992 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



others, which may have been due to their 

 location near the honey-house and being 

 better protected from the wind. 



Another apiary of chaff hives on the 

 south edge of a bush of tall second-growth 

 timber, with a large neglected orchard im- 

 mediately to the south, wintered 101 strong 

 colonies out of 105. Another apiary, simi- 

 larly situated, wintered with a slightly 

 greater percentage of loss. About one-third 

 of the colonies in this apiary were in 

 double-Avalled hives, and the other two- 

 thirds were in single-walled hives and pack- 

 ed in clusters of four each. 



It is evident that hills and embankments 

 do not always furnish proper protection 

 from wind and snow ; that the effectiveness 

 of artificial windbreaks may be often over- 

 estimated, and that they often induce strong 

 currents of air where least expected, as is 

 shown by snowdrifts and clean wind-swept 

 ground in apparently well-protected places. 



Experience proves that fairly dense or- 

 chards or second-gTowth bush furnish the 

 ideal protection fi'om Avind and snowdrifts, 

 and that hills and embankments cannot be 

 depended upon. 



WHAT SIZE OF ENTRANCE^ IP ANY, IS NECES- 

 SARY OR BEST FOR OUTOOOR WINTERING? 



Various sizes of entrances to hives for 

 successful wintering have been advocated. 

 Those advocating the sealed cover, so called, 

 want a large entrance or the full summei 

 entrance. Those advocating absorbents im- 

 mediately above the cluster seem inclined to 

 the belief that it is desirable to have the 

 entrance more or less contracted to insure 

 best wintering. In all cases ample entrance 

 for the bees to fly on warm days is advo- 

 cated. 



Contrary to anything I have heard or 

 read on the subject, and at variance with 

 any previous experience, a small apiary- 

 came under my observation last spring 

 where the entrances to the hives had been 

 closed with fly-screen. This was done to 

 exclude the mice, but it also included the 

 bees. In addition to the protection from 

 mice fui'nished by the fly-screen, protection 

 from wind from the west was provided by 

 leaning a broad board up in front of the 

 entrances of the hives facing westward. 

 The hives were ]iacked in the usual manner, 

 in cases, except that one case contained 

 eight colonies. They were unpacked late in 

 April after the weather had been warm 

 enough for flights on several days. 



The remarkable thing about this occur- 

 rence was that every colony in the apiary 

 (fifteen, I believe) was alive, and nearly all 

 in excellent condition. Tliat all the colonies 

 were not overstrong was shown by the fact 



that one was wintered on four L. frames, 

 and another on five. One of the stronger 

 colonies had the entrance closed with dead 

 bees from within, in addition to the fly- 

 screen, in such manner as practically to 

 exclude the air. Over the cluster was a quiU 

 of burlap, and above this a packing of 

 forest-leaves through which, of course, there 

 would be a slow circulation of air. Now, 

 what size of entrance, if any, is best, in 

 view of this occurrence? 



INTRODUCING A QUEEN BY THROWING HER AT 



THE COLONY, AFTER OTHER METHODS 



HAD FAILED. 



Important discoveries are sometimes made 

 by accident and in despair. Unusual meth- 

 ods are occasionally employed, not with any 

 l^articular expectation of success, but be- 

 cause approved methods and treatments 



This picture does not represent a new if 



fruit, but illustrates how a swarm settled down alter 

 finding the limb of a peach-tree too frail to hold 

 them. They dropped off bj' handfuls, then started 

 on a second branch. Finding that too weak for all 

 of them they commenced a third as shown in the 

 photograph. The swarm belongs to Aaron Radick. 



White Plains, N. Y. H.arriet R. Whit.^ker. 



