GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE 



WINTERING BEES IN A QUADRUPLE WINTER CASE AT MEDINA 



BY E. R. ROOT 



In our issue for Jan. 1, a year ago, we 

 showed a method of packing four colonies 

 in a case that we were using. This year we 

 have made some changes, making the case 

 larger and deeper, and at the same time 

 providing a larger housing from the en- 

 trance of the hive to the outside of the 

 case. See front cover design. Instead of a 

 four-inch packing around the hive we have 



The sjDace occupied by four ten-frame 

 dovetailed hives is 32V2 by 40. In the mat- 

 ter of the depth of the cases we decided to 

 make it so we could put in two-story colo- 

 nics if necessary. The depth, 25 inches, 

 would not leave room for packing on top of 

 double-deckers; but few such were packed. 

 In a few instances where colonies were so 

 strong we could not very well crowd them 



Fia. 1. 



-The bottom of the winler ca.sc covered 

 slots and the three ^ 



with three inches of pUuier-sliaviugs. Note the entrance 

 ^-inch auger-holes just above. 



now six inches. Dr. Phillips, from experi- 

 ments at Washington, found that with any 

 thing less than six inches of packing there 

 would be a radiation of heat from the clus- 

 ter; so we made our cases large enough so 

 that the inside dim.ensions are 45 x 52 x 25 

 inches deep. 



down into one story, we decided to try these 

 colonies alongside of single-story ones in 

 the same case. This room for an extra story 

 leaves a space of 9 inches on top of a single 

 story of packing, and this is about right. 



In deciding on the amount of packing we 

 consulted Dr. Phillips ; and it is his opinion 



2. — The housing inside of the wiiilei' case that connects the entrance of the hives with the entrances of 

 the case. Note that the space is large to prevent clogging with dead bees. 



