1895. 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



777 



is caused by the multiplication of germ?, and it is my firm 

 conviction that no germ will develop in honey, if properly 

 handled, no difference how long it has been kept. The truth 

 of the matter is, honey, as it comes from the hive, is a germi- 

 cide, and this is what renders it valuable in the treatment of 

 so many diseases. I am inclined to think that we would not 

 hear of so much diphtheria and other forms of sore throat, if 

 all the children of the land had plenty of pure honey to eat 

 three times a day. I hardly think, however, that I would 

 want to use the honey that needed to be " sterilized " in order 

 to make it " wholesome." Honey that shows any hint of fer- 

 mentation has been chauged from its natural condition by 

 bad handling, and should be consigned to the baker or manu- 

 facturer, for it has surely lost one of its most valuable quali- 

 ties, tliat of being an antiseptic. That it is an antiseptic is 

 evidenced by the fact stated by Mr. Cowan. The only thing 

 that kept it good for over oOO years was its power to resist 

 the attack of any unfriendly germs. 



Mr. Root said in the same article, that Dr. Kellogg had 

 found by recent experiments that diabetic patients could eat 

 honey almost with fmpunity, while, as most people know, 

 sugar would prove most fatal. I, myself, as I think I have 

 said before in these columns, have been unable, on account of 

 stomach trouble, for a long time to eat but little sugar, but 

 during all that time I have eaten honey three times a day, 

 when I could get it, without experiencing any difficulty. Mr. 

 Koot says he has hail a similar experience. This is generally 

 attributed to the fact that honey is grape-sugar instead of 

 cane, and is, therefore, more easily assimilated. This may be 

 one of the reasons, but I am inclided to think that the fact 

 that honey contains an anti-ferment, or in other words, a 

 germicide, is another reason why it can be eaten with impunity 

 by many invalids, and in most cases with material benefit. 

 Honey is not only a food, but is a medicine, distilled in Na- 

 ture's best laboratory, and gathered and prepared by divinely- 

 appointed chemists — the bees. 



^rr)or)^ tlje Bee-Papers 



Wintering Bees — A Symposium Condensed. 



The following items are taken from a symposiumon win- 

 tering, in Gleanings : 



Were I asked what I have learned in recent years in win- 

 tering that is of importance I should say. the value of having 

 the size itf every l)ro'id-ch amber correspond ivitlt. the size of the 

 coloay tliat is to occupy it. Quinby. in " Bee-Keepiug Ex- 

 plained," says that a small colony will consume nearly as 

 much honey as a good-sized one ; and when both are wintered 

 in tlie same size of hive he is undoubtedly correct ; but my ex- 

 perience has been that, when the brood-chamber is reduced to 

 fit the colony, the consumption of honey during winter does 

 not seem proportionately greater for the small colony than the 

 large one. Nor yet do I find the loss greater of small colonies 

 properly put up for winter than large ones. 



My theory is, that if a good-sized colony should have eight 

 frames, and SO pounds of honey, a colony half its size will 

 winter well on four combs and 15 pounds of honey. Of course 

 after warTn weather, and brood is maturing rapidly, the small 

 colony will need more honey than the large one in proportion 

 to its size, for it will mature brood almost as fast, — oftentimes. 



Now, if it is such an avdantage for a small colony to have 

 its hive reduced, would it not be a saving in honey to place 

 a strong colony on, say, six combs ? I answer no. They 

 would be likely to consume even more honey than if left prop- 

 erly packed upon eight combs. The strong colony is liable to 

 be overwarm nnd restless, and to rear a large amount of brood 

 in winter, thus wasting its stores and vitality both. So I use 

 the division-board freely, and have brood-chambers of all sizes 

 from four to nine or ten Langstroth combs, and I have win- 

 tered very small colonies upon three combs with entire suc- 

 cess— J. E. Ckane. 



After the middle of November, on a cool, dry day, my bees 

 are taken in and stacked up four hives high on a foundation of 

 scantling. I leave on the bottom-boards and honey-boards ; 

 but I like the idea of placing a two-inch rim, size of hive, be- 

 tween bottom and body, except in case where a very shullow 

 frame in a single story is used. 



