•WINTEJUNG. 93 



CHAPTEE XII. 



Wintering. 



AMOUNT or STOBB EEQ0IEED — BAELEY STJGAE FBEDINO HAT- 



EIOK COTEE VENTILATION HONEY A SOUEOE OP HEAT 



WHY ■WEAK STOCKS WINTEE BADLY — ^AIE OF HIVE PURE 



CHINA MATTING, PEAIL, QUILT INSTINCT STBEBOTYPED 



WINTEE PASSAGES OLEAEING ENTEANOB SNOW — BE-AERANO- 



ING AN APIABY STAEVED BEES — CONCLUSION. 



Kg eare during tli« season of activity can compensate for neglect of the 

 bees' comfort and necessities daring the season uf repose. A winter 

 well passed has more to do with suhsequent success than the inexpe- 

 rienced could well imagine. Setting on one side the misfortune of disease, 

 or the accident of queenlessness, the fatalities which occur during winter 

 may be put down in nearly every instance to one of four causes : paucity 

 of bees, insufficiency of food, want of proper protection, or errors in 

 ventilation. The first of these matters has already received attention 

 under the heads of " Autumn Feeding," and " Uniting." The amount o) 

 food required by a stock during the inclement season whilst not raising 

 brood is less than 21b. per month ; but no prudent beekeeper would keep 

 his hives at the brink of possible starvation. A fluctuating, and, on the 

 whole, mild winter, by keeping the bees in unrest, will increase the con- 

 sumption, while stocks amply provisioned begin raising small quantities 

 of brood soon after the days commence to lengthen. No skeps ought to 

 be left under the weight of 201b gross, and, unless very small, we advise 

 from 251b. to 301b. to be made the minimum, especially if the aombs are 

 old and contain much pollen. The food to raise to this weight, if it is 

 not intended to stimulate to breeding (see page 59) must be given quickly 

 and contain 51b of sugar to the quart of water. With frame hives two- 

 superficial feet of «ealed store (about three Woodbury combs) are required, 

 With these, hives suffering an emiha/Aas de richesse may exchange full for 

 empty combs, from poverty-struck neighbours. For too much honey is 

 not really an advantage, since during cold spells the bees thrust themselves 

 into the empty cells, head to head, from each side of the comb, while 



