THE AMERICAN BEE JOUENAL. 



57 



will suffer. When the bees of some hives iu an 

 apiary are observed flying out on cold days in 

 spring, while those of others remain at home, 

 we may reasonably, infer that such hazardous 

 excursions in quest of water are made from 

 sheer necessity. A small lump of snow pushed 

 iu at the entrance and left to melt there gradu- 

 ally, has in several instances given immediate 

 relief; and a narrow strip of sponge dipped in 

 water and inserted between two combs beneath 

 the cluster of bees, answers well temporarily in 

 cottage hives, and may be resorted to advanta- 

 geously, when these have no opening at top. 

 Prompt attention is indispensable, as the des- 

 truction of brood at this season, from want of 

 water, is a very serious evil, and the loss of 

 mature bees venturing forth to procure it, is 

 one almost equally grievous — for they are of 

 three-fold value at the opening of spring. The 

 condensation of moisture in the hives, if it can 

 be kept within moderate bounds, is of much 

 account in wintering bees, as rendering other 

 supplies of water unnecessary while brooding 

 is suspended. Very warm hives are objection- 

 able on this score, as failing to furnish this con- 

 densation, and making the bees altogether de- 

 pendent for such supplies on external sources. 

 Still, hives in which moisture is condensed as 

 rapidly and profusely as to keep the bees im- 

 mersed in a humid atmosphere, are equally ob- 

 jectionable. The combs will become mouldy, 

 and the bees, when suffused with moisture, are 

 in perpetual danger of being killed by a degree 

 which would at most temporarily bcnumlrthem 

 while dvy. Upward ventilation will prevent 

 or remedy this evil, provided a current of air 

 be not suffered to pass through the hive; and 

 it seems to be indispensable iu movable comb 

 hives.. It is, of course, not available in cottage 

 hives, unless caps, close-fitting at the sides, be 

 employed, and these are both troublesome and 

 costly. 



But how is dysentery, the scourge that annu- 

 ally decimates so many apiaries, to be prevent- 

 ed? Hot/, in so variable a climate, are we to 

 guard against the vicissitudes of the weather, 

 an insect so peculiarly susceptible of atmos- 

 pheric changes? We may furnish our hives 

 with ample stores so placed that the bees shall 

 never suffer from hunger, and with such sup- 

 plies of water that they shall never experience 

 thirst: and yet their intestines may, by long 

 confinement become so overcharged with fgecal 

 matter, that derangement and disease must en- 

 sue. The bees of a single colony may, indeed, 

 be relieved by artificial means — enabUug them 



to pass into an antechamber attached to their 

 domicile, but this is scarcely practicable on the 

 extensive scale which a large apiary would re- 

 quire. All that can be effected is to obviate 

 some of the superinducing causes. Well sup- 

 plied Avith wholesome honey, housed in com- 

 fortable hives, furnished with the needed water, 

 and sheltered from driving winds and extreme 

 cold, bees will generally pass the winter in quiet 

 and health. They will be much aided, too, if 

 the surrounding temperature can be kept mod- 

 erate and equable, yet low enough to retard the 

 commencement of brooding till the close of 

 March. So long as there is little or no brood 

 iu the hive, there will be no excitement among 

 the workers, with a moderate consumption of 

 honey; and the more quiet they can be kept 

 till spring opens, the less liable will they be to 

 contract disease. We refer here exclusively to 

 bees wintered on their summer stands, which is 

 the mode to which niost apiarians are restricted. 

 When they can be placed in a cool, dry cellar, 

 they will probably require less attention, con- 

 sume much less honey, and escape many dan- 

 gers. Very few bee-keepers, however, have it 

 in their power to use such a repository. 



Another important requisite, not only for suc- 

 cessful wintering, but for the subsequent pros- 

 l^erity of a colony, is the possession of a young, 

 vigorous, and fertile queen. An old queen is 

 likely to perish in a rigorous winter, or prove 

 to be a mere drone breeder in the spring, if she 

 survive. It is, therefore, advisable to super- 

 sede her in the fall, and introduce a young one 

 qualified to pass the trying season, and replen- 

 ish the population rapidly when genial weather 

 returns. A colony that has a poor queen, a 

 slow layer of worker eggs, obviously desponds 

 and decays, and is ready to succumb under ad- 

 verse circumstances. A queen of diminished 

 and diminishing vigor should hence be dis- 

 carded in the fall, unless perchance she be a 

 pure Italian, valuable in other respects, in whose 

 behalf we may venture to incur some risk. 



We repeat that for successful wintering a 

 colony should be strong in numbers — having 

 from fifteen to twenty thousand bees at least, 

 and those bred for the most part^n autumn or 

 the end of summer. It should have an abund- 

 ant supply of honey, gathered in the previous 

 season, with a moderate supply of fresh pollen. 

 It should be in a substantial warm hive, wheth- 

 er of wood or straw. The hive should, if pos- 

 sible, have sufficient upward ventilation to pre- 

 vent an accumulation of condensed moisture; 

 yet not permitting a current of air. While 

 brooding is intermitted bees need very little 

 more water than than they obtain in liquid ho- 



