CHAPTER X¥, 



WINTERING BEES. 



|HE subject of -wintering bees is of the greatest 

 ^ importance, and one which is generally very 

 imperfectly understood, if we may judge from 

 the large number of swarms lost every winter and 

 spring. There are many methods recommended as 

 ''the best" for wintering bees. One will tell you to 

 keep them cold ; another to keep them warm. One 

 will say, put them in the cellar ; another, bury them 

 in the ground ; another put them in the attic. 

 Is it any wonder that the beginner becomes confused 

 and disgusted at so much conflicting advice.'' That 

 bees have been wintered safely by any and all of 

 these old plans I shall not dispute. But I am cer- 

 tain that neither plan will, alone, prove successful 

 in the majority of cases. 



By all the methods heretofore recommended, a 

 large number of bees die from each stock, during 

 the winter ; so reducing them in numbers that it 

 takes nearly the entire summer for them to regain 

 in numbers what they have lost ; while a very large 

 number of stocks are lost entirely. 



It will be readily understood that the greater the 

 number of bees in a hive in early spring, the more 

 warmth will be generated ; consequently the more 



