20 



while outdoor losses have been heavy in either single or double 

 walled hives. Bees should be left in the cave until about the middle 

 of April. 



A. B. Tackaberry, Cantril, Van Buren County: Out door wintering 

 losses average about fifteen per cent, with no loss of normal colonies 

 wintered in the cellar. One yard is wintered in the cellar with 

 two wintered outside. The cellar wintered bees are always ahead. 

 Honeydew about one year in five causes about fifty per cent winter 

 loss if not removed from the hive. Double walled hives have not 

 proved satisfactory. 



Edw. G. Brown, Sergeant's Bluff, Woodbury County: Where con- 

 ditions are normal cave wintered bees have not lost to exceed ten 

 per cent as an average including spring losses. Have wintered by 

 packing outside with good results but this method requires too much 

 time and labor with greatly increased consumption of stores. 



F. W. Hall, Colo, Story County: After trying every plan have decided 

 that for Iowa conditions cellar wintering is best. Of equal numbers 

 wintered in cellar and packed outside losses have been several times 

 greater in outdoor wintered colonies. (Sioux County). In Story 

 county lost only one colony in 356 wintered in the cellar. In one cel- 

 lar which was too warm losses were heavier. When bees are in right 

 condition they will winter in almost any hole in the ground. No ap- 

 parent differences in results whether tops and bottoms are left on, 

 or removed. 



W. S. Pangburn, Center Junction, Jones County: A seven-eighth inch 

 entrance is used winter and summer. The bees are tiered up five high 

 in cellar with front of hive one inch lower than back. The door is 

 frequently opened at night to let in fresh air. Temperature is not so 

 important as proper ventilation and a dry cellar. The results of win- 

 tering are frequently perfect, but have had some losses when honey 

 dew was mixed with the stores. Spring dwindling is caused by 

 putting the bees out too early. Plenty of stores for early brood rear- 

 ing are important. 



B. A. Aldrich, Smithland. Woodbury County: The fellow who can 

 winter successfully is the successful honey producer. Spring dwin- 

 dling is the result of poor wintering. For ten or twelve years of first 

 bee experience I wintered on natural stores with heavy losses, clogged 

 entrances, dampness, cellars foul, etc. Now all old queens are re- 

 placed in the swarming season. In the fall most of the honey is ex- 

 tracted and the bees fed sugar syrup. Forty to fifty pounds of stores not 

 too much for Iowa. The extra weight of double walled hives bars 

 them from the Aldrich apiaries. With proper provision for winter 

 and a good cellar winter losses are small. 



SUMMARY. 



The extensive honey producers are agreed on certain things 

 that are essential to successful wintering by any method. These 

 are sufficient stores of good quality, strong colonies, vigorous 

 queens and a dry situation. Many letters mentioned the import- 

 ance of spring protection by a suitable windbreak. If all these 

 conditions are met the method of wintering is not of so much 

 importance. Bees with an old queen, or poor stores or weak in 

 numbers need much better protection in order to survive the 

 winter than is necessary for prime colonies. 



