E 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



DECEMBER, 1920 



IN MAKING my bow as the latest addition 

 to the editorial staff of Gleanings in Bee 

 Culture, I am doing 

 The New so with the best 



Editor Makes grace I am able to 

 His Bow. command under the 



c i r c u m s tances. A 

 keen appreciation of the magnitude of the 

 task I am undertaking and of the responsi- 

 bilities which will rest upon me in this new 

 work is sufficient to prevent perfect com- 

 posure just now, as I step out before the 

 multitude of readers of this journal. 



My own contribution to this issue con- 

 sists almost entirely of looking on to see 

 how Gleanings is made. Those who have 

 never seen this done can have no adequate 

 appreciation of my effort thus far. I expect 

 to work into the harness cautiously and 

 gradually until I can carry my share of the 

 load; but a little later, no doubt, the readers 

 will hold me responsible to a considerable ex- 

 tent for the contents of Gleanings. While 

 this thought is somewhat disturbing, it is at 

 the same time the very thing which I hope 

 will sustain my effort and help me over the 

 hard places. 



I have had before me for some time the 

 vision of retiring to a quiet life, taking care 

 of a few liundred colonies of bees and hav- 

 ing lots of time to play; but just when this 

 seemed to be within reach I find myself giv- 

 ing up congenial work in the Division of 

 Bee Culture of the Bureau of Entomology at 

 Washington, D. C, to take up new duties 

 here. The thing that has finally pushed me 

 into this work is largely that of the possi- 

 bilities of greater service to the beekeepers 

 of the country. If I am able to render this 

 service to the degree hoped for, I shall feel 

 amply repaid even tho I may never be able 

 to stop and play awhile. 



Geo. S. Demuth. 



.OP 



BEEKEEPERS who have decided upon a 

 certain fixed temperature for their bee-cel- 

 lars thruout the winter 

 Cellar and have chosen for 



Temperatures, this the temperature 

 at which the bees are 

 most nearly quiet in February and March 

 may be running the cellar temperature too 

 low during December and January. As the 

 winter progresses the bees, of course, be- 

 come more and more restless, especially if 

 the stores are not of the best quality so that 



higher temperatures can not be maintained 

 during February and March, without many 

 bees leaving the hives. During the earlier 

 part of the winter, however, a temperature 

 several degrees higher than that needed to 

 keep the bees quiet in March may result in 

 greater quiescence and so postpone the time 

 when a lower temperature is needed. 



IT IS NOT too late to provide some sort of 

 wind screen to further protect bees that are 

 wintered out of doors. 

 Shelter From Beekeepers in the 

 Cold Winds. North who winter out- 

 side have learned the 

 value of protection from cold winds even 

 when the hives are adequately packed. Fur- 

 ther south where bees usually are not packed 

 for winter the wind screen may be even more 

 important. Where the apiary is not already 

 in a sheltered spot the type of wind screen 

 described by Morley Pettit in our Septem- 

 ber issue is excellent. This is a portable 

 screen made of ordinary lath nailed to a 

 framework. It can be put in place for win- 

 ter and taken down to be stored during the 



JUST WHAT is the best size for the hive 

 entrance during the winter depends upon 

 so many things that there 

 is no wonder beekeepers do 

 not agree on this subject. 

 Some claim that a gen- 

 erous-sized entrance is 

 necessary because small entrances are often 

 closed by an accumulation of dead been, 

 while others prefer a large entrance to per- 

 mit a better circulation of air thruout the 

 hive to keep the combs dry. But when the 

 entrance can safely be reduced in size the 

 added protection thus brought about should 

 result in fewer dead bees to obstruct the en- 

 trance, and at the same time should result 

 in a smaller amount of moisture given off by 

 the bees, for the amount of moisture given 

 off by the bees in winter depends upon the 

 amount of their activity in generating heat. 

 Many beekeepers who provide ample pack- 

 ing for winter liave discovered that a smaller 

 entrance can be used when bees are well 

 protected than when they are not well pro- 

 tected. The danger of the entrance being 

 closed by dead bees and the condensation of 

 moisture within the hive are both greatly 



