758 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



October, 1917 



sufficient importance either Avay to be the 

 deciding factor in successful wintering-. 

 Tlie same may be said of the practice of 

 liaving extra stores on the hive in a super. 

 This means additional space to keep warm 

 during the winter. It often happens in this 

 state that some beekeepers will place as 

 many as four supers on a hive to protect 

 the extracting-combs from the attacks of 

 the wax-worm. This is certainly not a safe 

 practice except in the extreme southern sec- 

 tions of the state, and then its wisdom is 

 doubted. It is good to see the fast-growing 

 practice of not robbing the bees as closely 

 as in years past. Even with honey selling 

 at three times what it did three years ago, 

 the better beekeepers are inclined now to 

 leave more honey with the colony, never 

 taking any from the brood - chamber, and 

 many leaving a full extraeting-super of 

 sealed honey for each colony. 



Without doubt, the best feed for bees to 

 carry them thru the winter is a good grade 

 of sealed honey. It ms\y not always be pos- 

 sible to do this, and the next best material 

 is extracted honey. Only when absolutely 

 necessary should sugar syrup be fed for 

 wintering purposes. 



As a rule, a majority of the beekeepers 

 of this state never think of the importance 

 of a good queen in successful wintering. 

 Too often a queen, once in a colony, is not 

 disturbed, and her successor is never 

 thought of until she dies. If a queen fails 

 during the fall flow the chances are much 

 against the colony wintering successfully. 



To protect the bees from low tem^oera- 

 tures is not as important in this state as 

 the protection from the prevailing cold 

 winds during the winter. The direction of 

 tliese cold winds varies with the locality — 

 north in one place, southeast in another. 

 Seldom do beekeepers take this into con- 

 sideration, but leave the bees with the en- 

 trance full width, to stand the chilling wind. 

 It is Imman experience that a low tempera- 

 ture can be withstood much easier than can 

 a cold wind. When considering the winds 

 it is also necessary to take into account the 

 fact that hives standing close to the ground 

 are less affected than are those on high 

 stands. Rarely are high stands used in 

 this state in the large honey - producing 

 yards. They are usually found in the back- 

 yard apiary. 



The windbreak in Texas is most valuable, 

 not as a winter ]irotection, but in retarding 

 early spring activity, which is so disastrous. 

 In practically every beekeeping section in 

 tliis state there is a long cold spring, during 

 whicli time llie bees should be kept inactive 

 if possible. One beekeeper had two yards. 



located res23ectively on the south and on the 

 north sides of a small wood lot. The bees 

 on the south side got the full effect of the 

 early spring sun, and were tempted to fly, 

 only to get caught by a cold wind. These 

 colonies were rapidly depleted and could 

 not gather the spring flow of honey. Those 

 bees on the north side were kept inactive 

 until after the period of the cold winds, and 

 consequently were strong enough to handle 

 an eaily spring flow of honey. In the early 

 spring it gets cold long before dark, and 

 many bees are caught out searching for 

 food and water. Such bees are, of course, 

 lost to tlie colony. Many advocate a close 

 watering-place at this time of the year, 

 even if supplied artificially. This so-called 

 spring dwindling is now recognized as the 

 serious handicap in this state, and by many 

 is not considered a part of the wintering 

 problem. But it really is, for wintering 

 means the getting of the colony from the 

 fall flow to the spring flow. 



The bees sliould be examined as early in 

 the spring as possible to determine the con- 

 dition and the amount of stores. The stores 

 should always be plentiful. If they are 

 not, spring feedting is nciceissary. This, 

 howeyer, must be carefully done or it will 

 induce brood-rearing too early, which only 

 means an unnecessary consumption of 

 stores. Knowing the usual time of the first 

 sirring honey-flow in the locality, the bee- 

 keeper should make every effort to have 

 his colonies up to full strength by that 

 time, but not before it. Frequent examin- 

 ations of the colonies are necessary during 

 the sjiring, and more manipulations are re- 

 quired than at any other season of the year. 



Let every beekeeper in Texas realize the 

 necessity of successful wintering of his 

 bees and bend everv effort to that end. 



College Station, Tex. 



[Some beekeepers living in the southern 

 part of the country where the need of extra 

 protection thru the winter is the exception 

 rather than the rule, have seriously won- 

 dered whether it is not really cheaper in the 

 end to I'un the risk and eliminate all ex- 

 pense of packing for the one year in five, 

 say, when it would be a decided advantage. 

 But windbreaks and shelters from prevail- 

 ing cold winds are needed every year, in 

 the fall and spring as well as in the cold 

 weather. In fact, a sheltered locality is a 

 great advantage for any apiary. It pays to 

 select a spot, whenever possible, where 

 buildings, trees, shrubbery, or high fences 

 break the coldest winds. Mr. R. F. Holter- 

 niann even goes so far as to insist on a 

 tight fence on all sides of each .of his 

 apiaries. — Ed.] 



