10 



THE AMERICAN BEE-KEEPER. 



Jan. 



the honey house. They were left 

 with sealed covers. Three faced east 

 and three south. A four-inch space, 

 vacant, was between the hive-wall and 

 siding. The room was unplastered. 

 Now notice that the location and ar- 

 rangement would in summer give a 

 more even temperature, and a warmer 

 temperature at night. The sun upon 

 the roof would heat up the room and 

 contents during the day which heat 

 would largely continue during the 

 night. In winter, this same room 

 would become very cold at night, 

 while the sun's heat by clay would 

 never reach the interior of the hives. 

 We put those bees out in the spring, 

 and were highly pleased with the re- 

 sults in honey getting; but, alas, 

 spring again found but one poor 

 " starveling of a thing " to tell the 

 story. Ernest Root reported a similar 

 loss in his home apiary, but omitted 

 particulars. 



We also put a lot of bees in the cel- 

 lar in December, just after a severe 

 spell of intense cold. Most of the 

 covers were sealed on close. There 

 was considerable water in the hives. 

 Nearly all the bees had diarrhoea. 

 Loss about fifteen per cent. 



Now, friends, I feel almost like 

 making a positive assertion, that 

 proper ventilation is the main spoke 

 in the wheel of successful wintering. 

 Read again B. Taylor's article on page 

 129, current volume. Note the ac- 

 count of Mr. Hitt's successful winter- 

 ing for twenty-five years, by putting 

 his bees in the cellar and taking off the 

 hive covers. Also Mr. Taylor's own 

 experience last winter while experi- 

 menting with sealed covers versus up- 

 ward ventilation. 



In Gleanings for February 1st, page 

 82, A. E. Manum discusses the winter- 

 ing question and tells of buying a col- 

 ony in the spring because it was the 

 strongest in the lot. There was top 

 ventilation. Also how he packed one 

 apiary in shavings so there was venti- 

 lation through the cushions. These 

 wintered well. Five colonies that 

 were left with sealed covers all died, 

 and were " a dauby mess. 



On page 198, Vol. 20, Gleanings, 

 C. P. Dadant also gives us conclusive 

 proof that upward ventilation is safest. 

 Holes in the quilts showed him the 

 difference between sealed covers and 

 ventilation. 



Although we find some good author- 

 ities on both sides of this question, I 

 think we may sum it up about this 

 way: Sealed covers in open winters, 

 and upon all occasions when the con- 

 ditions do not favor accumulation of 

 moisture, will be O. K. Absorbents 

 when used in such a manner as to al- 

 low the moisture to pass out and not 

 be retained, will winter O. K. But ei- 

 ther will fail in extreme and long con- 

 tinued cold, when every thing favors 

 the retention of moisture. 



I would therefore recommend, in 

 sunny climes, to pack warmly all 

 arouud the hive, putting on top not 

 over two inches of chaff, and on the 

 sides not to exceed four inches, while 

 two or three are better. A board or 

 cloth may be used overhead next the 

 bees, but leave a veut somewhere to 

 pass off moisture. 



If the climate is such that a damp 

 cold prevails with extreme low tem- 

 perature and long continued, winter 

 in the cellar with plenty of ventila- 

 tion, and a temperature not too low, 



