WARMTH, DRYNESS AND QUIET FOR WINTER. 109 



have given rise to thousands of experiments based on all sorts of theo- 

 ries, and innumerable losses have resulted. The matter is really more 

 complicated than would seem at first thought. The warm air about the 

 bodies of the bees (the winter temperature of the cluster being about 

 72 F.) coming in contact with the cold surfaces of combs of honey in 

 ordinary hives, or with the inner walls of such hives, condensation and 

 deposition of moisture occurs. During severe weather this accumulates 

 in the shape of hoarfrost,, which, melting with a rise of temperature, 

 trickles down over the combs, the walls of the hive, and the bees them- 

 selves, and, entering the honey cells through the somewhat porous cap- 

 ping, sours the honey with which it mixes. The soured food, dampness, 

 and chilling of the bees combine to bring on diarrhea, which is sure to 

 weaken, and decimate the colony if it does not exterminate it. To 

 avoid these troubles the surplus moisture of the hive must be carried 

 away by free ventilation, which at the same time supplies pure air, but 

 which does not create drafts in the 

 hive nor permit such an escape of 

 heat as will chill the cluster through. 

 Straw hives (fig. 72) do this well ; also 

 the forms shown in figs. 73 and 74 

 if well packed over the combs and 

 ventilated above the packing. 



( o ) There shou Id be no manipulation 

 out of season. Breaking up the clus- 

 ter and exposing the individual bees r^Z-Doubie-w^ed hive adapted to out- 



and their COlllbs to a lOW tempera- door wintering as well as summer use below 



40 north latitude in the" United States. 



ture, as Well as Causing them tO gorge Thickness of each wall, | inch; space be- 

 themselves With honey When an Op- tween walls, 2 inches, packed with dry chaff 



or ground cork. (Original.) 



portunity for a cleansing flight may 



not occur soon, are also causes Avhich bring on diarrheal difficulties. 

 Feeding to complete the winter stores, when necessary, should be done 

 soon after the last honey flow, so that the bees \vill settle down for 

 the winter on the approach of cool autumn days. After this they are 

 better off if left undisturbed until the final work of preparing them 

 for winter is done, which, if the hive is well arranged, will be no 

 material disturbance to the bees. It is always preferable not to be 

 obliged to touch the brood combs or disturb the cluster when the 

 weather is too cold for the bees to fly freely. 



OUTDOOR WINTERING. 



A consideration of the requirements above mentioned leads at once 

 to the essential features of any plan of outdoor wintering. that may be 

 followed in the colder portions of our country with uniform success, 

 namely, the presence in the colony of a vigorous queen less than two 

 years old ; a good cluster of healthy bees bred the latter part of the 

 season, that is, of sufficient numbers so that when closely clustered 

 3407 No. 105 9 



