466 THB bke-kbkpbr's guidb; 



make the union more complete. The bees will unite peaceably, 

 and make a strong colony. In case of nuclei I usually unite 

 three for winter. Uniting colonies may pay at other seasons. 

 It may seem rash to some, yet I fully believe that if the 

 above suggestions are carried out in full, I may guarantee 

 successful wintering. But if we do lose our bees, having all 

 our hives, combs and honey, we can buy colonies in the spring 

 with a perfect certainty of making a good percent on our 

 investment. Even with the worst condition of things, we are 

 still ahead, in way of profit, of most other vocations. 



BURYING BBBS, OR WINTERING IN CI<AMPS. 



In principle this is the same as cellar-wintering. There 

 are two serious objections to it. First, we do not know that 

 the temperature is just right, and, secondly, if aught goes 

 wrong we know nothing of it — the bees are away out of sight. 

 If this is practiced, the ground should be either sandy or well 

 drained. If we can choose a side-hill it should be done. 

 Beneath the hives, and around them, straw should be placed. 

 I should advise leaving the entrance well open, yet secure 

 against mice. The hives should all be placed peneath the sur- 

 face level of the earth, and a mound should be raised above 

 tljem sufficient to preserve against extreme warmth or cold. 

 A trench about the mound to carry the water off quickly is 

 desirable. In this arrangement the ground acts as a modera- 

 tor. I would urge the suggestion that no one try this with 

 more than a few colonies, for several years, till repeated suc- 

 cesses show that it is reliable in all seasons. I tried burying 

 very successfully for a time, then for two winters lost heavily. 

 These last winters the bees would have wintered well on their 

 summer stands, as the weather was very warm. The bees 

 became too warm, and were worried to death. 



SPRING DWINDLING. 



In the early years, before the forests were cleared away, 

 the winters were less severe and disastrous, wintering or 

 spring dwindling were seldom experienced. The warmer 

 winters, and possibly better honey in the hive, were the reasons. 



As already suggested, spring dwindling is not to be feared 



