230 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



^ 



almost none, the strongest stocks in move- 

 able combs next least, and the weakest 

 stocks most. Those hives raised on boxes 

 lost more than those sitting directly on the 

 shelves. Though it is safer to record facts 

 than to give opinions, still I will venture 

 one or two. 



First. I think the tall upright form of 

 the box is better adapted for wintering at 

 a low temperature than the Quinby hive, as 

 the bees are clustered more compactly Avith 

 their stores above them, surrounded by 

 warm air. 



Second. In those hives set up on boxes, 

 those bees which, from any cause, dropped 

 to the bottom were chilled and lost before 

 they could regain the cluster. 



Third. For wintering at low tempera- 

 ture, strong colonies are safest and best. 



Fourth. That Italians, being more ac- 

 tive, are injured more by» being disturbed 

 than the blacks. 



In two of my hives small patches of 

 drone comb happened to be in the cluster, 

 and the queens tilled them with eggs, and 

 one hive had some tine black drones on the 

 first of April. 



In conclusion, I would like to say that 

 my cave suits me well for wintering, will 

 hold about sixty hives, and will last sever- 

 al years, and the total cost, including la- 

 bor, was not over twelve dollars. 



P. C. Truman. 



Harlan, Iowa. 



For tlie American Bee Journal, 



Philosophy and Practice in Wintering 

 Bees. 



As I have been successful in the winter- 

 ing of my bees for years past, while death 

 lias blighted and destroyed thousand of col- 

 onies all over the country, and in some in- 

 stances whole apiaries. 1 now transfer to 

 the Amekican Bice Journal my practice. 



The philosphy of wintering bees is a 

 right temperature of atmosphere, and a 

 proper escape of the surplus moisture ac- 

 cumulating from the respiration and pers- 

 piration of the bees. 



The i^rActical feature in successfully win- 

 tering of bees, it is to pack them for win- 

 ter quarters that there will be no conflict 

 with nature's laws, or in otlier words, that 

 a dry, warm temperature be secured. 



How can tliis be done ? 



1. By placing the hive in a good, warm, 

 dry cellar, or a house built exclusively for 

 that purpose. And when deposited I al- 

 ways raise tlie lid J of an inch on one side 

 or end of tlic liive, partially closing tlie lly- 

 liole so as to exclude mice. The mercury 

 should range at about 45° Fahrenheit. 

 "When >he proper season rolls around put 

 them up immediately after tliey have flown 

 out, or in a very few days after, and leave 



them undisturbed in midnight darkness, and 

 all will be right in tlie spring. 



2. To secure the desired end in out door 

 winter ; if the hive is large, holding more 

 than the requisite amount of winter stores 

 it must be contracted to a proper size, and 

 ventilated at the top, so as to let the surplus 

 moisture escape and yet secure the animal 

 heat of the bees. This is easily done. Re- 

 move the surplus frames from one side of 

 the hive, sliping in a dividing board, filling 

 in between it and the outer wall with leaves 

 or straw. Cover the frames with a piece 

 of cloth of any description, first laying a 

 few small strips of board across the frames 

 to give the bees a pass or passes over the 

 tops of the frames under the cloth. Now, 

 put the second storj'- on and fill it with 

 leaves, straw or some other fine warm ma- 

 terial and place the lid on, contracting the 

 fly hole to about one inch, and if the swarm 

 is very strong raise the lid one-fourth inch 

 on one side to dry up the moisture that col- 

 lects rapidly on the top of the straw. 



Hives should be placed near the ground 

 and underpined with straw, to secure the 

 heat of the earth. Bees cannot be success- 

 fully wintered out door and empty combs 

 prevented from moulding, where the hive 

 is not contracted to a proper size. The ar- 

 rangement is in conflict with the laws of 

 success, and disasterous results must follow. 

 The moisture thrown oft' in animal respira- 

 tion is in fine particles like steam when ex- 

 haled from the lungs and never will con- 

 dence into drops until it reaches a strata of 

 atmosphere colder than the blood. AVhen 

 it cannot escape at the top of the hive it 

 settles in drops at the f urtherest and coldest 

 part of the Live, and when lodging on 

 empty combs they are blighted with mil- 

 dew and in a few years worthless, whereas 

 they should last good 10 or 15 years. When 

 the size of the hive corresponds with the 

 size of the swarm the whole internal air of 

 the hive is kept warm, and the particles of 

 moisture are bourn upon the atmosphere, 

 and condence in the top of the hive above 

 the straw where they will never get back, 

 leaving the bees dry and warm, in which 

 condition cold seldom eftects a good swarm. 



Camarso, 111. A. Solisbukg. 



For the Americau Bee Journal. 



A Proposition. 



Would it not be well for bee-keepers of 

 America to form clubs, or rather a joint 

 stock company, in order to procure the best 

 variety or varieties of the honey-bees that 

 can be found in the old countries, by 

 sending a c()mi)etent and reliable person 

 there to procure them? I for one would like 

 to invest in tliis direction, provided others 

 would join in sufficient numbers. I am 

 willing to be one of twenty-five to pay one 



