1857. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



49 



For the New England Farmer. 



OH WmTEHmG BEES. 



Mr. Editor : — A word or two upon the above 

 topic may not come amiss to the many readers of 

 the JVew Kngland Farmer, at this season of the 

 year. I do not purpose to give my own expe- 

 rience in this matter, as that of others, which I 

 have derived from books, and from correspondents 

 who have had a large experience in the manage- 

 ment of bees. First, then, out of a large number 

 of works which I have consulted on the subject, the 

 larger number of them agree, that where an indi- 

 vidual has but a few stocks, say any number under 

 ten, it is belter to winter bees in the same place 

 they have occupied during the summer. I derive 

 the same information from correspondents, A 

 gentleman writing to me from the State of New 

 York, who has at the present time over two hun- 

 dred stocks, says the same ; another who has over 

 fifty, writing from New Hampshire, says this is the 

 best way for wintering a few swarms ; but when 

 the number is large, he prefers a bee-house, built 

 on purpose for the business. A building with a 

 a good dry cellar, and the apartments dry, and well 

 ventilated, so constructed as to exclude all light. 

 Reasons given — that when there is a large number 

 of such stocks, placed closely together in a dark 

 room, they will, by their own heat, bring the tem- 

 perature of the room up to that standard, where 

 they will keep healthy, and thrive well; but unless 

 the number is large enough for this, it is far bet- 

 ter to let the bees take their chance out of doors. 



One recent writer condemns, under any circum- 

 stances, housing bees ; however, this is the only 

 way that many weak stocks can be preserved ; but 

 then, the question comes up, whether such swarms 

 are worth the trouble, or not. In many cases, I 

 have no doubt it would be better to let them take 

 their chance, "upon their own responsibility." If 

 the apiarist understands his own interest and busi- 

 ness in their management, he will be careful to 

 have only healthy and strong stocks to carry 

 through our severe winters. In our New England 

 climate, the great trouble is with the warm days 

 which we are apt to have, following or preceding 

 severe cold ones ; it is this condition of the weather 

 which does the mischief. Bees will stand almost 

 any amount of cold, provided it be continuous, and 

 they are well supplied with winter stores. I have 

 one small stock which I intend to experiment with, 

 by bringing the same into my study, where the 

 thermometer stands from 65*^ to 70"^, day and night, 

 and placing them under a glass case, well ventilat- 

 ed, and supplying them with honey as they may 

 need. My opinion is, that most persons who keep 

 but few bees, do not give them the attention or care 

 which they need. If they have been properly at- 

 tended to in the fall, the hive put in good order, 

 the stock large and healthy, well supplied with 

 honey for winter use, and then properly attended 

 to during the winter, the loss will be small, and 

 they will appear satisfactory in the spring. I may 

 have more to say on this interesting branch of form 

 economy, as my experience enlarges; my advice is, 

 let all large and healthy stocks remain where they 

 have been through the summer, and examine each 

 hive as often as once a week through the winter. 



But I ought to say something on "ventilation.' 

 This is all important, in order to have them winter 

 well. Says a large manager of bees : "Not one 



bee-keeper in fifty knows the meaning of the word 

 ventilation. It is of great importance that every 

 bee-hive be so constructed that it may be ventilat- 

 ed ujjon scientific principles. And, in order to have 

 a bee-hive properly ventilated, it must be construct- 

 ed so as to admit fresh air at the bottom., and al- 

 low the foul air, caused by the breath and animal 

 heat of the bees, to escape freely at the top." 

 \yhether the first sentence of my quotation be true 

 or otherwise, any one at all acquainted with the 

 management of these "little fellows" knows, if he 

 has ever examined his hive upon a cold morning, 

 when they do not have plenty of air, that there is a 

 large quantity of moisture upon the inside of the 

 hive. This moisture, unless got rid of by free ven- 

 tilation, forms in cakes of ice in the inside of the 

 hive, and is often the cause of death to many of the 

 bees. Those who have hives with a glass window, 

 can easily verify this by taking the trouble to ex- 

 amine. It is not enough, simply to let the foul air 

 and heat pass ofi' into the chamber of the hive. 



This I have tried to my satisfaction ; it does not 

 accomplish the purpose, and he who does nothing 

 more will suffer a loss in his bees, that is, if your 

 hives have chambers to them. What would you 

 do then ? Well, I think I would bore three half- 

 inch holes in the front part of the hive, just under 

 the projection of the top board, having them about 

 two inches apart, and let them remain open through 

 the cold weather. And if I had none but the old 

 fashioned box hive, I would treat it in the same 

 way. Should you strike the comb in doing so, no 

 harm will be done ; your bees will find the warm- 

 est part of the hive, and there they will stay, dur- 

 ing the cold weather. 



This is a very important matter in successful bee 

 culture, and the trouble is little, and none at all, 

 if already attended to. A word about painting 

 your hives. There is no better time to do it than 

 now. If you take some cold day for the operation, 

 your bees will not disturb you, and will be all the 

 warmer and more com.fortable from your pains ; of 

 course, all cracks, &c., you will thoroughly putty 

 up ; and you would not think, I guess, of using any- 

 thing but the best of white paint. Then how nice 

 and trim they look ; really, quite an ornament to 

 that snug farm or garden of yours. At the proper 

 season, I may have something new to say upon this 

 old subject. T. Q. N. 



December, 1856. 



Fur the New England Farmer. 



A PROMISING HEIFEH. 

 Mr. Editor: — In the Monthly Farmer for No- 

 vember, (page 519) mention is made of Mr. Os- 

 born's heifer, that came of the Huntington cow; 

 but of her butter-making qualities no opinion is ex- 

 pressed ; the same not having been accurately test- 

 ed. I am now informed by her owner, that during 

 the month of October, on grass feed only, she yield- 

 ed eight and a half pounds of butter per loeek. 

 This, for an animal of her age, that came in early 

 in the season, is a good product. There may be 

 those of foreign breeds, that do better. The fact 

 is stated just as it came to my knowledge; if any 

 one has a better heifer than this, I wish he would 

 mention where she can be seen, and for how much 

 she can be purchased. Before she calved $50 was 

 offered for her — now she cannot be bought for less 

 than $100. * 



