418 THE BEEKEEPERS' REVIEW 



perhaps 8 feet high, should be constructed on the exposed sides. The more 

 compact the apiary, the easier it is to construct a windbreak, which is an arg- 

 ument for placing colonies in groups of four. Evergreens are slow growing 

 and a high fence may be used until the permanent windbreak is sufficient. If 

 the apiary is practically surrounded by buildings, this may be adequate protec- 

 tion, but such a location is usually not the most convenient for the apiary. A 

 southern exposure is usually recommended as best for winter, for it is claimed 

 that the heat of the sun is beneficial. Since the sun shines only a small frac- 

 tion of the time in winter in most localities, especially in the East, where there 

 is much cloudy weather, this feature should not be unduly emphasized. 



PROVIDING ADEQUATE WINTER STORES 



The amount of honey that a colony will need from the time it is packed 

 until it is unpacked can not be closely estimated. The aim of the beekeeper in 

 winter should be to save bees rather than honey, and he can make no more 

 profitable investment than to give his bees more than they can possibly use. 

 Some beekeepers claim that it is best to have the old bees die soon, so as to 

 save stores. The actual consumption in such badly wintered apiaries is prob- 

 ably not at all decreased. 



If the bees do not have suffiicient stores, they may be given combs of 

 honey, but these should always be given before cold weather, so that a proper 

 clustering space may be formed by the moving of honey, since bees always 

 cluster in empty cells of the comb adjacent to stores. 



If honey in combs is not available, the bees may be fed extracted honey, 

 but the usual practice is to feed a thick sugar syrup made of 2 or 2^/^ parts of 

 sugar to 1 part of water by volume. To this syrup 1 ounce of tartaric acid 

 should be added for each 40 to 60 pounds of sugar while the syrup is being 

 heated to a boiling point to dissolve the sugar crystals. The syrup should be 

 boiled 15 minutes. The acid helps to invert the cane sugar, thus retarding its 

 granulation in the combs. If there is any question as to the quality of the 

 stores, it is a good practice to feed about 10 pounds of syrup at the time of 

 packing, in addition to the stores provided earlier, this being stored immediate- 

 ly above the cluster. It is thus used first, .and an accumulation of feces does 

 not occur so long as the bees use only the sugar syrup. There is, however, no 

 better food in winter than a good quality of honey. As was stated earlier, 

 honey-dew honey causes a rapid accumulation of feces, resulting in dysentery. 

 If this is present in the fall, it should be removed and better stores given. Some 

 fall honeys are similarly injurious, but their injurious effects may be reduced by 

 feeding syrup at the time of packing. 



SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS 



Bees need protection from cold and wind in winter in practically all parts 

 of the United States. The beekeeper should give abundant insulation, since it 

 is impossible to give too much and since most beekeepers give too little. Great 

 care should be exercised to protect colonies from wind. Every colony should be 

 strong in the fall, so that heat may be generated and conserved economically. 

 To reach the proper population a good queen is necessary. 



Many colonies die of starvation in winter. This can easily be avoided. 



The beekeeper can make no better investment than to give his colonies 

 proper care for winter. 



If the excessive winter losses are prevented, commercial beekeeping will be 

 greatly benefited. Such a condition is entirely possible when beekeepers come 

 to understand the fundamental principle of wintering. 



