and its 

 appearance now will probably be all the ifiore' opportune 

 and serviceable —Eu. 



If there be no objection, I would like to re- 

 verse the Older of the time or statement of the 

 subject whii^h I am expected to discuss, as the 

 spring management follows that of the winter. 



Tlie, winter management, of a necessity, in- 

 volves some things that miast be done in the fall ; 

 and let me premise by saying that almost, if not 

 all of the operations and manipulations of bees, 

 are quite simple, when the natural habits and 

 requirements of the insect are well understood, 

 and with a reasonable amount of intelligence 

 and perseverance the object is accomplished. 

 Let me assure new beginners, and those that have 

 not begun, that the honey will much more 

 than comi^ensate for the labor bestowed upon 

 them, as I know of no branch of rural pursuits 

 that, in dollars and cents, pays as well. And 

 the pleasure derived from a study of their nature 

 and habits, will far more than compensate, in a 

 scientific point of view, for all their stings. 



In preparing for winter, of necessity it is in- 

 cumbent upon us to see or learn that they have 

 sufficient food to "carry them through until they 

 can procure it for themselves ; — say twenty or 

 twenty-five pounds if wintered in a special de- 

 pository, and twenty-five or thirty if wintered 

 on their summer stands. 



We should then remove the surplus honey- 

 boxes as soon as the first hard frost ; as, if they 

 remain on. the bees will the next day carry into 

 the breeding apartment all that is not capped 

 over ; and I have seldom or never known a swarm 

 but what had enough in the body of the hive to 

 winter on, if they had stored any in the surplus 

 boxes. 



Next, weigh one or more empty hives, to 

 which weight add, say ten pounds for weight of 

 bees, combs and bee bread ; then the first cool 

 day proceed to weigh every swarm, — no guessing 

 about it. Mark the net weight of honey upon 

 the same corner or place on each hive. 



Next, the first fine day commence to equalize 

 the amount of honey in the various swarms ; if 

 I n movable frames, taking from the heaviest and 



giving to those that require feeding ; if not in 

 movable frame hives, the light ones must be fed 

 in the evening with some of the various feeders, 

 and a good swarm will carry from five to eight 

 pounds to the combs in a night. They may be 

 fed on a syrup made of clarified sugar, but the 

 syrup should never, nor should honey be kept, 

 melted, dissolved, or fed from coi)per or brass 

 vessels, as it has been ascertained that verdigris 

 will cause foul brood. 



We have now provided our bees with sufficient 

 food for winter, and why should we not? We 

 provide (or should), a sufficient supply for each 

 sheep, and certainly the profits of a swarm of 

 bees are as great as from a sheei)— aye, and far 

 greater— and they do not require one-fourth part 

 of the care and attention. 



I know of but one other preparation for win- 

 tering. In almost any apiary there will be some 

 small swarms and some destitute of queens, 

 they may and should be doubled up, but no two 

 large swarms should be put together — they will 

 not do well. 



We are now ready^o put our bees into winter 

 quarters. The exact time for removing them to 

 the quarters cannot be now definitely determined. 

 If there are any small swarms, it will be well to 

 put them in somewhat earlier than the large 

 ones ; as there is not as much animal heat, and 

 those upon the outside of the cluster become 

 chilled and perish ; perhaps the first of Decem- 

 ber, as a general rule, will be the correct time. 



Now for the winter quarters. If they are win- 

 tered on their summer stands, it would be much 

 better if the yard was enclosed with a high board 

 fence, or something to break off the winds. The 

 fly-holes should be nearly closed, so that it will 

 be one-half or three-fourths of an inch in size, 

 that it may not get stopped up with dead bees, 

 also that but a trifle of air may enter, thus pre- 

 venting much draft, and as upward ventilation 

 is almo.st absolutely necessary, there should be 

 openings in the top of the hive for the vapor to 

 escape, but the openings should be protected in 

 a manner to prevent the wind from driving into 

 them. There are many ways, as laying on five 

 or six inches of straw and placing the roof on it, 

 or a board and some weight to keep it in place, 

 or the cover to the honey boxes may be filled 

 with straw or some other substance that will ab- 

 sorb all the moisture. This upward ventilation 

 should be closed, say the loth of March, or after 

 the extreme cold weatlier is over. Thus I have 

 given you all that seems necessary, where they 

 are wintered on their summer stands. 



When they are wintered in special deposi- 

 tories, the preparation is the same, except that 

 no straw or other sul)stance is necessary ; but the 

 honey-board must be raised, say a quarter of an 

 inch, or if in common hives, the holes in the top 

 of the hive left open, the fly-hole the same as 

 above, the temperature kept between twenty- 

 five and forty-three by tliermometer, the cellar or 

 room perfectly dark, and when you enter it, do 

 so with a lantern. 



I will now proceed to give what I regard as 

 the best form and method of constructing a 

 special depository. Convenience to the apiary is 

 essential ; it is as well, and perhaps better if we 

 can, to place it in" the edge of a bank — as some 



