370 THE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEW 



its proper consistency as to moisture for immediate use. 



After this renovating spell they can crawl into the empty cells 

 within the cluster or take their position with those that are dele- 

 gated to form the outer protecting crust of the cluster. These crust- 

 forming bees assume a state of almost perfect hibernation, in which 

 condition almost any degree of cold is harmless to them for a lim- 

 ited time or until their honey sacs need replenishing, when another 

 warming-up spell and a change of shift is necessary. 



Mr. A.'s bees in the cellar have no such natural season of warm- 

 ing up ; consequently, the bees of each individual colony must, of 

 their own accord, and at such times as their necessities require, 

 work themselves up to the necessary degree of heat and activity 

 for a similar renovation, although the cleansing flight is denied them 

 until the spring setting-out time arrives. However, if all other 

 conditions are perfect under the protection system, the flying spell 

 seems to be unnecessary for long seasons. 



A uniform temperature of much below 43 degrees is probably 

 unfavorable to the other and more necessary renovating operations, 

 hence the advantage of a warm hive during long, protracted cold. 

 Moreover, the air in Mr. A.'s cellar becomes unavoidably foul, and 

 much damper than the air that sweeps through Mr. B.'s apiary and 

 hives. For this reason, heat is necessary to enal^le the bees to force 

 out these very injurious elements from their quarters. 



As I see it, the first essential condition for good wintering is 

 a good quality of stores, gathered or stored from feeders after part 

 of the brood is hatched, so that it is deposited within easy access 

 to the contracted cluster of bees. The next important requisite is 

 thorough elimination from the cluster of bees of the impurities and 

 surplus moisture which are constantly emanating in greater or less 

 amount from their bodies as w^aste material. 



This is accomplished in either one of two w^ays : The one by 

 the expulsive power of heat; the other by means of a free circula- 

 tion of cold, fresh air. The one under the warm protection system; 

 the other under the open-air, unprotected system. 



The principles involved are quite different, l)ut the end accom- 

 plished is the same — a dry winter nest. There are two methods of 

 drying clothes on a cold winter day. One way is to hang them by 

 a hot stove, where the heat turns the moisture into vapor and, 

 expanding the steam, expels it from the fabric. The other way is 

 to hang the clothes out of doors, where they instantly freeze stiff, 

 but Avhcre the freeh' circulating, cold, dr}- air soon absorbs the very 

 ice and carries it away as frozen vapor. These two principles em- 

 ployed in drying clothes illustrate the two systems under w^hicli 

 bees in winter quarters are kept dry and free from impure air. The 

 one w^e might call the warm protected system ; the other the cold 

 free-air svstem. 