Ordinary cellars do not maintain an oven temperature ; at 

 least, my cellar does not ; so 1 keep close watch, especially 

 during changeable weather. By opening or shutting the win- 



dow I can regulate the temperature pretty well — enough so 

 that I have been able to winter my bees in this cellar for ten 

 years with very little loss. About April 10, or when the bees 

 wintered out-of-doors begin to bring pollen, I take all colonies 

 from the cellar, and do this during the night. In placing 

 them on their stands 1 pay no attention to their former loca- 

 tion the fall previous. 



Upward ventilation through five or six inches of chaff has 

 proved much better than a sealed cover for outdoor wintering. 



A very shallow frame ( half-story frame ) in a single story 

 has given me best results in the cellar, which I explain as fol- 

 lows : In so shallow a brood-nest the cluster of bees touches 

 top and bottom. Any bees, when about to die, cannot accu- 

 mulate, but leave the hive and die on the cellar-bottom, which 

 should be covered from time to time anew with dry saw-dust. 

 Purer air is thus secured to the colonies, and combs remain 

 sweet. I have never as yet found a moldy comb in these shal- 

 low hives. — P. Gkeinkr. 



I believe thoroughly that outside packing pays. My fa- 

 vorite method is to pack four colonies together. During the 

 summer the hives are in groups of four, two facing east and 

 two west. They are far enough apart to allow of working all 

 around them easily ; but on the approach of winter they are 

 moved close together. A large box (or, rather, a rim) without 

 top or bottom is then placed around them, the ends resting on 

 the " bridges" over the entrance so that the bees may fly nn- 

 disturbed, the sides resting on the ground. The sides and 

 ends are seperate panels, which are lightly tacked together at 

 the corners, just before they are set into place. The four 

 hives are now about two inches from each other, with a space 

 of three or four inches all around the outside, and six or eight 

 inches over the top. 



I generally use planer-shavings for packing. Leaves of 

 the softer varieties are good ; but I would not use chaff or 

 straw, as the grain they are apt to contain is an attraction for 

 mice. The whole is covered with a good roof — one that will 

 not leak or blow off. 



The hives are covered with a flat board cover, and this is 

 left just as it was during the summer. — J. A. Green. 



CHANGING STORES. 



If our bees get improper food into the hive it becomes a 

 serious matter to change this for the proper kind, for expe- 

 rience has taught that there is a right and a wrong way to do 

 even this. Changing the frames of poor for frames of good 

 honey is all right if thoroughly done early enough in the sea- 

 son so that the bees can arrange themselves for winter ; but to 

 wait until almost time to put lliein away for winter, and then 

 take out a few. outside frames and put in the others does but 

 small good, for the bees have arranged a winter supply around 

 the brood-nest, and it is a chance if yourgood honey is touchtd 

 at all for the bees will bedead long before tbey get to it. Thon 

 why not put it in the middle? By this you have divided the 

 bees and changed all their winter arrangements. A neighbor 

 of mine last fall, when our bees all got much honey-dew. took 

 all the honey he could get from SO colonies, and had to leave 

 40 with the honey unchanged. In the spring, those undis- 

 turbed came out as well as the others, although the best of 

 basswood was substituted for the honey-dew. From this we 

 draw the inference that the only practical way is to remove 

 the fconey next to the brood-nest, put in empty frames, and 

 then feed with some kind of a feeder. This gives them a 

 chance to arrange the food in what they call the right place. 

 Then arrangement of stores is important. Yes, but not essen- 

 tial. If proper temperature be given, the bees will go to the 

 honey if it is in the hive, whether it is above or at the side or 

 end of the cluster. I have experimented along this line with 

 frames fnim 5 inches deep up to 1L» inches ; and, other condi- 

 tions being right, it made no difference. Susar stores are all 

 right for winter if fed early, and good sugar is used. 



VENTILATION OF HIVKS. 



Top or bottom ventilation of hives has been a vexed ques- 

 tion with me, and I am not sure on this point now, but I have 

 come to this conclusion : If much bottom ventilation is given, 

 but little at top is needed ; and if much at top, but little at the 

 bottom. I am inclined to a large opening at the bottom and 

 none at the top, for the reason that it seems to preserve the 

 natural heat of the cluster, and at the same time allow all 

 the dead bees to fall away from the combs, and thereby avoid 

 foul air and contamination by mold and decay. I have prac- 

 ticed leaving the bottom-hoards off entirely, and setting the 

 hives so as to have a spa<-e of about eight inches wide the 

 whole length of the hive clear, and leave the quilt and cover 

 on ; also the honey-board, if the hive had one on in summer. — 

 C. A. Hatch. 



