OCTOHKR, 1917 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



757 



liim a year ag'o last December the reposi- 

 tory was not nearly full of b?es, while 

 within a few yards of tlie building, some- 

 where between one and two lumdred colo- 

 nies were wintering outside. Mr. House 

 is a business inan ; and I am convinced 

 that, if he expected any huge losses, he 

 would have soon carried the whole outfit 

 inside. 



In conclusion, let me say that what T 

 am saying is mostly for beginners. Do 

 not expect that any particular style of 

 hive will make a difference between success 

 and failure; and if you live in central or 

 western Ontario, or in other sections in the 

 same latitude, or further south, do not bank 

 on any particular system of wintering as 



being the only thing. Bees can be and 

 are being wintered successfully both in- 

 side and outdoors. Try the two methods 

 if you wish, and so decide for yourself. 

 At the same time you are pretty sure 

 to be on the right track if you follow the 

 methods of any successful beekeeper whom 

 you may happen to have near you. No 

 matter how you winter, first-class prepara- 

 tion in the fall in the way of providing 

 abundance of good stores is the main con- 

 sideration. Thus prepared, it is wonder- 

 ful what amount of other unfavorable cir- 

 cumstances bees will successfully weather 

 and still show uj) ready for business in 

 tbei spring. 



Markham, Out. 



WINTERING BEES IN TEXAS 



Cold Winds 'leather than the Low 



Temperature Necessitate the Extra 



Packing Thru the Winter 



By F. B. Paddock 



IT has been 

 said, upon 

 good author- 

 ity," that tlie 

 wintering prob- 

 lem is the most 

 serious of all 

 for the beekeep- 

 ers of the north- 

 ern states. The beekeepers of the south- 

 ern states have, in the past, consider- 

 ed the wintering of bees a problem which 

 (lid not concern them. It has been the at- 

 titude of most of the beekeepers of this 

 state that the bees could be almost dis- 

 regarded from the end of one honey-flow 

 until the beginning of the next. It is pos- 

 sible now to see a movement, on the part of 

 the more progressive beekeepers, to look 

 into the matter of wintering bees. After 

 the spring of 1917 it. was possible to get 

 into a discussion with almost any beekeep- 

 er on the topic of wintering bees. Tt is con- 

 ceded now by a great number of the better 

 beekee2:)ers that in Texas it is necessary to 

 look carefully into the matter of wintering 

 — that it is really a problem. By this it is 

 not meant that it is about to be advocated 

 that the beekeepers of Texas will have to 

 employ cellars or heavy packing-cases to 

 carry their bees thru the winter successfully. 

 There are many other factors which eon- 

 tribute to the great winter losses suffered 

 in this state. 



Of course it is understood that condi- 

 tions in the different beekeeping sections of 

 tliis state vary as much as between widely 

 separated northern states, and for that rea- 

 son it is possible to suggest only general 

 jjrincii^les that are to be carefully worked 

 out for the various sections. To enter into 



a discussion of 

 the details of 

 w i n t e ring in 

 each section can- 

 not be included 

 at this time. 



The time from 

 the last fall 

 honey - flow to 

 going into winter varies greatly in the dif- 

 ferent sections from two or three weeks to 

 as much as four or six weeks. Of course, 

 during this time the bees are quite active 

 and are consuming their stores rapidly. It 

 very often happens that the colonies will 

 have a brood-chamber full of stores at the 

 end of the honey-flow, and if inspected the 

 beekeeper will consider them in good shape 

 to go thru the winter without further at- 

 tention. However, the be&s should be in- 

 spected as late as possible before the winter 

 weather sets in; and if they are short on 

 stores more should be given them. 



The best feed to give such colonies is 

 sealed honey in brood-frames. It is advis- 

 able to have some surplus honey stored in 

 brood-frames for this purpose. It is seU 

 dom advisable to take frames of sealed 

 honey from those colonies that are appar- 

 ently extra well supplied at the beginning 

 of winter. The chances are that they will 

 need it before the honey-flow of the follow- 

 ing spring if they are to be in prime con- 

 dition at that time. 



We are now at an oft discussed question 

 of whether an eiglit or ten frame hive win- 

 ters belter. The ten-frame hive allows 

 more space for stores; but, on the other 

 hand, tliey require more heat to keep them 

 warm, wliich means that more stores are 

 consumed. It is very doubtful if this is of 



